Graphic representation of maritime zones

Features, limits and zones

Maritime boundary is a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography. As such it usually includes areas of exclusive national rights over the mineral and biological resources,^[1] encompassing maritime features, limits and zones.^[2] Although in some countries the term maritime boundary represent borders of a maritime nation^[3] and are recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, they usually serve to identify international waters.

Maritime boundaries exist in the context of territorial waters, contiguous zones, and exclusive economic zones; however, the terminology does not encompass lake or river boundaries, which are considered within the context of land boundaries.

Some maritime boundaries have remained indeterminate despite efforts to clarify them. This is explained by an array of factors, some of which illustrate regional problems.^[4]

The delineation of maritime boundaries has strategic, economic and environmental implications.^[5]

Terminology[link]

The terms boundary, frontier and border are often used as if they were interchangeable, but they are also terms with precise meanings.^[6]

A boundary is a line. The terms "frontier", "borderland" and "border are zones of indeterminate width. Such areas forms the outermost part of a country. Borders are bounded on one side by a national boundary.^[7] There are variations in the specific terminology of maritime boundary agreements which have been concluded since the 1970s. Such differences are less important than what is being delimited.^[8]

Features[link]

Features which affect maritime boundaries include islands and the submerged seabed of the continental shelf.^[2]

The process of boundary delimitation in the ocean encompasses the natural prolongation of geological features and outlying territory. The process of establishing "positional" borders encompasses the distinction between previously resolved and never-resolved controversies.^[9]

Limits[link]

Map showing Australian maritime zones including the waters associated with the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT)

The limits of maritime boundaries are expressed in polylines and in polygon layers of sovereignty and control,^[10] calculated from the declaration of a baseline. The conditions under which a state may establish such baseline are described in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). A baseline of a country can be the low water line, a straight baseline (a line that encloses bays, estuaries, inland waters,...) or a combination of the two.^[1]

For example, in the map at the right which shows Australian Arctic Territorial (AAT) maritime zones, the Adélie Land or French territorial claim to Antarctica is indicated as a break the AAT waters. This portion of the Antarctic coast between 136° E and 142° E has a shore length of 350 km and associated maritime zones which are not recognized by all governments.

Zones[link]

The zones of maritime boundaries are expressed in concentric limits surrounding coastal and feature baselines.^[1]

• Coastal waters—the zone extending 3 nm. from the baseline.^[2]
• Territorial sea—the zone extending 12 nm. from the baseline.^[2]
• Contiguous zone—the area extending 24 nm. from the baseline.^[2]
• Exclusive Economic Zone—the area extending 200 nm. from the baseline except when the space between two countries is less than 400 nm.^[2]

In the case of overlapping zones, the boundary is presumed to conform to the equidistance principle or it is explicitly described in a multilateral treaty.^[1]

Contemporary negotiations have produced tripoint and quadripoint determinations. For example, the 1982 Australia–France Marine Delimitation Agreement, it was assumed that France has sovereignty over Matthew and Hunter Islands, a territory that is also claimed by Vanuatu. The northernmost point in the boundary is a tripoint with the Solomon Islands. The boundary runs in a roughly north–south direction and then turns and runs west–east until it almost reaches the 170th meridian east.^[11] The effect of these negotiated specifics is reflected in the map of Australian maritime zones at the right.

History[link]

The concept of maritime boundaries is a relative new concept.^[1] The historical record is a backdrop for evaluating border issues.^[12] The evaluation of historic rights are governed by distinct legal regimes in customary international law, including research and analysis based on

• acquisition and occupation^[13]
• the existence of rights ipso facto and ab initio.^[13]

The study of treaties on maritime boundaries is important as (a) as a source of general or particular international law; (b) as evidence of existing customary law; and (c) as evidence of the emerging development of custom.^[14] The development of "customary law" affects all nations.

The attention accorded this subject has evolved beyond formerly-conventional norms like the three-mile limit.

Treaties[link]

Multilateral treaties and documents describing the baselines of countries can be found on the website of the United Nations.^[1]

For example, the Australia–France Marine Delimitation Agreement establishes ocean boundaries between Australia and New Caledonia in the Coral Sea (including the boundary between Australia's Norfolk Island and New Caledonia). It consists of 21 straight-line maritime segments defined by 22 individual coordinate points forming a modified equidistant line between the two territories.^[11] The effect of this treaty is incorporated in the map of Australian maritime zones at the right.

