Serving his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Henry Cuellar proudly represents Texas’ 28th congressional district, which includes the cities of Laredo, Mission, Rio Grande City, and San Antonio. Congressman Cuellar supports equal opportunity for men and women of all backgrounds. His legislative principles are based on the belief that education, family values and hard work should open doors to new opportunities for all Americans.
Congressman Cuellar serves as the only Texas Democrat on the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee. He is the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, while also serving on the Defense Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Congressman Cuellar was named Chief Deputy Whip for the 117th Congress, where he works in a bipartisan manner to serve the American people.
Standing By Veterans
Congressman Cuellar believes we have an obligation to care for and honor America’s veterans and their families for their undeniable service. This includes securing new benefits to American veterans and increasing their support systems at home. In the U.S. House of Representative’s fiscal year 2019 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, he secured language encouraging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to work with local service agencies, particularly in small and rural communities, to ensure that voucher recipients of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program (HUD-VASH) receive quality services.
He has worked to upgrade the GI Bill, increase funding for veteran health services, introduce caregiver support measures, and revitalize the VA Home Loan program. He has also had the privilege of honoring our veteran military personnel through the dedication of several federal post office buildings.
This year, in the House Appropriations Committee, the Congressman has helped secure over $108 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), an increase of $7.8 billion – nine percent – over the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. This includes funding to increase access to services for veterans, and to increase oversight and accountability within the department. The Congressman also worked through the appropriations process to help expand tele-medicine to rural areas. His language will help promote the use of electronic and telecommunications technologies to support remote health care delivery for those veterans who cannot easily access a doctor’s office.