Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep gratitude--gratitude to the people of New Mexico who have placed their trust in me and gratitude for all of those who have worked with me this past year, both Democrats and Republicans, who have helped me deliver real results for folks back home.

My district is one of the largest districts in the country, larger than the State of Pennsylvania, and includes major cities, border towns, Tribal communities, and rural counties that often feel forgotten by Washington.

New Mexico's Second District embodies the American spirit. We are a diverse people who get up every day, work a hard day's job, and take pride in our families and the work that we do.

This year, I set out with one simple goal: focus on the people in our district and do good by the families who call New Mexico home, regardless of their party affiliation. That is why, at a time when Washington has been paralyzed by partisan gridlock and way too much drama, my focus has remained on common sense and delivering real results.

The good people of New Mexico elected me to do a job, and I intend to do it; not with red or blue solutions, but practical solutions that are rooted in the real lives of the people who I represent.

Across southern New Mexico, we have seen that wildfire season is no longer seasonal. It is a constant threat. We have seen the State's two largest wildfires ravage communities and displace generations of folks from their homes.

I worked with my colleagues on both sides to pass a bipartisan bill that strengthens our ability to fight fires in remote and rural areas. My Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act ensures that our communities and firefighters have more resources to protect lives, homes, and livelihoods when it counts most.

Mr. Speaker, when we talk about feeling forgotten, sometimes it is our rural communities that feel the most left out--places where Federal support can make the difference between a school being able to stay open, between having a graded road or one that is washboarded and crumbling, and between having lifesaving care that can reach your home in time.

That is why I successfully led a bipartisan push to restore $9 million and secure rural school funding for New Mexico's rural schools and our infrastructure, delivering much-needed resources to places like Catron, Grant, Sierra, and Cibola Counties.

Staying focused on common sense also meant listening to our military families at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base. When they told me they were going without care because of the enormously long distances that it took to get to a hospital or to a clinic, I worked on a bipartisan bill that is now law, which expands travel reimbursement under TRICARE so that servicemembers and their loved ones aren't forced to shoulder the unnecessary costs just to get the care that they need.

Serving in New Mexico isn't just about passing bills here. It is about showing up when people need you. This year, my team and I resolved over 650 constituent cases, cutting through red tape, standing up to bureaucracy, and returning nearly $4.5 million to our taxpayers who were rightfully owed that money. For families waiting on Social Security, veterans navigating the VA, or seniors dealing with the IRS, that help was immediate and personal.

I have traveled over 5,000 miles on the road in my district this year. From talking to students in Deming, meeting with Tribal leaders in Zuni Pueblo, hosting a carne asada with oil workers in Carlsbad, and convening roundtables with police departments in Albuquerque, this is a big district with many needs, and advocacy doesn't just start at the Capitol steps.

Mr. Speaker, 2025 was also a big year in the fight to protect our public lands. When extreme proposals threatened to sell off millions of acres of our public lands, I founded the first-ever Bipartisan Public Lands Caucus to keep those lands public for hunters, ranchers, families, and future generations who deserve to keep this unique American birthright. Public lands are one of our Nation's best ideas, and I intend to keep it that way.

I have also worked hard to secure Federal investments across New Mexico, from addressing homelessness to investing in workplace training, to launching a new express bus service connecting Las Cruces to El Paso. I showed up, listened to what folks needed, and we got to work. These are smart investments that strengthen local economies and improve the daily lives of New Mexicans.

Lastly, my focus on bringing common sense to Washington is why I recently introduced the new plan for immigration this year. As someone who was raised on both sides of the border and represents 180 miles of that border today, I know that border security is more complex than just building a wall. I know that both parties have often gotten it wrong.

We need an immigration system that reflects our American values, and that makes smart investments in security and more legal pathways that strengthen our economy rather than undermine it.

I want to be clear about something: I don't work for either party. I work for the people of New Mexico, every single one of them, whether they voted for me or not. I am proud of what we have accomplished this year, but more than that, I am proud of how we accomplished it: by choosing collaboration over conflict.

Mr. Speaker, ``thank you''; ``gracias'' to the people of New Mexico for sending me here. I will continue showing up, fighting for them, and doing the work they sent me here to do.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of New Mexico's Second Congressional District to celebrate a long-awaited victory for rural America, the imminent passage of the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act.

I preface my remarks by thanking Representatives LaMalfa and Neguse, who introduced this bill, and Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Craig. We would not be standing here today without their leadership and outpouring of strong, bipartisan support that we have seen for this bill both here in Congress and on the ground in our communities.