Disputes[link]

Controversies about territorial waters tend to encompass two dimensions: (a) territorial sovereignty, which are a legacy of history; and (b) relevant jurisdictional rights and interests in maritime boundaries, which are mainly due to differing interpretations of the law of the sea.^[15]. An example of this may be reviewed in the context of the ongoing Kuwait-Iraq maritime dispute over the Khawr Abd Allah waterway.

Many disputes have been resolved through negotiations,^[16] but not all.

Unresolved maritime boundaries[link]

The disputed maritime border between North and South Korea in the West Sea:^[17]
     A: United Nations-created Northern Limit Line, 1953^[18]
     B: North Korea-declared "Inter-Korean MDL in the Yellow Sea", 1999^[19]
The locations of specific islands are reflected in the configuration of each maritime boundary, including

1–Yeonpyeong Island

2–Baengnyeong Island

3–Daecheong Island

---

  Other map features

4-Jung-gu (Incheon Intl. Airport), 5-Seoul, 6-Incheon, 7-Haeju, 8-Kaesong, 9-Ganghwa County, 10-Bukdo Myeon, 11-Deokjeokdo, 12-Jawol Myeon, 13-Yeongheung Myeon

Among the array of unsettled disputes, the maritime borders of the two Koreas in the Yellow Sea represent a visuallly stark contrast.^[17]

A western line of military control between the two Koreas was unilaterally established by the United Nations Command in 1953.^[20][21] Although the North asserts a differently configured boundary line, there is no dispute that a few small islands close to the North Korean coastline have remained jurisdiction of the United Nations since 1953.^[22]

The map at the right shows the differing maritime boundary lines of the two Koreas. The ambits of these boundaries encompass overlapping jurisdictional claims.^[23] The explicit differences in the way the boundary lines are configured is shown in the map at the right.

In a very small area, this represents a unique illustration of differences in mapping and delineation strategies.

• On one hand, the United Nations-created boundary line ("A") reflects the geographic features of the coastal baseline.^[18]
• On the other hand, while the North Korean-declared boundary line does acknowledges specific non-DPKR island enclaves, its "Military Demarcation Line" in the ocean ("B") is essentially a straight line.^[19]

Violent clashes in these disputed waters include what are known as the first Yeonpyeong incident, the second Yeonpyeong incident, and the Bombardment of Yeonpyeong.^[24]

See also[link]

• List of countries and territories by land and maritime borders
• List of political and geographic borders

• Exclusive Economic Zone
• Arctic Cooperation and Politics
• Territorial claims in the Arctic
• International Seabed Authority
• South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission
• International Court of Justice
• Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice
• Permanent Court of Arbitration

