congress Vicente Gonzalez Contact information

Vicente Gonzalez is currently serving his fourth term in the United States Congress. He is the elected representative for the 34th District of Texas, which encompasses eastern Hidalgo County, and all of Cameron, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy Counties.

Congressman Gonzalez earned his GED in 1985 before attending Del Mar College where he received an Associate’s degree in Banking and Finance in 1990. He worked his way through college at Embry Riddle University where many of his classmates were active duty military personnel. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Aviation in 1992 and later earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (now Texas A&M School of Law) in 1996. While attending law school, Congressman Gonzalez worked as an intern in the office of former Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz. In 1997, Congressman Gonzalez opened his law practice, V. Gonzalez & Associates.

Congressman Gonzalez is a member of the House Committee on Financial Services, where he sits on the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions. He is also a member of the U.S. - Mexico Interparliamentary Group.

A lifetime resident of South Texas, Congressman Gonzalez is married to Lorena Saenz Gonzalez, a former teacher and school administrator in Edinburg and McAllen. They reside in the Rio Grande Valley.

As an attorney, Vicente fought to give working families and consumers a strong voice in court. Now, he seeks to be the fighter and the strong voice that South Texans need in Congress.

Education

Education is the advice of our parents and grandparents, and they know what they’re talking about. In today’s information economy, a quality education is a necessity. Education is required to get ahead in life, compete for higher paying jobs, and to expand our innovation and creativity as a workforce to compete on a global scale.

As Congressman, I will fight to protect Head Start and pre-K programs that ensure children enter kindergarten ready to learn. I will work to increase investment in technology so that our children are not left behind by a digital divide. I will push for affordable access to higher education so our future leaders are not burdened with insurmountable college debt.

That is why I propose tuition-free higher learning for the first two-years after high school. Congressman Hinojosa, as well as the leader of our state legislative delegation, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, have been instrumental in expanding graduate programs in South Texas, including engineering and the new Medical School.

I will work to build on their legacy to continue providing quality educational experiences for our students, while finding new solutions to make college more affordable and reduce student debt.

Medicare & Social Security

Medicare and Social Security are solemn promises that must be honored. After a lifetime of work, seniors deserve the peace of mind that they will have a modest level of security to depend on.

These programs have worked, and worked well. That is why I will oppose risky efforts to privatize Social Security or turn Medicare into a voucher system.

As Congressman I will work to address the long term funding challenges of Social Security, while fighting to ensure the hard earned benefits of seniors keep pace with the rising cost of living, medical care and prescription drugs.

Jobs and Standing Up for South Texas

Our economy in South Texas continues to diversify and grow, from trade to health care, agriculture, manufacturing, innovation and more. As Congressman, I will take on any politician who casts negative stereotypes on border communities that hurt our business environment.

At the same time, I’ll work across the aisle and with anyone who understands that trade and our relationship with Mexico are job creators for America. I will fight for jobs, and I will fight for higher wages and salaries so that our families not only provide for themselves, but also care for themselves.

That means making child care more affordable, standing by family medical leave, and ensuring that affordable health care is within the reach of every working Texan.

Veterans

I stand by our local veterans who have never stopped fighting to bring a VA hospital to the Valley to honor the sacrifices of all South Texas men and women who have served our nation proudly. Their efforts have led to vastly expanded health care services in South Texas, but much more still needs to be done. As Congressman, I will honor our nation’s debt to our veterans by fighting for:

• A full VA Hospital in South Texas.
• Reform and modernization at the VA to ensure efficient and high-quality care for all veterans.
• Increased mental health services, including treatment, counseling and support, for those suffering from PTSD and their families
• Increased support for military families, especially those who must serve as caretakers for injured and disabled veterans.
• Strong GI Bill benefits to ensure every veteran has access to higher education and a chance to serve our nation as a civilian just as they did in uniform.
• Expanded civilian workforce opportunities for our service-members returning from the armed forces.

Keeping America Safe

America is the land of the free, and I support a strong military and national defense to ensure we stay that way. Today we face various enemies who play by different rules, and we must stay vigilant while honoring the Constitutional rights of US citizens. As Congressman, I will support the critical efforts to keep our country and families safe by:

• Investing in first responders at the community level.
• Maintaining smart border security, increased security at our ports and a more collaborative and accountable relationship with Mexico.
• Keeping our military strong and continuing to remain a leading force in global defense and protection.

Increasing Access & Affordability of Healthcare

America is the land of the free, and I support a strong military and national defense to ensure we stay that way. Today we face various enemies who play by different rules, and we must stay vigilant while honoring the Constitutional rights of US citizens. As Congressman, I will support the critical efforts to keep our country and families safe by:

• Strengthen and improve the Affordable Care Act.
• Expand Medicaid.
• Increase Medicaid reimbursements for our family doctors.
• Support extension of the 1115 Healthcare Transformation Waiver.
• Lower prescription drug prices.

Standing Up For Women & Families

merica is the land of the free, and I support a strong military and national defense to ensure we stay that way. Today we face various enemies who play by different rules, and we must stay vigilant while honoring the Constitutional rights of US citizens. As Congressman, I will support the critical efforts to keep our country and families safe by.

• Support equal pay for equal work for women.
• Support paid family and maternity leave.
• Increase funding for critical health care and family planning services for women.
• Support passage of a living wage.

Immigration

America is the land of the free, and I support a strong military and national defense to ensure we stay that way. Today we face various enemies who play by different rules, and we must stay vigilant while honoring the Constitutional rights of US citizens. As Congressman, I will support the critical efforts to keep our country and families safe by:

• Support compassionate immigration reform with a pathway to earned citizenship.
• Support passage of the federal DREAM Act.
• Support the policies of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).