As a former acequia commissioner who took on a large developer to protect our water systems, I know what every New Mexican knows: Agua es Vida. Water is life. That’s why in Congress I helped secure billions of dollars in federal funding for water projects that will update our systems and keep water flowing through New Mexico - from the Eastern Water Supply Project in the East, to the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project in the West. We know that when the water flows, New Mexico thrives. 

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My family owns farm land in rural New Mexico and we recognize the value of regenerative agriculture. Our ranchers and farmers are key to our economy, our herencia and our solutions to the climate crisis. Their business is to feed us and sustain our economy. So much of who I am, and my ties to my family, is sustained through our connections to this beautiful land we call home. That’s true for all of us who call New Mexico home. 

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Here in New Mexico, we know how important the land, air, and water are to our culture, history, and economy. And we know that New Mexico is getting hotter, our droughts are getting drier and longer, and our wildfire seasons are getting longer and more damaging. We know we must address these changes to our climate so that our families can continue to thrive here. We have an obligation to invest in renewable energy resources like wind and solar, and take advantage of the ground-breaking new technologies coming out of our national labs and universities that will reduce carbon pollution and create good-paying jobs in New Mexico and across the country.

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We must be better ancestors than descendants - meaning we must protect and preserve New Mexico and our planet for our future generations.

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Wildfires

When the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s history devastated our communities, I held the federal government accountable for starting the fire. This was not a natural disaster, it was a man made disaster and the federal government must pay for the damages they caused. I secured resources to battle the wildfire, ensured that families displaced had emergency help and long-term solutions. In Congress, I worked to increase firefighter pay and ensure firefighters get health care when their work damages their health. My Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act to fully compensate the families that have been harmed has passed the House and is now working its way through the Senate. I also secured investigations into US Forest Service policies that allowed the control burn to happen under dangerous conditions that ultimately turned some of our most beautiful land into a 340,000 acre burn scar.  I’m working with the USFS to update their policies so that a tragedy like this never happens again.