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I am honored to serve tribes across New Mexico and the rest of the United States as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs. I am working endlessly to make sure that the federal government meets its federal trust responsibility.
During my first term in Congress, I served as the Chair of the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples. With my support, Congress passed the largest investment in tribal communities in history. Nearly $46 billion in investments are helping to build out roads, broadband, clean energy, water, and other infrastructure across tribal lands. Congress also passed my bipartisan STOP Act to crack down on the trafficking of tribal cultural items and my Tribal Energy Investment Act to support energy development. In partnership with tribal leaders, I continue to search for ways to support Native American communities. My Telehealth Access for Tribal Communities Act would make sure that Native Americans can easily access audio-only telehealth services. Five of my bills would authorize Indian Water Rights Settlements for 12 tribes in my district to make sure the water flows. My Home of Your Own Act would provide downpayment assistance to help first-time homebuyers purchase a home. On the Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee, I have led committee hearings to improve tribal public safety, return land to tribes, advance cultural preservation, and promote economic development. I supported legislation to formally investigate Indian Boarding Schools to document the stories of the survivors and help recover from this historical trauma. I also cosponsored the Native American Voting Rights Act to make sure tribes have access to the ballot and the Native American Child Protection Act to help victims of child abuse. Self-determination and tribal sovereignty are the very principles on which our work depends. As we seek to make sure the federal government meets its trust responsibility, these principles will always guide my work.
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