Texas Senate Passes Map Aimed at Giving GOP 5 Extra Congressional Seats
The final vote tally was 19–2 as all but two state Senate Democrats, Juan Hinojosa and Judith Zaffirini, walked out of the chamber. The Texas state House of Representatives must approve the map before Gov. Greg Abbott can sign it into law.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
3 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Social Security Warning Over Changes Issued by Bernie Sanders
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Bernie Sanders issued a warning about potential changes to Social Security implemented by the Trump administration on the program's 90th anniversary this week. A Social Security Administration (SSA) spokesperson told Newsweek on Friday: " As Commissioner Bisignano has repeatedly emphasized, ensuring the long-term financial health of these trust funds remains a top priority. The Social Security Administration is committed to working with Congress and other stakeholders to protect and strengthen these vital programs, ensuring that millions of Americans can continue to rely on Social Security for a secure retirement and support in times of disability—both now and in the future." Why It Matters August 14 marked the 90th anniversary of Social Security, relied on by millions of Americans who receive retirement, survivor and disability benefits. About 74 million people receive benefits administered by the SSA, the agency said in July. While the program remains broadly popular among Americans, the program has faced questions about whether it could become insolvent as soon as the 2030s without significant reform. Many Americans are concerned about potential cuts to the program or that individuals who are paying into Social Security may not receive benefits when they reach the age of retirement. Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, speaks during the Democratic National Convention on August 20, 2024. Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, speaks during the Democratic National Convention on August 20, 2024. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images What To Know Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, sounded the alarm about changes to the program in a video posted to X on Thursday. He warned that individuals like President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the billionaire who led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before his falling out with Trump, have been "working overtime to try to dismantle Social Security and undermine the confidence that the American people have in it." "Since Trump took office, his administration has fired at least 7,000 employees at the Social Security Administration, shut down Social Security field offices and made it more difficult for seniors and the disabled to receive the benefits they have earned over the telephone," he said. SSA field offices lost nearly 5 percent of their staffs between March 2024 and March 2025, according to union data from the AFGE Social Security General Committee. Some states, however, saw more than 10 percent of SSA workers leave in that time. Sanders also ripped claims by DOGE that millions of Americans who had been marked deceased, some up to 360 years old, were still receiving benefits as an "unmitigated lie." "Our job today is to stop any and all efforts to destroy Social Security," Sanders said, touting new legislation that would reverse Trump administration cuts to the SSA and prevent the closure of field offices. Trump released a statement Thursday pledging to defend Social Security, "rewarding the men and women who make our country prosperous, and taking care of our own workers, families, seniors, and citizens first." He wrote that his efforts to "aggressively" root out waste and abuse, which includes "stopping payments to the deceased and eliminating benefits for those who do not legally qualify," will strengthen the program. "These measures will save American taxpayers billions of dollars every year and ensure that future generations receive the benefits they spent their lives paying into. At the same time, I am making the Social Security Administration more efficient, more responsive and more effective than ever before—reducing wait times and delivering the payments the American people worked hard to earn," Trump wrote. A YouGov poll released in March found that 54 percent of Americans believed Social Security cuts would have a negative effect on their financial security. Only 13 percent said it would have a positive effect, while 16 percent said it would have no effect. The poll surveyed 3,567 adults on March 12. What People Are Saying Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent: "In a world of complexity and uncertainty, Social Security has done exactly what its name implies. It has provided rock bottom security for our nation's elderly and disabled." Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, on X: "Right now, the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are quietly creating problems for Social Security so they can later hand it off to their private equity buddies." Elon Musk told Fox News in March: "What we're doing will help their benefits. Legitimate people, as a result of the work of DOGE, will receive more Social Security, not less." What Happens Next Social Security remains a challenge that Americans will face over the coming years as lawmakers work to prevent the program from going insolvent.
Politico
3 minutes ago
- Politico
Trump administration deepens crackdown on solar and wind tax credits
The GOP law terminated existing investment and production tax credits for solar and wind projects that start producing electricity after 2027, but provided more time for projects that begin construction within a year. Trump then directed Treasury to 'strictly enforce' the end of the credits for wind and solar facilities, including by issuing new guidance concerning when a project is deemed to have begun construction. Traditionally, that longstanding metric has allowed projects to qualify by taking steps such as incurring 5 percent of a project's total cost or beginning physical construction activities. Tax lawyers and clean energy developers have warned the guidance could mark an unprecedented and legally dubious attempt to rewrite congressional intent, and could be challenged in court. Grassley has also said he would object to consideration of the Treasury nominees until he can be 'certain that such rules and regulations adhere to the law and congressional intent.' But the guidance will have immediate impact for hundreds of planned solar and wind projects across the country. Adrian Deveny, founder and president of policy advisory firm Climate Vision, said the new guidance will 'pull the rug out from under the entire pipeline of wind and solar projects that are in development.' Deveny, who helped craft the clean energy credits as a former policy director for Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, said Trump is 'determined to jack up American energy bills.' Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, in a statement called it a 'blatant rejection' of what Congress passed in the tax law. In the weeks following Trump's directive, the administration has undertaken a host of actions across agencies to further imperil wind and solar development, including major actions at the Interior Department that have received pushback from some Senate Republicans. The new Treasury guidance — which is not open to public comment — will apply to projects after Sept. 2.
Epoch Times
4 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
Texas Gov. Abbott Calls for Immediate Second Special Session on Redistricting
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for a second special session of the Texas Legislature to start on Aug. 15 in a proclamation issued the same day. In a press release, the governor cited the departure of state House Democrats as the reason for the second special session. The lawmakers left the state, citing frustration over mid-decade redistricting, which was part of both the first and second session agendas.
