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McAllen Monitor: Fairly reforming Medicare based on quality, not quantity, of care

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Fairly reforming Medicare based on quality, not quantity, of care This year, Congress came closer than it ever has before to finding a permanent fix to the flawed formula that provides Medicare reimbursement to doctors. I signed on to the legislative fix, H.R. 4015, the SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014, which would transition Medicare away from a…

The Hill: 20 years after NAFTA, investing in trade more important than ever

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Tags: Trade

The impact of international trade can be felt in every town, city, and business across the United States.  It creates jobs, supports small businesses, and puts more money in the pocket of hardworking Americans.  We have a responsibility to our nation's still fragile economy to take every reasonable step to invest in this critical segment of the economy that touches nearly every…

La Reforma Energética Mexicana: Una Bendición para Ámerica del Norte

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Tags: Mexico

El descubrimiento del petróleo de esquisto bituminoso en Texas ha sido una bendición para la economía de nuestro estado y nuestra región, resultando en la creación de miles de puestos de trabajo y mil millones de dólares en ganancias adicionales.  Por ejemplo, en el año 2012, la formación geológica de Eagle Ford en el sur de Texas genero más de $61 mil millones de dólares para la…

ICYMI: Congressman Cuellar Op-Ed "Mexican energy reform helps North America"

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Tags: Mexico

The discovery of shale oil in Texas has been a boon for the economy of our state, creating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars. In 2012 alone, the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas created over $61 billion in economic impact across a 20-county region, supported over 116,000 full-time jobs and generated $3.1 billion in salaries. I traveled to Mexico City last month and met with…

The Hill: America needs its shale energy and hydraulic fracturing provides it

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By Reps. Bill Flores (R-Texas) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) In just a few short years, the United States has become the world’s number one oil and natural gas producer, and is well on its way to no longer relying on energy from countries that are historically hostile to U.S. interests. For the average family last year, this energy transformation meant $1,200 in the form of lower energy…

The Hill: Immigrants build the nation

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By Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas)  I am the oldest of eight children, and my parents used to take me out to the fields — las piscas — to be with them, as they worked in the hot sun.   Some of the earliest photos of me as a young child are black-and-whites together with my parents in the fields.  My father was a migrant worker from Guerrero, Mexico, who came to America not…

McAllen Monitor: U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar: Reform immigration now

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Last week in Washington, I joined with three of my colleagues to urge the U.S. House of Representatives to act on the national momentum to enact immigration reform. As part of two Democrats and two Republicans, it was a unique moment to discuss how we can fix our broken immigration system. I thank my fellow members of Congress, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., Rep. David Valadao…

Opinion > Commentary South Texas Consortium will boost economy

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Tags: Trade

Every day, millions of dollars in commerce cross our southern border. Trade in goods and services with Mexico totals more than $500 billion and is the lifeblood of the South Texas region, creating jobs and providing income to thousands of hardworking Americans. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, more than 450,000 jobs in Texas rely on trade with Mexico. My hometown of Laredo,…

U.S. should recognize Mexico's economic value

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I met Enrique Peña Nieto in May 2011, during his introduction visit to Washington, D.C. Then governor of the state of Mexico, Peña Nieto was a rising star in Mexican politics and clearly had a bright future ahead of him. The following two years, after multiple trips between Mexico and Washington, including stops to places such as Azteca…

Do Something, Congress

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I know I’m not the only American frustrated with Congress right now.  But I’m also optimistic that Congress will rise above politics to make some important decisions that will directly impact the educational opportunities, health and economic security of American families. One critical issue facing Congress deals with college students and college affordability. On July 1, 2012,…