Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I came to Congress to solve problems and create economic opportunities for New Mexico, which is still struggling with one of the highest unemployment and poverty rates in the Nation.

Now, we had a chance in this farm bill to do just that, and I have worked for years on an array of bipartisan initiatives in this bill, including creating a first-ever broadband grant program to increase internet access in rural communities; expediting the adoption of innovative conservation and water management technologies; and finally banning the heinous practice of lunch shaming.

Unfortunately, the bill the majority brought to the floor today not only jeopardizes all of that bipartisan work, it also includes provisions that will cause so much pain to so many people in my State.

This bill creates new restrictions on SNAP eligibility and a massive unfunded mandate on State bureaucracies which will further destabilize an already broken SNAP system in New Mexico.

I have spent years working to hold my State accountable for their mismanagement of SNAP and for illegally denying thousands of individuals their benefits. Under this bill, those mistakes will become much more common. Millions of Americans will be needlessly kicked off SNAP, and more children and families will go hungry.

Mr. Chairman, it may be politically expedient to bring this partisan bill to the floor that destroys SNAP as we know it, but passing a partisan bill that will undoubtedly die in the Senate does nothing for the Americans who wait for Congress to do their jobs.

This bill is the perfect reflection of what is wrong with Washington: that politics will always take priority over progress. I urge my colleagues to recommit to the bipartisan collaborative work that is desperately needed by farms, ranchers, and vulnerable Americans in every single one of our districts. This is the only way we will pass a farm bill and fulfill our commitment to the constituents we have a duty to serve.

Mr. Speaker, throughout Military Appreciation Month, I join with my fellow Americans to remember the brave servicemen and -women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this Nation and to honor the servicemembers who are still answering the call to duty today.

New Mexico is the proud home of over 16,000 patriotic servicemembers, who operate the premier military installations at Kirtland, Cannon, and Holloman Air Force Bases, and the Army's White Sands Missile Range.

Thank you for all that you do to keep our country safe and safeguard the freedoms and values that we all cherish.

I also want to recognize the devoted spouses, children, sisters, brothers, and parents of our men and women in uniform for their unending support. This month is dedicated to their service as well.

I hope everyone in this Chamber and those watching at home will take the time to thank a servicemember and their loved ones who continue to sacrifice so much for our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Encuentro's Home Health Aide Program and the 24 graduates of the spring 2018 class.

Encuentro is a New Mexico organization that provides high quality adult education to immigrants through a variety of programs including the Workforce and Small Business Development Initiative. This program provides immigrants with supportive services in addition to education and training in order to support meaningful career development. In January of 2016, they introduced the Home Health Aide program as part of this initiative in order to train and support immigrants to be employed in the fast-growing home health care industry.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the 24 members of the spring 2018 class on their completion of the Home Health Aide Program, I wish them well as they embark on this new and exciting journey. They have taken it upon themselves to study and earn a certificate in a skill that makes our communities better and helps people live healthier and more productive lives. It is their story that keeps true the idea that our country is a place of opportunity.

Over the last 15 weeks these individuals have sacrificed their time to complete the course and the clinical work needed to not just meet, but to exceed the state's training requirements for Personal Care Attendees and Home Health Aides. With their new certification, they are now able to provide care to older adults and individuals with disabilities who need extra support to live independently. I know firsthand how tough of a job this is but also how fulfilling it is.

Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my gratitude to the Encuentro Home Health Aide Program and my congratulations to the spring 2018 class. I wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Tammie Jo Shults, the pilot of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 on April 17th, whose heroic actions saved many lives.

A New Mexico native, Mrs. Shults demonstrated bravery and composure as she safely guided her Boeing 737 to the ground after one of its engines exploded. While we mourn the loss of beloved Albuquerque native Jennifer Riordan, we are grateful that Mrs. Shults' extraordinary actions under pressure helped prevent an even greater tragedy.

In addition to her life-saving actions on April 17th, Mrs. Shults was a trail blazer in the U.S. Navy. After combat exclusion laws for women were repealed, Mrs. Shults became one of the first female fighter pilots. Despite facing adversity and unequal treatment due to her gender, Mrs. Shults eventually earned the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my gratitude to Mrs. Tammie Jo Shults for her years of service to our country and her extraordinary, live- saving heroism aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 1380.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Jennifer Riordan, who tragically lost her life on Southwest Airlines flight 1380 on April 17.

