Capitol Annex’s Press Room

[From State Rep. Mark Homer (D-Paris)]
In an effort to provide valuable assistance to his constituents, Rep. Mark Homer (D-Paris) will be hosting open office hours at various locations throughout House District 3.

[Press Release from Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), TX-CD-18]
Congressman Henry Cuellar participated in a colloquy with Chairman Harold Rogers of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee today on immigration and border security issues. Specifically, Congressman Cuellar expressed the need for increased staffing of border law enforcement agencies, the need for removal of the invasive Carrizo cane which […]

[The following is an Op/Ed piece by Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), TX-CD-28].
The budget bill recently passed by the United States House of Representatives contains significant cuts to many programs that Americans rely upon. I voted against the FY2007 budget and its deep cuts to education, healthcare, and veterans programs. The budget also adds trillions […]

[Press Release from Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), TX-CD-28]
Washington, DC- Congressman Henry Cuellar voted today against the FY2007 budget and its deep cuts to education, healthcare, and other valuable federal programs. This budget also adds trillions of dollars to the national deficit over the next ten years and continues a path of mortgaging the future […]

[Capitol Update from Rep. Betty Brown (R-Terrell), TX-HD-4.]
Dear Friends:
As I’m sure you know by now, the 79th Legislative special session was successful in passing the legislation needed to reform the taxing structure for our state to fund education.  Governor Perry also opened the special session “call” to include certain education reforms including a teacher pay […]

[Press Release from the Texas Freedom Network; report is here].
AUSTIN – A new report documents how religious extremists have hijacked the political process in Texas, have tightened their grip on the Republican Party and today dominate debate over public policy in the state.

[Press Release of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus submitted to Press Room By Texas Congressman Charles Gonzalez, D-San Antonio), TX-CD-20].
This morning, Congressman Charles Gonzalez, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Task Force on Civil Rights, and Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez, the CHC’s leading member on the Voting Rights Act, issued the following statements as the […]

[Press Release from State Rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez (D-Brownsville), TX-HD-39].
Representative Armando “Mando” Martinez presented a resolution to Kenneth Miller Rush in recognition of 50 years of dedication to the community.  Bringing to a close an outstanding career in pharmacy, Mr. Rush has spent the last decade with Hector and Terri De la Rosa at De […]

[Media Advisory from U.S. Congressmen Charlie Gonzalez  (D-San Antonio), TX-CD-20; and Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), TX-CD-28].
On Monday morning, Representatives Charlie Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar will hold a press conference at St. Mary’s University to discuss the cuts in student loan funding the Republican controlled Congress enacted this year.  The $12 billion in funding cuts will push […]

[Press Release from Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), TX-CD-28]
Congressman Henry Cuellar announced today a $50,000 earmark for the Rio Grande Basin Study. The funding for this project will be used to study the areas water resource related problems, needs, and opportunities. The Rio Grande Basin is located in the states of Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas; […]

[Press Release from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Houston), TX-CD-18]
Washington, DC—Deeply troubled by the Bush Administration’s increasing reliance upon bill signing statements to interpret laws passed by the Congress so they will mean what the Administration rather than the Congress intends, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas announced today her intention to introduce the “Congressional Lawmaking […]

[Joint Press Release from State Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and State Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston).]
Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and Representative Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) will discuss the future of the State’s investment in historically black universities Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M at a press conference at TSU on Thursday,  May 25.

In a recent letter worded heavily with compassion, State Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. asked Texas Health and Human Services’ Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins to recognize state employees at eligibility field offices who are struggling to manage high caseloads. The workload for these employees has multiplied as fellow workers have been laid off or have left […]

It may not match Texas Monthly’s forthcoming interview with James Leininger in firepower, but today I had the opportunity to interview Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo).
For those of you who have been living under a rock since January, Congressman Cuellar was locked in a fierce election battle and re-match in Texas’ CD-28 earlier this year […]

[Press Release from Texas Governor Rick Perry (R)]
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today was joined by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Speaker Tom Craddick, lawmakers and members of the Texas Tax Reform Commission to praise the historic school finance reform plan passed this week by the Texas legislature. The plan reduces property taxes by an historic […]

[Press Release from U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, (D-Houston), TX-CD-18].
Washington, DC - The Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 is the most effective civil rights statute ever enacted, and while its successes has generated increased political power for many at the local, state, and federal levels, there is still much work to […]

[Press Release from U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), TX-CD-28]
“Having lived on the US-Mexico border all my life, I am acutely aware of the negative implications that the deployment of armed troops would have on America’s relations with our neighboring country. What we need is a smart and tough border control policy, not military force,” stated […]

[Statement issued by Congressman Charlie Gonzalez (D-San Antonio), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Civil Rights Task Force and Texas Congressman, TX-CD-20]
After the Senate finished consideration and passed their Immigration bill (S. 2611,) Congressman Charlie Gonzalez, Chair of Congressional Hispanic Caucus Civil Rights Task Force, issued the following statement:

Today, Congressman Charlie Gonzalez expressed serious concerns over the theft of 26.5 million veterans’ electronic records from a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee’s home in Maryland.  The employee who removed the records was not authorized to take them and the disks were subsequently stolen from his home during a burglary.

[Press Release from State Rep. Dianne White Delisi , R-TX-HD-55]
State Rep. Dianne White Delisi announced today that she considers the recently concluded special session to have been very successful.

[Press Release from Congressman Charles Gonzalez (D-San Antonio), TX-CD-20]
This afternoon, the Republican controlled House passed the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill (H.R. 5385.)  But, Democrats were not allowed to offer an alternative that would have increased funding for our military and veterans’ health care.  Earlier this week, Republicans pushed through the […]

I just this second got home from taking care of some pressing business, but the interview is complete and on its way. Stay tuned…

[The following two items were included in this week’s Campaign Update sent out by Bree Buchanan, candidate for Third Court of Appeals. Ms. Buchanan is a Democrat].
Together We Can Make A Difference
Why I Began My Studies in Law
I know that I wanted to make a difference in the world ever since I was a […]

[Press Release from Congressman Henry Cuallar (D-Laredo), TX-CD-28].
Congressman Henry Cuellar voted today in favor of tax cuts to benefit teachers, college students, and veterans. The Tax Relief Extension Act, HR 4297, will give America’s teachers a welcome break with deductions of up to $250 for out-of-pocket costs used to purchase classroom supplies, books, and other […]

[Press Release from the office of State rep. Armando “Mando” Martinez (D-Brownsville), TX-HD-39]
Representative Armando “Mando” Martinez announced today that Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) Commissioner Albert Hawkins will delay the roll-out of the new eligibility system until additional training and technical improvements can be made.  The new Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS) is […]