America First — and Texas
What to know: Vice President J.D. Vance has been campaigning in Texas, and bringing the “America First” message to the Lone Star State.
The TPPF take: America First matters for Texans.
“In March 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star to secure a border left all but defenseless,” says TPPF’s Greg Sindelar. “Texas stood up to the feckless Biden Administration and stepped into a very literal gap. At Eagle Pass, the Texas National Guard built a barrier to do what the federal government would not, protecting both Texans and the rest of the nation. From the moment he returned to office, President Trump has stood with us, putting in place bold and decisive policies to protect our borders and restore American sovereignty.”
For more on America First, click here.
Strengthening Families
What to know: It has now been 30 years since Congress passed landmark welfare reform legislation that created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to reduce welfare dependence and promote the well-being of children.
The TPPF take: Texas’s administration of TANF funds has drifted from the original purpose and must be restructured to prioritize stabilizing two-parent households.
“Texas should use TANF to encourage marriage, family formation, and the complementary roles of mothers and fathers, not merely to manage poverty,” says TPPF’s Noah Torres. “When adults have real pathways to work and families receive support that rewards stability instead of undermining it, children benefit and communities become stronger.”
Critical Infrastructure
What to know: The Texas Railroad Commission — the agency that oversees oil and gas production — is warning petroleum operators of growing cyber threats.
The TPPF take: Texas must protect its critical infrastructure.
“Texas cannot prevent every cyberattack, terrorist plot, or hostile-state action, and certainly cannot prevent hurricanes and winter storms, but we can ensure that no single event can produce catastrophic failure resulting in mass casualties,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “Washington walked away from civil defense more than 30 years ago. Texas has taken important first steps, but now we need spare transformers on hand, real field exercises that test our response, and laws that treat plotting to attack the grid as the serious crime it is.”