Texas

June 19, 2009 -- GALVESTON – Texas Governor Rick Perry today signed House Bill (HB) 4586, the supplemental appropriations bill that includes $150 million in funding to help the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston recover from Hurricane Ike. The governor also signed HB 4409, which reforms the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA).    » read more »

Governor Eliminates $288.9 Million in Spending Through Line-Item Veto

June 19, 2009 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry today signed Senate Bill 1 into law, providing a balanced budget that spends $1.6 billion less in general revenue than the previous biennium. The budget funds key priorities from higher education and job creation to border security. The governor also used his line-item veto power to reduce the two-year budget by $97.2 million in general revenue and $288.9 million from all funding sources.    » read more »

Gov. Perry Signs Legislation Protecting Texas Property Owners; HJR 14 allows Texans to vote on constitutional amendment

June 15, 2009 -- SAN ANTONIO – Texas Governor Rick Perry today joined lawmakers in highlighting the importance of House Joint Resolution (HJR) 14 that allows Texans to vote on a constitutional amendment to strengthen land owners’ rights. The amendment, which will be voted on in November 2009, would achieve unprecedented protection of private property by placing protections against abuse of eminent domain directly into the Texas Constitution.    » read more »

Sen. Hutchison: “Today is a sad day for 50 Texas small businesses and the communities they’ve served.”

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Texas senior Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, released the following statement regarding the closure of 50 automotive dealerships in Texas:    » read more »

Honors fallen Texas soldiers at Legislative Memorial Ceremony

May 30, 2009 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry today signed Senate Bill (SB) 90, authorizing Texas to join the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which helps make school transitions easier for the children of active duty military personnel who move to Texas. The governor also spoke at the Texas Legislative Memorial Ceremony honoring fallen Texas soldiers.    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- TEXAS CITY, Texas -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has earmarked nearly $5 million to Orange County for emergency protective measures and operations to clean up debris in the Hurricane Ike disaster.

"Because of public health and safety concerns, FEMA has placed a high priority on funding debris-removal operations in the Hurricane Ike disaster," said Federal Coordinating Officer Brad Harris. "Federal assistance will contribute significantly to Orange County’s clean-up efforts."    » read more »

Comments On Administration’s Proposals Regarding SCAAP and Secure Communities Program

May 19, 2009 -- U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee's Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee, today issued the following statement regarding President Obama's request to expand the Secure Communities program, which seeks to check the immigration status of every person booked into local jails.

"Checking the immigration status of every incarcerated individual is a laudable goal. In an ideal world, this would already be the status quo. But the reality is our immigration system is deeply flawed and in need of a major overhaul and infusion of resources--which I have been pushing for since I was first elected to the Senate.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 – Last week, Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson issued this statement in response to the U.S. Air Force selecting Lackland Air Force Base in Texas as the new headquarters for the 24th Air Force cyber unit, over Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha and four other finalists.

“We knew the decision was made that it wasn’t coming to Offutt and I assumed they would make sure this time that the criteria matched the decision. After the Global Strike Command fiasco, the processes used for these decisions have little credibility.    » read more »

May 15, 2009 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today issued the following comments on the U.S. Air Force's announcement that Lackland Air Force base in Texas has been selected as the preferred alternative to locate the Cyber 24th Air Force. The announcement was made as part of the Air Force's Environmental Impact Analysis Process. A final decision by the Air Force Secretary is expected upon completion of the EIAP.    » read more »

WASHINGTON (May 14, 2009) -- As momentum builds in the Energy and Commerce Committee behind comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation (the American Clean Energy and Security Act), Congressman Joe Barton (R-Texas) has released an alternative plan that would set back progress toward a clean energy future, according to experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, DC (May 14, 2009) – Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, unveiled his version of an energy bill today.

Joe Mendelson, director of global warming policy for the National Wildlife Federation, said today:

“Rep. Barton, who’s received millions in campaign contributions from electric utilities and the oil and gas industries in recent years, has introduced a bill that’s nothing short of bailout for big polluters. We don’t need more fat paychecks for oil executives – we need clean energy jobs for Main Street.    » read more »

TEF closes deal on nearly 1,400 new jobs

May 11, 2009 -- SAN ANTONIO – Texas Governor Rick Perry today announced the state will invest $6 million through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) in Medtronic Inc. to open a new facility for its diabetes business unit in San Antonio, creating nearly 1,400 new jobs and generating more than $23 million in capital investment.    » read more »

May 8, 2009 -- On May 9, 2009, the Department of Justice will monitor municipal elections in the cities of Farmers Branch and Hondo, Texas, to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.    » read more »

All Schools in Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD Closed

April 26, 2009 -- AUSTIN – As a precautionary measure, Texas Governor Rick Perry today increased his request of antiviral medication to 25 percent (850,000 courses) of the Texas allotment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Strategic National Stockpile to be prepositioned in the state. This request will augment the more than 840,000 courses of antiviral medication on hand in Texas following a purchase authorized by the 80th Legislature and Gov. Perry in 2007.    » read more »

Impact Assistance Funds will Help Gulf States, Alaska and California to Restore and Protect Coastal Areas

April 20, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Six U.S. coastal states will share nearly half a billion dollars from offshore oil and gas revenues in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 to help restore and protect coastal wetlands, wildlife habitat and marine areas, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said today. The funds are available for approved uses by Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and their coastal local governments.    » read more »