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94-403: Greater Houston , designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land , is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States, encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Coast in Southeast Texas . With a population of 7,510,253 in 2023, Greater Houston is the second-most populous metropolitan area in Texas after

188-564: A budget justification document to present to relevant congressional committees, especially the Appropriations Committee. Finally, by the first Monday in February, the president must review and submit the final budget to Congress to approve. OMB is also responsible for the preparation of Statements of Administrative Policy (SAPs) with the president. These statements allow the OMB to communicate

282-606: A direct result of the Deepwater horizon oil spill. This was determined by examining rates of wetland loss in the region from the year prior to the oil spill and contrasting that with the rates of wetland loss after the oil spill. The study noted significant land loss in regions not impacted by wave activity, further demonstrating that the land degradation was caused by oil rather than other sources of weathering from waves and cyclones. Other notable oil spills affecting bayous include 4,000 U.S. gallons (about 15,141.65 L) of oil spilling in

376-515: A lake near Bayou Sorrel in Louisiana and 20,000 U.S. gallons (about 75,708.24 L) of oil spilling into Saint Bernard Parish waters and the adjacent Bayou Bienvenue in Louisiana. Both incidents occurred in 2022. Oil spills harm bayous as oil is toxic to most animals. In vapor form, oil leads to lung, liver, and nervous system dysfunction if inhaled. Ingested oil poses threats to the digestive tract. Oil matts feathers and fur, resulting in disruptions in

470-741: A population of 4,177,646. Another 2010 estimate determined the population increased to 5,920,487. Of the population an estimated 575,000 were undocumented immigrants according to 2014 estimates. In 2020, Greater Houston's racial makeup was 41% White ( non-Hispanic white 34%), 20% Black and African American , 8% Asian and 3% from two or more races ; additionally, 37% of the metropolitan population were Hispanic and Latino Americans of any race. Among its metropolitan population, roughly 23.4% were foreign-born. The largest foreign-born population came from Latin America , followed by Asia, Africa, Europe and other parts of North America. The metropolitan statistical area

564-651: A sizable Hispanic and Latin American community. CNN/Money and Money magazine have recognized cities in the Greater Houston area the past three years as part of its "100 Best Places to Live in the United States". In 2005, Sugar Land, southwest of Houston in northeast Fort Bend County, was ranked 46th in the nation, and one of only three Texas cities among the Top 100. In 2006, the magazine recognized Sugar Land again, this time as

658-523: A staunch Democratic stronghold, with the most active Democratic county establishment in the state. Houston's concentration of consular offices ranks third in the nation and first in the South, with 90 countries represented. The city of Houston is considered a major center of Black and African American political power, education, economic prosperity, and culture, often called the new black mecca after Atlanta , Georgia . Houston and its metropolitan area also has

752-491: A total land area of 26,100 acres (106 km). Greater Houston's flat topography, susceptibility to high-intensity rainfall events, high level of impervious surface , and inadequately-sized natural drainage channels make it particularly susceptible to catastrophic flooding events. Underpinning Greater Houston's land surface are unconsolidated clays , clay shales , and poorly cemented sands up to several miles deep. The region's geology developed from stream deposits formed from

846-441: A wetland system impacts its carbon exchange with the environment. Inhibiting a wetland's ability to sequester carbon further damages the status of the wetland as a carbon sink . This poses larger-scale issues as it alters the exchange of carbon dioxide with the atmosphere and environment. The use of pesticides in agriculture poses further threats to bayou ecosystems. A study conducted on three bayous (Cow Oak, Howden, Roundaway) in

940-472: Is a census-designated place ; the rest are cities. They are listed below: Other communities: Numerically, Greater Houston is the second fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. There were a total of 7,122,240 residents within the Greater Houston metropolitan area as of 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau . In 2010, Greater Houston had 5,920,416 residents and in 2000, it had

1034-519: Is a probable carcinogen , and it has been linked to adverse health effects in both humans and wildlife. Several oil spills have impacted bayou regions, including the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010. This oil spill occurred off the Louisiana coast and resulted in the deaths of 11 people and the release of over 4.9 million barrels of oil into the ocean. The bayou wetlands of Bataria Bay, Louisiana experienced increased shoreline erosion as

