Lawmakers from both parties urge Trump administration to keep funding seven coronavirus testing sites
The federal government plans to cease funding for the sites at the end of June. Full Story
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![A coronavirus checkpoint in Houston.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia, Joaquin Castro call on ICE to release migrants in immigration detention centers as coronavirus cases surge
As cases surge in Texas and the pandemic rages on, the representatives said ICE should release all detainees who are not a safety risk and who are more vulnerable to contracting the virus. Full Story
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![The South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar calls Gov. Greg Abbott's leadership during coronavirus "a total failure"
During an interview with The Texas Tribune, Escobar, D-El Paso, said the state's leadership missed an opportunity to implement robust testing when an emergency was declared. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, speaks during a House Judiciary Committee markup of Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 12, 2019.]()
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Houston mayor calls for more funding for social services to take pressure off police officers
During a Houston policing roundtable organized by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, several local leaders emphasized the need for social services funding. Full Story
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![Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner speaks during the funeral for George Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church in Houston on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.]()
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This year, Juneteenth takes on new meaning for black Texans, as push to make holiday with Texas roots goes national
In 1980, Texas became the first state to adopt Juneteenth as a holiday. It is officially recognized in all but three states: Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota. As Americans continue to march for racial justice, black Texans say the holiday has taken on additional weight. Full Story
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![The Juneteenth historic marker is located on Strand Street in Galveston. The marker commemorates June 19, 1865, the day that Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to inform enslaved black Texans that slavery had ended, two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. June 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will file bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday
Cornyn is not the first Texas lawmaker to take similar steps toward celebrating Juneteenth. On Monday, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, introduced a resolution aiming to recognize the historical significance of the holiday. Her measure has more than 200 cosponsors. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press at the University of Texas at Austin tower in Austin on June 14, 2019.]()
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U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia moves to self-quarantine after exposure to coronavirus
The Houston Democrat isn't the first member of the state's delegation who has taken such action. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, at The Texas Tribune Festival in 2018.]()
Credit: Stephen Spillman for The Texas Tribune -
Reversing course, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn signals openness to removing Confederate names from military bases
A day earlier, Cornyn had pushed back against the notion of changing base names, saying "I am for looking forward, not looking backward." Full Story
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![U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, enters a hearing room before chairing a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to confirm five nominees on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.]()
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U.S. Sen. John Cornyn resistant to renaming Fort Hood, military base named after a Confederate general
Cornyn said he's worried efforts to erase America's history could lead to people forgetting their mistakes. Full Story
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![U.S. Senator John Cornyn speaks at The American Legion Boys State ceremony on the south steps of the University of Texas at Austin tower on June 14, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo tells U.S. House committee defunding police is "not the answer"
George Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd was also a featured witness at the hearing, where he spoke about the pain of losing his brother. Full Story
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![Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo responds to demonstrators about police accountability at a rally for George Floyd at Houston City Hall.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Texans could receive up to a year of unemployment benefits under second extension of aid
The state triggered an extended benefits period, adding an additional 13 weeks of unemployment starting in July. It is the second benefits extension this year. Full Story
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![Kerbey Lane Cafe’s empty dining room during the coronavirus pandemic on March 30, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texans in Congress divided over President Donald Trump's protest response
Members of Congress and staff worry that the country's political dysfunction has rendered the federal government incapable of addressing police violence legislatively before the November elections. Full Story
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![A view of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. on April 13, 2020.]()
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Long a GOP voice on health care, U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess seeks a higher post
The North Texas representative is vying to be the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville, gives an opening statement during the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing at the U.S. Capitol in response to COVID-19 outbreak. May 14, 2020.]()
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T-Squared: Here’s our plan for the virtual Texas Tribune Festival. Tickets are on sale now.
Our signature ideas weekend is now an ideas month, and that’s only one of the many pandemic-inspired changes we have in store. Full Story
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Here’s your Texas 2020 July runoff ballot
The 2020 Texas Democratic and Republican primary runoffs will take place July 14. See the full list of candidates, and find out who's on your ballot based on where you live. Full Story
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The Castros say they’ll work to beat Donald Trump, but they haven’t made their support for Joe Biden official yet
The former presidential candidate and the U.S. representative from San Antonio, two of Texas’ most prominent Democrats, have yet to formally endorse the Democratic nominee for president. Full Story
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![Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, in Brownsville in 2018.]()
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Former U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, a Vietnam War veteran, has died
Johnson, R-Richardson, was first elected to Congress in 1991 and gained a reputation as a strong conservative voice in the Texas delegation. He was a prisoner of war for nearly seven years. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson, R, Richardson.]()
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Some Texans in Congress vote through proxies for the first time in American history
Republicans have fought the allowance of proxy voting tooth and nail. They argue that such a move upends the Constitution, and they promise a protracted legal fight. Full Story
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![The U.S. Capitol looms in the background as a woman walks among flags at the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. on May 27, 2020.]()
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Watch: U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar discusses the response to the coronavirus outbreak
We sat down for a live interview with Escobar, D-El Paso, to answer questions about the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak, how El Paso is faring and what relief Texans can expect. Full Story
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Influential conservative group endorses Ronny Jackson over Josh Winegarner in runoff for U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry's seat
The two men vying to represent the Texas Panhandle in Congress have split a slew of endorsements ahead of the runoff to replace Thornberry, who is retiring. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump's nominee to be U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Navy Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, meets with Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, at his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 17, 2018.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Joshua Roberts