In a move reflective of Texas' political clout and priorities, the US Senate has passed President Donald Trump's budget bill, which includes a notable provision from Sen. John Cornyn concerning the Space Shuttle Discovery. According to KHOU, Cornyn successfully advocated for legislation to consider relocating the shuttle from the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia to Houston, dubbed by the senator as its "rightful home."
In tandem with this pursuit of honoring Houston's space legacy, Cornyn, alongside Sen. Ted Cruz, backed the passage of the Republicans' landmark tax and spending bill, which has major consequences for issues ranging from education to border security. The legislation, which some have creatively nicknamed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," touches on a sweeping array of Republican initiatives detailed by The Texas Tribune. Among these are a push to reimburse Texas for Gov. Greg Abbott's border security program, significant Medicaid cuts, and amendments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Notably, the bill also contains amendments aimed at altering the tax landscape for Texans. It calls for eliminating taxes on certain firearms and silencers, and it solicits a move from the NASA administrator to bring back the Space Shuttle Discovery to its Houston roots. Meanwhile, Ted Cruz managed to include provisions for "Trump accounts" – a $1,000 government-seeded investment for every American child, usable for purposes like education or starting a small business.
Cornyn's legislative win is seen as a patriotic gesture, with retired NASA astronaut Tim Kopra, having flown on Discovery, telling KHOU, "There’s Johnson Space Center, but there’s also a whole community of companies here that support human spaceflight." Supporters hope the shuttle's presence will solidify Houston's place in the pantheon of American space exploration history.
Back on Capitol Hill, partisan divides were apparent, as Republicans, including some from Texas, grappled with elements of the spending bill. U.S. Reps. Chip Roy and other members of the House Freedom Caucus stood firm on their demand to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, shedding light on the GOP's strategic maneuvers. Trump's insistence on the bill's passage by July 4 has amplified tensions, and Roy articulate his stance to The Texas Tribune, saying, "They need to change it if they want us to be able to support it."
