WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández, sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore urging him to honor his commitment to use infrared drones for all prescribed burns in New Mexico. Rep. Leger Fernández previously secured a commitment from Chief Moore to use infrared drones during prescribed fires after a holdover pile burn unknowingly smoldered for months and helped start the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. Infrared drones allow the Forest Service to safely and effectively monitor prescribed fires and verify that the fire is completely out. Read more »
WASHINGTON – Representative Teresa Leger Fernández introduced the Pecos Watershed Protection Act, legislation to protect portions of the Pecos Watershed in northern New Mexico from all mineral development. U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives and Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) is an original cosponsor of the legislation. Read more »
WASHINGTON – October 5, 2023 - U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M) and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Cerro Pelado Fire Assistance Act to provide financial compensation to help New Mexicans affected by the Cerro Pelado Fire caused by the U.S. Forest Service. The bill would require FEMA to establish a Cerro Pelado Fire Claims Office to compensate those who suffered personal injury, property losses, business and financial losses resulting from the Cerro Pelado Fire. Read more »
WASHINGTON — Representative Teresa Leger Fernández and Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) applauded President Biden’s signing of their legislation to rename the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Gallup, New Mexico, as the Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura VA Clinic. The name will honor the late Medal of Honor recipient and World War II and Korean War veteran Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura. Read more »
WASHINGTON – September 27, 2023 - Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández passed two amendments late last night to increase funding for oversight of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural housing program and USDA Office of Tribal Relations. Read more »
Washington, D.C. – September 21, 2023 - Today, U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and James Moylan (R-Guam) and U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján, (D-N.M.) Josh Hawley, (R-Mo.) held a press conference with advocates, downwinders, and uranium workers on the extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) program. Earlier this year, Senators Luján and Hawley successfully led the U.S. Senate to pass a historic expansion of the RECA program in the National Defense Authorization Act. This press conference celebrated progress and drove support for the RECA legislation. Congresswoman Leger Fernandez discussed the next steps to ensure this expansion of RECA stays in the final National Defense Authorization Act. Read more »
WASHINGTON – Today, Congress passed S. 475, which is the Senate version of legislation that Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández introduced in the House. This legislation will rename the Gallup Veterans Affairs clinic for the late Corporal Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura, who died on November 29, 2022. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan led the companion bill in the Senate. S. 475 previously passed the Senate and now goes to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Read more »
Santa Fe, N.M. – U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández, who led the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act, issued the following statement after FEMA announced the final regulations. The final regulations will be published on Tuesday. Read more »
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — August 8, 2023 — U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Senator Heinrich, and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) delivered a letter to President Joe Biden urging his Administration to prioritize additional investments and forward-looking missions at Cannon Air Force Base (CAFB) in Clovis, N.M. Read more »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) called on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to publish final regulations for the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act. Read more »
