Rail advocates around the country are ecstatic that senators included $8 billion for high-speed rail grants in the stimulus legislation. The question is: where does this money go? Will Texas get any of it for its long-held dream for...
Politico reported late yesterday that Sen. John Cornyn skipped the Senate cloture vote on the stimulus package. Cornyn has been an outspoken opponent of the stimulus legislation, but figured it would pass the procedural hurdle (which requires 60 yes votes,...
Word comes from a congressional office that House members are getting so much email through their Web sites that techs have had to limit the number of emails getting through. House offices are being told: "During hours of peak demand,...
The House of Representatives is expected to vote this morning on the $700 billion bailout package largely engineered by U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. It is a tough vote for members on both sides, but perhaps tougher for Republicans who...
The presidential election is clearly looming over Congress' consideration of the bailout. Congressional Democrats don't want to authorize a plan without Republican support - lest they be tagged with working with an unpopular president to bail out Wall Street. Republicans...
The ethanol industry is defending itself from critics with an ad campaign that highlights its impact in Texas -- the battleground of the most recent public-policy war over ethanol subsidies. The campaign spotlights producers in Hereford, the location of two...
T. Boone Pickens, who is hawking an ambitious energy plan for America, met this morning with presidential candidate John McCain in Aspen, Colo. He'll meet with Barack Obama on Sunday, he said. Mr. Pickens made big donations to the...
Each year, members of Congress sponsor a nationwide high school arts competition. It's an outreach effort that permits members of Congress, including some of our locals, to connect with constituents: there is a winner for each congressional district, and the...
During a week when most of the House is at home in their districts, some Republicans are continuing their protest of Democratic energy policy this week. Most of this revolves around drilling -- and you've read that story enough...
The House of Representatives adjourned for its five-week summer recess (yes, five weeks -- that is longer than some school districts take off). But shortly after most members left the House chamber and the doors were closed (and C-Span turned...
The indictment of Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska this week created some new opportunities for Senate Republicans, including Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Ms. Hutchison has assumed Mr. Stevens' position as ranking member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The...
The Senate is debating a bill this morning, S 2035, which would protect journalists from having to disclose confidential sources to prosecutors, judges, grand juries, and other authorities. Sen. John Cornyn is a longtime advocate of laws that promote government...
Boone Pickens -- legendary oilman, wind-power entrepreneur and big-time Republican donor -- apparently has some crossover appeal. Pickens is garnering Democrats' praise for his plan to wean America off foreign oil by getting more cars to run on natural...
Rick Perry made a brilliant political move putting himself first in line to challenge the corn-ethanol orthodoxy. But so far, fairly few Washington politicians (beyond the Texas delegation) have supported his crusade. But count California Sen. Barbara Boxer, the Senate's...
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison spoke to members of the Texas Association of Business in Washington this morning. At the end of a rather standard speech -- touching on energy, healthcare and taxes -- she criticized the state of public education...
The Bush Administration's Department of Energy just slipped out an e-mail which reverses its stance on filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the underground storage of crude oil which is meant to enhance our energy security. Democrats seized on SPR deposits...
As House members engaged in a bitter debate tonight about a housing rescue (or bailout, depending on your point of view) bill, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston) and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Big D) just had a face-off. After Ms. Jackson...
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