For decades, SRS has been more than an abstract Federal program. It has been a promise, a promise that when Federal lands limit local tax revenue, Congress will stand with rural communities and school districts so that they continue to provide the basic essential services that every American family deserves.

Rural communities across the country and in New Mexico know this story well. In Catron, Grant, Sierra, and Otero Counties in my district, national forests define our landscape, and they define who we are. They are the treasures that we value and protect. Yet, those beautiful lands also mean fewer taxable acres, fewer revenue streams for public schools, and fewer resources to maintain the roads that our families travel every day.

For more than 20 years, SRS helped close that gap. It ensured that public schools could keep teachers in the classroom, that buses could run safe routes on rural roads, and that county governments could plan long-term budgets with certainty.

It ensures that children growing up in frontier communities receive the same shot at a quality education as anyone in major cities in my district, like Albuquerque or Las Cruces. It ensures that when there was a medical emergency in the middle of the night, emergency medical services had the roads that they needed to save lives.

That stability vanished when SRS expired in 2024. Rural counties across the West, including mine, were forced to make impossible decisions.

In New Mexico alone, our communities lost more than $9 million in a single year. That $9 million loss meant school districts had to consider laying off teachers and reading specialists and cutting back to a 4-day school week in a place like Quemado because they could no longer afford to operate a 5-day school week.

County commissions were forced to take a hard look at their budgets, looking line by line at what vital services they could cut to ensure their communities could maintain their roads.

This past August, I met with a bipartisan group of county officials, educators, and Tribal leaders back home to discuss SRS and the need for reauthorization. Their message didn't

waver: Rural communities needed Congress to act. They needed certainty. They needed this lifeline to their communities restored.

Today, after months of fighting for reauthorization, we are delivering on a bipartisan basis. Today, we are sending a clear message to rural communities across New Mexico and across the country that they are not invisible, not expendable, and not expected to bear the weight of this lapse alone.

The Senate has already passed this reauthorization, and I urge my colleagues to help us finish the job and send the bill to the President's desk for his signature.

This is the kind of win that New Mexicans sent me to Washington, D.C., to deliver, and it is worth celebrating.

This legislation represents the best of what Congress can achieve when we put aside partisanship and focus on the people we serve. It reflects both Democrats' and Republicans' shared understanding that rural counties take on an enormous responsibility in managing and stewarding our national forests, and their kids should not be left behind because of it.

It is a recognition that public lands benefit our entire Nation, and the cost of maintaining essential services like schools and roads should not fall solely on the shoulders of rural families.

For New Mexico's Second Congressional District, this bill means stability. It means that school districts can retain teachers, hire staff, and keep programs in place that enrich our children's futures. It means that our sheriffs, firefighters, and first responders have reliable funding for the roads and infrastructure that they depend on when every second counts.

Passing SRS reauthorization also honors the frontier spirit that defines rural New Mexico. Communities like Silver City, Cloudcroft, Quemado, and many others throughout New Mexico continue to lead in forest conservation, outdoor recreation, wildfire resilience, and natural resource management. They deserve a Federal partner that matches their commitment, and today, they are getting that.

Mr. Speaker, both New Mexico and I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who worked tirelessly to bring this legislation to the finish line. I also thank the local leaders, our county commissioners, school superintendents, teachers, parents, and firefighters, just like these folks here in Fence Lake, who raised their voices and never let this issue slip from their attention.

As this bill is signed into law, I look forward to witnessing the relief that it will bring across New Mexico in time for Christmas. I look forward to seeing teachers stay in their classrooms, rural roads being repaired and maintained, and families in these rural counties finally receiving the stability that they have been promised but denied for too long.

Today is a good day for rural America. Today is a good day for New Mexico.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to vote in favor of the SRS Reauthorization Act, and I urge my colleagues to join me in its passage. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Salinas), my distinguished colleague.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight two particularly important projects in my district that sit in the Gila National Forest and are surrounded by the rural communities of Glenwood, New Mexico; Quemado; and Reserve. These are two incredibly important projects that have helped diversify rural economies and helped support the outdoor recreation economy: the Catwalk historic trail and the Cosmic Campground.

These two projects on Federal public lands have brought in very important economic revenue to these communities. They have brought in tours from all across the country to see the darkest skies in the country in what is an International Dark Skies Sanctuary and one of the most breathtaking trails that one can experience in our Nation's first wilderness.

