Latest news with #SenfroniaThompson
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas House redistricting committee's Houston hearing draws criticism over absence of maps
The Texas House's redistricting committee visited Houston on Saturday to hear out local residents' concerns on the state Legislature's plans to consider redrawing nearly a handful of congressional districts in Texas — all of which are held by Black or Latino Democrats, three in the Houston area. But the testimony portion of the hearing, limited to five hours, had to wait while Democratic committee members spent the first hour grilling committee Chair Cody Vasut on why they were there in the first place. When Vasut, R-Angleton, welcomed the standing-room only crowd for the committee's second 'public testimony regarding a revised congressional redistricting plan,' state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, offered a correction. 'I just want to advise the public that they would not be testifying on a revised congressional redistricting plan, because there is no revised congressional redistricting plan,' she said. The state has not publicly revealed proposed revisions of the state's congressional district map, which was drawn in 2021 following the 2020 census. Critics of the mid-decade redistricting process raised questions about why the committee is hosting public hearings before maps are on the table. State Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, noted to Vasut that the hundreds of people who signed up to speak — residents who were either crowded in the University of Houston's Student Center or waiting outside — were 'unable to testify as to how they will be negatively or positively affected by any maps, because there are no maps filed for anybody to testify to.' Jones asked Vasut if Texans will have the same opportunity to speak up once the maps were made public, to which he said: '1,000%... There is no proposed map pending before the committee at this time for which public testimony will be offered, but we will have a hearing if such a map is filed.' 'I wish that this Legislature were working on redistricting fairness rather than gerrymandering,' said Jerome Wald, a longtime Houston resident of the 7th Congressional District. 'Instead, I'm here to testify against this harmful attempt to redraw congressional districts in the middle of the decade.' Wald asked Vasut for 'at least five days to review the maps' once they're made public before a hearing, and for 'at least five days to review any proposed changes in the maps' ahead of a vote. Testimony from Houston-area congressional leaders took up at the next two hours. While some representatives questioned Vasut on the purpose of the hearing, U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, was assertive in her testimony that there wasn't one. 'My answer is hell no, we don't need to be doing this,' said Garcia, who represents the 29th district, one of the districts the Legislature is targeting. Redrawing the state's congressional maps is one of 30 items Gov. Greg Abbott intends to get through during the 30-day special legislative session that started on Monday. State House Democrats spent much of the mid-day hearing defending congressional districts that wouldn't affect their own seats, and Garcia said, 'You all should really be back in Austin passing legislation to support families in the Hill Country after the devastating flooding.' 'Instead, we're here today playing political games to appease the felon in the White House,' she added. Garcia was joined by fellow Democratic U.S. Reps. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and Lizzie Fletcher on a panel before the committee. U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, spoke as part of a subsequent panel — who were all asking the state to leave Houston's districts alone. President Donald Trump's administration recently pushed Abbott and state representatives to give Republicans a stronger footing in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterm election. The Department of Justice put out a legal rationale, alleging that four Texas districts, including the 9th, 18th and 29th congressional seats in Houston, constitute illegal racial gerrymanders. (The fourth district in question is the 33rd Congressional District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth.) DOJ lawyers in a letter argue that they're coalition districts — when various racial groups are combined to constitute a majority — and do not qualify for federal protection under the Voting Rights Act. Democrats are fighting hard against this because Republicans can work to flip reliably blue Houston-based districts by moving left-leaning precincts into neighboring Republican districts in the county's suburbs. State Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, vice chair of the House Committee on Redistricting, pointed to the very district the hearing was being held as an example of what's being threatened: the historic 18th Congressional District. 'When I say historic, I mean historic,' Rosenthal said, naming previous Black representatives the district has elected. 'This district gave us Barbara Jordan, George 'Mickey' Leland, Craig Washington, Sheila Jackson Lee and the late great Sylvester Turner.' 