Mrs. Riordan was an incredible leader and an advocate in our community who loved out loud. I join her family and loved ones in celebrating her life and her commitment to building strong and loving communities.

Through her work at Wells Fargo and her philanthropic efforts, she was able to reflect the positivity of her beaming smile onto every community she touched. Her devotion to serving others made our city a better place and is both her lasting legacy and an example to all of us.

Our hearts break for her family and for everyone who had the good fortune of being in her presence.

I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Riordan's husband, Michael, and her two children, Averie and Joshua.

I hope that we can all honor Mrs. Riordan's memory by embodying her personal philosophy: be kind, loving, caring, and sharing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the volunteers who organized this month's Little League Basketball Championship in Cuba, New Mexico. I am proud that I had the opportunity to attend this event and speak with many of the athletes, coaches, and parents.

We have a fundamental obligation to ensure that our children grow up in safe, healthy environments that will set them up for long-term wellness. Organized community sports leagues are integral to this goal and foster healthy lifestyles, exercise, and a strong sense of community. These leagues not only provide children with a fun way to stay healthy, but also promote important character traits like teamwork, sportsmanship, determination, and work ethic that will help them throughout their lives.

I am honored to specifically mention several volunteers who helped organize this wonderful event, including Directors Jared and Anita Maestas, Caroline Lovato, Kirby Borders, Joy Borders, Julian Sanchez, Marissa Aragon, Janell Toledo, Isaac Montoya, Jessica Romero, Kee Boshara, and Loretta Hidalgo.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the state of New Mexico, I want to thank the hard-working volunteers who helped organize the Little League Basketball Championship for Cuba's children and community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Esther Moore, the author of a recent book entitled Placitas. This book describes the vibrant, diverse community and residents of Cuba, New Mexico.

While the village may be small, it reflects the best of the state, including hard-working families and a rich history and culture. That is why I was so honored to meet and talk with Esther at a book signing about her inspiration for the book and how proud she is of her community.

While I was visiting the village, I also had the pleasure of attending their Little League Basketball Championship. This tournament gave me the opportunity to meet many of Cuba's residents including the parents, coaches, players, and volunteers who were there. I was struck by the strong sense of community in such a small town, and I am proud that Esther's book will ensure that people all over the country will be able to experience a slice of what I loved so much about Cuba, New Mexico.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the state of New Mexico, I want to congratulate Esther Moore on becoming a published author, and thank her for the work she has done to educate us about the Cuba, New Mexico community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lollie's New Mexican Food, one of Albuquerque's favorite restaurants, which just celebrated its five-year anniversary.

In April 2013, Lollie Padilla opened her restaurant in Albuquerque's South Valley hoping to share the recipes of her mother, for whom the restaurant is named. Since then, Ms. Padilla and her staff have been ``Proudly Serving the Southwest'' quadrant of Albuquerque breakfast and lunch seven days a week. House specialties include the sopaipillas and tostadas as well as New Mexico's famous red and green chile.

In addition to providing the South Valley with outstanding food, Lollie's has given back to the community through its philanthropic endeavors. Every winter, the restaurant holds a coat drive in order to help those who are struggling to make ends meet.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Albuquerque community, I want to congratulate Lollie's New Mexican Food on its five-year anniversary. We are so lucky to have Ms. Padilla and her team in our community and look forward to enjoying their food, hospitality, and philanthropy for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Zoe Sloan Callan for her victory at the New Mexico finals of the Poetry Out Loud recitation competition. Ms. Callan is New Mexico's representative at the national finals this week.

Ms. Callan is a freshman at the Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque. She earned first place at the 13th Annual New Mexico Finals of Poetry Out Loud last month, a competition that featured over 1,600 students and 35 teachers from across the state.

Ms. Callan's winning recitation consisted of ``Abecedarian Requiring Further Examination of Anglikan Seraphym Subjugation of a Wild Indian Rezervation'' by Natalie Diaz, ``The New Colossus'' by Emma Lazarus, and ``Famous'' by Naomi Shihab Nye.

In recognition of her achievement, Ms. Callan received $200, as well as a $500 stipend to purchase poetry books for her school's library. She also received an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. with her grandmother, Ms. Jackie Miles, to compete in the national finals.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Albuquerque community, I want to congratulate Ms. Zoe Sloan Callan on her impressive victory at the New Mexico Finals of Poetry Out Loud. We wish her the best of luck in the national finals and all her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Steven Williams, one of Albuquerque's leading HIV physicians and researchers, who will retire this year after more than two decades of serving our community.

