Escobar, Veronica RSS Articles

Congresswoman Escobar Announces BOTA Project Moved to Design-Build Phase

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in announcing that the Bridge of the Americas Modernization Project has moved on to the Design-Build stage. This phase narrows down the possible contractors for the project to three, a meaningful step forward in the much needed updates to el Puente Libre.

“I’m delighted to announce that the $500 million modernization of the Bridge of the Americas - also known as el Puente Libre - has moved one step closer to construction," Congresswoman Escobar said. “The selection of the top three contractors competing for the project brings us one step closer to delivering a transformational investment to our border region that will lead to cleaner air and a healthier community for generations to come. I’m grateful to the more than 12,000 El Pasoans who participated in the multi-year public input effort and to the local governments and organizations that took the time to help shape the outcome. As this project continues to move forward, local governments and other organizations must come together to plan for what’s needed at our other land ports of entry so we adequately prepare for the removal of commercial traffic at BOTA. I remain committed to ensuring our community is both a leader in trade and cross-border commerce as well as respectful of our community’s voices."

Congresswoman Escobar’s Push to Remove Commercial Traffic and Prioritize El Pasoans at the Bridge of the Americas:

August 2022- Congresswoman Escobar hosted a meeting with GSA to kick off stakeholder engagement for the BOTA modernization. Local government, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), Department of State, HOME, neighborhood associations near the bridge and other stakeholders attended to learn about the process. GSA committed to robust community engagement throughout the design concept and environmental impact process.
GSA hosted a series of community meetings beginning in Fall 2022, where the Congresswoman helped ensure local community members were present and their voices heard at the highest levels.
April 7, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar met with GSA to provide feedback on concerns and issues shared with her by El Paso stakeholders.
July 5, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar met with members of the San Xavier, Chamizal, and Washington-Delta neighborhood associations regarding their experiences with past construction projects impacting their communities and their concerns about the BOTA modernization project.
July 19, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar sent a letter to GSA requesting a Health Impact Assessment to be included as part of the Environmental Impact Survey process.
October 19, 2023 –Congresswoman Escobar announced a series of listening sessions on BOTA with various stakeholders and sent out an email survey asking constituents their opinion on commercial traffic at BOTA.
October 27, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a convening of governmental stakeholders- United States federally, Texas state, local and Ciudad Juarez and State ofChihuahua attending.
November 13, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a virtual town hall with a legislative update, including an update on the BOTA LPOE modernization project, with over 2,000 constituents in attendance.
November 17, 2023 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a listening session with US and Mexico industry leaders (maquilas, custom brokers, trucking companies, etc).
January 2024 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a listening session at the Chamizal Recreational Center with GSA, IBWC, and CBP leadership to hear from the community members including Familias Unidas, San Xavier and Washington-Delta Neighborhood Associations.
May 2024 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted a meeting with GSA, CBP, City and County to discuss BOTA and what can be done for City and County to prepare for additional traffic at other ports of entry.
July 2024 – Congresswoman Escobar hosted an update meeting with local and federal governmental stakeholders for BOTA, including Juarez Mayor and ANAM Director.
May 2025 - Congresswoman Escobar joined GSA in announcing the final Record of Decision.

TRANSCRIPT: Congresswoman Escobar Questions DHS Secretary Mullin During Oversight Hearing, Discusses Socorro Detention Warehouses and More

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

This morning, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) questioned DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin during an oversight hearing of the Homeland Security subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. Present at the hearing was DHS Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar. She discussed the planned detention warehouses in Socorro, the GSA decision on BOTA, the building of the border barriers at Mt. Cristo Rey and Big Bend National Park, and more.

Video of her remarks can be found here and a transcript can be found below:

Congresswoman Escobar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, Mr. Deputy Secretary, welcome. I am going to begin with the positive. First and foremost, thank you so much for the time you made for me and my team recently. It was a really great meeting and I so appreciated your openness to hearing me out and hearing out the concerns that I brought to you. I also want to thank you because ICE Acting Director David Venturella, came to El Paso and he exhibited the same openness. This is quite a turnaround from your predecessor and his predecessor, who I could not secure a meeting with, could not get an audience with, and it was incredibly frustrating. So I want to thank you for that.

I also want to thank you. GSA just announced this week that the top three bidders for the Bridge of the Americas Modernization Project have been selected. And as you know, my community has gone through a multi-year process around the modernization efforts. The vast majority of El Pasoans who participated in the process said, "let's remove commercial traffic from the center of our city, and let's move it to our other ports of entry that have capacity.” And you've upheld that decision that that had heavy input from CBP and the community, so it's great to see the progress, and I want to thank you for your support of that as well.

There's a couple of issues I do want to raise with you here during my time, local issues. The first and I had extensive conversations with Mr. Venturella about Camp East Montana. And many of the concerns that I had expressed to the private contractor have emerged in a GAO report and it has been a very frustrating several months. I know we have a new contractor for which I'm delighted, but so much of what I had sounded the alarm about really fell on deaf ears. And when I sound the alarm about issues that I'm seeing in my oversight visits, it's not to play gotcha. It's not to one up anyone. It's to uphold the standards that I know we all agree should be upheld. And so I think it's really important that especially members who are sounding the alarm when there's a private contractor, that that private contractor be held accountable by all of us.

