Dear john,
Last week, I led a bipartisan letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging him to prioritize deliveries of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles to letter carriers in South Texas.
Given the extreme heat that South Texas communities regularly experience, the letter calls on Postmaster DeJoy to ensure that they are among the first in the nation to receive new, air-conditioned vehicles. These vehicles are expected to become available in October 2023, replacing the Postal Service’s existing fleet of vehicles that entered service in 1987 and lack air conditioning.
Postal employees are an integral part of American life, and it is vital that South Texas letter carriers, who work in one of the hottest climates in the country, are at the very top of the list to receive new, modernized delivery vehicles.
As always, if you need help with a federal agency, please contact one of my offices: - Washington, DC: (202) 225-1640
- Laredo: (956) 725-0639
- San Antonio: (210) 271-2851
- Rio Grande City: (956) 487-5603
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I attended the full committee markup for the House Appropriations bill on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.
I have the honor of representing JBSA-Randolph in my district. As an Appropriator representing Military City, USA in Congress, along with my colleague, Congressman Tony Gonzales, I will continue to fight for improved conditions and services for our military and our veterans. |
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I also attended the full committee markup for the House Appropriations bill on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
Agriculture is important to so many farmers, ranchers, and rural residents of TX-28. I will continue fighting for them and ensure they have the necessary resources to continue thriving. |
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The Boots to Business Program is an important federal initiative that helps veterans, service members, and their families become small business owners.
This week, I voted for H.R. 1606, the Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2023, to codify the Boots to Business program into federal law. Veteran-owned businesses are a crucial component of the South Texas economy, and I will continue to support them. |
Thank you to the Texas Association of Broadcasters for visiting me in Washington, DC. Local TV and radio stations provide news and entertainment for millions of listeners across the state.
I will continue to support you and ensure small, independent Texas broadcasters continue to thrive. |
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I met with Major General John Kline of the U.S. Army to discuss the Holistic Health of the Force (H2F). H2F is the Army's primary investment in solider readiness and lethality, injury mitigation, improved rehabilitation, and increased overall effectiveness.
Thank you for stopping by! |
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I hosted Laredo students from the Close Up Foundation during their annual fly-in to Washington, DC.
Education is the great equalizer. I will continue to empower our students so that they can achieve their American Dream. Thank you for visiting me, and best of luck in your educational endeavors! |
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I also met with the United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC). Hispanic businesses are a major economic driver in our country, more so in South Texas.
Thank you to USHBC President Javier Palomarez for visiting me! I will continue to support our Hispanic-owned businesses in Congress. |
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Please join me in congratulating Melanny Hernandez of Roma High School for winning this year's Congressional Art Competition for the 28th Congressional District of Texas.
Melanny's piece, Me and Snowball, is a self-portrait demonstrating the unbreakable bond between her and her cat. As this year's winner, her piece will hang in the halls of Congress for millions to see. Congratulations, Melanny! |
On Juneteenth, we celebrate the day that Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to enforce the emancipation of all enslaved people. I was an original co-sponsor of the federal legislation that made Juneteenth a national holiday.
We must always uphold the principle central to our democracy that all men and women are created equal. Happy Juneteenth! |
Over the years, Gateway Community Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), has become an integral part of our South Texas community by providing primary care and other much needed health services to medically underserved areas.
On Monday, I joined the entire Gateway team for the unveiling of renovations to 3 of their community health clinics: Laredo South, Zapata, and Hebbronville.
The overall goal of these renovations is to improve patient care, streamline operations, and answer the rising healthcare needs of our community - reinforcing Gateway Community Health Center's commitment to the health of the residents of South Texas.
Again, thank you, Gateway, for your commitment to safeguard the health of our community. |
I joined State Representative Tracy King, Mayor of Laredo Dr. Victor Treviño, Laredo Councilwoman Melissa Cigarroa, CEO Elmo Lopez, the Gateway Board, and the entire Gateway team for the unveiling of new renovations to their Laredo South Clinic which were made possible by $815,986 in federal funding, which I helped secure.
