WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of 10 individuals for positions in the Trump Administration on July 31: Karin J. Immergut, of Oregon, to be United States District Judge for the District of Oregon. John Milton Younge, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mary M. Rowland, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Mark T. Pittman, of Texas, to be United States Dis  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: On Friday, July 26, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mazie Hirono toured border patrol stations in El Paso and Clint, Texas and visited Casa del Refugiado, a shelter run by Annunciation House that provides migrant families and other refugees with meals, showers, and a safe place to say. After speaking directly to families who had fled violence, Kaine and Hirono highlighted the cruelty and incompetence of Trump Admi  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following news release: Yesterday, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) along with Energy Subcommittee Chairman Conor Lamb (D-PA) introduced H.R. 4091, the "ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2019." H.R. 4091 would authorize a substantial increase in ARPA-E's authorization level, starting with the FY 2020 House Energy & Water Appropriations mark of $428 million, an  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - $30M in Reimbursement Funds Comes from Sen. Cornyn's Efforts in the Senate * * * U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today praised the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program's (ESFP) announcement that from the $30 million made available in the border supplemental appropriations bill for direct reimbursements to local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for migrant care, $25  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Qualified attorneys are invited to seek appointment for judicial vacancy in the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division * * * U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced that they are accepting applications for a judicial vacancy in the Southern District of Texas. The vacancy is located in Corpus Christi. The Senators have established a bipartisan panel of leading attorn  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today introduced the Advancing Cybersecurity Continuing Diagnostics and Mitigation Act, which would update and improve federal agencies' cybersecurity posture. "Cyber-attacks on government networks are increasing in frequency and sophistication, so updating the programs and tools federal agencies use to thwart these attempts is critical," Sen. Cornyn sa  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of five individuals for positions in the Trump Administration on July 30: Michael T. Liburdi, of Arizona, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona. Peter D. Welte, of North Dakota, to be United States District Judge for the District of North Dakota. James Wesley Hendrix, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. Sean D. Jordan, of Texas, to be United States District Jud  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a decision denying a bid protest filed by Safal Partners of Houston, Texas. protests the issuance of a task order (TO) to Manhattan Strategy Group, LLC (MSG), of Bethesda, Maryland, under request for quotations (RFQ) No. 91990018Q0023, issued by the Department of Education for support of the Charter Schools Program (CSP). Safal contends that the agency engaged in improper discussions when it permitted MSG to make material ch  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr seeking updates on the Justice Department's efforts to clarify whether and how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to websites. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) also joined the letter. The members sent a p  more

BISMARCK, North Dakota, July 27 -- Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release: Senator John Hoeven today honored the service of six members of the North Dakota National Guard's (NDNG) 957 Engineer Company as they begin a yearlong deployment to Kuwait. The soldiers, who specialize in combat engineer bridging operations, are deploying in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and will provide training and technical assistance to other military personnel and allied forces  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Rep. Van Taylor, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Highlights New STEAM Education Center * * * Last week, U.S. Congressman Van Taylor (TX-03) recognized Allen Independent School District on the Floor of the House of Representatives for being named a District of Distinction by District Administration Magazine. Allen ISD was one of thirty-four school districts in the entire nation to receive this prestigious award. The brand-new STEAM Center was the hig  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, issued the following statement after President Trump withdrew Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, from consideration as the next Director of National Intelligence: "The President's planned nomination of Rep. Ratcliffe was based totally on his loyalty to the President and not on any qualifications or experience that would have prepared him for the job. "The President's withdrawal of that consideration, allegedly because of the diffi  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, issued the following statement in response to President Trump's nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, for Director of National Intelligence: "Dan Coats has served this country with devotion as a legislator and the head of our intelligence community, and while we may have stood at opposite sides of the aisle, I always respected him as a fellow public servant. I was saddened to learn of his decision to step down as Direc  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, issued the following news release: * * * - The PROFILED Act aims to protect people like Francisco Erwin Galicia, an 18 year-old Texas-born U.S. citizen detained for 3 weeks by border officials in Texas because they thought he was undocumented * * * U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), today was joined by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Or  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, were joined by Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in introducing a bipartisan Senate resolution commending   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * - Letter to Azar, Mnuchin Stresses Risk in Upending Health Care System, Need to Understand Ramifications if Obamacare is Gutted * * * U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, on Thursday led a group of 19 Senators in requesting data from the Trump administration to help states and Congress better understand the   more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the Senate's efforts to lower prescription drug prices for patients and warned against the socialist agenda of the Democrat presidential candidates today on Fox News. Excerpts of his interview are below, and video can be found here (https://youtu.be/UIWmOptqMOo). On the Senate bills to lower drug prices: "We want to lower out-of-pocket costs for consumers, for patient  more