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1128-463: Is also known to have been in use, as in "Pine Buyou", used in a description by Congress in 1833 of Arkansas Territory . As of 2016 "bye-you" US : / ˈ b aɪ . uː / is the most common pronunciation, while a few use "bye-oh" US : / ˈ b aɪ . oʊ / , although that pronunciation is declining. The term Bayou Country is most closely associated with Cajun and Creole cultural groups derived from French settlers and stretching along

1222-630: Is classified as temperate grassland. Much of the urbanized area was built on forested land, marshes, swamp, or prairie , remnants of which can still be seen in surrounding areas. Of particular note is the Katy Prairie to the west, the Big Thicket to the northeast, and the Galveston Bay ecosystem to the south. Additionally, the metropolitan region is crossed by a number of creeks and bayous , which provide essential drainage during rainfall events; some of

1316-551: Is considered the biggest pro-wrestling event of the year, seen as the Super Bowl of pro-wrestling. Houston was also considered a candidate for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games . Five separate and distinct state universities are located within the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. The University of Houston is a nationally recognized Tier One research university, and is the flagship institution of

1410-462: Is for federal participation in the development and use of voluntary consensus standards and in conformity assessment activities. A-119 instructs its agencies to adopt voluntary consensus standards before relying upon industry standards and reducing to a minimum the reliance by agencies on government standards . Adoption of international standards is widely followed by U.S. agencies. This includes: List of OMB directors. Bayou A bayou

1504-709: Is home to five NCAA Division I programs, with four located within Houston proper. The University of Houston and Rice University play in Division I-A (FBS). The University of Houston plays in the Big 12 Conference , while Rice belongs to the American Athletic Conference . Both schools were once part of the Southwest Conference . Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University , which are members of

1598-788: Is made up mainly of career appointed staff who provide continuity across changes of party and administration in the White House. Six positions within OMB ;– the Director, the Deputy Director, the Deputy Director for Management, and the administrators of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs , the Office of Federal Procurement Policy , and the Office of Federal Financial Management  – are presidentially appointed and Senate - confirmed positions. OMB's largest components are

1692-584: Is often an anabranch or minor braid of a braided channel that is slower than the mainstem , often becoming boggy and stagnant. Though fauna varies by region, many bayous are home to crawfish , certain species of shrimp , other shellfish , catfish , frogs, toads , salamanders , newts , American alligators , American crocodiles , herons , lizards, turtles, tortoises , spoonbills , snakes, and leeches , as well as many other species. The word entered American English via Louisiana French in Louisiana and

1786-693: Is or has been home to various nationally known sporting events. The most notable is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , which is the world's largest livestock exhibition and rodeo event. Other events of importance on greater Houston include the Shell Houston Open (a PGA Tour event), the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships ( ATP tour ), the Houston Marathon , and the Texas Bowl college football bowl game. From 1959 to 1987, Houston hosted

1880-587: Is still vital to the metropolitan region. Galveston Bay and the Buffalo Bayou together form one of the most important shipping hubs in the world. The Port of Houston , the Port of Texas City , and the Port of Galveston are all major seaports located in this Greater Houston area. The area is also one of the leading centers of the energy industry, particularly petroleum processing, and many companies have large operations in this region. The metropolitan area also comprises

1974-592: Is that city's primary newspaper and the oldest continuously printed newspaper in Texas. It currently serves as the newspaper of record for Galveston, as well as Galveston County. Radio station KGBC , on air since 1947, has also served as a local media outlet. Houston's freeway system includes 575.5 miles (926.2 km) of freeways and expressways in the 10-county metro area. The State of Texas plans to spend $ 65 billion on Houston area highways by 2025. Houston freeways are heavily traveled and often under construction to meet

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2068-586: Is the only Catholic institution of higher education in Houston. Houston Christian University , located in the Sharpstown area, was founded in 1960. Rice University is one of the leading teaching and research universities of the United States and consistently ranks among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report . Three community college districts exist with campuses in and around Houston. The Houston Community College System serves most of Houston. The northwestern through northeastern parts of

2162-640: Is thought to originate from the Choctaw word bayuk , which means "small stream". After first appearing in the 17th century, the term is found in 18th century accounts and maps, often as bayouc or bayouque , where it was eventually shortened to its current form. The first settlements of the Bayou Têche and other bayous were founded by the Louisiana Creoles , and the bayous are commonly associated with Creole and Cajun culture. An alternative spelling, "buyou",

