News Roundup: Michael Cloud Is Sworn In, Replacing Black Farenthold In Congress

Our daily look at Texas headlines.

By Becky FogelJuly 11, 2018 1:32 pm

The Standard’s news roundup gives you a quick hit of interesting, sometimes irreverent, and breaking news stories from all over the state.

The newest member of the Texas U.S. congressional delegation was sworn in last night in Washington, D.C.

Republican Michael Cloud is finishing out the term of former congressman Blake Farenthold, who resigned in April after revelations he used $84,000 in taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment claim.

The swearing in ceremony was broadcast via C-SPAN.

Representative Cloud beat out eight other candidates in a special election, held June 30, to represent the state’s 27th congressional district. He briefly addressed fellow members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“To the people of District 27 in Texas who elected me to serve,” Cloud said, “I take this responsibility seriously, and I ask for your continued prayers in serving well.”

Cloud will face another election in November to determine who will win a full two-year term in Congress. His opponents in that race are Democrat Eric Holguin, Libertarian Daniel Tinus, and independent James Duerr.




More Texans struggle to pay for health care than they do for housing, utilities, transportation and food. That’s according to a new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation.

KUT’s Ashley Lopez reports more than half of Texans surveyed say it’s hard for them to afford health care.

The survey also found that three in five Texans reported they or a family member have skipped or postponed care due to its costs. According to the study, many Texans have skipped dental care, delayed medical care they knew they needed, skipped a test or treatment, not filled a prescription, cut pills in half or skipped doses – and lastly, have had problems getting mental health care. Elena Marks with the Episcopal Health Foundation says the rate of people in Texas forgoing care is significantly higher than the national average.‘Because we have the highest percentage and highest number of uninsured adults in Texas, it’s not surprising that we would have higher than the national average people reporting skipping care or being unable to afford care.

The study found that lower income adults were more likely to report finding health care unaffordable.




A Texas nonprofit has offered the Trump Administration $20 million to pay bonds for immigrant parents who were separated from their children at the border and remain in detention.

The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, or RAICES, received the funds from a viral Facebook fundraiser.
The group staged a symbolic “people’s filibuster” in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. That’s the same day the federal government blew a deadline to reunite about 100 immigrant children under five with their parents.

U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro also spoke at a press conference RAICES organized.

The San Antonio Democrat called on the federal judge in California, who ordered the federal government to reunite parents and children, to select an official to oversee this process.

“Judge [Dana] Sabraw should appoint a ‘special master’ to ensure the government is in compliance with this process,” Castro said.

About half of these young immigrant children were reunited with their parents by Tuesday. The deadline for reuniting older children is July 26.