(CNN) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied additional aid tied to deadly explosions at a Texas fertilizer plant, a decision ripped Wednesday by local and state officials who accused President Barack Obama of having "gone against his word."
FEMA's administrator informed Gov. Rick Perry in a letter Monday that it was denying a request to declare West, Texas - the small town where an April 17 fire led to simultaneous blasts at a fertilizer distribution facility, killing 15 and decimating homes, businesses and more within 37 blocks - a "major disaster" area. The letter noted Obama had previously issued an emergency declaration and other measures that paved the way for some direct federal assistance.
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(CNN) - Add another name to the Bush family.
George P. Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and nephew of former President George W. Bush, announced the birth of his first child, Prescott Walker Bush.
So proud to announce the birth of our son Prescott Walker Bush 'Little P' for short–Mom and PWB are doing great! http://t.co/AU0HKHzzkL—
George P. Bush (@georgepbush) June 03, 2013
(CNN) - The mayor of San Antonio, Texas, Julián Castro, is likely to win re-election when the remaining votes from Saturday's election are tallied. With over 98% of precincts reporting, a preliminary tally showed Castro held 67% of the vote and stood 53 points ahead of his closest competitor in the six-way race.
Candidates do not declare a party affiliation, but Castro is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party. He was in the spotlight as keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention last summer, a launching pad for others' successful political careers.
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Austin, Texas (CNN) – In Texas on Thursday, President Barack Obama used some small-scale campaign tactics to help push his political message.
On a one-day trip the White House called a “Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour,” the president made four separate stops.
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(CNN) - Deplaning in Austin, Texas, Thursday, President Barack Obama was greeted by Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican who made a bid for last year's GOP presidential nomination.
The focus of Thursday's visit is job growth - something Perry has touted as a chief accomplishment of his time in office. Speaking after greeting Obama, the governor said the president was smart to visit Austin.
"We are doing things right in Texas and I think the president is wise to come here and take a look at it," he said, noting Obama had recently visited the Lone Star state to attend a memorial service for the first responders killed in the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion.
A vocal critic of Obama's, Perry most recently railed against the president's gun control proposals during last week's National Rifle Association annual meeting in Houston.
"I realize to those who don't understand the issue, gun laws may look like an easy fix, and might even make some of them feel like these laws do something to solve a problem. Except they don't fix anything. They may win a news cycle, or help our president score political points, but they do nothing but make it harder for law-abiding Americans to own guns," Perry said.
(CNN) – President Barack Obama will debut two executive actions designed to spur job growth when he visits Austin, Texas, on Thursday, fulfilling a vow he made during his State of the Union address to further bolster American manufacturing.
The trip south is the first in a series of day-long jaunts Obama will take to promote his jobs agenda, which was a major part of last year's presidential race but has been overshadowed by recent legislative fights over gun control and government spending.
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Washington (CNN) – Some of Washington's most powerful Republican donors are playing host at a Wednesday evening fundraiser for George P. Bush, a candidate for Texas Land Commissioner and the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush
Attendees are paying $500 for the event taking place at the National Association of Wholesale-Distributors Office, according to a copy of the invitation. Among those expected to attend are Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Rep. Aaron Shock, R-Illinois.
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(CNN) – Within minutes of the National Rifle Association's opening forum at their annual meeting Friday, the group's leaders went after gun control proposals and advocates who sought to expand tougher firearm laws following the deadly Newtown elementary school massacre.
"Where we see tragedy, Barack Obama and Michael Bloomberg, they see opportunity," said Chris Cox, the executive director for the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action.
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(CNN) - The men, all volunteers, who rushed into a burning fertilizer plant in Texas before it exploded last week displayed a courage beyond words, President Barack Obama said at a memorial event in their honor Thursday.
"When you got to the scene, you forgot fear and fought the blaze as hard as you could, knowing the danger. Buying time so others could escape," Obama said at the event, held on the campus of Baylor University in Waco. "Then about 20 minutes after the first alarm the earth shook and the sky went dark and West changed forever. Today our prayers are with the families of all we've lost."
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(CNN) – It's a rare event when five living U.S. presidents can share the same stage. They did exactly that Thursday when they gathered for the George W. Bush Presidential Center dedication ceremony in Dallas.
In their remarks, the presidents at times joked about life after the White House and poked fun at the man they were honoring. But mostly, they expressed gratitude for the 43rd president and praised the new library and museum, located on the campus of Southern Methodist University.
See some of the highlights after the jump.
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