'Three of these four districts called out just happen to be represented by African American representatives — tell me that that is not a racist attack on our Black reps.,' Rosenthal said. Redrawing districts that dilute the voting power of communities of color is sure to draw legal complaints. Several Democratic seats in Houston were explicitly drawn to allow such communities to elect a candidate of their preference by ensuring they constitute a majority in a congressional district, in accordance with the Voting Rights Act. The 29th Congressional District which is about 75% Latino, for example, was drawn as a majority-Latino district has only ever elected Democrats to Congress. The 2020 census showed that Texas' population grew by nearly 4 million people, and 95% of that growth is made up of people of color in blue urban areas. But, Democrats argue, the Legislature seems to be making moves that secure more Republican seats. In Houston, population growth is being concentrated in Asian American voters. Despite making up over 7% of Harris County and over 22 percent of neighboring Fort Bend County in the 2020 Census, Asian Americans do not constitute a plurality in any Houston-based congressional district — an example of how certain voting groups can be divided by district lines and have their voting power watered down. After a push from two Texas Democrats, the state Senate's redistricting committee sent a letter to U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, requesting her to testify before them. Nine of Texas' 38 congressional districts contain part of Harris County — four represented by Democrats, and five by Republicans. But Democratic committee representatives on Saturday reminded Republicans that just a few years ago, they were content with the state's congressional map. They pointed to statements from Republican state leaders — including Attorney General Ken Paxton and state Sen. Joan Huffman, who chairs the Senate redistricting committee — who said in 2021, when the state's current legislative maps were passed, that they drew the districts 'race blind.' That's left Democrats confused about why Republicans are now alleging that the maps are unfair — maps Vasut voted in favor of in 2021. "You're aware that the Republicans drew this map that now the Republicans saying are now illegal,' said state Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston. Lynita Robinson, a Houston resident, told the committee that there's a lot on the line when it comes to redrawing district lines. 'When you fracture and manipulate districts, you weaken our collective power to push for economic opportunity for fair wages, infrastructure and education,' she said. 'You undercut racial justice by silencing the very voices that continue to call out discrimination in health care, housing and policing.' 'Let's not allow the maps to become another full tool of injustice,' she added. 'Let's make a blueprint for equity.' Washington correspondent Gabby Birenbaum contributed to this report. Disclosure: University of Houston has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. The lineup for The Texas Tribune Festival continues to grow! Be there when all-star leaders, innovators and newsmakers take the stage in downtown Austin, Nov. 13–15. The newest additions include comedian, actor and writer John Mulaney; Dallas mayor Eric Johnson; U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; New York Media Editor-at-Large Kara Swisher; and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. Get your tickets today! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase. Solve the daily Crossword
Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Texas poised to ask voters to approve $3 billion to study dementia
Texas voters will likely get a chance to decide whether to spend $3 billion in state funds on dementia research after the House preliminarily approved Senate Joint Resolution 3 on Monday. Both chambers voted earlier this session to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, to study dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other brain conditions. Modeled after Texas' cancer institute, the new initiative was a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and received bipartisan support from the majority of lawmakers. But it's not up to them whether taxpayer dollars can be used to fund this project. That decision will lie with the voters, who, after SJR 3 is finally approved by the House, will be asked at the next election whether they want to allocate $3 billion of general revenue to this work. 'I don't know (any one) in this House who doesn't have a family member or a friend or a neighbor … impacted by dementia or Alzheimer's,' said Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a Houston Democrat. 'This Constitutional Amendment gives us the funding to do the research so that we can give those persons who are impacted with these dreadful diseases a better quality of life.' SJR 3 passed 123-21. Despite the popularity of the bill, the funding measure's fate was briefly in question, as Democrats attempted to hold constitutional amendments hostage over the creation of a school voucher program. Both chambers have signed off on a $1 billion private school voucher program, finally breaking through years of resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans. In a last ditch effort, Democrats asked that the proposal be put to voters and vowed to vote against all constitutional amendments until their request was granted. Since constitutional amendments need a two-thirds majority to pass, it's one of the few times Republicans need Democrats allied to their cause. The dementia funding measure was one of the constitutional amendments up for a vote during this so-called blockade, which forced several pieces of legislation to be postponed. The bill was punted a few days, but after a clash Friday in which Republicans aligned to kill uncontroversial Democrat bills, some Democrats seemed to back off the blockade enough to approve this and other constitutional amendments. After lengthy back and forth over the enabling legislation last week, the funding vote Monday was quick and to the point. Thompson and Rep. Tom Craddick, a Midland Republican, who both have pushed for a bill like this for several years, implored their colleagues to vote for the measure. 'We're one of the leading states with Alzheimer's in the country,' Craddick said. 'This could be the way we can solve it … This isn't a party vote. This is a vote for the people in the state of Texas.' ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texans will vote on establishing dementia research center. Here's how much it would cost.
