{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-calls-congressional-leadership-include-stimulus-payments", "Congressman Gonzalez Calls on Congressional Leadership to Include Stimulus Payments in COVID-19 Relief Package", "2020-12-11", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "TX", "Vicente Gonzalez", "G000581", "gonzalez.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging them to include stimulus payments in the next COVID-19 aid package. As it stands, Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled that he is not in favor of this proposal.\nThe Congressman in the letter writes:\nAs you continue to negotiate a coronavirus relief package, I write to you today on behalf of the constituents in the 15th District of Texas and urge you to include a direct stimulus payment for those suffering from the adverse effects of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Millions of Americans are without a job, others are struggling to pay their bills, put food on the table or buy prescription drugs. We owe it to them to come together and pass another round of Economic Impact Payments.\nIn his letter, the Congressman cites startling statistics that Hidalgo County represents only 3% of the state of Texas, but accounts for approximately 10% of COVID-related deaths. Additionally, the entire Rio Grande Valley, comprised of Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties, represents 4.75% of the state population and approximately 17% of COVID-related deaths in Texas.\nThe Washington Post recently reported that nearly 12 million renters will owe an average of $5,850 in back rent and utilitiesby January. Last month, 9 million renters said they were behind on rent, according to a Census Bureausurvey.\nThe letter is available here and below:  \n\t\nDecember11, 2020\n\n\t\t\t\tThe Honorable Mitch McConnell\n\t\t\t\tMajority Leader\n\t\t\t\tUnited States Senate\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Capitol Building, Room S-230\n\t\t\t\tWashington, DC 20510\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe Honorable Chuck Schumer\n\t\t\t\tMinority Leader\n\t\t\t\tUnited States Senate\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Capitol Building, Room S-224\n\t\t\t\tWashington, DC 20510\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe Honorable Nancy Pelosi\n\t\t\t\tSpeaker of the House\n\t\t\t\tUnited States House of Representatives\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Capitol Building\n\t\t\t\tWashington, DC 20515\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe Honorable Kevin McCarthy\n\t\t\t\tMinority Leader\n\t\t\t\tUnited States House of Representatives\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Capitol Building\n\t\t\t\tWashington, DC 20515\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\nDear Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McCarthy, Majority Leader McConnell,andMinority Leader Schumer:\n\nAs you continue to negotiate a coronavirus relief package, I write to you today on behalf of the constituents in the 15th District of Texas and urge you to include a direct stimulus payment for those suffering from the adverse effects of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Millions of Americans are without a job, others are struggling to pay their bills, put food on the table or buy prescription drugs. We owe it to them to come together and pass another round of Economic Impact Payments.\n\nThe future of our country may depend on your choices in the coming days. There is no need for additional evidentiary support for the dire circumstances many Americans find themselves in. Hardworking Americans who were once gainfully employed now, through no fault of their own, are facing eviction, and have lost their sources of income due to the widespread effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nThe 15th District of Texas is home to Americans, Republican and Democrat both, who need not suffer while we workto resolve ourpolicy differences. Let us not overlook thesefamilieswho are in need.Since April 2020, Hidalgo County, the southernmost county in the 15th Congressional District of Texas, has lost 2,030 residents to COVID-19. The population of Hidalgo County represents only 3% of the state of Texas, but accounts for approximately 10% of COVID-related deaths. The entire Rio Grande Valley, comprised of Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties,represents 4.75% of the state population and approximately 17% of COVID-related deaths in Texas. Experts continue working to fully understand the factors that make South Texans so uniquely susceptible to the novel coronavirus. However, we can infer several factorsincluding:high rates of comorbidities, poverty, uninsured patients, and multigenerational housing.\n\nThe Rio Grande Valley has increased rates of chronic illnesses known to increase the severity of a COVID-19 case such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Unlike demographically similar regions such as San Antonio, Texas or El Paso, Texas, Rio Grande Valley residents are less likely to have health insurance; the uninsured rate in Texas is 17%, while the uninsured rate in the Rio Grande Valley is 32% - almost double the rate of the entire state. Additionally, South Texans also experience poverty at more than twice the rate of Texans, 30% as compared to 13% statewide.\n\nThe district I represent iscomprised of a majority Hispanic population, one of the hardesthitby COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.Today, more than ever, Americaand its people need you.Please do the right thingand provide a directstimuluspayment to all who need one.\n/s/\n\n\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-calls-congressional-leadership-include-stimulus-payments"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5821699053049088, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}