South Texas lawmaker named ranking member of House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security
A longtime South Texas lawmaker was named ranking member of a subcommittee overseeing funding of federal agencies handling border security. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, District 28, announced on Wednesday via a news release his appointment as the ranking member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. A ranking member is the second in command after the chairman. In all, Homeland Security employs 229,000 people over its 22 agencies. “I am honored to serve as Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee and I will use this new position to continue advocating for border communities,” Cuellar said.
myrgv.comPhoto Gallery: RNC chairwoman in Valley to scold Biden’s El Paso visit
McDaniel’s visit to the Rio Grande Valley coincided with Biden’s stop in El Paso where he traveled with a congressional delegation, including Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
myrgv.comMixed bag: New Congress members should place Valley first
Members of the House of Representatives were still debating who will replace Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House; once chosen, that person swears in all members and begins the session. For the first time, South Texas will be represented by members of both major political parties. Cuellar’s voting record has even fed speculation that he might switch to the Republican Party himself, although he hasn’t done so. As she ends her short tenure in Congress, Flores has earned the gratitude of the people she has served. A new Congress brings new challenges and new opportunities to support Valley interests and needs.
myrgv.comUS plans for more migrant releases when asylum limits end
The Department of Homeland Security said more migrants may be released into the United States to pursue immigration cases when Trump-era asylum restrictions end next week in one of its most detailed assessments ahead of the major policy shift. The department reported faster processing for migrants in custody on the border, more temporary detention tents, staffing surges and increased criminal prosecutions of smugglers, noting progress on a plan announced in April. More are expected with the end of Title 42 authority, under which migrants have been denied rights to seek asylum more than 2.5 million times on grounds of preventing spread of COVID-19.
news.yahoo.comSouth Texas, Abbott vs. O’Rourke, and Harris County: Here are the biggest things to watch for on election night
While the GOP focuses on the border and economy under President Joe Biden, Democrats are hoping to prove polls and political forecasters wrong by tapping into anger over the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the Uvalde school shooting.
Clinton shows support for moderate, progressive candidates ahead of Election Day
Over 500 people showed up to hear President Bill Clinton stump for fellow Democrat Michelle Vallejo in Edinburg on Monday afternoon, a day before Election Day. Richard Gonzales, chairman of the Hidalgo County Democratic Party, introduced Vallejo who was welcomed by an energetic crowd. The Democratic candidate emphasized points in her platform like healthcare, education, and improving the quality of life for South Texas. “The first time I ever went to a political event was when Hillary Clinton was running in 2008,” Sabrina Gonzalez said. “She went to the Dodge Arena.”While Clinton represents a different time in the Democratic Party, Sabrina Gonzalez said she felt inspired to witness an act of solidarity during divisive times.
myrgv.comFormer President Bill Clinton tentatively scheduled to visit RGV
The state Democratic Party has tentative plans to bring President Bill Clinton to the Rio Grande Valley on Monday, a day before Election Day, according to the party chair. Clinton will be in Laredo stumping for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, who is running a reelection campaign against Republican newcomer Cassy Garcia for District 28. The congressman said he’s known Clinton since 1991 when he worked as a campaign manager for him in Texas. “We’re excited because if there’s anyone who could motivate people to go vote it is President Clinton. The last time Clinton visited Laredo was in 2016 when former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was running for president.
myrgv.comLUPE urges community to cast vote, beware of misinformation
“We know the suffering that comes from not voting,” Juanita Valdez-Cox, executive director of LUPE, said. And they’re looking at South Texas Latino voters,” Dani Marrero Hi, LUPE’s director of communication, said. Republicans are investing heavily in the race for Congressional District 34 where a Republican, Mayra Flores, won the seat after the democratic incumbent suddenly vacated it. Joaquin Garcia, a community organizer with LUPE, reminded people about their rights at the ballot box, including the protection against intimidation. Their poison is to divide us and distract us, but here in LUPE the antidote is to unite and press ahead.”
myrgv.comTexas A&M International University, Rep. Henry Cuellar announce $3.5M in research grants
Texas A&M International University president Dr. Pablo Arenaz and Rep. Henry Cuellar were joined by a pair of professors Monday to announce the securing of a pair of grants totaling over $3.5 million.
lmtonline.com$10 million grant billed as ‘largest’ in Starr County to address water
“It’s the largest grant that Starr County has gotten,” Cuellar said after the announcement. “I’m excited about this because it’s going to help colonias in Starr County with water pressure and quality of water. More than 2,000 residents of colonias in Starr County Precinct 1, which is located between Roma and Rio Grande City, will see the effects from the grant. Starr County Judge Eloy Vera was pleased about the grant, which also happens to be the largest grant that the county has ever received. “But if you don’t have the right water pressure or the boosters that make sure that you have the pressure, then it makes a big difference.
myrgv.comLetters: Party’s attacks generate attack
Usually they list the accomplishments of their candidate to inform the public of the good things they have done to help and convince their base to stick with the blue candidate. Forget that even blue voters have a brain of their own, forget that blue voters are suffering to make ends meet, and forget that many blue voters are Christians and pro-life! These blue voters are not expected to believe their own eyes, ears, hearts and pocketbooks! What is the point of electing a blue candidate who is not allowed to serve their constituents? You have to be aware by now that a sickness has infected the Democratic Party of old.
myrgv.comFox News hourlong special revisits border security as midterms approach
Fox News’ Harris Faulkner hosted the hourlong episode that featured footage from Eagle Pass and the broader Maverick and Kinney county area. “Do we have sovereignty as a nation?” Faulkner asked Jon Aninsen, a member of the Border Patrol Council in Del Rio. Faulkner traveled with the Texas Department of Public Safety, interviewed its spokesperson, a member of the Border Patrol council, a rancher, a sheriff and public officials. “What would you say to him?” Faulkner asked Flores. It takes 15 to 20 years to be able to come here to the United States,” Flores said.
