Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Relief aid: “The White House and Congress are hoping to swiftly approve billions of dollars in aid for the victims of Hurricane Harvey as Texas begins to dry out from the unprecedented rainfall that has crippled the Texas Gulf Coast.”
* After several contradictory deadlines, a DACA decision is on the way: “The White House said Friday that President Donald Trump would announce his decision Tuesday on an Obama-era policy that allows young people who came here illegally as children to remain in the United States.”
* Related news: “House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and other Republican leaders in Congress on Friday urged President Trump not to terminate an Obama-era program that has allowed nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants to live and work in the country without fear of deportation.”
* Another legal setback for Texas Republicans: “A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Texas law that would restrict the most common type of second-trimester abortion.”
* The Department of Homeland Security has been without a secretary for a month. Trump hasn’t yet interviewed possible nominees.
* If Congress doesn’t appropriate the money, I suspect these companies won’t work for free: “The Department of Homeland Security took a critical step Thursday toward building the wall promised by President Donald Trump along the U.S. southern border. Officials of Customs and Border Protection announced they’ve awarded contracts to four companies that will build different prototypes.”
* Some far-right internet hoaxes are more offensive than others: “A false claim that Black Lives Matter activists blocked Hurricane Harvey relief efforts has gone viral on several large conservative Facebook pages. The stories use a false headline and photo to trick readers into clicking through to a story that has nothing to do with Black Lives Matter.”
* Tennessee: “A panel of Tennessee officials on Friday rejected a plan to remove a controversial statue of Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest from its perch at the state Capitol, even as officials around the country have worked to take down symbols of the Civil War.” * The national flood insurance program needs some attention from policymakers. * Missouri’s state legislature isn’t having a good summer: “In a Facebook post published Wednesday, Missouri Rep. Warren Love (R) expressed hope that the people responsible for vandalizing a Confederate monument in Springfield National Cemetery will be found and lynched.” * Fox News’ Tomi Lahren appears to have made a mistake by accidentally telling the truth. “How about we make a deal. How about when the mainstream media stops covering Russia day in and day out, maybe we can drop the Hillary email scandal,” she offered on Sean Hannity’s show. “But until then, I think I’m going to stay on it.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
