President Joe Biden on Feb. 14 approved an emergency declaration for the state of Texas in response to the severe winter weather throughout the state that began on Feb. 11 and threatens widespread power outages. The president responded to requests for federal assistance from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Sen. John Cornyn, ordering the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to supplement state and local response efforts. The emergency declaration covers all 254 counties in the state. The action follows the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the nonprofit organization that operates the state’s power grid, entered its highest alert level overnight Feb. 14 into Feb. 15 and has begun rolling blackouts to conserve power during this harsh winter storm. Cruz said on Feb. 14 that more than 23,000 Texans had already experienced a loss of power. “We are experiencing record-breaking electric demand due …