The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - May 22, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today is Thursday, May 22nd and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschus and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, President Donald Trump's federal domestic policy package called the One Big Beautiful Bill passed the U.S. House early Thursday morning, including a $12 billion border security reimbursement for Texas. Trump wrote of the bill, quote, This is arguably the most significant piece of legislation that will ever be signed in the history of our country.

Starting point is 00:00:41 Now it's time for our friends in the U.S. Senate to get to work and send this bill to my desk as soon as possible. Tax cuts, Medicaid and SNAP reforms, billions in spending on border security, including money for the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and additional funding for defense are among the many issues addressed in the 2025 reconciliation package, which passed by the hairline margin of 215 to 214. Also included is a manager's amendment that will provide reimbursement for Texas's border wall construction during the Biden administration, an issue that has been pushed by both federal and state officials. Next, a bill to ban certain consumable THC products from being sold in Texas produced heated debate, parliamentary maneuvers, and a bevy of amendments on Wednesday before finally

Starting point is 00:01:33 being passed on the House floor. Senate Bill 3, otherwise known as banning THC in Texas, became one of the most hotly contested pieces of legislation this session. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick made its passage one of his top priorities, holding multiple press conferences and producing videos for social media to bring light to the issue he believes is negatively affecting children across the state. Patrick said ahead of the House floor vote, quote, we cannot in good conscience leave Austin without banning THC,

Starting point is 00:02:03 which is harming our children and destroying Texans' lives and families. While Republican leadership has been fully supportive of the bill, House Democrats have been vocally opposed, calling the THC ban an extreme measure. The bill already underwent a number of revisions before it reached the House floor on Wednesday, with the committee substitute expanding to more than 120 pages, as opposed to the 18-page original. In other news, gun rights activists saw one of their most significant legislative victories in recent years, after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the federal budget legislation that included a last-minute amendment

Starting point is 00:02:41 repealing the regulation of firearm suppressors under the National Firearms Act. The amendment authored by representative Andrew Clyde was included via the House Rules Committee in a late night procedure before the legislation was finally passed by the full chamber. The provision evolved during the committee process with the House Ways and Means Committee's first version simply removing the $200 tax on suppressor sales and transfers.

Starting point is 00:03:07 After the bill advanced to the House Rules Committee, Clyde was successful in expanding the amendment to remove registration requirements as well. Texas congressional members also supported the amendment's passage, including Congressman Michael Cloud, who authored standalone legislation which the amendment incorporated.

Starting point is 00:03:25 Last but not least, the Texas House gave approval this week to the construction of a new monument on the grounds of the Texas Capitol honoring, quote, the miracle of life and the women at the center of that miracle. Senate Concurrent Resolution 19 was passed 98-44, with five members voting present not voting. The resolution was laid out on the House floor by Representative Caroline Harris Davila on Tuesday, when she explained that the eight-foot bronze sculpture is modeled after the National Life Monument, which depicts, quote, a mother with her child in her womb, a powerful image honoring motherhood and the miracle of life. She added that construction funding for the monument will come entirely from private donations

Starting point is 00:04:07 and that the money has already been secured. Thanks for listening. To support The Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts. Music

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - May 22, 2025

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