DEER PARK, Texas, July 31 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following statement in response to his legislation to rename the Post Office in Hardin, Texas after Lucas Maurice Lowe passing the Senate.: "I'm tremendously proud and honored to have led the effort to rename the Hardin Post Office after a true American hero - Lucas Lowe," said Rep. Babin. "It brings me great joy knowing that Lucas' memory will be cemented in history forever, and I pray all who pass by or walk through the doors   more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, chair of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement after he joined President Trump at the White House for the signing of the Never Forget the Heroes: James Zadroga, Ray Pfeifer and Luis Alvarez Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act (H.R. 1327): "On September 11, 2001, thousands of Americans chose to run toward danger to help those in need at great cost to themsel  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - The letter, sent today, addresses the U.S. formally withdrawing from nuclear treaty with Russia that sparks fears of a new arms race * * * Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today sent a letter to Secretary Pompeo on the dat  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Sixteenth Episode of "Diplomatic Cable" features Wendy Cutler, Vice President and Managing Director at the Asia Society Policy Institute's (ASPI) Washington, D.C. office, and former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative * * * Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the House Intellige  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: * * * - Will observe implementation of Trump immigration policies * * * On Thursday, August 1, and Friday, August 2, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) will join Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) and a delegation of 22 additional House Members to investigate the impact of Trump Administration immigration policies in and around El Paso, Texas. Co  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement regarding the signing of an agreement to increase access for U.S. beef to the European Union: "With today's announcement, American beef producers are finally regaining long-lost access to the EU market. "I commend President Trump and his team for their work in bringing this agreement together and for addressing this longstanding inequity in the U  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, issued the following statement on serving the 11th district and retiring from Congress: "Representing the people of the 11th District of Texas has been an honor and privilege that I cannot adequately describe. Over the years, Suzanne and I have been blessed to work with the finest group of public servants. They have served unselfishly in an exemplary manner. "While serving in Congress, I have asked Suzanne and our family to make innumera  more

MISSION, Texas, Aug. 2 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Congressman secures $90 million nationwide for Operation Stongarden Grant Program, a $5 million increase from FY18 * * * Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced $4,750,000 in federal funds for Hidalgo County from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Operation Stonegarden Grant Program (OPSG) to support law enforcement for equipment, over-time pay and conduct interagency operations. Thi  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following statement on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's announcement to provide disaster assistance to individuals affected by flooding in the Rio Grande Valley: "Thousands of homes and communities need to be rebuilt and restored after the severe flooding in the Rio Grande Valley. "After thorough evaluation and pressure from state and federal officials, FEMA has activated much-needed funding so Texans can pay for temporary  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - The Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board releases information on the Supplemental Appropriations Assistance grant * * * Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced the release of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program's National Board document, detailing the application process for the Supplemental Appropriations Assistance grant, which will provide funding to local social servic  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, issued the text of the following speech in the Congressional Record July 30, on restrictions placed on Huawei by the U.S. government: I rise to bring additional attention to the national security threat that Chinese state-sponsored entities like Huawei pose to our telecommunication networks and national security. This past week, I wrote to Secretary Ross at the Department of Commerce to consider Huawei's track record of espionage and intellectua  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: 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 oth  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: 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 p  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: 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   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: 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, hom  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has begun accepting applications for funding for conservation easements on lands damaged by and prone to flooding and other natural disasters. The NRCS has made available $217.5 million for 11 States. The funds are made available by the Emergency Watershed Pr  more

HOUSTON, Texas, July 30 -- Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, issued the following statement in support of the Telephone Road Elderly Project by the Houston Housing Authority: "Since my arrival in Congress, I have been supportive of the low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) program. "I am proud to see this potential allotment of $19.4 million in LIHTCs from the federal government come into my congressional district to benefit our seniors. "I have been and continue to be a proud champion of Section 8   more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Will Hurd (TX-23) joined fellow Texas Rep. Kevin Brady (TX-08) last week to fight for benefits for our Texas retired public servants by introducing the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2019. This bipartisan bill makes fairer the Social Security benefits for our retired workers by repealing the modified benefit formula known as the Windfall Elimination Provision. "The men and women th  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 24, paying tribute to young staff members for their contributions: As Members of Congress we know well, perhaps better than most, how blessed our nation is to have in reserve such exceptional young men and women who will go on to become leaders in their local communities, states, and the nation in the areas of business, education, law, government, philant  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 24, supporting the Venezuela TPS Act (H.R. 