url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-announces-nominations-us-service-academies,Congresswoman Stansbury Announces Nominations for U.S. Service Academies,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ALBUQUERQUE – Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) announced student nominations from New Mexico’s First Congressional District to enter the United States Service Academies. “We are excited to announce the exemplary students we are nominating to our military service academies,” said Rep. Stansbury. “These amazing young people represent the best of our state as our future leaders and carry forward a long tradition of military service by New Mexicans across all of our communities. I am proud they will represent our state as they move forward in their application processes and in serving our country. Congratulations to our outstanding nominees.” Rep. Stansbury’s 2021 Service Academy nominees include: Michael Gray- U.S. Air Force Academy Prep (U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Naval Academy) Lee McDonald- Greystone Academy (U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S. Naval Academy) Caden Box- La Cueva High (U.S. Air Force and U.S. Naval Academy) Thomas Fotter- La Cueva High (U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Military Academy—West Point) Trevor Anderson- La Cueva High (Air Force Academy and U.S. Military Academy—West Point) Maksymilian Olszowka- New Mexico Military Institute (U.S. Military Academy—West Point) Zachary Neel- University of New Mexico (U.S. Military Academy—West Point and U.S. Naval Academy) Natasha Sun- Albuquerque Academy (U.S. Air Force Academy) Luke Vaughn- Volcano Vista High School (U.S. Air Force Academy) Interviews took place in early fall. Rep. Stansbury’s Service Academy Selection Board considered all the applications from the young New Mexicans interested in attending the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Academy nominees submit an application that includes a personal statement, resume, letters of reference, academic transcripts, and standardized test scores. Applicants must meet the individual admission requirements for each academy to earn a congressional nomination. Students may be nominated for more than one service academy. The academies make the final decision on who will receive an appointment of admission.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-nm-delegation-announce-almost-18-million-airport-infrastructure-grants,Members Of N.M. Delegation Announce Almost $18 Million In Airport Infrastructure Grants For New Mexico,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) and Teresa Leger Fernández (N.M.-03) announced New Mexico airports have been allocated almost $18 million in federal Airport Infrastructure Grants under the recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The money can be invested in runways, taxiways, safety and sustainability projects, as well as terminal, airport-transit connections, and roadway projects. Heinrich, Luján, Stansbury, and Leger Fernández fought for these historic airport investments in the recent infrastructure package, as well as monumental relief funding in the American Rescue Plan that have allowed New Mexico airports to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. “Local airports connect communities all across New Mexico to tourism, business opportunities, and commercial aviation,”said Heinrich. “Democrats in the New Mexicodelegation fought hard for these historic investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will modernize our airports and allow them to better serve travelers, health care providers, and businesses all across our state.” “New Mexico’s 46 airports are key economic drivers for our state,”said Luján. “That’s why I was honored to help shape the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to ensure our state’s airports received the necessary funding to make these long overdue upgrades. As tourism and travel continue to grow, I’m honored to join my colleagues in announcing this first round of funding that will serve New Mexicans well.” “Communities from Albuquerque to Moriarty rely on airport infrastructure to sustain local economies and keep our state humming, which is why I was proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This grant will deliver new good-paying jobs for New Mexicans while making needed renovations to the Sunport and airports across the state,”said Stansbury. “By modernizing our airports and making them more sustainable, the infrastructure law supports New Mexico’s tourism industries and facilitates smoother and safer travels.” “Our airports connect communities across the state, especially those in rural areas. We fought and voted for this historic investment in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law because we knew the impact of this funding for New Mexico,”said Leger Fernández. “This $18 million will improve runways, taxiways, and other projects to revitalize New Mexico airports, grow our economy, and create good-paying jobs.” The airports receiving funding include:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-nm-delegation-call-increased-oversight-corecivic-detention-facility,Members Of N.M. Delegation Call For Increased Oversight At CoreCivic Detention Facility In Torrance County After Asylum Seekers Face Barriers To Legal Representation,2021-12-17,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) and Teresa Leger Fernández (N.M.-03) are calling on U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials to increase oversight on CoreCivic’s management of the Torrance County Detention Facility (Torrance) in Estancia, New Mexico, after Haitian asylum seekers have faced significant barriers to legal counsel. “In May 2021, DHS publicly stated it would not tolerate the mistreatment of individuals in civil immigration detention or substandard conditions of detention. Yet, the Department continues to detain individuals at Torrance, which failed an [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)]-contracted inspection less than four months ago,”wrote the lawmakers. “In the year leading up to the failed inspection, Torrance received 43 grievances from individuals detained at the facility regarding safety concerns, medical care, and food violations. The fact that Torrance had advance notice of the inspection, and still failed it, underscores the deeply rooted structural problems at the facility.” In the letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson, and President and CEO of CoreCivic, the lawmakers explain that approximately two months after the Torrance facility failed its inspection, ICE transferred in a group of approximately 80 Haitian asylum seekers, some of who suffered inhumane abuse in Del Rio, Texas, by U.S. Border Patrol. These individuals have experienced severe barriers to legal and language interpretation services. Four individuals were given deportation orders who had not had access to legal representation. The lawmakers are expressing that without legal representation and language interpretation services, Haitian asylum seekers detained in Torrance face a nearly impossible task of being prepared for their immigration hearings and thus finding refuge in the United States. Read the full text of the letter below or by clickinghere. Dear Secretary Mayorkas, Acting Director Johnson, and Mr. Hininger: We write to request the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conduct increased oversight on CoreCivic’s management of Torrance County Detention Facility (Torrance) in Estancia, New Mexico and for ICE and CoreCivic to implement immediate remedial measures addressing current barriers to legal counsel and language interpretation services experienced by Haitian asylum seekers detained at this facility. In May 2021, DHS publicly stated it would not tolerate the mistreatment of individuals in civil immigration detention or substandard conditions of detention. Yet, the Department continues to detain individuals at Torrance, which failed an ICE-contracted inspection less than four months ago. In the year leading up to the failed inspection, Torrance received 43 grievances from individuals detained at the facility regarding safety concerns, medical care, and food violations. The fact that Torrance had advance notice of the inspection, and still failed it, underscores the deeply rooted structural problems at the facility. Approximately two months after Torrance failed its inspection, ICE transferred into the facility a group of approximately 80 Haitian migrants. Some of these individuals suffered inhumane abuse in Del Rio, Texas at the hands of U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), actions which were strongly condemned by the American public and President Biden. At Torrance, these individuals have faced severe barriers to legal representation, prohibiting them from being able to prepare for their asylum hearings, which are scheduled in an immigration court with an asylum denial rate of 93%. It took over two months for ICE to grant a group of attorneys and legal representatives permission to speak with many of these individuals , during which at least four were given deportation orders who had not had access to legal representation. Providing detainees with access to legal services, particularly for non-English and non-Spanish speakers, is integral to a fair and just immigration system. Furthermore, due to CoreCivic’s failure to provide language interpretation services, Haitian Creole-speaking detainees are unable to communicate with detention officers present at the facility. Documented onsite visits reveal CoreCivic staff have provided individuals limited information about the asylum process and without interpretation to Haitians in Creole. On the rare occasions that attorneys had success meeting with Haitian detainees, they were also not provided interpretation services to effectively communicate with their clients. Due to the lack of interpretation services and the steep barriers blocking access to counsel, Haitian asylum seekers detained in Torrance face the nearly impossible task of being prepared for their immigration hearings and thus finding refuge in the United States. Lastly, given that some of the Haitian migrants at Torrance were subject to the USBP’s abusive treatment in Del Rio, Texas, DHS must take all necessary actions to ensure that potential witnesses are not removed from the United States pending the Office of Professional Responsibility’s investigation on such abuse. For this reason, and the aforementioned barriers to legal representation at Torrance, we request DHS and ICE take the following actions: Conduct immediate, comprehensive oversight on CoreCivic’s management of Torrance to ensure: Attorneys can schedule attorney/client calls on a regular basis that are free, confidential, and unlimited in time; Detainees and attorneys are provided unfettered access to ICE’s language interpretation call-line; and Haitian detainees have interpretation services to understand ICE-provided information on the asylum process, such as legal orientations and informational videos. Work with the Executive Office for Immigration Review to extend the immigration hearing dates for those detained at Torrance until they receive the counsel that has been unduly inaccessible to them. Thank you for your attention and we look forward to hearing about the actions you will expeditiously take to remediate these issues.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-highlights-infrastructure-investments-during-unm,Congresswoman Stansbury Highlights Infrastructure Investments During UNM Hospital Union Job Site Tour,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Photos and footage of the visit for use are available here. ALBUQUERQUE — Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) visited a job site at the University of New Mexico Hospital with CEO Kate Becker and Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 16 in Albuquerque to highlight the benefits of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and speak about the urgent need to prioritize health care infrastructure to protect New Mexico’s health care workers and communities. “Today we toured the University of New Mexico Hospital expansion project, one of our state’s largest public constitution projects in history, and a prime example of how all levels of government can collaborate to build critical infrastructure like those funded in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bill will bring more than $3.7 billion to New Mexico to upgrade our infrastructure while creating thousands of good-paying jobs for New Mexicans,” said Rep. Stansbury. “At a time when New Mexico is facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, projects like the UNMH construction site are critical to ensuring we can meet the health care needs of our state. The bipartisan infrastructure bill makes billions of dollars in crucial investments in New Mexico’s infrastructure to modernize our infrastructure and grow our economy. The visit follows a historic month of action in Congress, including the passage of the once-in-a-generation Build Back Better Act that passed the House of Representatives and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in November. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will create jobs for New Mexicans by investing more than $3.7 billion in New Mexico’s broadband, water, roads, bridges, public transportation, electric vehicle, airport and other infrastructure. The legislation will modernize America’s crumbling infrastructure for the 21st century while supporting small businesses, resources for working families, and rebuilding for a more climate resilient future. The law also invests $100 million in broadband infrastructure expansion funding to New Mexico, which will facilitate telehealth program access for rural communities across the state.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-nm-delegation-deliver-largest-federal-transportation-investments,Members of N.M. Delegation Deliver Largest Federal Transportation Investments In Decades As Part of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding,2021-12-16,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON– U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) announced that New Mexico will receive over $486.5 million in new federal funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to create good-paying jobs and improve roads and bridges across the state. Based on formula funding alone, New Mexico can expect to receive approximately $2.8 billion over five years in federal highway formula funding authorized by this new law. On an average annual basis, this is about 29.7% more than the State’s Federal-aid highway formula funding under current law. “Transportation infrastructure is what connects us all and is fundamental to a thriving economy,”said Heinrich. “These substantial transportation investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will have real-life impacts on New Mexicans, including new jobs, safer roads, better public transportation, modernized airports and ports of entry, and a national network of chargers for electric vehicles.” “Safe roads are critical to every facet of our community, from children getting to school safely, to New Mexicans traveling to and from work,” said Luján. “That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in announcing the first traunch of federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I was proud to help shape that will renovate New Mexico’s roads and bridges and create more good paying jobs in the process."" “We are excited to announce this first round of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to modernize our roads and bridges, and create good-paying jobs for New Mexicans,”said Leger Fernández. “Safer roads will help revitalize our communities and allow our local economies to thrive. I’m proud to have helped deliver this critical funding for our state and look forward to seeing money flow directly into our communities.” “The Bipartisan Infrastructure bill is bringing over $3.7 billion in funding to New Mexico to fix our roads and bridges, install broadband, and address the water and drought needs of our communities,”said Stansbury. “Today we’re excited to announce the first traunch of road and bridge funding which will help make it easier for New Mexicans to get to work and be safe on our roads. This funding will also help create good-paying jobs and invest in our local economy. I was proud to vote for this bill and see the funding now coming to our state.” The historic and bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, strongly supported by Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández, and Stansbury and signed into law by President Biden on November 15th, secured new federal funding for highway and bridge repair for communities across the nation. The funds, administered by the Federal-aid Highway Program, can be used for construction, reconstruction, or improvement. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced yesterday that it is providing $52.5 billion in funding to all 50 states and the District of Columbia under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The $52.5 billion in apportioned funding for Fiscal Year 2022 represents an increase of more than 20% as compared to Fiscal Year 2021 for Federal-aid Highway Program apportionments. This funding is distributed annually by FHWA for the Federal-aid Highway Program based on a statutory formula contained in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/heinrich-stansbury-lujan-leger-fernandez-introduce-legislation-authorize,"Heinrich, Stansbury, Luján, Leger Fernández Introduce Legislation To Authorize Investments In Early Childhood, K-12 Education",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) introduced bicameral legislation to provide federal approval for the State of New Mexico’s proposal to invest Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) dollars into early childhood education, as approved by the Legislature earlier this year. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) are original cosponsors. In March 2021, the New Mexico Legislature passed House Joint Resolution 1 (HJR1), a historic resolution that will propose a constitutional amendment to the voters to invest the state’s permanent funds in early childhood education programs throughout the state. This change to the state’s constitution requires proposed authorization from Congress and approval from New Mexico voters, likely to be on the ballot in the November 2022 election. The New Mexico Education Enhancement Act serves as the mechanism to grant the required federal approval needed for New Mexico to advance on its goals. “Too many children in New Mexico are showing up to kindergarten so far behind their classmates that they can’t catch up. We need to level the playing field for our kids—especially in their earliest years—if we want to set all of them up with a strong foundation for long-term academic and career success,” said Heinrich. “I’m proud to introduce this legislation to provide Congressional consent to allow New Mexico to tap into our Land Grant Permanent Fund so we can provide high-quality early childhood education for all of our kids.” “Investing in our kids and their education, is an investment in our future. Investing in early childhood education and care is one of the best investments we can make in our families, our economy, and the well-being of our communities,”said Stansbury. “That’s why I’m proud to join Senator Heinrich and our delegation to introduce a bill to empower New Mexico to invest in our early childhood education system. Combined with the universal pre-K investments in the Build Back Better Act, New Mexico’s plan to use the Land Grant Permanent Fund to invest in early education will create one of the best-funded early education systems in the country. I was proud to stand with our kids, our educators, and our families in New Mexico in passing this legislation in the state legislature earlier this year, and I am deeply proud to introduce this legislation in Congress today to ensure a brighter future for our state.” “This legislation is instrumental in providing New Mexico’s children, students, and teachers with permanent and sustainable funds for early childhood education,”said Luján. “It will be the single most important investment we can make in our children and their educators in New Mexico, and I urge my colleagues in Congress to act on this critical legislation to transform early childhood and K-12 education in my state.” “Thank you, Congresswoman Stansbury and Senator Heinrich, for introducing this legislation and for the entire coalition behind New Mexico’s constitutional amendment. We are at an important moment. Next year, New Mexicans have the opportunity to make their voices heard at the polls and invest in the future of our children,” said Leger Fernández. “I look forward to helping champion the passage of this bill that will incorporate this historic amendment into the New Mexico constitution. When we invest in our children, we invest in our future.” New Mexico’s Land Grant Permanent Fund is derived from revenues generated on 13 million acres of land granted by the United States to the Territory of New Mexico under the Ferguson Act of 1898 and the Enabling Act of 1910 after New Mexico was incorporated into the U.S. after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Since that time, the fund has grown through royalties from natural resources development and returns on invested capital. As of September 30, 2021, the Land Grant Permanent Fund was valued at $24.5 billion, with 5 percent of earnings distributed annually to New Mexico’s public schools. The proposed constitutional amendment would allocate an additional 1.25% annual distribution from the Land Grant Permanent Fund, with 60 percent of the additional allocation directed to early childhood education — estimated to be about $126.9 million per year — and 40% to public education. The total additional distribution would be an estimated $245.7 million each year for New Mexico’s children. Senators Heinrich and Luján and Representatives Stansbury and Leger Fernández are also backing the Build Back Better Act, which will make access to high-quality universal preschool a reality for children across the country. The proposal builds on states’ existing infrastructure to expand access to free, universal, high-quality, and inclusive preschool services for 3- and 4- year olds and raise wages for preschool teachers. With New Mexico ranking as 49th or 50th in many national education and childhood well-being metrics, the Build Back Better Act and Land Grant Permanent Fund investments would complement each other, doubling down on efforts to set children up for success. The federal legislation authorizing New Mexico’s constitutional amendment has been endorsed by over 30 New Mexico organizations and passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support in the state legislature. Those organizations include CHI St. Joseph's Children, Organizing in the Land of Enchantment (OLE), Center for Civic Policy, Youth Development, Inc. (YDI), Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors, NM Communidades en Accion y de Fe (CAFÉ), Center for Civic Policy, New Mexico Dream Team, Dreams in Action NM, The Semilla Project, New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, New Mexico Voices for Children, New Mexico Working Families Party, NAVA Education Project, New Mexico Black Central Organizing Committee (NMBCOC), New Mexico Thrives, New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, New Mexico and the New Mexico Conference of Churches, New Mexico Asian Family Center, National Education Association New Mexico (NEA-NM), Save the Children Action Network, Partnership for Community Action, Southwest Organizing Project, Ngage New Mexico, New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children (NMAEYC), The League of Women Voters of New Mexico, NACA Inspired Schools Network (NISN), Together for Brothers, and Growing Up New Mexico. “We are grateful to Senator Heinrich and Congresswoman Stansbury for helping us advance HJR1 in the US Congress. Passing HJR1 earlier this year in the New Mexico Legislature was a huge first step in the kinds of deep investments that will turn the tide on education and family well-being in New Mexico. We will continue to work together to make sure that we get this across the finish line, giving voters the opportunity to make a transformational investment in our children—because the future of our state depends on it,”said N.M. State Representative and House Leader Javier Martinez. “Our children are our future. We have the resources to provide world class early childhood services for all New Mexico’s children,”said N.M. State Representative Moe Maestas. “New Mexico’s hardworking families need the security of sustainable and reliable funding for crucial early childhood programs like home visiting, child care assistance and preschool. This constitutional amendment will provide the stability needed to grow, improve and sustain our early childhood system, stability that is often lacking with our oil revenue roller coaster or the ebb and flow of federal funding,”said Jessa Cowdrey, Vice President of CHI St. Joseph’s Children (Disclaimer: CHI St. Joseph’s Children does not accept government funding). ""Ngage NM fully supports this groundbreaking opportunity for New Mexico to invest recurring dollars in early childhood education and K-12 education. There is no denying the importance of strategically dedicating state resources to our most valuable assets, our children, so that every child has opportunities to thrive. New Mexico voters deserve to have their voices heard on this critical amendment to the state constitution,” said Lori Martinez, Executive Director of Ngage New Mexico. “The plan to invest a small share of the Land Grant Permanent Fund in early childhood services has been in the works for many years, and Senator Heinrich has always been a champion of it. He understands the transformational power of high-quality early childhood care and education programs for New Mexico’s children. We appreciate that he and Rep. Melanie Stansbury are co-sponsoring the legislation needed to garner congressional support for this important change to the state constitution,”said Amber Wallin, Deputy Director of New Mexico Voices for Children.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-nm-delegation-applaud-final-passage-annual-defense-bill,Members Of N.M. Delegation Applaud Final Passage Of Annual Defense Bill,2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON– U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) are welcoming the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022. The defense bill has passed both chambers of Congress with strong bipartisan support and now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. “After serving over a decade on Armed Services Committees in the House and Senate, I’m proud to continue supporting New Mexico’s military installations and the incredible service members dedicated to carrying out our national security missions,”said Heinrich, now Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. “This bill makes major investments to provide our Armed Forces with the state-of-the-art equipment they need to stay ahead of our adversaries and to advance our leadership in emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Directed Energy, and Hypersonics. I'm especially pleased that we are passing provisions that I authored to advance the Department of Defense’s Artificial Intelligence and digital capabilities so we can maintain our competitive advantage in the rapidly changing cyber space. These provisions, among many others, benefit New Mexico’s economy, and advance our state’s position as a leader in national security for years to come.” Heinrich concluded, “I’m proud that this legislation maintains a strong commitment to our service members who keep all of us safe, and makes historic reforms to the military’s handling of sexual assault cases.” ""Today, I was proud to support the passage of the annual defense authorization bill that supports New Mexico's service members and their families, our four military installations, and two national laboratories,""said Luján. ""I’m proud this legislation includes a much-needed pay raise for service members, long overdue military justice reforms to provide independent oversight of sexual assault cases, and other critical diversity measures to ensure that our military leadership reflects the brave men and women serving our nation. This NDAA also delivers on the commitment DOD and DOE made by pushing the Air Force to remediate contaminated water caused by PFAS and other legacy waste disposal around Los Alamos."" “This year’s NDAA increases military pay, addresses vital needs of our service members and their families, and funds programs important to our economy and national security,”said Stansbury. “New Mexicans have a long and proud history of answering the call to serve, and I am proud to be able to represent our communities and to help deliver key funding for our bases and National Labs.” “Today, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act with provisions to improve the quality of life for our brave service members, including increased pay, strengthened parental leave, and funding for education. I’m proud to have secured an amendment requiring Air Force reporting on PFAS contamination and remediation. I also secured funding for UNM to stimulate the workforce development needed for our science and innovation economy,”said Leger Fernández. “This bill also makes historic changes to how the military handles sexual assault. These life-saving reforms will better protect our women and men in uniform. The National Defense Authorization Act supports a total of $777.7 billion in fiscal year 2022 funding for national defense. Within this topline, the legislation authorizes $740.0 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) and $27.8 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy (DOE). The full text of the FY22 NDAA can be foundhere.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/stansbury-lujan-host-telephone-town-hall-bipartisan-infrastructure-investments,"Stansbury, Luján Host Telephone Town Hall on Bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act",2021-12-15,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ALBUQUERQUE — Last night, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) joined SenatorBen Ray Luján (N.M.) to host a telephone town hall on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act. During the community discussion, Rep. Stansbury and Sen. Luján highlighted investments in infrastructure brought by the $3.7 billion in funding coming to New Mexico through the legislation. Over 3,200 New Mexicans tuned into the town hall. Among other transformative investments, the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act includes meaningful and historic investments in clean water infrastructure, sustainable public transportation, universal high-speed broadband, clean power infrastructure, and bold action to increase our resilience to climate change. The bill also makes the largest long-term investments in the nation’s infrastructure in nearly a century - with the potential for millions more dollars in grant funding for New Mexico communities. “I was proud to vote for the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, along with the Build Back Better Act to make crucial investments in New Mexico—including in our physical infrastructure and in the social infrastructure and well-being of our communities,” said Rep. Stansbury. “This bill will bring over $3.7 billion in investments to New Mexico for broadband, roads, and clean drinking water. Our communities need these dollars and we are working to make sure they have the biggest impact possible.” “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law marks the most significant investment in our nation’s infrastructure in generations, and I was honored to help shape this historic legislation for the people of New Mexico,” said Sen. Luján. “Thanks to the work of our Democratic Congressional Delegation, New Mexico will receive more than $3.7 billion to rebuild our roads and bridges, tackle the climate crisis, expand broadband access, and provide a boost to small businesses.” Rep. Stansbury and Sen. Luján heard from community members who shared their concerns, questions, and priorities for jobs and infrastructure investments during the telephone town hall discussion. Of the $3.7 billion coming to New Mexico, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act is expected to: Invest $2.5 billion in New Mexico’s highways $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs $100 million in New Mexico’s broadband $355 million in New Mexico’s water infrastructure $366 million in public transportation $38 billion in creating an electric vehicle charging station system statewide",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-stansbury-hosts-virtual-disability-roundtable,Rep. Stansbury Hosts Virtual Disability Roundtable,2021-12-14,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ALBUQUERQUE — Yesterday, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) held a virtual roundtable with representatives from organizations serving New Mexicans living with disabilities. During the community discussion, Rep. Stansbury highlighted investments in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act and Build Back Better Act that support individuals living with disabilities and programs that serve communities with disabilities, investments in workforce development and education, in community and home-based services, and other vital services and programs. Event panelists included Alice Liu McCoy, Executive Director of the New Mexico Developmental Disabilities Council, Nathan Gomme, Executive Director of the New Mexico Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Amira M. Rasheed, Consumer