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Anderson, Ewan W. (2003). International Boundaries: A Geopolitical Atlas. Routledge: New York. 10-ISBN 1-57958-375-X/13-ISBN 978-1-57958-375-0; OCLC 54061586
• Carleton, Chris; Shelagh Furness and Clive Schofield. (2001). Developments in the Technical Determination of Maritime Space: Delimitation, Dispute Resolution, Geographical Information Systems and the Role of the Technical Expert. Durham, UK: IBRU. 10-ISBN 1-897643-47-0/13-ISBN 978-1-897643-47-1; OCLC 248943759
• Charney, Jonathan I., David A. Colson, Robert W. Smith. (2005). International Maritime Boundaries, 5 vols. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. 10-ISBN 0-7923-1187-6/13-ISBN 978-0-7923-1187-4; 10-ISBN 90-411-1954-X/13-ISBN 978-90-411-1954-4; 10-ISBN 90-411-0345-7/13-ISBN 978-90-411-0345-1; 10-ISBN 90-04-14461-7/13-ISBN 978-90-04-14461-3; 10-ISBN 90-04-14479-X/13-ISBN 978-90-04-14479-8; OCLC 23254092
• Elferink, Alex G. Oude, (1994). The Law of Maritime Boundary Delimitation: a Case Study of the Russian Federation. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff. 10-ISBN 0-7923-3082-X/13-ISBN 978-0-7923-3082-0; OCLC 123566768
• Jagota, S. P. (1985). Maritime Boundary. Martinis Nijhoff: Dordrecht. 10-ISBN 90-247-3133-X/13-ISBN 978-90-247-3133-6; 10-ISBN 90-247-2616-6/13-ISBN 978-90-247-2616-5; OCLC 1175640
• Koo, Min Gyu. (2010). Disputes and Maritime Regime Building in East Asia. Dordrecht: Springer. 10-ISBN 1-4419-6223-9/13-ISBN 978-1-4419-6223-2; OCLC 626823444
• Kratochwil, Friedrich V., Paul Rohrlich, Harpreet Mahajan. (1985). Peace and Disputed Sovereignty. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America. 10-ISBN 0-8191-4953-5/13-ISBN 978-0-8191-4953-4; 10-ISBN 0-8191-4954-3; 13-ISBN 978-0-8191-4954-1; OCLC 12550771
• Prescott, John Robert Victor and Gillian D. Triggs. (2008). International Frontiers and Boundaries: Law, Politics and Geography. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff. 13-ISBN 978-90-04-16785-8/10-ISBN 90-04-16785-4; OCLC 212375790
• __________. (1985). The Maritime Political Boundaries of the World. London: Methuen. 10-ISBN 0-416-41750-7/13-ISBN 978-0-416-41750-0; OCLC 12582178
• Valencia, Mark J. (2001). Maritime Regime Building: Lessons Learned and Their Relevance for Northeast Asia. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff. 10-ISBN 90-411-1580-3/13-ISBN 978-90-411-1580-5; OCLC 174100966

Further reading[link]

• Donaldson, John and Alison Williams. "Understanding Maritime Jurisdictional Disputes: The East China Sea and Beyond," Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 59, No. 1.

External links[link]

• US Department of State, Limits in the Seas
• Flanders Marine Institute, VLIZ Maritime Boundaries Geodatabase

Henry Roberto Cuellar
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 28th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2005
Preceded by	Ciro Rodriguez
102nd Texas Secretary of State
In office January 1, 2001 – January 7, 2002
Preceded by	Elton Bomer
Succeeded by	Gwyn Shea
Personal details
Born	(1955-09-19) September 19, 1955 (age 56) Laredo, Texas
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Imelda Cuellar
Children	Christina Alexandra Cuellar Catherine Ann Cuellar
Residence	Laredo, Texas
Alma mater	Laredo Junior College, Georgetown University, Texas A&M International University, University of Texas at Austin
Occupation	Attorney, Customs broker
Religion	Roman Catholic

Henry Roberto Cuellar (born September 19, 1955) is the U.S Representative for Texas's 28th congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district extends from the Rio Grande to the suburbs of San Antonio, including Guadalupe County and nearby Wilson County.

Outside of politics, he has served as a professor at the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in Laredo, TX. The son of migrant workers who never made it past the fifth grade, Cuellar has positioned himself as a strong advocate for education and has often described himself as “the most degreed member of Congress,” having earned an A.D., a Bachelor's in Foreign Service, a Master's in International Trade, and a law degree and Ph.D. in government. Two schools in Laredo are named for him.

Early life, education, and pre-political career[link]

Cuellar was born in Laredo, the seat of Webb County in southern Texas, where he has resided most of his life. Cuellar's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin S. Cuellar, Sr., were migrant workers who never completed schooling beyond the fifth grade. He is the oldest of eight children. His brother, Martin Cuellar, Jr., is the sheriff of Webb County, having been elected in 2008 over the incumbent fellow Democrat Rick Flores. A sister, Rosie Cuellar-Castillo, is the Laredo municipal judge, having won a nonpartisan runoff election held on December 11, 2010.^[1]

Cuellar graduated in 1973 from J. W. Nixon High School, a classmate of future Webb County District Attorney Joe Rubio, Jr. Cuellarreceived an associate's degree from Laredo Community College (then known as Laredo Junior College), where he would later, for a time teach courses in government on an adjunct basis. He then attended the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in foreign service. He also holds a master's degree in International Trade from Texas A&M International University in Laredo and a Juris Doctor and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Cuellar opened his own law firm in 1981 and became a licensed customs broker in 1983. He worked at his alma mater, TAMIU, as an Adjunct Professor for International Commercial Law from 1984 to 1986.