2256-553: Is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, policies, and procedures to see whether they comply with the president's policies and coordinates inter-agency policy initiatives. Shalanda Young became OMB's acting director in March 2021, and was confirmed by the Senate in March 2022. The Bureau of the Budget , OMB's predecessor, was established in 1921 as a part of

2350-485: Is traveled by about 61,000 people daily, giving it the second-highest ridership per track mile in the nation. The Uptown Light Rail Line has been converted to a BRT Line and began construction in the late second quarter of 2016. The BRT Line will run between the former NW Mall (which is in the process of redevelopment) and the WestPark TC. METRO's various forms of public transportation still do not connect multiple suburbs to

2444-457: Is widely noted for its ethnic diversity and strong international community. In its 2010 publication "Urban Elite", A.T. Kearney added the city to their list of the 65 most important world cities and ranks Houston 35th, as "...a magnet for a diverse population and business services...". The Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network ranks Houston as a Beta- World City, "an important world city instrumental to linking their region or state to

2538-628: The Bluebonnet Bowl . Houston has also played host to three Super Bowls ( VIII , XXXVIII , LI ), the 1968, 1986, and 2004 MLB All-Star Games , the 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2005 World Series, and the 1989, 2006, 2013 NBA All-Star Games . Houston has also played host to various high school and college sporting events, including the Big 12 Championship Game and hosted the 2011 NCAA Men's Final Four , 2010 NCAA Men's Regional Finals , and 2010 MLS All-Star Game . Houston has held two WrestleMania events, WrestleMania X-Seven and WrestleMania XXV , which

2632-673: The Catholic Church is the largest single Christian denomination as of a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center . Catholics in Houston are primarily served by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston . Following, the body of Evangelical Protestantism was the second largest according to this study; Baptists dominated the Evangelical Protestant demographic. Mainline Protestantism , led by Methodists ,

2726-562: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex . The region of approximately 10,000 square miles (26,000 square kilometers) centers on Harris County , the third-most populous county in the U.S. , which contains the city of Houston , the economic and cultural center of the South with a population of more than 2.3 million as of 2010. Greater Houston is part of the Texas Triangle megaregion along with

2820-724: The Department of the Treasury by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 , which President Warren G. Harding signed into law. The Bureau of the Budget was moved to the Executive Office of the President in 1939 and was run by Harold D. Smith during the government's rapid expansion of spending during World War II . James L. Sundquist, a staffer at the Bureau of the Budget, called the relationship between

2914-757: The Gulf Coast from Houston, Texas, to Mobile, Alabama, and picking back up in South Florida around the Everglades , with its center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The term may also be associated with the homelands of certain Choctaw tribal groups. Houston has the nickname "Bayou City". Anthropogenic influences have damaged bayou ecosystems over the years. Bayous are susceptible to pollution such as runoff from nearby urban communities (which can result in eutrophication ) and oil spills given their low-lying position in

Greater Houston - Misplaced Pages Continue

3008-625: The Houston Chronicle , bought the assets of the Houston Post —its long-time rival and main competition—when Houston Post ceased operations in 1995. The Houston Post was owned by the family of former Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby of Houston. The only other major publication to serve the city is the Houston Press —a free alternative weekly with a weekly readership of more than 300,000. The Galveston County Daily News , founded in 1842,

3102-479: The Republican and Democratic parties. Democrats are also stronger in the more liberal Neartown area, which is home to a large artist and LGBT community, and Alief , which houses a sizable Asian American population. In 2008, almost every county in the region voted for Republican John McCain ; only Harris County was won by Democratic candidate Barack Obama , by a small margin (51%–49%). Galveston has long been

3196-714: The Southwestern Athletic Conference , plays in Division I-AA (FCS). Houston Christian University (formerly Houston Baptist University) currently plays in Division I (FCS), mainly in the Southland Conference . Rice and Houston Christian are widely noted for their student-athlete graduation rates, which number at 91% for Rice (tied for highest in the nation according to a 2002 Sports Illustrated issue on best college sports programs) and 80% for HBU. Houston

3290-552: The U.S. state of Massachusetts and slightly larger than New Jersey . The U.S. Office of Management and Budget combines the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolis with four micropolitan statistical areas ( Bay City , Brenham , El Campo , and Huntsville ) to form the Houston–The Woodlands, TX combined statistical area. The metropolitan area is located in the Gulf Coastal Plains biome , and its vegetation