Texas voters in November will decide if the state should fund a multibillion-dollar center to study the prevention and treatment of dementia, a group of cognitive impairments associated with aging that affect hundreds of thousands of Texans each year. The state House passed Senate Joint Resolution 3 on Monday, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allocate $3 billion in surplus state revenue to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Lawmakers agreed to create the proposed center — contingent on voters approving the funding — when the House passed Senate Bill 5 last week. More: Texas Senate OKs plan for $3 billion dementia research center. Here's how it would work. Dementia is a broad group of cognitive impairments associated with aging that affects a person's memory and ability to reason and often hampers a person's day-to-day functioning. The most common form is Alzheimer's disease, which afflicts nearly half a million Texans, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. It has no cure. "I don't know no one in this House that doesn't have a family member or a friend or a neighbor who's not impacted by dementia or Alzheimer's," Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, told members before Monday morning's vote. "This constitutional amendment gives us the funding to do the research so that we can give those persons who are impacted with these dreadful diseases a better quality of life." SJR 3 and SB 5 are authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and passed the Senate in March. Thompson and Midland Republican Rep. Tom Craddick, the two longest-serving Texas House members, are among those sponsoring the legislation in the lower chamber. "This could be the way we finally cure Alzheimer's and other dementia problems," Craddick said Monday. "This isn't a party vote; this is a vote for the people in the state of Texas." #txlege: Texas 'school choice' clears final hurdle. Voucher program heads to Gov. Abbott's desk. Despite the strong bipartisan support for dementia research, the resolution's fate was uncertain before it was brought up on the House floor. Democratic lawmakers blocked the passage of another Republican-authored constitutional amendment proposal last week when 50 Democrats abstained from a vote on the measure as a show of force amid continued disagreement with Republicans on school vouchers. Proposed constitutional amendments require a two-thirds supermajority to clear each legislative chamber before they can appear on a statewide ballot. The 88 Republican members do not comprise two-thirds of the 150-member House, meaning at least 12 Democrats need to back an amendment proposal for it to pass. 'Burn it all down': Hardline conservatives declare war on Texas House GOP leadership The House passed SJR 3 by a 123-21 vote, with hardline Republicans making up the bloc that voted against the proposal. Opponents of the proposal have said dementia research is not the role of an already-bloated government, and that the Legislature should use the state's excess revenue to reduce property taxes instead. Texas constitutional amendments do not require the governor's signature and advance automatically to an election after gaining the Legislature's approval. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas voters to decide if state funds $3 billion dementia institute
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas poised to ask voters to approve $3 billion to study dementia
Texas voters will likely get a chance to decide whether to spend $3 billion in state funds on dementia research after the House preliminarily approved Senate Joint Resolution 3 on Monday. Both chambers voted earlier this session to create the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, to study dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other brain conditions. Modeled after Texas' cancer institute, the new initiative was a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and received bipartisan support from the majority of lawmakers. But it's not up to them whether taxpayer dollars can be used to fund this project. That decision will lie with the voters, who, after SJR 3 is finally approved by the House, will be asked at the next election whether they want to allocate $3 billion of general revenue to this work. 'I don't know [any one] in this House who doesn't have a family member or a friend or a neighbor … impacted by dementia or Alzheimer's,' said Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a Houston Democrat. 'This Constitutional Amendment gives us the funding to do the research so that we can give those persons who are impacted with these dreadful diseases a better quality of life.' SJR 3 passed 123-21, with one member abstaining. Despite the popularity of the bill, the funding measure's fate was briefly in question, as Democrats attempted to hold constitutional amendments hostage over the creation of a school voucher program. Both chambers have signed off on a $1 billion private school voucher program, finally breaking through years of resistance from Democrats and rural Republicans. In a last ditch effort, Democrats asked that the proposal be put to voters and vowed to vote against all constitutional amendments until their request was granted. Since constitutional amendments need a two-thirds majority to pass, it's one of the few times Republicans need Democrats allied to their cause. The dementia funding measure was one of the constitutional amendments up for a vote during this so-called blockade. The bill was punted a few days, but when it came back up for a vote Monday, enough Democrats voted with Republicans to approve the proposal. After lengthy back and forth over the enabling legislation last week, the funding vote Monday was quick and to the point. Thompson and Rep. Tom Craddick, a Midland Republican, who both have pushed for a bill like this for several years, implored their colleagues to vote for the measure. 'We're one of the leading states with Alzheimer's in the country,' Craddick said. 'This could be the way we can solve it … This isn't a party vote. This is a vote for the people in the state of Texas.' Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill to create dementia research institute approved in House, but could face $3 billion funding hurdle
