In The News
Lawmakers seek information from Biden administration on Iran oil exports to China
EXCLUSIVE — Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Don Bacon (R-NE) sent a bipartisan letter to two Cabinet secretaries raising concerns about Iran’s export of oil to China and asking for information about the administration’s plan to curb it. The letter was sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and in the wake of Hamas’s invasion of Israel, the two members of Congress raised concerns about Iran and its oil export to China and urged the administration to “use … Continue Reading
October 20, 2023
Billions of dollars for the border included in President's funding plan for Israel and Ukraine
U.S. Customs and Border Protection averages 8,000 apprehensions a day along the border with Mexico. Not all the migrants surrender at the border. In Cochise County, high-speed chases involving human smugglers are commonplace. On its Facebook page, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office showed an SUV it stopped recently after a chase that reached speeds of 124 miles per hour. In the front seat were a 15-year-old and 14-year-old from Phoenix. They were arrested along with the migrants they were … Continue Reading
October 13, 2023
Congressmen seek funding to protect American Jewish communities from terrorist attacks
Members of Congress called for increased funding to help nonprofit American Jewish communities and places of worship increase security on Wednesday amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hamas, as well as a rise in antisemitism around the world and U.S. In a bipartisan proposal, Reps. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz, and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee to include additional funding for FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), to protect these … Continue Reading
October 02, 2023
Gallego, Stanton announce $1B coming to Arizona for highway, bridge repairs
Arizona Democratic House members Ruben Gallego and Greg Stanton said Monday the state is receiving more than $1 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help repair highways and bridges and to build accommodations for electric vehicles. “Investing in Arizona’s highways and infrastructure is good for growing our economy, increasing tourism, and connecting families across the state,” Gallego said in a prepared statement. “I am proud of our efforts to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure … Continue Reading
September 25, 2023
Arizona AG Mayes, Rep. Gallego emphasize commitment to help solve fentanyl crisis
TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Several leading state officials, including Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and 3rd congressional district Representative Ruben Gallego, held a news conference on Arizona’s grip with a growing fentanyl problem. According to state figures, nearly 2,000 Arizonans died from opioid overdoses last year. The two leading political figures are expected to discuss new efforts to combat the drug epidemic. For example, Rep. Gallego has introduced bills like the “The Buck Stops … Continue Reading
September 11, 2023
Arizona Dem calls out Biden DHS for dragging feet on helping state's border communities
An Arizona Democrat called out President Biden's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for dragging its feet on helping the communities of his state and other border states. Arizona Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego has been an outspoken critic of the Federal Emergency Management Administration's (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding model for border communities amid the immigration crisis. Gallego has sent several letters to the Biden administration regarding his disagreement on the … Continue Reading
September 08, 2023
Gallego pushes to extend pay increases for wildland firefighters as deadline approaches
Surrounded by more than 30 federal wildland firefighters in a large warehouse in southeast Mesa, Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., spoke Friday at the Phoenix Interagency Fire Center about proposed legislation to boost the group's pay and benefits. Gallego called on legislators in Congress — specifically U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a cohort of right-wing Republican members of the House — to pass two important pieces of legislation related to protecting and increasing wildland firefighter … Continue Reading
September 06, 2023
Make them pay: Tax nations who come calling on AZ water
In the arid landscape of Arizona, water is a precious and dwindling resource that demands thoughtful stewardship. Congressman Ruben Gallego’s newly introduced bill, aimed at taxing foreign governments and companies utilizing Arizona water to grow water-intensive crops, is a pivotal step in ensuring the responsible management of this invaluable resource. The bill’s proposal to impose a 300% excise tax on the sale and export of such crops signifies a critical move towards safeguarding our … Continue Reading
August 31, 2023
Celebrating the growth of Black-owned businesses in Arizona
PHOENIX — As Black Business Month comes to an end, state leaders are celebrating their growth in the Valley. Sisters Theresa ‘Terri’ Cottrell and Lisa Odom-Zaire say they can attest to that. "Every day that I come to work, it's a Black business moment," said Cottrell. Cottrell and Odom-Zaire are the co-owners of Deeply Rooted AZ Hair Salon located at, 4848 E Cactus Rd #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. They have been in this profession for more than 20 years, enough to where clients have become … Continue Reading
August 29, 2023
'Arizona’s water and crops belong in Arizona': New legislation could crack down on foreign governments using Arizona water