In the early 1990s, the Albuquerque community had few doctors who were willing and able to take on patients with HIV. That was until Dr. Williams organized a team of physicians and nurses at the University of New Mexico Hospital to provide those diagnosed with the virus with emotional support, testing, and survival education. Over time, Dr. Williams built this practice into an outstanding specialty clinic within the hospital called the Truman Clinic. In addition to providing high quality medical care, Dr. Williams and his team have also supported fundraising and provided guidance to local organizations supporting HIV patients.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of New Mexico's First Congressional District, I want to thank Dr. Steven Williams for his years of service to our community, and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement. We wish him nothing but the best in all his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Gloria Lynn Valdez of the Department of the Navy, who is retiring after more than 30 years of faithful service to or nation, culminating in her service as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Ship Programs.

Ms. Valdez has over 30 years of civilian service with the Department of the Navy. Recruited out of the University of New Mexico, she began her Navy career in 1986. Working her way up through the ranks and continually taking on more responsibility, she transitioned to the Naval Sea Systems Command headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Navy's largest command, and became a senior project engineer in the Fast Attack Submarine Program Office. In 1996, Ms. Valdez was competitively selected for the Commander's Development Program, a stepping stone to the Senior Executive Service.

In 2000, Ms. Valdez was selected to serve as the Director, Naval and Commercial Construction, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, for Research, Development and Acquisition, where she had executive oversight of amphibious and auxiliary ship construction programs and overall shipbuilding industrial base matters. In 2002, Ms. Valdez was selected to lead the stand up of a new program office to convert strategic nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines to tactical guided missile submarines. She served as the Deputy Program Manager of that office and then became the Director of the Shipbuilding, Modernization and Sealift Branch, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Financial Management and Comptroller where she was responsible for the management of all shipbuilding accounts.

Ms. Valdez's exemplary performance and versatility was acknowledged with her selection to the Senior Executive Service in July 2009 as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Budget Director in the Department of Homeland Security. She returned to the Navy in January 2010 as the Director of Investment and Development Division in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Financial Management and Comptroller. In January 2012, she became Executive Director, Program Executive Office for Submarines.

Ms. Valdez is currently serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Ship Programs. She has executive oversight over an annual budget of $35 billion for all naval shipbuilding and ship weapons systems programs, major ship conversions, and the maintenance, modernization and disposal of in-service ships and submarines.

Ms. Valdez is a great mentor and role model for Hispanics and women seeking positions in the Federal Government. In 2014, she was recognized at the Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC) with the Pioneer Award. Representing her heritage, women, and the Navy for the opportunities it provides, Ms. Valdez was recognized for achievements as a dedicated public servant, senior leader, and engineer.

Mr. Speaker, it is through the commitment and sacrifice of Americans like Gloria Valdez that our nation is able to strive for the betterment of mankind. I am proud, as a fellow New Mexican, to thank her and her family for her honorable service to our nation with the United States Navy. I wish her fair winds and following seas as she concludes a distinguished career of public service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms.

Hawthorn Bolger-Witherspoon. Hawthorn is a fourteen-year-old student from South Valley, New Mexico who has written a series of short stories titled ``South Valley'' in an effort to encourage young people in our area to read.

Hawthorn wanted to provide her fellow students in the Albuquerque area with reading material that they could relate to, so she based her stories off of some of the issues that affect our community. The stories are centered on a gang member who turns his life around but who is still faced with issues like drug abuse and domestic violence. The stories also discuss the immigration issues that are currently facing our community.

The stories will also include illustrations that were created by Hawthorn. To create the illustrations, she took photos of a family friend who works at an Albuquerque school, and then altered them to look like drawings. The family friend is actually a former gang member himself, making him a fitting inspiration for the illustrations and for the stories' main character.

Integral to Hawthorn's stories was local poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, whose work the stories are based on. Mr. Baca himself had a difficult upbringing and spent time in prison. It was during his incarceration that he developed his love of poetry. He has since had a highly successful career that has included both an American Book Award and a Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature. He also founded a non-profit publishing company called Cedar Tree Poetic, which will be publishing Hawthorn's stories.