549): I rise in strong support of H.R. 549, "The Venezuela TPS Act of 2019." The bill would designate Venezuela for temporary protected status (TPS), allowing certain Venezuelan nationals to stay in the U.S., regardless of their current immigration status. The Secretary of Homeland Security grants TPS to certai  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 24, supporting the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act (H.R. 36): I rise in support of H.R. 36, the "Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019." This bill addresses sexual harassment in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields by supporting sexual harassment research and efforts to prevent and respond to sexual   more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 24, supporting the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act (H.R. 2938): I rise in strong support of H.R. 2938, "The Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act of 2019", or the HAVEN Act. Section 2 would amend Bankruptcy Code section 101(1 OA), which defines current monthly income" for purposes of the Code's means test, to exclude compensation   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, issued the text of the following speech in the Congressional Record July 30, introducing the ARPA-E Reauthorization Act: Today I am very pleased to introduce the ARPA-E Reauthorization Act of 2019 with my colleague, Mr. Lamb, who is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy. Even though the agency is still relatively young, ARPA-E has already demonstrated incredible success in advancing high-risk, high-reward energy technology solutio  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, July 31 -- Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: * * * - The Congressional delegation will conduct an on-site review of humanitarian conditions and detention policies at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. * * * Following Congressional approval of $4 billion dollars targeted to improving conditions at the Mexican border, U.S. Representative Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Chairman of the National Security S  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement in support of the U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty: "Following the announcement in February that the U.S. would suspend and eventually withdraw from the INF Treaty, we gave the Russians six months to remedy their violations of the agreement. "Unfortunately, Russia obviously did not show any interest in maintaining   more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Collin C. Peterson, D-Minnesota, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement regarding the retirement announcement of Ranking Member K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas: "I wish Mike and Suzanne well as they look forward to a new chapter in their lives in 2021. "He has been a steadfast champion for America's farmers and ranchers and a fighter for the interests of West Texas and the 11th District. "And in the meantime we will continue to work  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: On Thursday, Aug. 1, and Friday, Aug. 2, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) will join Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), and a delegation of 22 additional Members of Congress to investigate the impact of the Trump Administration's immigration policies in El Paso, Texas. The delegation will meet with immigration advocates, visit migrant shelters a  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, issued the following statement on his decision to withdraw from consideration for Director of National Intelligence: "While I am and will remain very grateful to the President for his intention to nominate me as Director of National Intelligence, I am withdrawing from consideration. "I was humbled and honored that the President put his trust in me to lead our nation's intelligence operations and remain convinced that when confirmed, I would h  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, issued the following statement on President Trump's nomination for him to serve as the Director of National Intelligence: "I am deeply grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to lead our Nation's intelligence community and work on behalf of all the public servants who are tirelessly devoted to defending the security and safety of the United States. "President Trump's call to serve in this role was not one I could ignore, and I am inc  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following statement on the appointment of Rep. John Ratcliffe to become the next Director of National Intelligence: "I am thrilled to see that President Donald Trump is appointing my friend and colleague John Ratcliffe to become the next Director of National Intelligence. A patriot with the track record to prove it, John has served his country with honor for decades and I have no doubt our nation is in good hands with him at the helm of   more

WASHINGTON, Jul 31 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the Senate's vote to confirm Brantley Starr to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas: "I was thrilled to see my colleagues in the Senate vote to confirm my good friend Brantley Starr as the next District Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas. "A fellow graduate of The University of Texas Law School, I had the privilege of workin  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, issued the following statement after the House passed the Bipartisan Budget Act, a compromise agreement between both chambers of Congress and President Trump: "In recent years, our military has suffered from declining, unstable funding that contributed to too many planes that could not fly, too many ships that could not sail, and too few troops who were ready to deploy. "Asking our men and women in uniform to do too much with too little has   more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Thornberry voted on a bipartisan bill to continue combatting robocalls, H.R. 3375, the "Stopping Bad Robocalls Act." Illegal robocalls have increased 64% in the last three years. "This problem is clearly getting worse, particularly for cell phones. Almost everyone I talk to is affected by this plague of harassing calls," said Thornberry. "This bill is a good step in reducing the influx of roboca  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Mark Walker, R-North Carolina, ranking member of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism, issued the following statement after President Trump announced he intended to nominate Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, to be the next Director of National Intelligence: "I can think of no one better for the Director of National Intelligence position than John Ratcliffe. "The only thing stronger than his credentials is his character. "What a   more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, announced several Committee hearings for the month of September: * Wednesday, September 4 at 10:00 AM -- The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will convene a field hearing entitled, "Examining Discrimination and Other Barriers to Consumer Credi  