Kelly, Gallego Introduce Bill to Rename Federal Building After Raul Grijalva

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) are introducing legislation to rename a federal building in Tucson after the late Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).

Specifically, the bill calls for the renaming of the Tucson federal building located at 300 Congress Street, which houses offices of the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Department of Labor, and the U.S. Forest Service.

"Raúl was a Tucson giant who spent his life serving the people of Southern Arizona with integrity, compassion, and fierce dedication," said Sen. Kelly in his press release, adding, "He left a legacy of making sure everyone had a voice in Washington. Renaming this federal building in his hometown is a fitting tribute to that extraordinary legacy and to the generations of Arizonans he inspired."

Similarly, Sen. Gallego stated, "Congressman Grijalva was a giant not just in Southern Arizona politics, but as a voice for equality across the country. He inspired generations of Latinos, including me, to serve and showed everyone what it means to lead with heart, principle, and humility."

"Renaming the Tucson Federal Building in his honor is a fitting tribute to his decades of public service and his lifelong commitment to the people of Southern Arizona," Sen. Gallego added.

A bipartisan companion bill is being introduced in the House by Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ).

Raul Grijalva passed away from cancer on March 13, 2025, at the age of 77.

"Serving Southern Arizona was the honor of Raul M. Grijalva's life. Having represented our communities for over 50 years was a privilege," his X (formerly Twitter) account said in the announcement of his passing, adding, "We thank all of you for the trust, support, and the partnership that you gave to Rep. Grijalva over the years. We are especially grateful to Rep. Grijalva's family for their friendship and keeping it 'all about the love.'"

In April, his daughter Adelita announced she was running to fill her father's Congressional seat, and on Tuesday, she won the Democratic primary against her closest rival, progressive activist Deja Foxx.