38 Facts About Henry Cuellar

Enrique Roberto Cuellar was born on September 19,1955 and is an American attorney and politician serving as the US representative for since 2005.

Henry Cuellar's district extends from the Rio Grande to San Antonio's suburbs.

Henry Cuellar served 14 years in the Texas House of Representatives before a brief stint as Texas secretary of state in 2001.

Henry Cuellar was first elected to Congress in 2004, after defeating the more liberal 28th district incumbent, Ciro Rodriguez, in the primary, and after a failed run for Congress in the neighboring 23rd district in 2002.

Henry Cuellar has survived multiple competitive primary races in recent years, most notably in 2020 and 2022.

Henry Cuellar was born in Laredo, the county seat of Webb County in South Texas, where he has resided most of his life.

Henry Cuellar received an associate of arts degree from Laredo Community College, then known as Laredo Junior College, where he later taught courses in government.

Henry Cuellar opened his own law firm in Laredo in 1981, and became a licensed customs broker in 1983.

Henry Cuellar was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1987 to 2001, representing most of Laredo.

In 2001, Governor Rick Perry appointed Henry Cuellar to be secretary of state of Texas.

Henry Cuellar served in the office for just over nine months until his resignation, after which Geoff Connor held the position in an acting capacity.

In 2002, Henry Cuellar was the Democratic nominee for the House of Representatives in Texas's 23rd congressional district.

Henry Cuellar spent much of early 2003 preparing for a rematch against Bonilla.

Henry Cuellar challenged Rodriguez, a former friend, for the nomination and won it by 58 votes.

The initial count gave Rodriguez a 145-vote lead, but after a recount Henry Cuellar led by 58 votes.

The 28th district leans far more Democratic than the 23rd, and Henry Cuellar's victory in the general election was a foregone conclusion.

Henry Cuellar's election to the House in 2004 was a standout for Democrats in a year in which Republicans otherwise gained seats in Texas's House delegation.

Henry Cuellar was unopposed in the March 4,2008, Democratic primary.

Henry Cuellar gained votes during the recount, yielding a 289-vote margin.

Henry Cuellar has described himself as a "moderate-centrist" or conservative Democrat.

Henry Cuellar was ranked the fifth-most bipartisan member of the House of Representatives in the first session of the 115th United States Congress by the Lugar Center and McCourt School of Public Policy.

Henry Cuellar is one of two Blue Dog Democrats in Texas's congressional delegation.

In 2011, Henry Cuellar was the author and one of two main co-sponsors of legislation seeking to honor slain ICE agent Jaime Zapata.

Henry Cuellar denounced inclusion in the Senate immigration bill of an amendment sponsored by Senators Bob Corker and John Hoeven that called for 700 additional miles of border fencing, calling the fence an antiquated solution to a modern problem.

Henry Cuellar was one of three Democrats to vote for Kate's Law, which expands maximum sentences for immigrants who reenter the US after being deported.

Henry Cuellar supported legislation to strip federal funding for jurisdictions that have sanctuary policies in place.

Henry Cuellar rejected the first House bailout bill, which was voted down, but backed the final version that passed in the fall of 2008.

Henry Cuellar was one of 27 Democrats to oppose the House financial regulatory reform bill, a top priority for Obama.

On June 26,2009, Henry Cuellar voted with the House majority to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act, known as the cap and trade bill.

Henry Cuellar supported the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which narrowly passed the House and in December 2009 met the threshold for shutting off debate in the US Senate by a single vote.

Henry Cuellar expressed concerns that the Senate health care bill allowed federal funding for abortion.

Henry Cuellar has voted for a ban on abortion after week 20.

On December 18,2019, Henry Cuellar voted for both articles of impeachment against Trump.

Henry Cuellar's boosting of automated license plate recognition federal contractor Perceptics LLC was published in February 2020, showing lobbying by Podesta Group since 2009.

Henry Cuellar was called "our Cuellar firepower" and Perceptics CEO John Dalton called him a "friendly congressman" for Perceptics.

In 2020, Henry Cuellar was one of six House Democrats to vote against the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act to legalize cannabis at the federal level.

In February 2020, Henry Cuellar was one of seven House Democrats to vote against the Protecting the Right to Organize Act that would overhaul labor laws.

In 2014, Henry Cuellar portrayed George Washington in the annual Washington's Birthday Celebration in Laredo.