Dear Friends,

Last week, I was sworn in for a third term to continue representing you in the 119th Congress. Even though it was my third time, I was still incredibly emotional and humbled. Each time I climb the stairs to the House, I acknowledge the huge responsibility I have to carry your voices and aspirations onto the floor of the People’s House in D.C.

Thank you for trusting me to fight for the people and places we love. My job is to bring your stories to D.C. so we can make your life a little easier, help your children achieve their dreams and desires and make sure our families can thrive.  

Serving you is the privilege of my lifetime, and I’m ready to fight to protect democracy and legislation that helps hardworking Americans in New Mexico and across the country.

My Commitment to You

This Congress, I will continue to stand firm and push legislation that protects what matters most to our communities. There is so much work to do, and I’m especially committed to finding bipartisan solutions to the problems so many Americans face. It is only when we work together on a bipartisan basis that we can build a brighter future for New Mexico and our nation.

I’m also proud to share that I was recently elected Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus. In this role, I will focus on:

• Lowering costs for women and families. 
• Promoting women's economic prosperity. 
• Protecting and restoring women’s reproductive health care and freedom.
• Protecting women from sexual assault and violence. This is especially acute for Native American women. 

The Democratic Women’s Caucus is made up of 96 extraordinary women who reflect the strength, diversity, and resilience of America. Together, we represent America’s women because we are America’s women—we’ve brought our diverse backgrounds and our own life stories of aspiration, cancer, struggle, reproductive healthcare challenges, and caring for parents and children through difficult times to shape how we govern and legislate. We will work to shield women and families from the pain of policies that prioritize the wealthy and powerful over working families, including those from the Trump administration.

Looking Ahead

The next two years will bring both opportunities and challenges. Here’s what we can expect:

• Key Legislation: A new Farm Bill that will shape our agricultural policies and rural development. Republicans advanced a bill in the 118th Congress that cuts SNAP – our nation’s first line of defense against hunger – by an astounding $30 billion dollars over the next decade, the largest cut to SNAP in nearly twenty years. In 2022, over 1 in 5 New Mexicans received SNAP benefits – the highest of any state. I will fight to protect SNAP for the many New Mexicans who depend on it to feed their families nutritious, healthy food. I am hopeful the Farm Bill will include my legislative priorities, such as the Women in Agriculture and PRIME Act, as they support women's access to resources and equipment and help ranchers access small slaughterhouses to get better prices and services for their products.  
• Protect Social Security and Medicare: Social security is expected to run out of funds by 2034. President Trump’s proposal of exempting taxes on benefits will speed up this timeline and could reduce Social Security and Medicare revenue by $1.6 trillion, making Social Security insolvent by 2032 and Medicare by 2030. We will continue to push for higher earners to pay their fair share, expand benefits for beneficiaries, and fix the programs long-term solvency. 
• Health care: The Trump administration will attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. We will fight against these attacks and make sure we protect folks with preexisting conditions and strengthen preventive health services. Democrats lowered premiums for Americans who purchase their health coverage through the ACA Marketplace - which saved approximately $551 monthly for 46,662 New Mexicans.  We will fight to keep those lower premiums in place. 
• Defending Our Values: Standing against attempts to cut essential programs that support New Mexican families.
• Navigating Dysfunction: Making sure the gridlock in Washington doesn’t stop us from delivering for our communities.

Stay Connected

Our work is just beginning, and I want to keep you updated every step of the way. Follow us on social media and go to our newly redesigned website Fernandez.house.gov or follow me on Instagram, X @RepTeresaLF or on Bluesky @Fernandez.house.gov to stay informed about our efforts and how you can get involved.

Thank you again for this incredible opportunity to serve you. Together, we’ll keep fighting for New Mexico and our shared future.