3384-529: The University of Houston System . The third-largest university in Texas, the University of Houston has nearly 43,000 students on its 667-acre campus in southeast Houston. The University of Houston–Clear Lake and the University of Houston–Downtown are standalone universities; they are not branch campuses of the University of Houston. The metropolitan area is home to the two largest historically black institutions in

3478-407: The 10 most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S., Greater Houston ranked first in employment growth rate and second in nominal employment growth. In 2006, the Greater Houston metropolitan area ranked first in Texas and third in the U.S. within the category of "Best Places for Business and Careers" by Forbes . The Houston–The Woodlands-Sugar Land area's gross metropolitan product (GMP) in 2005

3572-653: The 1990s, OMB was reorganized to remove the distinction between management staff and budgetary staff by combining the dual roles into each given program examiner within the Resource Management Offices. OMB prepares the president's budget proposal to Congress and supervises the administration of the executive branch agencies. It evaluates the effectiveness of agency programs, policies, and procedures, assesses competing funding demands among agencies, and sets funding priorities. OMB ensures that agency reports, rules, testimony, and proposed legislation are consistent with

3666-425: The 2013–2014 census year, adding 156,371 people. The area grew 25.2%, adding over 950,000 people, between 1990 and 2000 in comparison to a 13.2% increase in the national population over the same period. Between 2000 and 2007, the area added over 910,000 people. The Greater Houston Partnership projected the metropolitan area would add between 4.1 and 8.3 million new residents between 2010 and 2050. Greater Houston has

3760-520: The 2020 study. Within the Eastern Christian tradition, there were 3,617 Coptic Orthodox Christians , 1,746 Eritrean Orthodox and 850 Ethiopian Orthodox , 6,209 Greek Orthodox , 2,405 Malankara Orthodox Syrians , 641 American Orthodox , and 1,058 Serbian Orthodox in the metropolis. According to the Pew Research Center's 2014 study, non-Christian religions collectively made up 7% of

3854-483: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Greater Austin , and Greater San Antonio . Greater Houston also serves as a major anchor and economic hub for the Gulf Coast . Its Port of Houston is the largest port in the United States and the 16th-largest in the world . Greater Houston has historically been among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States; it was the fastest-growing in absolute terms during

Greater Houston - Misplaced Pages Continue

3948-481: The Houston area from other U.S. states, as well as hundreds of countries worldwide. Unlike most places, where high fuel prices are seen as harmful to the economy, they are generally seen as beneficial for Houston, as many are employed in the energy industry. Baytown , Pasadena , La Porte , and Texas City have some of the area's largest petroleum/petrochemical plants, though major operations can be found in Houston, Anahuac , Clute , and other communities. Galveston has

4042-568: The Houston-area's economy equates to that of a major corporation: $ 1.1 billion in new funds attracted annually to the Houston area, $ 3.13 billion in total economic benefit, and 24,000 local jobs generated. This is in addition to the 12,500 new graduates the UH System produces every year who enter the workforce in Houston and throughout Texas. These degree-holders tend to stay in Houston; after five years, 80.5% of graduates are still living and working in

4136-583: The Mainland and Galveston College . Portions of Brazoria County are served by Alvin Community College and Brazosport College . Blinn College serves portions of Austin County. The Houston Community College and Lone Star College systems are within the 10 largest institutions of higher learning in the United States. Politically, the Greater Houston area has historically been divided between areas of strength of

4230-588: The Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting, located on the campus of the University of Houston. The metropolitan area is also served by ABC13 Houston (KTRK-TV) and Fox 26 Houston (KRIV-TV) , owned-and-operated stations of ABC and Fox News , and NBC and CBS -affiliates KPRC 2 Houston and KHOU 11 . The Houston area is served by the Houston Chronicle , its only major daily newspaper with wide distribution. The Hearst Corporation , which owns and operates

4324-571: The Mexico–US border, go through the Greater Houston area, and continue on to Michigan at the Canada–US border. All of I-69 has been completed in the Greater Houston area and is co-signed with U.S. Highway 59. Interstate 45, which starts at State Highway 75 in Dallas provides transport from Houston to Dallas. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas , or METRO, provides public transportation in