Regardless, SRS is incredibly important to help ensure that our schools and our roads continue to function as we expand New Mexico's outdoor recreation economy.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I do want to thank Chair Westerman for his support of the Fix Our Forests Act, introducing that bill, and I hope that it does make it to the Senate.

I think as we talk about the longevity of rural communities and sustainability of rural communities, we have to have good forest management and a diversified economy that includes the timber industry, cattle growing, and outdoor recreation. So much of that depends on the health of our public lands.

I am encouraged by the bipartisanship shown on this bill today. I hope we can have more conversations and we can pass SRS out of the House today so that we can ensure that these rural communities have a future that is not dependent on Federal funding but that has a diversified economy that uses our natural resources wisely.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I think we can all recognize what a special moment this is for our rural communities. These days, Democrats and Republicans don't often see eye to eye long enough to get a piece of legislation like this all the way to the President's desk. The fact that we will today shows just how important we all know it is to stand up for our rural communities.

For New Mexico, this is real money with real impact. Our rural communities have been missing more than $9 million that should have been supporting schools, roads, and essential services. I am proud to be bringing that money back to the families and communities that have waited for far too long.

I also want to take a moment to recognize some of the incredible New Mexican advocates who helped make today possible. This is not a full list, but it is a long one, so bear with me. Our Secure Rural Schools champions in New Mexico's Second District include: Kayli Ortiz, Amber Vaughn, Randall Earwood, Charlene Webb, William Hawkins, Kate Fletcher, Joy Esparsen, David Lackey, and Deborah Mahler. These are the folks who showed up, spoke out, organized their neighbors, and never let us forget what was at stake.

I thank every constituent who wrote, called, and shared their stories with our office. Their advocacy drove much of this effort. Their persistence is why we are passing this bill into law today.

Again, I thank my Republican colleagues for working on this piece of legislation with me and other members of the committee.

I am proud of my community. I am grateful for their trust. Once again, they proved something that we all know back home: Don't mess with rural New Mexicans.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Isleta Police Department and local law enforcement for their commitment to protecting New Mexico's communities. On November 17, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs reported a major drug bust on the Isleta Pueblo.

In coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement and a Homeland Security Task Force, local officers from the Isleta Police Department seized over 37,000 fentanyl pills, which were valued at nearly 1.5 million dollars, and nearly $38,000 dollars in cash.

Those deadly pills would have devastated countless lives in our community, but today the Isleta Pueblo and New Mexico's communities are safer because of our law enforcement's hard work and dedication. Thanks to our officers' intelligence and tireless work, more New Mexican families will remain intact.

On behalf of the people of New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to the Isleta Police Department and local law enforcement for their nonstop efforts to protect our communities. We appreciate their dedication to public service and pray for their continued safety. I look forward to our continued partnership as we work to keep drugs off our streets and hold bad actors seeking to prey on our communities accountable.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in defense of the frontier spirit that is core to the American identity.

I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on S.J. Res. 80 and H.J. Res. 131, two proposals that would forever alter the Coastal Plain of the Arctic refuge and the special areas of the western Arctic in the great State of Alaska.

Let me tell you a little bit about this special place, a place in which I have had the privilege to spend time. The Arctic refuge, the homeland of Gwich'in and the Inupiat people, offers unmatched, truly wild fishing and hunting opportunities for all Americans.

It is the only national wildlife refuge that protects an entire Arctic ecosystem, and it stands as a profound source of pride for this Nation.

These lands, the birthing and calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd, have been at the center of national debate for more than a century, ever since Republican President Theodore Roosevelt established the National Wildlife Refuge System and dedicated himself to protecting wild places and the wildlife that depend on them.

These lands are where Americans hunt caribou, grizzly bear, and Dall sheep, where Americans trap wolverines, and where anglers can catch their first Arctic char.

Most importantly, these lands have provided sustenance to the Gwich'in and Inupiat peoples since time immemorial.

For the last century, bipartisan lawmakers, including both Republican and Democratic Presidents, have agreed to protect this place, safeguarding it from destructive development with a firm resolve and a desire to leave something behind for the next generation.

That same commitment to conservation has been carried on by bipartisan leaders in Congress for generations. Today, this tradition of conservation is being threatened by a careless proposal to roll back established protections for our wildlife, our waters, and our public lands, threatening indigenous livelihoods and sovereignty, the recreational and scientific value of these lands, and an iconic symbol of American wilderness.

I believe that, in this body, we must preach hope and possibility and that we must defend our values and the American way of life that has been meticulously built over centuries, and both parties must work together to protect the things we love.

