Texas Special Session: House Dems leave state in response to agenda

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas House Democrats announced they are leaving the state to meet with leaders in California and Illinois.

The backstory:

The Texas House Democrats left Texas this (7/25) morning and will return the same day. 

Two separate delegations are expected to meet with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and see what they are doing in response to President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill and the cuts to programs that many people rely on.

The Dems call it “a new phase in the fight” against Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s agenda.

In their news release, Texas House Democrats say that the current Texas Legislature’s Special Session is full of “partisan distractions” and that it should be focused on flooding and disaster relief instead of redistricting.

What they’re saying:

“Since Governor Abbott is acting like a child, we are going to find adults to go talk to,” said Rep. Gene Wu, Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, who is leading the trip to meet with Gov. Pritzker in Illinois. 

“We’re headed out to states already dealing with the fallout from the billions of dollars that Trump’s allies have crammed down our throats. We need a real plan from the Governor to protect Texas families from the damage Trump and his allies have caused and continues to cause. It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent — we know this extremist agenda is not what you voted for,” Wu says.

“Texas is a vital part of America’s future. What is going on with this mid-decade redistricting is not just about Texas — it’s about the future of the entire country,” said Rep. Richard Raymond. We intend to let Gov. Pritzker know this is a national battle, and we have high hopes he’ll engage in it.”

Rep. Rafael Anchía, who is leading the delegation to meet with Gov. Newsom in California, says, “There are dozens of dead kids and people are still missing from the Central Texas floods. But Donald Trump is focused on manipulating elections to help himself.”

Dig deeper:

15 Texas Democratic House members will participate in the delegation meetings:

In California:

• Rep. Rafael Anchía
• Rep. Nicole Collier
• Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus
• Rep. Jessica González, Chair of the Texas LGBT Caucus
• Rep. Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos, Chair of the Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus
• Rep. Ramón Romero, Chair of the Texas Mexican American Legislative Caucus
• Rep. Chris Turner

In Illinois:

• Rep. Linda Garcia
• Rep. Donna Howard, Chair of the Texas Women’s Health Caucus
• Rep. Ana Hernandez
• Rep. Christina Morales
• Rep. Richard Raymond
• Rep. Toni Rose
• Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons, Chair of the Texas Labor and Workforce Caucus
• Rep. Gene Wu, Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus (Minority Leader)

Big picture view:

The 940-page “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” as it is now formally titled, cuts spending on Medicaid, food stamps and other programs as a way to help cover the cost of extending tax cuts.

The spending bill’s priority is $4.5 trillion in tax breaks passed in President Donald Trump’s first term, in 2017, that would expire if Congress failed to act, along with new ones. This includes allowing workers to deduct tips and overtime pay, and a $6,000 deduction for most older adults earning less than $75,000 a year.

There’s also a $350-billion investment in national security and Trump’s deportation agenda and to help develop the “Golden Dome” defensive system over the U.S.

To neutralize the costs of lost tax revenue, the spending bill includes $1.2 trillion in cutbacks to Medicaid healthcare and food stamps, largely by imposing new work requirements, including for some parents and older people, and a massive rollback of green energy investments.

According to the Associated Press, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the spending package will add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the next decade and 11.8 million more people will go without health coverage.