Renovations to the Laredo South clinic will help revitalize the 31,000-square-foot building with the aim of maximizing efficiency by: increasing the number of examination rooms to accommodate the rising patient demand and attract more healthcare professionals, reimagining the patient waiting area designed to deliver a more serene and inviting environment, and expanding the welcome center to optimize patient flow and ensure swift, efficient navigation within the clinic. |
The Zapata clinic's renovation project redesigned the 7,500 square foot clinic, adding: six state-of-the-art examination rooms, a modernized IT room, a thoughtfully reconfigured nurses’ station, a bullpen to increase staff efficiency, and reimagined front lobby reception windows for better customer service. A generator will also power the clinic during emergencies. Upgrades to the clinic were made possible by $160,387 in federal funding. |
The enhancements to the 5,000 square foot Hebbronville clinic include: a thoughtful demolition and reconfiguration of office space, the addition of hand wash sinks in exam rooms to boost hygiene standards, amplified cabinet space in labs and nurses’ stations, new interior paint with an antimicrobial coating for optimal protection against bacteria, and new sinks and storage space for hospital grade standards of cleanliness to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses. The clinic will also be equipped with a powerful generator, ensuring uninterrupted service during power outages. Upgrades to the clinic were made possible by $168,228 in federal funding. |
Andrea Santiago is a summer intern in my Laredo district office. She is one of the winners of the 2023 Estrella Del Deporte, for her displayed excellence in both academic and sports.
Andrea plans on attending Texas A&M International University to pursue a degree in Business Finance. Thank you for your service! |
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Congratulations to the new Acting President of the AFL-CIO San Antonio Central Labor Council, Terry Ramos.
We wish you success and look forward to working with you. Thank you for inviting my office to join you. |
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Thank you to Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar and the rest of the Webb County Sheriff's Office for celebrating all fathers on their special day.
As always, it was a pleasure for my office to join you! |
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Congratulations, Texas Regional Bank, on your groundbreaking in Rio Grande City and thank you for inviting Robert Bazan from my office to join you. We wish you much success! |
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The City of Laredo held a press conference yesterday to announce that Laredo’s International Sister Cities Festival will be back at the Sames Auto Arena from July 14-16.
Thank you, Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino, and the rest of the City of Laredo for inviting my office to be part of such an important announcement for our community. |
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Congratulations to all Spring 2023 Working Artist Fund (WAF) grant award recipients. WAF is a professional development grant that supports artists living and working in Bexar County. This year, 16 out of 58 applicants were awarded the grant.
Again, congratulations, and a big thank you to Luminaria for helping our local artists achieve their goals! |
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Alexis Gallegos and Robert Bazan from my Starr County office visited La Casita, La Grulla, and Rio Grande City to hear from our constituents and help with their concerns. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to stop by.
Once a month, my office will visit your community to offer you assistance. For more information, please visit my website or call my office. |
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Thank you to the staff at Las Alturas Nursing and Transitional Care for allowing Melissa Peña from my office to speak to seniors about savings for Medicare beneficiaries and the recent changes to Medicaid after the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
Last year, my colleagues in Congress and I voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which helped lower prescription drug costs, made health insurance more affordable, and made our economy work for working families. We took an important step to deliver for the American people, and we will continue to work to expand access to quality, affordable health care for all families.
To find out more about savings and benefits you qualify for, visit HHS.gov or call my office. |
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Alexis and Robert also visited San Isidro and Hebbronville to hear from our constituents and help with their concerns. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to stop by. |
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Thank you to the American Transit Local 694 for inviting Jesus Martinez from my office to join you for your barbecue sale at Via Transit Hall in San Antonio. |
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On Thursday, June 22, 2023, at 9:30 AM CST, I will host a webinar to discuss funding opportunities for mental health services. Robert McKenna, Acting Regional Administrator for the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Region 6, and representatives from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will discuss a wide range of funding opportunities for mental health services. A Q&A period will follow the discussion. I hope you can join us. To register for the webinar, click here. |
For more information on available federal grant opportunities, visit my website or contact my Grants Coordinator, Randy Aguilar, at [email protected]. |
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