Newsletter: The 114th Congress Update

Statement

Dear Friends,

With the beginning of the 114th Congress of 2015 well underway, we have seen progress on many fronts. Because of the Affordable Care Act, more people are covered by health insurance in the 15th Congressional district than before. Job growth remains on the rise as we continue through bipartisan efforts to keep Americans working.

Through bipartisan efforts we are also working towards the goal of realizing a full service hospital for our veterans in the Rio Grande Valley. Just last week, I introduced a bill in Congress that has bipartisan support. In this letter you will read about other changes and important events that have taken place, all in an effort to keep America strong on all fronts.

Since the Affordable Care Act was passed into law in 2015, and later implemented, we have had hundreds of families in the 15th Congressional district enroll in the new health care system. By coordinating numerous ACA enrollment fairs throughout my Congressional District 15, many residents have been assisted in securing their health care benefits under our new law. According to "Enroll America", before the ACA was made law, Hidalgo County alone had a 37% of its population uninsured for health care. After the implementation of the ACA, that percentage dropped to 24%, and those of the other seven counties in my district dropped considerably as well.

While much progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. The state of Texas did not sign up for the Medicaid Exchange portion of this legislation. What that means is that Texas will not accept federal funding that would help the poorest of our residents in our great state. I will continue to work towards the goal of helping our most vulnerable residents to qualify for health care coverage.

VETERANS HOSPITAL--NEW LEGISLATION:

Last week, I introduced H.R. 1294, which is called the "Meeting the Inpatient Health Care Needs of Far South Texas Veterans Act of 2015". We know that many times Democrats and Republicans differ on issues; however one issue many do agree on is that the veterans of the Rio Grande Valley deserve a full service hospital built for them to serve their medical needs. I have worked along with Senator John Cornyn to get a bill passed that would fund this much needed project. Now, we have many other Texas members in Congress supporting a veteran's hospital in the RGV. There have already been discussions with Texas Governor Gregory Abbott's office, and mine, in forming a bipartisan effort to see that our goal is realized. We are making progress on this front and we are in hopes that after so many years of struggle we will finally prevail and our veterans will finally get the hospital they deserve.

HEROES HONORED:

It was a great honor to have attended the Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in February where McAllen resident, Eugene Gutierrez, was honored along with his comrades in World War II for their heroism. The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to the members of the First Special Service Force (FSSF) also known as the famous "Devil's Brigade", an elite Special Forces unit made up of soldiers from the U.S.A. and Canada.

These men were known to be the most feared warriors in the European front during WWII. Their courage and commitment knew no bounds and their contribution to the war effort no doubt helped our side succeed. Gene Gutierrez is a hero who fought in fierce battles pushing back Nazi troops in Italy, helping to liberate the city of Rome. At home, Gene Gutierrez is known as a dedicated educator who has inspired so many of his students to succeed.

The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress; the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian awards in the United States. It is awarded to persons "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement. (Source: Wikipedia.org)

OFFICE CHANGES IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT:

In an effort to reach as many constituents as possible, I have expanded the locations and times where residents can visit with District Director, Mark Gonzales to discuss their needs and issues. Below, in this e-newsletter, you will see the schedule of the weekly neighborhood office locations and hours.

The idea is to expand our outreach to constituents in the northern part of the 15th Congressional District of Texas. We have listened to residents who say that traveling to one main office in Seguin was difficult at times. We are striving to facilitate as many of our constituents as possible through this new concept. My District Director will be available at many locations, each week, to help serve the needs of the communities.

JOB GROWTH REPORT:

For sixty months now, our nation has experienced consecutive job growth. According to today's report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, (see graphic below) in February, 288,000 new jobs were created and 3.2 million were created over the past 12 months. Americans are going back to work by the millions and we in Congress must continue to work together to build on these gains. We must work in a bipartisan effort to keep up this momentum.

2015 ARTISTIC DISCOVERY COMPETITION:

High School Art students and teachers mark your calendars for the 2015 Artistic Discovery Congressional Art Competition. The deadline to submit art pieces to the Congressman's office is Wednesday April 8, 2015. The judging and reception for the competition finalists will be held on Friday April 17, 2015 at the Art Village on Main in McAllen, time to be announced later.

I look forward to working with all of my colleagues in the 114th Congressional session in hopes that we will make progress on legislation that will continue to make our country and our economy stronger.

Sincerely,

Ruben Hinojosa
Member of Congress

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