Dear John,

In Texas and across the country, mass shootings have become all too common.

3 weeks ago, Uvalde, Texas – a tight-knit community just west of San Antonio – was devastated by gun violence. My heart aches at the pain families are experiencing after an 18-year-old gunman took the lives of 19 innocent children and two teachers. 

This tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for elected officials at the federal, state and local levels. Politics cannot stand in the way of preventing the next mass shooting.

Last week, I voted to pass the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act and the Protecting Our Kids Act, bills that would limit access to guns for people who present a verifiable danger to themselves or others, and make other common-sense changes to gun laws, including raising the purchasing age for certain semi-automatic weapons to 21 years old. 

As the people of Uvalde continue to grieve, I am pushing for the truth about the shooting at Robb Elementary. Like many Texans, I have been frustrated by the conflicting reports from state authorities about how this tragedy unfolded. On May 26, I called on the FBI to use its maximum authority to investigate and provide a full report on the timeline of law enforcement’s response. I am relieved that the Department of Justice is now conducting a comprehensive, public review. The American people, particularly those in Uvalde, deserve to know what happened on that awful day.

It will be a tough road ahead for our friends and neighbors in Uvalde, but our community in San Antonio will continue to support them with love and solidarity.

Resources for You:

• Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund: The Texas Homeowner Assistance Fund is offering grants up to $40,000 to help struggling families cover delinquent mortgage payments and up to $25,000 to cover property tax, property insurance, or HOA/condo dues. To learn more, click here.  

• Department of Education Approves $5.8 Billion in Student Loan Forgiveness for Defrauded Students: In 2015, the Department of Education found that Corinthian Colleges – which previously managed San Antonio’s Everest Institute campus – engaged in “widespread and pervasive misrepresentations” related to student employment prospects. This year, the Biden administration announced that it will discharge all remaining federal student loans borrowed to attend any Corinthian College institution from 1995 to April 2015. This includes borrowers who have not yet applied for borrower defense discharge. To learn more, click here.

• Texas WIC Update: The Abbott powdered infant formula recall means that families may not be able to find the formula brand their baby usually uses. In response to this shortage, WIC has expanded the list of formulas that eligible families can buy without having to update their benefit cards. To learn more about the available options, click here.
  • For non-WIC eligible families, President Biden is pulling every lever to quickly get more safe infant formula on the shelves. San Antonians who need help finding formula can reach out to Any Baby Can or call 210-227-0170. For additional community resources, click here.

• Immigration Help Available to Those Affected by Shooting in Uvalde: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is offering additional immigration services to those affected by the shooting in Uvalde, including flexibility for missed interviews with USCIS and expedited replacement of lost or damaged immigration travel documents (including Permanent Resident Cards, Employment Authorization Documents, Form I-94, and Arrival/Departure Records). For a complete list of measures available on a case-by-case basis, click here.
  • If you request help, please explain how the extreme situation or unforeseen circumstance created your need for relief.

• Constituent Services: Assisting constituents like you is the most important part of my job. As San Antonio continues to recover from the pandemic, I want to make sure my staff and I do everything we can to help. If you need help with navigating federal agencies, passport and visa renewals, immigration, veteran benefits, small business aid or other services, please reach out to my San Antonio office at (210) 348-8216 or visit my website.

Legislative Actions:

• Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act: While Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has raised oil prices around the world, price gouging by U.S. oil companies is also contributing to rising gas prices. To bring prices back down, I voted to pass the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, which will stop oil and gas companies from price gouging, penalize market manipulation, and bring greater transparency to the market.

• The Hispanic Educational Resources and Empowerment (HERE) Act: In April, I was proud to introduce this bill, which addresses the enduring gap in college attendance and completion rates for Hispanic and Latino students by supporting partnerships between school districts and Hispanic-serving colleges and universities.

• Navigating to Success Act: This bill, which I introduced in March, allows organizations like San Antonio’s Project QUEST to use federal funding to support proven career counseling and workforce navigation services that connect people with good-paying jobs. This was included in the House-passed Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022.