4418-738: The Office of Legislative Affairs, the Budget Review Division (BRD), and the Legislative Reference Division. The BRD performs government-wide budget coordination and is largely responsible for the technical aspects relating to the release of the president's budget each February. With respect to the estimation of spending for the executive branch , the BRD serves a purpose parallel to that of the Congressional Budget Office (which

4512-784: The Southern Baptist Convention, the American Baptist Association , American Baptist Churches USA , Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship , National Baptist Convention USA and National Baptist Convention of America , and the National Missionary Baptist Convention numbered 926,554. Non-denominational Protestants, the Disciples of Christ , Christian Churches and Churches of Christ , and the Churches of Christ numbered 723,603 altogether according to

4606-517: The US 90 Commuter line which will service the Fort Bend County and southwest Harris County suburban region. Prior to the 2004 opening of METRORail, Houston was the largest major city in the United States without a rail transit system. Following a successful referendum held locally in 2004, METRO is currently in the beginning design phases of a 10-year expansion plan to add five more sections to connect to

4700-450: The White House's official position on proposed legislation. In practice, the president has assigned the OMB certain responsibilities when it comes to the budget and hiring authorities who play key roles in developing it. OMB coordinates the development of the president's budget proposal by issuing circulars , memoranda, and guidance documents to the heads of executive agencies. The OMB works very closely with executive agencies in making sure

4794-437: The agencies to discuss issues in the upcoming budget. In July, the OMB issues circular A-11 to all agencies, which outlines instructions for submitting the budget proposals, which the agencies submit by September. The fiscal year begins October   1 and OMB staff meet with senior agency representatives to find out whether their proposals are in line with the president's priorities and policies and identify constraints within

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4888-423: The animal's ability to insulate themselves in colder temperatures. Matted bird feathers lose properties that aid in flying and swimming. Such disruptions in individual adaptive ability may lead to trophic cascades in a bayou community.   Human development activities, such as the increase of impervious surfaces , results in quicker, high intensity flood pulses, delivering larger quantities of these nutrients to

4982-483: The budget process and proposal is smooth. The development of the budget within the executive branch has many steps and takes nearly a year to complete. The first step is the OMB informing the president of the country's economic situation. The next step is known as the Spring Guidance: the OMB gives executive agencies instructions on policy guidance to use when coming up with their budget requests along with due dates for them to submit their requests. The OMB then works with

5076-422: The budget proposal until late November. The OMB director then meets with the president and EOP advisors to discuss the agencies' budget proposals and recommends a federal budget proposal, and the agencies are notified of the decisions about their requests. They can appeal to OMB and the president in December if they are dissatisfied with the decisions. After working together to resolve issues, agencies and OMB prepare

5170-417: The clay below the surface precludes the buildup of friction that produces ground-shaking in earthquakes. These faults generally move at a smooth rate in what is termed "fault creep". Greater Houston has a humid subtropical climate typical of the Southern United States . It is rainy most of the year. Prevailing winds come from the south and southeast during most of the year, which bring heat and moisture from

5264-514: The comments into a consensus opinion of the administration about the proposal. It is also responsible for writing an Enrolled Bill Memorandum to the president once a bill is presented by both chambers of Congress for the president's signature. The Enrolled Bill Memorandum details the bill's particulars, opinions on the bill from relevant federal departments, and an overall opinion about whether it should be signed into law or vetoed . It also issues Statements of Administration Policy that let Congress know

5358-402: The current rail system. An 8.3-mile (13.4-km) expansion has been approved to run the service from Uptown through Texas Southern University, ending at the University of Houston campus. Office of Management and Budget The Office of Management and Budget ( OMB ) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function

5452-412: The demands of continuing growth. The Greater Houston area has a hub-and-spoke freeway structure with multiple loops. The innermost is Interstate 610 , forming a roughly 42-mile (70 km)-circumference loop around downtown. The nearly square Loop 610 is quartered into "North Loop", "South Loop", "West Loop", and "East Loop". The roads of Beltway 8 and their freeway core, the Sam Houston Tollway, are