These two proposals before you are misguided. This Chamber should not deepen the chaos it has already created. Instead, we should be working together to pass legislation that resolves land management conflicts and restores stability to our public lands planning system. We should also adequately fund our land management agencies.

That is why, as a hunter, an angler, and someone who cares deeply about our Nation's incomparable system of public lands and wildlife habitat, I can't support the reckless destruction of the Arctic tundra and the Coastal Plain.

For the many private interests that have sought to exploit these sacred lands, it would be much easier if these species and Tribes never existed. It would be much easier for them if the last remaining musk ox hadn't survived the Ice Age or if the Porcupine caribou herd simply went extinct, just to add a few dollars to their pockets today without giving a damn about tomorrow.

The truth is, in my district back home in New Mexico, the Permian Basin is a domestic energy powerhouse, fueling America's energy independence and bolstering New Mexico's economy, but there are some places that ought to be left alone because their quality, history, and identity to us as Americans is far too valuable to be measured on a balance sheet.

Now, much to my dismay, this administration has already issued an executive order to rescind the Coastal Plain leasing program, and the Department of the Interior has already done just that.

Given that the administration has already taken action to overturn responsible management plans, these bills only make it more challenging to manage these special lands. It will also expose any future decisions related to oil and gas in the refuge to significant legal uncertainty.

This is a losing proposal. Simply put, it is bad legislation, no matter what side of the issue you stand on.

If, like me, you still believe in bipartisanship and revere the greats like Teddy Roosevelt, who fought to protect special places like America's Arctic, and you dream that someday you or one of your children can hunt wild ptarmigan on the Coastal Plain, catch an Arctic char on the Canning River, or harvest caribou in the Brooks Range, you should vote against these bills and honor the voices of the indigenous communities and American citizens who depend on this land for survival.

From New Mexico to the Arctic, people who live in small communities take care of themselves, and they want to keep it that way. Surely, anyone who represents a rural district in this Congress can appreciate that.

I encourage my colleagues to look at this landscape and examine these bills and their impacts before voting, to see the value of the Arctic and its worth to all Americans, not to simply brush this off as a party-line vote.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 131.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for the time.

Mr. Speaker, first, coming from New Mexico, let me tell you that I have gone through the RMP process firsthand in my own Las Cruces district, the TriCounty RMP, and those are long and painful processes. They take a lot of public input and a lot of painful meetings. Those plans are developed with the input from residents from all sides of the aisle who represent different parts of what are our public lands and that mandate to have multiple-use lands. They are not meant for just one industry. They are meant for everybody that uses those public lands.

When I served on the U.S. Federal committee to advise the Forest Service, we got all of these stakeholders together to implement the 2012 planning rule, and it was the same deal. We did it deliberately. We did it with all stakeholders at the table. These RMPs are actually developed with public input from every community, not from one single stakeholder group. That is the painful process that it takes to update these plans, many of which haven't been updated since the 1980s.

It is important that we take into account the time and effort of not just the agency staff and those folks who show up to those hard meetings and hear the public out, but the public who comes out, in my district sometimes driving 30, 40, 50 miles, just to attend one of those meetings so that they can eventually get to an RPM, knowing that that will be the law of the land.

Today, I rise in opposition to all the CRAs, but in particular, I want to talk about one very special place.

In 2017, when the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's Coastal Plain was first officially opened to drilling, supporters promised that the sale would raise significant revenue. Instead, only three bidders emerged. The first mandated lease sale brought in less than 1 percent of the $2.2 billion that Congress was told to expect, less than 1 percent. That burdened taxpayers with an additional $2 billion in national debt.

Why? Well, because the Arctic is one of the most expensive places on Earth to drill, and investors in the oil industry know this. In fact, BP and Shell already abandoned their Arctic proposals, even paying to exit those leases. Financing has dried up completely, with nearly every major U.S. bank and 20 global insurance companies having publicly pledged not to finance Arctic drilling projects. Yet, here we are.

The Coastal Plain is too remote, too costly, and too risky to make drilling financially feasible, especially when we already produce record oil and gas volumes elsewhere at a far lower cost to taxpayers, including in my district, the Permian Basin.

Let's be clear, Arctic drilling will not lower gas prices. With no existing roads, pipelines, or infrastructure, any Arctic oil would take years to reach the market, if it ever does.

I know this myself because this is a picture from when I was in the Arctic.

