Press Releases

“The Governor has once again made promises to Texans that he simply cannot pay for. By ignoring the state’s structural deficit that continues to leave a gap in our budget, the Governor is simply ignoring the realities of our budget.

The Governor’s misplaced priorities are full of misdirection that fail to secure the quality of life for Texas families. His emphasis on emergency bills do little or nothing to improve our budgetary needs, and his personal funding priorities do nothing to save the jobs of the nearly 10,000 state employees that the state budget will eliminate. Read More »

Senator Rodney Ellis today released a statement commenting on Governor Perry’s Speech

“Governor Perry needs to realize that the campaign is over and slogans and bumper stickers are not going to get us out of this mess.

“Let’s look at reality: Texas currently faces a $27 billion shortfall, and the initial budget proposals in the House and Senate slash essential services that help millions of Texans families. According to the Comptroller, we have a $10 billion structural deficit, so just gutting programs for Texans is not the answer. If that is the only plan, we are going to be right back here in two years dealing with another budget hole, just as in 2009 when we were bailed out by the federal government. Read More »

AUSTIN — Today State Representative Armando Walle (D-Houston) released the following statement in response to Gov. Rick Perry’s State of the State speech:

“Gov. Rick Perry laid out his agenda for our state in his State of the State speech today, and it appears that the Governor is living in a different state than the rest of us. Gov. Perry continues to claim that we don’t have a budget crisis, but the fact is that Texas is facing a $28 billion budget deficit created by failed Republican policies. The proposed state budgets aim to gut funding for public education, higher education and our most vital state services. These budgets will force school districts to fire thousands of teachers and result in the closure of countless schools and nursing homes. Read More »

Good afternoon.

I’m State Representative Garnet Coleman, and I’m proud to work for the people of Texas and especially for my community in Houston. For the sake of our state and our nation, it’s time to stop the finger-pointing and political games and focus on how state policy really affects our friends, neighbors and fellow Texans.

Ten years ago, when Governor Rick Perry gave his first State of the State address, he asked a very important question: “Where will millions of young Texans end up if the door of opportunity…the door of higher learning…is not open to them?” Read More »

Today, on the holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., many of us will be thinking of Dr. King’s legacy, and of the progress that has been made since his death. Despite our steps forward, the tenacious demons that Dr. King warned us against and worked tirelessly to overcome — poverty and racism – still plague our nation and communities and in particular our children.

In 1968, when Dr. King died, there were 11 million children from limited-income families in America. Today there are more than 15.5 million children living in poverty, and almost half – 6.9 million – live in extreme poverty. Poverty still stacks the odds against millions of children before birth, stunts their physical growth and cognitive development, frays their family bonds and increases their chances of neglect or abuse. These odds are even more acute for black children, 40 percent of whom are born to families with limited incomes. Read More »

The upcoming election in which we will be choosing judges should be about fairness and justice rather than wielding power. It is time for Harris County voters to make a needed change at our Courthouse.

We already pay a high cost for jailing criminals and our jails are overflowing. Why do we need to needlessly jail a person because they “Thank God”? Why not just expel them from the courtroom, reprimand them or fine them?

In a place where a person can get sent to jail for spontaneously uttering gratitude to the Almighty for ending an 18 month ordeal – and doing so briefly, understandably, perhaps even involuntarily – it’s time to replace the incumbent judges. When a “Thank God” gets you three days in jail, we voters should take offense, and sentence the judge to turn in her gavel. That will be a fairer sentence than the one ordered in this case: three days incarceration in the county jail. Read More »

At the September 16th County Executive Committee Meeting, the CEC passed four Resolutions unanimously for the first time in CEC history.

Resolution Regarding Moratorium on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Discharges

Resolution Regarding Fair Employment Legislation

Resolution Recognizing the Six Month Anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Resolution Recognizing the End of Combat Operations In Iraq

PRESS STATEMENT

For Immediate Release                                      Contact: Kaitlyn Murphy

July 28, 2010                                                                            Office: 713.649.6563

kaitlyn.murphy@house.state.tx.us

Press Statement by State Representative Carol Alvarado on

Judge Bolton’s Ruling on the Arizona Immigration Law

HOUSTON// State Representative Carol Alvarado continued her call for Federal Comprehensive Immigration Reform after today’s injunction regarding Arizona’s S.B. 1070.

“I agree with today’s ruling by District Judge Susan Bolton, temporarily striking down the most controversial parts of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law. This injunction is precisely what the checks and balances system of our government is supposed to accomplish. Read More »

The Harris County Democratic Party announces its 2010 Campaign Kick-Off: Brew-Ha-Ha with Paul Begala on Thursday, March 4, 2010, from 7 to 9 pm, at the new St. Arnold’s Brewery, 2000 Lyons Avenue, Houston, TX 77020.

Noted political strategist, humorist, and commentator, Paul Begala, will be the featured guest at a fun-filled night of politics and pundits as we energize Democrats from across Harris County for the November 2010 election. HCDP will introduce the slate of Democratic candidates who won the March 2 Primary and will carry the party’s banner in the November 2010 General Election. Tickets for the event are $40 per person.

Native Texan Paul Begala has deep roots in the Lone Star state. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas, where he taught before his work at the White House. Begala was formerly co-host of Crossfire, CNN’s political debate program. He first entered the national political scene after his consulting firm, Carville & Begala, helped to elect President Bill Clinton in 1992. Serving in the Clinton administration as counselor to the President, he defined and defended the administration’s agenda and served as the principal public spokesman. He has written numerous articles and op-eds for numerous publications. After leaving the Clinton administration, Begala joined Georgetown University’s staff as a research professor of government and public policy.

WHAT: HCDP’s 2010 Campaign Kick-Off: Brew- Ha-Ha with Paul Begala

WHEN: Thursday, March 4, 2010, from 7 to 9 pm.

WHERE: St. Arnold’s Brewery, 2000 Lyons, Ave., Houston, TX 77020

RSVP: Press, please email Martha@hcdp.org if you plan to attend.

The Harris County Democratic Party announces its 2010 Campaign Kick-Off: Brew-Ha-Ha with Paul Begala on Thursday, March 4, 2010, from 7 to 9 pm, at the new St. Arnold’s Brewery, 2000 Lyons Avenue, Houston, TX 77020.

Noted political strategist, humorist, and commentator, Paul Begala, will be the featured guest at a fun-filled night of politics and pundits as we energize Democrats from across Harris County for the November 2010 election. HCDP will introduce the slate of Democratic candidates who won the March 2 Primary and will carry the party’s banner in the November 2010 General Election. Tickets for the event are $40 per person.

Native Texan Paul Begala has deep roots in the Lone Star state. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas, where he taught before his work at the White House. Begala was formerly co-host of Crossfire, CNN’s political debate program. He first entered the national political scene after his consulting firm, Carville & Begala, helped to elect President Bill Clinton in 1992. Serving in the Clinton administration as counselor to the President, he defined and defended the administration’s agenda and served as the principal public spokesman. He has written numerous articles and op-eds for numerous publications. After leaving the Clinton administration, Begala joined Georgetown University’s staff as a research professor of government and public policy.

WHAT: HCDP’s 2010 Campaign Kick-Off: Brew- Ha-Ha with Paul Begala

WHEN: Thursday, March 4, 2010, from 7 to 9 pm.

WHERE: St. Arnold’s Brewery, 2000 Lyons, Ave., Houston, TX 77020

RSVP: Press, please email Martha@hcdp.org if you plan to attend.