How will you work to facilitate higher education to high school graduates, particularly those in financial need?
When I was a state legislator, I used to chair the budget for public and higher education. We have put in more money than any other time, 75% of that new money goes into public and higher education. I help put in tuition revenue bonds, and that is money for construction and new building in the A&M campuses. I have also been the author of the house builds 713 of the Texas grant, which is the largest scholarship in Texas history. I’ve added back and increased the money for the Pell Grants for summer students. I’ve gotten money for the Hispanic serving institutions for A&M-San Antonio and TAMIU in Laredo, Texas. I have been very supportive of money for the public and higher education through Pell Grants, especially the TEXAS Grants and money for Hispanic Serving Institution.
What will you do to improve employment opportunities for college graduates?
One of the things I have worked really hard is to create new opportunities in areas that are emerging now, areas in the STEM. I have put in a lot of money in the STEM education and cybersecurity. I have created a lot of internships for federal agency so people can apply for that. The U.S. Chamber and other business have supported me because I’ve been very protective in making sure we advocate for business opportunities not only in government but also in private sectors. In fact, the unemployment rate right now in Texas is one of the lowest in the nation, and that’s because we’ve been very advocate for the private sector and for the people that want to join the federal government.
If elected, what new initiatives will you bring to the district?
First of all, I am from the District. I didn’t just move into the district so I am very familiar with the district and the San Antonio area. For example, if you look at the San Antonio court, I brought in $44 million for the San Antonio court. For the mission reach for the San Pedro creeks, I brought in $61 million and brought in another $75 million so we could beautify that area. I brought in money to set up a learning center with 10 churches on the East side so we could help students after school so they could do better in education. In the South side, I’ve added $2.5 million to help the seniors with housing in that area. For the military, I just added $29 million for the new child development center at the Randolph Air Force Base. As the only Democrat member in Texas, I’ve brought in millions of dollars for high waste for other places, and I voted for the $2.5 billion in infrastructure buildings that is bringing San Antonio in the next 10 years. I’ve also added money for health care.
I am not coming in with promises; I come in with concrete actions, supporting education, higher education. I represent a district that’s about 80% Hispanic. I am from the district, I didn’t just move in. I hope that the young folks understand the students that they have no better advocate for college students. I’m a big advocate from the TEXAS grant to the Pell Grant to the sermon grants to tuition revenue bonds to building your university, to Spanish serving institution that I just announce (sic) with your chancellor John Sharp. Those are real concrete that have help the students at A&M-San Antonio.
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Lawyer. U.S. representative for District 28.
Campaign website: https://www.henrycuellar.com/
Incumbent website: https://cuellar.house.gov/