I'll give you a very quick example, because I don't want to use too much of my time, but the medical, as an example and that medical contractor is still on site, by the way at Camp East Montana. Just one glaring example. I spoke with a detainee and I've spoken with dozens and dozens of detainees, but he expressed to me - he had been a Camp East Montana for weeks, and he expressed to me the pain that he had been living with, with his arm. And I asked him what happened. Well, his arm had been broken during an arrest in Minneapolis, and he had been complaining for weeks to the medical about the arm. He had a brace. He took off the brace. I could see like a letter S. His bone was so broken and medical had only given him aspirin. And so these are the things that I'm sounding the alarm about that I will continue to share with you, because I know we want to hold these contractors to federal standards. So I wanted to share that with you.

When Acting ICE Director Venturella was in El Paso, we had a roundtable to talk about the three warehouses that were purchased by your predecessor in Socorro, Texas, which is in my district. Whoever preceded you that chose those three warehouses chose the worst possible location. Mr. Venturella heard from the mayor and from the water district and from the Emergency Services District. Socorro is actually a very small municipality, and they struggle with water, wastewater, pump stations. Their Emergency Services District only budgets for the their population and Mr. Venturella heard from our folks. The Emergency Services District chief told him, “I'm going to have to double my staffing if you all proceed to put human beings instead of pecans,” because those warehouses were slated for pecan storage. “I'm going to have to double my personnel. I'm going to struggle with that. I'm going to have to buy another fire truck.”

The water district shared with Mr. Venturella a just how challenging it has been to get water and wastewater to existing residents. And I'm not going to go into excruciating detail, but I want to flag for you. Whoever made the decision to buy those warehouses, which I know is before your time, picked the worst possible place with the least amount of infrastructure, and it truly is not feasible to turn convert those warehouses into spaces that will hold human beings, whether for training or staffing or detention. So you know, I feel very obligated to share with you to sound this alarm that it would take years to prepare those facilities, but it would also take probably multiple millions of dollars on top of the overpayment to purchase those warehouses. So, you know, I'd ask for you to please take a closer look. Now that Mr. Venturella has been there, hopefully he has a more kind of on the ground perspective about that.

Secretary Mullin: We are evaluating all 11 that was purchased. There's some that just quite frankly, probably won't work. I believe there's at least one in that area that probably just won't work. We - you know - we do have issues with detention centers, just not enough bed space. So there are some that some that we're trying to make work, but there was some due diligence that maybe wasn't actually checked off.

And so ma'am, what you're saying is not wrong. We're going through and reevaluating every one of them to be the best possible outcome for our mission inside of DHS.

Congresswoman Escobar:Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Something else I wanted to flag for you, and this was in the GAO report about the use of WEXMAC, the procurement tool for DoD that has been used for some of the private companies that have been hired for the private detention. Wex Mack was used -

Secretary Mullin: We're not using anymore.

Congresswoman Escobar: Oh great. Okay. That's fantastic. Thank you. That is fantastic news. Okay, let me move on to a couple of other points before I run out of time. The Ranking Member mentioned sensitive spots along the border where we previously thought the wall would not be constructed. And I want to flag for you two that are of particular importance to my district.

One is Mt. Cristo Rey, which is actually in my neighboring colleague’s district, Representative Gabe Vasquez, property owned by the Catholic Church. The decision to take the Diocese to court, to acquire some of that land has really caused incredible distress in the community, so I wanted to flag that for you, maybe for a future conversation. The other area, and this is way outside of my district, but a place near and dear to my heart and to my constituents’ heart: Big Bend. And Big Bend, we have seen really a coalition of law enforcement, private property owners, ranchers, nature lovers come together to want to preserve and protect Big Bend.

Secretary Mullin: Big Bend - we're only gonna have like two miles now that we're going to put a physical barrier in. The rest of it will be will be smart fence. So there won't be a constant barrier across there. We're having to do it in the high traffic areas. We do study the high traffic areas. And so we've got that problem resolved.

As far as the site which are discussing, we have already worked on this. We have a gate that's going to be available for those that are trying to come in from Mexico's side to build and make the pillage to the site. The site itself will not be disrupted where the wall is going to be at. It's - I forget how far off it is quite a ways off from where the wall is actually being constructed. I don't have the exact footage, but it's not close. I mean, it's you're going to be able to see it, but it's not going to be close. But we're working with that sensitive area the best we can, but we can't leave it open because it is a high traffic area. It is a visited site, so we do have to control the flow coming in and out so there's not there's not criminal activity taking place at the same time. But we have we've worked closely with the senators in the area. We have been out there to visit the site. And it was one of the first areas that we had to work through other than Big Bend, to come up with a second solution for it.

Congresswoman Escobar: Thank you. Can -

Secretary Mullin: It's not perfect, but it is manageable.

Congresswoman Escobar: I would like to connect with your team just to get more specifics -

Secretary Mullin: Absolutely.

