Dear Friend,

I know it’s been a difficult week, so I wanted to share some good news today. Yesterday, I voted to pass a federal funding bill (H.R. 6938) that delivers real results for New Mexico.

The bill invests in what matters to New Mexican families and our communities: clean and reliable water, public safety, cultural preservation, and stronger energy systems. It also includes key parts of my bill to fully fund and keep the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project on track.

The House passed this bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, and it now moves to the Senate. This is how we keep the government funded, advance New Mexico priorities, and secure support for the investments our state needs—by working together.

Community Project Funding Secured

• $2,345,000 for the Paseo Real Water Reclamation Facility in Santa Fe
  This funding will support the design of a modern wastewater reclamation facility for the City and County of Santa Fe, upgrading outdated systems to reduce nutrient pollution in the Santa Fe River. 
• $320,000 for Virtual Reality Training Technology for the Gallup Police Department
  This investment will provide cutting-edge virtual reality training tools to help officers better de-escalate situations, respond effectively to complex scenarios, and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the community.

Additional Legislative Wins

In addition to direct community funding, I secured several major policy victories that advance New Mexico priorities:

• Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project: Includes key elements of Senator Lujan and I's bill, H.R. 1482, the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act, to increase the project funding authorization by $175 million and cap the amount of funding paid by the City of Gallup. 
• Weather-Safe Energy Platform: Builds on my bill, H.R. 4338, the Weather-Safe Energy Act, and directs the Department of Energy to begin building a new digital tool to better understand how our energy systems perform during extreme weather and help utilities and grid operators prevent power outages and improve reliability.
• Integrated Resource Planning: Builds on my bill, H.R. 5964, the Integrated Resource Planning Modernization Act, and directs the Department of Energy to develop common-sense standards and best practices to help utilities plan ahead. This will help to modernize the electric grid, incorporate renewable energy technologies, and make sure the grid is reliable.
• Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development: Provides $13.482 million to support the Institute’s work to preserve Indigenous culture, support Native artists, and elevate their stories with future generations. President Trump proposed to completely eliminate IAIA’s funding.
• Technology Transfer: Directs the National Nuclear Security Administration to invest more in moving federally developed research and technology out of labs and into the real world, where it can create jobs and strengthen local economies.
• Rural Water: Provides funding for the Bureau of Reclamation Rural Water Program, including $10.657 million for the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System. 
• San Juan-Chama Project: Reaffirms support for the project, which supports municipal and industrial, Tribal, and agricultural water uses. Directs the federal government to update Congress on its progress to address sedimentation issues and mitigate drought challenges. 
• Historic Preservation: Directs the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to study the feasibility of creating a digital map of historic properties, not including those on Tribal land, to advance historic preservation efforts. 
• Tribal Education: Provides $481.6 million for the Bureau of Indian Education Indian Student Equalization Program to support better educational outcomes for students and teacher salaries. 
• Tribal Health Care: Provides advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service; reaffirms support for medical residency programs for the Indian Health Service; and provides $95.4 million to support Urban Indian Health programs that provide culturally competent health care.
• Trust Services: Increases funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Trust Services to $169.9 million and directs the Bureau to improve communication with Tribes and processing times to further economic development and homeownership for Tribes. 

Other Important Sections

The minibus appropriations bill includes several other sections that benefit New Mexico, including:

Safety and Justice:

• $720 million for Violence Against Women Act programs 
• $4.4 billion for grants to state and local law enforcement, including for hiring and retaining officers and community violence intervention programs
• $540 million for the Legal Services Corporation to support legal assistance for vulnerable communities

Economic Development and Affordability:

• $329 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program to lower energy bills
• $400 million for the Economic Development Administration to invest in programs that create jobs and revitalize distressed local communities
• $50 million for the Minority Business Development Agency
• $207 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities to promote cultural excellence and innovation
• $6 million for the Southwest Border Regional Commission, which supports economic development in New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Texas

Energy and Environment:

• $3.1 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs, defeating efforts by the Trump Administration to cut this funding by $2.2 billion. This supports clean, affordable, and security energy.
• $3.3 billion for the National Park Service, $1.2 billion above the fiscal year 2026 President’s budget request
• $2.8 billion for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
• Provides $8.8 billion for the National Science Foundation to support cutting-edge research
• $6.4 billion for wildland fire management, which includes $2.9 billion in cap adjusted fire suppression funding
• Staffing thresholds for EPA, Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, to stop the dismantling of entire agencies without Congressional authorization
• $8.6 billion for Environmental Management, a $80 million increase above the fiscal year 2025 enacted level, for safe cleanup of legacy waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)

Native American Communities:

• $4 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Bureau of Trust Fund Administration, an increase of $1.2 billion above the fiscal year 2026 President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes:
  • $2.5 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs which provides $56 million for Social Services, $13 million for the Housing improvement program, and $570 million for Public Safety and Justice programs
  • $1.4 billion for Bureau of Indian Education which maintains funding at the fiscal year 2024 enacted level for Elementary and Secondary programs and Post Secondary programs
  • Fully funds Contract Support Costs and Payments for Tribal Leases
• $8 billion for the Indian Health Service, an increase of $76 million above the fiscal year 2026 President’s budget request

Learn more about H.R. 6938 HERE.