Congressman Henry Cuellar issued the following statement today in reaction to the rescue of 15 people held captive by Colombian rebels.  The hostages included three American military contractors taken captive when their surveillance plane went down in 2003. Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell and Thomas Howes, who were believed to have been held longer than any other U.S. citizens… Read more »

U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar passed an amendment today that would require the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the effectiveness of a national child abuse hotline. Congressman Cuellar’s amendment was included in the Manager’s Amendment in H.R. 5876, The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for… Read more »

U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar and South Texas Food Bank Executive Director Alfredo Castillo announced today that the South Texas Food Bank will receive $136,670.48 in conjunction with the 2008 Farm Bill, which oversees the monetary assistance for the nation’s nutrition programs.   It is expected that the total amount of pounds of food the South Texas Food Bank… Read more »

U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar successfully passed an amendment today to mandate a feasibility study to expand high-speed rail to South Texas. The amendment was included in H.R. 6003, The Passenger Rail Improvement Act of 2008, which invests in the safety and improvement of our nation’s passenger rail infrastructure.   By a vote of 311 to104, the House passed H.R. 6003, which… Read more »

U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar co-sponsored legislation Wednesday that would help renovate and modernize public schools in Texas and around the country.   By a vote of 250 to 164, the House passed the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act (H.R. 3021), which provides funding to states and school districts to help ensure that school facilities and… Read more »

U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar announced today a $4,416,530 grant for the Laredo International Airport. The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Aviation Administration.   The grant is divided into two awards: $3.2 million in discretionary funds which will be used to rehabilitate Runaway 14/32 and $1,216,530 in entitlement funds. The entitlement funds… Read more »

Today, House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response Chairman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) applauded the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for taking steps to support a nationwide emergency alerts and warnings system for State and local partners.  On May… Read more »

Congressman Henry Cuellar presented today more than 250 books from the Library of Congress to the Webb County Larga Vista Community Center. Also present to distribute the books were members of Texas A&M University’s Colonias Housing and Urban Development Department and the Gateway Rotary Club in Laredo, who have officially adopted the library in an effort to promote literacy in the… Read more »

Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar announced that a $392,031 grant will be awarded to the United Independent School District (United ISD) through the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, commonly known as “E-rate.”  This federal program will provide United ISD funding for telecommunications services and internet access.  “As part of my commitment to enhance the… Read more »

Today, U.S Congressman Henry Cuellar joined a majority of his colleagues in the House of Representatives by voting in support to override the President’s veto of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, also known as the Farm Bill. The override passed the House by a vote of 316 to 108. The President vetoed the bill Wednesday afternoon. This bipartisan support the override… Read more »