PHOENIX — Foreign governments using Arizona water to grow crops could be facing new taxes thanks to a bill recently introduced by Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego. The Domestic Water Protection Act of 2023 is a bill that Gallego said is aimed at stopping the "abuse of water resources by foreign governments and other drought-stricken states." “Arizona’s water and crops belong in Arizona–not Saudi Arabia,” Gallego said in a press … Continue Reading
August 23, 2023
Rep. Gallego sends letter to FTC opposing Kroger-Albertsons grocery merger
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission Tuesday opposing Kroger Company’s acquisition of Albertsons Companies, Inc. Gallego expressed concern in the letter, according to press materials, that “large chains like the proposed Kroger-Albertsons conglomerate could monopolize entire regions of Arizona, then raise prices, close store fronts, and eliminate jobs.” The concern is amplified in areas like Cochise … Continue Reading
August 23, 2023
Gallego, Stanton oppose grocery merger, citing possible price hikes and store closures
Add Reps. Ruben Gallego and Greg Stanton to the growing chorus of Democratic officials expressing opposition to the pending Kroger-Albertsons merger. In an Aug. 23 letter to the head of the Federal Trade Commission, which is evaluating the proposed combination, Gallego, D-Ariz., said the deal, if allowed to proceed, could worsen competition in Arizona’s grocery sector and negatively affect food insecurity, jobs and prices. His message to FTC Chair Lina Khan follows a letter from seven … Continue Reading
August 18, 2023
Reps. Fry and Gallego to introduce bipartisan bill to help address the fentanyl crisis
EXCLUSIVE — Reps. Russell Fry (R-SC) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) will introduce a bipartisan bill that would require the government to conduct a study on the effects the fentanyl crisis is having on the taxpayer and what could be done to provide relief. The Fentanyl Crisis Research and Evaluation Act would require the comptroller general of the United States to conduct a study and submit a report to Congress on the effects the fentanyl crisis has had on … Continue Reading
August 03, 2023
Editorial: Heat waves are disasters. Why don’t they get federal disaster relief?
August 01, 2023
Yuma could lose major funding from FEMA while still dealing with the border crisis
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Yuma could lose major funding from FEMA while it's still dealing with the border crisis. As it stands now, some of the money would go to non-border communities. And the more than $11 million already allocated to Yuma County by FEMA will be spent in less than eight months. Nathan Rivas said Yuma needs every cent. “Yuma County should keep the money we’re a border town and immigrants keep coming and we don't have a lot of space but we really … Continue Reading
July 19, 2023
Fentanyl named national security threat by House Armed Services Committee
President Joe Biden declared fentanyl trafficking a national emergency through an executive order signed on Dec. 15, 2021. In 2021, 70,601 people in the U.S. died from a fentanyl overdose — a 25% increase from the number of deaths in 2020. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the death rate from synthetic opioid overdoses was 18 times higher in 2020 than in 2013. Data from the Drug Enforcement Administration shows fentanyl is involved in more deaths of Americans … Continue Reading
June 29, 2023
Pressure builds for FEMA to declare deadly heat events as disasters
Extreme heat kills more people than nearly every other weather event combined. But does the government respond to these potentially lethal events as they do with hurricanes and floods? Not yet. A disaster declaration by the president could allow states to be reimbursed for taking action that could save lives — such as opening cooling centers, distributing water and checking in with residents door-to-door. States could also ask the Federal Emergency Management Agency to launch an emergency … Continue Reading
June 26, 2023
Doctors, healthcare providers sound alarm on shortage of physicians across Arizona
Dr. Cheryl O’Malley is on the front line, teaching students at the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine what they need to know to become doctors. She’s also doing her best to address the physician shortage across the state. “Whether it takes a little longer to get to the appointment you needed, it might be you need to see a specialist that you are not able to get into, or it might be we don’t have that particular specialty,” said O’Malley. “Yes, everyone is noticing it.” According … Continue Reading
June 22, 2023
In letter to FEMA, Gallego says he wants more aid for border communities helping asylum seekers
In a new letter this week, U.S. Congressman Ruben Gallego says federal funding allotments for communities helping asylum seekers from the border should be reconsidered. The money came from FEMA, which announced a new round of funding earlier this month for nonprofits and municipalities helping asylum seekers. The allotment included more than $23 million for organizations and counties in Arizona. But in his letter to FEMA, Gallego says the new funding round increases the amount of money … Continue Reading
June 15, 2023
How Biden and Taylor Swift beat Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster, the country’s largest ticket seller, will begin disclosing fees up front after angry Taylor Swift fans demanded change and the Federal Trade Commission proposed new regulations. Ticketing companies including SeatGeek and Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, committed at a White House roundtable Thursday to disclose all fees at the start of the sale process, eliminating what President Biden and the FTC have described as “junk fees.” ... Congress has taken steps to … Continue Reading