Over the last seven years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has carried out what the Wall Street Journal calls “a regulatory spree unprecedented in human history.” And while this regulatory initiative would damage the overall American economy, Texas—the nation’s energy powerhouse—sits in the crosshairs of the EPA’s crusade. Below are some of the regulatory attacks on Texas that, in addition to the Clean Power Plan, are negatively affecting the welfare of Texans.
Local Government
When Government Lobbies Itself: Why Texas Should Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
Texas local governments use taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists to influence state legislation—creating conflicts of interest, distorting democratic accountability, and undermining the interests of Texas taxpayers. Key points: Taxpayer-funded lobbying expenditures more than doubled from the 85th to the 89th Legislature, now reaching as high as $111.5 million. Taxpayer-funded lobbyists consistently opposed legislation involving property...
April 6, 2026