Press Releases
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) issued a statement following Texas Governor Greg Abbott's issuance of a disaster declaration in response to drought conditions in South Texas:
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) expressed relief that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Mexican Tomato Growers reached a deal to lift tariffs on imported tomatoes from Mexico:
"For months now, I have urged Secretary Ross to reconsider exiting the Tomato Suspension Agreement. The last thing we need is a tariff that will affect Americans' pocketbooks and interrupt business supply chains. Citizens of both countries use fresh tomatoes for a plethora of things from pizza sauce to salsa and ketchup and everything in between," said Congressman Gonzalez.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) encouraged Central and South Texan organizations to apply for natural disaster aid funding following the announcement of $587 million being made available by the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration (EDA). Eligible grantees must be in communities impacted by Presidentially declared natural disasters in 2018, and floods and tornadoes in 2019.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) was awarded $475,000 through the U.S. Department of Education for the High School Equivalency Program. This program is designed to help 100 migrant and seasonal farmworkers receive a secondary school diploma.
The High School Equivalency Program also helps migrant students find placement in an institution of higher education or other postsecondary education or training.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $806,000 in grant funding was awarded to Jim Hogg and Duval Counties for Homeland Security's Fiscal Year 2019 Operation Stonegarden (OPSG). OPSG seeks to provide funds to enhance cooperation among state, local, tribal, territorial and federal law enforcement in joint coordination to secure the United States' borders in states bordering Mexico and Canada.
The OPSG program provides $90 million for improved security along routes of ingress including travel corridors and international waters.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), Collin Allred (TX-32) and other lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan on the wrongful detention and treatment of U.S. citizens. This letter comes following the recent unlawful detention of U.S. citizen Francisco Erwin Galicia-Chapa who was detained at a Border Patrol checkpoint while on his way to a college soccer tryout even after presenting a valid Texas driver's license.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $4,750,000 in grant funding was awarded to Hidalgo County for Homeland Security's FY 2019 Operation Stonegarden (OPSG). OPSG seeks to provide funds to enhance cooperation among state, local, tribal, territorial and federal law enforcement in joint coordination to secure the United States' borders in states bordering Mexico and Canada.
The OPSG program provides $90 million for improved security along routes of ingress including travel corridors and international waters.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) encouraged those in Cameron, Willacy, and Hidalgo Counties who were affected by the flooding in June to take advantage of all of the available resources offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other U.S. federal agencies.
FEMA is offering a wide array of disaster assistance and services including grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $2,125,000 in federal funds were awarded to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) through the Department of Education's College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). This grant will allow UTRGV to recruit, identify, and select 70 students from Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy Counties who are engaged, or whose parents are engaged, in migrant and other seasonal farm work, to participate in CAMP.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced Jim Hogg County was awarded a $497,909 grant by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand broadband connections to unserved and underserved rural Texas homes and businesses. This is part of the third wave of support raised from last year's nationwide Connect America Fund Phase II auction which aims to increase digital accessibility in rural America.