• Seasonal Worker Solidarity Act: This bill, which I introduced in April, reforms the H-2B seasonal worker visa program to improve labor standards for workers, create a pathway to citizenship for guest workers and their families, and prevent U.S. workers from being passed over for seasonal job opportunities.

• The Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act and the Protecting Our Kids Act: In the wake of the deadly massacre in Uvalde, it was my honor to co-sponsor these gun safety bills, which implement common-sense reforms to keep guns out of dangerous hands and prevent gun violence.

In The News:

• In 2020, I voted to establish the Naming Commission, a commission tasked with developing a plan to rename military assets that currently commemorate Confederate leaders. After pushing the commission to consider Latino servicemembers, I’m elated that the commission recently recommended that Fort Hood be renamed for the first Hispanic four-star general in the U.S. Army, Richard E. Cavazos. Learn more about the Texas native here.

• On June 16th, the Senate passed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022, which originated in the House of Representatives and I co-sponsored. This bipartisan legislation will improve health care and benefits for more than 3.5 million veterans. Members of Congress and burn pit survivors have long been fighting side-by-side to get the harms of toxic exposure recognized by the VA. I look forward to seeing President Biden sign this bill into law.

Over the last several months, my office has led and joined community events to help San Antonians access federal resources. Here are some of the highlights:

Homeowner & Rental Assistance Fair for San Antonio

Speaking with local residents at the Homeowner & Rental Assistance Fair.

No family should lose their home during a pandemic. Last year, I voted to create the federal Homeowners Assistance Fund to help struggling families avoid foreclosure. In April, my office hosted a homeowner and rental assistance fair to help San Antonians apply for assistance and connect with local organizations.

The Homeowner Assistance Fund provides grants up to $40,000 to cover late mortgage payments and up to $25,000 for late property taxes. Most families earning under $79,900 are eligible for assistance.

To learn more, call my San Antonio office at (210) 348-8216 or visit texashomeownerassistance.com.

March for Our Lives in San Antonio

Meeting with local advocates for gun reform.

On June 11, I joined students and families from across San Antonio for a March for Our Lives rally to demand an end to gun violence. Across Texas and the nation, Americans are calling out for action on gun safety – and I’m determined to make sure Congress listens.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Webinar

San Antonio’s teachers, librarians, and all public servants work hard, and they deserve the benefits of public loan forgiveness.

I held a Public Service Loan Forgiveness webinar with the U.S. Department of Education to help San Antonians learn about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and recent changes to the program that can accelerate student debt forgiveness. Watch the webinar here.

FCC Chairwoman Visits San Antonio

Community partners helping San Antonians enroll for low-cost internet service.

Last year, I voted to create the Affordable Connectivity Program as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To highlight the benefits of this program, I teamed up with Federal Communications Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel for a kickoff event at Dwight Middle School to help local families enroll in low-cost, high-speed internet.

This new program provides low-income families with a discount of up to $30 per month on high-speed internet. Households can also receive a one-time $100 discount off the cost of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. To get more information and apply, visit fcc.gov/acp. To learn more about the program, watch my office’s virtual workshop with the FCC.

Honoring the Life and Service of a San Antonio WWII Veteran

Presenting posthumous military service medals to members of the Ybarra family.

One of my greatest honors as a member of Congress is the opportunity to recognize the sacrifice and bravery of our nation’s veterans and fallen servicemembers. Last month, I held a posthumous medal presentation ceremony of U.S. Army Sergeant Basilio R. Ybarra, a San Antonio soldier who served in World War II. It was a privilege to award Sgt. Ybarra’s family with the medals he earned during his years in the army.

Sgt. Ybarra’s family received the following:

• Bronze Star Medal
• Good Conduct Medal
• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 bronze service stars
• World War II Victory Medal
• Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award
• Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII

Sincerely,

Joaquin Castro
Member of Congress