Texas Politics

Rep. Tom DeLay told TIME that he will not seek reelection and will leave Congress within months.

Tony Rudy, a former top aide to Rep. Tom DeLay, has agreed to plead guilty to charges in the widening federal investigation of lobbyist fraud, a law enforcement official said Friday.

The recommendation will be a starting point when lawmakers convene April 17 for a 30-day special session to answer a court order to restructure the way K-12 schools are funded.

Tax-Swap Ignores Education

Turmoil is fast becoming a constant for CHIP, a popular program Congress created nearly a decade ago to help families who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance.

It's OK for public officials not to disclose the value of checks given to them as gifts, the state panel charged with enforcing good government practices has ruled in a private meeting.

Republican leaders, including both Strayhorn and Rick Perry, ignored Texas veterans and backed the Washington lobbyists instead.

With the special session still a month away, state leaders are already at odds over how to tackle revamping the way Texas funds public education.

Embattled Rep. Tom DeLay will move a step closer this week to resolving felony charges against him, but the appeals court hearing may remind voters about his legal troubles at a time when he is trying to win re-election to Congress.

Even Texas' highest-performing school districts vary widely in how much they spend on instruction, according to a study released this week by a coalition of education groups