Congresswoman Escobar: - if you don't mind?

Secretary Mullin: Absolutely. Reach out to us.

Congresswoman Escobar: And I know I’m way over time. I have other questions, but we will follow up. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

TRANSCRIPT: Congresswoman Escobar Speaks on Military Funding, Military Promotions, Readiness and More During Markup of Defense FY27 Funding Bill

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee did their mark up of the Fiscal Year 2027 Defense Bill. As a member of the committee, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) secured $45 million for El Paso, $41.1 million for Texas, and introduced four amendments, two of which were accepted and two that were rejected by Republicans. Below is a summary of her wins for El Paso, as well as a transcript and corresponding videos. Links to the videos are located in the highlighted section title.

During the debate of this legislation, Congresswoman Escobar provided opening remarks and introduced the following amendments:

Amendment on Fort Bliss Data Center: Congresswoman Escobar secured language in the legislation to direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct an assessment and brief Congress on implications to communities in proximity to Department of Defense data center projects, including the proposed Fort Bliss data center, before the initiation of physical on-site construction of a data center. The assessment and briefing would include energy and grid impacts; water resource and environmental impacts; sitting and proximity impact standards; impacts to physical security and mission assurance; cumulative risk and community impacts; community consultation and local government engagement; and any other matters that may require legislative or resourcing consideration. It was accepted by Republicans.

Amendment on Feasibility of DoD Quality of Life Program: Congresswoman Escobar submitted an amendment that would direct DoD to assess the feasibility of establishing a Quality-of-Life Grant Program within the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC). The concept would support community investments (e.g., community centers, public recreation facilities, outdoor parks and activity areas, and similar shared-use civilian infrastructure) that improve quality-of-life outcomes for military families and defense communities. It was accepted by Republicans.

Amendment on Impact of Immigration Detention Facilities on Military Readiness: Congresswoman Escobar offered an amendment to direct DoD to provide a report on the impact immigration detention facilities such as Camp East Montana have on military installations. Republicans rejected this amendment.

Amendment on use of WEXMAC for immigration purposes - Congresswoman Escobar offered an amendment to prohibit DoD from using the Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract (WEXMAC) contracting vehicle for immigration purposes (i.e., building and operating Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss). A recent Government Accountability Office report documented major planning failures, financial waste, and operational hazards caused by repurposing this military tool for a domestic civilian mission. Her amendment was rejected by Republicans.

Additionally, Congresswoman Escobar spoke on the following amendment by Rep. Lois Frankel:

Amendment on Military Promotions - Congresswoman Escobar spoke on an amendment that was offered by Representative Lois Frankel to slash the Defense Secretary’s traveling budget until he explained why he removed military officers from promotions that have been previously determined by the Promotion Selection Board to be chosen for promotion to the rank of general officer. Republicans rejected this amendment.

$45 Million for El Paso

Congresswoman Escobar secured $10 million to accelerate the development and production of low cost advanced missile technology systems to field low-cost interceptors for small-UAS interceptors; $10 million to establish a Rapid Response Naval Manufacturing Center to address critical parts shortages facing the maritime industrial base; $10 million to help establish scalable, domestic production of critical UAS propulsion components to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains; $10 million to develop containerized solutions powered by digital architecture to deliver fast, on site manufacturing in contested environments for organizations like the 1st Armored Division; and $5 million to help develop a digital twin capability to accelerate the development of affordable, scalable hypersonic weapons.

$41.1 Million for Texas

Soldier Mental Resilience: She helped secure $1.1 million to expand a peer-led training initiative that strengthens unit readiness by equipping soldiers to identify stress, reduce stigma, and intervene early. The Fort Bliss pilot has helped hundreds of soldiers.

Expeditionary Construction Scale Additive Manufacturing Capabilities: She helped secure $10 million to help develop expeditionary 3D printing systems. Previously, Congresswoman Escobar helped secure funding for the use of this technology to construct a 3D-printed barracks at Fort Bliss.

Outdoor Recreation and Education Activities: She helped secure $10 million to expand its programming that connects service members, veterans, and military families to nature-based recreation and wellness activities.

Combat Casualty Care Research: She helped secure $20 million to support a partnership between DoD and the University Texas System to advance research and innovation in combat casualty care.

Remarks

Opening Remarks

Congresswoman Escobar: Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. I want to begin by thanking Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum for their leadership on this subcommittee and, of course, also the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the committee of the whole. But I also want to recognize, as many of my colleagues have, the incredible staff. I know that this appropriation season can be really challenging on the teams that support us, and I want to publicly recognize and acknowledge their incredible devotion to the work that we do. We are only able to do this work because of their talent and their brilliance, and I'm really grateful.

As the representative for Fort Bliss, home to the historic 1st Armored Division and the ever important 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, I know how crucial it is to maintain a strong national defense and ensure that our service members and their families have the resources they need and the support from Congress that they have earned.

