Houston hearing draws broad opposition as DOJ flags four Texas congressional districts

A House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting hearing in Houston drew sustained opposition from residents, civil‑rights groups and several members of Congress who said any mid‑decade redrawing of Texas congressional districts would dilute the power of Black and Latino voters.

The committee convened an in‑person public hearing to gather testimony after Gov. Greg Abbott put ‘‘redistricting’’ on a special‑session proclamation dated 07/09/2025. The chair told witnesses the committee would hear only in‑person testimony, limited to two minutes each, and that written submissions and electronic comments at comments.house.texas.gov are accepted for the record.

Why it matters: A July 7 letter from the U.S. Department of Justice — referenced repeatedly in testimony — warned that Texas congressional districts 9, 18,…