WASHINGTON – Today, during a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a Marine combat veteran, raised serious concerns over the Trump Administration’s cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that threaten veterans’ mental health care. He also reiterated his blanket hold on Trump’s VA nominees until the Administration reverses course on its drastic cuts:   “I placed a blanket hold on all President Trump’s nominees to the VA, especially following the fact they are cutting 83,000 jobs because I just don’t see how it is possible for the VA to fire so many employees without it affecting care for veterans, especially health care,” said Senator

WASHINGTON – Today, on National Fentanyl Awareness Day, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) is reiterating his commitment to fighting fentanyl trafficking and keeping Arizona communities safe. He supported the Contraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful (CATCH) Fentanyl Act, which would strengthen the inspection of vehicles and cargo at the southern border by requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to test new detection technologies at land ports of entry (POEs). “We need every available tool to stop fentanyl from entering our communities, and that starts with improving border inspections and investing in smart, effective detection technology,” said Senator Gallego. The CATCH Fentanyl Act would require CBP to analyze and test five new pieces

WASHINGTON — Head Start programs in Arizona received word that their funding will be released. This comes after Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and other lawmakers pushed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last week to stop withholding federal funds that more than 17,000 children in Arizona rely on. The previously delayed funds left an Arizona Head Start program unable to make payroll and forced to take out a loan to pay staff. “Eliminating Head Start would be catastrophic for Arizona.  At a time when our state is already in a childcare crisis, cutting Head Start would devastate working families, displace thousands of educators, and rob 17,000 children of vital