{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-rep-stansbury-under-secretary-torres-small-celebrate-57-million", "VIDEO: Rep. Stansbury, Under Secretary Torres Small Celebrate $57 Million in Broadband Funding Headed to Rural and Tribal Communities in New Mexico", "2022-09-07", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Melanie A. Stansbury", "S001218", "stansbury.house.gov", "stansbury", "https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "VIDEO LINK:Accessible video can be found here. A fact sheet on broadband investments can be found here.\n\nALBUQUERQUE, N.M.\u2014Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) joined Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Office of Rural Development (USDA-RD) Xochitl Torres Small, New Mexico State Infrastructure Advisor Martin Ch\u00e1vez, Village of Los Ranchos Mayor Don Lopez, and Pueblo of Santa Ana Governor Joseph Sanchez for a press conference to celebrate over $57.6 million in federal funding to connect homes across New Mexico to broadband. The officials also highlighted the extensive USDA-RD water management funding available to rural and Tribal communities across the state.\n\nFollowing the press conference, Rep. Stansbury and Under Secretary Torres Small met with local leaders to discuss the federal resources available to rural and Tribal communities, and to learn more about how the federal government is supporting the grant, funding, and development needs of communities across New Mexico.\n\n\u201cWe are proud to welcome home New Mexico\u2019s own Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small and to celebrate the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law\u2019s delivery of vital broadband and other infrastructure dollars to rural and Tribal communities in New Mexico,\u201d said Rep. Stansbury. \u201cAccess to high-speed internet, resilient infrastructure, and the tools to manage our water sustainably are critical to the economic development of our communities, supporting thriving small businesses, farmers, and ranchers, and ensuring our kids have every opportunity to realize their potential. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering resources to our communities to do just that.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Administration understands that rural America cannot reach its full potential unless we invest in rural infrastructure and these investments put us on that track. Thanks to the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Members of Congress like Congresswoman Stansbury, USDA can help build opportunity and prosperity for the people who call rural America home,\u201d said Under Secretary Torres Small.\n\n\u201cThe bare minimum on the return on investment in our infrastructure is three to one\u2014oftentimes more than that,\u201d said Infrastructure Advisor Ch\u00e1vez. \u201cWhen you invest money in infrastructure comes back at you in jobs, in dollars, and in opportunity for young New Mexicans.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a former State Engineer of New Mexico, I know on a personal level that water is fundamental to our economy and our ways of life in Los Ranchos,\u201d said Mayor Don Lopez. \u201cWe need to deploy federal resources and funding to best manage our water so we can continue to thrive for generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cBroadband in Indian Country is essential for growing our economy, caring for our elders, community and growing our businesses and educating the future leaders of my Pueblo and other Tribes,\u201d said Governor Sanchez. \u201cBroadband is the key. Because without that, we can't be as successful as we need to be. We're not on the same playing field as everyone else.\u201d\n\nThe $57 million in broadband funding comes as part of $34 million in funding distributed by USDA Rural Development that has supported rural economic development, key government services, and critical infrastructure in every corner of New Mexico\u2019s First Congressional District.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-rep-stansbury-under-secretary-torres-small-celebrate-57-million"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8202139288187027, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}