For the first time in more than a decade, the Texas House has approved a new process for people to apply for a media credential at the Texas Legislature. The new rules allow for expanded access to the proceedings of the legislature so that online news outlets and others can be present on the floors of both the House and Senate during lawmakers' deliberations. Read more about Texas House expands the ability of online news outlets to gain media credentials at the Legislature
Last Monday, the House passed H.R.203, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, by a vote of 403-0. This legislation was named in honor of Marine Cpl. Clay Hunt, who earned a Purple Heart in Iraq before redeploying to Afghanistan. After being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Clay sought to help others and raise awareness about depression. Unfortunately, we lost Clay in 2011. He was 28. Read more about Supporting the Mental Health of our Veterans
It’s not every day you get invited to the Governor’s mansion for lunch. As luck would have it, I had to decline our first invitation due to my husband’s surgery. But a couple weeks later, I received the same invitation and jumped at the opportunity to attend on December 16, 2014. Read more about Lunch with Governor Rick Perry at the Mansion and his Farewell from Office
In the 114th Congress we have reaffirmed our commitment to passing common sense legislation that reduces regulatory burdens, stimulates our economy, and puts more Americans back to work. This week the House has passed two more pieces of legislation that cut through unnecessary red tape and create more jobs for hard working Americans. Read more about House Passes More Jobs Bills
On Saturday, a 10-year-old girl walked into a crowded Nigerian market with a bomb strapped around her body. She walked through a metal detector, and the bomb exploded, killing her and dozens around her. The device reportedly was controlled by Boko Haram terrorists. Read more about Boko Haram Kills In The Name Of Religion
On Tuesday, I introduced three pro-growth, pro-jobs amendments to S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, of which I am a cosponsor. The amendments would expedite liquid natural gas (LNG) exports to World Trade Organization (WTO) members, repeal the ban on U.S. crude oil exports, and implement the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, which removes barriers to cross-border energy development, including the need for presidential approval of cross-border energy infrastructure. Read more about Sen. Cruz Files Pro-Growth, Pro-Jobs Keystone XL Pipeline Amendments
As the 84th Texas Legislature opened, mixed emotions ran through my heart and my mind. I was sitting in the Texas House of Representatives' gallery looking down to a full floor of elected state representatives and their families.
This was the fifth time I have been present at a swearing in ceremony for the Texas Legislature session, having been to both the House and Senate ceremonies. I started attending the sessions at the 80th Texas Legislature, back in 2007, but this time was different- as I was there as a former candidate for the Texas State House for this specific term. Try to imagine my feelings as I was there watching and thinking that I could have been on that floor about to take an oath surrounded with my own family and making history as the second Hispanic woman in ALL history of Texas sitting as a Republican.
Around 11 a.m. on January 7, on a cold winter day in Paris, France, two men armed with AK-47s forced a woman entering the offices of a French newspaper to let them in.
After murdering the security guard in the lobby, they ran up to the second floor and shouted, "Where is Charb? Where is Charb?'' Charb is the nickname for thenewspaper's editor, Mr. Charbonnier. Read more about The French Fight Back
Radical Anjem Choudary and Tanya Cohen have something in common, they hate free speech and want it controlled. In his essay in USA Today, Choudary made it clear that he doesn’t accept the Western concept of free speech as he stated, “The strict punishment if found guilty of this crime under sharia (Islamic law) is capital punishment implementable by an Islamic State.Read more about The Assault on Free Speech
For the first time in more than a decade, the Texas House has approved a new process for people to apply for a media credential at the Texas Legislature. The new rules allow for expanded access to the proceedings of the legislature so that online news outlets and others can be present on the floors of both the House and Senate during lawmakers' deliberations. 
Last Monday, the House passed 
In the 114th Congress we have reaffirmed our commitment to passing common sense legislation that reduces regulatory burdens, stimulates our economy, and puts more Americans back to work. This week the House has passed two more pieces of legislation that cut through unnecessary red tape and create more jobs for hard working Americans. 
On Saturday, a 10-year-old girl walked into a crowded Nigerian market with a bomb strapped around her body. She walked through a metal detector, and the bomb exploded, killing her and dozens around her. The device reportedly was controlled by Boko Haram terrorists. 
On Tuesday, I introduced three pro-growth, pro-jobs amendments to S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, of which I am a cosponsor. The amendments would expedite liquid natural gas (LNG) exports to World Trade Organization (WTO) members, repeal the ban on U.S. crude oil exports, and implement the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, which removes barriers to cross-border energy development, including the need for presidential approval of cross-border energy infrastructure. 
The following story originally appeared on The Quorum Report. 
As the 84th Texas Legislature opened, mixed emotions ran through my heart and my mind. I was sitting in the Texas House of Representatives' gallery looking down to a full floor of elected state representatives and their families.
Around 11 a.m. on January 7, on a cold winter day in Paris, France, two men armed with AK-47s forced a woman entering the offices of a French newspaper to let them in.
Radical Anjem Choudary and Tanya Cohen have something in common, they hate free speech and want it controlled. In his essay in USA Today, Choudary made it clear that he doesn’t accept the Western concept of free speech as he stated, “The strict punishment if found guilty of this crime under sharia (Islamic law) is capital punishment implementable by an Islamic State. 
