PHOTO COURTESY THE CITY OF EDINBURG
Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month as part of South Texas Days, joining regional leaders to discuss federal priorities, funding opportunities and issues affecting local communities.
On Feb. 9, Ochoa and city staff met with U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, and members of her legislative team to discuss community needs and priorities. Officials also met with staff from Sen. John Cornyn’s, R-Texas, office.
The following day, city representatives participated in federal briefings that included speakers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the House Committee on Appropriations.
In videos shared on Instagram Feb. 10 during the trip, Ochoa said city leaders were working to secure federal support for local projects and infrastructure needs.
“We’ve talked to people from the Department of Transportation and the Agriculture Department,” he said. “We’ve talked to people on the committee staff on appropriations, all in hopes of being able to secure more resources, more funding for Edinburg projects.”
Ochoa also emphasized the city’s growth and the need for outside funding to support development.
“We cannot grow our city on the backs of our taxpayers alone,” he said. “So we need these partnerships. We need this assistance.”
In a Feb. 16 email to The Rider, Roxanne Lerma, director of Communications and Media for the city of Edinburg, said the purpose of the trip was to gain insight into evolving federal priorities, funding timelines and new program opportunities that could benefit the city.
Lerma said the information gathered will support efforts to modernize infrastructure, enhance public safety and strengthen long-term water resilience for the community.
In a news release posted Feb. 11 on De La Cruz’s official website following South Texas Days, she said the annual event allows local leaders to engage directly with federal officials and advocate for the needs of South Texas communities.
