Press Releases
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on Nomination of General James Mattis as Defense Secretary
Washington, DC - Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement on President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that he will nominate General James Mattis as Defense Secretary:"As a fellow Marine, I greatly admire General James Mattis' dedication and leadership. We all should be incredibly grateful for his many years of service to our nation."As a veteran, I believe strongly in the principle of civilian leadership of the military. Current law requires that a military officer be out of active … Continue Reading
December 02, 2016
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Selects Leadership Team for the 115th Congress
Washington, DC- Yesterday, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) selected its leadership team for the 115th Congress. Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham will chair the CHC, Congressman Joaquin Castro, Congressman Ruben Gallego, and Congressman Pete Aguilar will join her on the leadership team. 115th Congress -- CHC Leadership Team CHC Chair: Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) CHC First Vice Chair: Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) CHC Second Vice Chair: Congressman Ruben Gallego … Continue Reading
December 01, 2016
House Democrats Pass Key Leadership Reforms
Washington, DC - Today, House Democrats passed two motions, introduced by Reps. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Kathleen Rice (NY-04), requiring key leadership positions to be elected by Members of the Caucus, instead of appointed by the Democratic Leader. The Caucus will now directly elect the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as well as three co-chairs of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.Reps. Gallego, Moulton, and Rice issued the … Continue Reading
November 29, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Backs Tim Ryan for Democratic Leader
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego announced his support for Rep. Tim Ryan to serve as the next Democratic Leader.Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement:"One of the unmistakable messages of the 2016 election is that the American people are fed up with business as usual in Washington. At this critical juncture, we face a choice - will we preserve a broken status quo or will we set our party on a new course?"I believe we must do more than simply paper over the cracks. We can't … Continue Reading
November 16, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Joins House Colleagues Asking President-Elect Trump to Reverse Bannon Appointment
Dear President-elect Trump:Immediately following your victory, many Americans were optimistic and hopeful that you would take the steps necessary to unify our country following the divisive and contentious election. In your election night speech you said, "Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division. It is time for us to come together as one united people." Unfortunately, your appointment of Stephen Bannon, whose ties to the White Nationalist movement have been well-documented, … Continue Reading
November 14, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Congratulates Colombia on Reaching New Peace Deal
Washington, DC - Yesterday, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a revised peace deal designed to end more than 50 years of violence which has claimed more than 220,000 lives and displaced over 6 million people.An earlier peace deal was unexpectedly rejected by Colombian voters during a national referendum in October.Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement:"I want to congratulate President Juan Manuel Santos for quickly and … Continue Reading
October 12, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Congratulates Friendly House on Grant Award to Provide Opportunities to Disconnected Youth
Washington, DC - The Department of Labor will award Friendly House $911,494 through its YouthBuild program to provide job training and educational opportunities to youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who wish to pursue careers in construction.Participants in the YouthBuild program will earn industry-recognized certifications and gain construction skills training to build houses for homeless or low-income families in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The Southwest Skills Center at … Continue Reading
October 11, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Congratulates City of Phoenix on $2 Million Transit Grant
Washington, DC - The Department of Transportation announced today that the City of Phoenix has been awarded a $2 million grant by the department's Federal Transit Administration to plan for additional development in the South Central Light Rail Extension Corridor.The grant will allow the city to plan for improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, while preserving local housing affordability and assisting local small businesses. The city's planning efforts will involve key partners, … Continue Reading
October 07, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Congratulates Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for Receiving the Nobel Peace Prize
Washington, DC - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his work to negotiate a peace deal to end a half-century of conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement:"I want to congratulate President Juan Manuel Santos on being awarded the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize, a well-deserved recognition of his bold leadership and continued determination throughout the long and arduous peace … Continue Reading
October 06, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on Sen. McCain’s Decision to Abandon Misguided Changes to the Veterans Preference Program
Washington, DC - Senator John McCain said on Tuesday that he would remove language in the National Defense Authorization Act that would have undermined the long-standing veteran preference in federal hiring.The highly controversial language formerly backed by Sen. McCain would have prevented veterans from benefitting from the preference system if they were already employed by the federal government.In June, the House of Representatives approved an amendment to the financial services … Continue Reading