Early political career[link]

Texas House of Representatives[link]

Prior to being elected to the United States House of Representatives, Cuellar was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1987 to 2001, having represented the major portion of Laredo. During his 14 years as Laredo’s state representative, he served in leadership positions in the House Appropriations, Higher Education, and Calendar committees. His most notable accomplishments in the Texas State Legislature included coauthoring the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which ensured health-care for thousands of previously uninsured children, and cosponsoring the largest tax cut in Texas history, which included a three-day tax holiday for consumers and small businesses. He also served on several national legislative committees dealing with state budgets, the U.S./Mexico border, and international trade.

Texas Secretary of State[link]

In 2001, Cuellar was appointed as Secretary of State of Texas by Republican Governor Rick Perry. As Secretary of State for nearly ten months, he supported new voter initiatives to register and educate voters and protect voters’ rights, as well as efforts to expand the Border/Mexico Affairs office.

U.S. House of Representatives[link]

Early portrait of Cueller

Elections[link]

2002

In the 2002 election, Cuellar was the Democratic Party nominee for the House of Representatives in Texas's 23rd congressional district. He lost to five-term incumbent Republican Henry Bonilla by two percentage points in the closest race Bonilla had faced up to that date. Bonilla was unseated in 2006 in the revised 23rd District.

2004

Cuellar spent much of the early part of 2003 preparing for a rematch against Bonilla. The 2003 Texas redistricting, however, shifted most of Laredo, which had been the heart of the 23rd since its creation in 1966, into the 28th district, represented by Democrat Ciro Rodriguez. Cuellar challenged Rodriguez, a former friend, for the nomination and won it by 58 votes. ^[2] The Washington Post has described the campaign as “nasty...with Cuellar claiming Rodriguez was an AWOL congressman, while Rodriguez called Cuellar a political opportunist.” The initial count gave Rodriguez a 145-vote lead, but after a recount Cuellar led by 58 votes. “Rodriguez filed a lawsuit questioning the eligibility of hundreds of votes. A state appeals court ruling against Rodriguez guaranteed Cuellar the nomination.”^[3] Cuellar's victory was one of only two primary upsets of incumbents, from either party, in the entire country.

The 28th district leans far more Democratic than the 23rd, and Cuellar's victory in the general election was a foregone conclusion. In November, he defeated Republican Jim Hopson of Seguin by a 20-point margin, becoming the first Laredoan in over 20 years elected to represent the 28th District of Texas. Cuellar's election to the House in 2004 was a standout for Democrats in a year in which Republicans otherwise gained seats in Texas' delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2006

On March 7, 2006, Cuellar again defeated Rodriguez in the Democratic primary with 52 percent of the vote in a three-way race. No Republican even attempted to file, ostensibly assuring him of reelection in November.

On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the Texas Legislature had violated the rights of Latino voters when it shifted most of Laredo out of the 23rd and replaced it with several heavily Republican San Antonio suburbs.^[4] As a result, nearly every congressional district from El Paso to San Antonio had to be redrawn, and the primary results for these districts were invalidated. A court drew a new map in which all of Laredo was moved into the 28th district while the south San Antonio area was moved to the 23rd. An election open to all candidates with a runoff if no candidate won 50% was scheduled for the date of the general election, November 7, 2006.

In the general election on November 7, 2006, Cuellar had no Republican opposition but handily defeated Ron Avery of McQueeney, the chairman of the conservative Constitution Party in Guadalupe County, and trial attorney and Democrat Frank Enriquez of McAllen by taking nearly 68 percent of the more than 77,000 votes cast in the House race.

Cuellar's two main political rivals, Bonilla and Rodriguez, ran against each other in the 23rd, and Rodriguez won the election in the runoff. The Republican Bonilla was hence out of Congress for the first time since his upset election in 1992.

