In The News
TSA, border services will go on despite looming DHS budget shutdown
WASHINGTON -- If the Department of Homeland Security runs out of money next week, as feared, TSA employees will still keep watch on Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and federal agents will still patrol the Arizona-Mexico border. They just won't get paid until Congress passes a budget to fund their department. DHS is currently caught between Democrats and Republicans in Congress who are squabbling over President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration that could protect more … Continue Reading
February 20, 2015
Legisladores demócratas urgen a Boehner a aprobar los fondos para el DHS
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Dos legisladores demócratas instaron el jueves de nuevo al presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, el republicano John Boehner, a que someta a votación un proyecto de ley sin condiciones para dotar de fondos al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS), cuyo presupuesto vence este 27 de febrero.En una carta remitida al líder republicano, los congresistas Rubén Gallego (Arizona) y Pete Aguilar (California) reiteraron que la actual propuesta, que tiene adjuntas disposiciones … Continue Reading
February 18, 2015
Will injunction make some immigrants afraid to apply?
Undocumented immigrants already were leery about coming forward to apply for President Barack Obama's programs offering protection from deportation.But now they may be even more reluctant to apply after a federal judge put the programs on hold Monday.The judge's ruling has raised fears that participating in the programs could actually make them more vulnerable to deportation if the programs are terminated later on, immigrant advocates say."I think it's going to be pretty huge. People who had … Continue Reading
February 17, 2015
Arizona's Pro-Immigrant Forces Confident Obama Will Win on Immigration Order
A federal judge in Texas may have temporarily blocked President Obama's executive order that shields more people from deportation, but local pro-immigration forces are unfazed. Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego joined state lawmakers and immigrant-rights groups at the Arizona Capitol today to tell people who are eligible for Obama's deferred-action program not to be discouraged by the ruling, because they don't expect it to be blocked for long."Justice has been delayed, but victory is … Continue Reading
February 17, 2015
Veterans in Congress Bring Rare Perspective to Authorizing War
WASHINGTON — Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan now serving in Congress have emerged as some of the most important voices in the debate over whether to give President Obama a broad authorization for a military campaign against the Islamic State or something much more limiting.In other conflicts, Congress shaped military policy with a certain remove from the battlefield. But as lawmakers deliberate whether to give authority for a military operation to a president for the first time … Continue Reading
February 17, 2015
Arizonans react to blocked immigration order
PHOENIX -- Activists held rallies across the Valley Tuesday as word spread that many of the undocumented immigrants with plans to apply for deferred deportation would have their dreams deferred.A federal judge blocked President Barack Obama's executive order that would give legal status to millions of immigrants. Immigrants would have been able to begin applying on Wednesday."We're heartbroken," says Idalia Cervantes, whose parents are undocumented. "We heard about this at midnight and it was … Continue Reading
February 17, 2015
Reactions mixed on immigration injunction
Dozens of immigrant families attended a south Phoenix congressional town hall Tuesday in search of answers regarding a legal delay to President Barack Obama's deferred action program that was scheduled to be expanded Wednesday.A federal judge in Texas granted a request by a coalition of 26 states to temporarily block President Obama's executive action on immigration while its lawsuit to permanently stop the order goes through the courts. Applicants are being told to hold off on sending in … Continue Reading
February 13, 2015
Congresistas hispanos unen esfuerzos para promover extensión de DACA
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Un nutrido grupo de congresistas hispanos se unió hoy para sumar esfuerzos con el objetivo de promover el periodo de extensión de la Acción Diferida (DACA), que posterga por tres años la deportación de miles de jóvenes indocumentados y les permite obtener un permiso de trabajo temporal.La presidenta del Caucus Hispano del Congreso (CHC), Linda Sánchez (California), explicó en rueda de prensa que el próximo 18 de febrero comienza el plazo del nuevo periodo para solicitar el … Continue Reading
February 12, 2015
Congressman, veterans speak on veteran suicide-prevention bill
Rep. Ruben Gallego during an interview on Friday described the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act as a test run to see how the Department of Veterans Affairs can improve suicide prevention and mental health programs throughout the country. President Barack Obama is expected to sign H.R.5059, or the Clay Hunt SAV Act, on Thursday, Feb. 12, granting the VA $22 million over five years to allow nonprofit agencies to treat veterans. It also authorizes yearly repayment of up to … Continue Reading
February 12, 2015