There is much in this bill that I do support. The bill makes important investments in munitions production: Patriot and THAAD interceptors, Army modernization and defense innovation, which I find particularly exciting in this bill. Those investments matter to my district, but they also matter to our national security, and they prepare us for our future fights. Fort Bliss is home to the Army's premier army and defense missile enterprise, and the soldiers of the 32nd Army Air Missile Defense Command continue to face extraordinary operational demands across the globe, ensuring that they have the equipment, inventory and sustainment necessary to accomplish their missions is a national security imperative, and it is a top priority for my team and for me.

Likewise, investments in armored vehicles, army aviation and long range fires directly support the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss' role as one of the Army's premier power projection platforms. I'm also encouraged by the bill's emphasis on innovation, autonomous systems, drone and counter drone technologies, especially defense manufacturing and strengthening the industrial base. Congress is appropriately recognizing that future conflicts will be won by our ability to adapt, innovate and produce faster than our adversaries.

I've worked hard - long before I was in Congress - I've been working to ensure that El Paso is positioned as a growing center for defense, innovation, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing, and I'm so proud that this bill reflects an important reality. The future of American national security will not be built in just a handful of traditional defense hubs, it will be built in communities like El Paso as well, with the talent that we have been so proud to support and grow locally.

Unfortunately, despite those strengths, I am not able to support the bill as currently written. This bill provides more than $1 trillion for the Department of Defense while significant reductions are proposed elsewhere in the federal budget. National security is not achieved solely through military strength. A secure nation also needs a strong workforce, good schools, affordable housing, accessible health care, and effective and strong diplomacy.

Second, I remain concerned that this bill does nothing to stop the continued use of the military for nonmilitary issues. We still have National Guard personnel engaged in domestic activities that have little connection to military readiness, as well as immigration facilities at my installation of Fort Bliss that have hurt military readiness and wasted billions of taxpayer dollars. At a time when our military faces growing demands, we need our military to be focused on training and preparedness, rather than missions better suited for civilian agencies.

But the most important issue is the broader strategic backdrop against which we are being asked to fund this budget. The administration's answer nearly every international challenge has been escalation: more threats, more military pressure, more unilateral action, and in turn, more demands for increased defense spending.

I eagerly work with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. I always look for bipartisan solutions. This is one of the most important bills that we pass. I hope we can get to a place where bipartisan support gets this bill across the finish line.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

Amendment on Military Promotions

Congresswoman Escobar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I - Like my colleague, Mr. Levin, I was not planning on speaking on this amendment. I was going to stay focused in this committee hearing today on my amendments. But I'm so proud of my colleagues on this side of the aisle and all of the great amendments that they brought forward: amendments meant to strengthen our national security amendments in support of our national defense.

And I am very proud to support Ms. Frankel's amendment as well. And here's in part, what inspired me to stand up and speak on this issue and this amendment. Representative Levin and Representative Aguilar, just as Miss Frankel was giving her opening remarks on this amendment, the three of us stepped out to talk to a group of high school students who are part of CHCI, an organization that uplifts Hispanic young people in our country. And it was a really lovely conversation, and when it was my opportunity to speak to these talented, brilliant, wonderful young Latinos, what I said to them was, “never forget your brilliance and your talent. How valued it is, how important it is to our country, how much your leadership matters. Don't ever let anyone make you doubt that brilliance, that talent, that leadership.”

And I say that to a lot of young people, the young people who come and intern in my office, the young people I meet in this journey in Congress. I've said it to my two children over the years, over and over again.

I represent a community that is 85% Latino. I'm right on the US-Mexico border. A lot of Latino veterans, a lot of Latino active-duty service members, a lot of incredible women that I've met along the way devoted to our national defense, eager to be a part of this great mission that our United States military pursues.

And I know all of you on the other side of the aisle: you are good people, and I know you value these incredible service members and leaders in our military. I know you do. This is an important moment for us as members of Congress to hold accountable a cabinet member that is telling military leaders who do not look like him that they don't have value in the hierarchy of the United States military. I think every person in this room knows that that is wrong. That is wrong. What he's doing. And we were elected to stand up for what is right. Holding him accountable on this is the right thing to do. So I asked my colleagues to join us to send a message. We deserve an explanation. And those military leaders deserve our advocacy.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I yield back.

Amendment on Military Readiness Impact

Congresswoman Escobar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise to offer an amendment that directs the Department of Defense to assess the readiness impacts associated with the use of military installations to support immigration detention or processing activities. When we were here, two weeks ago, debating the DHS appropriations bill, I shared with all of you the incredible deficiencies and serious concerns that exist at Camp East Montana, which is the world's largest detention facility for immigrants. It's in my district. It's at the Fort Bliss military installation. And I shared with you all the GAO report that had been released, really, the day before our committee markup that explicitly outlined many of those deficiencies. And I asked that we prohibit the use of military installations for immigration detention.

I shared with you all that I expressed those same concerns and objections under the prior administration. In fact, I had many press conferences in front of Fort Bliss during the Biden administration calling on the Biden administration to stop using Fort Bliss for HHS facilities for unaccompanied minors. I worked with the administration to seek to expand shelter space for unaccompanied minors, so that we could get those kids off of the installation and allow the installation to focus on its mission.

