NEWS FROM THE 15th DISTRICT

Dear Friends,

It has been a busy few weeks since Congress has returned to Washington. I wanted to share some developments and things we've been working on for our District. 

As always it is my honor and privilege to serve the 15th District of Texas. Here are a few of the highlights and updates of the last few of weeks: 

Sit Down With McAllen Mayor Jim Darling
 

Last week, I sat down with McAllen Mayor Jim Darling to discuss the issues facing our community and state. We also celebrated the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the immigrants in our community that are taking steps to become U.S. citizens.

(Congressman Gonzalez and Mayor Darling hold mini-Constitutions after a discussion about how the federal government can help the local community.)

Edinburg Chamber of Commerce Luncheon

I was honored to be the keynote speaker at the Edinburg of Chamber Commerce. I met business leaders in our community to hear firsthand the challenges they face in the current political and economic climate. We also had a productive discussion on the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Agreement, taxes, tariffs and job creation.

(Congressman Gonzalez takes photos after discussing how the federal government can help small businesses and the local economy.)

Funds for City of McAllen to Hire New Firefighters

Recently, I along with the City of McAllen secured $404,550 in funding to hire new firefighters. The funding is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Fiscal Year 2018 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program which is designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards and improve our nation’s preparedness.

For more information on the funding, read my release here.

New Jobs Coming to Cibolo, Texas

On September 17, Aisin AW announced it planned to invest $400 million and bring 900 new jobs to a future factory in Cibolo, Texas. The announcement came as part of broader commitment from Toyota to invest $13 billion in its U.S. operations over five years through 2021. The infusion of these funds in our community will grow the local economy, create high-paying jobs and improve quality of life for many. 

For more information about the announcement, read my release here.

 USDA Disaster Designation for Drought Conditions in Duval and Jim Hogg Counties

Duval and Jim Hogg Counties were recently designated as natural disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue. This designation will help communities combat the increased threat of wildfires and uplift their economies with much needed federal resources. I encourage those in the 15th District of Texas affected by these conditions to take advantage of these available resources 

For more information on USDA drought disaster updates, click here. 

To read the release, click here. 

$587 Million in Natural Disaster Aid Funding for State and Public Institutions in Central and South Texas

Recently, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) made aid funding available for Central and South Texan organizations affected by the devastating flood in June 2018. Eligible grantees must be in communities impacted by Presidentially declared natural disasters in 2018, and floods and tornadoes in 2019. These funds are crucial for the economic redevelopment of the Rio Grande Valley.

For more information on the EDA disaster grants, click here.

To read my release, click here 

McAllen Posts Lowest Unemployment In Rio Grande Valley

The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was recently announced as having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the Rio Grande Valley! The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission MSA achieved the fourth highest annual growth rate in the state of Texas at 2.9%, adding 7,500 jobs over the course of the year.

We still have much work to do to lower the unemployment rate in Hidalgo County and the rest of the 15th District of Texas. As your Congressman, I promise to continue fighting for policies that promote economic growth, bring high-paying jobs and benefits to our workers, and put food on the table for Texas families. 

Census Bureau Started Verifying Addresses  

Census Bureau employees started verifying addresses in McAllen and Rio Grande Valley neighborhoods. It is imperative that we have an accurate count in the 2020 Census to ensure that communities like ours have the political representation and federal funds they deserve.

Please know that Census employees have badges and briefcases indicating their affiliation with the Census Bureau. They will knock on doors and ask a few simple questions to verify the address and any additional living quarters on the property for inclusion in the Census. People may also ask them for a picture ID from another source to confirm their identity. 

As always it is an honor to represent the 15th District of Texas. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can be of service.

Sincerely,

Vicente Gonzalez
Member of Congress