2008

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

In the November 4 general election, Cuellar easily defeated Republican James Taylor Fish (born 1958), a San Antonio-based health-care consultant who resides in Cibolo in Guadalupe County.^[5] Jim Fish, as he is known, was a health-care administrator for seventeen years while he served in the United States Air Force. He also taught finance at the Army-Baylor University Graduate School of Health Care Administration. Fish, an ordained Southern Baptist deacon, opposed same-sex marriage. Fish said that he had decided to oppose Cuellar after watching the congressman's exchange with Sheriff Rick Flores over border security issues on a 2007 broadcast of the Glenn Beck television program, then on CNN.^[6]

Cuellar received 123,310 votes (68.7 percent) to Fish's 52,394 (29.2 percent) and 3,715 (2.1 percent) for Libertarian Ross Lynn Leone (born September 8, 1946) of Seguin. In his native Webb County, Cuellar polled 41,567 votes (89.5 percent) to Fish's 4,089 votes (8.9 percent).^[7]

2010

Cuellar was unopposed for the Democratic nomination in 2010. Motivated by Cuellar's votes on cap and trade and the Obama health care initiative, two Republicans, Daniel Chavez, a utility company employee from Mission in Hidalgo County, and Bryan Keith Underwood, a carpenter from Seguin in Guadalupe County, filed for their party's nomination to oppose Cuellar in the November 2 general election. Underwood polled 13,599 votes (73.9 percent) to Chavez's 4,794 (26.1 percent).^[8]

Underwood raised more funds than Cuellar's previous Republican opponents, but questions were raised in Underwood's hometown newspaper, the Seguin Gazette, about his criminal record, which included a guilty plea for a felony criminal mischief charge, which is normally a misdemeanor. Underwood had also refused on one occasion to present his identification to a law enforcement officer.

Cuellar prevailed, as expected, with 62,055 votes (56.2 percent) to Underwood's 46,417 (42 percent). The remaining 1,880 votes (1.7 percent) were cast for Libertarian Party candidate Stephen Kaat. While Underwood won in Guadalupe, Wilson, McMullen, and Atascosa counties, Cuellar's margin in his own heavily Democratic Webb County (25,415 to 3,569) was more than enough assure him a seat in the incoming Republican-majority House of Representatives.^[9]

2012

Cuellar is opposed in the November 6 general election by Republican William R. Hayward, an ostrich rancher from San Marcos in Hays County, and the Libertarian Patrick Hisel, a physician.^[10]Hisel ran unsuccessfully as a Libertarian in 2010 against the Republican U.S. Representative Kay Granger from the Tarrant County-based 12th District. Hisel's current city of residence is unknown.

Guadalupe County, a Republican stronghold that usually opposed Cuellar for reelection, has been removed from the reconfigured District 28.^[11]

Tenure[link]

Cuellar is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He is the He is a Senior Whip, is the only Texas Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, and is the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism.

Cuellar describes himself as a "moderate-centrist". The Wall Street Journal has called him "a pro-growth Member [of Congress] in the John F. Kennedy mold," while the National Journal has described him as “the most centrist member of the Texas congressional delegation.”^[12] The Issues2000 website classifies Cuellar as a “Moderate Liberal Populist.”^[13]

Cuellar's ratings from various groups include the following: NARAL Pro-Choice America, 50; National Right to Life Center, 20; ACLU, 67; Human Rights Campaign, 70; American Conservative Union, 12; Americans for Democratic Action, 80; Drum Major Institute, A; Family Research Council, 29; Children's Defense Fund, 100; League of Conservation Voters, 100; Numbers USA, D; American Public Health Association, 89; Alliance for Retired Americans, 88; AFL-CIO, 81; National Education Association, A; AFSCME, 86; BIPAC, 60; Chamber of Commerce, 72; Club for Growth, 9; National Federation of Independent Business, 73; Taxes & Spending Americans for Tax Reform, 15; Citizens Against Government Waste, 22; National Taxpayers Union, 7; Defense and Peace Council for a Livable World, 50; Center for Security Policy, 50; Friends Committee on National Legislation, 50; Peace Action, 23; Gunowners of America, C; Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 0.^[14]

A supporter of gun rights and opponent of abortion rights, Cuellar is the only Blue Dog Democrat in Texas's Congressional delegation. According to his campaign website, his “top priorities are accessibility to constituents, education, healthcare, supporting veterans, serving seniors, providing for small businesses, enhancing homeland security, ensuring border security, advancing trade and taking any other action that supports hard-working families and individuals.”^[15]