This is also a question of what we value. The Arctic refuge is the only national wildlife refuge that protects a complete Arctic ecosystem. It is called the crown jewel of our public lands, and it is called that for a reason. I saw why firsthand when I was there last summer.

This special place offers unmatched, truly wild fishing and hunting opportunities for all Americans. When you catch your first Arctic char in the Canning River on the Coastal Plain, it is a moment you will never forget as an American. These lands have provided sustenance to the Gwich'in and the Inupiat peoples for millennia.

The bottom line, setting the unique wildlife and recreation values of America's Arctic aside, using the CRA to overturn land management plans is bad policy, bad economics, and bad land management. Truly, it is a disrespect to the constituents who showed up to those meetings to create that RPM in the first place, year over year over year.

By treating every resource management plan as a rule that is subject to the CRA, Congress is throwing the legal status of every oil and gas lease, every grazing permit, and recreational activity across the West into question.

I ask my Republican colleagues: Why pursue the CRA process when this administration has already revised the plan in question? They have already opened up the Coastal Plain, so why do this?

We should vote ``no,'' not to score a political point, but because this proposal simply doesn't make sense and won't work.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf New Mexico's Second District, I rise to highlight the dire financial situation many rural communities face because of the lapse in Secure Rural Schools funding.

For over 20 years, Congress has used SRS to support rural areas where national forests limit the local tax revenue. This funding has been a vital lifeline, helping rural communities pay for essential services like schools and roads.

Since SRS funding expired in 2024, these areas now face impossible choices like laying off beloved teachers, cutting back to 4-day school weeks, and deferring critical road maintenance that emergency responders rely on.

Last year, New Mexico lost $9 million alone. I just met with a bipartisan group of county officials and educators back home. Their message was clear. Without this funding, rural communities are in crisis. We must act now.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act so that rural communities in New Mexico and across the country are not forgotten and left behind without access to basic needs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the first responders and the families who lost their loved ones during historic and tragic flooding that happened in the community of Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Words cannot express the tragic loss that this community and the families are undergoing. I ask that we keep in our prayers Ruidoso, New Mexico, and the families of those who have been lost, and that this Federal Government, along with our delegation, helps to recover what was lost.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to honor the courageous law enforcement officers from New Mexico who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our communities.

Every day across our country and in my home State, law enforcement officers wake up, put on the badge, and commit themselves to protecting our neighbors. It is a calling that demands bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication.

This week, we remember those who answered the call and never returned home.

This year, three officers from New Mexico are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall here in Washington: Corrections Officer Roberto Rodriguez of Dona Ana County, Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez of the Las Cruces Police Department, and Patrolman Justin C. Hare of the New Mexico State Police.

I also want to honor those who recently did not have the opportunity to come home: Las Cruces Police Officer

J.R. Stewart, Albuquerque Police Officer Bianca Quintana, Alamogordo Police Officer Anthony ``Tony'' Ferguson, Alamogordo Patrolman James M. Sides, New Mexico State Police Officer Darian Jarrott, and Curry County Sheriff Michael Reeves.

To their friends, families, and colleagues: Know that your loved ones are not forgotten. We grieve with you.

As we reflect on their sacrifice, we must also recommit ourselves to doing more for those who wear the badge today. That means investing in officer safety, mental health, and wellness. It means supporting their families, and it means ensuring they have the tools and resources to serve our communities with dignity and professionalism. Choosing a life of service and law enforcement is not easy. It comes with risks that most of us will never know, but because of officers like Roberto, Jonah, and Justin, our communities are safer, and our values of justice and service endure.

On behalf of all New Mexicans, I offer my deepest gratitude. May their memories be a blessing, and may we continue to honor them with action, compassion, and resolve.

Recognizing Chief Jeremy Story

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an exceptional public servant from my district, Chief Jeremy Story.

Chief Story is from the Las Cruces Police Department, my hometown, and he is someone I was proud to serve with in local government. Chief Story has spent over 18 years in service to Las Cruces, rising through the ranks from cadet to chief of police. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, a graduate of New Mexico State University, and a man deeply rooted in the values of duty, accountability, and community.

Earlier this year, our community faced a horrific mass shooting, an act of senseless violence that shook Las Cruces to its core. In the face of this tragedy, Chief Story responded swiftly and with compassion. His leadership was grounded in facts, calm under pressure, and, most importantly, rooted in empathy for the victims, their families, and all of those affected.

At a time when our community needed strength and clarity, Chief Story was there, not only with answers, but with presence. He brought together law enforcement, emergency responders, and community leaders, not just to respond, but to begin the healing of our community.

