Henry Cuellar for Congress | Proven Leadership for Texas

Henry Cuellar is an Advocate for Agriculture

For over five years, Congressman Henry Cuellar has represented over 12,000 farms throughout South Texas, and having lived and worked in a ranch in the Texas Hill Country, Henry Cuellar understands the importance of agriculture to Texas and to the country. From being a "Star Green Hand in the Future Farmers of America" to authoring legislation to support young farmers, Henry Cuellar has been a friend and an advocate to our farmers and ranchers in Texas.

As the only Texas democrat of Congress serving on the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Cuellar has been a partner and ally for Texas' farms. Following the devastating summer droughts of 2009, Congressman Cuellar worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Program to bring drought relief and assistance payments to farms throughout the state.In fact, the first farms in the state to receive 2009 Drought Assistance payments in the nation were in Congressman Cuellar's district.

Born 1 of 8 children to hard-working farm workers, Henry Cuellar is proud to represent Texas' rich agriculture and ranching communities in the U.S. House of Representatives.

He understands how critically important our rural communities are and that's why in February 2010, he met with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples to discuss the agriculture needs of the state and to ensure Texas would continue to have a voice on Capitol Hill.

House Agriculture Committee

Congressman Cuellar is proud to serve on the House Agriculture Committee which oversees the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal funding, farms subsidies and other assistance programs which benefit tens of thousands of Texas farms every day. 

As the only Texas democrat serving on this committee, he works hard to give Texas an agricultural voice in Washington. Equally as important he believes that by partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we can help our farmers qualify for vitally important farm subsidies and disaster assistance programs. 

In the U.S. Congress, Congressman Cuellar has authored and sponsored legislation that:

• Helped secure in 2009 over $9 million in federal funding for Fever Tick research in Texas
• Secured the nation's first drought relief assistance payments in 2009 for Guadalupe and Wilson County farms through the USDA Rural Development Drought Assistance Relief Program following the severe summer droughts of 2009
• Expanded federal funding eligibility for Hidalgo County farms and ranches in the 2008 Farm Bill and 2009 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
• Secured in 2009, $550,000 in direct appropriations for the Border Colonias to power approximately 100 dwellings in the Colonias through a micro grid system in coordination with Texas A&M University
• Received the 2008 "Friend of the Farm Bureau" Award by the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors for an outstanding voting record towards Agriculture in the U.S. Congress
• Helped pass over $2.7 billion in domestic Agriculture Research to partner with the nation's farms and USDA research centers throughout Texas and the country
• Secured $5.2 million of USDA Rural Development Funds to build a new rural county jail in Jim Hogg County Texas by partnering with the USDA State Director for Rural Development Paco Valentin
• Secured over $35 million in federal funding for Webb County's Jefferson Water Treatment Plant to ensure a clean and adequate water supply for the county's farms and communities
• Passed over $300 million in 2009 for the nation's dairy farms to provide assistance to farmers who are suffering historically low dairy prices in these hard economic times

As a State Representative, Henry Cuellar authored and sponsored legislation that:

• Established guidelines to prevent state agency property-seizures to uphold landowner property rights from government infringement
• Funded Rural Health Care Programs for Seniors, Veterans and Rural Community Residents Increased funding for Rural Transportation
• Funded programs to provide basic housing and basic services throughout rural areas
• Established the "Texas Young Framer’s Program" to give young people interest-free loans to establish their first farming or ranching operation
• Enhanced the Texas Rural Economic Development Fund Program to help rural communities
• Authored the Texas Export Fund Program to help export Texas goods including agricultural goods
• Authored the toughest anti-poaching law in Texas history that reduced poaching in Texas
• Promoted telemedicine for rural areas that lack doctors and health facilities
• Increased funding for emergency medical service grants to help rural communities
• Established the "Texshare Library Consortium" to help rural libraries
• Established Texas Preservation Program to fund the restoration of historic court houses
• Funded, with tobacco settlement dollars, the county indigent health services for counties
• Increased funding for community and technical colleges to help communities.

During his 14 years in the Texas State House as a Representative and Secretary of State, Henry Cuellar was a partner and friend to the state's farms. As a senior member of the Texas House Appropriations Committee, Henry Cuellar was a strong supporter in protecting the agricultural industry because agriculture has always played an important role in the Texas economy.

Agriculture Awards & Recognition

Henry Cuellar’s advocacy for agricultural and rural communities has been recognized by the Texas Farm Bureau, the American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Texas Pork Producers, the Southwest Peanut Producers, Dr. Charlie Graham, the Texas Cattle feeders Association, the Texas Cattle Raisers Association, the Texas Soil and Water Conservation Association, the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, Cola Blanca Big Buck Committee’s First Recipient of the Wildlife Conservationist Award and by the Texan A&M Extension Service; and by many other state and local organizations and educational institutions.