Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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80 rows where party = "Democrat", state = "AZ" and year = 2013 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1602 | PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS LAUDS NSA REVIEW, URGES PRESIDENT OBAMA TO SWIFTLY UNDERTAKE NECESSARY REFORMS | 2013-12-19 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. -- Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) today joined House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) in urging President Obama to follow the newly released recommendations of a presidential taskforce to reform National Security Agency surveillance programs to better protect Americans’ civil liberties: “As I’ve said before, Senator Obama would not have supported this program under President Bush,” Rep.Grijalva said. “A secretive intelligence agency gathering millions of communications records and using them as it sees fit is the kind of excess many of us warned about after the Patriot Act became law. Continuing this program indefinitely gives the impression of being under constant siege and needing to know everything at all times to keep us safe. I find that a very troubling view of American security policy. We’re being assured that this is limited, supervised and no big deal. When we heard the same under President Bush, we weren’t comfortable taking his word for it and moving on. I feel the same today.” “The report released yesterday demonstrates that the White House and the National Security Agency must make meaningful changes to safeguard the privacy of Americans,” Rep. Ellison said. “I hope the President takes the recommendations in the report seriously and requires the intelligence community to respect Americans’ right to privacy. Our national security should not compromise the freedom guaranteed to each citizen in our constitution.” Rep. John Conyers, Jr. said,“The panel’s lengthy report is a good first step towards meaningful reform. Perhaps most importantly, the panel explicitly rejects the false choice between security and liberty that has dominated the public debate for far too long. I welcome this report as a starting point in our work towards comprehensive surveillance reform.” Protecting civil liberties is a key componentof the CPC’s mission. This report, as well as cons… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1604 | Grijalva Highlights Number of Arizonans Benefiting From Consumer Protections and Cost Savings Under the Affordable Care Act | 2013-12-19 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today released a year-end review of how the Affordable Care Act has benefited Arizona residents. The Affordable Care Act has already given millions of uninsured Americans access to affordable health insurance, helped Americans with insurance improve their coverage, and established new consumer protections and cost savings. The review finds that, thanks to the Affordable Care Act: · 1,406,000 individuals in Arizona on private insurance have gained coverage for at least one free preventive health care service, such as a mammogram, birth control, or an immunization in 2011 and 2012. In addition, an additional 434,800 people with Medicare in Arizona have received at least one free preventive service at no out-of-pocket cost. · The up to 2,794,000 individuals in Arizona with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, cancer or diabetes – including up to 411,000 children – will no longer have to worry about being denied coverage or charged higher prices because of their health status or history. · Approximately 1,269,000 Arizonians have gained expanded mental health and substance use disorder benefits and/or federal parity protections. · 948,000 uninsured Arizonians will have new health insurance options through private health plans in the Marketplace or Medicaid. · As a result of new policies that make sure premium dollars work for the consumer, not just the insurer, in the past year insurance companies have sent rebates totaling $71 per family to approximately 424,000 consumers in Arizona. · In the first ten months of 2013, 59,600 seniors and people with disabilities in Arizona have saved an average of $813 on prescription medications as the health care law closes Medicare’s so-called “donut hole.” · 69,000 young adults in Arizona have gained health insurance because they can now stay on their parents’ health plans until age 26. · Individuals no longer have to worry about having their hea… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://web.archive.org/web/20140301013754/http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1601 | Rep. Grijalva Congratulates 17 Arizona Health Centers on Receiving Grants to Help Arizonans Sign Up for Better Health Insurance | 2013-12-17 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | web.archive.org | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today congratulated the 17 Arizona health centers that received grants from the Department of Health and Human Services last week to help Arizonans enroll in new health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act exchange. The grants are part of $58 million in grants to 1,157 health centers across the nation. The awards will help health centers expand the hours of current outreach and enrollment assistance workers and hire new or temporary workers. Health centers around the country operate more than 9,000 service delivery sites nationwide and serve more than 21 million patients annually. The funds are being issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration to complement other federal efforts to help Americans get access to affordable health insurance coverage. The new awards follow an earlier $150 million first round of health center investments to support outreach and enrollment activities. “Local health centers with a connection to their communities are a natural place for people to look for help and information, and these grants are going to the right place to make sure Arizonans get the full benefits of the Affordable Care Act,” Grijalva said. “Rather than voting over and over to repeal the law, I hope my Republican colleagues start helping their constituents get the assistance they’re entitled to and the savings they deserve. These grants are part of making the law work, and I look forward to hearing the success stories they generate all over the state.” Full information about Arizona recipients is available below. Total: $3,502,914 to 17 health centers ($2,271,003 in Fiscal Year 13 plus $1,231,911 in Fiscal Year 14) Arizona has 17 health centers with 140 sites that served 423,160 patients last year, 27.24 percent of them uninsured. With their FY13 Outreach and Enrollment funding, the health centers listed below expected to hire 45 additional workers, who will assist 61,638 people with enrollment into affordable health insurance coverage. … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1599 | Grijalva, Roybal-Allard, House Colleagues Request Meeting With Department of Homeland Security to Discuss Humanitarian Concerns | 2013-12-16 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)sent a letter with 37 other Members of Congress today to acting Secretary of Homeland Security Rand Beersrequesting a meeting to discussdangerous deportation practices, the significant recent increase in migrant deaths, and severely inadequate short-term custody conditions. Current enforcement policies, many instituted in the 1990s, have pushed migrants into the driest, most remote regions of the desert borderlands and put migrants at risk of inhumane treatmentby law enforcement. The letter, available at http://1.usa.gov/1gC37Z2, outlines the major concerns. Migrant Deaths In recent years, an alarming number of migrants have died in the U.S. borderlands. Last year, the remains of 463 migrants were found in U.S. territory, the second-highest year for migrant deaths in the past 15 years. In a five-month period, between October 2012 and February of 2013, CBP discovered the remains of 70 human bodies in the Rio Grande Valley sector alone. Short-term Custody Migrants are being subjected to inhumane conditions while in short-term Customs and Border Protection custody, including in holding cells at Border Patrol stations, checkpoints, ports of entry, and secondary inspection areas. Complaints of CBP misconduct regularly mention verbal and physical abuse, denial of medical care, inadequate food and water, due process violations, exposure to extreme temperatures, extended use of bright lights, inadequate provision of space or bedding making sleep impossible, extreme overcrowding, and permanent confiscation of personal items including legal documents, medication and personal identification. Dangerous Deportations Current CBP deportation practices often separate families and potentially place individuals at risk. Specifically, current CBP deportation practices include repatriating Mexican migrants to border cities with extremely high levels of violence and criminal activity. Migrants are frequently returned to Mexic… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1600 | Grijalva, Slaughter, McCollum Respond to FDA Decision to Re-Evaluate Allowance of "Antibacterial" Chemicals in Consumer Products | 2013-12-16 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva, Louise M. Slaughter and Betty McCollum responded today to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to reevaluate the use of triclosan and triclocarban– dangerous antibacterial chemical ingredients found in soaps and body washes– unless industry can provide evidence that they are safe and effective. In November 2010, the three representatives submitted a letter to the Commissioner of the FDA urging a revaluation of triclosan. In March 2011 Rep. Slaughter co-authored an opinion piece for Politico with now-Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) describing the negative hormonal and development impacts of triclosan spelled out in several animal studies. The public comment period will last until June 2014, and additional data, information, and studies can be submitted to the FDA until December 2014. “Few things on the market today need a more urgent and comprehensive review, and it’s about time this one got started,” Rep. Grijalva said. “I’m glad, just like my colleagues on the Hill and consumer advocates around the country, that the FDA is taking the right steps. We can’t always trust the invisible hand when it comes to product safety and chemical policy. We need good regulators and reasonable oversight. Today the FDA decided to protect the public, and it should be commended. I’m going to watch carefully to make sure the process goes forward as it should.” “Three years after we wrote to the FDA expressing concern regarding ‘antibacterial’ chemicals like triclosan and triclocarban contained in soaps and body washes, we are encouraged that the FDA is taking steps to ban them from use,” Rep. Slaughter said. “These chemicals change the way our bodies respond to our own hormones, and their use contributes to antibiotic resistance, weakening the effects of antibiotics that we use to treat serious infections. I remain committed to ensuring that these dangerous chemicals are not used in household products, and will be keeping a close eye on the FDA as they move forward on … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://web.archive.org/web/20140301015850/http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1598 | More Than 400,000 Arizonans Get Rebates From Insurance Companies Thanks to Affordable Care Act Rule Limiting Profit on Premiums | 2013-12-16 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | web.archive.org | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today highlighted the 424,000 Arizonans who received an average rebate of approximately $71 per familyfrom their insurance company this year thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA says insurance companies must spend at least 80percent of what they make in premiums – or 85percent in the large group market– on medical care and quality improvement efforts rather than overhead, profits and executive pay. Insurers who fail to meet that standard, known as the “medical loss ratio,” have to send consumers a rebate to make up the difference. Insurers sent 8.5 million consumers an average rebate of approximately $100 per family nationwide this year. The health care law requires insurance companies to publicly post and justify any proposed rate increase of 10 percent or more. Across the country, insurers are withdrawing or decreasing proposed rate hikes, benefiting families and the economy.One high-profile instance over the summer led to Anthem Blue Cross of California dropping its request to participate in the Covered California state health care exchange because of state-level scrutiny of its rate increases. “Whenever we try to make the market a little fairer for working people, we hear these doom-and-gloom predictions that putting money back in their hands is going to wreck the economy,” Grijalva said. “Ask any of the hundreds of thousands of Arizonans who got a check back from their insurance company this year, and I think they’ll tell you this rule is working.” House Republicans have voted to repeal the ACA more than 40 times. The full state-by-state rebate table is below. CONSUMERS RECEIVING 2012 REBATES FROM THEIR INSURANCE COMPANIES IN 2013[1] State Number of Individuals Average Premium Per Family Alabama 1,500 $248 Alaska 12,300 $190 Arizona … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1595 | Grijalva Votes Against Unfair Budget Deal That Fails to Protect Unemployed, Fails to Create Jobs and Fails to Close Corporate Loopholes | 2013-12-13 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva last night voted against the year-end budget deal – created by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) – that passed the House despite failing to address most of the nation’s pressing economic issues. Grijalva hosted a Wednesday press conference on Capitol Hill with working and retired Americans on the damage the deal could have done to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security if not for diligent advocacy by Congressional Progressive Caucus leaders and their allies. “The best way to help the American people is to create jobs and get more families back into this economy, and this deal doesn’t do that,” Grijalva said. “I don’t see enough here that helps the people I represent. This package doesn’t help people looking for jobs, it doesn’t help people wondering what they’re supposed to do when their unemployment insurance is cut off, and it doesn’t create any new opportunities for working Americans. It used the flawed Budget Control Act as its starting point, and that meant the finished product wasn’t strong enough to earn my support.” The sequester portion of the Budget Control Act passed in 2011 included a reduction in payment rates to Medicare health care providers that would have expired in 2021. Last night’s budget deal extends those cuts to fiscal years 2022 and 2023. It also postpones, but does not eliminate, certain scheduled cuts to future budget years’ federal education and job creation funding. Other cuts will go forward on schedule. In addition to ignoring the impending end of unemployment insurance benefits for approximately 1.3 million Americans later this month, the deal falls well short of necessarily funding levels for major programs that help Southern Arizonans, Grijalva pointed out. The graph at the right shows how far below historical funding levels this deal falls given its overall $1.012 trillion spending level for 2014 – more than half of which ($520.5 billion) will be spent on the military. “We started cutting too deeply y… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1592 | Grijalva Leads House Letter to President Obama Highlighting Conflicts of Interest in Preparation of Keystone XL Environmental Review | 2013-12-12 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today sent a letter co-signed by 24 other House Democratic colleagues to President Obama highlighting serious corporate conflicts of interest in the preparation of the pending Keystone XL environmental impact statement (EIS). The company conducting the analysis, Environmental Resources Management, seemingly failed to disclose previous contracts with TransCanada – the company seeking to build Keystone – in its bid to the State Department. In its application, ERM vouched that it had “no direct or indirect relationship ... with any business entity that could be affected in any way by the proposed work.” In fact, the company worked with TransCanada in 2011 on the Alaska Petroleum Pipeline and has worked for more than a dozen oil companies with financial interests in seeing Keystone completed. Friends of the Earth has documented these conflicts in its comprehensive visual Keystone XL timeline “A Polluted Process.” As the new House letter – available at http://1.usa.gov/1e8hyDV – reads in part, “The Department of State Office of Inspector General is conducting an ongoing investigation of these issues, and its findings are expected next January at the earliest. It would be unwise and premature for State to release an EIS prepared by Environmental Resources Management while it remains under investigation for lying to federal officials about its business connections and practices. We respectfully request that you delay the release of the draft Keystone XL EIS at least until the inspector general report is publicly available.” The issue has received increasing scrutiny for months, including coverage by Mother Jones in April; by Huffington Post in June; by the Christian Science Monitor, The Hill, Huffington Post, International Business Times and multiple other outlets in August; and Huffington Post again in October, among many other publications. As the Members of Congress write, “Public comment on a draft EIS should be informed by all the relevant information. In thi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1593 | Grijalva Leads Letter to Interior Sec. Jewell Signed by 86 House Members Urging Continued Gray Wolf Endangered Species Protection | 2013-12-12 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today released a letter co-signed by 85 House Democratic and Republican colleagues urging Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell to continue offering Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection to gray wolves across the United States. The letter, available at http://1.usa.gov/1d9UUpD, says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should reconsider the proposal it released in June to continue ESA protections only for the Mexican gray wolf, which is classified as a distinct subspecies. The letter reads in part: Except for a few pockets of survivors, wolves were essentially eliminated from the western United States in the early 20th century. Millions of dollars have been spent to restore wolves to their native habitats. The protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act allowed their numbers to expand in the West and in the Great Lakes. Scientists have identified excellent, suitable habitats for introduction in the Pacific Northwest, California, Colorado, Utah and the Northeast. Maintaining federal protection for wolves is essential for continued species recovery. We are concerned that the same prejudice towards wolves that led to their extirpation across most of the country is still present today. This attitude threatens to undo the gains achieved in the northern Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes and may prevent their full recovery in additional areas of significant unoccupied suitable habitat. Federal policy must address this. The letter also questions a related proposal to restrict Mexican gray wolf habitats within very strict boundaries in the Southwest: We applaud the reclassification of the Mexican gray wolf in the Southwest as a distinct subspecies and its continued protection as an endangered population. However, we are concerned about a related proposal – released simultaneously – that undercuts this new listing by requiring the wolves to stay in specific boundaries, preventing needed natural dispersal. Recent peer-reviewed research indicates that … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1589 | Grijalva Hosting Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Enrollment Fair Dec. 18 in Avondale – Public and Media are Welcome to Attend | 2013-12-11 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva is hosting an Affordable Care Act health insurance enrollment fair for constituents on Dec. 18 at 3:00 p.m. at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale. Rep. Grijalva and trained health care navigators will offer information on identifying the best health insurance plan for a family’s needs and how to benefit from any applicable federal subsidies. The event is free and open to the public. Detailed information is below. If You Go Where: Estrella Mountain Community College, Estrella Hall – Avondale When: Dec. 18 at 3:00 p.m. Information to Bring: Social Security numbers for the whole family; employer and income information; policy numbers for current coverage, if applicable For more information, contact Jose Miranda in the Avondale office at (623) 536-3388 or Jose.Miranda@mail.house.gov. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1588 | Grijalva Statement on Pending Budget Deal That Asks Federal Workers to Accept More Economic Sacrifices, Fails to Close Loopholes | 2013-12-10 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement today after it was reported that a pending budget deal hinges on forcing federal workers to pay more into pension plans and ending an extension of unemployment insurance: “Federal employees work every day to inspect our food, deliver Social Security checks and ensure our loved ones arrive safely at airports around the country. Our thanks to them over the past few years has been a series of pay freezes, furloughs and reckless government shutdowns. Federal workers’ pay and pensionsshould not be on the table and neither should unemployment insurance, which temporarily fills the gap for families during hard times. “I strongly oppose a budget deal that asks federal employees to endure another pay cut, ends an important economic lifeline for out-of-work Americans, and preserves unfair corporate tax giveaways. Congress should pass a budget deal that invests in jobs and the economy. American families should not be hurt in the process.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1581 | Grijalva, House Colleagues Leading Press Conference Thursday in Washington to Call for Pause in Destructive Immigrant Deportations | 2013-12-04 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva and several House colleagues are leading a press conference Dec. 5 on Capitol Hill to call on President Obama to pause the deportations of undocumented immigrants and create an application process for eligible migrants and residents hoping to stay in the country. The event will feature the release of a letter the Members are sending Obama in support of the 543 faith-based, labor, legal, civil rights and neighborhood organizations – including the AFL-CIO, MALDEF, United We Dream, and the National Day Labor Organizing Network – promoting the change. The event will feature a discussion of various presidential authorities the Members and activists believe President Obama could exercise. The White House recently announced a halt to the deportations of family members of U.S. military servicemembers. The press conference will feature Reps. Grijalva, Lloyd Doggett, Charlie Rangel, Luis Gutierrez, Rush Holt and Dina Titus. Copies of the letter will be available at the event. If You Go When: 1:00 p.m. Eastern time on Thurs., Dec. 5 Where: House Triangle outside the U.S. Capitol (House Recording Studio B in the Capitol Visitor Center is the inclement weather backup) | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1577 | Grijalva Highlights EPA Finding That Rosemont Mine Should Not Receive Water Permit Due to Likely Clean Water Act Violations | 2013-11-21 | 2013 | 2013-11 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today highlighted the recent Environmental Protection Agency finding that the proposed Rosemont Mine should not be given a Clean Water Act permit to operate in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson. Grijalva has publicly agreed with Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, a local advocacy group, that not enough scientific analysis has been done to justify building the mine. Save the Scenic Santa Ritas in a Nov. 20 press release publicized a letter from the EPA to the Army Corps of Engineers, dated Nov. 7, in which the agency declares that “degradation [from the mine] would be a substantial and unacceptable impact to aquatic resources of national importance, including the ‘Outstanding Waters’ of Davidson Canyon and Cienega Creek.” The EPA recommends the Army Corps not issue the Clean Water Act permit that Rosemont’s parent company, Augusta Resource, needs to operate the mine. “I’ve said all along, and I’m not alone, that good science should be more important in this decision than slick marketing brochures and political spin,” Grijalva said. “Augusta Resource tried to manipulate elections, gin up a phony local support campaign, and paper over serious environmental risks with a big advertising budget. Thankfully the EPA has done the hard and thorough research Augusta has tried to prevent, and the results are as clear as it gets. This mine would be an ecological disaster and violate the Clean Water Act. If Augusta has better data, let’s see it.” As the Tucson Weekly reported last year in a feature on the history of the proposed mining site: Not only was [Augusta] touting a ‘21st century mine,’ but it also fueled a cutting-edge spin campaign, with at least two local public-relations firms on its payroll at any given time. It regularly bought sponsorships on the local public-broadcasting station, and inundated Tucson’s business community with the message that this mine would prove a perfect antidote to hard times. Augusta went so far as to fashion a surreal logo with a pigta… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1579 | Grijalva Extends Internship Applications Deadline, Highlights University of Arizona Scholarship for D.C.-Based Internship Program | 2013-11-21 | 2013 | 2013-11 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva is accepting applications until January 31 to serve as an intern in his Washington, D.C., and Southern Arizona district offices during the spring 2014 school semester. This is an extension of a previously announced deadline. Applicants from the University of Arizona have the opportunity to apply for a Federal Relations DC Intern Scholarship. The scholarship offers $500 per month for living expenses and a tuition award. To apply and receive further information, please contact the University of Arizona Office of Federal Relations at (520) 621-3108 or Shanley@email.arizona.edu. Interns in the Washington office work closely with legislative and media staff, answer office phones, distribute mail, and communicate with constituents. Preference is given to students and individuals from Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District, although all qualified applicants are carefully considered. Interns other than the scholarship recipient are unpaid and are responsible for lodging and transportation. Anyone interested in working in the Washington, D.C., office should submit a cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample to Cristina Villa, Rep. Grijalva’s internship coordinator, at Cristina.Villa@mail.house.gov. Interns at the Tucson, Somerton, and Avondale offices help staff provide constituent services to the people of the Third Congressional District. Interns also perform administrative tasks and may be asked to work on special projects for public outreach, events and otherneeds of the office. Internships for the Tucson, Somerton, and Avondale offices are available at the beginning of each semester.There is no hard deadline, but earlier applications may be given priority. Tucson District Office – Submit an application form, cover letter, resume, and a short writing sample to Sayanna Molina at Sayanna.Molina@mail.house.gov. Somerton District Office – Submit an application form, cover letter, resume, and a short writing sample to Martha Garcia at Martha.Garcia@mail.hou… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1575 | Grijalva Highlights Post-9/11 GI Bill Helping Millionth Beneficiary Since Passage – Calls for Continued Funding for Veterans Benefits | 2013-11-08 | 2013 | 2013-11 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today highlighted the Department of Veterans Affairs announcement that 1 million veterans, servicemembers, and family members have benefited from the Post-9/11 GI Bill since the program’s inception in August 2009. The Veterans Benefits Administration, which administers the program, has distributed more than $30 billion in tuition and education-related payments to veterans, servicemembers, and their families, and to the universities, colleges, and trade schools they attend. The VA announced that Steven Ferraro, who attends Middlesex County College in Edison, N.J., has been identified as the millionth Post-9/11 GI Bill beneficiary. Ferraro served in the Army from 2003 until earlier this year and deployed to Iraq in 2008 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a father of three majoring in communications. “Veterans Day isn’t just an occasion to remember the sacrifices Americans have made,” Grijalva said. “It’s a time to consider whether we’re really helping our current servicemembers succeed. The Post-9/11 GI Bill gives servicemembers and veterans the career and educational opportunities they deserve, and I’m proud to have supported its passage.” The law was passed as part of H.R. 2642 in 2008. Rep. Grijalva was a cosponsor of the standalone version of the bill. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 527,400 veterans currently living in Arizona. You can see a state-by-state breakdown at http://1.usa.gov/17J8ZNp. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is a comprehensive education benefit created by Congress in 2008. Veterans and servicemembers who have served on active duty for 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001, are eligible. On average, VA processes the initial claims for Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits in 23 days. GI Bill benefits are tiered based on the number of days served on active duty, giving activated National Guard and Reserve members the same benefits as all other active duty members. These benefits include: · … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1571 | Grijalva Speaking at Public Forum Friday, Nov. 1, on Affordable Care Act Hosted by Mariposa Community Health Center in Nogales | 2013-10-31 | 2013 | 2013-10 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva will speak at a community forum on Friday, Nov. 1, in Nogales to provide important updates and information on the Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace for Southern Arizona residents. The forum is being hosted by Mariposa Community Health Center. The forum will feature a presentation by Herb Schultz, Regional Director of the Department of Health and Human Services, highlighting how the Affordable Care Act is expanding health care coverage for Arizonans, ensuring consumer protections, improving coverage quality and lowering costs. Schultz will provide updates on the Health Insurance Marketplace for individuals and small business owners. James Welden, Chief Executive Officer at Mariposa Community Health Center, will share specific information for Nogales residents on local outreach efforts, as well as eligibility and enrollment resources to help navigate the marketplace. “The Affordable Care Act means no more health insurance denials for pre-existing conditions, no annual or lifetime limits on coverage, and no higher rates for women compared to men,” Grijalva said. “It’s important to me to make sure the people of Southern Arizona know that and that they understand how to benefit. Everyone should forget the hot air and know how the law really works. Many Arizonans are eligible for benefits or subsidies they may not have known were available. I’m happy to be part of that conversation, and my office is here to help as many people as possible.” This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited If You Go When: Friday, Nov. 1, at 6:00 p.m. Where: Holiday Inn Express, 850 W. Shell Drive in Nogales. To RSVP and for questions: Contact Adriana Perez in Rep. Grijalva’s office at Adriana.Perez@mail.house.gov or call Rep. Grijalva’s Tucson office at (520) 622-6788. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://web.archive.org/web/20141205230120/http://www.sinema.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=478279E4-064D-4EE2-ACEB-336366E894C8 | Sinema, Murphy Push for Better Mental Health Care for Veterans with Classified Experiences | 2013-10-31 | 2013 | 2013-10 | Democrat | House | AZ | Kyrsten Sinema | S001191 | web.archive.org | legacy | Sinema, Murphy Push for Better Mental Health Care for Veterans with Classified Experiences WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) introduced the Classified Veterans Access to Care Act. The legislation aims to prevent the estimated 22 veteran deaths resulting from suicide each day by ensuring that veterans with classified experiences have access to appropriate mental health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Joining Representatives Sinema and Murphy in cosponsoring the bill are Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ), Dan Benishek (R-MI), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HA), and Duncan Hunter (R-CA). Arizona Iraq Veteran Daniel Somers committed suicide in June 2013. Somers had served two tours in Iraq and was diagnosed with both a traumatic brain injury and PTSD upon returning home. Daniel's experiences in Iraq were classified and could not be discussed in a group setting, but the VA offered Somers only group therapy sessions — denying him effective mental health treatment. The Classified Veterans Access to Care Act ensures that veterans with classified experiences have appropriate access to mental health services from the Department of Veterans Affairs. “No one who returns home from serving our country should ever feel like she or he has nowhere to turn,” said Sinema. “Our bill offers a reasonable solution that ensures all veterans experiencing combat-related mental health wounds have appropriate access to comprehensive mental health care." “Daniel Somers’ tragic suicide was made even more heartbreaking because the Department of Veterans Affairs failed in its mission to provide him with the best possible psychological care,” said Rep. Tim Murphy, who serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserve Medical Service Corps as a psychologist. “We owe it to Daniel and others who have sacrificed on our behalf to ensure the VA provides veterans with consistent, quality care in a setting they can trust. VA regulations shouldn’t discriminate based… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1569 | Grijalva Statement on End of Government Shutdown: "Let's Get Serious About Creating Jobs, End Government Through Blackmail" | 2013-10-17 | 2013 | 2013-10 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.– Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today released the following statement on the end of the government shutdown. “Last night I voted with the majority of my colleagues to pay our bills, open our government and avoid a first-ever national default. My highest priority is protecting the people of Southern Arizona, and this deal was the best way to stop the economic damage they’ve suffered. Closing Saguaro National Park, the Grand Canyon and the rest of our economic magnets and expecting small businesses to suck it up is not a serious way to govern, and it had to end. “There were principles at stake during this shutdown that shouldn’t be forgotten now that it’s over. Federal government workers provide vital services to the country, and they should never again be used as a bargaining chip. Neither should the livelihoods of the many business owners who depend on public lands, federal services or other factors that were impacted during the shutdown. This will have ripple effects for a long time to come. Not everybody’s life gets to go back to normal today. “Unfortunately, last night’s deal funds the government at too low a level to sustain an economic recovery. Since 2010, Congress has enacted $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction measures, largely at the expense of working people and retirees. Extending these cuts much further could cost the economy as many as 1.6 million jobs in 2014 and will set back education, infrastructure and other national priorities for years. We have to change course, and quickly. “The House Republican majority has made it clear that it’s not finished making unpopular demands. I expect to hear shortly that we have to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaidbenefits or risk immediate collapse. We can’t keep dancing this same dance. Let’s get serious about creating jobs and doing what works. We’ve tried things the Republican way. We just saw what that looks like. “Democrats have already made huge budget concessions. Locking in sequester-level budgeting any longer will cos… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1568 | Reps. Grijalva, Honda, Hank Johnson Urge Secretary Kerry to Speak Against Militarization of Civil Society Ahead of Honduran Election | 2013-10-16 | 2013 | 2013-10 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva, Mike Honda and Hank Johnson yesterday sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry urging the State Department to monitor the potential militarization of the electoral process ahead of Honduras’ Nov. 24 presidential vote. The lawmakers highlight a “pattern of concerted attacks targeting human rights defenders and the opposition” and call on State Department officials “ to guarantee a level playing field in the weeks preceding the election, and to be entirely neutral in its public and private messages to this country.” As the letter points out, “In November 2009, while the military coup in Honduras was still in force and basic civil liberties violently repressed, the State Department announced it would recognize the outcome of the presidential election even before the ballots had been counted” – a move that damaged our credibility in the region and signaled a lack of oversight. The letter urges Kerry not to repeat that mistake and to watch the next several weeks closely for signs of intimidation or excessive government force. “Ignoring repression and closing our eyes to anti-democratic abuses are not in anyone’s interest, least of all ours,” Rep. Grijalva said. “Taking serious steps to ensure the peaceful transition of power will pay dividends for us and for the people of Honduras. We can play a positive role in the regionby being constructive watchdogs and helping ensure that the will of the people is fairly expressed. We can’t afford a repeat of the disaster that hit Honduras a few years ago, and we’re asking Secretary Kerry to make sure we don’t see one.” “The United States cannot turn a blind eye to attacks on civil liberties, human rights and the democratic process in Honduras,” Rep. Johnson said. “The right to elect the next president in a free and fair election process must be guaranteed to Hondurans. Violence, repression and anti-democratic actions have no place in Honduras or anywhere in the region. These actions do not serve Hondurans, and do not s… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1567 | Grijalva Letter Calls on Interior Sec. Jewell, Agriculture Sec. Vilsack to Halt Extraction on Federal Lands Until Visitors Can Return | 2013-10-03 | 2013 | 2013-10 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Grijalva sent a letter (text below) to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Oct. 3 urging the end of mining, drilling and other extractive activities on federal lands until employees and visitors are no longer locked out. The letter highlights the risk of environmental damage, the shortage of manpower available to respond to emergencies, and the economic damage being done to small businesses – such as concessionaires and outdoor guides – currently unable to access the public lands on which they rely for income. ^^^ Oct. 3, 2013 The Honorable Sally Jewell Secretary of the Interior Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 The Honorable Tom Vilsack Secretary of Agriculture Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250 Dear Secretary Jewell and Secretary Vilsack, Despite the federal government shutdown making national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges and many other important sites unavailable to the public, oil and gas drilling and other extraction activities continue on our federal public lands. The lack of oversight of these potentially hazardous activities greatly concerns me, especially because of the scarcity of manpower to respond to emergencies, pollution issues or other rapid response needs. I am equally concerned about the many businesses that rely on our public lands. Concessionaires that operate facilities within our public parks and other federal lands have been locked out by the shutdown. So have river and trail guides who rely on public lands and waterways to make a living. Small businesses cannot afford to be cut off from their main - in some cases sole - source of income. This disparity greatly disturbs me, as does the ongoing environmental risk to sensitive outdoor areas. I urgently request the immediate cessation of mining, drilling and other extractive activities on our fed… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1566 | Grijalva Highlights New Health Care Insurance Exchange Operating in Arizona, Encourages Public to Learn About Available Benefits | 2013-10-02 | 2013 | 2013-10 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement today marking the opening of the new Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace in Arizona. “Yesterday, despite a partisan government shutdown, new health care marketplaces opened in Southern Arizona and around the country thanks to the Affordable Care Act. These marketplaces will provide uninsured individuals with the opportunity to find affordable health insurance that meets their needs. “Arizonans looking for coverage will be able to choose from several affordable choices explained in easy-to-understand language – in fact, Arizona features the highest number of average insurance options for a given resident of any state in the country with one hundred and six. It’s estimated that more than half of those shopping in the new marketplace will qualify for discounts on their monthly premium. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, there will be no more health insurance denials for pre-existing conditions, no annual or lifetime limits on coverage, and no higher rates for women compared to men. Everyone should take a minute to understand how the law really works. Many Arizonans are eligible for benefits or subsidies they may not have known were available. “There’s no need to rush through the process. The current open enrollment period runs through the end of next March. Arizonans looking for health coverage should go to www.healthcare.gov and enter their ZIP code to compare their options. It’s that simple. If constituents have questions, they can call 1-800-318-2596 for toll free answers any time of day.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1565 | Rep. Grijalva Statement on Government Shutdown: "Let's Remember All the People Put Out of Work Today and End This Charade" | 2013-10-01 | 2013 | 2013-10 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.– Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva put out the following statement today as the federal government shut down most operations and services around the country. “As the federal government closes down today, let’s remember the eight hundred thousand1 federal employees unnecessarily out of a job. Let’s remember the air traffic safety inspectors, National Park Service and public lands employees, Small Business Administration loan processors and many others sent home without a paycheck. Let’s remember the three hundred million dollars a day this is costing our country in lost economic output. That’s where our attention belongs, and that’s where my thoughts are today. Let’s remember all the people put out of work and end this charade. “The impacts of this shutdown will worsen as long as Republicans refuse to negotiate. What we’re seeing now is just a taste of what we’ll see in a week or a month. This is happening because a small group of radicals insist on having their way despite the damage to our constituents and our system of government. The fact that Speaker Boehner has allowed them to control the majority of the House of Representatives despite their small numbers speaks volumes. “I have consistently favored normal funding for our government and have opposed a shutdown from the beginning. The most productive way to move forward would be for a bipartisan, bicameral conference to discuss the entire budgeting process and decide not only how to end this destructive shutdown, but to adequately fund government services and operations for the long term. We cannot continue to starve the federal government and expect miracles at the other end of the rainbow. Austerity has failed and is unpopular. It’s time to start a real recovery based on investments in our future. We’ve tried mindless cuts and finger-pointing at working families. Somehow, those haven’t worked. We should be creating jobs, not shooting ourselves in the foot. That’s not a controversial or partisan position, it’s public common sense, and yet h… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1563 | Grijalva Congratulates Southern Arizona Recipients of Infrastructure, Health, Social Service Grants, Highlights Application Deadlines | 2013-09-30 | 2013 | 2013-09 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.– Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva congratulated several Southern Arizona recipients of recent grants and federal awards that will improve the lives of local constituents and highlighted upcoming grant application deadlines. Details are below. Awarded Grants and Contracts Date: Sept. 30 Recipient: Tucson-based West Point Contractors, Inc. Granting Organization: Army Corps of Engineers Amount: $3.99 million Purpose: To construct a bridge over the Nogales Wash in the Chula Vista neighborhood north of Nogales, Ariz. Construction is scheduled to begin in October and finish in June of 2014. Date: Sept. 30 Recipient: University of Arizona Granting Organization: Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Community Services Amount: $585,504 Purpose: The grant comes through the Assets for Independence program to help low-income students afford a medical education. You can learn more from HHS at http://1.usa.gov/18mb0LR. Date: Sept. 30 Recipient: Nogales Community Development Corporation Granting Organization: HHS Office of Community Services Amount: $800,000 Purpose: The Community Economic Development program is a federal grant effort funding Community Development Corporations that address the economic needs of low-income individuals and families through sustainable business development and employment opportunities. You can learn more at http://1.usa.gov/14Z3PZN. Date: Sept. 30 Recipient: Tohono O’odham Community Action (two grants) Granting Organization: HHS Office of Community Services Amounts: $300,000 (local food grant), $159,650 (native nutrition program grant) Purpose: The recipient got two recent HHS grants. The local food grant of $300,000 will help fund the group’s project to create a locally-based alternative to the current Tohono O’odham school lunch provider. The grant will help establish a local school lunch provider business with local employees based on local traditional foods. The effort will … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1562 | Arizona Expected to Have Most Insurance Options, Lowest Average Premiums Nationwide as Affordable Care Act Exchanges Start Up | 2013-09-25 | 2013 | 2013-09 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – A new report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finds that Arizona consumers will be able to choose from an average of 106 health plans (with a high of 111 in Phoenix) in the soon-to-be-established health insurance marketplace known as the exchange. Premiums nationwide will be around 16 percent lower than originally projected by the Congressional Budget Office – with about 95 percent of eligible uninsured Americans living in states with lower than expected premiums – even before accounting for financial assistance. As Talking Points Memo explained today: On average, people will have a choice of 56 different insurance plans -- depending on which state you live in, though, that figure could range from seven (in Alabama) to 106 (in Arizona). The average number of insurers in a state is eight, though that again ranges from one to 13 in different states. As for premiums, before tax credits kick in, they will average 16 percent below the Congressional Budget Office's original estimates for a silver-level plan (which covers 70 percent of costs). The number of insurers in a state is directly tied to how low premiums will be, Lambrew noted. Arizona, with an average of 106 plans to choose from, had the lowest average premium for a 27-year-old adult: $166. Wyoming, with an average of 16 plans, had the highest average premium at $342. “This is the best news Arizona could have heard, and I sincerely hope we start hearing some honesty for a change from certain circles about how this law is designed to help people,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, who voted for the Affordable Care Act in 2010. “More affordable health care is good for Arizonans, good for Americans and good for our economy. The law is getting people affordable insurance, cutting down on medical bankruptcy, and giving some help to a workforce afraid to change jobs because of health insurance instability. The dead-ender opponents of health care reform should explain why they object to Arizonans getting… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1558 | Grijalva, Vela Introduce Immigration Reform Bill to Push Continued Action in the House, Draw Distinctions With GOP Approach | 2013-09-20 | 2013 | 2013-09 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and Filemon Vela today introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2013, a bill closely mirroring the 2009 version introduced by Rep. Solomon Ortiz. Grijalva and Vela co-chair the Congressional Border Caucus. A side-by-side comparison of the CIR ASAP bill and S. 744 on key issues is available below. A more detailed explanation of the bill is available at http://1.usa.gov/15coq9V. “The House discussion on immigration reform hasn’t been an honest debate about good policy, it’s been a one-sided refusal to take the issue seriously,” Grijalva said. “There are millions of American families waiting every day for better laws that will keep them together, provide their children with a better future, and help our economy. The conversation they need Washington to have has been hijacked by a small group that has shown no interest in their welfare. We’re tired of hearing this is a question of triple-layer border fences and militarizing our neighborhoods for our own good. I ask my colleagues whether they’d want their own children to pass teams of armed soldiers on their way to school every day for the next decade. They should consider what they’re doing to our border communities and start negotiating fairly instead of treating this as a military exercise.” Grijalva pointed out that Democrats have already substantially compromised since the last major immigration reform discussions took place in 2009, as evidenced by the distance between the previous CIR ASAP bill and today’s Senate immigration overhaul. “My Republican colleagues driving this piecemeal, enforcement-only approach in the House seem to presume they can fix our immigration system if only they’re given enough bullets,” Grijalva said. “The country doesn’t feel that way, the Latino community doesn’t feel that way, and the Democratic Party doesn’t feel that way. Republicans have to stop holding their breath and making unrealistic demands. We’re no close… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1556 | Grijalva Hosting Ad Hoc Hearing, Press Conference Friday in Nogales on Humanitarian, Economic Aspects of Immigration Reform | 2013-09-10 | 2013 | 2013-09 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva and several members of the Congressional Border Caucus, which he co-chairs, will hold an ad hoc hearing this Friday in Nogales, Ariz., to discuss the economic and humanitarian aspects of comprehensive immigration reform. The event starts at 1:00 p.m. Arizona time and will be followed by a tour of the Port of Entry and press conference. Rep. Grijalva and his colleagues will highlight the human voices of border communities that will be affected by any comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The event will focus on the need for legislation that respects human rights, ends the humanitarian crisis of migrant deaths, and expands our understanding of “national security” to include economic prosperity. Grijalva has introduced bills in this and previous Congresses to modernize border ports of entry and bolster trade with Mexico, which supports 6 million American jobs. The ad hoc hearing will consist of a panel of national and local experts who will provide testimony and answer questions. The event is free and open to the media. Written materials will be available for reporters at the ad hoc hearing. IF YOU GO What: Ad hoc hearing and press conference with Rep. Grijalva and Congressional Border Caucus representatives When: Friday, Sept. 13 Ad Hoc Hearing 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Press Conference 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. Where: Hearing is at Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at 2150 N. Congress Dr. in Nogales, Ariz. Press conference is at Santa Cruz County Old Courthouse in Nogalesat 21 E. Court St. (NE corner of Court and Morley) | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1555 | Grijalva Statement on Impending Congressional Vote to Bomb Syria: "International Involvement Means We Have Much Better Options" | 2013-09-09 | 2013 | 2013-09 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.– Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today released the following statement on the impending Congressional vote on whether to authorize the use of military force in Syria. “When we hear about human rights violations, war crimes, and the murder of civilians – which is exactly what we face in Syria today – we feel a strong urge to punish the guilty and respond with violence. The images we have all seen of children being burned and families being destroyed provoke our national conscience and demand our outrage and sympathy. They remind us of the terrible violence perpetrated by other criminal regimes and our shared responsibility to enforce international laws. “I cannot hope to understand the suffering of the Syrian people harmed by the ongoing conflict there. But emotions and first impressions cannot rule our foreign policy. If Congress is asked to vote to authorize military force, I will vote no – not because I doubt terrible violence is occurring in Syria, but because a hastily organized missile strike with minimal international support will only make things worse. The considerable level of international involvement means we have much better options. “The news today that Syria, at Russia’s urging, is willing to puts its chemical weapons under international control suggests a way forward. Syria’s offer makes any bombing campaign aimed at neutralizing its chemical stockpile unnecessary. Once these weapons are in hand, we should refer the atrocities already committed by the Assad regime to the International Criminal Court for potential indictment and prosecution. The Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation should be fully engaged in talks about regime change and the future of Syria. We cannot hope to broker a transitional process that ends Assad’s rule and prioritizes the needs of the Syrian people through unwanted military force. “I want to see justice done and war criminals prosecuted. I am not an isolationist. I believe the United States can help shape a positive future for the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1554 | Grijalva Will Headline Sept. 4 Press Conference at BLM Horse Facility Near Reno to Call for Wild Horse & Burro Management Reforms | 2013-08-28 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation, will tour and hold a press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the Palomino Valley National Adoption Center to discuss the current state and future of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program. Under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, the BLM is responsible for managing and preserving wild horses and burros around the country. Over the past few decades, BLM has used a number of controversial management techniques to meet herd quotas required by the law. Approximately 39,000 wild horses and burros roam land managed by the BLM and another 40,000 more are held in BLM facilities like Palomino Valley – the largest holding facility managed by the federal government. The BLM program currently prioritizes roundups over alternatives that reduce the need for expensive stockpiling. More than half of BLM’s wild horse management budget is spent to provide care for animals in long-term holding facilities. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recently released ‘Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: A Way Forward,’ which found that federal efforts waste taxpayer money and need major reforms. You can read the full report at http://bit.ly/12t8bta. “I’ve been asking for changes for years, and NAS has confirmed that we can save taxpayer money and horses’ lives at the same time by improving this program,” Grijalva said. “We have the information we need. Now it’s time to do something with it.” Congressman Grijalva will be joined by Neda DeMayo, CEO of Return to Freedom American Wild Horse Sanctuary, and Emmy-nominated actress and advocate Wendie Malick. Ahead of the Sept. 9 meeting of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board in Washington DC, the speakers will discuss the need to implement the findings of the NAS study and the future of the Restore Our American Mustangs (ROAM) Act. If You Go What: Press … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1551 | Grijalva Asks Napolitano to Explain How Much DHS Pays Private Contractors Each Year to Incarcerate Often Non-Violent Immigrants | 2013-08-16 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva yesterday wrote a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano asking her to publicize how much the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has paid private contractors in each of the past three years to incarcerate often non-violent undocumented immigrants. Grijalva’s letter, available at http://1.usa.gov/16htlIW, also asks for more information about why DHS recently spent approximately $15 million to build just 21 houses and lease 20 park-model trailer homes in the unincorporated area of Ajo, Ariz., where standard housing costs are much lower than DHS was apparently willing to spend. As the letter reads, “The cost of these detentions [. . .] is surely high and getting higher each year. I respectfully request that you release the total yearly cost to DHS of detaining undocumented immigrants in private detention facilities for the past three years and break down the expenditures by state. These figures should be readily available to DHS policymakers for planning and budgeting purposes, and there is no reason Congress should not base its discussion on an accurate assessment of how much the status quo is costing us.” Grijalva’s concern about DHS housing costs arose from a recent report by Brenna Goth of the Arizona Republic that first revealed the overpayments. A statement to the Republic from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) emphasized that CBP does not use housing as a recruiting tool to find job applicants, calling into question why a small housing project would be worth so much to DHS. Grijalva asks for responses to his queries by Sept. 9, “when Congress will be back in session and the country’s attention will be firmly on improving our immigration policies.