Press Releases
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that he helped secure more than $380 million with the passage of the COVID-19 relief package The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The package would provide approximately $380,708,022.26 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding to cities and counties throughout South Texas. These funds will be used to help these communities recover from the devastating effects that the pandemic has had on local economies and livelihoods.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) sent a letter requesting to meet with President Joe Biden, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Acting Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Norris Cochran about the adoption of common sense solutions to relieve border agents and communities bearing the brunt of the recent influx of migrants.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack approved a secretarial disaster area designation on March 1, 2021 for the following counties in the 15th District of Texas: Hidalgo and Duval, primary; and contiguous, Brooks, Jim Hogg, and Live Oak. With this designation, those affected by the recent winter weather are qualified to be considered for Farm Service Agency (FSA) assistance, including loans.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced a $9,858,499.20 grant for Hidalgo County under the U.S. Housing and Urban Development's 2015 Most Impacted and Distressed program and Texas General Land Office (GLO). The award will fund Phase I of the Main Floodwater Channel Expansion Project – a critical drainage infrastructure improvement project aimed at mitigating the impact of future flooding events in Hidalgo County.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $16,206,307 was allocated to four cities and one county in the Rio Grande Valley in the 15th District of Texas by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD).
Allocations include the following programs: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG); CDBG Recovery Housing Program (RHP); HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME); Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA); and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG).
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that he would vote in favor of the American Rescue Plan proposed by President Joe Biden. The American Rescue Plan is a $1.9 trillion economic relief package that would help American families and small businesses struggling to make ends meet.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) and Tony Gonzales (TX-23) sent a bipartisan letter to the newly confirmed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tom Vilsack urgently requesting the approval of a secretarial disaster designation in counties affected by the winter weather disaster in Texas. Texas farmers and ranchers face unprecedented damage and loss as a result of the winter storm.
In addition to the secretarial disaster designation, the Members of Congress asked for the appraisal and resumption of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez announced a $3,210,638 grant award from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for COVID-19 relief for the McAllen International Airport.
The grant funds will cover operational expenses such as personnel, utilities, maintenance, salaries and disinfecting processes added due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
MCALLEN, Texas – Following Congressman Vicente Gonzalez's (TX-15) letter to Texas Governor Abbott requesting an increase vaccine allocations to the City of Schertz Emergency Management Services (EMS), the Texas Department of State Health Services provided 1,170 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.