October 03, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on the Colombian Vote to Reject the Peace Deal
Washington, DC - Voters in Colombia rejected a landmark peace agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).Rep. Ruben Gallego released the following statement:"Though I was surprised at the outcome of yesterday's vote, I know that the Colombian people are committed to finding a path to a just and lasting peace. It is extremely encouraging that both the Colombian government and the FARC have indicated that they will continue to work to achieve … Continue Reading
September 30, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Leads Bipartisan Letter of Support for Colombia Peace Process
Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego sent a letter to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos to congratulate him for concluding the peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and to express support for continued American assistance to Colombia as the government begins the difficult work of implementing the agreement.The full letter can be found here.The letter was signed by 63 Members of Congress: Reps. Gallego, Byrne, Rooney, Poe, Issa, Gosar, Buddy Carter, … Continue Reading
September 29, 2016
Leaders of the Future Forum Introduce Bill to Provide Student Debt Relief for Young Entrepreneurs
Washington, DC - Yesterday, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) introduced the Relief and Investment for Student Entrepreneurs (RISE) Act. The bill will make it easier for millennials to launch new business ventures by offering a 3-year deferment period for federal student loans, interest-free, to entrepreneurs who have earned a college degree in the past five years.The bill also incentivizes job creation in economically-challenged communities by enabling young people who … Continue Reading
September 27, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Congratulates the City of Phoenix Housing Department on $2 Million Grant Award
Washington, DC - The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that the City of Phoenix Housing Department has been awarded a $2 million grant through its Jobs-Plus Initiative Program. The grant will help low-income public housing residents to secure higher paying jobs by connecting them with employment opportunities, educational advancement, and financial literacy services.Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement:"At a time when many working families are struggling … Continue Reading
September 26, 2016
El Congresista Gallego aplaude el acuerdo de paz entre el gobierno de Colombia y las FARC
Washington, DC - El Congresista Ruben Gallego hizo las siguientes declaraciones sobre el acuerdo de paz entre el gobierno de Colombia y las Fuerzas Armadas Revoluncionarias de Colombia (FARC):"El histórico acuerdo de paz firmado hoy pondrá fin al sufrimiento y la violencia que se ha prolongado durante más de medio siglo. Este acontecimiento es indicativo no solo del compromiso del gobierno de Colombia a la paz, sino también de la notable capacidad de los colombianos para sanar las heridas y … Continue Reading
September 26, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on the Signing of the Colombia Peace Agreement
Washington, DC - Today, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) will sign a landmark peace agreement. If ratified by the Colombian people, the agreement will end more than 50 years of violent conflict that claimed more than 220,000 lives and displaced over 6 million people.Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement:"The historic peace agreement signed today will put an end to the suffering and violence that the people of Colombia have endured for … Continue Reading
September 15, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Congratulates City of Phoenix on Federal SAFER Grant to Hire 50 Firefighters
Washington, DC - The City of Phoenix Fire Department was awarded more than $9 million by FEMA's Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grants program to hire 50 firefighters over the next two years.Rep. Gallego released the following statement:"Phoenix firefighters regularly put their own safety on the line to protect the lives and property of our city's residents. This new grant will allow the City of Phoenix Fire Department to hire dozens of new firefighters to help keep … Continue Reading
September 15, 2016
Rep. Ruben Gallego Statement on the Passing of Gov. Rose Mofford
Washington, DC - Rep. Ruben Gallego issued the following statement on the passing of former Arizona Gov. Rose Mofford:"I am saddened to hear of the passing of Gov. Rose Mofford, Arizona's first female governor and a true public servant. Gov. Mofford demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the people of Arizona over more than 50 years of service, and served as a role model to many of our leaders. Her ability to transcend partisanship for the sake of bettering our communities is something to … Continue Reading
September 06, 2016
Rep. Gallego's Labor Day Statement
Rep. Ruben Gallego released the following statement in celebration of Labor Day: "On Labor Day, let's celebrate the hardworking men and women of America and reflect on the tremendous progress that the labor movement has made to improve the lives of working families. "Let's thank those who sacrificed and who sometimes were threatened or fired for standing up for the idea that Americans should have the ability to work hard and provide for their families, and do so with dignity and … Continue Reading
September 01, 2016
Congressman Ruben Gallego Delivers First “State of the District” Speech in Arizona’s 7th District
Phoenix, AZ - Today, Congressman Ruben Gallego delivered the first-ever "State of the District" speech for Arizona's 7th Congressional District, highlighting issues affecting local businesses and Arizona's economy.Congressman Gallego provided an update on his work in Congress during his first term, including expanding access to mental health care services for veterans and tackling student loan debt with a debt-free college plan. He spoke about his efforts to boost local transportation and … Continue Reading