In May of this year, he was named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. That recognition was well-earned. Today, I want to make sure that his dedication is honored here on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all New Mexicans, I thank Chief Jeremy Story for his continued leadership and unwavering commitment to the people of Las Cruces.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of the men and women who have served this Nation and defended our freedoms. They now face unnecessary obstacles in accessing the care and support that they have earned.

New Mexico is home to a strong and proud veteran community with a deep military tradition, spanning from Holloman Air Force Base to White Sands Missile Range and from Kirtland Air Force Base to Cannon Air Force Base.

We owe it to those who have served to ensure that they can access healthcare, reliable transportation, and opportunities to succeed in civilian life.

That is why I am introducing a package of bills focused on real solutions: expanding healthcare access, improving transportation, and easing financial burdens for veterans pursuing an education.

No one understands these challenges better than my guest for the joint address, Master Sergeant Roland L. Cooper. Roland, known to many back home as ``Coopdawg,'' has spent years fighting for veterans in New Mexico.

As chairman of the Lincoln/Otero County Veterans Leadership Council, he has seen firsthand the barriers that rural veterans face: long travel times for medical care, unreliable transportation, and a system that too often overlooks them.

His advocacy directly shaped my New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Act, which will redraw the Veterans Integrated Service Network lines. This change will allow veterans in Otero County and Eddy County to receive care at a closer VA facility in El Paso rather than have to travel 4 hours to Albuquerque.

Access to care means little if veterans can't get there. That is why I am also introducing the Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act, which expands transportation options for rural veterans so that no one has to miss an appointment simply because they can't afford the trip.

In rural communities across New Mexico and beyond, lack of transportation remains one of the greatest barriers to accessing healthcare. We also need to support veterans transitioning into civilian life. Education is a key part of that transition for many, but rising costs are making it harder.

The GI Bill book and supply stipend has remained at $1,000 since 2008, even as the cost of textbooks has skyrocketed. My Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act will increase that stipend to $1,400, ensuring that no veteran is forced to choose between buying books or paying their utilities or rent.

These bills were written with input from veterans who have lived these challenges. Even as we work to strengthen these resources, recent job cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs are making access even harder.

Already, 2,400 VA employees have been dismissed. Another 1,400 were fired after them. These cuts include doctors, mental health professionals, and benefits processors. These are critical roles that veterans rely on. Behind these numbers are real people, real consequences, and real veterans waiting longer for care.

VA employees have come forward anonymously, warning that these job cuts are affecting veterans' care and leading to many errors. Some of the people let go were even working on the veterans suicide crisis hotline.

VA services are already stretched thin. These job losses are making it worse. That is why I am proud to introduce these crucial bills and to host Roland ``Coopdawg'' Cooper today.

This is about the veterans in Otero County and Eddy County and all rural veterans who shouldn't have to choose between buying textbooks and paying rent or spending half a day on the road just to see a doctor for 20 minutes. It is about every veteran who has served this Nation with honor and deserves a government that stands with them, not one that makes them fight for the benefits that they have already earned.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support these bills. Let's ensure that veterans in my district and other rural districts across the Nation receive the care, benefits, and opportunities that they have earned because it should mean something when we say: ``Thank you for your service.'' It is our duty to back that up here in Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the dire consequences of the Federal funding freezes and mass firings that are devastating communities across the country, including in my home State of New Mexico.

Over the past few weeks, I have spoken with New Mexicans who have been impacted by these reckless decisions. Their stories are heartbreaking. Their families are suffering. Rural communities are reeling, and they deserve to be heard.

The funding freeze is crippling essential programs in our State, programs that provide wildfire prevention, conserve rangelands, grasslands, and forests, provide services to veterans, and fund public safety services. Rural communities and food producers are left vulnerable. Our national parks and forests are in disarray, and our local economies are suffering.

At the same time, mass firings are stripping thousands of dedicated Federal workers of their livelihoods. They are Americans--parents, veterans, and public servants--who have spent years serving their communities.

More than 2,400 employees have been dismissed from the Department of Veterans Affairs, undermining care for those who have served our country.

The U.S. Forest Service is losing the very employees that provide Americans access to our national treasures and public lands. These cuts also threaten wildfire prevention as our State enters another critical fire season.

The administration has fired 2,300 Department of the Interior employees, including 800 from the Bureau of Land Management and another 1,000 from the National Park Service, crippling decades of conservation efforts and degrading public land management.

