Texans in Congress lead bipartisan efforts to allow fentanyl test strips
The legislation comes after a bill to decriminalize the test strips passed the Texas House but died in the Senate despite support from Gov. Greg Abbott. Full Story
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Matthew Choi is a Washington correspondent for The Texas Tribune. He previously covered energy and climate policy at Politico, where he wrote the Morning Energy newsletter and covered campaign events as a breaking news reporter during the 2020 presidential election and the Mueller investigation. Before joining Politico, Matthew was a two-time reporting fellow at The Texas Tribune based in Austin, reporting on education, health care, immigration, guns, agriculture and land management. He graduated from Northwestern University where he studied journalism and political science and was managing editor of The Daily Northwestern. Matthew is a native of Northern Virginia and speaks both French and English. In his free time, Matthew enjoys cooking French country food while listening to Simon and Garfunkel.
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![Fentanyl Test Strips are made available by the Hamilton County Public Health Department during the A1 Harm Reduction Resource Fair at Living God Church in Avondale, Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023.]()
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U.S. House Republicans from Texas target federal funding unless Homeland Security chief is removed
Escalating their fight over Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ handling of immigration at the southern border, far-right representatives say they will oppose any appropriations for his agency. Full Story
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![U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during the opening of the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue at the State Department in Washington on Oct. 13, 2022.]()
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With new federal food stamp limits coming, advocates mobilize to inform Texas recipients
A requirement to work 80 hours a month, starting in September, could affect 44,000 Texans over age 49. Meanwhile, attention in Congress shifts to the farm bill’s significant impact on food stamp policy. Full Story
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![The fresh produce section of a Brookshire Brothers grocery store in Buffalo on June 29, 2023.]()
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U.S. Sen. John Cornyn wants the U.S. to train Mexican troops to fight drug cartels
The Republican from Texas introduced the legislation after meeting with Mexico’s president and calling for more cooperation between the two countries. Full Story
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![The Mexican military guards the perimieter of the shelter where an estimated 1700 migrants are currently being held in Piedras Negras. Feb. 12, 2019.]()
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Staff for U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia take first step toward forming a union
Employees for the Houston Democrat become the first congressional office from Texas trying to unionize under rules adopted last year. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, at a hearing in Washington, D.C., on June 13, 2023.]()
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In U.S. House, the far right gains a powerful spending-cuts ally in Texas Republican Kay Granger
The chair of the House Appropriations Committee vows to hold spending bills to 2022 levels to counter “years of out-of-control spending.” Full Story
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![Incumbent U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, speaks to supporters at the Blue Mesa restaurant in Fort Worth during the 2020 primary election on March 3, 2020.]()
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Texas Republicans in Congress stand behind Donald Trump after federal indictment
GOP lawmakers dismiss the charges over classified documents as a partisan attack, but Democrats say the matter proves nobody is above the law. Full Story
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![Hundreds of people gathered to attend former President Donald Trump's first 2024 presidential campaign rally in Waco on March 25, 2023.]()
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14 U.S. House Republicans from Texas vote against raising the debt limit
Joined in opposition by four Texas Democrats, the “no” votes weren’t enough to sink the proposal, which next heads to the U.S. Senate. Full Story
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![US Representative Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, speaks during a press conference alongside other members of the House Freedom Caucus outside of the US Capitol building on May 30, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Congress begins to examine the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 which would eliminate the debt limit for two years alongside other stipulations that Speaker McCarthy and President Biden have reached an agreement on.]()
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U.S. debt ceiling fight riles Texans at both political ends
The high-stakes confrontation could have an impact on retirements accounts, corporations and much more. Full Story
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![The U.S. Capitol is seen through a food truck window on April 14, 2022.]()
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Texas Democrat unveils bipartisan immigration plan with path to citizenship, border security spending
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar’s legislation, dubbed the Dignity Act in partnership with a Florida Republican, also seeks to change asylum processes. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, introduces the "Dignity Act" outside the Capitol during a news conference on immigration policy, on May 23, 2023, in Washington, D.C.]()
Credit: Julia Nikhinson for The Texas Tribune