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The 34th Congressional District of Texas is a brand new district, formed when the 2010 Census showed that the population in Texas increased enough to require four new seats in the U.S House of Representatives. Filemon Vela is the first Member to represent the 34th District.


Texas 34 encompasses all or part of 11 counties running from Cameron and Hidalgo Counties on the U.S.-Mexico border up to Gonzales County more than 250 miles to the north, crossing rural areas with agriculture that produces $2.6 billion annually for the local economy. This diverse district includes vibrant border culture, wildlife, tourism, trade, energy production, military facilities.

The largest city in the 34th District is Brownsville which is located directly across the Rio Grande River from Matamoras, Mexico. Border culture is celebrated every year at the annual Charro Days Fiesta where the two cities pay homage to their bi-national heritage. Twenty miles to the Northwest is the City of Harlingen, which sits at the strategic intersection of I-69 and I-2. Harlingen's original economy was entirely based on agricultural. Today, Harlingen has diversified but the city still recognizes its heritage as it celebrates the Nation’s First Bail of Cotton.

Strategically located with Mexico to the South and the Gulf of Mexico to the East, Cameron and Hidalgo Counties are of national importance when considering that last year alone, U.S. trade with Mexico reached $500 billion and supported U.S. six million jobs.

The 34th District of Texas is home to several land, sea and airports. Our seaports include the Port of Brownsville, the Port of Harlingen, and Port Isabel. Just north in Willacy County is the recreational Port Mansfield. Our main airports include Valley International Airport in Harlingen and Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport in Brownsville.

Running along the Gulf Coast, the district includes South Padre Island and Padre Island National Seashore. Visitors from across the globe come to South Texas to see the over 500 hundred individual species of birds in the area and the Kemp’s ridley sea turtles.

Kleberg County is home to Kingsville, our main military facility Naval Air Station Kingsville, and the King Ranch, with its 825,000 acres of grazing, cotton and oil lands. The King Ranch extends into Kenedy County which also is home to the Kenedy Ranch and Kenedy Ranch Museum.

  Energy production continues to grow in this district. The Eagle Ford Shale, which includes several counties in Texas 34 (Bee, DeWitt, Goliad, and Gonzales ), is one of the largest oil and gas developments in the world. Even in counties not directly in the shale play are reaping benefits from the activity there, as evidenced by the growth of cities like Alice in Jim Wells County. And windmills spin throughout Willacy, Kenedy, and San Patricio Counties, producing renewable energy for the people of South Texas.

 


CENSUS DATA FOR THE 34TH DISTRICT


COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
The 34th District of Texas is home to world class universities and colleges -- with exciting expansion on the way. The University of Texas Brownsville will be merging with the University of Texas Pan American and a new medical school will open in the coming years.

Colleges and Universities in the 34th District:




TOURISM




PORTS

AIRPORTS

Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport
Valley International Airport - Harlingen
Weslaco Mid-County Airport
Port Isabel Cameron County Airport
Cuero Municipal Airport
San Patricio International Airport
Kleberg County Airport

LAND PORTS
Alliance International Bridge – Donna, TX
Brownville & Matamoras International Bridge – Brownsville, TX (no good link, one under construction)
Free Trade International Bridge - Los Indios, TX
Gateway International Bridge – Brownsville, TX
Progreso International Bridge – Weslaco, TX
Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates – Brownsville, TX

SEA PORTS
Port of Brownsville
Port of Harlingen
Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District
Port Mansfield


 


TEXAS 34 COMMUNITIES
I am proud to represent the following communities with Texas’ 34th Congressional District:

BEE COUNTY
Beeville
Blueberry Hill
Mineral
Normanna
Pawnee
Pettus
Skidmore
Tuleta
Tulsita
Tynan

CAMERON COUNTY
Arroyo City
Brownsville
Combes
La Feria
Los Fresnos
Harlingen
Indian Lake
Laguna Heights
Laguna Vista
Los Indios
Olmito
Palm Valley
Port Isabel
Primera
Rancho Viejo
Rio Hondo
San Benito
Santa Maria
Santa Rosa
South Padre Island

DEWITT COUNTY
Cuero
Hochheim
Meyersville
Nordheim
Pearl City
Westoff
Yoakum
Yorktown

GOLIAD COUNTY
Ander
Angel City
Berclair
Charco
Fannin
Goliad
Kilgore
Melrose
Sarco
Schroeder
Weesatche
Weser

GONZALES COUNTY
Leesville
Nixon
Smiley
Waelder

HIDALGO COUNTY
Alamo
Donna
Progeso
San Juan
Weslaco

JIM WELLS COUNTY
Alice
Ben Bolt
Orange Grove
Palito Blanco
Premont
San Diego
Sandia

KENEDY COUNTY
Armstrong
Sarita

KLEBERG COUNTY
Kingsville
Ricardo
Riviera

SAN PATRICIO COUNTY
Mathis
Odem
Sinton
St. Paul

WILLACY COUNTY
City of Raymondville
Lasara
Lyford
Port Mansfield
Sebastian