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Texas congressional delegation

The latest Texas congressional delegation news from The Texas Tribune.

  • Taint by Association

    By Ross Ramsey and Sarah Adler

    The mud-throwing season is underway, with candidates on both sides working overtime to tie their opponents to controversial people, acts and money, hoping the negative mojo rubs off. Democrats are pushing anchor-baby videos of state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler. Republicans slam their Democratic foes for taking contributions from ethically suspect U.S. Reps. Charlie Rangel, D-N.Y., and Maxine Waters, D-Calif. "Both sides have folks who do what they do," says a rueful Texas Republican who doesn't want his name next to those of his party's outspoken officeholders. Full Story 

    The political mud season is underway
    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • Justice DeLayed

    By Andy Uhler, KUT News/StateImpact Texas

    The Justice Department has ended a six-year criminal probe of onetime U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, without filing charges. But as Andy Uhler of KUT News reports, that doesn’t mean the controversial former congressman is off the legal hook. Full Story 

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  • Anchors Away

    By Morgan Smith

    As anti-immigration sentiment continues to rise along with border violence, proposals to abolish the 14th Amendment’s birthright citizenship provision have ricocheted through the political noise machine as an antidote for the incidence of “anchor babies.” But as a practical matter, what would the removal of birthright citizenship mean for the country? Pierce the fog of rhetoric and you’ll quickly discover that nobody really knows — including the state and federal lawmakers yelling loudest for change. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Every Doggett Has His Day

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    The U.S. House has passed a bill on Tuesday that is expected to send about $800 million to bolster the state’s education budget. But thanks to an amendment added by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, the funding comes with Texas-specific strings attached. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune has this report. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • 2010: Chet Edwards Gets NRA Nod

    By Evan Smith

    The Waco Democrat, in the fight of his career as he runs for re-election in the most Republican House district held by a Democrat anywhere in the country, got a big boost Monday when the National Rifle Association's Victory Fund announced it would support him over his GOP opponent, Bill Flores. Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: Nothing to See Here

    By Elizabeth Titus

    Federal and military officials say Texans needn't worry about 17 Afghan military trainees who disappeared from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Many of the Afghans, who were studying English, have been located — and they say none of them pose the national security threat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and other lawmakers fear. Full Story 

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    Credit: United States Congress

  • HuTube: Texas Congressman Warns of Terrorist Babies

    By Elise Hu

    U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, isn't the only Texas congressman making headlines in Washington. Citing a "retired F.B.I. agent" as his source, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, said on the floor of Congress last week that terror cells are plotting to breed future terrorists inside the United States. Full Story 

    U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler.

  • David vs. Goliath

    By Reeve Hamilton

    Two little words — “I apologize,” uttered by U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, to Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP — have upgraded the status of David Cozad’s campaign from Sure Loser to Longer-Than-Longshot. Full Story 

    David Cozad and Joe Barton
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Navigating "Navigable"

    By Kate Galbraith

    Congress is known for having arcane battles, but the biggest fight these days in water law is over a single word in a 1970s-era measure designed to reduce pollution in America's waterways. Texas environmentalists and ranchers are anxiously awaiting the outcome. Full Story 

    Collapsed bridge structure on the Double Mountain Fork Brazos River viewed from U.S. Route 83 at Rath City, Texas.
    Credit: Wikipedia

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    Thevenot on the ideological backbiting at the internationally famous State Board of Education; Stiles, Narioka and Hamilton plumb employee salary data in Texas colleges and universities; Grissom looks at the problem of insufficient indigent defense; Cervantes on the push for "veterans courts" emphasizing treatment and counseling over punishment; Aguilar finds border congressmen asking the governor for a fair break on federal homeland security dollars; M. Smith on another BP rig in the Gulf; Ramshaw reports on nurse practitioners trying to get permission slips from doctors; Hu follows up with lawmakers poking at whistleblower allegations of trouble in the state's workers' compensation regulation; Hamilton stops in on Luke Hayes and his efforts to turn Texas into a political powerhouse for Obama; and Ramsey writes on generation changes at the Capitol and on political pranksters: The best of our best from May 17 to 21, 2010. Full Story 

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    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • Data App: Hey, Big Spenders

    By Ross Ramsey and Matt Stiles

    It's not only rich people and lobbyists and interest group activists who make political contributions. Texas congressional candidates gave at least $1.3 million to other campaigns and causes over the last 15 months, according to itemized records of campaign expenditures released for the first time by the Federal Election Commission. Topping the list of big spenders in the Texas delegation were U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Surfside, who contributed at least $240,000 — the highest dollar amount — and Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, who gave more than 60 contributions — the highest number. Search our database to see who gave what to whom. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • On the Records: FEC Drops New Data

    By Matt Stiles

    On Tuesday, the Federal Election Commission for the first time released detailed records for all congressional candidates' campaign spending. These records tell us who the candidates hire for advertising, consulting, etc., and can often be more interesting to politics junkies than lists of campaign donations. We've made spending by the Texas delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives searchable. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • Mr. President, Can't We Have Federal Judges?

    By Matt Largey, KUT News

    The Obama administration is taking heat from Texas Democrats in Congress over its slowness in filling the state's vacant federal judgeships. Six are open, and a seventh will be next month — with no solution in sight. In his first 16 months in offfice, as Matt Largey of KUT News reports, the President has not nominated a single person to the federal bench in Texas. Full Story