5546-619: The ecosystem at a much more rapid rate. Impervious surfaces include roads, housing developments, and parking lots that replace natural vegetation, typically associated with human development and urbanization. When impervious surfaces are installed, the layer of soil that stores water is damaged/removed, resulting in a lack of permeable surfaces to absorb rainfall and floodwater. Bayous have experienced trends of land cover loss and conversion to impervious surfaces, of which has been associated with influxes of metals such as aluminum, copper, iron, lead, and zinc. Heavy metals in sediments and ultimately

5640-444: The erosion of the Rocky Mountains . These sediments consist of a series of sands and clays deposited on decaying organic matter that, over time, transformed into oil and natural gas. Beneath these tiers is a water-deposited layer of halite , a rock salt. The porous layers were compressed over time and forced upward. As it pushed upward, the salt dragged surrounding sediments into dome shapes, often trapping oil and gas that seeped from

5734-432: The fifth-wealthiest community, West University Place , and the sixth-wealthiest community, Piney Point Village . Greater Houston's religious community is predominantly Christian and the second-largest metropolitan area that identifies with the religion in Texas after Dallas–Fort Worth (73%). In 2012, the city of Houston proper ranked the ninth most religious city in the U.S. Within the Greater Houston metropolitan area,

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5828-734: The five Resource Management Offices, which are organized along functional lines mirroring the federal government, each led by an OMB associate director. Approximately half of all OMB staff are assigned to these offices, the majority of whom are designated as program examiners. Program examiners can be assigned to monitor one or more federal agencies or may be deployed by a topical area, such as monitoring issues relating to U.S. Navy warships. These staff have dual responsibility for both management and budgetary issues, as well as for giving expert advice on all aspects relating to their programs. Each year they review federal agency budget requests and help decide what resource requests will be sent to Congress as part of

5922-406: The form of buses, trolleys, and lift vans. METRO began running light rail service ( METRORail ) on January 1, 2004. Currently, the track is rather short — about 22.7 miles (20.6 km) from Northline Transit Center Station through downtown Houston to the Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park , and lines from downtown to the East End and the University of Houston/Lower 3rd Ward. Still, the system

6016-445: The government, basically making sure its day-to-day operations run. Without a budget, federal employees could not be paid, federal buildings could not open and federal programs would come to a halt in a government shutdown. Shutdowns can occur when Congress refuses to pass a budget. The Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee (ISDC) was created as an OMB committee by President Ronald Reagan's Executive Order 12549 in 1986, for

6110-418: The inner city (defined by the 610 loop), causing Houstonians to rely on the automobile as a primary source of transportation. The problem is one due to the lack of a central metropolitan area transportation authority, primarily due to a few suburban counties refusing to cooperate with METRO. For example, there are multiple coach bus services that run into downtown Houston. METRO is in the late planning stages of

6204-488: The largest petrochemical manufacturing area in the world, including for synthetic rubber , insecticides , and fertilizers . The area is also the world's leading center for building oilfield equipment. Greater Houston is also a major center of biomedical research, aeronautics, and high technology. Much of the metro area's success as a petrochemical complex is enabled by its busy man-made Houston Ship Channel . Because of these economic trades, many residents have moved to

6298-416: The largest cruise-ship terminal in Texas (and the 12th-largest in the world). The island, as well the Clear Lake area , are major recreation and tourism areas in the region. Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center —the largest medical center in the world. Galveston is home to one of only two national biocontainment laboratories in the United States. The University of Houston System 's annual impact on

6392-445: The lower Mississippi River Basin found that the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus to sample mesocosms affected the decomposition of maize crop and willow oak detritus. While both species showed an increase in decomposition rate after N and P nutrient enhancement, the maize crop broke down faster than the native willow oak. The maize crop also had a significantly faster microbial respiration rate. The changes in microbial respiration of

6486-416: The metropolitan area are served by various campuses of the Lone Star College System , while the southeastern portion of the city and some surrounding areas are served by San Jacinto College . Eastern portions of the area and small sections of the city are served by Lee College . Portions of Fort Bend County are served by Wharton County Junior College . Portions of Galveston County are served by College of

6580-434: The most notable waterways include Buffalo Bayou (upon which Houston was founded), White Oak Bayou , Brays Bayou , Spring Creek , and the San Jacinto River . The upper drainage basin of Buffalo Bayou is impounded by two large flood control reservoirs, Barker Reservoir and Addicks Reservoir , which provide a combined 400,000 acre-feet (490 million cubic meters ) of storage during large rainfall events and cover