These numbers alone are shocking, but they don't fully capture the impact. I want to share what my constituents have told me about these firings because behind every statistic is a real American.

Jason, a former National Park Service employee from Grants, New Mexico, told me: I received outstanding reviews on my last evaluation just a week before I was laid off. The local economy here in Grants will be devastated. I moved here to serve my community. I joined the local library board, and I am serving my people, but now I am afraid I will have to leave. There are no options left.

Devrie, who works with the Friends of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, shared: We already lost two employees at the refuge. We were understaffed before, and now if we lose visitors, my job is next. The Bosque brings in thousands of tourism dollars to Socorro, New Mexico. This isn't just about jobs. It is about the future of our communities, and what is happening is reckless.

Madison, a former probationary Federal employee in Carlsbad, New Mexico, told me: I lost my dream job on February 14. Many of us had moved hours away from our families to serve. In Carlsbad alone, the government wasted nearly half a million taxpayer dollars training us, only to fire us months later. These mass firings cannot go unnoticed.

Claudia, who worked at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, shared this: In 4\1/2\ months, I dedicated myself to my work, training others, providing emergency medical services, ensuring visitor safety. Then, without warning, I was fired. I was told I failed to prove my skills, despite my experience, my positive evaluations, and my commitment. How does firing somebody making less than $40,000 a year solve the debt crisis?

These are the voices of our rural communities. They are not nameless, faceless numbers to be scratched off by somebody who wasn't even elected by the American people. From their country and from this administration, they deserve better.

As Elon Musk is busy firing thousands of New Mexicans, the Republican majority is preparing today a budget that offers American taxpayer dollars to give massive tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. I hope that my colleagues can justify eliminating a $40,000 Federal job at a national park for wildfire prevention so that a millionaire can take another summer vacation to Aruba.

I urge my colleagues to recognize the human cost of these reckless firings and funding freezes. I am sure the constituents of my colleagues will make it clear to them even if they don't listen to us today.

(English translation of the statement made in Spanish by Mr. Vasquez is as follows:)

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize a group of individuals who are the life force of our nation: our farmworkers. Their commitment and tireless efforts in the field ensure that every family in this country can access fresh, nutritious food. I see and hear you, and I am proud to represent you.

Every day, these tireless workers face challenges that require strength and perseverance. Whether enduring extreme weather conditions or working long hours, their work sustains our economy and feeds our communities. Behind every meal we enjoy is the constant dedication of farm workers, who often go unnoticed.

Mr. Speaker, hoy quiero reconocer a un grupo de personas que son la fuerza vital de nuestra nacion: nuestros trabajadores agricolas.

Su compromiso y esfuerzos incansables en el campo aseguran que todas las familias de este pais puedan tener alimentos frescos y nutritivos. Los veo y los escucho y estoy orgulloso de representarlos.

Cada dia, estos trabajadores incansables enfrentan desafios que requieren fortaleza y dedicacion. Trabajan muchas horas en condiciones climaticas extremas para sostener nuestra economia y alimentar a nuestras comunidades. Detras de la comida que disfrutamos esta la dedicacion constante de los trabajadores del campo que muchas veces son invisibles en este pais.

Madam Chair, I thought Republicans' plans were to make Americans' lives better. I thought we were supposed to lower the cost of goods. I thought we were supposed to make healthcare more affordable for Americans.

Well, let me tell you this: When you strip healthcare away from 290,000 New Mexicans, many of which are in my district, including 132,000 children and 26,000 seniors, can anybody on the other side of the aisle tell me how is that making life better for my constituents and for New Mexicans?

Well, it is not going to.

In fact, this Republican budget is going to raise healthcare premiums by nearly $1,000 a year for 20,000 people in my district. It could force a 60-year-old couple to pay over $16,000 more annually for coverage.

Now, in my district and in my State, we have some of the best service records of veterans in this entire country. In fact, we are home to the Code Talkers. We are home to folks who have served our country with pride and with dignity for so many years that when I look at the cuts that are being made to the VA healthcare system, I am ashamed of what this body is doing. I am ashamed of what my colleagues across the aisle are doing.

When I go home and I talk to a working mother, a person who wakes up at 7 in the morning and works two jobs every day and has to send her kid to school and relies on the food programs just to keep her family healthy, just to have something in the stomach of that 7-year-old who is going to first grade, and to know that their food assistance programs could get taken away, we are doing the exact opposite of what Republicans promised that they would do for this country.