And I'm not asking in this amendment that we prohibit the use of military installations for immigration detention. I made that pitch. I made my arguments, and I lost in this committee. But here's what I am asking for instead. And I do hope we can get this amendment passed, and I hope you will support it. This amendment essentially is asking the Department to provide Congress with a comprehensive assessment of the costs, resource requirements, and readiness implications associated with having facilities like this on the installation.

I think we have a right to know. I think we have an obligation to know as members of Congress, and then together, we can chart a path forward with potentially some guardrails around this. I want you to know this amendment - I hope you've all heard the pride that is in my voice and in my actions when I speak about Fort Bliss and our military installation. I'm proud of the way my community has supported and uplifted our military installation. We've we've taxed ourselves as a community to build roads and schools to support our military installation. We offer specific workforce programs for spouses of our military personnel. We pride ourselves on welcoming and creating a community where veterans can retire.

So my motivation comes from a place of wanting to ensure our military installations focus on their mission, and that we hold administrations accountable - Democratic administrations and Republican administrations - on the use of our military installations. So this this report will give us some, I think, very useful information. And when we get the report, if if I have your support, then let's talk about next steps: what could or should it look like when our installations utilized by an administration for purposes other than the national defense.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. I ask for everyone's support.

WEXMAC Amendment

Congresswoman Escobar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise to offer an amendment to ensure that the Department of Defense's Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract, or WEXMAC, is reserved for military missions, for which it was created. Last week - or I'm sorry, not last week, two weeks ago, going back to the DHS markup that we had two weeks ago when I again talked about this GAO report about Camp East Montana - the largest immigration detention facility in the world, which is in my district, $1.3 billion of American taxpayer dollars.

The GAO report exposed a number of deficiencies. The failure for the of the private contractor to meet federal standards. And one of my amendments, which I'm very grateful, was adopted by this committee and made it into the bill, was about pursuing - instructing ICE to pursue the tens of millions of dollars that were wasted by the private contractor.

Just to refresh everyone's memory: the private contractor was charging the American government for three meals a day, every single day, at a 5,000 bed facility, when there wasn't a single detainee held inside the facility. Tens of millions of dollars of waste.

Well, part of the problem identified in the GAO report was the use of WEXMAC. This military procurement tool is intended for rapid deployment for - really essentially, it's an important tool for the United States military. DHS has their own procurement tool. DHS should be using their procurement tool. That procurement tool that DHS normally uses, analyzes experience, analyzes cost, takes a whole host of things into consideration before awarding something like a $1.3 billion bid.

But because WEXMAC was used, it defers to a low bid, the lowest bidder. And in this case, the lowest bidder, which was $1.3 billion, the lowest bidder had zero experience in immigration detention. Can you imagine that the federal government used a DoD contracting tool to award a low bid, which 1.3 billion isn't really a low bid if you asked me, but we used a DoD procurement tool that should be reserved for for the military.

So I'm asking that we prohibit the use of this tool for purposes that are outside of military purposes. DHS has purchased warehouses in my district, three warehouses, and I recently asked ICE, “Will these warehouses that are going to be used for immigration detention? How are you going to contract that? I'm assuming you're going to use a private contractor.” The answer was yes. “How are you going to find the contractor for this, for these warehouses?” WEXMAC.

We keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. These are costly mistakes. And we're using a tool that wasn't intended for this purpose. Let's use WEXMAC, but let's allow this tool to be retained by the DoD for DoD purposes. I ask for your support. I yield back.

Congresswoman Escobar Shares Concerns with USDA Regarding New World Screwworm and Potential for Mass Euthanasia of Pets

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins sharing her concerns for the potential for New World Screwworm (NWS) to lead to mass euthanasia of pets.

The letter can be found here or below:

Dear Secretary Rollins:

As New World Screwworm (NWS) continues to spread across Texas for the first time since the 1960’s, there is an urgent and potentially catastrophic threat to dogs, cats, and other companion animals. While much of the public discussion has rightly focused on the threat to livestock, I am deeply concerned that the potential for NWS to lead to mass euthanasia of companion animals is a crisis we have not yet prepared for.

For Texas shelters, the stakes are dire. Animal welfare advocates have cautioned that quarantine restrictions could prevent shelters and rescue organizations from moving animals out of affected areas, forcing already overcrowded shelters to euthanize animals that have never been infected as a direct consequence of inadequate space, funding, or veterinary capacity to safely quarantine them. That outcome would be unconscionable.

Texas already faces a severe animal shelter crisis, with hundreds of thousands of animals entering shelters each year in communities that already lack adequate funding, staffing, veterinary access, and shelter space. Without additional federal support, Texas shelters are not prepared to respond to an outbreak of this magnitude. While quarantine orders may help slow the spread of screwworm, containment alone is not a strategy. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) cannot treat this as an isolated livestock health measure while ignoring the devastating consequences for the shelters, rescues, veterinarians, and local governments that will be forced to carry out the response on the ground. If the federal government’s approach leaves shelters with no humane option but to euthanize innocent pets, then USDA will have abdicated its responsibility. It’s crucial that USDA works with animal welfare groups and animal shelters in Texas to ensure that there are adequate resources to support proper quarantining of infected animals, while also serving the existing shelter populations.

