Debra A. Haaland

Madam Speaker, I rise today to deliver my final remarks on the floor of the people's House.

I am humbled to have spent the last 2 years in this Chamber, where I proudly served New Mexico, alongside my colleagues past and present in the New Mexico delegation. I am thankful to Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, in particular, for helping to build support for my confirmation, and to former Senator Tom Udall for his years of friendship and mentorship.

I love New Mexico. Not only is it my home, where I raised my child, went to

college, started a small business, and started organizing, it is my ancestral homeland.

As a 35th-generation New Mexican, and not unlike the other families with roots in our State, I have a deep connection to the land, air, and water that sustains our communities. My ancestors settled there because they were drawn to the once-mighty Rio Grande and the sacred places that dot the sandstone mesas and granite mountains.

That is why I made the most of my time in Congress. I spent every opportunity meeting with families, listening to small business owners, learning about our tech industry, connecting with brave servicemembers and veterans, and working to deliver for the people.

When I was a little girl, none of this crossed my mind as a possibility for me. I wasn't one of the students picked out to apply to college. In fact, I didn't apply to college until I was 28. I was constantly struggling to make ends meet, and I raised my child as a single mom.

Growing up, Native women rarely held Federal leadership positions, and now little girls everywhere will know that they can run for Congress and win and that this country holds promise for everyone.

In fact, it is the unique experiences and struggles that make good leaders and why I became an organizer in the first place. I believe that it is the fact that I relied on food stamps to feed my family that makes me qualified to advocate for families like mine. It is the fact that I overcame addiction that makes me qualified to help people who are in their own struggles. It is the fact that I know what it is like to be indigenous that makes me qualified to advocate for our country to meet its trust responsibility.

The beauty of this Chamber is that each Member of Congress brings their unique experiences to the table and advocates for the causes we know best. With Speaker Nancy Pelosi's brilliant leadership, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul Grijalva's wisdom, and House Armed Services Committee Chair Adam Smith's guidance, and all the leadership here in the House, I had the opportunity to make a real difference for communities everywhere by addressing climate change; protecting voting rights; fighting for racial, environmental, and economic justice; and providing urgent COVID relief for millions of people.

I am also thankful for the collaboration and mentorship of my colleagues across the aisle, including Representative Tom Cole and the dean of the House, Don Young, and my colleagues on the House Armed Services and Natural Resources Committees.

We worked in a bipartisan way to address issues, including missing and murdered indigenous women and ensuring that our servicemen and - women and military families have the resources that they need.

To my colleagues in the Tri-Caucus, thank you for embracing the issues facing Native Americans and working to address longstanding disparities in our communities.

I am proud that, with the support of my colleagues, several of my bills became law: the Not Invisible Act; Rent the Camo, a pilot program for pregnant servicemembers in the 2021 NDAA; the PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act; provisions from my Military Housing Oversight and Servicemember Protection Act in the 2020 NDAA; the Native American Business Incubators Act; and the Veterans Affairs Tribal Advisory Committee Act.

I thought I would have more time here, but we are called to service in different ways.

Though I am excited to become the first Native American Cabinet Secretary in history, I am also sad to leave this Chamber. As a twice- elected Member of Congress, it has been both a pleasure and privilege to serve alongside you in our quest to improve the lives of the American people.

I want each of you to know that I am grateful for the knowledge you shared with me, the friendship, and the work we accomplished together, and I will miss all of you dearly.

I wouldn't be here today without my extraordinary staff in Albuquerque and here at the Capitol, the Natural Resources Committee staff, and the House Armed Services Committee staff. They all put in very long hours on behalf of our State and our country. My legislative accomplishments are also their accomplishments.

Additionally, thanks to all of the staff who work right here on the floor, whose dedication and experience keep our Congress running. I am so grateful to all of you.

To New Mexico, thank you. Thank you to the activists, supporters, families, and communities that make our State an incredible place to call home.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jose Hernandez, a beloved letter carrier and local hero who was killed on the job in 2019, while trying to resolve an argument along his route.

Residents who live along his route remember Jose as the type of letter carrier who would go above and beyond the call of duty. His shocking death was devastating for our community, and more than a year later, we continue to mourn the loss.

To honor his legacy, I introduced a bill to rename his old workplace in his honor.

Jose Hernandez has served proudly in the Army. He has four beautiful children and a loving wife, Nikki. He served the Albuquerque area U.S. Postal Service for 12 years.

Our letter carriers and postal workers shouldn't have to worry about their safety when they go to work. Those who will see Jose's name on the Five Points Post Office will remember him as the hero that he was who went above and beyond his duty.

For these reasons and many more, I am thankful first for the entire New Mexico delegation for their support, and for Chairwoman Maloney's and Chairman Raskin's swift work to move my bill that will name the post office at 1050 Sunset Road Southwest in Albuquerque to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 813 honoring Mr. Hernandez.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Technical Sergeant Patricia Salazar, who retired from the New Mexico Air National Guard on December 2, 2018 as a Master Sergeant after 25 years of distinguished service. Throughout her accomplished career, Technical Sergeant Salazar played many valuable roles in defense of our state and our nation. A native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Technical Sergeant Salazar graduated from St. Michael's High School in 1980. She received an athletic scholarship from the College of Santa Fe and graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology. She went on to receive a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration from California State University, Long Beach in 1986. After completing her graduate degree, Technical Sergeant Salazar returned to her home state and attended New Mexico State Police Training Academy. She then enlisted in the United States Air Force and completed her training in 1993.

Technical Sergeant Salazar began her tenure with the New Mexico Air National Guard's 150th Security Forces Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, she helped develop and initiate emergency evacuation plans for senior Pentagon leadership. In 2003, she transitioned to the New Mexico Army National Guard's 1209th Medical Detachment. From 2009 to 2011, Technical Sergeant Salazar was stationed in Kosovo and supervised a team of field medics during deployment and field operations. In 2012, she returned to Kirtland to serve with the New Mexico Air National Guard's 150th Special Operations Wing.

My predecessor, Representative Lujan Grisham, had the pleasure of meeting Technical Sergeant Salazar in 2017 when she worked with the Air Force to ensure that her father, Staff Sergeant Joe Salazar, received the medals he earned while serving our nation in World War II. He served with the 497th Bombardment Group of the Army Air Forces from 1942 to 1945, earning several honors including a Bronze Star. Mr. Salazar was also a role model for his daughter when she enlisted and during her service overseas.

Madam Speaker, I want to salute Technical Sergeant Patricia Salazar for her 25 years of service to New Mexico and the United States. It is hard-working, service-minded individuals like her who continue to make our state and our nation so great. I wish her the best of luck.