Rep. Leger Fernández Votes to Pass Legislation to Help New Mexico Communities

Statement

Today, Rep. Leger Fernández voted to pass H.R. 8294, a package of six government funding bills to help families and communities in New Mexico.

The investments in the bill will lower the cost of living, create good-paying American jobs, lift up working families, and support small businesses.

"Our communities continue to fight inflation and rising costs of living. This is why I voted for a government funding package that brings down these costs by investing in housing, water infrastructure, small business, and energy for Nuevo Mexicanos. Importantly, it also makes sure that funds can't go to the VA's AIR Commission, which will keep our veterans health clinics open in northern New Mexico," said Rep. Leger Fernández. "Last, I am proud that it includes funding for 9 of my community supported projects in the 3rd district. This will complement additional funding that will directly benefit New Mexico."

Rep. Leger Fernández secured funding for 9 projects in the bill that will directly benefit residents of the third congressional district of New Mexico. These include:

$750,000 -- Homeownership Assistance Voucher Program

$750,000 -- Mora County Hub for Community-based Services

$3,000,000 -- Raton Film Studio and Education Center

$1,635,000 -- Cuba Health Center Workforce Housing

$960,000 -- One Generation's Indigenous Farm Hub

$640,000 -- Santa Clara Pueblo Riverside Water Conveyance, Water Treatment and Wastewater Facility

$1,500,000 -- Santo Domingo Pueblo Wastewater Distribution System

$4,000,000 -- Taos Pueblo Spider Rock Road Improvement Project

$550,000 -- Chama Water Treatment Plant Improvements

"I am incredibly pleased to vote for 9 community projects in this bill that I know will have a profound impact on the third congressional district," said Rep. Leger Fernández. "These investments support underserved areas and foster economic development, making a real difference in the lives of Nuevo Mexicanos. I am grateful for the inclusion of this funding that will make our community healthier, safer, stronger, and even more resilient."

Background:

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández also secured key policy provisions in H.R. 8294 to help wildfire management, Tribal and Indigenous communities, and fund rural water programs.

Some of the key priorities Leger Fernández secured include:

Blocks funding for the VA AIR Commission: Cosponsored an amendment to prohibit funds from being used for the VA Air Commission. This will effectively block the VA from moving forward with any recommendations to close veterans health clinics in northern New Mexico and instead direct $5 million to the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program.

Rural Partners Network: $5 million to support the Rural Partners Network (RPN), which is an alliance of federal agencies and civic partners working to expand rural prosperity through job creation, infrastructure development, and community improvement presently doing work in the counties of Mora, San Miguel, Colfax and Taos.

Bureau of Indian Education teacher salaries: $505,636,000 for Indian Student Equalization Program (ISEP) Formula Funds to support higher salaries for BIE teachers.

BIA - Public Safety and Justice: $718,439,000 for Public Safety and Justice. This includes funding for opioid addiction assistance, for Missing and Murdered Indigenous

Women (MMIW) unsolved cases, to expedite background checks for the MMIW initiative and to allow law enforcement officers to implement and enforce the Native

American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act at fiscal year 2022 enacted levels.

Incentivizing Technology Transfer: report language to ensure the Office of Technology

Transitions's work benefits the local communities and regions most invested in the Department of Energy Research & Development.

LANL cleanup: increased funding for the Department of Energy Environmental Management's Los Alamos legacy cleanup contract.

Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program: language to expand access to federal financing to tribes for energy projects.

Funding for Rural Water Program including the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System: $4.626 million for the Ute Pipeline Project.

USDA ReConnect Program Technical Assistance Strategy: report language to assist applicants, including a cohort of applicants, with initial planning and development of applications for United States Department of Agriculture ReConnect Program loans, grants, and loan-grant combinations.

PFAS Water Treatment Demonstration Project: language to consider the creation of a water treatment demonstration project for areas impacted by PFAS contamination from BRAC sites, specifically from Air Force bases.