To better understand how USDA plans to support animal shelters and the animals they serve, I respectfully request your response to the following questions.

What is USDA’s comprehensive strategy to support Texas shelters affected by New World screwworm quarantine restrictions?
Is additional federal funding needed to prevent mass pet casualties and ensure Texas shelters have the space, staffing, veterinary support, quarantine capacity, and temporary shelter expansion necessary to safely care for exposed or infected animals? How much funding is needed? Has USDA requested or identified those funds?
How will USDA prevent mass euthanasia in rural and under-resourced shelters as quarantine restrictions worsen overcrowding even as new animals continue to arrive?

Texas pets, shelters, and families deserve leadership, resources, and a clear strategy before shelters are left with no real choice but to decide which animals they have the capacity to keep alive. I look forward to your timely response.

Congresswoman Escobar Statement on Trump Refusal to Sign Bipartisan Housing Bill

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement after President Trump refused to sign the bipartisan 21^st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which she voted for:

“For too many families, finding an affordable place to live has become increasingly difficult. The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act takes important steps to expand access to affordable housing and help communities meet the growing demand for homes.

“I have long believed that tackling the housing crisis requires serious solutions and bipartisan corporation. The overwhelming bipartisan support this bill received in both the House and Senate shows the progress Congress can make when we work together.

“By expanding tools to build more housing and strengthening investments in communities, this legislation will help make housing more attainable for families, workers, seniors, and young people. I urge the President to sign it into law as quickly as possible.”

Congresswoman Escobar Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Improve JROTC Instructor Recruitment and Retention

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), alongside Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04), introduced the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Pay Oversight for Workforce Evaluation and Retention Act, or the JROTC POWER Act, to improve oversight of JROTC instructor recruitment and retention nationwide.

This follows a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that found that the Department of Defense lacks consistent, comprehensive metrics to evaluate JROTC instructor recruitment and retention and does not have a formal plan to determine whether the recently implemented JROTC Standardized Instructor Pay Scale is improving hiring outcomes. As a result, many school districts across the country continue to face instructor shortages that disrupt JROTC programs and limit opportunities for students.

“JROTC has helped generations of young Americans develop leadership skills, a sense of service, and personal responsibility,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “At a time when school districts across the country are struggling to fill JROTC instructor positions, I’m thrilled to work across the aisle to address this problem. My bipartisan legislation will require the Department of Defense to strengthen the instructor pipeline and provide Congress with the accountability needed to ensure students have access to the leadership opportunities that JROTC provides.”

“JROTC instructors play a vital role in shaping the next generation of leaders, and they deserve to be compensated fairly no matter where they serve,” said Congressman Alford. “This commonsense effort ensures the Department of Defense evaluates the data and helps make sure instructors are supported and paid appropriately across the board.”

El Paso is home to a prominent JROTC community, with programs serving students across numerous local high schools. As school districts nationwide experience disruptions to their JROTC programs, improving recruitment and retention efforts nationwide will strengthen the long-term stability of the JROTC program and support leadership development opportunities for students across the country.

Specifically, the JROTC POWER Act requires the Department of Defense to:

Develop an evaluation plan to assess the impact of the JROTC Standardized Instructor Pay Scale on instructor recruitment and retention
Establish standardized metrics for measuring instructor recruitment and retention outcomes across all military services
Submit annual reports to Congress for three years evaluating recruitment, retention, and the effectiveness of the pay system.

This legislation also requires the Department of Defense to track workforce indicators, including instructor vacancy rates, time-to-hire, retention trends, geographic recruiting challenges, and applicant outcomes throughout the hiring process.

To view the full bill text, click here.

Congresswoman Escobar Statement on Iran Deal

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement reacting to the Trump administration’s deal in Iran:

“During Trump’s first term in office, he arrogantly ripped up a U.S.-led diplomatic deal between international partners and Iran (the JCPOA) - negotiated over nearly two years - that prevented Iran from becoming a nuclear power, ensured by law that inspectors would have access to its sites, kept sanctions in place and kept Iran accountable. No American servicemember lives were lost, no American servicemembers were injured, and the Strait of Hormuz was open.

“Yet Trump and Republicans believed they could do better and enthusiastically cheered on a new war they called ‘Epic Fury.’ The result was that America lost 13 Americans and hundreds of members of our military will now have to deal with life-changing, permanent traumatic brain injuries, and we’ve spent hundreds of billions of dollars bombing Iran. The global economy has been taken to the brink, farmers faced fertilizer shortages and higher costs, and all the while, Americans paid the price at the gas pump and the grocery store.

“Trump has said he’s open to Iran’s nuclear enrichment and agreed to Iran being provided access to a $300 billion reconstruction fund. He has allowed them to immediately be able to sell its oil without sanctions, and the more difficult issues have yet to be resolved.

“Although he clearly understands the need to stop this war of choice, we’ll never hear Donald Trump admit he was wrong. He has empowered Iran and lessened America’s stature in the world.

