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Good morning,

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. In today's One Click Survey, we want to know what you think of his strategy.

This is the Texas Minute for Monday, February 3, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Greg Abbott Pushes for Action on School Choice, Property Taxes Using the warehouse of an Austin oil company as the backdrop for his State of the State address last night, Gov. Greg Abbott outlined seven emergency priorities for lawmakers to tackle immediately. Brandon Waltens has the full report [[link removed]].

During the first 60 days of a legislative session, lawmakers are barred from passing legislation except for those the governor has designated as emergency items. Abbott’s decision to deliver his address less than three weeks into the session reflects a faster pace than in some past years.

To no one's surprise, the governor named school choice among his top issues for lawmakers to address. School choice was Abbott’s top priority in 2023, but it was killed in the Texas House. That resulted in Abbott campaigning against the GOP opponents—winnowing his opposition in the majority party.

He is also calling for a $750 million boost in merit pay for government school teachers.

The governor wants to see DEI and other leftist indoctrination programs removed from the schools [[link removed]]. "The State of Texas recognizes only two genders – male and female. Any educator who tells students that boys can be girls should be fired on the spot."

Abbott is also prioritizing $10 billion in property tax relief that would be taken from the state's $24 billion surplus.

The governor wants legislation requiring judges to deny bail for violent offenders and also in those cases against children involving capital murder or sexual offenses.

Abbott's other priorities include funding water infrastructure and creating a cyber command focused on foreign cybersecurity threats.RELATED NEWS Amid growing concerns over Chinese artificial intelligence and social media applications, Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered a ban [[link removed]] on several Chinese-owned services on all Texas government devices and networks. Abbott’s directive [[link removed]] follows the rise of DeepSeek, a free artificial intelligence tool based in China that has alarmed national security experts and financial analysts due to heavy U.S. tech sector investments in AI. Critics warn these applications pose a significant risk of data harvesting and foreign influence.

This isn’t the first time Abbott has moved to restrict Chinese tech influence in Texas. In 2022, he signed an executive order banning TikTok from all state devices and networks. The Texas Legislature later codified that ban into law, citing security threats posed by the popular app’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Facilities Designated for Deportation Operations As U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues sweeping arrests of criminal illegal aliens throughout the country, Will Biagini reports [[link removed]] the agency has utilized the J.J. Pickle Federal Building in downtown Austin as a detainment center.

Meanwhile, Mexico has reportedly almost finished preparations for a tent complex in Juarez, across the border from El Paso.

According to Juarez officials, the new tent complex is meant to serve as a temporary holding facility with a capacity of up to 2,500 deportees from the U.S.RELATED NEWS Individuals protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s deportation efforts [[link removed]] under President Donald Trump rallied in Central Texas on Saturday afternoon. The protest was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Texas Students’ Test Scores Shrink as Spending Grows A new analysis comparing students’ standardized test scores to education spending finds Texans are failing to get a quality return on their investment. Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] that reading and math scores are steadily declining even as taxpayer-funded school spending increases.

Last week, the National Center for Education Statistics released 2024 scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as “The Nation’s Report Card.”

In Texas, 4th grade reading scores dropped two points, from 214 to 212 (on a scale of 0 to 500). Only 28 percent of Texas 4th grade students scored as “proficient” or better in reading.

Performance trends over time show the percentage of Texas 4th graders who read at or above a “basic” level was the same in 2024 as in 1992: just 57 percent. During the same time, state spending on education has wildly increased.

Analysts found [[link removed]] that while education spending in Texas grew 48 percent (or 35 percent, when accounting for inflation) from 2013 to 2024, 4th graders’ reading scores fell through the decade and “continue to decline even as spending increased.”RELATED NEWS Texas congressmen are supporting a measure [[link removed]] that aims to abolish the U.S. Department of Education. The legislation is one sentence long: “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2026.” Among those who cosponsored the first iteration of the legislation are Texas Republicans Chip Roy, Jodey Arrington, and Keith Self. Texas Joins Fight Against Taxpayer-funded Gender Mutilation Surgeries for Criminals Alongside 23 other states, Texas is attempting to stop a mandate forcing taxpayers to fund the surgeries. Valerie Muñoz has the story [[link removed]].

At issue is a lawsuit brought by a prison inmate in Indiana who demanded a taxpayer-funded “gender transition” surgery. The case is on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Texas and 23 other states are supporting Indiana against the inmate.

“This is a fight to uphold common sense, defend biological reality, and ensure that public funds are used responsibly,” said Brady Gray [[link removed]] of the Texas Family Project.

Both President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott have issued directives for government agencies to reject gender ideology. Likewise, Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed numerous lawsuits opposing gender ideology, including suits against doctors who have prescribed dangerous puberty-blocking drugs to children.

Quote-Unquote

"The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave."

– Thomas Jefferson​

Number of the Day

17

The number of weeks remaining in the 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, which concludes on Monday, June 2, 2025.

[Source: Texas State Law Library [[link removed]]; calendar]

Today In History

On Feb. 3, 1959, Texas-born musicians Buddy Holly and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash in Iowa along with Richie Valens. They had played a show the previous night in Clear Lake, Texas.

One Click Survey

On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China that would take effect on Tuesday. He specifically cited those countries' unwillingness to address the flow of illegal aliens and narcotics into the United States. Canada and Mexico immediately responded by threatening their own tariffs on American products.

Do you agree with President Trump's use of tariffs to drive international policy?

Yes, I agree with the tariffs [[link removed]]

...or...

No, I disagree with tariffs [[link removed]]

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!

Directory of Your Current U.S. & Texas Officials [[link removed]]

This information is automatically inserted based on the mailing address you provide to us. If you'd like to update your contact information, please visit our subscriber portal [[link removed]].

​ U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas [[link removed]]

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor [[link removed]]

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

Attorney General [[link removed]]

Ken Paxton – R

(512) 463-2100

Comptroller [[link removed]]

Glenn Hegar – R

(512) 463-4600

Land Commissioner [[link removed]]

Dawn Buckingham – R

(512) 463-5001

Commissioner of Agriculture [[link removed]]

Sid Miller – R

(512) 463-7476

Railroad Commissioners [[link removed]]

Wayne Christian – R

Christi Craddick – R

Jim Wright – R

(512) 463-7158

State Board of Education [[link removed]], District

Update your address ( )

Main (512) 463-9007

U.S. House [[link removed]], District

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Congressional Switchboard (202) 225-3121

Texas Senate [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Texas House [[link removed]], District

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Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Speaker of the Texas House [[link removed]]

Dustin Burrows (R)

(512) 463-1000

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