This budget is a statement of where we are at as a country, and this is the wrong statement that we are making.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rosie's Cafe and its owner, Jackie Chavira, on the cafe's second anniversary. Since it opened on January 21, 2023, Rosie's Cafe has served great food to the Grants community.

Jackie Chavira was born and raised in Grants and is incredibly proud to call it home. Jackie's parents opened Rosie's Laundry fourteen years ago, a testament to their hard work and dedication. After her mother retired, she encouraged Jackie to follow her own entrepreneurial path and open the restaurant. Jackie inherited her parents' unwavering work ethic and resilience, which shaped her journey. As her parents once told her, and she now tells her children, ``The only thing you're going to inherit is hard work.''

After Jackie purchased the building for Rosie's Cafe, she made several significant investments, including updating the plumbing, replacing the roof, and purchasing new equipment. With no prior experience in restaurant ownership, she faced a series of challenges along the way. She persevered through a winter without heat, a summer without air conditioning, and a monsoon season with a leaky roof and kept Rosie's Cafe open.

Jackie eventually joined the Chamber of Commerce and began attending meetings. These days, though she is more settled, Jackie continues to work tirelessly to keep the dream alive. Most recently, she earned her catering license, making her the only business in Grants licensed to cater.

Opening this restaurant was truly a labor of love for Jackie and her family, inspired by her mother's dream of owning a restaurant. Jackie

then took on the responsibility of obtaining all the necessary licenses and permits while continuing to work alongside her mother. During difficult times, her grandpa's encouraging words, ``la cabeza pa'rriba'' reminded her to keep moving forward.

Today, Rosie's Cafe is renowned for its signature Chile Relleno Plate, lovingly prepared by her mother. The restaurant's success is a testament to her family's strength, resilience, and dedication.

On behalf of the people of New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Jackie Chavira, her family, and the team at Rosie's Cafe for sharing their love through food with the community of Grants. We congratulate them on their second anniversary and commend the dedication and hard work that have impacted the local community. We look forward to their continued success in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Grecia Nunez, a former intern in my office who recently passed away and joined our Lord in Heaven.

Grecia was a force in southern New Mexico. She was passionate about conservation, and she brought her talents to organizations like New Mexico Wild. She also worked as a park ranger and helped young people experience the outdoors. She served in the Peace Corps abroad and was active in her church at home.

Grecia's faith was her guiding light, and she was never shy about sharing that. When she came to my office, Grecia was studying to be an environmental lawyer. She was smart, kind, and passionate about public service.

Grecia's warmth and enthusiasm affected everybody she worked with. Despite her own struggles, she arrived every day with the mindset to serve New Mexicans. Her work was truly inspirational, and her family is so incredibly proud of her.

Grecia's light will forever shine in the hearts of her family and her many friends. I am grateful to have known her as she continues to inspire me to improve the lives of all New Mexicans. If we all shared in Grecia's grit and determination, we would all be much better off.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exceptional service of the Marine Corps League El Perro Diablo Detachment 478, based in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

New Mexicans have a long history of stepping up to serve our Nation, and these marines continue to honor that commitment. For decades, the members of this detachment have provided military funeral honors for our veterans, with several members participating in over 1,000 ceremonies and winning multiple awards at honor guard conferences.

During times when military families are experiencing one of the most difficult moments of their lives, marines step forward with unwavering dedication to ensure our Nation's heroes are laid to rest with the dignity they deserve. Their service to our community is a profound reminder of the values instilled in these marines: honor, courage, and commitment.

We must continue to support our veterans and their families, ensuring that they also receive the benefits and recognition that they have earned.

On behalf of all New Mexicans, I extend my deepest gratitude to the Marine Corps League El Perro Diablo Detachment 478.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor my friend and an honorable New Mexican, Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway, who passed away on December 30, 2024.

Mayor Janway served Carlsbad with integrity and distinction as mayor for 13 years. He was deeply involved in his community and made remarkable progress during his tenure. He worked with leaders of all political stripes to improve the city's infrastructure, including the Double Eagle water project, which we worked on together.

Although we came from different parties, Mayor Janway was a good friend and was always willing to work together for the good of his community. He had a passion for educating youth so that they would become thoughtful, engaged citizens. He helped to create jobs, improved the lives of Carlsbad families, and protected critical industries.

The mayor also proudly served his country in the Army National Guard. Mayor Janway exemplified leadership, leaving behind a legacy that reminds us all to serve with kindness and with purpose.

I thank Mayor Janway for his service.