Following last year’s record-breaking wildfires in the Texas Panhandle, which exposed serious flaws in the state’s emergency response system, lawmakers had a chance to act. But after this week’s historic flooding,

The Republican leader and First Lady Melania Trump flew by helicopter to the Hill Country of central Texas to meet with first responders, families and local officials, a week after a rain-swollen river swept away houses, camp cabins, recreational vehicles and people.