6674-434: The nearby Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay area . A number of tropical storms and hurricanes have hit the metropolitan area, including: As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget , the metropolitan area of Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land encompasses nine counties in Southeast Texas. They are listed below: Eight principal communities are designated within the Greater Houston metropolitan area. The Woodlands

6768-579: The next loop, at a diameter around 83 miles (134 km). A planned highway project, State Highway 99 (the Grand Parkway), will form the third loop outside of Houston. Currently, a completed portion of State Highway 99 runs clockwise from I-69 / US 59 in Sugar Land, southwest of Houston to State Highway 146 in Baytown, east of Houston and was completed in 2022. When completed in the future, I-69 will start at

6862-449: The president and the bureau extremely close and subsequent bureau directors politicians, not public administrators. The bureau was reorganized into the Office of Management and Budget in 1970 during the Nixon administration . The first OMB included Roy Ash (head), Paul O'Neill (assistant director), Fred Malek (deputy director), Frank Zarb (associate director) and two dozen others. In

6956-408: The president's and agencies' policies to the government as a whole and set forth policymakers' agendas. During the review of the federal budget, interest groups can lobby for policy change and affect the budget for the new year. OMB plays a key role in policy conflicts by making sure legislation and agencies' actions are consistent with the executive branch's. OMB has a powerful and influential role in

7050-411: The president's budget and administration policies. OMB also oversees and coordinates the administration's procurement, financial management, information, and regulatory policies. In each of these areas, OMB's role is to help improve administrative management, develop better performance measures and coordinating mechanisms, and reduce unnecessary burdens on the public. OMB's critical missions are: OMB

7144-493: The president's budget. They perform in-depth program evaluations with the Program Assessment Rating Tool, review proposed regulations and agency testimony, analyze pending legislation, and oversee the aspects of the president's management agenda including agency management scorecards. They are often called upon to provide analysis information to EOP staff. They also provide important information to those assigned to

7238-475: The purpose of monitoring the implementation of the order. This order mandates executive departments and agencies to: Circulars are instructions or information the OMB issues to federal agencies that are indexed by major category: Budget, State and Local Governments, Educational and Non-Profit Institutions, Federal Procurement, Federal Financial Management, Federal Information Resources / Data Collection and Other Special Purpose. Circular NO. A-119 Circular A-119

7332-501: The rapid growth of other sectors—such as engineering services, health services, retail, and manufacturing . The area's economic activity is centered in the city of Houston , the county seat of Harris County . Houston is second to New York City in Fortune 500 headquarters. The city has attempted to build a banking industry , but the companies originally started in Houston have since merged with other companies nationwide. Banking, however,

7426-405: The region. According to the 2019 American Community Survey , the median household income was $ 69,193 and the per capita income was $ 35,190. Roughly 13% of the metropolis lived at or below the poverty line. As of 2011, Greater Houston has four of Texas's 10 wealthiest communities, which include the wealthiest community, Hunters Creek Village , the fourth-wealthiest community, Bunker Hill Village ,

7520-463: The region. Sugar Land is home to the second-largest economic activities and fifth-largest city in the metropolitan area. It has the most important economic center in Fort Bend County. The city holds the Imperial Sugar (its namesake), Nalco Champion, and Western Airways headquarters. Engineering firms and other related industries have managed to take the place as an economic engine. Greater Houston

7614-470: The religious metropolitan population. The largest non-Christian religion was Judaism . According to the study, 20% of Greater Houston was irreligious and 2% were atheist . The Association of Religion Data Archives 2020 study determined there were 7,061 Conservative Jews and 3,050 Orthodox Jews ; there were 11,481 Reform Jews throughout the area. There were an estimated 123,256 Muslims, 51,567 Hindus and Yoga practitioners, and 20,281 Buddhists . Among

7708-573: The seventh-highest metropolitan-area gross domestic product in the United States, valued at $ 490 billion in 2017. A major trade center anchored by the Port of Houston, Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land has the highest trade export value of all metropolitan areas, at over $ 120 billion in 2018, accounting for 42% of the total exports of Texas. As of 2021, Greater Houston is home to the headquarters of 24 Fortune 500 companies, ranking third among all metropolitan statistical areas. The Greater Houston metropolitan area