myrgv.comFox News hourlong special revisits border security as midterms approach
Fox News’ Harris Faulkner hosted the hourlong episode that featured footage from Eagle Pass and the broader Maverick and Kinney county area. “Do we have sovereignty as a nation?” Faulkner asked Jon Aninsen, a member of the Border Patrol Council in Del Rio. Faulkner traveled with the Texas Department of Public Safety, interviewed its spokesperson, a member of the Border Patrol council, a rancher, a sheriff and public officials. “What would you say to him?” Faulkner asked Flores. It takes 15 to 20 years to be able to come here to the United States,” Flores said.
myrgv.comWestern Hidalgo County shows growth with funding for multiple projects
Western Hidalgo County has seen a number of investments that are contributing to the growth of the area. That same day, Cuellar announced a $3,539,318 federal earmark for the city of Sullivan’s El Faro Road Flood Mitigation Project. The funding will provide assistance to areas in the community that are prone to heavy flooding as well as restore damaged infrastructure. On Aug. 4, Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Commissioner Everardo “Ever” Villarreal and the Hidalgo County Drainage District No. “The promise of commerce and as many as 250 jobs is exciting news for the Peñitas area and Hidalgo County is happy to help facilitate this venture,” Villarreal added.
myrgv.comPortion of Falcon Lake to be dredged
A portion of Falcon Lake will soon be dredged to help restore water access in rural Zapata County, where recent drought has caused that community to struggle to maintain water flows. The equipment will be used to dredge some 6,000-8,000 cubic yards of sediment within the Siesta Shores Water Control and Improvement District, which depends on the reservoir as the sole source of water for about 2,000 residents of the Siesta Shores community. “This equipment will allow us to reset our lake’s ecosystem and help ensure that Falcon Lake has sufficient water to supply Zapata County and the surrounding areas for the foreseeable future,” Cuellar stated in a news release. “Dredging should commence within a short time to secure adequate water supplies for the residents of Zapata County,” Giner stated. And though the project will increase water depth and volume where the lake meets Zapata County, the dredging will have little direct effect further downstream.
myrgv.comStarr County students awarded $16.5 million in federal funding
Starr County residents received welcome news on Tuesday, with nearly $16.5 million in federal aid heading their way. About $9.9 million will be used to reimburse the cost of summer meals for 3,500 children who benefited from the program last year. Of that, about $6.2 million was spent on lunches and $3.6 spent on breakfast through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program, respectively. The pandemic also compelled funding for South Texas College, which will receive $6.8 million from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Solis said they also plan to use the money to provide mental health services to help students struggling from pandemic-related stressors.
myrgv.comFox News holds ‘Broken Border Crisis’ summit in Edinburg
A summit focusing on immigration, criminal organizations and narcotics smuggling along the southern border was hosted by Fox News on Wednesday in Edinburg and attended by local ranchers, law enforcement, Gov. Greg Abbott, Democrat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and Republican U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores.
myrgv.comTexas Pecan growers gather for 2022 conference in San Marcos
Pecan growers from Texas and around the world will soon gather in San Marcos.The Texas Pecan Growers Association will host the 101st annual conference and trade show, the biggest industry event across[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] Features San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]
sanmarcosrecord.com51 migrants die after trailer abandoned in San Antonio heat
Desperate families of migrants from Mexico and Central America are seeking word of their loved ones as authorities begin identifying 51 people who died after being abandoned in a tractor-trailer without air conditioning in the sweltering Texas heat.
Death toll now at 51 in suspected migrant smuggling operation near San Antonio, Mexican president says
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the death toll had risen to 50 Tuesday morning after several people were found dead and 16 others were taken to hospitals following the discovery of a tractor-trailer rig used in a suspected migrant smuggling operation Monday.
Two critical Democratic runoffs in South Texas remain too close to call. Here’s what comes next.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, is leading his challenger, Jessica Cisneros, by 177 votes, while the margin is even smaller in the 15th Congressional District, where Michelle Vallejo is ahead of Ruben Ramirez for the open seat.
Greene, McBath win US House races; Cuellar in tight runoff
One of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress was facing his toughest primary challenge yet in Tuesday's runoff, while a staunch gun safety advocate ousted her House colleague in a fierce member-on-member congressional primary in suburban Atlanta.
Texas Democrats hope threat to Roe v. Wade will energize their voters ahead of the midterm election
Democrats are hopeful that the looming threat of such a stunning political sea change could provide the strongest opportunity yet to energize their voters heading into an election year in which Republicans have been expected to dominate in Texas and beyond.
Campaigning for Henry Cuellar, a Democratic U.S. House leader says party shouldn’t shun abortion opponents
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn visited Texas to stump for Cuellar this week ahead of his runoff race. The trip fell two days after Politico published a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that favors overturning Roe v. Wade.
Democrats are in danger of losing three congressional strongholds in South Texas
The seats in question are held by U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar of Laredo and Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen. A third vacant seat recently belonged to Filemon Vela of Brownsville, who stepped down to take a private sector lobbying job.
Republicans more than doubled turnout in the Rio Grande Valley compared with the last midterm primary
Democrats in the region still had higher turnout, but Republicans celebrated the narrowing of the gap. Despite the improvement, nearly 87% of registered voters in the Rio Grande Valley did not vote in the primary, similar to the rate in 2018.