“I truly hope this war is over. It should have never started. And the American people should hold the president and his party accountable for this humiliating and deadly capitulation.”

Congresswoman Escobar Sends Letter to DHS Secretary and Acting ICE Director on Suspected Overdoses at Camp East Montana

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting ICE Director David Venturella regarding reports that at least three people have suffered suspected overdoses at Camp East Montana.

The full text of the letter can be found below or here:

Secretary Mullin and Acting Director Venturella:

I write regarding deeply disturbing reports that at least three individuals have suffered suspected overdoses at Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Camp East Montana immigration detention facility in El Paso. These incidents raise urgent questions about detainee safety, medical oversight, mental health care, and basic accountability inside a federally operated detention center in our community.

According to 911 calls obtained through an open records request, emergency crews responded to two suspected overdoses at Camp East Montana within less than 24 hours of one another. The calls, placed by medical staff, reportedly involved two men, ages 35 and 34, on May 23 and May 24, 2026. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the incidents were related to an overdose of psychiatric medication and a “self-harm” incident. After receiving medical care, both men are now back at Camp East Montana in stable condition, and one individual is currently being monitored by ICE medical staff. Emergency calls also show that a third suspected overdose at Camp East Montana took place at the end of February. These incidents are profoundly alarming, but they do not exist in a vacuum.

Since Camp East Montana began operations in August 2025, my office, advocates, and the El Paso community have raised grave concerns regarding the facility’s conditions, including but not limited to, failures in detainee safety, grossly inadequate medical care, and operational deficiencies. Earlier this year, agents with ICE’s own Office of Detention Oversight conducted an inspection of Camp East Montana over a 48-hour period and identified 49 separate standards violations at the facility. Collectively, this misconduct raises serious questions about whether the Department of Homeland Security and ICE are capable of operating this facility and meeting even their own most basic, internal standards.

At a minimum, the public deserves answers as to how three individuals were able to potentially overdose inside a federal detention facility.

According to DHS, psychiatric medication was involved in at least one of the potential overdose incidents on May 23 and May 24, 2026. How were detainees able to access large enough quantities of medication to cause an overdose while under federal supervision?
Which existing safeguards failed to prevent three separate suspected overdose incidents? What monitoring procedures were ignored or inadequate?
If illicit controlled substances were involved, how did those substances enter Camp East Montana in the first place?
Have any staff, contractors, or detainees been implicated in the introduction of contraband?
Is DHS, ICE, or any other entity conducting an active investigation into these incidents?
If so, what is the status of those investigations? And what do these failures say about the contractor’s ability to maintain safety and operational control inside Camp East Montana?
What accountability will exist for the contractor?
Following their return to Camp East Montana, what follow-up care have the individuals who experienced suspected overdoses receive?

What is the protocol for mental health care following incidents of self-harm?

Equally troubling is the possibility that these suspected overdoses may not have been accidental. According to DHS, at least one of the incidents that occurred on May 23 and May 24, 2026 involved attempted self-harm, which raises harrowing questions about mental health treatment and suicide prevention inside the facility.

What warning signs were missed?
Were these individuals previously identified as vulnerable or at risk?
Were required interventions conducted?

Or were clear signs of distress ignored until emergency responders had to be called?

These incidents cannot simply be dismissed as isolated medical emergencies. Three separate people are suspected of having overdosed inside a federal detention facility while entirely under the supervision and control of the United States government. That reality alone demands immediate scrutiny.

The Department of Homeland Security bears sole legal obligation to ensure the safety and dignity of every individual placed within its custody. I have been sounding the alarm about serious concerns with the contractor at Camp East Montana since the facility first opened. During every oversight visit I have conducted at the facility, my team and I have flagged the many issues we observed or learned about during the visit for local ICE personnel. But little has changed or improved significantly over time. These recent suspected overdoses are yet another example of a contractor unable to meet federal standards. I look forward to learning more about these incidents and the plan for accountability and prevention.

Congresswoman Escobar, 17 Other Democrats Urge DHS to Rescind Environmental, Historic Preservation Waivers at Big Bend

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined Rep. Lloyd Doggett, every other member of the Texas Democratic Delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives, and five other Representatives in urging the Department of Homeland Security to rescind the environmental and historic preservation waivers granted at Big Bend. These waivers were granted by the Trump administration to bypass federal environmental laws in order to speed up work on border barriers in the area.

This letter comes after Congresswoman Escobar spoke in support of an amendment last week during the House Appropriations Committee mark up of the Fiscal Year 2027 Homeland Security Bill. The amendment was to prohibit the construction of a barrier or wall at Big Bend. It was rejected by Republicans.

The full text of the letter can be found below or here:

Dear Secretary Mullin:

We write in strong opposition to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent waivers of numerous federal environmental and historic preservation laws inside Big Bend National Park. These waivers endanger the intrinsic nature of the park, local economies, biodiversity, and the safety of communities along the Rio Grande River. We urge you to rescind these waivers and instead offer proposals subject to public review and input. There is no border security emergency here that warrants giving CBP unfettered authority to unnecessarily destroy some of the wildest parts of Big Bend or to disregard the overwhelmingly bipartisan will of the people, the actual data showing minimal numbers of border crossings inside the park, and the values that Texans and all Americans hold dear as represented by the National Parks.

