Dear john,

Today, I announced $3,498,739 in federal funding for border security and school safety in Starr County.  

$3,000,000 was provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Operation Stonegarden Program for the Starr County Sheriff’s Office. The funds will be used to pay overtime wages and purchase new equipment, including communications technology for faster emergency response times.

$498,739 was provided by the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) School Violence Prevention Program for Rio Grande City Grulla Independent School District (RGCGISD). The funds will be used to install safety fences and control systems at RGCGISD, enabling a safer environment for the school district’s 10,000 students and 2,000 staff members.

I helped start Operation Stonegarden in 2008 and have since secured nearly $28 million in Operation Stonegarden funds for Starr County. This has meant more security for the people at the border to feel safe at home, work, and school. Additionally, the COPS School Violence Prevention Program helps equip our schools with the safety measures they need to protect our students. We’re seeing the results of that today right here in Starr County.

In Congress, I will continue fighting to keep our South Texas communities safe.