In addition to getting her stories published, Hawthorn's work will also be represented in our nation's capital. Two of her photographs will be included by the Smithsonian Institution in an educational film.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of New Mexico's First Congressional District, I want to congratulate Hawthorn Bolger-Witherspoon on becoming a published author and commend her for her work to encourage reading in our community. I also want to thank Jimmy Santiago Baca for his generous assistance and for his wonderful work over the years. We look forward to following the work of these writers and wish them continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the founders of an outstanding organization in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Celebrating the 10-year anniversary since its inception, the Martineztown Food Pantry has provided meals for thousands of families in New Mexico since 2008.

The idea for a neighborhood food pantry was sparked when a young neighbor of Brad Brown and Michael Griego knocked on the door of their home asking if they were interested in buying a pair of his shoes so that he would have money to purchase food for his young wife and child. Brown and Griego felt compelled to address the larger issue at hand and do something to help end hunger in Albuquerque.

The pair started by giving up their gym memberships and donating that money to the Roadrunner Food Bank. Eventually they would establish their own mobile food program known as the Martineztown Food Pantry. Since its creation, this program has brought together a dedicated group of volunteers in the community to pursue a noble cause. They've helped feed 32,000 families for over a decade, totaling 1,612,000 pounds of food.

Dedicated to ending hunger and preserving the dignity of citizens of New Mexico, Brown and Griego truly embody the values of humanitarianism. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Brad Brown and Michael Griego and everyone who volunteers at the Martineztown Food Pantry for their selfless dedication to improving the community, and congratulate them on all they have achieved over the last 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Albuquerque Police Officer Ryan Holets and his wife Rebecca for their act of kindness and compassion in adopting a homeless mother's opioid-addicted newborn while also supporting her recovery.

While on patrol, Ryan found a homeless woman with a companion, taking opioids in the form of heroin. He soon realized that the woman was pregnant. While talking to the woman about the harm that her actions would bring to her unborn child, she became emotional and told Ryan that she knew what she was doing was wrong.

Immediately, Ryan knew it was an opportunity for him and his wife to adopt the baby and add a new member to their family. He showed the woman a photo of his wife, Rebecca, and their four children and offered to adopt the baby.

When he shared the news with Rebecca, she immediately agreed that this was meant to happen and was a wonderful opportunity given to them by God. They did not have any hesitation to show compassion and love to this unborn child.

On October 12, 2017, the baby was born and the Holets family named her Hope. Since Hope's birth, the Holets family has continued to give support to her parents and encouraged them to seek treatment at a rehabilitation facility in Florida.

Ryan has become an incredible spokesperson for the opioid epidemic. His perspective as an officer who sees the effects of drug abuse and homelessness is key to understanding these issues and identifying solutions that are compassionate and effective.

This heart-warming act of kindness was selfless and inspiring. I wish the very best to the Holets family and health to their new addition, Hope.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Air Force Research Laboratory of New Mexico--

an organization committed to engaging our community, especially youth, in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's STEM Outreach Program in New Mexico organizes several programs that encourage students, from elementary through graduate school, to pursue careers in STEM fields. In 2017, the Laboratory's outreach efforts were aimed at expanding the number of student's served--a goal they've undoubtedly achieved. Their programs, such as Mission to Mars, DoD STARBASE, and the Robotics Challenge, reached over 2,700 students last year. Seventy three percent of the participants were minority or underrepresented students, and half were female.

While incredibly dedicated to their own work, the Air Force Research Laboratory recognizes the value of collaborating with the community. Through marketing, financial, and organizational support, the Laboratory strengthened the Discovery Festival which introduced fun, interactive STEM exhibits to over 1,400 students in New Mexico.

Additionally, by creating a formal STEM matching program with school districts and their foundations across New Mexico, the Laboratory increased staff volunteer hours to provide quality classroom instruction and projects in ways that are tailored to teachers' curriculum and individual classroom needs.

The Air Force Research Laboratory of New Mexico's participation in my district office's Congressional App Challenge, a competition that encourages children to code, enriched the overall experience for local students. Laboratory staff took part in judging the submissions and provided live demonstrations for the students and their families during the awards reception.

Last but certainly not least, in order to promote the importance of STEM learning, Air Force Research Laboratory is hosting New Mexico's premiere Excellence in STEM Awards. The ``STEMys'' will celebrate the accomplishments of students, teachers, schools, organizations, businesses, and volunteers devoted to STEM learning in New Mexico.

I am incredibly proud of the work the Air Force Research Laboratory of New Mexico has done for the state's students. Their agency has inspired young minds to dream big, seize their future, and make the world a better place. I look forward to see the Laboratory's influence grow as they continue to educate and inspire New Mexicans.