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Dear Friends,
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I first want to acknowledge the passing of Congressman John Lewis. From his courageous activism in the civil rights movement to his nearly 30 years in the House of Representatives, Congressman John Lewis dedicated his life to fighting for freedom, justice and equality. When I first became a Member of Congress, he welcomed me with open arms, treating me like a little brother. Congressman John Lewis has earned our endless gratitude for his lifetime of work fighting for a better Nation. I am proud to have served alongside this fearless leader.
While I was in D.C. last week, I was very busy with Appropriations markups. During the markup, I secured language in the Homeland Security Appropriation bill that will protect historic, cultural and environmentally sensitive sites in South Texas from an ineffective border wall. I also worked with House Appropriations Committee to direct the Comptroller General to conduct a review of the Department’s policy for reporting sexual assault and its effectiveness in protecting victims, as well as holding offenders accountable.
In the district, I held a press event with the City of Laredo to discuss federal funding coming down to our community. My district staff also attended events throughout our community, including the Roma Colonia Census Parade!
As your representative, I want to keep you up-to-date and informed throughout this pandemic. I urge you to visit my website and social media pages, @repcuellar, to stay informed with the latest news.
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| Rep. Cuellar Secures $27.4 Million for a Air and Marine Hangar Facility in Laredo, TX |
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On Friday, July 17th, I held a press conference to discuss the $27.4 million in federal funds that I secured for a new Air and Marine Operations (AMO) hangar facility in Laredo, TX. This new facility will include administrative, operational, and hangar space; aircraft and vehicle parking; and other necessary site improvements to meet Custom & Border Protection’s (CBP) mission The hangar facility will be the first phase in creating a campus for CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the South Texas region, per the Congressman’s language in the fiscal year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
To watch the press conference, click here.
Pictured is Rep. Cuellar, City of Laredo officials and officials from Air Marine Operations and the National Guard.
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'Conversations with Cuellar' to Discuss Protection of Cultural, Historical & Environmental Sites Along the Border
Earlier on the 17th, I held my weekly press conference, 'Conversations with Cuellar,' to discuss my work in the Appropriations Committee to prohibit the use of federal funds for an ineffective border wall. I also secured language in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill blocking construction of border barriers within historical, cultural, and environmentally sensitive sites in South Texas.
To watch the press conference, click here.
Roma Colonia Census Parade
On July 14th, my Outreach Coordinator for Starr and Hidalgo Counties, Nicolas Cruz, attended the Roma Colonia Census Parade. This parade was a reminder that the 2020 census is currently under way and it is critical that our district is accurately accounted for - especially our colonias. If you haven’t submitted your response, you can do so online, over the phone or by mail. Shape your future by helping shape our communities for the next 10 years!
Don’t miss your chance! Submit your response now at https://my2020census.gov/
Helping Our Public Schools Overcome COVID-19 Challenges
State and local governments are facing unprecedented challenges during this pandemic; these challenges include budget shortfalls, which will directly impact our local schools, leading to devastating budget cuts to public education. When I voted to pass the Heroes Act, I did so, to help prevent these cuts and help our nation's public school system. Although the Senate still has not taken a vote on this act, Congress is doing all it can to provide for educators, children and their families.
Congress has passed COVID-19 response legislation that provides more than $30 billion in emergency education funding for students, educators, schools, and institutions across the country. This funding will help displaced students afford basic essentials, help educators adapt to long-term school closures, fund purchases for online learning materials, and provide a lifeline to cash-strapped institutions. Congress has also taken steps to prevent children from going hungry during this public health crisis by giving states and schools the flexibility they need to provide students access to nutritious meals.
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Intern Spotlight: Jacob Ingwersen
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In this week's "Intern Spotlight" meet Jacob Ingerwersen. Jacob is interning in my Laredo district office, where he gets to connect with Webb and Zapata County constituents. Originally from California, Jacob is currently a 2nd year student at Vives University. If you aren't familiar with that university, it may be because it's located in Belgium! Since school let out, Jacob decided to spend the summer in Laredo with family and pursue an internship at my office. He's interested in learning more about local politics and how it affects a person's day-to-day life. This internship has not only giving him that experience and perspective, but he's also learning that there are a lot of moving parts in Congress, and we often have to work with a variety of individuals to get the job done. Jacob has quickly shown that he will be a valuable asset to any office and he's definitely making an impact in Laredo, as well as the for the rest of TX-28.
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Coronavirus Resource Handbook
My office's COVID-19 Resource Handbook provides an extremely helpful list of tools and services for all those in the district. We are constantly updating the information in our handbook and you can regularly check my website for the newest edition. This wide-ranging economic rescue package provides rapid and meaningful assistance for individuals, businesses, and first responders.
Sections include: unemployment, direct payments, food assistance, homeowners and protection programs, and more. If you have any questions about the topics listed on the handbook, please contact my offices for assistance. To view the English handbook, click here. To view the Spanish handbook, click here.
The Data's In...And We're Behind On the 2020 Census
As of July 20th, our district has a response rate of 48.4%. Unfortunately, this is only a .2% improvement from last week and we're still trailing behind the state's average rate of 57.1%. The gap in responses is continuing to widen; don't get left behind. Let's improve these numbers and make sure every, man, woman, and child living in TX-28 is properly accounted for. You can complete the census form online, by clicking here. If you want to complete it by phone, call: 1-844-330-2020. Or, you can respond through mail, once you receive the paper form.
| This Week's Grant Newsletter |
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Don't miss out on a grant opportunity! Attracting more federal funds to the district and region has been a top priority during my tenure in Congress. In an effort to better serve you, I want to provide you with information on a variety of open federal grant opportunities in each week's newsletter. To see this week's edition, click here. If you'd like to subscribe to the weekly grants newsletter, please fill out our google doc form.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Considerations for Bars and Restaurants
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Many bars and restaurants have reopened within our communities; it is extremely important that we continue to practice CDC guidelines at these establishments. If we want to slow the spread of the coronavirus, employers should implement these tips and recommendations at their establishments.
In this week's video, the CDC outlines how bars and restaurants can protect employees, customers, and their community from COVID-19.
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| LATEST NEWS |
7/20, KGNS: Congressman Cuellar announces additional resources to help during pandemic
7/20, FOX San Antonio: Rep. Cuellar announces more than $2.6 million in funding for San Antonio first responders
7/18, Laredo Morning Times: Battle for the border
7/18, Laredo Morning Times: Laredo to receive funds for new air and marine hangar
7/17, Nexstar: Texas lawmakers fear businesses along U.S. border could suffer with extended travel restrictions
7/16, Missouri Times: Opinion: America needs more options for meat processing
7/14, Rio Grande Guardian: Podcast: Cuellar hosts virtual meeting of US-Mexico Interparliamentary Group
7/10, Border Report: IBWC demands water Mexico owes US, otherwise Texas ranchers, communities ‘suffer’
7/10, The Monitor: Lawmakers request more funds, field hospital from federal government
7/9, The Monitor: Rep. Cuellar announces funding plans for new federal courthouse
7/9, KVEO: Congressman Cuellar announces funding for ports of entry
7/7, KVEO: $9.4 million dollars goes to Texas Workforce Commission to help with unemployment
7/6, Laredo Morning Times: Congressman Cuellar looking to what can be done about Mexican tourism
7/6, Laredo Morning Times: Cuellar discusses infrastructure bill for I-27
7/3, Rio Grande Guardian: Division among border leaders on ending US-Mexico travel ban
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