*EDITOR'S NOTE: A correction was made - Gonzalez did vote for the addition of 22,000 new Border Patrol agents. HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, and former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores faced off Thursday in the first — and only — debate in the race for Texas Congressional District 34. Gonzalez and Flores sparred over inflation, health care and other issues during the hour-long debate hosted by CBS 4/NBC 23. Both candidates asked CBS 4/NBC 23 to check the facts. So we did: * Did Vicente Gonzalez vote for a bill called the "Inflation Act" that increased the cost of living? No. Mayra Flores appeared to be referring to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Inflation dropped after the Inflation Reduction Act became law, but economists told the Associated Press "little to none of the drop came from the law." * Who capped the cost of insulin at $35 for people covered by Medicare? It's complicated, but the Biden administration implemented a more comprehensive cap that covered more people. "Under the Trump Administration's model, participating plans were not required to cover all insulin products at the $35 monthly copayment amount, just one of each dosage form (vial, pen) and insulin type (rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting)," according to an analysis published by KFF, an independent, nonprofit organization that specializes in health issues. "Under the Biden Administration, the $35 copay cap in Part D extends to all insulin products that a Part D plan covers." * Is the federal government "devaluating" the dollar? It depends on what you're talking about. Inflation gradually reduces the buying power of a dollar over time. Thanks to inflation, $10 in January 2020 was the equivalent of $11.96 in January 2024, according to the Consumer Price Index inflation calculator maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the government can take steps to increase or decrease inflation, many other factors also affect inflation. Inflation, though, isn't the same as devaluation. Devaluation is when a government takes steps to reduce the value of its currency compared to other currencies, typically to boost exports. The United States government hasn't taken steps to devalue the dollar. The dollar remains strong compared to the Euro and other major currencies, and it has appreciated significantly during the past 10 years. * Did 10 million people illegally enter the United States under the Biden administration? No. From January 2021 to August 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 8.4 million migrant encounters on the Southwest border. * Did Gonzalez vote for a bill that would have added 22,000 new Border Patrol agents? Yes. Gonzalez did vote for the 2024 Homeland Security funding bill that provides $89.8 billion in discretionary funds. Of that $495 million is for the agency to hire 22,000 new Border Patrol agents. * Did Gonzalez vote against the Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act? Yes. The bill would have amended the Immigration and Nationality Act so that undocumented persons who have been convicted of or who committed Social Security fraud would not be allowed in the United States and face deportation.