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1545 | Grijalva Greeting Sunnyside Girls Softball Team at Tucson Airport Today to Congratulate Them on Little League World Series Title | 2013-08-15 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today congratulated Tucson’s Sunnyside Little League girls softball team on winning the 12-and-under Little League World Series. The team won the title yesterday by defeating a team from McLean, Va., 9-0 in Portland, making them the first team since 1990 to win the tournament from the West Region. “All the players, coaches, families and supporters who helped build this team deserve to celebrate, and I’m excited to congratulate the team in person when they arrive home today,” Grijalva said. “This is a truly national victory for Tucson that many in the community will remember for a long time.” Rep. Grijalva will meet the team at Tucson International Airport at approximately 2:30 p.m. Arizona time. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1546 | Grijalva Congratulates Four Arizona Recipients of Affordable Care Act 'Navigator' Awards to Help Residents Get Health Coverage | 2013-08-15 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today announced that $2,129,523 has been awarded in Navigator grants to Arizona health care organizations to provide public information on how to choose and enroll in Health Insurance Marketplace plans this fall through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Arizona organizations were eligible for federal funds to assist consumers because Gov. Jan Brewer and the State Legislature chose not to establish a statewide insurance exchange. Recipients include: Arizona Association of Community Health Centers Anticipated grant amount: $1,344,096 The Association plans a statewide enrollment outreach effort. Greater Phoenix Urban League, Inc. Anticipated grant amount: $523,773 The League plans a statewide enrollment outreach effort. Center for Rural Health, University of Arizona Anticipated grant amount: $190,268 The Center for Rural Health particularly aims to reduce the numbers of Asian American and Pacific Islander uninsured in Pima County. Campesinos Sin Fronteras, Inc. Anticipated grant amount: $71,386 Campesinos Sin Fronteras will focus on enrollment assistance to uninsured individuals in Yuma County. These and other Navigator agencies around the country will provide unbiased information about the ACA’s Health Insurance Marketplaces, qualified health plans, and public programs such as Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. They will be required to follow strict privacy standards and trained in protecting customer information. “Millions of Americans, and many thousands of Arizonans, will finally have access to affordable health insurance starting in October, and they should have the information they need to get the most benefit from the law,” Grijalva said. “Navigators will help explain how to choose a plan, how to get the subsidies many families are entitled to, and how to enroll in any plan a family chooses. It’s an important public service, and today’s grant recipients should be commended for pursuing and making … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1547 | Reps. Grijalva, Miller Write to Department of Education Urging Immediate Steps to Remedy Lack of English Language Learner Data | 2013-08-15 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. George Miller and Raúl M. Grijalva today sent a letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan urging him to collect data on English Language Learner (ELL) enrollment in charter schools, which have grown in popularity around the country in recent years. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report – available at http://1.usa.gov/14OcQHs – found that many charter schools are not reporting such data, calling into question whether they meet current standards of educational quality and accessibility. GAO experts and the Department of Education have found significant gaps in some charter school reporting on student performance data, including reading and math proficiency rates and graduation rates for all students. Miller and Grijalva recently asked the GAO to examine how enrollment levels of ELLs in charter schools compare to traditional public schools. The GAO was unable to conduct the study due to data quality issues, saying that several factors – including lack of reporting and definitional issues – may account for the gaps in charter school data collection and student performance evaluation. The failure of public charter schools to submit school-level data can affect the validity of state and local educational agency enrollment figures, which the Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires to be collected. In today’s letter – available at http://1.usa.gov/1cQJ2fi – Miller and Grijalva wrote: “It is imperative that the Department have reliable and accurate data for all public schools, local education agencies, and states in fulfilling our mission to equitably serve all children and families. All public schools must be treated equally, with respect to federal funding received and student populations served, not based on school type or reform priority.” Some charter schools provide students with a rigorous education and present innovative education approaches. However, they seem not to be serving several unique student populations, including English Language… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1549 | Reps. Grijalva, Barber Urge Forest Service Not to Release Premature "Final" Environmental Impact Statement on Rosemont Mine | 2013-08-15 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva and Ron Barber today sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging the Forest Service, which is under the authority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), not to release a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposed Rosemont Mine project near Tucson without addressing several known shortcomings in the version available for public comment. The public comment period closes today, leading to widespread concerns that the draft will not substantially change before it is finalized. Grijalva and Barber write in the letter, which is reviewable at http://1.usa.gov/16SHSMm, that the Forest Service “has no obligation to rush through an environmental assessment,” especially because the draft “is missing essential elements [such as] analysis of endangered species impacts, consultation with Native American communities regarding impacts to historical and cultural sites, Clean Water Act permits, and responses to [earlier] public comments.” Authorities at the Coronado National Forest, where some waste from the proposed mine may be dumped, seem tempted to fast track analysis of other federal agencies’ comments in order to issue a record of decision by Sept. 27, the letter says. New rules on approving such documents go into effect the following day – rules that Forest Service officials may be trying to avoid at the Rosemont site. As today’s letter says, “The Forest Service has no obligation to rush through an environmental assessment. The agency’s duty, first and foremost, is to assess the proposed mine’s impacts on Arizona’s natural resources, water supplies, and public health. Such a review should take the time that is appropriate to ensure full input from the public and stakeholders. The impacts of this study will be permanent and demand full and careful review.” Grijalva is the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation. Barber sits on the House Committee on Small Business. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1544 | Rep. Grijalva Joins Comite de Bien Estar in San Luis to Celebrate $1.3 Million USDA Grant for Home Construction Technical Assistance | 2013-08-09 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | San Luis, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today announced a $1,361,760 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to the non-profit social assistance group Comite de Bien Estar to identify, screen and prepare candidates for USDA’s Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. Under the program, families provide a substantial portion of the labor involved in building their own homes, reducing the purchase cost putting affordable housing within reach for low-income families. Comite de Bien Estar Administrator Marco A. “Tony” Reyes and USDA Rural Development State Director Alan Stephens were also at the San Luis event (see attached picture) to speak about the importance of housing and USDA assistance to rural communities. “If we really want improved housing and a better economy, we need these kinds of innovative partnerships, more smartly targeted grants, and a lot of hard work,” Rep. Grijalva said. “This project, and many others like it, is about meeting realistic goals and helping working Americans take ownership of their futures. When people see the human face of government efforts to expand home ownership, they support programs and grants like the one we’re announcing today.” “The program brings different families together to work on each other’s house,” Stephens said. “That builds and strengthens the ties of community. The families build friendships and community as they build homes.” Stephens thanked Rep. Grijalva for his longtime support of housing and other programs that help Arizona’s rural communities. He also praised the long and productive relationship between USDA Rural Development and Comite de Bien Estar, which have jointly built more than 525 homes in the area since forming a partnership in 1999. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1542 | Reps. Grijalva, Heck Introduce Bill to Protect Funding for Continuing Technical Education Programs – Arizona, Nevada Hit Hard by Cuts | 2013-08-02 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. Joe Heck (R-NV) and Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) today joined to introduce the bipartisan Career and Technical Education Equity Act, which prevents future career and technical education (CTE) funding cuts of more than 10 percent per year. Nevada, Arizona and many other states face drastic underfunding for CTE programs thanks to an influx of new residents and an outdated funding formula. A “hold harmless” provision in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, under which CTE programs are funded, ensures that states do not receive less funding than the baseline established in 1998. However, states such as Nevada and Arizona, which have seen rapid population growth since 1998, are facing disproportionate cuts to CTE funding and will not be able to adequately fund their CTE programs on 1998 levels. Despite the importance of preparing high school and college students for in-demand jobs, funding for CTE programs continues to decrease due to sluggish economic growth and the consequences of sequestration. The bill protects critical CTE funding by requiring that states receive at least 90% of the funding amount allocated the previous year. This key reform will help states and local CTE programs train and prepare workers for the future without fear of sudden funding downturns. “Career and technical education programs prepare students for the in-demand, good-paying jobs that are critical to our continued economic recovery,” Rep. Joe Heck said. “I have heard from administrators and educators around my district that the current funding formula will make it very difficult for the state of Nevada to carry out already-established CTE programs. States like Nevada should not be punished simply because we have experienced population growth. This bill will protect CTE funding and continue to provide Nevada's students with opportunities to learn the skills to help them find in-demand jobs.” “Career technical education prepares millions of Americans to succeed and gives them a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1540 | Grijalva Votes Against Bill to Charge Students More Over Time, Calls for Better Interest Rates for Students and Less Focus on Profits | 2013-08-01 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement today after voting against the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, which passed the House of Representatives and now heads to the White House for likely approval. “This bill means students will pay $715 million more down the road than they would if current rates, which recently doubled for new borrowers, stayed untouched. Today we reverse the July 1 student loan interest rate hike at the cost of ultimately charging students more over the next decade. “We need to make student loans more accessible to students and easier to pay back. In this country, in our economy, students should not have to agonize over whether to go to college because of our nation’scrushing student debt problem.” Rep. Grijalva supported Rep. John Tierney’s (D-Mass.) bill to tie the student loan interest rate to the current Federal Reserve lending rate, which is currently 0.75 percent. Grijalva also signed a discharge petition and indicated his support for H.R. 2574, which would set the interest rate for any subsidized Stafford loan made between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 at 3.4 percent. “We shouldn’t charge students more to borrow for college than we charge banks,” Grijalva said. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1541 | Grijalva Will Join Introduction of Resolution Tomorrow Marking Anniversary of Attack on Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin | 2013-08-01 | 2013 | 2013-08 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, DC – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, a member of the American-Sikh Congressional Caucus, will join colleagues tomorrow in introducing a resolution commemorating the one-year anniversary of the hate-based shooting at a Gurdwara – a Sikh place of worship – in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. On August 5, 2012, an armed gunman walked into the Oak Creek Gurdwara and opened fire, severely injuring four and killing six, including the head of the temple. Rep. Grijalva participated in an interfaith healing event at Tucson’s Khalsa Montessori School one week later. “This country has a long history – sometimes slow, sometimes painful – of overcoming hatred, prejudice and fear,” Rep. Grijalva said. “So many Americans believe in diversity and tolerance as sources of strength that we can forget how strong feelings can be on the other side. The right response is not to fight anger with anger. It is to set a more worthwhile example. Congress has a chance to do that tomorrow.” The American-Sikh Congressional Caucus was founded in Aprilof this year to better represent the Sikh community across the country. Members of the Sikh community have faced growing discrimination and persecution, especially by those who mistakenly associate Sikhs with the 9/11 attacks. The language of the resolution is below. *** Whereas, on Sunday, August 5, 2012, a mass shooting took place fueled by intolerance killing six worshipers at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, a Gurdwara, in Oak Creek, Wisconsin; Whereas, the attack occurred as members of the congregation prepared langar, a free community meal served to all visitors to Gurdwaras, regardless of their race, religion, sex, or social background; Whereas, four individuals were injured including a responding officer, Lt. Brian Murphy, who was shot fifteen times at close range; Whereas, Lt. Brian Murphy and all first responders to the Oak Creek Gurdwara, demonstrated great courage in their quick response to the shooting, ultimately saving lives; Whereas, American Sikhs hav… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1537 | CPC Co-Chairs: Defense Bill is Fundamentally Flawed | 2013-07-25 | 2013 | 2013-07 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after House Republicans passed the FY2014 Defense Appropriations Act, a bill to fund the Department of Defense for the next fiscal year: “Republicans passed a bloated defense budget today that spends money on weapons programs the Pentagon doesn’t want. This comes a week after they voted to cut funding to feed America’s neediest children. The United States needs a leaner but more capable military able to defeat 21st-century threats. We also need to invest in jobs, education and affordable healthcare for working families. Republicans wrongly decided today that we can’t have both. “The Republican bill spends $47 billion more than the sequester-prescribed cap on defense spending allows and includes an additional $85 billion for overseas contingency operations, primarily to fund the war in Afghanistan.The bill increases spending on outdated programs and does little to help the 650,000 civilian Defense Department employees already being furloughed. “This bill is a missed opportunity to invest in what we need and cut what we don’t. In real terms, we actually spend more on defense today than we did on average during the Cold War. The Cold War is over. Our troops are out of Iraq. The war in Afghanistan is winding down. The security landscape we face today is radically different from 30 years ago, yet Republicans still want to spend like it’s 1985. “Republicans have asked working Americans to give up early education for their children, routine doctors appointments for their families and income security for their grandparents, while they spend billions on programs the Department of Defense doesn't want or need. Preparing for wars that have already ended won't feed our children. Investing in working families will." | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1535 | Rep. Grijalva on Today's House Passage of Student Success Act: "Get Ready for Fewer Functioning Schools and Less Student Support" | 2013-07-19 | 2013 | 2013-07 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, released the following statement this morning after the House passed the badly misnamed Student Success Act (H.R. 5). “This bill rolls back forty-five years of progress in giving disadvantaged and low-income children a good education. If we expect American students to succeed, in this country or in the global economy, our first priority has to be adequately funding their education. Instead, this bill makes almost gleefully destructive cuts in education funding and shifts taxpayer dollars to private entities. It is an ideological exercise in bad governance. “Among many other glaring flaws, this bill directs less teacher training funds to students in poverty, eliminates requirements that schools improve the education of English Language Learners each year, removes existing accountability rules that have led to higher high school graduation rates, and allows students with disabilities to be taught to separate and lower standards. It eliminates dedicated funding for after-school, school safety, and social support programs. It also leaves untouched a federal loophole that allows districts to spend more money in wealthier schools than in poorer ones. “Outside the Republican Party in Washington, this bill has no constituency. It is designed to please a niche political base, not to advance the cause of education in this country. It is opposed by the White House, by business leaders, by the civil rights community, by organized labor, by disability advocates and by leading education organizations. There was no reason to pass this bill except to tick a box on a badly prioritized to-do list. “We have been debating bills of this kind for more than a decade now. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that shoving ideology down students’ throats hasn’t done anyone any good. The Student Success Act walks away from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act’s historic commitment to giving each of America’s children a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1529 | Pelosi, Grijalva, Border Caucus Members Lay Out Priorities on Security, Trade, Humanitarian Issues in Pending Immigration Reform Bill | 2013-07-10 | 2013 | 2013-07 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Congressional Border Caucus members Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva, Filemon Vela and Beto O’Rourke today called for a greater focus on border community needs in Congress’ ongoing immigration reform efforts and highlighted bipartisan solutions that could be included in any reform bill. The group spoke at a press conference earlier today at the U.S. Capitol. High-quality video of the event is at http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/DemocratsonI. “Democrats are committed to immigration reform that is comprehensive, that represents a reasonable compromise for both parties, and that affords all immigrants a fair shot at the American Dream,” Leader Pelosi said. “We remain committed to sensible, bipartisan solutions to secure our border and to ensure growth and opportunity among our border communities – all as part of commonsense reform that reaffirms our values and honors our tradition as a nation of immigrants.” “Preventing needless human suffering shouldn’t be a political issue, and there are several bipartisan humanitarian solutions on the table that deserve more consideration,” said Rep. Grijalva, who co-chairs the Border Caucus. “Any successful immigration reform bill will reduce deaths in our Southwestern desert region, provide meaningful oversight of law enforcement practices, and make sure the border remains as safe a place to raise a family as it is today. There are ways Democrats and Republicans can work together to achieve those goals, and I look forward to making sure it happens.” “The United States, Mexico, and Canada form the world’s largest free trade area, with about one-third of the world’s total gross domestic product (GDP). Trade between the US and Mexico has more than tripled since 1994,” Rep. Vela said. “As co-chair of the Border Caucus, I firmly believe that any comprehensive immigration reform bill must recognize this economic and cultural unity. Instead of mandating the construction of additional barriers, we should invest in boos… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1527 | As Republicans Bring Education Bill to House Floor Next Week, Grijalva Highlights Recently Introduced Package of Education Reforms | 2013-07-09 | 2013 | 2013-07 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Ahead of next week’s expected House vote on the Student Success Act (H.R. 5), a Republican successor to the No Child Left Behind law, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today highlighted the package of educational reforms he introduced just before last week’s holiday recess. The package of three bills, introduced June 26, would assist English language learner students and their families, improve funding and support for school libraries, and make dual-language programs available in low-income communities. The package includes: - the Families Learning and Understanding English Together (FLUEnT) Act to improve family bilingual education support and emphasize English language acquisition - the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLS) Act to provide every school with a qualified librarian - the Providing Resources to Improve Dual Language Education (PRIDE) Act to improve access to dual-language educational programs for younger students Grijalva separately introduced the Success in the Middle Act on June 11, a bill that would create new education-specific federal grants for states based on their proportion of low income children aged 5 to 17, among other factors. That bill, which focuses resources on middle schools with students at high risk of academic failure, already has 11 House cosponsors. “Our schools need meaningful needs-based reforms, not top-down ideology,” Grijalva said. “Identifying what works and where it works is the best way to get the results we need. These bills are about responding to the specific needs of under-represented communities. More politics is the last thing our students want in their lives, as we’ve seen with the student loan rate disaster. They deserve to have the resources they need to succeed and live the lives they choose. My bills are about providing that opportunity.” The House Republican majority is expected to bring the Student Success Act to the House floor next week – a bill that consolidates and r… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1528 | Grijalva Highlights Record of Support for Soldiers and Veterans as Sequester Cuts Start Furlough Process for Thousands of Arizonans | 2013-07-09 | 2013 | 2013-07 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – As more than 8,000 Arizonans in the defense industry face furloughs beginning this week thanks to the Budget Control Act’s sequestration provision, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva highlighted his record of support for active and retired military personnel and pointed to collapsing support for austerity economics across the country. The sequester went into effect in March of this year and is expected to cost the economy at least 750,000 jobs, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Grijalva, who voted against the Budget Control Act of 2011 and has opposed the sequester from the beginning, called on House Republicans to reject austerity economics as a proven failure and pointed to the collection of bills he has supported this Congress to improve the lives of current and former soldiers. “The men and women who will take home less pay, have less money to save for their families, and who will face reduced economic opportunity because of the sequester aren’t interested in Washington excuses,” Grijalva said. “The people who voted for this cannot have it both ways. They either didn’t take the time to realize this would happen when they got their way, or they knew it and supported the sequester anyway. Neither explanation holds much water when you’re told you won’t receive a paycheck this week or when your claims aren’t being processed.” Grijalva pointed out that assistance efforts like the Army Wounded Warrior Program, Marine for Life, Navy Safe Harbor and military health care programs are staffed by civilians, some of whom could be furloughed in Arizona and elsewhere around the country. Rep. Grijalva recently agreed to cosponsor each of the following bills to address veterans benefit issues and the VA backlog. H.R. 1623 (the VA Claims Efficiency Through Information Act) by Rep. Gloria Negrete-McLeod requires the VA to better detail the backlog, timeliness and accuracy of VA regional offices and their relative ability to adjudicate specific medical conditions. H.R.1759 (… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1523 | Grijalva Expresses Deepest Sorrow and Sympathy For Families of 19 Firefighters Killed Battling Yarnell Hill Fire in Central Arizona | 2013-07-01 | 2013 | 2013-07 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva this morning expressed his deepest sorrow and sympathy for the families of the 19 firefighters killed battling the Yarnell Hill fire southwest of Prescott, Ariz. “Firefighters dedicate their careers to keeping the rest of us safe, and their bravery in the cause of protecting the public is sometimes taken for granted,” Grijalva said. “It takes more courage and professionalism than we imagine to face a wall of fire with nothing but a small shelter for protection. These nineteen men died protecting other families’ homes, doing what they believed in. Our gratitude for their efforts and our sorrow at their loss cannot easily be measured in words.” Grijalva expressed his hope and belief that the people of Prescott and the surrounding area will remember the firefighters’ sacrifice after the fire has been contained. “People call them first responders, but firefighters are often the only responders,” Grijalva said. “They are men and women just like us who choose to dedicate their lives to protecting others. The nineteen men killed yesterday will be remembered not just for the lives and homes they saved, but for their willingness to brave that risk knowing the dangers, just as all firefighters do. I and my office are ready to assist their families, and the others affected by this terrible fire, in any way we can.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1524 | Grijalva Calls on Republicans to Support Bill That Keeps Student Loan Rate at 3.4 Percent, Stop Pushing Alternatives That Won't Pass | 2013-07-01 | 2013 | 2013-07 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today called on House and Senate Republicans to support the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act (H.R. 2574), which maintains the 3.4 percent interest rate on subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans that existed until this morning. The new rate of 6.8 percent will mean an estimated additional $2,600 in costs for approximately 7 million students, according to the Congressional Joint Economic Committee. Grijalva is supporting an effort to file a discharge petition on the bill, which would force Speaker of the House John Boehner to schedule a vote on it. A discharge petition needs 218 signatures, a bare majority of the House, to be successful. Even 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney supported extending the 3.4 percent rate for another year, Grijalva pointed out. “This was never meant to be controversial or get mired in politics,” Grijalva said. “This is about preventing financial hardship for students all over the country. They’re going to school, just as we tell them they should, and don’t need us to inflict any extra financial hardships on them now. We have a solution in our hands, and no purpose is served by playing games with this.” Grijalva has already signed the discharge petition and indicated his support for H.R. 2574, which would set the interest rate for any subsidized Stafford loan made between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 at 3.4 percent. The House passed a Republican bill earlier this year that would greatly increase costs for families over time, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service. As the Associated Press reported in May: Students who max out their subsidized Stafford loans over four years would pay $8,331 in interest payments under the Republican bill, and $3,450 if rates were kept at 3.4 percent. If rates were allowed to double in July, that amount would be $7,284 over the typical 10-year window to repay the maximum $19,000. [. . .] For students who borrow the maximum subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1519 | Grijalva Introduces Right to Rent Act of 2013 to Address Ongoing, Deepening Foreclosure Crisis in Arizona and Across the Country | 2013-06-28 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today introduced the Right to Rent Act of 2013 (H.R. 2580), an updated version of a bill he originally introduced in 2009 to allow families facing foreclosure to remain in their homes as renters by paying fair market value each month. The Right to Rent Act provides a strong incentive for banks or other lenders to modify mortgages to avoid becoming landlords. The bill allows a single-family homeowner who has resided in the home for at least 2 years – and purchased before 2007 at or below the median home price for that metropolitan area – to rent the home for up to five years. The provision is meant to help homeowners hit by the housing bubble of the last decade, rather than to bail out speculators. If a lender chooses to pursue foreclosure, the family has 25 business days to choose to rent and stay in the home as tenants, preventing the social problems, crime and lowered property values that often follow vacancies. This allows children to continue attending school and provides families adequate time to prepare a transition to a more permanent situation. The proposal requires no additional tax dollars or federal agencies and provides immediate relief for millions of homeowners in foreclosure. The bill, designed to prevent empty neighborhoods and homelessness, has historically been referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. Original cosponsors of the bill include Reps. Yvette Clarke, Lacy Clay, John Conyers, Keith Ellison, Rubén Hinojosa, Rush Holt, Marcy Kaptur, Barbara Lee, Eleanor Holmes Norton and Frederica Wilson. “Housing shouldn’t be a politically charged issue – this is a basic question of fixing a problem we can’t ignore,” Grijalva said. “Democrat, Republican or independent, we’re all here in Congress to represent our constituents and make sure the federal government is acting in their best interests. Right now, we can’t afford to pretend those interests are served by us doing nothing.” The foreclosure crisis is especially acute in… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1520 | Grijalva Introduce Propuesta de Ley "Derecho de Rentar del 2013" con enfoque en la Crisis de Ejecución Hipotecaria en Arizona y el País | 2013-06-28 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – El Congresista Raúl M. Grijalva hoy introdujo la propuesta de ley “Derecho de Rentar de 2013” (H.R. 2580), una versión moderna de la propuesta que originalmente introdujo en 2009 que permite a familias con ejecución hipotecaria quedarse en sus hogares como rentero y pagan el valor justo cada mes. La propuesta de ley “Derecho de Rentar” provee un gran incentive para bancos y otros prestadores que modifiquen hipotecas para evitar que se conviertan en gerentes de rentas. La propuesta permite a familias que han residido en el hogar por más de 2 años- y comprador la propiedad antes del 2007 al precio del Mercado por esa área- que renten el hogar por hasta 5 años. La propuesta es dirigida en ayudar a dueños de casa afectados por la crisis de viviendas en vez de ayuda financiera a los especuladores de comercio. Si un prestador prefiere la ejecución hipotecaria, la familia tiene 25 días de negocio para rentar y quedarse en el hogar como renteros, previene problemas sociales, crimen, y bajos valores de propiedades de siguen después de tal vacancias. Esto permite que niños continúen en sus escuelas y provee a familias bastante tiempos para planear a una situación permanente. Además, la propuesta previene vecindarios vacíos y desamparados. La propuesta no requiere fondos adicionales de agencias federales y ofrece ayuda inmediata para millones de personas en ejecución hipotecaria. La propuesta ha sido históricamente referido al Comité de servicios Financieros. Los patrocinadores originales son los diputados Yvette Clarke, Lacy Clay, John Conyers, Keith Ellison, Rubén Hinojosa, Rush Holt, Marcy Kaptur, Barbara Lee, Eleanor Holmes Norton y Frederica Wilson. “Nuestras viviendas no deben ser un tema político. No debemos ignorar este problema,” dijo Grijalva. “Demócrata, Republicano o independiente, todos estamos aquí para representar a nuestra gente y asegurar que el gobierno federal actúe en sus mejores intereses. En este momento, no debemos pretender que esos intereses son servidos… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1521 | El Congresista Raúl M. Grijalva es reconocido durante la Gran Semana al Aire Libre en América por sus esfuerzo en proteger las tierras y aguas de nuestro país | 2013-06-28 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON (junio 28, 2013) – El Congresista Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Tucson) fue reconocido como uno de los campeones de la Gran Semana al Aire Libre en América (junio 24-27, 2013). La Coalición de Arizona Silvestre (Arizona Wilderness Coalition ), El Instituto Sonorense (Sonoran Institute), La Sociedad Silvestre (Wilderness Society), y otras organizaciones han reconocido al Congresista Raúl M. Grijalva por sus trabajo y esfuerzo en proteger los espacios abiertos y sitios verdes de importancia en conectar a nuestra gente espacios de aire libre. Esta primavera, el Congresista Grijalva introduje la propuesta de ley Arizona Sonoran Desert Heritage Act (H.R. 1799) que protege a 954,000 acres de sitios silvestres al oeste de Phoenix.Esta legislación preserva a sitios silvestres claves y de recreación, protege a la base militar Luke Air Force Base y Barry M. Goldwater Range, y varios sitios ambientales para ayudar oportunidades económicas a las comunidades de valle oeste de Phoenix. Además, el congresista tuvo un papel importante en crear un permanente Sistema Nacional de Conservación de Tierras, el sistema más agresivo en los últimos 40 años del departamento del Interior.En el último congreso, el Congresista Grijalva lucho por la protección de Gran Cañón contra la amenaza minera de uranio.También lucho contra la propuesta H.R. 1505 que ponía en peligro a 49 millones de acres de tierras públicas entre las fronteras de México y Canadá, y es proponente de la expansión del Parque Nacional Saguaro y de retener la integridad ecológica de las Montañas Santa Rita en Tucson. “La protección de nuestras tierras públicas, aguas, y calidad de aire tiene que ser una prioridad de Washington, y yo lo he hecho durante toda mi Carrera," dijo el Congresista Grijalva.“No solo se trata del aprecio de aire libre, pero de qué tipo de país queremos vivir. Yo creo como millones de estadounidenses que la protección de nuestros espacios abiertos y preciosos pero delicadas tierras crean un futuro mejor para nuestros hijos y futuras g… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1522 | Arizona Wilderness Coalition, Wilderness Society, Other Groups Honor Grijalva as Conservation Champion at Great Outdoors Ceremony | 2013-06-28 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva was honored as one of America’s Great Outdoors Congressional Champions at a June 26 ceremony in Washington, D.C., as part of Great Outdoors America Week. The Arizona Wilderness Coalition, the Sonoran Institute, The Wilderness Society (TWS) and other participating groups honored Rep. Grijalva for working to protect America’s public lands and wilderness areas. Rep. Grijalva introduced the Arizona Sonoran Desert Heritage Act (H.R. 1799) April 26 to protect roughly 954,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat and recreation areas west of Phoenix. The legislation would preserve wildlife and recreation areas, safeguard the viability of Luke Air Force Base and the Barry M. Goldwater Range, and boost economic opportunities for West Valley communities. Grijalva has also played an integral role in creating a permanent National Landscape Conservation System within the Department of the Interior; successfully pushed to withdraw approximately 1 million acres around the Grand Canyon from new mining claims; opposed H.R. 1505, a bill that waives a series of critical environmental laws on 49 million acres of public lands within 100 miles of the Mexican and Canadian borders; supported the expansion of Saguaro National Park in cooperation with willing partners; and stood against the unpopular Rosemont Mine proposal, which would damage the ecology of the Santa Rita Mountains outside Tucson. “Protecting our country’s public lands, waters and air quality has to be one of Washington’s top priorities, and I’ve made it mine throughout my career,” Rep. Grijalva said. “It’s not just a question of appreciation for the outdoors, it’s a question of what kind of country we want to live in. I believe, like millions of other Americans, that protecting our sensitive and beautiful public spaces creates a better future for our children and their children. We can’t pit the needs of our environment against other political interests. They have to go hand in hand. I’m proud to share those values wi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1518 | Grijalva Hails Historic Senate Vote Approving Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill, Urges Speaker Boehner to Follow Up Quickly | 2013-06-27 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today hailed the Senate’s historic 68-32 vote to approve a comprehensive immigration reform package and urged Speaker of the House John Boehner to bring a truly bipartisan House bill to the floor for a vote. While he said he had reservations about parts of the Senate bill, he believes the process has to be allowed to move forward rather than held up for purely partisan reasons. “This is a time to move together on a bipartisan basis and really do the people’s business,” Grijalva said. “Speaker Boehner can show some leadership or keep playing the same political games that have Congress’ approval rating at a historic low. The American people are watching every step of this process very closely, and the next step is letting the House take a vote. Hiding and making excuses are not on the table.” Grijalva said he was disappointed in the Corker-Hoeven amendment, passed by the Senate earlier this week, that will lead to overspending on ineffective border security measures. “The amendment is a classic case of excess, overreach, overreaction, and wasting taxpayer money, and I reject the idea that it’s the only way to make this country safe,” Grijalva said. “The American people deserve a real debate about the merits of this militarize-the-border approach, because after years of trying it, we don’t have much to show for it. “We need to start hiring more officers at ports of entry to increase cross-border commerce and create jobs. We need to start considering the impacts our current law enforcement approaches are having on border communities. We’ve been treating immigration reform as a pure ‘lack of resources’ question for political reasons long enough. Let’s look at the real issues at stake for a change. Speaker Boehner can take that important step any time he chooses.