On August 30, 2010, Cuellar's essay, “Education Investments: A Sure Thing in Shaky Times,” in which he argued that "Education is the gateway to opportunity,” appeared in the Huffington Post. Cuellar lamented that “only 75 percent of American students graduate from high school, compared to 93 percent in South Korea” and that “41 percent of Hispanic adults in the U.S. do not have a high school diploma, compared with 14 percent of white adults.” Many readers posted comments to the effect that the astronomical cost of higher education in a time when there was no guarantee of a job after graduation made its value considerably more suspect than Cuellar suggested.^[16]

Bipartisanship

Although a Democrat, Cuellar has close ties to Rick Perry, George W. Bush, and other Republicans, and has made bipartisanship a watchword of his political career. In the 2006 primary, he gained the endorsement of the Club for Growth, a conservative group that usually endorses Republicans. His endorsement of Bush for President in 2000 heightened concerns for a time that he might defect to the GOP, but he supported John F. Kerry in 2004. At the joint session of Congress at which Bush delivered his 2006 State of the Union address, a Washington Post photographer snapped a photo of Cuellar standing on the Republican side of the aisle, beaming as President Bush affectionately grabbed his face. Soon after the release of this photo, campaign contributions for his Democratic primary opponent, Ciro Rodriguez, saw an immediate and considerable increase. Cuellar defeated Rodriguez in the primary election and since then has played a more significant role in the Democratic House Caucus.

On February 10, 2010, The Hill ran an article headlined “Long shunned, Cuellar now embraced by House Dems” by Molly K. Hooper. It began: “Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) is finally a member of the club. Shunned by Democratic colleagues years ago, Cuellar has worked to build relationships in the House and is no longer considered an outsider in his own caucus.” Hooper noted that while House Democrats had been irked by Cuellar's 2004 primary challenge to Rodriguez and his 2000 endorsement of Bush, “Times have changed. Cuellar...has been a team player at crucial times this Congress. Days before the House climate change vote, Cuellar was telling a colleague he was going to vote no when Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tapped him on the shoulder. 'Henry,' Pelosi said, 'can I talk to you about your vote?' President Barack Obama also lobbied Cuellar, who subsequently voted for the bill. Under pressure from the White House, the 54-year-old lawmaker also backed the healthcare bill after securing provisions on medical malpractice.”

Nonetheless, noted Hooper, “Cuellar...still votes against his party. He rejected the first House bailout bill, which was voted down, but backed the final version that passed in the fall of 2008. Cuellar was also one of 27 Democrats who opposed the House financial regulatory reform bill, a top priority for Obama. Cuellar consistently works with members on both sides of the aisle, a rarity for House members. In fact, he says his best friend in the lower chamber is a Republican: Rep. Michael McCaul (Texas).”^[17]

Issues

On June 26, 2009, Cuellar voted with the House majority to pass, 219-212, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also known as the cap and trade bill^[18] He also 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 U.S. Senate by a single vote. As a pro-life Democrat, Cuellar expressed concerns that the Senate health care bill allowed federal funding for abortion. Cuellar voted on March 21, 2010, for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which passed the chamber by a vote of 219-212.^[19]

On June 15, 2007, Cuellar announced that he was endorsing then U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for President in 2008, saying that "Senator Clinton is the only candidate with the experience and toughness to hit the ground running on her first day in the White House." In 2007, Cuellar held a fundraiser for Clinton in Laredo, which raised over $200,000 – aided by the presence of former President Bill Clinton. Laredo's Democratic Mayor Raul G. Salinas joined Cuellar in giving his early support to Hillary Clinton, who came to Laredo in October 2008 to endorse Cuellar's reelection to the U.S. House. On November 4, 2008, Democrat Barack Obama defeated Republican John McCain in Webb County with 71% of the vote to McCain's 28%.

Congressman Cuellar is the author and one of two main co-sponsors of legislation seeking to honor slain ICE agent Jaime Zapata. Billed as a border security bill, it would increase cooperation among state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies during investigations of human and drug smuggling from Mexico.

Committee assignments[link]

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence

Personal life[link]

Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, have two daughters, Christina Alexandra and Catherine Ann. The city of Laredo has recognized him by naming two schools in his honor: the Doctor Henry Cuellar Elementary School and the Representative Henry Cuellar Charter School.

References[link]

External links[link]

• U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar official U.S. House site
• Henry Cuellar for Congressman official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Profile at SourceWatch