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: In the wake of two disturbing reports detailing the deficiencies in the quality of care delivered to some Medicare hospice enrollees, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) today sent a letter (https://waysandmeans.house.gov/sites/democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/fi  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: Today, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) sent a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao, urging her to comply with congressional requirements and promptly convene the Air Ambulance and Patient Billing (AAPB) Advisory Committee. Congre  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Congressman Cuellar secures an additional $5.4 million in the Appropriations Committee for High School Equivalency Program and the College Assistance Migrant Program * * * Congressmen Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), and Filemon Vela (TX-34) announced $2,124,000 in federal funds for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley through the Department of Education's College Assistance Mi  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Reps. Eliot Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking member, issued the following joint statement regarding the situation in Moscow: "We are deeply disturbed by the attack against outspoken Putin critic and political opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, as well as the reports that he was taken back to prison while still in need of medical attention and against the recommendation of his doctors. We are equally d  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Reps. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ranking Member Michael McCaul, R-Texas, issued the following joint statement regarding the situation in Moscow: "We are deeply disturbed by the attack against outspoken Putin critic and political opposition figure, Alexei Navalny, as well as the reports that he was taken back to prison while still in need of medical attention and against the recommendation of his doctors. We are equally  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Rep. Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ranking Member Michael McCaul, R-Texas, issued the following joint statement on the Trump administration's response to Russia's chemical weapons attack in the United Kingdom: "We're encouraged that the President has issued an Executive Order to lay the groundwork for a possible second round of sanctions against Russia for the chemical weapons attack in the United Kingdom against former Ru  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Al Green and Congressman David Schweikert introduced H. Res. 530 to increase security funding for Member of Congress. This bipartisan effort is in response to increased threats to the safety and well-being of Members of Congress. Congressman Green says, "According to Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund in his July 2019 testimony before the House Administration Committee, there have been over 2,500 credibl  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Chairman Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, issued the following joint statement on the Trump administration's response to Russia's chemical weapons attack in the United Kingdom: "We're encouraged that the President has issued an Executive Order to lay the groundwork for a possible second round of sanctions against Russia for the chemical weapons attack in the United Kingdom agains  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Rep. Bradley Schneider, D-Illinois, issued the following news release: * * * - Schneider joins congressional delegation visit to El Paso and Ciudad Juarez * * * Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (D-IL) completed a two-day congressional delegation visit to the southern border in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to investigate the impact of the Trump administration's immigration policies. "This was an eye-opening visit. We face a humanitarian crisis at our southe  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, issued the following news release: * * * - Letter to Azar, Mnuchin Stresses Risk in Upending Health Care System, Need to Understand Ramifications if Obamacare is Gutted * * * U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined her colleagues, led by Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), to request data from the Trump administration to help states and Congress better understand the  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement: "I respect John Ratcliffe's decision to withdraw his name from consideration for Director of National Intelligence, and I appreciate him considering serving his nation in a new role. "I am grateful that he will continue serving the people of Texas in the House. As the White House determines its next nominee, I'm heartened by the fact that ODNI has an experie  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following excerpts of his floor remarks on the nomination of Ambassador Kelly Knight Craft to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn's floor remarks are below, and video can be found here (https://youtu.be/ygO3YMklZUU). "Looking back on that two years now, it's safe to say it's been a dynamic time during our relationship with our neighbor to the north, a fact that made Ambassador Craft's job all that much m  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following excerpts of his floor remarks on the Senate's upcoming votes on seven judicial confirmations for Texas: "This week we intend to keep our progress on nominations going strong, and we have seven Texas district judge nominees on the docket. Seven." "Among those well-qualified nominees is a former Army paratrooper and Marine JAG officer, former and current intermediate court judges, former and current federal and state prosecut  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following statement after President Trump signed his Veteran STEM Scholarship Improvement Act, a bill to help veterans take full advantage of the scholarship provided to veterans studying science, technology, engineering and math into law: "With this new law, we're opening the door for veterans to pursue meaningful careers in increasingly high-demand STEM fields. "I thank President Trump for his commitment to veterans, and I encourage  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement regarding the nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, to be Director of National Intelligence after Dan Coats announced his resignation: "I want to thank Director Coats for his service. The world became a safer place because of him. "I now look forward to working with Rep. Ratcliffe, if he is confirmed. "Having served together in the House, I believe J  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement applauding the Senate's consideration of seven judicial nominees for Texas: "This week, the Senate will fill seven important judicial vacancies in the Lone Star State. "Each of these seven nominees are highly qualified individuals who have demonstrated their strong commitment to the rule of law. "I have every confidence Texans will be well served with their confirmation." Below