The Texas House on Wednesday passed a Senate bill that would create a $3 billion Texas research fund for dementia, but another measure to activate the funding for it could face obstacles in the chamber on Monday. Senate Bill 5, by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, creating the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, was approved by House members, 127-21. 'To me this is a dream come true,' state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, told members before the final vote. Thompson, who has worked on previous efforts for such a research fund for the past eight years, urged her colleagues to pass it because every lawmaker has constituents with relatives whose lives have been impacted by Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, dementia and other brain diseases. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick signaled his prioritization of such a fund last fall. On Monday, House members are scheduled to vote on Senate Joint Resolution 3, which would require voter approval. If voters approve the constitutional amendment, the initial $3 billion in state surplus revenue would be transferred to the fund and a board appointed by Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott would be set up to approve research proposals. Going forward, the institute would receive up to $300 million annually. This funding is intended to attract physicians, researchers, and experts in the field of dementia to Texas. This institute would research all brain diseases, not just dementia. Despite the overwhelming support for the Senate bill, SJR 3, however, could fall victim to the dispute over school vouchers. House Democrats threatened early last week to kill all constitutional amendments for the rest of session unless the House votes to put school vouchers before voters in November. A constitutional amendment requires approval of at least 100 votes from the House's 150 members to pass the chamber before going before Texas voters. With 62 Democrats in the House, Republicans need at least 12 Democrats to make any constitutional amendment happen. The House passed the vouchers bill on Thursday with every present Democrat voting against it. Amid the Democrat blockade, Republicans postponed all five constitutional amendments that were up for consideration on Tuesday and on Wednesday, SJR 3 was postponed and another constitutional amendment, HJR 72, failed to reach the needed 100 votes. Even so, members across the aisle are also signaling disapproval. Some Republicans have criticized the $3 billion pricetag for running counter their tenet of downsizing government. State Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midloathian, urged lawmakers to vote the bill down because he said it does nothing more than to expand the state's bureaucracy. The $3 billion should be returned to taxpayers, who were overcharged on their taxes, he said. 'Every Texan would love to find a cure for dementia,' Harrison said. 'But I do not know what part of stop-growing-government-and-give-people-back-their-money, that this body doesn't understand.' State Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, who is also an anesthesiologist, countered that while he too is against expanding government, there is a danger if the public relies solely on private enterprise, namely the pharmaceutical industry, to fund all medical research. Too often, he said, the industry oversells the promise of a drug that they've developed only to double back later and insist that it wasn't as effective after all. 'The only solution to that problem is to provide an independent, non-conflicted source of funding,' Oliverson said. 'Medical research should never be like the arts, where essentially the patrons, the ones that fund it, are the ones that decide what art is.' Alzheimer's, a degenerative brain disease, is the most common form of dementia, accounting for about 80% of cases, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that 459,000 Texans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, about 12% of the state's population over the age of 65. While a 2023 study shows that the eastern and southeastern United States have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's, Texas is one of three states that has the highest estimated number of older residents who are at risk of Alzheimer's. The symptoms — memory loss and the inability to perform simple tasks — tend to develop in the mid-to-late 60s and occur when clumps of abnormal proteins block the communication of brain cells. Symptoms can be mild at first and worsen over time. Of the nearly 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's, nearly two-thirds are women, and dementia care costs Americans more than $300 billion a year. The cost of caring for someone with Alzheimer's is estimated to be $1 trillion by 2050, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
