INSIDER
Despite warnings, Texas rushed to remove millions from Medicaid. Eligible residents lost care.
Read full article: Despite warnings, Texas rushed to remove millions from Medicaid. Eligible residents lost care.Texas officials acknowledged some errors after they stripped Medicaid coverage from more than 2 million people, most of them children. A ProPublica and Texas Tribune review of records shows that these mistakes and others were preventable.
Judge in Texas pauses Biden program offering legal status to spouses of U.S. citizens
Read full article: Judge in Texas pauses Biden program offering legal status to spouses of U.S. citizensBiden announced the program in June and Republicans in 16 states filed suit. The federal judge issued an order that puts the program on hold for at least two weeks.
Interstate 27 has divided Lubbock for decades. North and east side residents want that to change.
Read full article: Interstate 27 has divided Lubbock for decades. North and east side residents want that to change.After repeated attempts to convince the City Council to make zoning changes, residents asked the federal government to intervene.
How to navigate FEMA during this year’s hurricane season
Read full article: How to navigate FEMA during this year’s hurricane seasonThe upcoming hurricane season is anticipated to be “above-average,” potentially causing those in its path to suffer from property damages. Here is how federal assistance may help you in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Houston woman is third guilty plea in Henry Cuellar bribery case
Read full article: Houston woman is third guilty plea in Henry Cuellar bribery caseIrada Akhoundova pleaded guilty to facilitating a $60,000 payment to Imelda Cuellar, the congressman’s wife, that she believed would benefit Azerbaijan and its state-run oil company.
Many homes burned in the Texas wildfires weren’t insured, creating a steep path to recovery
Read full article: Many homes burned in the Texas wildfires weren’t insured, creating a steep path to recoveryRural Texans are more than twice as likely to go without homeowners insurance than their urban peers.
Texas law allowing police to arrest migrants suspected of being in country illegally blocked by federal judge
Read full article: Texas law allowing police to arrest migrants suspected of being in country illegally blocked by federal judgeSenate Bill 4 was Texas’ latest attempt to deter people from crossing the Texas-Mexico border amid a surge in migration.
Years before Texas conservatives painted them as criminals, Colony Ridge residents sought help from state agencies
Read full article: Years before Texas conservatives painted them as criminals, Colony Ridge residents sought help from state agenciesTexas has little to show for conservative leaders’ uproar — or previously unreported complaints about the community developer.
Texas’ oil and gas production surges even as federal government clamps down on environmental regulations
Read full article: Texas’ oil and gas production surges even as federal government clamps down on environmental regulationsCrude oil and natural gas extraction in Texas reached record levels in 2023, according to the industry’s annual report.
Texas' standoff with the feds in Eagle Pass is igniting calls for secession and fears of violence
Read full article: Texas' standoff with the feds in Eagle Pass is igniting calls for secession and fears of violenceThe calls for Texas to defend itself and defy the federal government have set fire to a long-simmering fight over states’ rights, emboldening right-wing figures.
U.S. Department of Justice says it’ll sue if Texas enforces new law punishing illegal border crossing
Read full article: U.S. Department of Justice says it’ll sue if Texas enforces new law punishing illegal border crossingThe state has until Jan. 3 to say it won’t arrest people accused of unauthorized entry from Mexico. If not, the Biden administration will sue, saying immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.
Feds sue Colony Ridge developer, accusing it of preying on Latino homebuyers
Read full article: Feds sue Colony Ridge developer, accusing it of preying on Latino homebuyersFederal authorities accused the Houston-area developer of targeting Latino home buyers with predatory loans and false promises. The housing development drew the attention of state lawmakers after right-wing publications claimed it is a magnet for undocumented immigrants.
Updated COVID-19 shot slowly rolls out in Texas, but access is spotty
Read full article: Updated COVID-19 shot slowly rolls out in Texas, but access is spottyDoses aren’t arriving at providers’ offices at uniform, predictable intervals. Shipments are largely dependent on individual providers’ ability to work out the logistics of ordering, stocking, training and paperwork.
4 Texas Republicans join ultraconservatives to sink GOP attempt to keep federal government open
Read full article: 4 Texas Republicans join ultraconservatives to sink GOP attempt to keep federal government openThe funding bill was a long shot, but far-right U.S. representatives said it didn’t go far enough in promoting their priorities, including border security and defunding investigations into Donald Trump.
Texas lowers barrier for food stamps, but many still won’t qualify
Read full article: Texas lowers barrier for food stamps, but many still won’t qualifyA new state law increases what SNAP applicants’ vehicles can be worth before they’re disqualified for federal food assistance. But most states don’t take car values into consideration at all.