Advocate with the New Mexico Attorney General's Office, Greg Trapp, Executive Director of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind, Gay Finlayson, Autism Programs Manager at UNM Hospitals, and Gary Housepian, Executive Director of Disability Rights New Mexico. Among other transformative investments, the Build Back Better Act includes a $500 million investment in the development of supportive housing for people living with disabilities, in addition to supporting workforce development and provisions to expedite the phaseout of subminimum wages. “It was such an honor and privilege to hear from so many amazing advocates working in our disabilities community at our Disabilities Roundtable last night. From the DD waiver, transportation, and access to care and home services, to education and career opportunities—there is so much important work to be done,” said Rep. Stansbury. “With crucial investments in Build Back Better Act to address many of these issues—we must get this bill passed in the Senate and address the needs of our communities. I am honored to stand in solidarity with our disabilities community and proud to work together to tackle these challenges and create new opportunities.” “Autism Spectrum Disorder is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States,” said Finlayson. “The new CDC numbers of one in 44 are a clear signal that all federal, state, and community service systems must develop and implement autism-informed interventions and supports to meet the unique and complex needs of individuals living with autism.” “For a lot of people, when they’re trying to learn how to communicate, a lot of things that are lost happen in early childhood,” said Gomme. “So, language acquisition is an extremely important part of our work. We work a lot with making sure that when people get a job, they know how to communicate, they’re able to advocate for themselves and what they need.” “We are always trying to promote self-determination, integration, and inclusion in the community.” said McCoy. “All our work is centered around creating more inclusive communities and supporting folks to live in their communities to the best of their abilities.” “I am currently working in the advocacy intervention division,” said Rasheed. “In that division, we are basically the first responders to the office where we received a complaint. We deal with consumer complaints, all the way from a car complaint to a consumer complaint. So, we talk to the customer and communicate with businesses to try to come up with a conclusion that will best support both the consumer and the entity’s business.” “One of the things that we see is a rapidly aging population,” said Trapp. “The population of persons who are blind is increasing dramatically as a result of the aging of the population. We provide services that will help those individuals continue to live safely in their homes and communities.” “Ultimately, we need more efforts for creating employment opportunities that will have individuals thriving, and have meaningful and substantial gainful employment,” said Housepian. “It’s one of the linchpins to quality of life. We’re excited about the efforts by Congresswoman Stansbury in the legislature in trying to address this issue for individuals with disabilities. Along with a stronger Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, we need to begin to deliver what is needed in creating customized employment for individuals that will support them in pursuing their life goals.” Rep. Stansbury and panelists heard from community members who shared their concerns, questions, and priorities and about how to address community needs and expand resources during the virtual roundtable. Rep. Stansbury also highlighted recently cosponsored legislation with implications for individuals living with disabilities, including the Raise the Wage Act of 2021 that eliminates the subminimum wage for individuals with disabilities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/stansbury-colleagues-introduce-tribal-water-security-bill,"Stansbury, Colleagues Introduce Tribal Water Security Bill",2021-12-09,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — As much of the United States continues to experience extreme drought and many communities continue to lack access to clean drinking water, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01), member of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife and Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples introduced the bipartisan WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act with Representatives Leger Fernández (N.M.-03), Steven Horsford (Nev.-04), Ruben Gallego(Ariz.-07), Jared Huffman (Calif.-02), Tom Cole (Okla.-04),Grace Napolitano (Calif.-32), Joe Neguse (Colo.-02), and Jim Costa (Calif.-16). The WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act gives the Secretary of the Interior the authority to waive or reduce cost-share requirements to implement drought and water projects under the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program. To date, fewer than five percent of the projects funded under WaterSMART since its inception in 2010 have been led by Tribes or Pueblos. Rep. Stansbury is introducing the legislation in response to testimony submitted before the House Committee on Natural Resources from several witnesses, including the National Congress of American Indians, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation on the need to make these funds more accessible to address Tribal water needs. “Water is fundamental to the health, well-being, economic, and cultural needs of our Indigenous communities. For far too long, federal programs like the WaterSMART program have included cost-share requirements that have acted as barrier to Tribes accessing crucial water infrastructure dollars,” said Rep. Stansbury. “This bill addresses those barriers, and along with funding in the bipartisan infrastructure law and Build Back Better Act, will help unlock millions of dollars to support Tribal water needs. Addressing these needs is crucial to responding to drought and the lasting impacts of climate change and decades of underinvestment in Tribal water needs.” “From Gallup to Dulce to Taos, Tribal communities across New Mexico continue to suffer from increased droughts and rising temperatures due to climate change,” said Rep. Leger Fernández. “The WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act will meet Tribal communities where they are to provide long-term solutions for their water needs. I'm proud to support this bill that will help Tribes pursue a sustainable and equitable water future. We know that Agua es Vida.” “Clean, affordable drinking water is a human right,” said Rep. Horsford. “As Western states confront historic drought caused by the climate crisis, the WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act will help Tribal governments access funding for important water management projects. Alongside the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, this bipartisan bill is an important step forward to lower the cost of water conservation and protect our precious water resources for years to come.” “The climate crisis is causing severe drought throughout the West, and as we look to best manage increasingly limited resources, we have an obligation to make sure we do so equitably,” said Rep. Huffman. “Everyone in America deserves access to clean, reliable water – but the cost-share requirements under WaterSMART are often a barrier for Tribes. Our bill makes the necessary changes so Tribes can access this important federal funding, and I’m grateful to Rep. Stansbury for leading the charge.” “Abundant, safe and reliable supplies of water are critical to quality of life for tribal communities,” said Congressman Tom Cole, Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus and a member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. “By removing certain financial barriers, tribes will have more opportunities for improving water infrastructure and conservation practices. These WaterSMART initiatives will not only ensure access to clean drinking water but greatly improve the lives and health of current and future generations.” “WaterSMART grants help farmers, cities, and tribes conserve water,"" said Rep. Jim Costa. ""This legislation will help make access to this program more equitable for tribes in areas prone to severe drought."" The WaterSMART Access for Tribes Act builds on Rep. Stansbury’s career in water and sustainability. As a state legislator in the New Mexico House of Representatives, Rep. Stansbury passed a number of key pieces of legislation on climate and water, including the bipartisan Water Data Act, which created a nationally-leading framework for leveraging the power of data to transform water management. The success of the Water Data Act has attracted partnerships across the state and the country, including the WaterSMART program and other federal, state, Tribal and local entities, research institutions, and non-profit organizations. The WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) program consolidates several water conservation authorities under the Bureau of Reclamation to support water conservation, water-use efficiency, drought planning, and water reuse and recycling projects.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-votes-deliver-wins-new-mexicos-service-members-bases,"Congresswoman Stansbury Votes to Deliver Wins for New Mexico’s Service Members, Bases, and Sustainability in Defense Spending Bill",2021-12-08,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"December 8, 2021 Bill authorizes a pay raise for military service members, addresses sexual assault in the military, and requires Department of Defense to increase sustainability measures WASHINGTON—Last night, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) voted to deliver critical funding for Kirtland Air Force Base and New Mexico’s economy, the well-being of our military service members and their families, and the sustainability of military installations. The defense bill now heads to the Senate before final passage and the President’s desk. The National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA) provides service members with a 2.7% pay raise and creates a new allowance to address food, housing, and other basic needs for service members and their families. The bill also implements reforms to prevent and protect service members from sexual assault and sexual harassment by removing commanders from decisions to prosecute. These provisions in the bill are derived from the Vanessa Guillén Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act of 2021, the first bill Rep. Stansbury signed on to as a cosponsor after taking office in June this year. “Last week I visited Kirtland Air Force Base and saw NDAA funding in action. Tonight, we voted to increase military pay, address vital needs of our service members and their families, and fund programs important to our economy and national security,” said Rep. Stansbury. “New Mexicans have a long and proud history of answering the call to serve, and I am proud to be able to represent our communities and to help deliver key funding for our bases and National Labs.” Key Provisions of the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act include: Investments in New Mexico’s Military Installations Sandia National Laboratories Invests over $13.8 million in new project funding and over $4.5 million in environmental cleanup . Kirtland Air Force Base Invests $8.6 million in funding to construct a replacement for an environmental health facility. Invests over $5.2 million to establish a new dedicated facility for the Space Rapid Capabilities Office. Invests $5.6 million to construct a new security gate on Wyoming Blvd. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to carry out an assessment of Space Force capabilities specific to space access and space operations. Vital quality-of-life improvements for New Mexico servicemembers and their families Raises military basic pay by 2.7%. Invests in a first-of-its-kind basic needs allowance for military families Improves health care, including mental health care and suicide prevention. Increases bereavement and parental leave for service members. Increases funding for school districts educating students from military families, including funding that will directly benefit Albuquerque Public Schools and the Bernalillo Municipal School District. Sustainability and Climate Resilience Investments Requires the Department of Defense to ensure that 10 percent of its major military installations achieve energy, water, and waste net-zero by 2035. Requires the Department of Defense to incorporate consideration of the risks of extreme weather into certain existing Department of Defense strategies and planning documents. Requires the Department to institute a process for ensuring accurate and effective analytical tools are used to project life-cycle costs and performance potential of energy resilience measures. Requires the Department of Defense to establish a demonstration initiative focused on the development of long duration energy storage technologies. Requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a mission impact assessment on climate resilience and the impacts of extreme weather. Requires the Department of Defense to set energy and water efficiency targets using industry best practices for data centers. Reforms to enhance accountability for sexual assault and counter the threat of domestic extremism in the military Sexual Assault Removes the Commander from decisions related to the prosecution of covered crimes. Creates an Office of the Special Trial Counsel within each Service and ensuring their independence by requiring they directly report to the Service Secretary. Criminalizes sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. All claims of sexual harassment will be required to be investigated by an independent investigator outside the chain of command. Establishes judge-alone sentencing and sentencing parameters to increase fairness across the system. Increases the notification for Survivors of Sexual Assault by directing the Services to notify survivors of sexual assault about the outcomes of any administrative action taken against their perpetrator. Domestic Extremism Requires DoD to submit a report on including a criminal article in the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) to address violent extremism Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing on all studies regarding efforts of extremist organizations to recruit members of the armed forces, and a strategy to develop and implement training to prevent such recruitment efforts. PFAS Adds $517 million above the President’s Budget Request for clean-up of military communities impacted by PFAS contamination. Adds $100 million for environmental remediation. Establishes a 2-year deadline for completion of PFAS testing at Department of Defense and National Guard installations. Requires the Department of Defense to report on the status of clean-up at 50 PFAS sites across the country. Places a temporary moratorium on the incineration of fire-fighting foam containing PFAS and materials contaminated by PFAS until The Secretary of Defense implements EPA interim guidance. Creates a Department of Defense PFAS task force to unify the response to PFAS contamination across the military departments. Requires the Department of Defense to publish and make publicly available results of drinking and ground water testing for PFAS conducted on or near military installations, formerly used defense sites, and National Guard sites.