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1516 | CPC Co-Chairs: Supreme Court Decisions Fulfill Promise in Constitution | 2013-06-26 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after the Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and invalidated a challenge to a lower-court ruling on Proposition 8, allowing same sex marriage to resume in the state of California: “We celebrate today’s decision by the Supreme Court to respect the right of all Americans to marry who they love. The road to today’s victories started 44 years ago at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, where the gay community made a public stand against institutional discrimination. Since that day, LGBT Americans have worked tirelessly for equal rights under the law. The decisions made by the Supreme Court today reaffirm those rights and move our country closer to fulfilling the promise in our Constitution of equal rights for all. “While today’s rulings were a positive step forward, yesterday’s Supreme Court decision to weaken the Voting Rights Act endangers voting rights and is a troubling step backward. We should celebrate the victory for marriage equality by working together to defend the voices of millions of Americans who may face increased discrimination at the polls after yesterday’s decision. Senator Harry Reid has already vowed that the Senate will act quickly to fix the problems created by yesterday’s ruling. The House should follow his lead as soon as possible.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1512 | Grijalva Calls Obama Climate Plan a Good First Step, Expects Keystone XL Decision to "Set an Important Environmental Tone" | 2013-06-25 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Note: This press release was updated. Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today called President Obama’s newly announced climate change prevention plan “a good first step” and said he was encouraged by the president proactively addressing the issue. Grijalva, the top Democrat on the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulations and a leading environmental voice in Congress, saluted the president for taking the initiative and presenting a clear agenda to the nation. In the speech, President Obama said the Keystone XL pipeline proposal should be blocked if it adds significant greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Grijalva said he hopes that in making a final decision, the president carefully considers the Environmental Protection Agency’s public comments on the project, released in April, suggesting that the State Department’s controversial draft environmental impact statement had not fully accounted for the pipeline’s likely atmospheric impacts. “This decision will set a tone on environmental policy in Washington for years to come,” Grijalva said. “The fate of this project will define much of the legacy of this administration and others to follow. I’m encouraged by the president’s clear and genuine interest in preventing more damage to our atmosphere, and I hope that consideration is foremost in his mind when the final decision is made.” Grijalva has been a leading Congressional opponent of Keystone XL and sent a letter to President Obama on May 25, co-signed by 29 of his colleagues, urging the president to reject the pipeline. That letter read in part, “Keystone XL will increase global demand for tar sands, which produce far more climate-heating emissions than conventional oil. There is a better way forward, and we call on you to continue leading the way.” “Today’s speech is what leading the way really looks like,” Grijalva said. “While I have reservations about certain aspects of his plan, I believe there is much the nation can agree on and put into practice in short order, an… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1514 | Grijalva Expresses Disappointment at Narrow Supreme Court Ruling Unraveling Decades-Old Voting Rights Act Preclearance Provision | 2013-06-25 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today expressed his deep disappointment in the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Shelby County v. Holder effectively gutting Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The decision overturned the current formula for deciding which states and localities must get preclearance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) before altering the borders of their elective districts and left it to Congress to create a new formula – a dim prospect in light of the House majority’s intransigence on a host of other important national issues. “This ruling doesn’t invite a better, more updated formula, it invites gridlock,” Grijalva said. “Today the majority on the Court washed its hands of evidence of discrimination, declared the current remedies invalid, and intentionally left it to a damaged institution to invent a new solution from scratch. That’s not going to sit well with millions of Americans who face disenfranchisement.” Grijalva noted that DOJ has blocked hundreds of proposed changes to electoral boundaries under Section 5 over the past several decades. “What about this law is broken?” he asked. “What about this law isn’t working? It’s doing exactly what it was intended to do – prevent discrimination and disenfranchisement. This is a political decision that will undermine confidence in our electoral process. Now people who experience problems will only be able to go to court after they’ve been denied their rights. This is a recipe for preventable legal trouble on a national scale. In that sense, this ruling is a disaster waiting to happen.” Congress reauthorized the current Voting Rights Act preclearance formula just seven years ago. Today’s decision renders that act of Congress invalid. “We proved in 2006, as we have several times previously, that preventing racial voting discrimination is a bipartisan goal,” Grijalva said. “I hope it remains a bipartisan goal and that Congress acts on this as soon as possible. Trust in government, as we’ve seen, is not inexhaustible. We need… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1515 | Former Oregon Lawmakers Join Groundswell of Endorsements for Grijalva as Next Ranking Member of Natural Resources Committee | 2013-06-25 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – In the latest sign of strong momentum for Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva to be the next ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, four former Oregon lawmakers, including former Rep. Jim Weaver, signed a letter circulated yesterday by environmental groups supporting Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva for ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee. The letter was also signed by former County Commissioners Bill Fleenor, Jerry Rust and Rob Handy. Weaver held his seat from 1974 to 1986 immediately before Rep. Peter DeFazio, who is also seeking the ranking member position, took it over. He sat on the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, the predecessor of today’s Natural Resources Committee, which was chaired by longtime Arizona Rep. Mo Udall beginning in 1977. Weaver, once DeFazio’s boss during his Congressional tenure, served six terms in the House and established a strong pro-environment record, especially through his profile as a national spokesman against the construction of further nuclear power plants. He sat on the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, the predecessor of today’s Natural Resources Committee. Weaver was also an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War and received early support from the pro-equality Human Rights Campaign. The letter was already previously signed by 178 environmental, conservation and outdoor groups and individuals – including the Alliance for Ethical Business, Center for Biological Diversity, CREDO Action, Gulf Restoration Network and the Western Lands Project – and sent to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi endorsing Grijalva. The updated letter is available at http://1.usa.gov/12nSBYJ. The environmental letter reads in part, “The Natural Resources Committee needs unwavering leadership that represents the diversity and strength of the Democratic party – someone who has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to work with all stakeholders while standing up to industry special interests. We believe Rep. Grijalva will bring to the position of … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1511 | National Latino Group, 187 Environmental Groups Endorse Grijalva to be Next Ranking Member of House Natural Resources Committee | 2013-06-24 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – In the latest sign of strong momentum for Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva to be the next ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, the national League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) passed a resolution over the weekend declaring its unqualified support for Grijalva and calling on House Democrats to vote for him in the upcoming contest to replace Rep. Ed Markey, who is widely expected to be elected to the Senate on June 25. The support follows last week’s endorsement by the California branch of LULAC and by the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, an umbrella group of 36 Latino policy and professional groups around the country. Separately, a letter signed by 187 environmental, conservation and outdoor groups and individuals – including the Alliance for Ethical Business, Center for Biological Diversity, CREDO Action, Gulf Restoration Network and the Western Lands Project – was sent this morning to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi endorsing Grijalva. That letter is available at http://1.usa.gov/10NEeD6. The environmental letter reads in part, “The Natural Resources Committee needs unwavering leadership that represents the diversity and strength of the Democratic party – someone who has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to work with all stakeholders while standing up to industry special interests. We believe Rep. Grijalva will bring to the position of Ranking Member the positive and collaborative approach needed to find solutions to these critical environmental issues.” Prior coverage of the Latino groups’ support for Grijalva is available at http://bit.ly/11W73Y3. In its June 20 letter, NHLA praised Grijalva’s “understanding of the many policy, political, social, economic, environmental, and demographic factors” important to conservation, immigration and other national issues. “It’s greatly humbling to know that so many groups and individuals share my vision of conservation and environmental protection for this country,” Grijalva said. “I believe in the importan… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1508 | Grijalva, Markey, Holt Introduce Mining Reform Bill to Increase Transparency, Collect Royalties Following GAO Report on Failures | 2013-06-21 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva, Ed Markey and Rush Holt yesterday introduced the Abandoned Mine Lands Cleanup and Taxpayer Fairness Act, a bill to modernize U.S. mining law and establish a royalty program to increase taxpayer return on investment. The bill is a response to the findings of a Government Accountability Office report Grijalva and Sen. Tom Udall requested in 2011 and received earlier this year. You can read more about the report at http://1.usa.gov/VCsOZS. The bill addresses shortcomings identified by GAO in several key areas. Among other provisions, the bill: - Establishes a 12.5 percent federal royalty on the gross income derived from any mining claim, to be deposited at the U.S. Treasury. This figure matches the federal royalty already charged on the proceeds of onshore oil and gas projects. - Requires thorough record-keeping for developing, producing, processing, transporting, purchasing, or selling locatable minerals. The bill allows for audits and reporting requirements to be determined by the Secretary of the Interior.1 - Protects certain sensitive places – such as federally designated Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and roadless areas, among others – from future mining development, and creates a process for states and Native American tribes to submit proposals to withdraw any area from future claims. It prevents new mining permits from being granted in National Parks or National Monuments. - Establishes an Abandoned Mine Cleanup Fund, to be disbursed by the Secretary of the Interior as follows: 30 percent to state or Indian territories based on a formula reflecting existing production; another 30 percent to state or Indian territories based on a formula reflecting historical production; 30 percent to high-priority abandoned sites regardless of location; and 10 percent in awarded grants. - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to issue regulations on reclamation s… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1506 | Grijalva Leads Letter to Interior Secretary Jewell Calling for Reforms of Wild Horse Program – Identical Citizen Letter Delivered Today | 2013-06-20 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today sent a letter, co-signed by a bipartisan group of 29 other House Members, to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell asking for review and reform of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program. An identical letter signed by more than 30,000 Americans – including celebrities such as Robert Redford, Carole King, Ali MacGraw, Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Noah Wylie, Wendie Malick, Betty White and Valerie Bertinelli – is being delivered this morning to the Department of Interior. You can read Grijalva’s letter at http://1.usa.gov/1awLk0s. The BLM program currently prioritizes roundups over alternatives that reduce the need for expensive stockpiling, and today 60 percent of U.S. wild horses live in government warehousing facilities. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recently released ‘Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: A Way Forward,’ which found that federal efforts waste taxpayer money and need major reforms. You can read the full report at http://bit.ly/12t8bta. “I’ve been asking for changes for years, and NAS has confirmed that we can save taxpayer money and horses’ lives at the same time by improving this program,” Grijalva said. “We have the information we need. Now it’s time to do something with it.” Secretary Jewell, Grijalva said, “has shown a true commitment to the conservation of America’s unique natural heritage, and I hope she gives America’s wild horses the attention they deserve. Congress had the wisdom to pass the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act in 1971. We can’t let mismanagement and waste be the only legacy of that far-sighted decision.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1503 | Grijalva Highlights Newly Open "Request for Proposals" Period for Sustainable Environmental Projects Along U.S.-Mexico Border | 2013-06-18 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – The Border Environment Cooperation Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 9 U.S.-Mexico Border 2020 Program have announced a Requests for Proposals (RFP) for projects along the border that will help meet the Program’s environmental and public health protection goals. Eligible participants can learn more at http://www.epa.gov/border2020. Region 9 includes Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Islands and encompasses 148 Tribal nations. A separate RFP will go out next month for Region 6, which includes New Mexico, Texas and several non-border states. Local and state governments, educational and research institutions, community organizations, non-governmental organizations and Tribal nations can present proposals; for-profit institutions are not eligible to apply. “Our southwestern border has some of the most unique environmental needs in the country, and this effort is important if we’re going to meet those needs,” Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva said. “Everyone with a stake in the outcome should apply to participate, whether through a small-scale program or a multi-state project. We’ll get better results the more we cooperate.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1504 | Rep. Grijalva Statement on Unconstitutional Republican Abortion Bill: "This Shouldn't be Driven by Men Who Dismiss Rape Victims" | 2013-06-18 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) released the following statement today after House Republicans passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a bill that prohibits abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy: “Republicans are once again trying to restrict the rights of American women to make medical decisions. It’s obvious they haven’t listened to the American people in pursuing this unconstitutional waste of time. It’s less obvious who they think they’re serving with this. “Women who seek these services are often in extreme economic straits or have discovered serious health risks in their pregnancy. In defending the bill, the author said the incidence of pregnancies from sexual violence is ‘very low.’ I suggest he tell that to the 30,000 women across the country who give birth as a result of rape each year. “After receiving heavy public condemnation, Republicans introduced an exception for victims of rape. This is too little, too late. We cannot allow the conversation we have about reproductive health to be driven by men who so easily dismiss victims of rape. The women and men of this country are watching this debate. Last-minute fig leaves aren’t going to cut it. “Despite their endless promises to the contrary, Republicans won’t focus on job creation. The House has now voted 37 times to repeal Obamacare, which prevents insurance companies from charging women more for the same coverage they offer men. Now we’re voting on a bill to restrict women’s rights to make health care decisions. Where are the jobs? “It’s time to stop hurting America’s women and put people back to work.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1502 | Grijalva Disappointed in Newly Finalized BLM Decision to Approve SunZia Energy Transmission Route on San Pedro Riparian Corridor | 2013-06-17 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today expressed deep disappointment with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) newly finalized Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a power transmission line projected to pass through several sensitive riparian areas along the San Pedro River in Southern Arizona. The project, proposed by SunZia Transmission, LLC, will result in the construction and operation of up to two 500-kilovolt transmission lines connecting a new substation in Socorro or Lincoln County, N.M., with the Pinal Central Substation in Pinal County. The EIS released on Friday confirms that the BLM’s preferred route will pass through the San Pedro, a plan Grijalva and local stakeholders have opposed for more than a year. “This route will damage a precious Southern Arizona resource and harm sensitive species. It’s that simple,” Grijalva said. “I’m not alone in wondering why we can’t focus more on following existing transmission routes. The BLM’s proposal is inconsistent with its conservation goals in the San Pedro Watershed. The benefits of building this project specifically along this route do not outweigh the risks to wildlife and sensitive ecosystems that it presents.” He also cited concerns about the impacts on rural communities from the construction of a 1,400-foot-wide transmission corridor with up to eight 135-foot towers every mile. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently assessing the San Pedro for its conservation value – a process that could contradict BLM’s findings. More information about that effort is available at http://1.usa.gov/18S83Wx. “We have to protect the San Pedro River and keep in mind the communities that call this unique place home,” Grijalva said.“These considerations were often forgotten or ignored in the past, to the detriment of entire regions of the country. The public demands a route with the fewest negative impacts to archaeological resources, migratory birds and rural communities. I don’t believe this route fits the bill.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1501 | Grijalva Statement on Arizona Medicaid Expansion: "Illness Doesn't Care About Politics, and Today The Simple Facts Have Prevailed" | 2013-06-14 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement this morning following the Arizona State Legislature’s passage yesterday of a bill to expand Medicaid eligibility through the Affordable Care Act. “Over the last few years, an ideological governor and Legislature ignored economic common sense and the will of the voters and chipped away at our health care programs. Yesterday they realized that illness and injury don’t care about politics. The simple facts have prevailed, and our state will be much better for it. “The people of Arizona have been fighting for the right to basic health since long before they voted to expand Medicaid in 2000. I’m very glad the Legislature considered the economic consequences of forcing sick people to seek care in emergency rooms and made the right decision. Improving access to quality health care is an issue that should unite people in this country, not divide them. Yesterday’s move unites us. “I am proud and very happy that Arizona has taken this momentous step forward. I hope this is a sign of things to come.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1499 | Grijalva Responds to Steve King's Cries of Being Invaded: "Talk to Them, Steve – You'll Learn Something About the United States" | 2013-06-13 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today released the following statement in response to Rep. Steve King’s public cries of distress over being visited by DREAM Act-eligible students at his Washington, D.C., office. “Poor Steve King. When Dreamers come to his office to address his attacks on them, he calls them invaders and hides under his desk. “Don’t be afraid, Steve. They’re just like you. They love this country. They want the American promise to be available to everyone. “Talk to them, Steve. You’ll learn something about the United States.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1500 | Grijalva Clarifies Yesterday's Banking Vote – Accidentally Reversed Position on Two Bills, Does Not Support Gutting Dodd-Frank | 2013-06-13 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva read a brief statement on the House floor today clarifying yesterday’s recorded vote on a Republican bill to gut the Dodd-Frank banking reform law. Grijalva inadvertently voted in favor of the Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act and against the Democratic alternative (known as a Motion to Recommit). He clarified today that his votes were unintentional and that he opposes the Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act. Grijalva’s statement does not change the way his vote is counted on passage of the bill, but his statement will be noted in the debate history. His full statement is below. His request to have the statement appear after roll call votes refers to its placement in the official Congressional record of the proceedings. “I ask unanimous consent for my statement to appear immediately after Roll Call vote 217 and 218. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, June 12, I inadvertently switched my recorded votes for roll call 217 and 218. The votes were on the Motion to Recommit with Instructions and on passage of the Swap Jurisdiction Certainty Act, respectively. My intended vote should be noted as a ‘yea’ on roll call 217 and a ‘nay’ on roll call 218.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1496 | Grijalva Office Hosting Immigration Reform Informational Event on Pascua Yaqui Nation This Tuesday, June 11, With Nuns on the Bus | 2013-06-10 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – The Tucson district office of Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva is hosting an informational event this Tuesday, June 11, to explain the effects of immigration reform on Native American communities and the country as a whole. The event will take place in conjunction with Nuns on the Bus, a group of Catholic Sisters traveling across the country in support of immigrants and legal reform. The event is free and open to the public. Pascua Yaqui Chairman Peter Yucupicio and Tohono O’odham Chairman Ned Norris will be among the speakers. If You Go When: Tuesday, June 11, at 6:00 p.m. Where: Pascua Yaqui Nation Albert D. Garcia Justice Center, 7777 S. Camino Huivisim (Building C) Directions from Tucson: Go west on Valencia Rd. to Yaqui Nation, turn south on Camino de Oeste, turn west onto West Calle Torim, then take an immediate left onto Camino Huivisim For more information: Call Ruben Reyes in Rep. Grijalva’s Tucson office at (520) 622-6788 or e-mail him at ruben.reyes@mail.house.gov | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1493 | Grijalva Calls NSA Domestic Surveillance Overreach "A Serious Breach of Faith Between the Government and the American People" | 2013-06-07 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today called the National Security Agency’s overreaching domestic surveillance programs “a serious breach of faith between the federal government and the American people” and called on the administration to curtail and explain the excessive records sweeps documented over the past 48 hours. “Senator Obama would not have supported this program under President Bush,” Grijalva said. “A secretive intelligence agency gathering millions of phone records and using them as it sees fit is the kind of excess many of us warned about after the Patriot Act became law. Continuing this program indefinitely gives the impression of being under constant siege and needing to know everything at all times to keep us safe, which I find a very troubling view of American security policy.” Grijalva called for the court decisions approving the program – which is not limited to Verizon Business Networks and did not originate in April of this year, according to multiple reports – to be released so Congress and the public can understand the scope of the effort. “We’re being assured that this is limited, supervised and no big deal,” Grijalva said. “When we heard the same under President Bush, we weren’t comfortable taking his word for it and moving on. I feel the same today.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1495 | Grijalva Questions Fish and Wildlife Service Decision to Remove Wolves From Endangered Species List Across Most of Western U.S. | 2013-06-07 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today questioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) newly proposed rule to remove Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for most gray wolves in the lower 48 states. The gray wolf was classified as an endangered and threatened species under the ESA in 1973, the same year Congress passed the law. Thanks to those increased protections, wolf populations have increased throughout the West since becoming nearly extinct in the 1950s. After rumors about a proposed rule led to a temporary pause by the agency earlier this year, FWS announced today that it will transfer the management of Northern gray wolves to state wildlife management agencies. The rule declares the Mexican gray wolf a distinct subspecies that will continue to receive ESA protection. According to FWS, the Mexican gray wolf is the most genetically distinct of the U.S. gray wolf population. A small pack reintroduced in 1998 lives in the Blue Range Wolf Recover Area, an area that spans New Mexico and Arizona. “Wolves are an integral part of the North American ecosystem, and their reintroduction has invigorated landscapes in ways that we didn’t anticipate,” said Rep. Grijalva. “I’m very disappointed by this proposed rule. After years of progress, now is not the right time to hand over this delicate and complicated multi-state effort to local agencies. Federal protections are working, and they should continue until a scientific consensus determines the gray wolf is fully recovered throughout its former habitat.” FWS claims that the decision is based on the best available science, but many scientists close to the recovery effort warn that the gray wolf is a long way from full recovery and express concern that FWS has ignored suitable habitat in many regions of the country. Their position is outlined in the attached letter, which you can read online at http://1.usa.gov/ZyN58Q. Grijalva’s concerns with the proposal are detailed in a recent letter he sent to FWS. You can read it at http://1.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1490 | Grijalva Urges More Funding to Address the Backlog of Veterans Benefits Claims – Highlights Yesterday's Vote to Hire More Staff | 2013-06-05 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C – Rep. Raul M. Grijalva today highlighted yesterday’s House vote on the Democratic alternative to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 2216). The alternative, formally known as a Motion to Recommit, would have added $9.2 million in nationwide funding – double the figure in the Republican version of the bill – to hire 94 more claims processors to help reduce the chronic veterans disability claims backlog. The increase would be offset by unused military construction funds. There are currently more than 900,000 veterans disability claims waiting to be processed. The average wait time is 9 months, and for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is closer to 11 months, as explained in March by CNN. You can read more at http://bit.ly/18Xdi6y. “Soldiers and veterans don’t deserve to be ignored when they ask for the benefits they worked and fought so hard to earn,” Grijalva said. “I’ve heard all kinds of heartbreaking stories from Southern Arizonans about how the backlog has affected their lives. Late treatments, less income, lower quality housing and fewer services aren’t what they signed up for or what they were promised.” Grijalva voted for the Democratic alternative, which did not pass. The Republican version with the lower funding level passed the House and now goes to the Senate. Veterans can learn more about disability benefits at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1491 | Grijalva Reacts to National Academy of Sciences Report on BLM Wild Horse and Burro Management: "A Needed Wakeup Call" | 2013-06-05 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Following today’s release of the long-awaited National Academy of Sciences report on the Wild Horse and Burro Program at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva released the following statement: “The National Academies report highlights and expands upon many of my concerns with the Bureau’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. BLM cannot continue to spend 70 percent of the program’s budget on roundups and long-term corralling. These unsustainable practices are a waste of taxpayer money and jeopardize the health and safety of wild horses across the West. “The fact that current management practices are actually increasing population growth is one of the biggest takeaways. This report is a needed wakeup call that should lead to the corrective actions I’ve been requesting for years. Contraception can lower herd size and prevent the terrible practice of ‘warehousing’ wild horses. There’s no reason not to start meaningful contraception efforts immediately. “The report finds that the entire program needs to be reevaluated, and I will continue to communicate the importance of reform to Secretary Jewell and leadership at the BLM as we move forward.” The report, ‘Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: A Way Forward,’ published by the National Research Council, a division of NAS, can be found at http://bit.ly/12t8bta. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1492 | Grijalva Introduces Resolution Recognizing the Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps – Others Join Him to Salute 80th Anniversary | 2013-06-05 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today introduced a House Resolution recognizing the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps on the occasion of its 80th anniversary. Reps. Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, Rick Nolan, and Ann McLane Kuster are original cosponsors. As part of the New Deal, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps to boost civil works projects and provide employment for low-skilled workers during the Great Depression. Participants were paid to do natural resource conservation and infrastructure improvement jobs on public lands across the country. “We owe a great debt to the Civilian Conservation Corps, and every American should remember how important it’s been to his or her community,” Grijalva said. “The CCC built some of America’s greatest parks, helped clean up our environment, improved public access to the great outdoors on a monumental scale, and engaged millions of youth in conservation, education, and workforce training projects. Americans still benefit each year from the what the Corps did for this country, and today’s Corps Network continues that important legacy.” “The young people of the CCC preserved and restored habitats around the country and educated local communities about the importance of protecting our environment for future generations,” Rep. Ellison said. “The creation of the CCC at such an important time in our nation’s history is a testament to the value of America’s natural resources to our heritage.” “America is truly better off today because of the generations who have contributed to the work of the CCC,” Rep. McCollum said. “My father, Hank Nolan, served in the CCC, and that program helped keep our family and a great many of our neighbors going through some very tough years,” Rep. Nolan said. “So it’s an honor for me to join my colleagues in sponsoring this bill.” In addition to the Resolution, Rep. Grijalva earlier this year introduced the Public Lands Service Corps Act (H.R. 1351). The bill enhances … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1489 | Grijalva Cites Impacts on Tribes in Opposing Gosar Bill to Outlaw Presidential Declarations of New National Monuments in Arizona | 2013-06-04 | 2013 | 2013-06 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today expressed serious concerns about Rep. Paul Gosar’s newly introduced Arizona Land Sovereignty Act (H.R. 1495), which would prohibit presidents from designating any new national monuments in Arizona. Presidents have had the authority to designate new national monuments to protect sensitive cultural or environmental resources since the non-controversial passage of the Antiquities Act in 1906. Gosar’s bill is especially misplaced in Arizona, Grijalva said, because 16 of the state’s 18 current national monuments were presidentially designated, including several of the nation’s most visited. Organ Pipe, Montezuma Castle and Canyon de Chelly – each created by presidential order – are among the 20 most visited national monuments in the country. All but three of the state’s monuments were created to protect Native American rock art, artifacts, ruins, quarries, habitations or other cultural resources. “There’s a point at which we have to wonder whose interest is being served here,” Grijalva said. “With all due respect to my colleague Rep. Gosar, this bill smacks of special interests and trying to score cheap political points. The Antiquities Act has done more than any other law to preserve thousands of years of Native American heritage. Suddenly we’re supposed to believe it’s a federal emergency worthy of Congressional meddling.” Gosar’s bill, among others, will be discussed at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulations on Thursday. Arizona’s national monuments include: - Sonoran Desert National Monument (created by President Bill Clinton) - Ironwood Forest National Monument (created by President Bill Clinton) - Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (created by President Woodrow Wilson) - Tonto National Monument (created by President Theodore Roosevelt) - Agua Fria National Monument (created by President Bill Clinton) - Montezuma Castle National Mo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1488 | Grijalva Congratulates Southern Arizona Recipients of Interior Department Grants to Train Youth in Conservation and Land Management | 2013-05-24 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Tucson, Ariz. – Rep. Grijalva today congratulated Youth & Wildlife Conservation as Las Cienegas Grasslands and the Arizona Youth Conservation Engagement Pathway Pilot Project on being among the 22 recipients of new Interior Department grants to train and employ youth on public lands. The grants are part of the Obama administration’s 21st Century Conservation Service Corps and will employ 600 young people between the ages of 15 and 25 in conservation and land management. Specific details about the projects, which were funded on a competitive basis, are available here. “I’m excited to see the Interior Department investing in the future of stewardship, especially so close to home,” Grijalva said. “Our public lands are our national heritage, and people coming out of high school and college should be encouraged to pursue these kinds of careers. Without skilled managers, interpreters and promoters, our public lands will be at risk of degradation and lack of public interest, and that would be a terrible legacy to leave our grandchildren.” As Tom Kiernan, the president of the National Parks Conservation Association, recently explained in a Huffington Post op-ed, “Before grappling with the new federal mandate tocut 5 percent of its entire operating budget, the [National Park Service] was already suffering from a funding shortfall in the hundreds of millions of dollars, had already taken a 15 percent cut in the last decade, and already has a staggering $12 billion maintenance backlog.” You can read that entire piece at http://huff.to/Z5o0lJ. Grijalva sponsors the Public Lands Service Corps Act, which reforms and updates that Public Lands Corps program to employ youth in public lands conservation across the country. Corps participants carry out a variety of work at many of the country’s most visited landscapes, including trail maintenance, wildlife monitoring, and forest fire mitigation. Grijalva’s bill updates Public Lands Corps employee activities to be in line with current needs and land managemen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1485 | Grijalva Leads Letter to EPA, Other Agencies Calling for End to Clean Water Act Loopholes That Allow Mining Company Pollution | 2013-05-23 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva, Rush Holt and Colleen Hanabusa today wrote the heads of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), White House Council on Environmental Quality and Army of Corps of Engineers (ACE) to ask for a review of Clean Water Act implementing regulations. Loopholes currently allow mining companies to discharge waste into nearby waters in spite of the law’s intent. The letter – signed by 11 other Members of Congress – asks the EPA and ACE to close two specific loopholes in the rules they currently use to enforce the Clean Water Act. One states that “waste treatment systems” are not waters of the United States, allowing mining operations to treat rivers, lakes, and streams as dumping grounds for untreated toxic waste. The second was created by a 2002 regulatory rewrite that redefined “fill,” the leftover waste from hard rock and coal mining operations, and shifted oversight of fill