7802-501: The state: Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University . The University of Texas Medical Branch and Texas A&M University at Galveston , a branch campus of Texas A&M University , are located in Galveston. Several private institutions of higher learning—ranging from liberal arts colleges to a nationally recognized Tier One research university—are located within the metropolitan area. The University of St. Thomas

7896-456: The statutory offices within OMB: the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the Office of Federal Financial Management, and the Office of E-Government & Information Technology , which specializes in issues such as federal regulations and procurement policy and law. Other components are OMB-wide support offices, including the Office of General Counsel,

7990-502: The surrounding porous sands. This thick, rich soil also provides a good environment for rice farming in suburban outskirts into which the city of Houston continues to grow near Katy . Evidence of past rice farming is even still evident in developed areas as an abundance of rich, dark, loamy topsoil exists. The Greater Houston region is generally earthquake-free. While the city of Houston contains over 150 to 300 active surface faults with an aggregate length of up to 310 miles (500 km),

8084-419: The third-best city on its list. Also making the 2006 list were League City (65th) in northern Galveston County and The Woodlands (73rd) in southern Montgomery County . In 2007, another Houston suburb, Friendswood , made the list ranked 51st in the nation. The 2006 list only includes cities with at least 50,000 residents, and the 2007 list contains only cities with less than 50,000 residents. Greater Houston

8178-690: The watershed. Many bayous have been cleared away by human activity as well (with those in Louisiana having shrunk by 1,900 square miles; 4,900 square kilometers since the 1930s). Farming activities introduce nutrients into bayou ecosystems. Row crop agricultural land use is common (75–86% of the bayou watershed) in Bayou watersheds given the unique physical characteristics like flat topography and alluvial soils. Agricultural activity results in byproducts of nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers, which can drastically alter delicate balances in freshwater and marine ecosystems. A study conducted on 3 agricultural bayous in

8272-503: The western Mississippi River watershed found that pesticides released into bayou sediments cause significant impairment of the amphipod Hyalella azteca both spatially and temporally. Despite being banned 40 years ago in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency, traces of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ( DDT ), once used in agriculture as an insecticide, were found in sediment and amphipod tissue. DDT

8366-478: The world economy." Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area is served by a public television station and one public radio station. KUHT (HoustonPBS) is a PBS member station and is the first public television station in the United States. Houston Public Radio is listener-funded radio and comprises one NPR member station, KUHF (KUHF News). The University of Houston System owns and holds broadcasting licenses to KUHT and KUHF. The stations broadcast from

8460-579: Was $ 308.7 billion, up 5.4% from 2004 in constant dollars—slightly larger than Austria's gross domestic product. By 2012, the GMP had risen to $ 449 billion, the fourth-largest of any metropolitan area in the United States. Only 26 countries other than the United States had a GDP exceeding Greater Houston's GAP. Mining, which in the area is almost entirely oil and gas exploration and production, accounted for 11% of Greater Houston's GAP—down from 21% as recently as 1985. The reduced role of oil and gas in Houston's GAP reflects

8554-438: Was classified as one of the largest regions where the three largest minority groups were highly represented. In 2018, its racial makeup had an estimated 35.5% Anglo American , 20% Black and African American, 7.6% Asian American and 2.1% other races; approximately 37.6% were Hispanic or Latino American of any race. Nearly one in four Greater Houstonians were foreign-born in 2018 and a quarter of all refugees settled in Texas lived in

8648-572: Was created in response to the OMB) for estimating Congressional spending, the Department of the Treasury for estimating executive branch revenue, and the Joint Committee on Taxation for estimating Congressional revenue. The Legislative Reference Division is the federal government's central clearing house for proposed legislation or testimony by federal officials. It distributes proposed legislation and testimony to all relevant federal reviewers and distills

8742-414: Was ranked the fourth-most diverse metropolitan area in the United States in 2012. According to the United States Census Bureau , the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area has a total area of 10,062 square miles (26,060 km), of which 8,929 sq mi (23,130 km) are land and 1,133 sq mi (2,930 km) are covered by water. The region is slightly smaller than

8836-537: Was the third largest Christian group. In a separate study by the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the Catholic Church numbered 1,299,901 for the metropolitan area; by 2020, the second-largest single Christian denomination ( Southern Baptists ) numbered 800,688; following, non-denominational Protestant churches represented the third-largest Christian cohort at 666,548. Altogether, however, Baptists of

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