Opinion: TAB’s Voice in Washington is Critical to the Future of Texas Business

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This week, I was honored to be in Washington, D.C. to participate in the inauguration festivities for the new Trump-Vance administration. While it’s always exciting to be in our nation’s capital, I’m even more excited by the outlook for the Texas business community as we engage with leaders in Washington and promote our 2025 Federal Policy Priorities that will enhance Texas’ position as an unrivaled global economic powerhouse. With Texas consistently ranking as the top U.S. state for exports, energy production, technological advancement and foreign direct investment, the policies enacted by Congress and federal agencies have an outsized impact on our business owners, their employees and the overall economic health of our state.

In fact, several important executive actions and announcements from President Trump shortly after taking office on Monday will have major implications for our state’s immediate and long-term economic growth.

First, President Trump repealed the Biden Administration’s ill-advised ‘pause’ on Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) export approvals. TAB has consistently highlighted the detrimental effects of this politically-motivated and short-sighted executive action by President Biden, which threatened to erode our state’s leadership in the global energy sector while weakening our nation’s energy security. We are glad that President Trump made ‘Unleashing American Energy’ a central theme within his flurry of executive orders issued shortly after taking the oath of office on Monday. TAB will continue to advocate for streamlined permitting for all energy infrastructure projects so that Texas energy producers can continue to play a leading role in securing the energy dominance of our state and nation. Texas must continue leading the charge not only in traditional oil and natural gas but also in innovative energy solutions such as solar and wind, where we are already leading, as well as nuclear, battery storage, carbon capture, geothermal, and hydrogen technologies—all of which are critical to achieving an all-of-the-above-and-below energy strategy.

President Trump also took the important step of formally establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), designed to identify and eradicate inefficiencies, redundancies, and waste underpinning a bloated federal bureaucracy that has impeded the growth of businesses in Texas and across the nation. That’s why TAB’s top federal policy priorities include cutting federal spending and advocating for regulatory simplification and modernization of federal agencies. These policies should mirror Texas’ success and our vision for smaller, more efficient government, as encapsulated in Governor Greg Abbott’s recent formation of the Small Business Freedom Council, on which I am honored to serve as co-chair.

Texas’ leadership in AI innovation is also set to accelerate under the upcoming administration, with President Trump unveiling the largest AI infrastructure initiative in history. On Tuesday, President Trump announced an initial investment of $100 billion, with plans to scale up to an unprecedented $500 billion to develop cutting-edge AI data centers across the nation, with the first data center built under this initiative set to be located in the heart of the Big Country – Abilene, Texas. To ensure we can take full advantage of this moment, we must ensure that Texas has a prominent voice in shaping a uniform national framework that supports innovation while also addressing ethical concerns and preempting states from overburdensome regulations that stifle AI innovation. It’s important that any regulatory framework does not discourage the construction of new data centers in Texas and the U.S. more broadly, as doing so would risk ceding leadership in AI to adversarial nations like China and undermining our national security. My motto is that ‘AI’ means Advancement and Innovation! 

In this same vein, Texas must accelerate its leadership in other critical industries like semiconductors, aerospace, and space exploration. Federal initiatives that enhance state investment and innovation in these fields will ensure Texas stays at the forefront of national security and advanced manufacturing while bolstering our global competitiveness.

Other federal priorities for the Texas business community include extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These tax cuts have driven economic growth nationwide – particularly for small business with the important small business tax deduction. 

Another key focus is maintaining and strengthening the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). As the best trade deal ever negotiated, USMCA ensures Texas businesses have tariff-free access to the dynamic North American market. It’s crucial to protect this framework, which has made Texas the leader in cross-border commerce.

As a border state, border security is not just a priority for Texas—it’s a necessity. For the past four years, Texas has shouldered the burden of protecting our border, and the federal government must do more to fulfill this critical responsibility, including enhanced infrastructure at ports of entry. At the same time, meaningful immigration reform is essential to meet the workforce demands of Texas’ booming economy. TAB supports H-1B visas and the creation of legal pathways for workers in other sectors. By tapping into the best and brightest talent, we can ensure Texas remains a global economic leader.

We look forward to a new golden age of American prosperity and innovation, with President Trump guiding the nation and Texas leading as the premier example of economic strength, opportunity, and leadership.

To read more about TAB’s 2025 Top Federal Priorities, click HERE.

Glenn Hamer, President & CEO, Texas Association of Business

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