Dear Friends, 

While the House Republicans lost almost a month of work to their infighting and Speaker chaos, I was working hard for New Mexico’s priorities in Congress.

One of Our 50 Is Missing
…And so is a commitment to rural New Mexico and our environment

Readers of the New Mexico Magazine may have enjoyed the column – One of Our 5o Is Missing – documenting the numerous gaffes when folks forget our Great State is in the United States. We have a first – where the Speaker Pro Tempore did so when recognizing a member of Congress on Friday.

You can watch me remind my colleagues of New Mexico’s statehood here

While we laughed at the error, my motion concerned a very real problem: the Republicans' appropriation bill would cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency back to 1991 levels and gut the Clean Water State Revolving Fund which funds small-town clean water projects. It's my duty to bring rural voices to the House chamber, especially at times when Republicans' extreme spending bills will hurt our precious rural communities.

Click here to watch my full floor speech on the Republicans’ spending bill

Working for New Mexico

National Rural Health Month

November is National Rural Health Month. As a member of the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, I know everyone deserves access to health care no matter their income, insurance, or zip code.

Last week, I met with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to discuss the health challenges in my district that more than one in three residents who live in rural communities face. I will soon be introducing a bill to make sure telehealth is available for all patients, even if you don’t have access to broadband and need to talk to your doctor over the phone. We also discussed the need to increase rural health care providers by making sure more doctors are trained in our rural communities.

Farm to Congress Roundtable Series

Because we were unexpectedly called back to DC last week, I had to meet with farmers and ranchers from southeast New Mexico in a virtual Farm to Congress roundtable. While I would have preferred to be in Lea County in person, I still learned from growers directly about the unique culture, climate, landscape, and nutritional needs of our beloved rural communities. Together we discussed their needs and how my Support the WEST Act could help them benefit from water conservation programs that are needed in our arid state. We also talked about using creative ideas like using algae for feedstock which lowers methane emissions, improves meat’s protein content, is cheaper to buy, and can be grown in New Mexico’s sun-drenched landscape.

Georgia O'Keeffe Museum Celebration

It was a pleasure to be in Santa Fe and celebrate the planned $75 million expansion of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. I am thrilled to see that this new site will provide locals and tourists with a shared area for art, education, and community. This new facility will also aid Santa Fe’s global reputation for the arts — showcasing New Mexico to the world.

Legislative Corner

Protecting the Pecos

Agua es vida — water is life. The protection of the Pecos River Watershed is critical to many New Mexicans. That’s why I worked with Senators Luján and Heinrich to introduce H.R. 5943, the Pecos Watershed Protection Act, which would prevent the development of any federally-managed mineral resources in the Upper Pecos Watershed. New Mexicans remember too well how taxpayers had to clean up the toxic pollution left from the last mining done in this area.

Expanding Free Community College

Everyone deserves a quality education, but many can’t afford it. To help break that barrier, I worked with Representatives Robert Scott and Madeleine Dean and Senator Tammy Baldwin to introduce H.R. 5998, America’s College Promise Act. If enacted, this legislation would waive two years of tuition and fees at community and technical colleges, including our tribal colleges and minority-serving institutions. The America’s College Promise Act would unlock the bright futures of a whole generation of Americans. 

Securing Investments for Childcare 

Safe, quality, and affordable childcare programs are essential to help mothers and caregivers rejoin the workforce. We are facing a childcare funding cliff which if not fixed could lead to the closure of up to 368 childcare centers in New Mexico, and many more nationwide. As Vice Chair, I worked with my Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues and the White House to ensure $16 billion for emergency child care is part of a supplemental funding request. This aid could make all the difference for countless families in the United States. Now we need to get the Republican House Leadership to bring that request to the floor.

Constituent Services 

Health Care Open Enrollment 

Affordable, reliable health care coverage is available NOW at Healthcare.gov. This year, 4 out of 5 Americans can find plans for less than $10 a month! 

You have until December 15 to enroll in a plan that starts at the beginning of 2024. Stay healthy, New Mexico!

Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare Open Enrollment is here! Review your current Medicare coverage, and compare it to the 2024 prescription drug & health coverage options in our area at http://medicare.gov/plan-compare.

The deadline to enroll for a 2024 plan is December 7, so sign up today!

Taxpayer Assistance Center 

The IRS will provide a temporary Taxpayer Assistance Center on November 7 and 8 in Gallup. Spread the word!

Job Opening

We’re hiring! My office is looking for a motivated organized, and team-oriented person to join our Santa Fe team Click here for more information: https://tinyurl.com/yck4u8rp