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-during-pfas-solutions-hearing-congresswoman-stansbury-calls-expedited,"VIDEO: During PFAS Solutions Hearing, Congresswoman Stansbury Calls for Expedited Cleanup, R&D",2021-12-07,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/iQFq0YQlVow WASHINGTON – During a Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology hearing this morning addressing research into and alternatives to PFAS chemicals, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) called for Congress to prioritize research funding that will ensure efficient and effective cleanup of PFAS contamination in light of the health and economic consequences to communities and water resources in southeastern New Mexico. Researchers are still studying the effects of human-made chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Though PFAS chemicals have been used for cookware, firefighting foam, and other uses, significant concerns remain surrounding the toxicity and human health effects of PFAS, how to safely and effectively remove them from the environment, and how to detect and quantify the thousands of PFAS compounds that exist. Dairy farms in New Mexico have been particularly affected following PFAS contamination from firefighting foam used at Cannon Air Force Base. “In New Mexico, we have had devastating impacts from PFAS contamination, especially in Curry and Otero counties in the eastern side of our state where PFAS was used in firefighting foams at Cannon Air Force Base that has led to contaminated drinking water supplies, private wells and wells that supply dairies in the Ogallala Aquifer and also contamination at Holloman Air Force Base which has led to extensive groundwater contamination,” said Rep. Stansbury. Rep. Stansbury continued by questioning witnesses before the committee, Dr. Peter Jaffé, Professor at the Department Civil and Environmental Engineering at Princetown University, and Dr. Elsie Sunderland, Gordan McKay Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the Harvard School of Public Health on appropriate measures to better understand PFAS contaminants. “How can we expedite and increase the speed of our understanding and our ability to measure these contaminants? And do remediation, especially in areas where there’s been large-scale spills?” Dr. Sunderland responded, stating, “In terms of understanding and detecting PFAS, I think support for joint collaboration between the EPA and NIST is essential. So we need standard methods that fully capture all of the compounds that we know are used in commerce. And we're innovating on those detection methods and making sure they're usable in the field. And I think another component of this that you touched on is just understanding all the different types of PFAS sources. So there are efforts underway to integrate PFAS accounting into the Toxics Release Inventory and other databases and I think with support from all of you, those efforts could be accelerated.” Dr. Jaffe responded, stating, “When we look at PFAS remediation right now, most of our efforts are site-specific where we have high concentrations of PFAS. When you're concerned about agricultural processes, dairy farms, we probably have very dispersed very low concentrations of PFAS, they may have been applied with a sewage sludge. And that's much much more challenging to remediate these large, large sites - we need to have more focused research. It could be the Department of Agriculture that focuses on how to make these PFAS less bioavailable so they don't go back into the food chain and how we may be able to sequester them. There could be methods-depending on which one-that you could mobilize the PFAS a little bit more so that they get out of the root zone. We don't have a good methodology to address that right now.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-nm-delegation-welcome-almost-2-million-support-drought-response,Members Of N.M. Delegation Welcome Almost $2 Million To Support Drought Response Projects For Six Pueblos In N.M.,2021-12-03,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON– U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are welcoming almost $2 million in funding from the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to support drought response projects for six Pueblos in New Mexico. The funding is through the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance to Tribes Program. BOR's Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program provides technical assistance to Indian Tribes to develop, manage, and protect their water and related resources. The program has supported a broad range of activities each year since its inception in the early 1990s. “The federal government has a trust responsibility to Tribes– especially when it comes to basic necessities like water. This funding from the Bureau of Reclamation, along with relief we secured in the American Rescue Plan and the historic investments in water infrastructure in the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, will deliver on this commitment,”said Heinrich, member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. “I’m proud to see Pueblos across New Mexico directly benefitting from the infrastructure investments that I’ve been fighting for.” “Robust water infrastructure is essential for the health and wellbeing of Tribal Nations, and these investments in six Pueblos in New Mexico will help preserve this critical resource,” said Luján, member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver $3.5 billion for Tribal water and wastewater infrastructure – building off legislation that I introduced to make a difference in the lives of New Mexicans across the state.” “Increased droughts and rising temperatures make resources like water critical for our Tribal communities. Our trust responsibility combined with the Pueblos’ reverence for their precious water means that the $2 million dollars in funding will help these six Pueblos not only survive, but thrive,”said Leger Fernández. “As the Chair of the Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples I championed water funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Build Back Better Act.” “I’m excited to see this funding come to Pueblos across New Mexico. Water is life and water is essential. Pueblo communities have lived and farmed on this land since time immemorial. Investments in water infrastructure are essential to keeping water flowing where it is needed most,”said Stansbury. “I’m looking forward to seeing these projects get underway, and all that will come from the bipartisan Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act we just passed. These projects are essential, especially as we are grappling with drought and climate change. The Build Back Better Act will help further these investments in drought and long-term climate resilience.” The funding will be provided to Tribes as grants or cooperative agreements. The projects selected are: $150,000 for Isleta Pueblo Mound Rio Erosion Control $250,000 for Jemez Pueblo Pecos Diversion Dam Improvements $399,998 for San Felipe Pueblo Phase II $400,000 for Santa Clara Pueblo Phase II-Main Ditch Liner $400,000 for Taos Nose Pipeline Phase II Improvements $266,000 for Zuni Supply Options Assessment The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was recently signed into law includesprovisions championed by Senator Heinrich to improve Tribal access to clean water. The provisions in largely mirror the Tribal Access to Clean Water Actintroduced by Senator Heinrich and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-statement-passing-continuing-resolution-avoiding,"Congresswoman Stansbury Statement on Passing Continuing Resolution, Avoiding Shutdown",2021-12-02,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Continuing Resolution Act that funds the government at its current levels until February 18. Congresswoman Stansbury voted to pass the measure in the House earlier today, and the budget now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law. “Just a few weeks ago, we passed a historic bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better Act in the House, which will send billions of dollars in broadband, clean water, and road funding to New Mexico. The Build Back Better Act, which awaits a Senate vote, contains investments that will cut child poverty in half, lower health care costs, and create the first universal pre-K system in our country. Today, I took a critical vote to keep the government open and running so that New Mexicans can have what they need for the holidays. New Mexico communities across our state depend on federal jobs—with 33,000 New Mexicans employed in federal jobs—and millions of dollars in federal programs that put food on the table and pay the bills. This funding gives us the time to negotiate a long-term budget deal. In the New Year, I’m looking forward to passing President Biden’s budget that will send $10 million dollars in community projects for our district and lift up all of our communities.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-congresswoman-stansbury-pushes-diversify-new-mexicos-economy-create,"VIDEO: Congresswoman Stansbury Pushes to Diversify New Mexico’s Economy, Create Clean Energy Transition",2021-12-02,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/wf3s1YbOo6U WASHINGTON – During a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources oversight hearing this morning that addressed fossil fuel emissions on public lands and their role in meeting U.S. climate goals, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) emphasized the need for immediate action to address the climate crisis, addressed misinformation on fossil fuel extraction, and highlighted the need for a just transition to renewable energy and diversify the state’s economy to provide for the well-being of New Mexico communities. Currently, nearly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from fossil fuels extracted from public lands, while our public lands absorb only about 15 percent of those emissions. In her remarks, Rep. Stansbury worked to correct misinformation pertaining to the relationship between oil and gas prices and supply and demand. Rep. Stansbury also addressed New Mexico’s economic dependency on oil and gas extraction, speaking to the need for sustainable jobs and other community resources to put our nation on a path to a just transition to renewable energy. “We are literally at a tipping point,” said Rep. Stansbury. “The [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] report that was released a few months ago told us that if we do not take action globally—across every sector of our society, on every continent of this planet to cut carbon emissions, we will cross a tipping point that will affect every community on this planet. So that means we have to address climate change on our public lands, in all of our industries, in our electricity sector, in our oil and gas sector, in our transportation sector—we don’t have a choice at this point because our planet is facing a global tipping point.” Rep. Stansbury continued by questioning Senator Hamblen on economic diversification and community empowerment. “How do you see the long-term diversification of our economy? What are the major sectors that we can be moving in? How do we ground that work in really community-based economic development, so that we’re empowering communities to control their own destinies and their own futures as they’re imagining new local economies?”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-highlights-scientific-contributions-very-large-array,Congresswoman Stansbury Highlights Scientific Contributions of the Very Large Array in New Mexico,2021-12-01,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – During a House Committee of Science, Space and Technology hearing this afternoon that examined the findings of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) highlighted the importance of the Very Large Array, the planned next generation Very Large Array, and the critical support the installation provides to New Mexicans through good-paying jobs, the development of new technology, and scientific advancement. The Very Large Array is one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories, located west of Socorro, N.M. The observatory consists of 27 radio antennas that astronomers have used to make key observations of black holes and other aspects of the cosmos. The Decadal Survey emphasizes continued support for the development of the next generation Very Large Array as priority project, which has the potential to create jobs for New Mexicans. Rep. Stansbury’s remarks highlighted the importance of the STEM workforce pipeline that the Very Large Array creates in southern New Mexico, emphasizing the critical support that the next generation Very Large Array will create for young or aspiring STEM professionals. Rep. Stansbury also spoke to the importance of research opportunities for students and emphasis on expanding opportunities for students from all communities and identities before questioning the witness panel. Rep. Stansbury questioned Dr. Robert Kennicutt, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee for A Decadal Survey of the National Academies of Sciences. “As we look forward to the next decade of studying space and what it can teach us about our home here on Earth, the next generation Very Large Array will help to fuel discovery, create jobs, and inspire countless New Mexico students to pursue a career in science,” said Rep. Stansbury. “The next generation Very Large Array plans to upgrade and merge the existing Array in New Mexico, and add antennas across the country, in order to increase our capacities in radio astronomy research for decades to come. And if we follow the guidance laid out in this survey, we must also ensure that space research and discovery truly reflects and benefits all our communities, across race, gender, and community lines.” Rep. Stansbury continued by questioning Dr. Kennicutt on the scientific discoveries that may be advanced by the next generation Very Large Array. “I’m very interested in the survey’s recommendations for the next generation VLA. I’m wondering if you can talk to us a little bit about the significance of the expansions of this network, and also some of the scientific discoveries that may be advanced by this facility?”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-urges-supreme-court-uphold-roe-v-wade,Congresswoman Stansbury Urges the Supreme Court to Uphold Roe v. Wade,2021-12-01,2021,2021-12,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—As the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case that could determine the future of Roe v. Wade and abortion rights nationwide, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) joined members of Congress and reproductive justice advocates on the Court steps to defend the constitutional right of abortion. Rep. Stansbury released the following statement: “Reproductive justice is on the line today, as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could determine the future of Roe v. Wade and abortion rights across the country. We cannot go back to a dark time when women could not access care. Many states are already passing extreme abortion bans, limiting access, and endangering the health and safety of communities across the United States. This is about the safety, self-determination, and ability of every woman and every person to make decisions about their own body, their own healthcare, and their own future. This case represents the most significant threat to reproductive rights in decades, which is why we are also fighting to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify these rights in statute, and why it is crucial that the Senate urgently pass this legislation.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:37:48Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-stansbury-dolores-huerta-discuss-build-back-better-act-investments-new,"Rep. Stansbury, Dolores Huerta Discuss Build Back Better Act Investments in New Mexico’s Workers and Communities",2021-11-24,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ALBUQUERQUE — Yesterday, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) hosted a “Fight for Farmworkers” discussion with labor rights activist and United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, students from the College Migrant Assistance Program (CAMP) at the University of New Mexico, and the Young Farmers Coalition. During the community discussion, Rep. Stansbury and Huerta highlighted investments in the Build Back Better Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act that protect farmworkers, invest in union jobs, promote food access, and sustain robust economic development for rural communities. Among other historic investments, the Build Back Better Act includes meaningful deportation protections and work permits for nearly 1 million undocumented farmworkers nationwide, invests $10 billion in programs to address child hunger that will provide school meals to more than 44,000 students in New Mexico during the school year, and invests billions in small farmers. The bill also protects workers’ rights to organize and invests in union jobs. “It was an honor to sit down with Dolores Huerta and youth leaders from CAMP and the Young Farmers Coalition to discuss how the Build Back Better Act and bipartisan infrastructure bill will help invest in our communities, rural development, address hunger and create good-paying jobs,” said Rep. Stansbury. “In New Mexico, agriculture is fundamental to our culture and ways of life, and I am proud that the Infrastructure and Build Back Better bills will invest in our rural communities, farmers, and workers. We must get the Build Back Better Act across the finish line in the Senate to get the job done, and as Dolores Huerta has taught us, Sí se puede!” “What would we do without farmworkers to feed us? What would we do without construction workers to build our buildings?” said Dolores Huerta. “We have to respect the people that work with their hands—not only the people who build our buildings, but the construction workers and the carpenters. You know how important they are, and that they also should have good union jobs, and why we’re happy that New Mexico is a union state.” Rep. Stansbury and Dolores Huerta later heard from community members who shared their concerns, questions, and priorities for workers’ rights and environmental justice. The Economic Policy Institute has projected that the Build Back Better Act will support 2.3 million jobs per year for the first five years by investing in working families and addressing the costs that hold communities back. Included in the estimate are the bill’s investments in work permits, deportation relief, and program supports for undocumented immigrants and farmworkers. In New Mexico, an estimated 60,000 undocumented immigrants are essential to communities and the workforce but have been excluded from most federal programs. The Build Back Better Act also provides critical financial relief for farmers in need, investing $12 billion in debt relief for farmers in need and for USDA to tailor its programs to support new and existing farmers through outreach, education and technical assistance. The bill also invests in land grant institutions and 19 Minority-Serving Institutions in New Mexico like the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, and Tribal Colleges and Universities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/stansbury-heinrich-lujan-defend-la-luz-trail-race-objection-letter-us-forest,"Stansbury, Heinrich, Luján Defend La Luz Trail Race in Objection Letter to U.S. Forest Service",2021-11-24,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—This week, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) led a letter with U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (N.M.) requesting that the U.S. Forest Service reestablish a special use permit for the La Luz Trail Race. The lawmakers’ objection follows the Forest Service’s September 2021 draft update to the Cibola National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), which excludes a special use permit the community event has used to operate for 55 years. Beginning in May 2020, the Forest Service announced that the agency would not grant a special use permit for the La Luz Trail Race. The move reverses the position held by the previous LRMP adopted in 1985. The updated LRMP casts uncertainty over an Albuquerque tradition that attracts hundreds of runners from across the world each year, named in 2001 as one of the “12 Most Grueling Trail Races in North America” by Trail Runner Magazine. “The La Luz Trail Race is a point of pride for New Mexicans and an important source of recreation and tourism. Race participants have always taken to heart the spirit of the wilderness area, remained on the trail, and closely adhered to a leave no trace philosophy,” the lawmakers wrote. “With a history of over 50 years, the La Luz Trail Race is an existing use that should be continued. In fact, the Committee Report for an earlier version of the legislation included the La Luz Run as an existing use, demonstrating clear legislative intent to support this continued activity,” the lawmakers continued. “We appreciate the thoughtful work that the Forest Service has put into revising the LRMP. This is a much-needed update, however, the removal of the La Luz Trail Race does not properly weigh the importance of the race for the people of New Mexico and the precedent under which it has operated,” the lawmakers concluded. “We urge you to reconsider including the La Luz Trail Race as a permitted special use activity in the LRMP.” The full text of the letter is available here and below. Dear Ms. Martin, Thank you for the opportunity to offer our objection to the Cibola National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). On behalf of the people of New Mexico, we respectfully request that the LRMP include an exemption for the La Luz Trail Race, similar to the one included in the 1985 LRMP. This race has been conducted under a special use permit for 55 years in accordance with the unique values and characteristics of a wilderness area. The La Luz Trail Race is a point of pride for New Mexicans and an important source of recreation and tourism. Race participants have always taken to heart the spirit of the wilderness area, remained on the trail, and closely adhered to a leave no trace philosophy. In a May 1, 2020 letter explaining their decision to not issue a special use permit for the La Luz Trail Race, the Forest Service cited a prohibition of commercial activities in Wilderness Areas as defined in the Wilderness Act of 1964. The LRMP, however, includes standards for existing commercial activities such as outfitter-guide activities and allows for special use permits in wilderness areas. We agree with the LRMP that certain existing permitted commercial activities should continue, and in keeping with more than a half century of precedent, request that the La Luz Trail Race remain under that category as it has for many years. This race has been permitted for years under direction from the Wilderness Management Handbook and in full conformance with wilderness requirements. The T’uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Area Act recognized the Pueblo of Sandia’s claim within the Cibola National Forest and confirmed the status and borders of the Cibola National Forest. In this legislation, the Secretary of Agriculture was directed to “continue to administer the Area as part of the National Forest System subject to and consistent with the provisions of this title affecting management of the Area.” With a history of over 50 years, the La Luz Trail Race is an existing use that should be continued. In fact, the Committee Report for an earlier version of the legislation included the La Luz Run as an existing use, demonstrating clear legislative intent to support this continued activity. We appreciate the thoughtful work that the Forest Service has put into revising the LRMP. This is a much-needed update, however, the removal of the La Luz Trail Race does not properly weigh the importance of the race for the people of New Mexico and the precedent under which it has operated. We urge you to reconsider including the La Luz Trail Race as a permitted special use activity in the LRMP. If you have any questions, please reach out to us.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-talks-infrastructure-jobs-site-visit-alongside,Congresswoman Stansbury Talks Infrastructure Jobs on Site Visit Alongside Activist Dolores Huerta,2021-11-23,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Photos of the visit are available here. ALBUQUERQUE — Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) joined influential labor activist and United Farm Workers Association co-founder Dolores Huerta to visit a job site with the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters in downtown Albuquerque to highlight the benefits of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Actand speak with the workers who will be directly impacted by this historic legislation. “The Presbyterian construction site we visited today is an example of the kinds of projects the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will help create. This bill will help create thousands of good-paying jobs for New Mexicans while building the infrastructure of the 21st-century,” said Rep. Stansbury. “I was honored to visit with the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters. I grew up in the trades and a union family—and I know the importance unions play in keeping our workers safe and ensuring our union workers get paid a living wage, have benefits, and can take care of their families. This infrastructure bill, coupled with the Build Back Better Act we passed on Friday in the House will make crucial investments in New Mexico.” “The bipartisan infrastructure bill is a big deal for our members and the entire state,” said Rosendo Najar, Lead Representative for the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters. “Union Carpenters are ready to build better cities, communities and careers, and we appreciate Congresswoman Stansbury’s ldership and continued support for working families.” The visit follows a historic month of action in Congress, including the passage of the once-in-a-generation Build Back Better Act on Friday. The Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will create jobs for New Mexicans by investing more than $3.7 billion in New Mexico’s broadband, water, roads, bridges, public transportation, electric vehicle, airport and other infrastructure. The legislation will modernize America’s crumbling infrastructure for the 21st century while supporting small businesses, resources for working families, and rebuilding for a more climate resilient future.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-votes-pass-historic-build-back-better-act-deliver,Congresswoman Stansbury Votes to Pass Historic Build Back Better Act to Deliver Billions For New Mexico,2021-11-18,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON– To build on the nation’s economic recovery and achieve a more sustainable future, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) voted to pass the historic Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376) put New Mexicans back to work and transform lives. The bill represents the most significant investment in our communities since the Great Society and New Deal and will touch every American life from our children to our elders. The bill makes urgently needed investments that will cut taxes for New Mexican families, create a universal pre-K and childcare system, make the largest investment in affordable housing in our nation’s history, expand health care, K-12 and trades education, invest in care for our elders, and make the most significant investment in addressing climate change in U.S. history. Alongside dozens of her colleagues in the House, Congresswoman Stansbury played a critical role in ensuring the Build Back Better Act would pass with strong provisions for New Mexico families by moving together with the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act. The Build Back Better Act now heads to the Senate, where the package will require 51 votes to pass before moving to the President’s desk. “Today, the House is delivering for New Mexico and our communities by passing the Build Back Better Act,” said Rep. Stansbury. “New Mexicans have met this moment with grit, determination, and heart in their response to the pandemic and economic strains of the last year and a half. The Build Back Better Act invests in our people and good paying jobs with programs that will help all New Mexicans and touch lives from our children to our elders. This bill represents the most significant investment in working families, children, and our planet in generations, putting our country and our communities on a path towards a more just, equitable, and sustainable future.” The bill invests in a broad range of social and environmental programs that will directly benefit all New Mexicans. This includes investments in good-paying clean energy jobs, affordable housing, childcare and education, healthcare, and climate resilience. The Build Back Better Act will directly support working families by putting money back into the pockets of New Mexicans, bringing down basic costs, lowering inflation, and helping get New Mexicans back to work. The bill cuts taxes for working families and will ensure that childcare, home care, education, healthcare, and housing are more affordable for years to come. The Build Back Better Act also includes key provisions on immigration reform, ensures that every worker has the paid leave they need to care for their family, and lowers the cost of prescription drugs. Hundreds of thousands of New Mexicans will benefit from these community investments, including an expansion of the Child Tax Credit, affordable childcare for over 120,000 children statewide, and the creation of thousands of sustainable jobs. A factsheet of investments in New Mexico from the Build Back Better Act is here. A section-by-section summary of the bill is here. The full text of the Build Back Better Act is available here. Specific Provisions of the Build Back Better Act cut costs for working families by: Fighting Climate Change The Build Back Better Act builds climate resilience. The Build Back Better Act represents the largest-ever investment in addressing climate change and creating clean energy jobs in U.S. history, with over $550 billion in funding to cut carbon emissions and create new jobs. New Mexico has experienced 14 extreme weather events over the last decade, which has cost the state more than $5 billion. By reducing carbon pollution, bolstering community resilience, and strengthening the clean energy economy, the Build Back Better Act will create good-paying jobs, advance environmental justice and save New Mexican families the steep costs of recovery. Creates the first-ever Civilian Climate Corps. The Build Back Better Act creates a Civilian Climate Corps that will enlist a diverse generation of New Mexicans in helping to conserve our public lands, bolster community resilience, and address the impacts of climate, all while putting good-paying jobs within reach for our communities. Investing in Community Well-Being The Build Back Better Act extends the $300 Child Tax Credit to lower taxes for working families. Before Democrats secured the expanded Biden Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan, 14 percent of New Mexican children lived in poverty. This tax cut provides up to $300 per child, per month to over 116,000 children in NM-01 alone. The Build Back Better Act extends this life-changing tax cut and continues our historic progress toward reducing child poverty. Expands access to childcare for 121,000 young New Mexicans and ensures that no New Mexican family pays more than seven percent of their income on childcare. The average family in New Mexico spends 24% of their income on childcare. Cutting childcare costs will help parents – especially working moms – return to work. Expands New Mexico’s leadership on universal pre-K nationwide. For the first time ever, The Build Back Better Act invests in a universal Pre-K system for the U.S. that will expand access to free, high-quality pre-K to over 40,000 three and four-year-olds in New Mexico, setting children up for lifelong success and saving their parents thousands of dollars. Ensures every worker has the paid leave they need to care for their family. The Build Back Better Act invests $200 billion to extend four weeks of paid leave to all workers across the U.S. who need to care for children, parents, and their loved ones. Provides nutritious food options for children. The Build Back Better Act expands access to free school meals to an additional 44,000 students during the school year and provides over 166,000 students with resources to purchase food over the summer. This is critical for the 1 in 4 children in New Mexico who experience hunger, harming their long-term health and their futures. Expands access to affordable housing and homeownership. Stable housing and homeownership remain out of reach for so many families. As our communities are facing an affordable housing and homelessness crisis, the Build Back Better Act makes the single largest investment in housing in U.S. history. It will expand rental assistance for New Mexico renters, while also increasing the supply of high-quality housing through the construction and rehabilitation of over 1 million affordable housing units nationwide. The Build Back Better Act also includes one of the largest investments in down payment assistance in history, enabling more first-generation homebuyers to purchase their first home. In New Mexico, 126,000 renters in New Mexico are rent burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent, while first-time homebuyers struggle to afford a home. Protects immigrant communities from deportation. The Build Back Better Act gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to grant temporary protection and work permits to immigrants who have entered the United States prior to January 1, 2011, if they pass a background check. In New Mexico, an estimated 60,000 undocumented immigrants are essential to communities and the workforce but have been excluded from most federal programs. Closes the Medicaid gap, expands Medicare to include hearing care, and extends Affordable Care Act premium reductions. The Build Back Better Act will help 42,000 New Mexicans gain coverage and nearly 25,000 families save hundreds on healthcare costs each year in New Mexico – while also making home healthcare for elderly parents or loved ones with disabilities more affordable and accessible. Directly lowers out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for seniors by finally allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and placing a $2,000 per year cap on seniors’ prescription drug expenses. This discourages drug companies from abusing laws to prolong their monopolies and encourages investments in research and development of new treatments and caps the costs on many prescriptions needed by our seniors. Investing in Economic Recovery and Job Programs The Build Back Better Act increases educational opportunities across a person’s life and beyond high school. To help unlock the opportunities of an education beyond high school, the Build Back Better Act will increase Pell Grant awards by $550 for students at public and private non-profit institutions, supporting the over 33,000 students in New Mexico who rely on financial aid. The Act will also invest in New Mexico’s 29 minority-serving institutions. including the University of New Mexico, and the students they serve, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansburys-statement-vote-censure-congressman-gosar,Congresswoman Stansbury’s Statement on Vote to Censure Congressman Gosar,2021-11-17,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to censure U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) after he released a video using official House of Representatives resources depicting violence against a female member of the House and the President of the United States. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) released the following statement after the House of Representatives censure vote: “Depictions and threats of violence against public officials—and especially against women and women of color—incite violence, threaten the safety of public officials and staff, and undermine our democratic institutions. Today, I joined colleagues in the House in voting to censure Representative Gosar, who used official House resources to release a video depicting the slaying of Representative Ocasio-Cortez and President Biden. Out of over 12,000 members of Congress who have served in this chamber in U.S. history, only a few hundred have been women. Threats and depictions of violence against women undermine our democracy and safety. That is why I voted to censure Representative Gosar’s actions and strip him of his committee positions. “New Mexicans elected me to Congress to represent and deliver results for our communities and to fight for a world that is more just, equitable, and safe. Representative Gosar’s actions, and those who refuse to hold him accountable, reflect a deeply troubling and dangerous trend that continues to endanger our democracy and its institutions. We have important work to do in Congress to protect our democracy and deliver for our communities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-nm-delegation-call-usda-take-action-prohibit-lunch-shaming-students,Members Of N.M. Delegation Call On USDA To Take Action To Prohibit Lunch Shaming Of Students With Meal Debts,2021-11-17,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prohibit lunch shaming of students with school meal debts through the existing authority of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). In a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, the lawmakers express their concerns that “[d]espite some successful local and national efforts to ban the practice, the FNS still permits [Local Education Agencies (LEAs)] to engage in a variety of pernicious practices in an attempt to collect families’ meal debt. These efforts are clearly unethical and disproportionately impact students of color. Examples include preventing youth from graduating or participating in extracurricular activities, and selling a family’s meal debt to a collection agency, which increases the debt and harms the family’s credit, exacerbating the economic insecurity of already struggling families.” The lawmakers are requesting that FNS issue guidance to ban punitive measures on students, prohibit billing children, and require notifications to be provided in multiple languages. The lawmakers are also asking that FNS issue guidance that prohibits LEAs and collection agencies from charging any interest and/or fees in addition to the original debt, and require LEAs to use the maximum timeframe for eligibility in establishing the effective date of eligibility for family certification and participation in the free or reduced meals program. Read the full text of the letter below or by clickinghere. Dear Secretary Vilsack, We appreciate the efforts made by the USDA to address the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 public health emergency, including issuing several nationwide waivers and flexibilities. We recognize schools will continue to have the option to serve free meals to all students through June 2022 via the Seamless Summer Option. However, as districts transition off the waiver, there is urgent need to address unpaid meal charges through updated guidance by Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). We write to ask the FNS employ its existing authority to prohibit lunch shaming of students with school meal debts. Despite some successful local and national efforts to ban the practice, the FNS still permits LEAs to engage in a variety of pernicious practices in an attempt to collect families’ meal debt. These efforts are clearly unethical and disproportionately impact students of color. Examples include preventing youth from graduating or participating in extracurricular activities, and selling a family’s meal debt to a collection agency, which increases the debt and harms the family’s credit, exacerbating the economic insecurity of already struggling families. FNS has not updated guidance on this issue since 2017. Congress specifically directed the Secretary to “provide additional guidance to program operators to address the ongoing issue of shaming school children for unpaid school lunch fees” in the FY2020 report to accompany the Agriculture Appropriations Bill and again in the FY 2021 report. It is not enough to encourage LEAs to communicate respectfully, discourage them from stigmatizing children, or provide additional payment options. FNS should issue guidance that would ban punitive measures on students, prohibit billing children, and require notifications to be provided in multiple languages. FNS should also issue guidance prohibiting LEAs and collection agencies from charging any interest and/or fees in addition to the original debt, and require LEAs to use the maximum timeframe for eligibility in establishing the effective date of eligibility for family certification and participation in the free or reduced meals program. In May of this year when questioned by Congresswoman Leger Fernández about the USDA policies regarding lunch shaming during a hearing before the House Committee on Education and Labor, Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean stated that “Children should not be put in the middle of this problem, and that’s just unacceptable, and we need to see if there’s a way that we can develop a framework so that districts just don’t do that.” We believe that the changes outlined in this letter provide such a framework to limit accrual of meal debt, improve the collection of unpaid meal charges, and reduce lunch shaming and child hunger. We look forward to a timely response from your agency how you plan to move forward with these changes.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-recognizes-and-thanks-our-service-members-veterans-day,Congresswoman Stansbury Recognizes and Thanks our Service Members on Veterans Day,2021-11-11,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) released the following statement honoring veterans in New Mexico and across the nation: “Today, we extend our deepest gratitude to our veterans in New Mexico and across the nation for their service and sacrifice. New Mexicans have a long and proud tradition of service that extends throughout our communities. “In thanking our veterans for their service, we must also ensure that our nation fulfills its sacred obligation to care for our veterans and their families. This includes expanding access to health care and other services, economic opportunities, and support to address veterans’ homelessness and PTSD. “Next week, I will be heading back to Washington, D.C. to work with my colleagues to pass the Build Back Better Act, which will invest $5 billion in Veterans Administration infrastructure, which is crucial to expanding VA services. I am humbled to serve New Mexico and our veterans and their families, and I am dedicated to fulfilling these obligations in Congress.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/members-nm-delegation-new-mexico-set-receive-billions-historic-infrastructure,Members Of N.M. Delegation: New Mexico Is Set To Receive Billions In Historic Infrastructure Investments,2021-11-09,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) held a video press conference to discuss how the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver for New Mexico. VIDEO: Members of N.M. delegation discuss how bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act delivers for New Mexico The bill includes billions of dollars to invest in transportation, energy, and water infrastructure and a number of provisions championed by the lawmakers and is the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century. This legislation passed both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The Build Back Better Act, which lowers costs, creates jobs, and cuts taxes, while tackling the climate crisis, is also advancing in Congress. It is estimated that the two bills combined will add on average 1.5 million jobs per year for the next 10 years. “This historic infrastructure package complements the American Rescue Plan, the major pandemic and economic recovery bill that we passed earlier this year. It will mean hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs and ensure that our nation’s infrastructure meets 21st century needs. I was proud to secure substantial investments in transmission, clean energy, water infrastructure, wildfire mitigation, and hydrogen,” said Heinrich. “We now need to move quickly on the Build Back Better Act to respond to the climate crisis, lower costs for families, and make the wealthiest earners and large corporations pay their fair share. Democrats in our federal delegation recognize the challenges facing our state and the incredible opportunity we have right now to do something about it. I will continue to do everything I can to make a real difference in the lives of New Mexicans.” “From tackling the climate crisis head on, to expanding broadband access, and providing a much-needed boost to small businesses – this bipartisan legislation pushes our country forward at the right moment, precisely when help is needed the most. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act takes historic steps to put an end to drunk driving with the inclusion of my RIDE Act – legislation I authored that will require advanced drunk driving technology in all new vehicles so no more families have to endure the heartache of losing a loved one. The legislation also includes my REGROW Act, legislation that I authored to clean up the thousands of orphaned oil and gas wells that leak methane and pose serious health risks to our communities. This is an issue that I have been working on since March 2020 as a member of House Leadership. And now it’s absolutely critical the United States Senate presses forward to finish the job and deliver the Build Back Better Act for the American people,” said Luján. “Last week, I was proud to vote in the House to pass the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to send over $3.7 billion to New Mexico. This bill will create thousands of good-paying jobs for New Mexicans to modernize our roads, bridges, water, and broadband infrastructure,” said Stansbury. “This is game-changing for our communities, especially our rural and Tribal communities and small businesses. But funding for our physical infrastructure alone isn’t enough — we must invest in our working families by passing President Biden’s full agenda with the Build Back Better Act.” “The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a win for every community in New Mexico. I’m proud to have helped secure investments in broadband, water infrastructure, including the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project, and funding to plug orphaned wells,” said Leger Fernández. “This bill is important for New Mexicans, and we’re not done yet. We must now pass the Build Back Better Act to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, extend the expanded Child Tax Credit, provide paid family leave, free pre-k, and tax cuts for families and workers. Our communities need us to invest in the values and heart of our nation. The Build Back Better Act es para la gente, for our community, and we need it now.” Specifically for New Mexico, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will: Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians. Based on formula funding alone, New Mexico would expect to receive $2.5 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act over five years. New Mexico can also compete for the $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program for economically significant bridges and nearly $16 billion of national funding in the bill dedicated for major projects that will deliver substantial economic benefits to communities. Build a network of EV chargers to facilitate long-distance travel and provide convenient charging options. The U.S. market share of plug-in electric vehicle (EV) sales is only one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. The bill invests $7.5 billion to build out the first-ever national network of EV chargers in the United States and is a critical element to accelerate the adoption of EVs to address the climate crisis and support domestic manufacturing jobs. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, New Mexico would expect to receive $38 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state. New Mexico will also have the opportunity to apply for the $2.5 billion in grant funding dedicated to EV charging in the bill. Help connect more Americans to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. 10.7% of New Mexicans live in areas where, under the FCC’s benchmark, there is no broadband infrastructure. Even where infrastructure is available, broadband may be too expensive to be within reach. 21% of New Mexico households do not have an internet subscription. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, New Mexico will receive a minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 223,941 New Mexicans who currently lack it. And, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 785,000 or 38.1% of people in New Mexico will be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families afford internet access. Prepare more of our infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, cyberattacks, and extreme weather events. From 2010 to 2020, New Mexico has experienced 14 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $5 billion in damages. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, based on historical formula funding levels, New Mexico will expect to receive $38 million over five years to protect against wildfires and $13 million to protect against cyberattacks. New Mexicans will also benefit from the bill’s historic $3.5 billion national investment in weatherization which will reduce energy costs for families. Improve clean drinking water access and reduce the nation’s lead service lines and pipes. Currently, up to 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and child care centers lack safe drinking water. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, based on the traditional state revolving fund formula, New Mexico will expect to receive $355 million over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state and move us closer to ensuring that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-highlights-billions-infrastructure-funding-new-mexico,"Congresswoman Stansbury Highlights Billions in Infrastructure Funding for New Mexico, Calls on Congress to Pass Build Back Better Act",2021-11-07,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"ALBUQUERQUE—Following her vote to pass a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that will send billions in funding to New Mexico to create thousands of good-paying jobs, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) held a press call with New Mexico reporters to outline how the package will prepare New Mexicans to succeed in the 21st century economy. “This bill really represents President Biden's agenda for investing in jobs and addressing the crumbling infrastructure of our country and investing in our communities,” said Rep. Stansbury. “The bill will invest $3.7 billion, at least, in infrastructure in New Mexico, $2 billion of which will be in our roads and in our highways, hundreds of millions of dollars will be invested in our safe drinking water infrastructure, which is so crucial for so many of our communities, especially our rural and Tribal communities, which need extra resources to address drinking water needs. It invests in our transportation infrastructure, our airports, and especially broadband, which we know in New Mexico is so important to our communities. “So this bill will help put New Mexicans back to work, it will create so many millions of jobs all over the country, including in New Mexico, good-paying jobs that will help to rebuild our infrastructure to modernize our infrastructure, and to create the infrastructure of the future.” Rep. Stansbury further highlighted the need to pass the Build Back Better Act, a transformational social spending package designed to cut taxes and costs for working families. “As many of you are aware, we've been negotiating the Build Back Better Act for many weeks. And it's very crucial that we get the other bill across the finish line as well. So that other bill includes many other provisions that did not make it into the infrastructure bill that include investing in the well-being of our families and our communities.” Click here for more information about how the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will benefit New Mexico. A full transcript of the press call is below. A video recording is available upon request to repstansburypress@mail.house.gov. (0:07) Rep. Stansbury: All right. Well, good afternoon, everyone. This is Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, and I really appreciate you all joining us this afternoon, I wanted to share and celebrate the good news about the passage of a bipartisan infrastructure package which passed the House last night and to take some questions that you all may have. (0:27) This bill really represents President Biden's agenda for investing in jobs and addressing the crumbling infrastructure of our country and investing in our communities. This bill invests $1.2 trillion in American infrastructure, representing one of the largest investments and infrastructure in generations across the U.S. And this bill is a huge deal for New Mexico. The bill will invest $3.7 billion, at least, in infrastructure in New Mexico, $2 billion of which will be in our roads and in our highways, hundreds of millions of dollars will be invested in our safe drinking water infrastructure, which is so crucial for so many of our communities, especially our rural and Tribal communities, which need extra resources to address drinking water needs. It invests in our transportation infrastructure, our airports, and especially broadband, which we know in New Mexico is so important to our communities. (1:32) So this bill will help put New Mexicans back to work, it will create so many millions of jobs all over the country, including in New Mexico, good-paying jobs that will help to rebuild our infrastructure to modernize our infrastructure, and to create the infrastructure of the future. So that's why this bill was passed. (1:50) And we will be continuing to work on another social infrastructure bill over the next two weeks. As many of you are aware, we've been negotiating the Build Back Better Act for many weeks. And it's very crucial that we get the other bill across the finish line as well. So that other bill includes many other provisions that did not make it into the infrastructure bill that include investing in the well-being of our families and our communities from childhood until death. It invests in early childhood care and education and our K-12 and higher education systems. It helps to extend the Child Tax Credit, which has helped so many families by putting money back into their pockets. It expands our healthcare system; it will make affordable housing more accessible to so many New Mexicans across Albuquerque and across our state. And it will make the largest single investment in the climate crisis that our country has ever seen, investing over half a trillion dollars in climate change and clean energy. (2:52) So we are working to get that bill across the finish line in the next two weeks. But because we did pass the $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill last night, we wanted to share the news and we wanted to give you all the opportunity to ask questions and to talk about what's in the bill and what its significance is for New Mexico. So with that, I will turn it over to Julia to take questions from our folks from the press. (4:00) Q: Can you address how this will help Amtrak in New Mexico? (4:20) Rep. Stansbury: So we'll have to look into the specifics of how Amtrak will benefit from this particular bill. But the bill does make significant investments in all forms of transportation infrastructure. And so we'll get back to you with more specifics about that. But what I would emphasize is that this bill does unlock over three and a half trillion dollars or sorry, three and a half billion dollars in infrastructure funding for all sectors, including broadband water, transportation, roads, airports, and many of our other forms of public transportation. So we'll get back to answer that specific question. (5:02) Q: Congresswoman, I know you've talked about the fact that the Build Back Better Act has been pushed back. And I know with the pushback, Speaker Pelosi is reinstituted paid time off. And I know that's something that a lot of New Mexicans have been pushing for. So where do you stand on this? Are you happy that Speaker Pelosi put the paid time off provision back into that prospective bill? (5:35) Rep. Stansbury: Yes, thank you so much for that question. New Mexico's families are demanding paid leave. In the legislature this last session, we passed the paid sick leave provision, which was so important and so many people from across our communities rallied to help support getting that bill across the finish line at the state level, but workers all across the country still do not have access to paid leave. And I very much support this provision. I'm proud that the Speaker put it back into the bill after it was taken out. And we'll be fighting to make sure that stays in as this bill moves to the Senate. (6:35) Q: Any idea or a rough estimate of how many jobs could be created in New Mexico as a result of the passage of this infrastructure bill? (6:49) Rep. Stansbury: Thank you so much for that question. It is our hope that this bill will help to generate thousands of jobs across New Mexico, good-paying jobs, union jobs in key industries that New Mexico needs. So whether that's putting broadband into the ground and connecting our households, whether that's building roads and repairing bridges across the state, it's working on clean energy infrastructure and our grid, or it's working on pipelines and water infrastructure. We're expecting this bill to deliver thousands of jobs to New Mexicans and put New Mexicans back to work with a good-paying job. So thank you so much for that question. (7:34) Staff: Any further questions for the Congressman before we sign off here? All right, seeing none. Thanks so much, everyone for participating.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-votes-deliver-billions-broadband-water-infrastructure,"Congresswoman Stansbury Votes to Deliver Billions in Broadband, Water Infrastructure, Roads Funding for New Mexico",2021-11-06,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON– As the United States is working to rebuild our economy and support our communities with the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) voted today to deliver billions in infrastructure funding for New Mexico by passing the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The bill is expected to invest more than $3.7 billion in New Mexico’s broadband, water, roads, bridges, public transportation, electric vehicle, airport and other infrastructure, with the opportunity to apply for further funding. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will modernize America’s crumbling infrastructure for the 21st century and create good-paying union jobs while supporting small businesses and resources for working families and rebuilding for a more climate resilient future. “I’m proud that today, we delivered for families in New Mexico by investing in good-paying jobs and the infrastructure of the future,” said Rep. Stansbury. “New Mexicans are resilient—but we need investments in broadband, clean drinking water, and our roads so that everyone can thrive. Together with the Build Back Better Act, the bipartisan infrastructure deal will bring lasting change for our communities right here at home.” A factsheet of investments in New Mexico from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act is here. A section-by-section summary of the bill is here. The full text of the bill is available here. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will transform New Mexico’s economy by: Investing $2.5 billion in New Mexico’s highways and $225 million in bridge replacement and repairs torepair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change resilience and equity. In New Mexico there are over 3,822 miles of highway and 207 bridges in poor condition. Since 2011, commute times have increased by 7.7% in New Mexico, and on average, each driver pays over $750 per year in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair. New Mexico will also have the opportunity to apply for funds under the nearly $16 billion in national funding dedicated for major projects that to deliver substantial economic benefits to our communities. Connecting New Mexicans to reliable high-speed internet. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, New Mexico is expected to receive a minimum of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access for the at least 220,000 New Mexicans who lack internet connectivity. Currently, 10.7% of New Mexicans live in areas where, under the FCC’s benchmark, there is no broadband infrastructure. Even where infrastructure is available, broadband may be too expensive to be within reach. The bill also expands resources for low-income families, which would help an estimated 38% of New Mexicans afford internet access under the Affordable Connectivity Benefit. Improving our nation’s airports. Airports in New Mexico are expected to receive approximately $90 million for infrastructure development for airports over five years. Delivering clean drinking water for New Mexico and eliminating the nation’s lead service lines and pipes. The bill is expected to invest $355 million over five years in New Mexico to improve water infrastructure across the state. This funding is critical for communities in New Mexico, especially rural and Tribal communities, that lack access to clean drinking water due to decades of underinvestment. Improving public transportation options for New Mexicans. New Mexicans who take public transportation spend an extra 94.3% of their time commuting. One-fifth, or 20%, of transit vehicles in the state are past useful life. Based on formula funding alone, New Mexico is expected to receive $366 million over five years under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve public transportation options across the state. Improving power and water systems.The bill invests $65 billion nationwide to rebuild the electric grid and pave the way for a clean energy transition, including by building thousands of miles of new power lines and expanding renewable energy like wind and solar. This is crucial to modernizing New Mexico’s grid and tackling the climate crisis. After passing a state grid modernization act last year introduced by Rep. Stansbury as a state lawmaker, New Mexico’s infrastructure is poised to implement these funds. Investing in environmental remediation. The bill would provide $21 billion to clean up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mines, and cap orphaned natural oil and gas wells that dot the landscape and contribute to climate change. Building a network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to facilitate long-distance travel and provide convenient charging options. The bill invests $7.5 billion to build out the first-ever national network of EV chargers in the United States to address the climate crisis and support domestic manufacturing jobs. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, New Mexico is expected to receive $38 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network. New Mexico will also have the opportunity to apply for the $2.5 billion in grant funding dedicated to EV charging in the bill. This funding is critical to achieve net-zero and low carbon emissions in our transportation sector, and especially important in New Mexico where communities are spread out and families must drive long distances.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-stansbury-highlights-water-crisis-indigenous-communities,Congresswoman Stansbury Highlights Water Crisis in Indigenous Communities,2021-11-05,2021,2021-11,Democrat,House,NM,Melanie A. Stansbury,S001218,stansbury.house.gov,stansbury,https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"VIDEO: Congresswoman Stansbury Highlights Water Crisis in To'Hajiilee, Indigenous Communities WASHINGTON — Yesterday, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) called attention to the lack of water access in Indigenous communities during a hearing before the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife. Rep. Stansbury also advanced legislation she cosponsors to affirm the fundamental right to water access by Indigenous communities and extend authorization for river ecosystem recovery initiatives. During the hearing, Rep. Stansbury and the subcommittee heard witness testimony from three panels on four pieces of legislation that affirms the federal government’s responsibility to ensure water access for Indigenous communities, establish a satellite-based evapotranspiration data program, extend endangered fish recovery programs and provide a conservation plan for saline lakes in the West. “Nearly a third of households in Indigenous communities across the U.S. do not have reliable access to water and sanitation services…whose health, education, economic development, and other basic household needs are negatively impacted by this basic quality of life and human rights issue.” Rep. Stansbury said during her opening statement. “This is especially urgent in To’Hajiilee, which is a chapter of the Navajo Nation in my district in New Mexico. It is an urgent situation: an entire community does not have access to safe, drinking water. A number of the families that live in To’Hajiilee are having to haul water from Albuquerque and elsewhere.” Rep. Stansbury asked Bidtah Becker, Associate Attorney for the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and a member of the witness panel, to describe the experience of hauling water in Indigenous communities, especially To’Hajiilee. “I think what a lot of people don't realize is that hauling water is the single most expensive form of water one can obtain and utilize, and we're already talking about families who suffer some of the highest rates of poverty in the country,” Becker responded. “One of the stories I tell is that on the weekends, when people come into the border towns to do the grocery store shopping to meet basic needs or they do their laundry, they wash their car. The lines to the bathrooms will be very long because it's the only time you have to go to a flushable bathroom and wash your hands with running water.” “Water is a basic human right, and it's crucial to the economic well-being, the health, and just the general well-being of people in our communities,” Rep. Stansbury affirmed.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:30:49Z https://haaland.house.gov/media/press-releases/haaland-s-116th-congress-report,Haalands 116th Congress Report,2021-01-03,2021,2021-01,Democrat,House,NM,Debra Haaland,H001080,haaland.house.gov,,,legacy,"As Congresswoman Haaland prepares to be sworn into her second term at the start of the 117th Congress at noon today, January 3rd, 2020, she released the following report recapping her legislative accomplishments during her freshman term. Everyone in this country deserves the opportunities to get ahead, but the way our institutions were built puts the American dream out of reach for many families and puts out planet at risk. My goal during this first term was to begin chipping away at barriers that keep people down by introducing bills to establish universal childcare and address environmental injustice and working to protect military families and fighting for equality. Nothing could have prepared us for the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented our country, but we worked diligently to ensure that we provided resources to frontline workers and healthcare heroes, followed guidelines that keep our communities healthy, and helped those struggling in the pandemic economy. I'm proud of the work we accomplished together in the 116th Congress, said Congresswoman Deb Haaland. Full memo is also available here. Work in New Mexico's First Congressional District by the Numbers: Nearly1,378 New Mexicansin our district reached out to my office and received assistance with social security, veterans benefits, Medicare, passport services, and other issues involving federal agencies Held28 Mobile Office Hours eventsto make services more accessible to everyone throughout the district. Held199 town halls, listening sessions, roundtables, coffees, and community eventsto connect directly with the community. Returned$301,000 in benefitsearned to New Mexicans Bills Signed into Law The Not Invisible Act of 2019:the first bill in history to be introduced and passed by four members of federally recognized tribes: Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna), Tom Cole (Chickasaw Nation), Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk Nation), and Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee Nation). The Not Invisible Act creates an advisory committee on violent crime composed of law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, and survivors to make recommendations to the Department of Interior and Department of Justice and provide best practices. PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act: to enhance the ability of tribes to enter into, and carry out, compacting agreements. It also aligns the Department of the Interior's (DOI) compacting approval process with the one currently used by the Indian Health Service (IHS) to improve consistency for tribes. These compacts are vital for upholding the federal government's trust responsibilities with tribes and promoting self-governance and local control. Public Lands Package:the bi-partisan package contains provisions to create 273,000 acres of wilderness in New Mexico that were also part of the ANTIQUITIES Act, which Haaland introduced alongside U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM). Great American Outdoors Act:provides guaranteed full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and funding to address the maintenance backlog at our National Parks and on other public lands. As Chair of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, Haaland worked with her colleagues on the committee and House leadership to shepherd the package through committee and now on to the President's desk. The two programs are critical to Haaland's efforts to create good paying jobs in outdoor recreation and restoration economies at a critical time of economic recovery. Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act:pieces of thecomprehensive billintroduced along-side U.S. Senator Warren (D-Mass.) to address unsafe military housing were included in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act: Native American Business Incubators Act:provides essential services such as a workspace, a collaborative environment, comprehensive business skills training, and opportunities to build professional networks that will help increase access to capital for business investment and growth through three-year grants to entities with ties to tribal communities, education institutions, and other organizations to expand assistance to a broad range of business sectors and incubation methods. Savanna's Act of 2019:named in honor of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a 22-year old pregnant member of the Spirit Lake Tribe who was tragically murdered in August 2017. Savanna's Act addresses the disturbing increase in murdered and missing Native American women by creating new guidelines for responding to such cases, and by incentivizing their implementation. Rent the Camo: included in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act the bill will create a Rent the Camo pilot program, fashioned after Rent the Runway, that issues maternity uniforms and maternity uniform related items to pregnant military members at no cost to the Servicemember while ensuring that uniforms are free of toxic chemicals that may harm the baby or mother. Selected Reserve Education Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Enhancement Act:adjusts the LRP Program so that Selected Reserve component service members can realize 100% of qualified education benefits within their six-year contract while providing a strong recruitment tool for the National Guard to provide a fairer balance of the benefits offered to Citizen Soldiers when compared with their active duty counterparts was included in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Legislative milestones: Earned bicameral support on the most bills compared to all Representatives in the 116th Congress's first session. Got bipartisan cosponsors on the most bills authored compared to all House Freshmen in 2019. Cosponsored the most bills of all House Freshmen in 2019. Received the most cosponsors on bills compared to House Freshmen in 2019. Creating Opportunities for New Mexicans: Introduced the Universal Child Care and Early Learning Act to make childcare and early learning affordable for all. Cosponsored the College for All Act to eliminate public college fees and tuition. Introduced the Gig Is Up Act to ensure New Mexico workers' fair employment classification. Put Medicare for All on the table and cosponsored the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act to make healthcare more accessible for 17 million people. Introduced the Honoring Family-Friendly Workplaces Act to incentivize and recognize businesses that prioritize the needs of working parents' lives. Introduced the bipartisan Anti-Lunch Shaming Act, and co-sponsored the No Shame at School Act, to get the rest of the nation to follow New Mexico's lead in ending harmful and isolating policies that hurt our children. Took steps to address poverty by passing the Raise the Wage Act in the House to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Secured expansive food assistance funding in the House FY21 Agriculture appropriations bill, including $25 billion for Child Nutrition Programs and $68 billion for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Addressing the COVID-19 pandemic: Provided rapid relief funding to New Mexicans, their families, and frontline workers and healthcare workers through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the CARES Act, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, that included provisions to help students, their families, schools, and the local governments that run them. Increased unemployment insurance payments by $600 per week in the CARES Act, followed by $300 per week in the Supplemental Appropriations Act, expanded expanded benefits eligibility to self-employed individuals, gig economy employees, and independent contractors. Secured $3.5 billion in supplemental emergency funds for the Child Care Development Block Grant, so that New Mexico families could continue to seek out childcare options during the pandemic. Expanded the Paycheck Protection Program in the Supplemental Appropriations Act with $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans. Secured $25 billion in the Supplemental Appropriations Act for critically needed rental assistance to help families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium. Passed the comprehensive Heroes Act alongside House Democrats to extend pandemic assistance through stimulus payments, rental assistance, a 12-month eviction and foreclosure moratorium, and expanding the Paycheck Protection Program. Consistently fought to see that meaningful COVID-19 relief be brought to a vote in the Senate, despite idle action from Senate Republicans. Ensured that the CARES Act included assistance to Tribal, State and local governments so they could continue to provide essential services during the pandemic, and that access to this funding be improved through the Supplemental Appropriations Act. Protecting our planet for future generations and building an equitable clean energy economy: Introduced the THRIVE Agenda to rebuild our broken economy by investing in dignified jobs, environmental protections, and prioritizing marginalized communities. As Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, introduced the ANTIQUITIES Act to protect national monuments from extractive industries and honor sacred sites. Shepherded the Great American Outdoors Act to secure permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and address the National Parks maintenance backlog through the House and into law. Defended the sacred Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from frivolous oil and gas development by cosponsoring the Artic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act. Passed the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act in the House to prevent oil and gas development around Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, as well as securing provisions in appropriations bills to continue the current moratorium on drilling. Introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act to make our outdoors more accessible. Fighting for an inclusive future: Stood with immigrant families by cosponsoring the REUNITE Act to reunite children cruelly separated from their parents at the Southern border. Cosponsored the Alternatives to Detention Act to force the Trump Administration to shift to more human and sensible policies for immigrants waiting for processing. Led a LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus letter to Ambassador Birx of the White House Coronavirus Response Task Force outlining concerns facing the LGBTQ+ community during the pandemic. Cosponsored the Asylum Seeker Protection Act to prohibit funding being used to implement President Trump's remain in Mexico' policy. Passed the historic and bipartisan Equality Act in the House to ensure that LGBTQ+ Americans are treated the same as every other American. Cosponsored and voted to pass Rep. Judy Chu's NO BAN Act to repeal President Trump's Muslim ban, asylum ban, and refugee ban. Introduced the Same Day Voter Registration Act to expand participation in elections, and voted to pass it in the House as part of H.R. 1, the For the People Act. Giving our military service members, their families, and Veterans the benefits they have earned: Introduced the Military Housing Oversight and Service Member Protection Act to address unsafe and unsanitary conditions in military housing and included provisions of the bill in the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Secured numerous FY21 NDAA wins for New Mexico service members and our national labs, including $50 million to improve infrastructure at Kirtland AFB, $120 million for Los Alamos National Labs upgrades, $4.8 for Sandia National Labs upgrades, and $135 million for military family housing. Fought for pregnant military members with the inclusion of my Rent the Camo: Access to Maternity Wear Act in the FY21 NDAA. The pilot program offers non-toxic maternity uniforms and related items to pregnant members at no additional cost. Introduced the VA Tribal Advisory Committee Act of 2019 to improve VA outreach, health care, and benefits for Native American Veterans. The bill was included in comprehensive Veterans legislation headed to the President's desk for signature. Prioritized Veterans in the FY2021 Appropriations bill with $313 million for Veteran suicide prevention and outreach, $3.2 billion to reduce the VA disability claims backlog, $20 million for VA Supportive Housing, and $1.9 billion for Veterans homeless assistance programs. Being a voice that Congress has never heard before: Took steps to end the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women by passing both the Not Invisible Act and the Savanna's Act into law. Introduced a resolution recognizing the month of November as National Native American Heritage Month. Fought for Tribal communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through funding in both the CARES and Heroes Act. Addressed the vast Tribal digital divide by introducing the DIGITAL Reservations Act. Prioritized Native American economic development by passing my Native American Business Incubators Program Act into law. Co-led a Democratic Women's Caucus letter to House Leadership calling for urgent funding and assistance to women and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cosponsored the EACH Woman Act to end the withholding of federal funds for abortion care for women enrolled in Medicaid. Upheld the trust responsibility that the Federal government has with Tribal Nations by passing my bipartisan PROGRESS for Indian Tribes Act into law. Sent the Violence Against Women Act to the Senate with two of my amendments that will address the silent crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Increasing public safety while fighting for justice Held a community panel discussion on racial injustice and police reform with the New Mexico OUT Business Alliance and the African American Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. Cosponsored and voted for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a first step to hold police accountable and change the culture of law enforcement. Introduced the PROTECT Act to demilitarize our local and state police forces. Cosponsored the bill to establish the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, an essential step in properly addressing our country's ugly history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and racism. Protected our children and families by passing H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Charleston Loophole bill (H.R. 1112) to implement background check policies that the majority of Americans support. Stood with Black Lives Matter protestors by cosponsoring the Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America's Streets Act to limit President Trump's ability to deploy federal forces on civilians.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://haaland.house.gov/media/press-releases/haaland-sworn-117th-congress,Haaland Sworn In to 117th Congress,2021-01-03,2021,2021-01,Democrat,House,NM,Debra Haaland,H001080,haaland.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Deb Haaland (NM-01) took the oath of office for the 117thCongress, along withsix Native members from both parties, the most ever to serve in a Congress; a historic all-woman New Mexico House delegation; and a New Mexico Congressional delegation that reflects the diversity of the state.Additionally, the historically diverse Democratic Majority now nearly 70 percent women, people of color and LGBTQ is ready to get to work to fight For The People and to partner with the Biden-Harris Administration to Build Back Better. This year's swearing in was much different than 2018 with COVID-19 raging in the country and families suffering inthepandemic economy,the work we have to do is urgent. I'm proud to be a member of the 117thCongress and will continue fighting to bring opportunity to everyone and ensure we have a healthy planet for future generations,said Congresswoman Deb Haaland. On swearing in day, Haaland also announced her new 117thCongress office locations, which will continue to follow COVID-19 guidelines to protect the health and safety of constituents. Albuquerque Office 100 Gold Avenue SW Suite 206 Albuquerque, NM 87102 (505) 346-6781 Constituents who are experiencing troubles with federal agencies and need assistance can call Haaland's Albuquerque Office. Washington D.C. 1421 Longworth HOB Washington,DC20515 (202) 225-6316 Constituents who would like to share their opinions on legislation and House votes can call Haaland's Washington D.C. Office or email from her online office atwww.haaland.house.gov/contact.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.lujan.senate.gov/press-releases/lujan-sworn-in-as-u-s-senator-highlights-priorities-for-new-mexico/,"Lujn Sworn in As U.S. Senator, Highlights Priorities for New Mexico",2021-01-03,2021,2021-01,Democrat,House,NM,Ben Luján,L000570,www.lujan.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Lujn becomes first Hispanic Senator from New Mexico in more than 40 years Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Lujn (D-N.M.) was sworn in to serve as the next U.S. Senator from New Mexico. Following his swearing-in ceremony, Senator Lujn highlighted his priorities to address the COVID-19 pandemic and put New Mexico's economy on the path to recovery. Footage of the swearing-in ceremony and reenactment is available here. Photos of the reenactment are available here. I am humbled to serve as New Mexicans' voice in the U.S. Senate, and I thank voters for entrusting me with this immense responsibility. I understand the importance of being responsive to my constituents, speaking directly and objectively, and acting with courage. I will always listen to my fellow New Mexicans and look forward to learning from them. I follow in the footsteps of giants like Tom Udall, Pete Domenici, Jeff Bingaman, and Dennis Chavez. Their example will serve as my north star as I work in a bipartisan manner to find common-sense solutions that benefit all New Mexicans. With our state facing an unprecedented public health and economic crisis, I will act with urgency to support struggling families, small businesses, and communities. Working together, we can ensure that New Mexico's brightest days are in front of us. Senator Lujn is the first Hispanic to represent New Mexico in the U.S. Senate since Joseph Montoya, who served from 1964 to 1977. Prior to his election to the Senate, Lujn served as Congressman for New Mexico's Third Congressional District and the U.S. House Assistant Speaker during the 116th Congress. He grew up in Namb, a small farming community north of Santa Fe, bordered by the Namb and Pojoaque Pueblos.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z