Government News - News of Austin

Living room table holds stack of envelopes with open slips showing dollar amounts and a faint January 2026 clock in light

2026 Social Security COLA Boost and 50% Field Office Visit Cut Announced

Morgan J. Carter December 18, 2025

A new year’s check for millions of retirees and disability beneficiaries is set to arrive a bit larger than last year’s, thanks to a 2.8 percent...

Native American figure standing before abandoned warehouse with glowing smartphone and desert backdrop.

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Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Reels from $29.9 Million ICE Contract

Morgan J. Carter December 18, 2025

A newly established tribal affiliate signed a nearly $30 million federal contract in October to design immigrant detention centers, sparking outrage...

Volunteer handing blankets and water to a family with kids in a busy hallway at One Texas Center for cold weather shelter.

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Austin Opens Overnight Cold Weather Shelters as Mid‑30s Forecast Hits the City

Morgan J. Carter December 18, 2025

Austin residents woke up to a forecast of temperatures in the mid‑30s for Sunday night. In response, the city announced that its overnight cold...

Senator Ted Cruz standing before American flag with clenched fist and hangar backdrop

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Cruz Threatens to Halt Federal Funding Over Defense Bill Military Flight Rules

Morgan J. Carter December 18, 2025

Sen. Ted Cruz threatens to hold up federal funding until a defense bill amendment tightens military flight rules after a crash that killed...

Sen. Ted Cruz stands among debris with smoke and wreckage and the Capitol in Washington D.C.

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Cruz Calls for Military Flight Restrictions After DC Crash, Threatens Funding Hold

Morgan J. Carter December 17, 2025

After a January 29 collision over Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people, Sen. Ted Cruz is demanding new restrictions on military flights to prevent...

Military aircraft soaring through foggy dusk sky with National Mall silhouette and Washington Monument in distance.

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Sen. Cruz Urges Military Flight Restrictions Before Funding Deadline Amid DC Crash Fallout

Morgan J. Carter December 17, 2025

Sen. Ted Cruz is demanding that restrictions on military aircraft flights be reinstated before federal funding lapses at the end of next month,...

Four suspects huddling around a makeshift explosive device with desert sunset and skeletal tree behind.

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Federal Authorities Foil New Year’s Eve Bomb Plot in Southern California

Morgan J. Carter December 17, 2025

In a dramatic turn of events, federal agents announced Monday that they thwarted a planned bombing campaign targeting multiple U.S. company sites on...

Two people huddling together with neon Emergency Shelter sign and dimly lit urban alley in background.

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Austin Activates Cold‑Weather Shelters for First Time This Winter, Housing 143 People

Morgan J. Carter December 17, 2025

In a rare move for the city, Austin opened its overnight cold‑weather shelters Sunday night into Monday morning, providing refuge for 143 people and...