Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

After a contentious all-night fight, Republicans in the U.S. House have passed Donald Trump's "big beautiful bill" - a truly historic fleecing of working-class Americans for the benefit of the rich: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-republicans-set-pre-dawn-votes-get-trump-tax-bill-over-finish-line-2025-05-22/

...It was made much easier by Governor Greg Abbott's delay in allowing Harris County voters to replace the late Congressman Sylvester Turner: https://nypost.com/2025/05/21/us-news/last-8-congressional-deaths-were-all-dems-boosting-gops-razor-thin-vote-margins/

The Texas House gave initial approval to two abortion-related bills, SB 31 or the "Life Of The Mother Act", and SB 33, which would prohibit Texas cities from spending public money on abortion travel funds: https://communityimpact.com/austin/south-central-austin/texas-legislature/2025/05/21/texas-house-greenlights-bipartisan-bill-clarifying-when-doctors-can-perform-life-saving-abortions/

A House debate that began as a discussion of how to regulate and tax THC products ended up back where it started, with Dan Patrick's goal of a full THC ban: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/texas/2025/05/22/522028/texas-house-passes-total-ban-on-thc/

The Texas House passed HB 186, which will bans Texans under 18 from having or using social media accounts: https://www.ksla.com/2025/05/21/texas-house-passes-bill-banning-minors-using-social-media-platforms/

A bill that will require Texas schools to teach on the dangers of communism - but notably, not the dangers of fascism - passed with broad bipartisan support: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/21/texas-communism-dangers-schools-fascism/

Bills regarding a "Texas Bitcoin Reserve", recognizing interstate gun licenses, and cracking down on AI-generated child porn all passed yesterday as well: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2025/05/22/texas-lawmakers-ok-bills-on-handgun-licenses-cryptocurrency-ai-abuses/83768249007/

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