are the seven judicial nominations   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement after voting against the budget agreement: "This budget deal is yet another missed opportunity to rein in excessive government spending. "While I am pleased to see increased funding for our national defense and our men and women in uniform, unfortunately this bill perpetuates Democrats' big government programs, increases our deficits, and plunges us further into debt. "Instead of running up bills we can't pay, we s  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement applauding the Senate's confirmation of Kelly Craft to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: "I applaud the Senate's confirmation of my long-time friend Ambassador Craft as Ambassador to the United Nations. "As Ambassador to Canada, Craft proved herself to be a tenacious and passionate civil servant while promoting trade with one of our most valuable allies  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, to be Director of National Intelligence: "Rep. Ratcliffe is a good man and a friend who has served the people of Texas well, first as U.S. Attorney and then representing the 4th district as a Member of Congress and on the House Intelligence Committee. "I believe the president made a strong choice, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to get  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration intends to continue implementing portions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, allowing Iran to build up its nuclear infrastructure by extending waivers for nuclear work: "I hope these reports turn out to be wrong. The president has correctly ordered his administration to halt implementation of the catastroph  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the expiration of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty: "This treaty has fallen far short and far outlived its intended purpose. "The Trump administration made the right decision when they announced the United States was withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia, and I applaud the administration for implem  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Praises Cruz-led letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin urging for capital gains tax to be indexed to inflation * * * U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) along with 20 senators sent a letter yesterday to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, urging the Treasury Department to index the capital gains tax to inflation. "The United States economy has experienced historic levels of growth as a result of Congress and th  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Reintroduces bill to promote animal conservation and eliminate red tape for wildlife ranchers * * * U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) this week reintroduced the Saving America's Vulnerable and Endangered Species (SAVES) Act, which would eliminate bureaucratic red tape for ranchers and conservators engaged in captive breeding of exotic wildlife and support animal conservation efforts. "Burdensome red-tape co  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued the following statement on the nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, to be the next director of National Intelligence: "I'm very concerned about the president's intention to nominate John Ratcliffe to be the next director of national intelligence. By law, this position requires 'extensive national security expertise.' Congressman Ratcliffe appears to lack the experience  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma, issued the following statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on July 24, on border security: In April of this year, Border Patrol agents in South Texas, in McAllen--one of the most crossed areas for illegal traffic in the entire southern border--saw a group of individuals walking north who had already crossed the border, and they broke and ran. They assumed these individuals were illegally present in the United States, a  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump withdrawing his nomination of Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, for Director of National Intelligence: "That John Ratcliffe was even nominated speaks to the deep disregard for America's national security at the core of this rotten administration. "Given the widespread opposition to Ratcliffe's nomination, Donald Trump had little choice but to seek a new  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, issued the following statements after their Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act passed the Senate unanimously: "Veterans with disabilities deserve the hard-earned benefits they receive after serving our country," Sen. Cornyn said. "By protecting their disability compensation during bankruptcy, we can help them and their families regain financial stability." "Forcing our veterans and their families to d  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Qualified attorneys are invited to seek appointment for judicial vacancy in the Southern District of Texas * * * U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today announced that they are accepting applications for a judicial vacancy in the Southern District of Texas. The vacancy is located in Corpus Christi. The Senators have established a bipartisan panel of leading attorneys in Texas to hel  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statements with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, applauding the Senate's passage of their bill to rename the Liberty County Post Office after Lucas Maurice Lowe: "I applaud the passage of the Lucas Lowe Post Office bill by my colleagues in the Senate," Sen. Cruz said. "I am proud to support legislation that honors the sacrifice and legacy of Lucas Lowe, a patriot and Texan whose service to his country i  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jeanne Shaheen's (D-N.H.) bipartisan bill, S. 1441, the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act of 2019, imposing sanctions on those involved in Russia's Nord Stream 2 project, overwhelmingly passed the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a vote of 20-2. Following the vote, Sens. Cruz and Shaheen issued the following statements urging the Senate to quickly pass their  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Ted Cruz's (R-Texas) bipartisan bill, S. 1441, the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act of 2019, imposing sanctions on those involved in Russia's Nord Stream 2 project, overwhelmingly passed the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a vote of 20-2. Following the vote, Senators Shaheen and Cruz issued the following statements urging the Senate t  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * - Wyden Returns to Southern Border with Oregon Advocates to Investigate Conditions for Migrants, Examine Damaging Impacts of Trump's "Remain in Mexico" and "Metering" Policies * * * U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., this weekend led a group of Oregon advocates and experts to El Paso, Texas and Otero County, New Mexico to investigate conditions for migrants - including children - at facilities on the south  more