Rep. Gallego says Democrats' Homeland Security bill omits GOP 'anti-immigrant poison pill'
Rep. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat who is co-sponsor of a Homeland Security bill that explicitly omits amendments on immigration, on Thursday described his measure as one that centers on keeping families together."The Democratic party is keeping families together, and win or lose politically, we know we're doing the right thing," Gallego told Fox News Latino.Gallego joined as co-sponsor of what Democrats called a "clean DHS funding bill," which was introduced this week by Reps. Lucille … Continue Reading
February 12, 2015
'Trabajaré para preservar la relación entre EE. UU. y Colombia'
Rubén Gallego, primer colombiano en llegar al Congreso de los Estados Unidos, dijo este jueves que durante su periodo en el Capitolio trabajará por preservar la fuerte relación que existe entre Colombia y Estados Unidos."Mi oficina está abierta para lo que necesiten los colombianos. Sabemos que Colombia y EE. UU. tienen un largo historial y una relación fuerte y estaré trabajando hasta que me saquen de aquí por preservar esa relación", dijo el congresista, quien fue elegido en las pasadas … Continue Reading
February 08, 2015
Stronger push toward creating a Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument arrives
The power of the drive is undeniable. The scenic route of 89A breaks from U.S. 89. It winds its way to Lees Ferry and crosses the Colorado River at Navajo Bridge. From there, the road skirts along the edge of the Vermilion Cliffs to the north and a rolling valley that spreads to the south and is carved with drainages on their way to Marble Canyon.Ahead to the west is the Kaibab Plateau. The highway vaults its flank on switchback after switchback and lifts from the valley floor into a … Continue Reading
February 07, 2015
Path forward for US in helping Jordan fight against ISIS
February 05, 2015
GOP picks politics over governance
One of the many things I learned in the military is to leave aside differences in order to work for the common good. That's why I came to Washington a few weeks ago hopeful and ready to get things done - eager to look for common ground and work with my Republican colleagues on issues that greatly affect our country and impact the American people. Unfortunately, in the first few weeks of the 114th Congress, all Republicans have done is bring up bills that will go nowhere. These bills only … Continue Reading
February 04, 2015
Inscríbase, no se quede sin seguro médico
Quedan solo unos días para inscribirse para la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio. La fecha límite es el 15 de febrero por lo que les urjo que no pierda la oportunidad de inscribir a su familia en uno de los 127 planes de seguro médico a los que tiene acceso en Phoenix.Los latinos somos una de las poblaciones con mayor cantidad de personas sin seguro médico. Sin embargo estamos en mayor peligro de sufrir de enfermedades del corazón, diabetes y obesidad que otras poblaciones. Yo sé que hay … Continue Reading
February 03, 2015
Barack Obama woos freshman Democrat on trade
Democratic leaders in Congress haven't been too receptive to President Barack Obama's push for new trade deals — so he's turning to a freshman.On Tuesday, Obama sent a letter directly to Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), arguing that reaching new trade agreements is the only way to stop China from dominating the global markets and letting its lax standards run the world."If they succeed, our competitors would be free to ignore basic environmental and labor standards, giving them an unfair … Continue Reading
February 02, 2015
Arizona Dems call for establishment of Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick, Raul Grijalva and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., sent a letter Jan. 28 to President Obama calling for the establishment of a Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument to preserve the greater Grand Canyon region and protect it from existing and future threats. "Today, it is time for a new monument to protect the greater Grand Canyon region. North and south of Grand Canyon National Park is the Grand Canyon watershed region The heart of this proposed … Continue Reading
January 30, 2015
Iraq vet Rep. Ruben Gallego tells his story
January 30, 2015
Does Your Member Of Congress Have Policies Protecting LGBT Staffers From Discrimination?
WASHINGTON -- It's still legal for members of Congress to fire their employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. That's because there is no federal law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees from workplace discrimination, even though many states have their own policies that are more inclusive. Many lawmakers, however, have gone above and beyond existing law -- which requires protections on the basis of race, national origin, color, sex, religion, age … Continue Reading
January 26, 2015
Lawmakers launch tech diversity caucus
Members of both chambers of Congress on Monday launched a bipartisan caucus aimed at getting more women, minorities and veterans into the tech sector. The eight leaders of the new Diversifying Technology Caucus said that the effort will work with the startup advocacy group Engine to push for greater inclusiveness and diversity in the industry, which has been criticized for being overly male, white and Asian-American. "If our country's tech industry is going to stay at the cutting-edge, we … Continue Reading