Transportation & Infrastructure
Congressman Gonzalez is committed to ensuring the health and safety of all South Texans as well as ensuring that people are able to travel or transport goods safely through the region. This means providing robust federal funding for the construction, maintenance, repair, and expansion of levees that mitigate flooding, water treatment plants and filtration facilities that provide potable water to our communities and farmers and ranchers, highways and bridges that support family vehicles and freight, freight and passenger railway systems, and air traffic control towers, runways, and terminals that ensure safe and efficient air travel.
The 15th District is home to the Pharr International Bridge, the number one land port of entry for fresh fruits and vegetables, the Supervia highway, and recently-designated I-69, which will ultimately provide relief to the traveling public along the I-2/I-69 interchange. McAllen International Aiport, New Braunfels Airport, and a number of other regional airports and airfields are located throughout the congressman’s district.
The congressman has a proven record of supporting federal programs such as the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program, which helps states and local communities finance surface infrastructure improvements, the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Contract Tower Program, which help our air traffic controllers to direct aircraft, safeguard our skies, and provide a safe space for military operations across the country.
With the current administration, Congressman Gonzalez is working on a $1 trillion infrastructure package that would create jobs, expand our region's economy, and modernize the infrastructure of the region.
More on Transportation & Infrastructure
WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted in favor of H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act, to prohibit any attempt to dismantle, delay, or change U.S. Postal Service (USPS) operations and maintain reliable and efficient service. The House approved the legislation with a vote of 257 to 150 on Saturday, August 22, 2020.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $2,874,097 for the McAllen Miller International Airport to improve airport drainage. Awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the grant will fund the installation of 2,800 feet of drainage improvements to eliminate ponding on airfield surfaces.
These federal funds will be used to cover the final phase for the storm water management system improvements at the McAllen International Airport.
MCALLEN, Texas – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced the return of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) to South Texas. Following months of work, Congressman Gonzalez cemented a deal between PBS and Entravision to broadcast in the Rio Grande Valley.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced a $9,572,032 federal grant award for the City of McAllen transit system. Metro McAllen received more than $9 million in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds through the CARES Act.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $1,195,573 in federal COVID-19 relief funding to be distributed to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) throughout the 15th District of Texas. These funds will help low-income Americans residing in public housing with preparations for a potential COVID-19 outbreak and response.
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.5 million grant to the city of Hidalgo, Texas, to make critical roadway and drainage repairs needed to improve Produce Road, a major trade gateway.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) and 14 House Members sent a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting the next COVID-19 response package include language to enable a strong educational and informational effort using broadcast media, including public radio and TV, to advise and inform the public on how to deal with the pandemic.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pushed back its deadline for the ReConnect Pilot Program to March 31. The ReConnect Pilot Program seeks to give grants and loans to provide funds for the cost of infrastructure associated with rural broadband.
“With the extension from the USDA for the ReConnect Pilot Program, I encourage those in the 15th District of Texas to continue to apply,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “My office is here to assist any who may need assistance with this application.”
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $10,406,542 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development for Border to Border Communications. The federal funding comes as a joint ReConnect loan and grant combination.
The Rural Development investment will provide Border to Border Communications with the opportunity to deploy a fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) network in rural Texas.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) and Filemon Vela (TX-34) introduced H.R. 5898, the Promoting Agricultural Commerce Act, legislation to more efficiently transport high volumes of South Texas agricultural products across the Rio Grande Valley.