disposal to Section 404 of the CWA. Scrutiny under Section 404 is much more lenient than a separate pollution standard that was designed to regulate dumping of industrial waste products. “Because of these two loopholes, the industry gets a free pass to contaminate our waters, and minority populations are bearing the brunt of this,” Rep. Grijalva said. “The administration can address this quickly without cost to taxpayers. This is a crisis that doesn’t have to exist.” “Too often mining companies are given sweetheart deals at the expense of local communities and the environment,” Rep. Holt said. “The Clean Water Act loopholes addressed in this letter can and should be fixed administratively. Expedited action will help to ensure that low-income and native communities are protected from unsafe drinking water that has been tainted by toxic mining waste." “Closing these loopholes will allow us to fulfill our obligation to protect America’s rivers, lakes, and wetlands,” Rep. Hanabusa said. “The intent of the Clean Water Act is clear: to ensure that clean water is available for consumption, agri… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1487 | Grijalva Letter to Obama Urging Keystone XL Pipeline Rejection Gets More Democrats Than Voted Yesterday to Approve the Project | 2013-05-23 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today sent a letter to President Obama urging him to deny a permit for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. The letter – co-signed by 29 Members of Congress, all Democrats – highlights the impact the pipeline would have on the environment and explains why pipeline supporters’ job creation claims are completely inaccurate. Only 18 Democrats voted yesterday in favor of H.R. 3, a Republican-passed bill that approves the project, bypasses a customary review of environmental and health impacts, and ignores the protocol established by the National Environmental Policy Act. President Obama, citing the bill’s erosion of decades of well-established review, has issued a veto threat for H.R. 3. Grijalva’s letter is attached and the text is included below. A PDF is available at http://1.usa.gov/16cfE1f. “The president has to make this decision, and our letter and message are more timely than ever now that Republicans are forcing the issue,” Grijalva said. “The American people don't support this project, and President Obama needs to know he has the backing in Congress to do the right thing and reject the proposal. We’ve made too much progress on reducing carbon emissions and improving fuel efficiency to take any more giant steps backwards.” Tar sands oil, which Keystone XL would carry if approved, produce 40 percent more carbon pollution than conventional oils. Supporters often point to a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) prepared by the State Department concluded that Keystone XL would not impact climate change because Albertan tar sands oil would come to market whether or not Keystone XL is approved. A thorough analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that, at the very least, full comprehension of the climate impacts requires more analysis than the State Department provided. In its analysis, EPA found that additional carbon emission from tar sands crude production could amount to 935 metric tons over the next 50 years. “The… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1483 | Grijalva Joins Homeowners' Calls for More Federal Action on Lending Reform, Expresses Support for Activists Protesting in Washington | 2013-05-22 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today called on the Department of Justice, the Federal Housing Finance Agency and other federal entities to prosecute banking fraud, help homeowners facing wrongful foreclosures, and stabilize the economy. Protests in Washington, D.C., yesterday by homeowner activists resulted in several tazing incidents and 17 arrests, leading Grijalva to question why public protests are needed to draw attention to one of the main causes of our weak economy. “It’s ridiculous that homeowners are facing more legal trouble than the people who destroyed our economy in the first place,” Grijalva asked. “We know what happened. The whole tragic history of illegal foreclosure robo-signings and gigantic banker bonuses is public record. And yet here we are arresting working people who want their homes and their livelihoods intact.” As CNBC reported earlier this month in an article headlined “Foreclosure Crisis Still Has Millions in Its Grip,” the recently negotiated federal settlement with big banks has done nothing to improve the economy or end most homeowners’ difficulties: More than two years after regulators confirmed widespread reports of abusive mortgage practices, the government is making only halting progress in fixing the problem, according to homeowners, their attorneys, housing counselors and public officials. It's not only a dilemma for the people caught in the foreclosure noose; it's also holding back a broader housing recovery and slowing the nation's economic recovery. The scope of the systemic failure has been widely known for much longer, following widespread reports of lax procedures; flawed, inaccurate or missing documentation; and poor communication with borrowers. In April, 2011, the nation’s top bank regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, issued a sweeping enforcement action to address “failures and deficiencies” and ordered 14 lenders to fix them “swiftly and comprehensively.” “None of this is a secret, so why are we locking up hard-work… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1484 | Grijalva Highlights $300,000 Grant for Goodyear, Ariz., to Recharge West Salt River Aquifer – Part of $20.8 Million National Effort | 2013-05-22 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today highlighted a new $300,000 grant for the City of Goodyear, Ariz., to help recharge the West Salt River Aquifer. The grant is one of 44 projects in 11 states that will receive a total of $20.8 million in WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants from the Bureau of Reclamation. The grants will aid in conserving water for more than 400,000 people, according to federal estimates. Goodyearwill install five new injection wells so that available reclaimed water can be used to recharge the West Salt River Aquifer. The project is expected to result in water savings of 2,800 acre-feet annually by allowing for the storage of a locally available supply that can be used to meet future demands. “Drought and our ever-growing population are recipes for serious trouble in the near future, and local governments need these grants to plan ahead,”Grijalva said. “This is timely federal assistance, and I congratulate Goodyear on pursuing and getting these funds to help the community prepare.” Any entity receiving these funds must provide at least a 50percent match. Eligible entities include states, Native American tribes, irrigation districts, water districts or other organizations with water or power delivery authority in the 17 Western states, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. The complete list of projects is available at http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/weeg.To learn more about WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/weeg. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1481 | Grijalva Urges Interior Secretary to Cancel Pending Rule That Would End Endangered Species Act Protections for Many U.S. Wolves | 2013-05-17 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today sent a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell urging her to cancel a pending rule that would cancel endangered species status for most U.S. wolf populations. The letter is attached and the text is available below. The rule was scheduled to be released this week but has not yet been published in the federal register. Grijalva calls on Jewell and the Interior Department not to release it and maintain full Endangered Species Act protections for wolf populations currently covered by the law. “Today we stand at a crossroads for wolf recovery,” Grijalva writes. “Populations have grown substantially in the Great Lakes and the Northern Rockies. Individual wolves have dispersed into California, the Pacific Northwest, the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Northeast. Now is the time to support full wolf recovery, not shut down our efforts. With your leadership, our great country has a real opportunity to recover wolves on a national level[.]” As USA Today reported in April, “If the rule is enacted, it would transfer control of wolves to state wildlife agencies by removing them from the federal list of endangered species. The government has been considering such a move since at least 2011, but previously held off given concerns among scientists and wildlife advocates who warn it could effectively halt the species' expansion.” Grijalva, the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulations, supports continued Endangered Species Act protections for wolves where scientifically appropriate throughout the country. ^^^ Dear Secretary Jewell: It is my understanding that the Department of Interior this week decided to withhold publication of a proposed rule that would have removed gray wolves outside the Southwest from the endangered species list. If true, this is welcome news and a wise decision. Such a rule would end federal recovery efforts for certain endangered wolves and cause irreparable harm. Today we stand a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1478 | Grijalva Supports Department of Veterans Affairs Decision to Mandate Overtime for Claims Processors in Tucson, Other Benefits Offices | 2013-05-16 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today announced his full support for new Department of Veterans Affairs efforts to reduce the nationwide veterans benefits claims backlog. The VA announced this week that it will mandate overtime work by claims processors in each of its 56 regional benefits offices. This is the second recent step the VA has taken to reduce the department’s severe claims backlog. The VA has placed an emphasis on settling high-priority claims such as those by homeless veterans, those claiming financial hardship, the terminally ill, former prisoners of war, Medal of Honor recipients, and veterans filing Fully developed Claims, which are explained at http://www.benefits.va.gov/transformation/fastclaims/. “Soldiers and veterans don’t deserve to be ignored when they ask for the benefits they worked and fought so hard to earn,” Grijalva said. “I’ve heard all kinds of heartbreaking stories from Southern Arizonans about how the backlog has affected their lives. Late treatments, less income, lower quality housing and fewer services aren’t what they signed up for or what they were promised. This is a good step by the VA and I hope it’s a sign of more to come.” The VA expects to treat around 5.5 million veterans in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam this year, the majority of whom have medical issues due to their military service. The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System in Tucson serves more than 170,000 veterans in eight counties in Southern Arizona and one county in Western New Mexico. Claims for wounded soldiers separating from the military for medical reasons will continue to be handled separately on a priority basis with the Department of Defense through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System. Veterans can learn more about disability benefits at http://www.ebenefits.va.gov. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1479 | Grijalva Recognizes Tucson Social Security Admin. Interim District Manager Sylvia Johnson For Public Service Recognition Week | 2013-05-16 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva last week selected Sylvia P. Johnson as Southern Arizona’s highlighted employee in honor of Public Service Recognition Week, when Americans honor the dedication of our public servants and celebrate excellence in government. The event is hosted each year by the Public Employees Roundtable, a non-partisan coalition committed to supporting public service in Washington, D.C., and around the country. Sylvia began her career in the Tucson District Office as a Claims Development Clerk in 1985. She was promoted to service representative for the Nogales Branch Office in 1988 and to SSI claims representative in July 1995. In April 2003, she was selected as a management support specialist. Sylvia has been the District Manager for the Nogales Social Security office since April 2007. Sylvia is now acting as the interim district manager for the South Tucson District while still managing the Nogales office. In December 2003 and August 2007, she was awarded the Regional Commissioner’s Citation for her exemplary work. “We too easily forget that government employees of all kinds are doing harder jobs, working longer hours, and going with fewer thank-yous than many of their friends and neighbors. It’s a shame that some people have made serving the public a political issue, as though helping veterans and retirees is one step removed from tyranny. Sylvia has exemplified the best of public service for many years, and she’s earned this recognition and much more. I thank her once again for her dedication, her hard work, and her years of public service.” Ms. Johnson was not immediately available when the decision was made last week. Rep. Grijalva’s office will offer her a certificate of thanks at a future date. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1480 | House Republicans Look Other Way on Oil Company Payments to Foreign Nations, Block Disclosure Requirements for Industry | 2013-05-16 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – House Republicans voted today to allow secret payments from oil companies to foreign nations as part of their efforts to expand new drilling deals between the United States and foreign countries. The legislation passed by the Republican majority on the House Natural Resources Committee leaves the door open for abuse and bribery as oil companies jockey for advantage. The Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreements Authorization Act approved earlier today establishes a new oil drilling arrangement between the United States and Mexico. The bill includes a provision waiving a section of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that mandates disclosure of corporate payments to foreign nations. Dodd-Frank applies the rule to any country that shares a border with America, including Russia and Mexico. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva offered an amendment to the bill during committee discussion to put the disclosure requirements back in the legislation. Republicans voted it down. “House Republicans said today that we don’t need to know how oil companies secure their drilling rights,” Grijalva said. “Big oil is making record profits and has been throwing around more money every year. If payments to countries like Mexico and Russia are allowed to happen under the table, we may never know how much the market is being skewed.” The Dodd-Frank requirement, formally called the SEC Natural Resource Extraction disclosure rule, is intended to protect investors by informing them when a company makes payments to a government that could expose the company to civil liability or criminal sanctions. It aims to increase transparency in the developing world and end the cycles of government corruption in many countries with abundant mineral resources. The American Petroleum Institute (API) opposes the Dodd-Frank requirement on disclosing foreign payments and has taken the Securities and Exchange Commission to court to block it. Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1477 | Rep. Grijalva Hosting Public Health Forum to Explain Affordable Care Act Policy Changes - Event is Free and Open to the Public May 29 | 2013-05-13 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva is hosting a public health forum in Tucson on Wed., May 29, to explain Affordable Care Act health care policy changes. The event, which will focus on opportunities for women and young people, is free and open to Southern Arizonans of all ages who RSVP with Adriana Perez at adriana.perez@mail.house.gov. Grijalva will speak at the event alongside local and national health experts. Attendees can ask questions, learn about opportunities to improve their health, and get information on finding affordable coverage. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the following improvements – among many others – have already been made or will soon be made to the health insurance industry: • Women can now access a wide range of free preventive services they previously would have had to pay for, often out of pocket. • Young people can stay on their parents’ health insurance until age 26. • Starting next year, no new insurance plans will be able to charge women higher premiums than men for the same coverage. • Also starting next year, no new insurance plans will be able to drop coverage for women who become pregnant. Many companies now consider pregnancy a “pre-existing condition” on which to base the decision to cancel coverage. Beginning in January 2014, no new health insurance policy can be denied on the basis of pregnancy or any other pre-existing condition. A full list of Affordable Care Act changes to the health industry, along with implementation dates and deadlines, is available at http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html. The Tucson event is taking place in cooperation with El Rio Community Health Center. Anyone with questions should call Jessie Baxter in Rep. Grijalva’s Tucson district office at (520) 622-6788. If You Go What: Public forum on upcoming Affordable Care Act policy changes When: 3:00 p.m. on Wed., May 29 Who: Rep. Grijalva, local health experts, Department of Health and Human Services officials Where: El Pueblo Nei… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=13&itemid=1476 | Grijalva Introduces Saguaro National Park Boundary Expansion and Study Act – Reps. Barber, Kirkpatrick are Original Cosponsors | 2013-05-10 | 2013 | 2013-05 | Democrat | House | AZ | Raúl Grijalva | G000551 | grijalva.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, the ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulations, introduced the Saguaro National Park Boundary Expansion and Study Act of 2013 yesterday afternoon. Reps. Ron Barber and Ann Kirkpatrick are original cosponsors. This year’s version of the bill, which has been introduced in previous Congresses, seeks to expand the boundaries of the park to includes 2,525 acres identified by the Park Superintendent for their resource values and ecological characteristics. New additions will enhance current ecological protections and create a permanent wildlife corridor to the Santa Cruz River from Saguaro National Park through the Sweetwater Preserve. Expanding the boundaries of the park based on resource value and the identification of willing landowners prevents incongruous development and contributes to the lasting integrity of the Park. “Saguaro National Park is one of the things that makes Tucson and Southern Arizona such a special to live,” Grijalva said. “Not many major cities are lucky enough to be surrounded by a National Park, and we have to do what we can prevent encroachment. Land with critical resource values and important historical and cultural resources should be part of the park.” “Arizona’s environmental treasures are also economic drivers,” Kirkpatrick said. “Saguaro National Park is one of Southern Arizona’s great destinations of southwestern beauty, and it draws more than 600,000 recreation visitors a year. Conservation efforts that help our national parks help all of us.” “Saguaro National Park is a jewel of Tucson and Southern Arizona. I am a strong supporter of this expansion and urge my colleagues in the House to support this bill and quickly move it through the legislative process,” Barber said. “I am especially pleased that the bill has such a wide breadth of support from the private property owners in the surrounding areas. Our open spaces in southern Arizona are important to preserve for both the enjoyment… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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