More Texans would qualify for food stamps under a bill heading to Gov. Greg Abbott
Read full article: More Texans would qualify for food stamps under a bill heading to Gov. Greg AbbottThe value of a household’s vehicles disqualified nearly 55,000 people seeking federal food assistance in 2022. House Bill 1287 increases the threshold of car values that lead to SNAP applicants being denied aid.
Biden approves disaster relief for 13 Texas counties with damage from winter ice storms
Read full article: Biden approves disaster relief for 13 Texas counties with damage from winter ice stormsGov. Greg Abbott, who requested a federal disaster declaration for 23 counties, called it a critical first step in the recovery.
Federal judge again threatens contempt-of-court fines for Texas’ slow progress on foster care reforms
Read full article: Federal judge again threatens contempt-of-court fines for Texas’ slow progress on foster care reformsThe judge warned the state could be held in contempt of court for not following through with three mandates: youths not knowing their rights, not adequately responding to abuse allegations and still having too many children without placement.
In latest challenge to student loan forgiveness program, a Texas judge blocks Biden’s policy
Read full article: In latest challenge to student loan forgiveness program, a Texas judge blocks Biden’s policyA federal judge in North Texas has struck down the loan forgiveness program President Joe Biden unveiled in August, citing a failure to provide borrowers with an opportunity for public comment.
U.S. Justice Department will again have election monitors in Texas
Read full article: U.S. Justice Department will again have election monitors in TexasFederal monitors will be on the ground in Harris, Dallas and Waller counties on Election Day as part of the department’s regular deployment for major elections.
U.S. will begin turning many Venezuelan migrants back to Mexico
Read full article: U.S. will begin turning many Venezuelan migrants back to MexicoThe Biden administration is also creating a pathway to allow “qualified” Venezuelans into the country. Venezuelans have been fleeing their home country in record numbers, and the number crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has surged.
Fort Hood set to be renamed after Richard Cavazos, Texas’ first Hispanic four-star general
Read full article: Fort Hood set to be renamed after Richard Cavazos, Texas’ first Hispanic four-star generalDefense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin accepted the Naming Commission’s change and announced it would take place by Jan. 1, 2024.
Biden plan could allow new offshore drilling in Gulf of Mexico
Read full article: Biden plan could allow new offshore drilling in Gulf of MexicoHis campaign promise to end fossil fuel development on public lands was thwarted by U.S. courts, high gas prices and Russia’s domination of Western European energy.
Treasury Department opens investigation into Gov. Greg Abbott’s use of federal funds for border mission
Read full article: Treasury Department opens investigation into Gov. Greg Abbott’s use of federal funds for border missionTexas has been using coronavirus relief money to help pay for the multibillion-dollar deployment.
Texas hospitals prepare to pick up the tab for uninsured COVID-19 patients as federal funds dry up
Read full article: Texas hospitals prepare to pick up the tab for uninsured COVID-19 patients as federal funds dry upHospitals and other health care providers in Texas, which has the lowest rate of insurance coverage in the nation, have gotten some $1.8 billion in federal help for uninsured COVID-19 patients.
How a Texas songbird and its endangered status became the center of a fight over the Hill Country
Read full article: How a Texas songbird and its endangered status became the center of a fight over the Hill CountryScientists say a study that estimated far more golden-cheeked warblers in Texas than previously thought has been attacked and taken out of context as the state and federal government battle over the bird’s endangered status.
Citing overwhelming demand, Texas Rent Relief Program will stop taking new applications after Friday
Read full article: Citing overwhelming demand, Texas Rent Relief Program will stop taking new applications after FridayHousing advocates worry some Texans won’t get the help they need as the state enters the cold winter months.
COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5-11 are heading to Texas after FDA gives Pfizer shot emergency use authorization
Read full article: COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5-11 are heading to Texas after FDA gives Pfizer shot emergency use authorizationThe federal government will now send a first shipment of more than a million doses destined for children in that age group to providers in nearly half of the state's counties.
Texas universities with federal contracts are caught between Greg Abbott and Joe Biden over COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Read full article: Texas universities with federal contracts are caught between Greg Abbott and Joe Biden over COVID-19 vaccine mandatesWhile some universities in other states that hold federal contracts have mandated vaccines for all employees, many Texas universities, which collectively have billions in federal contracts, are still reviewing the executive order before it goes into effect Dec. 8.
U.S. Department of Justice investigating abuse, mistreatment at Texas’ juvenile lockups
Read full article: U.S. Department of Justice investigating abuse, mistreatment at Texas’ juvenile lockupsThe department says it’s looking into whether the Texas Juvenile Justice Department provides “reasonable protection from physical and sexual abuse by staff and other residents, excessive use of chemical restraints and excessive use of isolation.”
