America’s diversity has always been one of our nation’s greatest strengths, and Hispanic-Americans have long played an integral role in America’s rich culture, proud heritage, and the building of this great nation. September 15 through October 15 marks Hispanic Heritage Month, an opportunity to recognize the Hispanic community for the many contributions they continue to make to our great country.... Read more »
In December of 2004, on the eve of my joining the United States Congress, Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison invited me to a Texas bipartisan delegation meeting in Washington, D. C. with top executives from Union Pacific Railroad. The agenda: to discuss the inordinately high number of train accidents and derailments that had been occurring in Texas, and more importantly, the growing number of fat... Read more »
For the past few months, Texas has endured what some experts have deemed the worst natural disaster in this century: severe drought. American farmers and their families are now facing a tough struggle. The devastating drought and historical heat wave have left the Lone Star State parched and have caused billions of dollars in damage and profit loss to the agricultural sector. The impact of the dro... Read more »
Today, hard-working families are struggling more than ever to afford the rising costs of basic necessities such as gas, health care, and education. Gas prices have climbed to over $3 a gallon. The average American family now pays $1,200 more than last year for health insurance, and students are encountering more financial roadblocks to their college education than ever before. Despite the urgent ... Read more »
Today, almost 21 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. In South Texas, especially among Hispanics, diabetes is an urgent health problem threatening the health of nearly 10% of Hispanic Americans aged 20 years and older and their families. Of the millions of persons affected, less than one third know that they have the disease. We need to have more diabetes awareness, pre... Read more »
Every day hundreds of families in South Texas go hungry or don’t know how or where they will get their next meal. Many are hard-working families who have difficulty making ends meet or have fallen on hard times. Those who suffer most from hunger are the children and the elderly, the most vulnerable members of our communities. A recently released study conducted for the San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB... Read more »
With the rise in gasoline prices, most Americans are now paying even closer attention to escalating energy prices, but there is one group of Americans that has been especially affected by the negative effects of rising energy costs. Every morning across our nation thousands of farmers and ranchers fuel up and head out to tend their livelihoods, and our nation’s growing dependence on foreign energ... Read more »
Congressman Henry Cuellar announced today that Laredo has secured congressional intent to support the removal of Carrizo cane from certain locations along the banks of the Rio Grande. In report language to accompany HR 5441, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007, the Committee on Appropriations stated “The Committee understands that the removal of Carrizo can... Read more »
The budget bill recently passed by the United States House of Representatives contains significant cuts to many programs that Americans rely upon. I voted against the FY2007 budget and its deep cuts to education, healthcare, and veterans programs. The budget also adds trillions of dollars to the national deficit over the next ten years and continues a path of mortgaging the future of our children... Read more »
As Americans, we all have the right to express our views freely, but we also have the right to fair and accountable government. I believe HR 4975, the Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, effectively balances those concerns, and at the same time provides a stable foundation for continued reform. After meeting with many of my constituents in the 28th District of Texas who voiced d... Read more »
