On Tuesday, July 18, I joined my friend, U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX), to introduce H.R. 4708, the H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act.  

It’s no secret that our nation has a labor shortage problem. However, what most of us don’t know is that even if every unemployed American found a job tomorrow there would STILL be million open jobs in the United States. This bipartisan legislation will help meet the demand for labor by streamlining the H-2 Visa program so South Texas businesses can fully employ their workforce. 

On Tuesday, July 18, I joined my colleagues on the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to push for the safe return of deported Veterans back to their homes in the United States. 

It is a stain on our nation that we have allowed those who have honorably served and fought for our country to be treated this way. We must reunite our Veterans with their loves ones here at home and prevent this atrocity from ever happening again.   Congress must act to bring our Veterans home and ensure that they and their families have access to lawful pathways to citizenship. That is why I was proud to reintroduce my bill, the Repatriate our Patriots Act (ROPA), which would create a pathway to citizenship for deported veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. 

I looked forward to working with my colleagues on this important matter and am committed to bringing vets back home.  

I heard from many South Texans regarding the increased wait times at multiple land ports of entry in Brownsville. Our region is a transient place, with constant travel between Matamoros and Brownsville for work, school, family, and recreation. The sister cities are intertwined, and hours long wait times hurt the economic and social growth of our region as well as the health and well-being of those traveling, especially with the triple digit heat we’ve experienced these past few weeks. 

To address this issue, o I sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner, Troy Miller, on Tuesday, July 18 urging an immediate solution to the increased wait times and information on what resources are needed to facilitate this request. 

Read the full letter here. 

On Friday, July 21, I joined with every member of the Texas Democratic Delegation along with 70+ other Representatives to urge President Biden to take immediate action against the inhumane treatment of migrants at the Southern Border. Governor Abbott’s policies have created dangerous and life-threatening situations for those arriving at our Southern border.  I am glad that the U.S. Department of Justice has announced legal action against Governor Abbott’s administration on this issue. I will be monitoring the situation closely and will take further action to ensure that our nation’s borders are safe in a legal and humane manner.   
 
Read the full letter here. 

On Thursday, July 20, I voted to pass H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, also known as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill. 

Every five years, funding must be approved by Congress to develop, support, and grow the aviation industry in the U.S. 

I’m happy to report that my bill, H.R. 1804, the Honest Runways Labeling Act, was included in the passage of the FAA reauthorization bill and now awaits action from the U.S. Senate. This legislation would designate the Valley International Airport (VIA) as a Port of Entry and remove VIA from the list of user fee airports. 

Read the full press release here. 

On Wednesday, July 19, the Task Force to Combat Mexican Drug Cartels held a briefing where we discussed previous actions taken to target cartel operations and coordinate efforts with the Mexican government. 

Cartels are a danger to our community, perpetuating humanitarian, security, and drug crises. We need Congressional action to  facilitate communication and ensure policy is rolling out in a timely manner on this issue. I look forward to working with my Congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle to lessen cartel influence and dismantle their supply chain. 

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