Justice Department argues Texas ban on school mask mandates violates disabled students’ rights
Read full article: Justice Department argues Texas ban on school mask mandates violates disabled students’ rightsPlaintiffs say the governor’s order denies children with disabilities, who are at a high risk of illness and death from the coronavirus, access to public education.
¿Cómo acceder a los beneficios de desempleo?
Read full article: ¿Cómo acceder a los beneficios de desempleo?Cientos de miles de tejanos han presentado una solicitud de desempleo desde que la pandemia llegó a Texas en marzo de 2020. En esta entrevista la Comisión de la Fuerza Laboral de Texas respondió las preguntas más frecuentes.
Federal government announces funding for emergency contraception for Texans impacted by near-total abortion ban
Read full article: Federal government announces funding for emergency contraception for Texans impacted by near-total abortion banThe Biden administration also issued memorandums detailing two federal statutes officials says they would enforce to provide protection for patients who may need an abortion and health care providers who assist pregnant patients in certain situations.
Justice Department exploring ways to challenge Texas’ abortion ban, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland says
Read full article: Justice Department exploring ways to challenge Texas’ abortion ban, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland saysGarland provided no details of how federal officials may challenge one of the nation’s strictest bans on abortion. His statement came days after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the law, at least for now.
Biden administration threatens to sue after Texas officials say they’ll yank licenses from facilities housing unaccompanied migrant children
Read full article: Biden administration threatens to sue after Texas officials say they’ll yank licenses from facilities housing unaccompanied migrant childrenA federal attorney claims an order from Gov. Greg Abbott violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and said legal action could follow if the state carries through with plans to pull licenses from the federally contracted facilities.
Houston Newsmakers: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee says federal government takeover of vaccine distribution necessary
Read full article: Houston Newsmakers: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee says federal government takeover of vaccine distribution necessary“At a time when the words “government takeover” may not be the most popular, that is exactly what’s being called for by Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee, (D) 18th as it relates to vaccine distribution. The Oath Keepers is just one of several far-right groups that has the FBI and Homeland Security officials concerned. His book is: Oath Keepers, Patriotism and the Edge of Violence in a Right-Wing Anti Government Group. More Information: Houston Newsmakers airs Sundays at 10:30am. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D), 18th Congressional District· Website: https://kevinbrady.house.gov/· Twitter: @JacksonLeeTX18AdSam Jackson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, University at Albany· Website: https://www.albany.edu/cehc/faculty/sam-jackson· Website: https://sjacksonphd.wordpress.com
FEMA ends extra $300 unemployment benefit for Texans this week. Here’s why
Read full article: FEMA ends extra $300 unemployment benefit for Texans this week. Here’s whyHOUSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency ended the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program, which provided an additional $300 a week to qualified unemployment recipients impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a press release. FEMA previously approved TWC funding requests for the benefits weeks between Aug. 1 to Sept. 5. Recipients will continue to receive normal weekly benefit amounts for any benefit weeks for which they are eligible. The Lost Wages Assistance Program was a temporary provision established after the expiration of the $600 Federal Pandemic Assistance Program, a part of the CARES Act. For more information on eligibility requirements, available benefits and questions about the unemployment process, visit TWC’s COVID-19 FAQ page.
As Congress feuds over unemployment payments, many jobless Texans are about to lose a $600 weekly benefit
Read full article: As Congress feuds over unemployment payments, many jobless Texans are about to lose a $600 weekly benefitIf Congress doesn’t extend the $600 benefit, that will leave many Texans getting anywhere from $69 to $521 per week in unemployment benefits. Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz opposes extending the weekly $600 payments. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s office said the Texas senator supports extending unemployment assistance but did not specify whether he supports extending the weekly $600 payments. “And that's not good.”Economists say the end of the weekly $600 payments will lead to Texans with less spending money to fuel an economic recovery. Mason fears what will happen if the weekly $600 payments end Saturday and he is still working reduced hours.
Houston small businesses look to federal government for lifeline
Read full article: Houston small businesses look to federal government for lifelineHOUSTON – Elizabeth Swift Copeland did something Wednesday she hasn’t done in over 30 years of owning a business—apply for a loan. “I just hope the government will act quickly and respond to my application for a loan,” said Swift Copeland. “We need money fast,” said Swift Copeland. “I mean for small business; timing is everything. He believes the federal government should mandate banks to delay payments to small businesses hurt by the coronavirus.