- Endangered Texas Democrats Opposed Al Green Censure
- Texas House DOGE Committee Holds First Hearing
- HB 14 Seeks to Make Texas the “Nuclear Capital of the World”
Endangered Texas Democrats Opposed Al Green Censure
The United States House of Representatives censured Houston-area Democrat Congressman Al Green on Thursday due to his disruptive behavior, which necessitated his removal from President Trump’s address to Congress earlier in the week.
Although 10 Democrats joined Republicans in voting to censure Green for his “breach of proper conduct,” two Texas Democrats representing districts won by President Trump sided with their Party’s majority in opposing Green’s censure.
President Trump won Congressional District 28, represented by Democrat Congressman Henry Cuellar, by 7.3 points last year. In Congressional District 34, represented by Democrat Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, Trump prevailed by 4.5 points.
National Republicans were quick to criticize Cuellar and Gonzalez, with the National Republican Congressional Committee releasing nearly identical statements condemning Cuellar and Gonzalez for siding with “Al Green’s disgraceful and juvenile behavior.”
Although Green, who represents a solidly Democratic district, has not been a particularly strong fundraiser, he has used his campaign account to make generous contributions to an assortment of Democratic candidates and organizations.
Those who received financial support from Green during the last election cycle include the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ($47,000), the Brazoria County Democratic Party ($17,000), the Harris County Democratic Party ($9,750), the Texas Democratic Party ($7,350), Pride Houston ($3,445), the Planned Parenthood Federation of America ($1,000), Kamala Harris ($1,000), Colin Allred ($1,000), and numerous others.
Texas House DOGE Committee Holds First Hearing
The new Delivery of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”) Committee in the Texas House held its first hearing on Wednesday. The Committee, in a hearing that lasted for 12 hours, heard testimony from a variety of witnesses from inside and outside of state government.
In remarks delivered at the start of the hearing, DOGE Committee Chairman Giovanni Capriglione stressed his commitment to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.
“For too long, government inefficiency has been tolerated, accepted, and ignored. That ends now. For the first time, this legislature has established a dedicated standing committee with the authority to cut through bureaucracy, eliminate waste, and hold state agencies to the highest standards of performance, transparency, and integrity. We will not be passive observers; we will be enforcers of accountability, said Capriglione.
“We will expose bloated government, dismantle outdated regulations that stifle economic growth, and eradicate fraud and abuse wherever we find it. This Committee will operate with precision. At times we’ll use a scalpel, carefully dissecting inefficiencies to make government work smarter. At other times, we will wield a sledgehammer, tearing down systemic waste and corruption that may have gone unchallenged. Let there be no mistake, change is coming, and it will be swift and decisive. Our work will be thorough. Public hearings will shine a light on failures. Legislative proposals will emerge from this Committee to drive reform. Investigations will hold bad actors accountable.”
Capriglione also announced the creation of an e-mail address- DOGE@house.texas.gov- where members of the public can submit tips concerning instances of waste, fraud, and abuse for the Committee to investigate.
HB 14 Seeks to Make Texas the “Nuclear Capital of the World”
On Thursday, State Representative Cody Harris filed House Bill 14 to incentivize the development of nuclear power generation in Texas.
In a tweet about his bill, Harris said, “Today, I filed HB 14 to position Texas as the global leader in advanced nuclear energy. The U.S. must win the nuclear renaissance. We cannot allow Russia or China to dominate the future of nuclear technology. By stimulating advanced nuclear reactor deployment in Texas, we will:
✅ Deliver safe, reliable energy to Texans
✅ Establish Texas as the hub of nuclear innovation
✅ Strengthen America’s position as the top exporter of nuclear tech
HB 14 is about energy security, economic growth, and national leadership. It’s time to make Texas the worldwide leader in nuclear development.”
The development of nuclear energy in Texas has also been a priority for Governor Greg Abbott. During his State of the State address last month, Abbott said that it is “time for Texas to lead a nuclear power renaissance in the United States.” Last year, the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group, which was formed at the direction of Governor Abbott, released a report that included legislative recommendations to encourage the development of nuclear energy in Texas.
State Senator Tan Parker has filed identical legislation, Senate Bill 2060, in the Texas Senate.
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