Senate Democrats: Flood Relief Must Come Before Politics

AUSTIN, TX—The Texas Senate Democratic Caucus released the following statement on the walkout following the consideration of S.B. 4:

Texans are clear—our top priority must be flood relief and disaster preparedness. Families devastated by the July 4 th floods cannot afford more delays. Governor Abbott has the power to move relief funds to survivors immediately using the same emergency budget authority he’s used many times—for his border wall, school safety and even to restore the legislature’s own funding. But now, he’s tying the passage of urgently needed relief to an unconstitutional redistricting plan.

Abbott could make an interim budget transfer right now to get help out the door—without legislation. He could call a new special session focused solely on flood relief and preparedness. He could even work to get FEMA funds released without a state match. But he won’t because he’s marching to the orders of DC bosses and billionaire donors, holding Texans hostage to their corrupt redistricting scheme.

This mid-decade redistricting isn’t about fair representation—it’s about politicians picking their voters instead of voters choosing their leaders. And it doesn’t stop here. If they can gerrymander now, they can and will do it before every election.

That’s why we walked out—because this session should only be about flood relief, and we refuse to engage in a corrupt process. Texans deserve leaders who put people over politics. We deserve a government that, at the very least, delivers in times of crisis.

State leaders have a choice: move the funds immediately or keep playing political games with Texans’ lives. If the special session ends without flood relief, Texans will know exactly who to blame—and it’s not the Democrats who are fighting for them.