Press Releases
Rep. Gallego Statement on Redirection of DOD Funds for Imminent Border Wall Construction
WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) released the following statement in response to testimony given by Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan in Congress yesterday. In a Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Shanahan testified that the Pentagon had redirected enough money to build 256 miles of wall along the southwest border, including 63 miles of construction within six months.Rep. Gallego issued the following statement:"The news that the Department of Defense is continuing to … Continue Reading
May 09, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on North Korea Missile Testing
WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) released the following statement in response to reports that North Korea had tested to short range missiles, marking a return to dangerous brinksmanship on the Korean Peninsula:"The launch of short range missiles by North Korea is yet another sign that President Trump is in over his head with respect to North Korea, and another example of why President Trump is so misguided in his trust of dictators and strongmen like Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin, … Continue Reading
May 08, 2019
Rep. Gallego Responds to Trump’s Attempted Sabotage of Bill to Recognize and Protect Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Homeland
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Donald Trump tweeted a call to House Republicans to vote against H.R. 312, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act. The bill would reaffirm the trust status of the Tribe's land and protect the Tribe from further attacks on its land and sovereignty.The Mashpee's relationship with the Federal Government is one of the oldest in the United States, and their ancestors welcomed the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock. Like many tribes, the Mashpee … Continue Reading
May 07, 2019
Rep. Gallego Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Group of Legislators Asking for Federal Study on Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis
WASHINGTON, DC - Following the "National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls" on Sunday, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators asking the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis.The group of 17 legislators includes Rep. Gallego and Paul Cook (R-Calif.), Chair and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples, and Chairman of the … Continue Reading
May 06, 2019
Arizona House Democrats to DHS: We Need a Federal Crisis Coordinator at the Border
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Reps. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-02), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), and Greg Stanton (AZ-09) wrote to Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan urging him to appoint a federal crisis coordinator to handle the humanitarian crisis at the Southern border."[T]his humanitarian crisis requires a humanitarian response," the Arizona lawmakers wrote. "To that end, we believe that you should immediately increase … Continue Reading
May 03, 2019
Gallego, DeGette, Cantwell, Udall, Wyden Introduce Legislation to Permanently Protect Nearly 60 Million Acres of Wild Public Forests
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced legislation today to permanently protect millions of acres of pristine national forests. Also leading the effort is Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Congresswoman Diana … Continue Reading
April 04, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego’s Statement on the 70th Anniversary of the NATO Alliance
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) issued the following statement:"NATO is the most successful military alliance in history. Its seven decade long enforcement of the peace and defense of American and European democracy is a testament to its Member states' military power, economic dynamism, and the strength of their free peoples meeting common threats as one."Much has changed since 1949 when the Washington Treaty was signed. NATO has proved its resilience in meeting new threats … Continue Reading
April 02, 2019
Rep. Gallego Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Address the Epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA) introduced the Studying Missing and Murdered Indian Crisis Act of 2019.Last month, the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples held the first-ever hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives on missing and murdered indigenous women. During the hearing, native women testified about the epidemic of violence affecting … Continue Reading
March 28, 2019
Rep. Gallego Introduces First-Ever Bill to Increase Access to Full-Day Kindergarten
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) introduced the Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act of 2019, the first-ever bill introduced in the House of Representatives that takes steps toward universal access to full-day Kindergarten. Arizona Democratic Reps. Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-02) and Greg Stanton (AZ-09) joined the legislation as original cosponsors.Although studies show that enrollment in full-day Kindergarten improves children's short- … Continue Reading
March 26, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Demands Answers From Pentagon Regarding Niger Ambush
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego again demanded answers regarding the fatal ambush in Niger in October 2017 during which four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien soldiers were killed. The final report is still tied up in the offices of the Secretary of Defense.Video of Rep. Gallego's questioning of Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan and General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during todays House Armed Services Committee hearing can be found here.Rep. … Continue Reading
March 25, 2019
Reps. Gallego and Gallagher Send Letter on National Security Threats Posed by Chinese Telecommunications Firms and 5G
Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (WI-08) sent a letter to the Acting Secretary of the Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff seeking greater information about national security threats to military operations and communications posed by 5G technology provided by Chinese telecommunications firms. This letter comes in advance of Secretary Shanahan and Chairman Dunford's testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, March 26. … Continue Reading
March 22, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Demands Answers Regarding Military Readiness
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego sent a letter to the military Service Chiefs demanding information about the effects that unplanned military operations - including President Trump's diversion of troops and resources to the southwest border - are having on military readiness.Yesterday, the LA Times published a memo written by the Marine Corps Commandant asking the Navy to address several unplanned expenses, including southwest border operations. In the memo, Marine Commandant General … Continue Reading
March 21, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Slams Secretary DeVos’s School Voucher Plan
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego sent a letter to Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos opposing her proposal to create a national school voucher program, which was recently introduced in Congress by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL).In the letter, Rep. Gallego voices his concern that DeVos's plan resembles the failed policies that have hurt Arizona's public school system and that contributed to tens of thousands of under-resourced Arizona teachers walking … Continue Reading
March 20, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on the 16th Anniversary of the Iraq War
WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) issued the following statement:"On this 16th anniversary of the Iraq War, I'm remembering my friends who were killed, those who succumbed to their mental or physical wounds after coming home, and veterans and families that still support them or carry their memories."I fought in Iraq in 2005, losing a Navy Corpsman and 22 fellow Marines from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. It is ridiculous that children that were as young as my own son in … Continue Reading
March 19, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Announces More than $900K in Grant Funding for Affordable Housing Projects in Arizona’s 7th District
WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) announced today that nonprofit organizations in Arizona's 7th District will receive more than $900,000 in federal funding to support efforts to develop and preserve affordable housing, revitalize and sustain neighborhoods, and create jobs in Arizona.Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. will receive $460,000 and Trellis will receive $459,500 through the NeighborWorks America program.NeighborWorks America is a public nonprofit organization established by … Continue Reading
March 14, 2019
ICYMI: Rep. Ruben Gallego Leads First House Hearing on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
WASHINGTON, DC - Earlier today, the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States held the first ever hearing on missing and murdered indigenous women in the U.S. House of Representatives.American Indian and Alaska Native women are murdered at rates more than 10 times the national average. One study found that 5,712 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women were reported in 2016. Unfortunately, even these high numbers do not accurately reflect the scope of the crisis, as crimes … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Marines in Congress Urge Trump Administration to Support Bombing Victims in Court
WASHINGTON, DC - Last night, Congressmen Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Paul Cook (R-CA) led nine other Marines currently serving in the House of Representatives in urging the Trump Administration to stand up for the families of victims of the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon and oppose Iran's request for certiorari at the Supreme Court.The full letter can be found here. It was signed by Reps. Gallego, Cook, Jack Bergman (R-MI), Mike Bost (R-IL), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on the Passage of Historic Anti-Corruption and Fair Elections Reforms
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) praised the passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a sweeping package of pro-democracy and anti-corruption reforms. Rep. Gallego released the following statement:"For too long, big money special interests and dark money groups have undercut our democracy at the expense of everyone else. They've made it almost impossible to pass common-sense legislation that is supported by the American people, including gun violence reform, … Continue Reading
March 08, 2019
Rep. Ruben Gallego Blasts Trump’s Plan to Tap Military Pay Funds to Build His Wall
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) released the following statement following reports that President Trump intends to tap funds intended for military pay and pensions to pay for his border wall."We have long known that President Trump intends to take desperately needed funding for important military facilities to build his wasteful and ineffective border wall that he originally said Mexico would pay for. I am incredibly disturbed by new reports that Trump now also wants … Continue Reading
March 06, 2019
Following Kushner Revelations, Rep. Ruben Gallego Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Security Clearance Vetting for Relatives of the President
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, reintroduced legislation to strengthen the process through which relatives of the President of the United States can obtain security clearances and thus gain access to our government's most sensitive information.The bill follows a New York Times report that President Trump ordered officials to grant his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner a top-secret security clearance, overriding … Continue Reading