The administration has failed to demonstrate that Big Bend National Park is an area of high illegal entry–a requirement under Section 102(c) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1196, as amended (IIRIRA). Your notice of the waivers does not contextualize the number of illegal entry incidents. In Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), Big Bend Sector recorded 0.45% of all illegal border crossings nationwide. Big Bend Sector represents the lowest level of illegal activity along the entire border, with the National Park itself comprising even fewer instances, disqualifying the region from your claims of high activity. The rough terrain of Big Bend itself and Mexican lands to the south form a natural wall deterring illegal activity with its rugged terrain, as CBP has acknowledged.

With U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) having responding to our March 27 letter by noting the “intrinsic importance” of the landscape and history of the Big Bend area, you must act–as Commissioner Scott committed in his response–to preserve the park and its surrounding areas and to “minimize harm to the greatest extent practicable in accordance with applicable law.” Waiving 28 environmental and historic preservation laws–including the National Park Service Organic Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Antiquities Act– totally contradicts Commissioner Scott’s words. As noted in our prior letter, expedited construction of new technology and roads will disrupt the flow of the Rio Grande River, increasing flash flood risk in the park and in Laredo and other communities along the border, deplete West Texans’ access to natural resources, including safe drinking water, and choke wildlife corridors, endangering many unique species.

Current CBP presence in Big Bend National Park is effective. Sheriffs from the region have written to you that this proposed construction is unnecessary, especially given the successes of ongoing practices. Issuing these waivers bypasses all opportunity for stakeholder comment and ignores state and federal land managers, local law enforcement, and local residents who know the area best. We urge you to reverse these dangerous waivers and meaningfully engage with, and transparently respond to the input provided by, the National Park Service, local government, and the public.

Congresswoman Escobar Congratulates Fort Bliss for “Best Garrison” Recognition by Department of Defense

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Last week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to Fort Bliss leadership commending them as the military installation was recognized by the Department of Defense as a recipient of the 2026 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence. Fort Bliss was also recognized by the U.S. Army Installation Management Command as the Army’s “Best Garrison” for Fiscal Year 2026.

The letter can be found in its entirety below or here:

Dear Major General Taylor, Colonel Soyka, and Leaders of Fort Bliss,

I write to congratulate you on being recognized by the Department of Defense as a recipient of the 2026 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence, and for your recognition by the U.S. Army Installation Management Command as the Army’s “Best Garrison” for Fiscal Year 2026!

I share your pride in seeing Fort Bliss recognized as the top installation out of 104 Army installations across the country. This distinction comes as no surprise to me. Time and again, Fort Bliss has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence and service that truly reflects why it is “Better at Bliss!”

As a lifelong El Pasoan, it has been a privilege to witness the continued growth and evolution of Fort Bliss and its enduring partnership with our community. From the expansion of the Freedom Crossing shopping center, to innovative advancements in military construction such as the development of 3D-printed barracks, to the installation’s vital role in supporting Army-wide mobilization and readiness through its world-class ranges and training complexes, Fort Bliss continues to set the standard for military installations worldwide.

Congratulations once again to the leaders, staff, soldiers, civilians, and family members whose hard work and dedication have contributed to the success of Fort Bliss. This honor is a testament to your extraordinary service. Our community proudly shares in celebrating this achievement.

Federal Services Resource Fair

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 13:00:00 GMT

August 2025 Town Hall

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Congressional Office Hours with the Small Business Administration

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 18:30:00 GMT

Congressional Office Hours with Sentri/Global Entry Program

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 14:30:00 GMT

July 21, 2025 Tele-Town Hall

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 22:00:00 GMT

I'd like to invite you to join me on Monday, July 21st at 6pm MT for a live tele-town hall. With so much news over the last few weeks, I wanted to take some time to share my latest updates with you and answer your questions.

You can watch along on my Facebook page, or dial in at 866-478-3483 in English or 855-962-1021 in Spanish.

More Information:

The Republican Spending Bill
The Dignity Act
Impoundment
Republican Cuts: Rescissions

June 7th In-Person Town Hall

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Join Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) for her an in-person town hall on Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m. MT at the Horizon High School Cafeteria.

This town hall is free and open to the public. El Pasoans can join this conversation on Facebook Live. El Pasoans can sign up to receive a reminder and submit their questions ahead of the event here.

For questions or more information, please contact Congresswoman Escobar’s office at (915) 541-1400.

Congressional Office Hours with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA)

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Congressional Office Hours with USCIS

Fri, 09 May 2025 18:00:00 GMT

March 29th In-Person Town Hall

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Join Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) for her an in-person town hall on Saturday, March 29, at 9 a.m. MT at the Eastwood High School Auditorium.

For questions or more information, please contact Congresswoman Escobar’s office at (915) 541-1400 or Veronica.Escobar@mail.house.gov.

Congressional Mobile Office Hours with the El Paso Passport Agency

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT