FEDERAL

The Federal and States Programs Department recently hosted the

Roughly four years after Hurricane Harvey, some area leaders are upset with the plans to distribute federal flood mitigation funds.

HOUSTON – Juneteenth is a big deal in Texas and interest in the holiday is growing across the nation. Texas has officially celebrated Juneteenth since 1980, but the country — amid widespread protests following the death of George Floyd, among others, at the hands of police — appears to show interest now in a national Juneteenth holiday. Multiple petitions on Change.org are asking for support for a Juneteenth federal holiday, with this one, garnering the support of more than 200,000 digital signatures. Support for Juneteenth as a holiday has spread to Virginia, with the governor there, Ralph Northam, announcing he’s making Juneteenth a state holiday. What do you think about a federal holiday for Juneteenth?