Legislation would retroactively give refunds to same-sex married couples who were denied opportunity to lower tax bill by filing jointly WASHINGTON –  On the ten-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognized a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, and the twelve-year anniversary of U.S. v. Windsor, which struck down as unconstitutional the federal definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) backed the bipartisan Refund Equality Act to ensure that married same-sex couples can amend their tax returns back to the date of their marriage, helping them secure an estimated total of $55 million in refunds.  “Every married couple deserves to be treated equally under the

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced the Border Patrol Recruitment Enhancement Act to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) hire qualified agents and officers faster and address its persistent staffing shortage. The bill would allow CBP to waive the polygraph requirement for certain pre-vetted applicants who currently serve or have served in law enforcement or the military. “CBP is stretched thin, and the hiring system is part of the problem. We’re losing qualified applicants to red tape and delays,” said Senator Gallego. “If you’ve already served in the military or law enforcement, we shouldn’t be making you jump through unnecessary hoops just to serve your country again. I’m

Seventeen Arizona students landed at Sky Harbor International Airport this morning after the Senators pushed officials for their safe and expedited departure from Israel PHOENIX – Today, Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) announced the successful and safe return of 33 American students, including 17 from Arizona, who were evacuated from Israel amidst the recent conflict with Iran. The offices of Senators Gallego and Kelly worked closely with U.S. officials and the families to get them safely back to American soil.   “No parent should have to endure the fear and uncertainty of having their child caught in a conflict zone,” said Senator Gallego. “My office worked around the clock,