Additional provisions in H.R. 8294:

The appropriations package funds the government and invests in critical infrastructure, grows opportunity through homeownership and rental assistance, and promotes safe transportation and public housing providing:

$90.9 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and related agencies.

$55 million for Homeless Veterans & Native American Veterans to continue the effort to eliminate homelessness among our nation's veterans.

$3.3 billion for Community Development Block Grants, equal to the FY 2022 enacted level, including $1.7 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program which has helped preserve 1.33 million affordable homes.

$1.2 billion is provided for Housing for the Elderly to build approximately 3,500 new affordable housing units for low-income seniors.

$400 million for Housing for Persons with Disabilities to construct approximately 2,100 new affordable housing units for people with disabilities.

The billtackles hunger, lifts up farmers and rural communities, rebuilds our public health and safety infrastructure, and confronts the climate crisis providing:

$27.2 billion for the Department of Agriculture -- including rural development programs -- the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies

$28.6 billion in funding for child nutrition programs. As kids return to the classroom, this funding will support more than 5.6 million school lunches and snacks.

$50 million for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program

$40 million for school kitchen equipment grants

$12 million for farm to school grants

$10 million for school breakfast expansion grants

$1.95 billion for farm programs, including $61.4 million to resolve ownership and succession of farmland issues, also known as heirs' property issues. This funding will continue support for various farm, conservation, and emergency loan programs, and help American farmers and ranchers.

$244 million to facilitate the movement of agricultural products and to open market opportunities.

$22.8 million for the National Organic Program

$30.2 million for the oversight and enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act.

The appropriations package lowers costs for working families, invest in rural development and infrastructure, creates good-paying jobs, and rebuilds water infrastructure, providing:

$56.275 billion for the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, and related agencies

$4.2 billion for Rural Development initiatives to help create an environment for economic growth by providing business and housing opportunities and building sustainable rural infrastructure for the modern economy

$560 million for the expansion of broadband services to provide economic development opportunities and improved education and healthcare services

$450 million for the USDA's Broadband ReConnect program

$1.5 billion for rural water and waste program loans which will provide safe drinking water to millions of rural residents

$7.9 billion for rural electric and telephone infrastructure loans

$30 billion in loan authority for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program

$1.5 billion in direct single family housing loans, which provide home loan assistance to low-income rural families

$1.5 billion for rental assistance and rental vouchers for affordable rental housing for low-income families and the elderly in rural communities, while renewing all existing rental assistance contracts.

$189.3 million for WaterSMART programs

$49.8 million to assist western states and communities as they respond to the historic drought

$54 million above the budget request for rural water projects.

The bill grows opportunities and helps small business owners and middle-class families get ahead by providing:

$29.8 billion for the Department of the Treasury, The Judiciary, the Election Assistance Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and other government agencies.

The funding bill creates jobs, confronts climate change, supports infrastructure on tribal lands, and ensures access to safe drinking water providing:

$44.8 billion for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Indian Health Services

$7.88 billion for nuclearcleanup work at 15 locations across the country

$562 million for state and community energy programs to support the Weatherization Assistance Program

$2.88 billion for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater management projects across the country

$126 million to supports scientific and regulatory work on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS),needed to establish drinking water and cleanup standards

$171 million for the Historic Preservation Fund, including $82 million for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices

$6.43 billion for wildland fire management funding

$4.4 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Office of the Special Trustee

$8.1 billion for the Indian Health Service

$207 million each for the NEA and NEH

The bill protects our elections, upholding our democracy providing:

$400 million for election security grants to the states to improve security of elections for federal office

$34 million for Election Assistance Commission (EAC) operating expenses

The bill protects our national security, upholds our commitments to servicemembers, veterans, and their families, and rebuilds our infrastructure, providing

$314.1 billion for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies. For the first time ever, the spending bill separates VA Medical Care into its own funding category to better meet the needs of our veterans

Source