AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas lawmakers on Wednesday scrutinized the state's emergency response to the July 4 floods that killed at least 136 people after a top Republican said legislators had no intention of criticizing or assigning blame.
“Our select committee will not armchair quarterback,” said Republican Sen. Charles Perry, adding it sought to draw lessons on flood prevention and preparedness.
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FILE - State troopers keep watch over the Rotunda at the Texas Capitol, July 21, 2025, in Austin. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, file)
FILE - An American flag is placed on a stump flies in Kerrville, Texas on July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, file)
This aerial photo shows damage from flash floods along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
FILE - Members of a search and rescue team embrace as they visit a memorial wall for flood victims, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
Nim Kidd, the head of the Texas emergency management department, offered lawmakers suggestions to mitigate a similar catastrophe, including ways to strengthen emergency communications. But some Democrats cast doubt on the agency's response and whether it was doing enough to boost flood infrastructure in rural towns.
“We can mitigate or eliminate the possibility this could happen in the future," Democratic state Rep. Joe Moody said. “And that’s not a blame game, that’s accountability.”
Local officials have faced scrutiny over why more warnings weren’t sent to residents in harm’s way along the hard-hit Guadalupe River. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has said assigning blame for the disaster is “the word choice of losers.”
State and county emergency response officials were scheduled to testify, but not officials from Kerr County, the area most impacted by the floods. Perry, the committee chair, said this would avoid pulling them away from their work.
In Washington, the acting chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency defended the agency amid criticism that FEMA’s flood response was impaired by bureaucratic delays that slowed the deployment of urban search and rescue teams and left FEMA call centers unstaffed.
“I can’t see anything we did wrong,” FEMA acting administrator David Richardson told a U.S. House subcommittee on Wednesday.
In addition to the floods in Texas Hill Country, the other major issue for this summer's 30-day special session is a partisan redrawing of U.S. House maps, which aims to give Republicans more winnable seats in the 2026 elections.
Democrats want to address flood relief and new flood warning systems before taking votes on congressional maps sought by President Donald Trump. They have not ruled out a walkout in a bid to derail the redistricting, which they have slammed as a partisan power grab.
Kidd confirmed that the number of flooding deaths was 136, up from 135, after Abbott said a missing woman’s body had been found. Two people remain missing in Kerr County.
Abbott said they are a man and a girl from Camp Mystic. At one point, officials said more than 160 people were unaccounted for in the county, but ultimately found that most were safe.
Twenty-seven campers and counselors, most of them children, were killed at the all-girls Christian summer camp in Kerr County, which does not have a warning system along the river after several missed opportunities by state and local agencies to finance one.
Lawmakers have filed bills to improve early warning systems and emergency communications and to provide relief funding. Legislators are scheduled to visit Kerrville on July 31 to hear from residents.
Democrats have left open the possibility of filibusters or walking out in the coming weeks to block the proposed congressional map redraw. On Monday, most of the party's members in the House signed a letter to the speaker stating that they would not engage in any work before addressing flood relief.
But Democrats have few paths to resistance as the minority party in both chambers. Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to arrest those who attempt to walk out, on top of the $500 daily fines lawmakers face for breaking a quorum.
Associated Press writers Jamie Stemgle in Dallas and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.
Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
FILE - State troopers keep watch over the Rotunda at the Texas Capitol, July 21, 2025, in Austin. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, file)
FILE - An American flag is placed on a stump flies in Kerrville, Texas on July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, file)
This aerial photo shows damage from flash floods along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
FILE - Members of a search and rescue team embrace as they visit a memorial wall for flood victims, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Eagles need a new offensive coordinator.
Ask most fans, commentators — and, privately, some players — and the change from Kevin Patullo was inevitable long before Philadelphia actually made the move this week in the wake of a playoff loss.
There's a “help wanted” sign for the new boss of an offense — one loaded with elite talent such as Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith — that fell way short as the Eagles failed in their bid to win consecutive Super Bowl titles.
Coach Nick Sirianni and general manager Howie Roseman were vague on details Thursday about why they waited until the end of the season to make the move — the Eagles ranked 24th in yards per game (311) and 19th in points per game (19.3) — and less clear on what they wanted out of a new coordinator.
“You’re looking to continue to evolve as an offense, and I’m looking to bring in the guy that’s going to best help us do that,” Sirianni said. “I think that there are many different ways to be successful on offense and everybody has different styles, everybody has different players, and there’s many different ways to be successful.”
The Eagles have plenty of credible candidates to choose from — everyone from Josh McCown and Cam Turner to former NFL coaches Brian Daboll, Mike McDaniel and Kliff Kingsbury. The new OC could have complete autonomy to run the offense, though collaboration has been key under Sirianni.
No matter the coordinator, the Eagles expect to be contenders again after playing in two of the last four Super Bowls. Just winning an NFC East title doesn't cut it these days in Philly.
“If it doesn’t end with confetti falling on our heads, I don’t feel like it’s good enough,” Roseman said. “I know that we’re not going to win the Super Bowl every year. I think I know that from a broad perspective, but I believe we can. I go into every offseason thinking we’re going to do whatever it takes to win a Super Bowl.”
Two-time All-Pro offensive tackle Lane Johnson has built a Hall of Fame-level career and won two Super Bowls since the Eagles made him a 2013 first-round pick.
Retirement talk was a hot topic for most of the season.
Johnson turns 36 in May and did not play after Week 11 because of a foot injury. He did not talk to the media this week when the Eagles cleaned out their lockers.
Roseman kept private his conversation with Johnson about retirement. Johnson reworked his contract last May and is signed through 2027.
“You're talking about a Hall of Fame player who’s been a huge, huge part of any of our success that we’ve had, and when you watch him play, he’s still playing at an elite level,” Roseman said.
Brown is likely staying put.
While he isn't shy about airing his grievances, the wide receiver is often worth the distractions because of his production.
Just not this season.
Brown had 78 receptions (down from 106 in 2023) for 1,003 yards (he had 1,496 in 2022) and only five 100-yard games. Of course, some of that dip in production resulted from how he was used in Patullo's offense. The changes ahead are one reason why the Eagles are in no rush to give up on the 28-year star — along with the $43 million dead salary cap hit they'd take if Brown wasn't on the roster.
“It is hard to find great players in the NFL and A.J.’s a great player,” Roseman said. “I think from my perspective, that’s what we’re going out and looking for when we go out here in free agency and in the draft is trying to find great players who love football, and he’s that guy. I think that would be my answer.”
Special teams coach Michael Clay had a virtual interview Thursday for the same job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sirianni also hasn't ruled out Patullo staying on the staff in a different role.
“I know Kevin’s going to have other opportunities, and obviously always want what’s best for Kevin and for his family, so we’ll see how that plays out,” Sirianni said.
Patullo could want a fresh start after his house was egged earlier this season and one area indoor golf establishment let fans hit golf balls into a photo of his face after the playoff loss.
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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman, left, looks over as head coach Nick Sirianni, right, speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, right, and executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman, left, speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks with the media during a news conference at the NFL football team's training facility, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
