NEWS FROM THE 15th DISTRICT

Dear Friends,

I hope you and your families are safe and well. It has been a busy week and I wanted to provide you with a brief update about what we have been working on to service the people of the 15th Congressional District of Texas. Together, we will continue to seize opportunities and overcome the challenges our communities face. 

President Biden’s Joint Address 
President Biden addressed the nation in a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, April 28, marking his first 100 days in office. 

I was honored to virtually invite Bert Guerra, the co-owner of Cine El Rey Theater. Like many in the 15th District of Texas and throughout the nation, Mr. Guerra shuttered his business to stem the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is people like Mr. Guerra that the American Rescue Plan aims to serve. Cine El Rey is a cultural and historical landmark that provides a vital service to our community. We need to take care of our small businesses and independent venues as they start to re-open.  

 
Mr. Guerra and I held a press conference after the address to give our thoughts and opinions on the priorities President Biden laid out and discussed how the American Rescue Plan has given Mr. Guerra’s business a fair shot at reopening.  

Letter to President Biden on South Texas Property Seizures and Flooding Risks 
On Tuesday, April 27, I sent a letter to President Biden requesting a meeting to discuss the seizure of property along the Southern Border and flooding risks due to the broken levee in Hidalgo County Precinct 3.  

President Biden promised to end border wall construction when he took office, yet the land takings have continued. I requested a meeting with the President and his top officials to get to the bottom of the issue and discuss the next steps for our property owners facing seizure of their property, and for our broken levees before hurricane season is in full swing.

Read the letter here. 

On Friday, I was pleased to announce that I successfully secured a commitment from the Biden administration to fix the broken levees in the Rio Grande Valley. My full statement is available here.

Introduction of H.R. 2688, the RARE Act 
On Tuesday, April 20, Representative Lance Gooden and I introduced a bipartisan piece of legislation entitled the Reclaiming American Rare Earths (RARE) Act. H.R. 2688 would establish tax incentives for the domestic production of critical minerals used to manufacture military weapons and the technologies that are vital to our national security and drive our modern economy. 

22 of the 35 rare earth minerals sourced outside of the U.S. come from China. We have the technological and workforce capacity to develop a reliable domestic supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements. I am committed to strengthening our national security and preventing China from harming our way of life.  

Learn more about the RARE Act here. 

Tropical Texas Behavioral Health Receives Prestigious $3.7 Million Federal Grant 
On Monday, April 26, I presented the Tropical Texas Behavioral Health (TTBH) with more than $3.7 million for the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion from the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service Grant Program. TTBH has been at the forefront of our community and throughout Texas in behavioral health services as one of the largest Community Health Centers in Texas. This award will allow TTBH to reach a larger number of those in our community who need mental health services, as well as provide better quality care for conditions such as substance use disorder, bipolar disorder, severe depression, and schizophrenia. 

I am proud to ensure the federal government invests in local programs such as these and understands their importance and role in providing crucial assistance to those in our community. 
 
 
Letter to Small Business Administration to Fix Shuttered Venue Operator Grant Web Portal 
On Wednesday, April 21, 2021, I, along with 163 of my colleagues sent a bipartisan and bicameral letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator, Isabella Guzman, calling on the administration to fix the Shuttered Venue Operator Grant Portal.  

Read the letter here. 

COVID-19 forced many of these independent venues to shut their doors and that’s why I supported the Save Our Stages Act in the American Rescue Plan. I voted for the program because it provided $16 billion of much needed relief to these operators. 

The portal has been fixed and venue operators can apply for relief here. 

Governor Released Portion of School Funding Thanks to Congressional Pressure 

I joined my Democratic colleagues in the Texas Congressional Delegation and sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, asking him to act on Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s refusal to release $19 million in federal funds from reaching Texas schools.

Congress passed these funds for the purposes of providing students support to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds given to Texas, would help schools address learning loss, meet mental health challenges with the increase in youth suicide, provide tutoring and remedial assistance, close the digital divide, improve ventilation and a host of other locally-determined needs.  

This past week, Governor Abbott announced he will release $11 billion of the $18 billion in relief funding to Texas public schools. While I am encouraged by the recent development, the Governor is still withholding approximately $5 billion that  were approved for Texas schools. I will continue working to ensure these critical funds are provided to our schools.  

Read the letter here. 

Congratulations to our 4H Participants! 
Congratulations to the 4H Club participants and award winners from Live Oak, Duval, Hidalgo and Cameron Counties. A special congratulations to Miss Stephanie Cavazos for advancing to State at Texas A&M University in College Station. Keep up the great work and remember: “To make the best better." 

• Send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Reevaluation Request for [insert your 10-digit application number]”
  
  
• Include in the body of the email identifying information for the application including application number, business name, business address, business owner name(s), and phone number.
  
  
• Please also include an explanation and any documentation that addresses the reason for the decline, if available. SBA will contact applicants if additional documentation is required to complete our review. 

 
Small Business Administration Shuttered Vendors Grant 
The Small Business Administration (SBA) Shuttered Vendors Grant portal is now working after it's turbulent opening.  

Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. Eligible applicants include: Live venue operators or promoters, Theatrical producers, Live performing arts organizations operators, Museum operators, Motion picture theater operators (including owners), Talent representatives. 

Apply for the grant here. 

SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund 
On May 3, 2021 at 12 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. CST, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund will begin accepting applications.

This program passed in the American Rescue Plan will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location.  

More information on eligibility and the application process available here.   

USDA Disaster Designation 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas Vilsack approved additional Secretarial disaster area designations for drought for the following contiguous counties in the 15th District of Texas: Karnes, Guadalupe, and Wilson.  

With this designation, those affected by recent drought may be eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) assistance. 

The full USDA disaster designation list can be found here. 
 
Tax Filing Deadline 
 
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced earlier this month that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. 

As always, it is my sincere honor to represent the 15th District of Texas. Please reach out to my office if you have any questions or concerns relating to federal matters.

*Please do not respond to this email as this inbox is not monitored. Instead, please visit Gonzalez.House.Gov or call us at (956) 682-5545 or (202) 225-2531.*

Sincerely,

Vicente Gonzalez
Member of Congress