WASHINGTON — October 31 – U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández, Melanie Stansbury, and Gabe Vasquez and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján announced a $235.1 million allocation to continue fulfilling settlements of Indian water rights claims using funding from the Infrastructure Law and the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. 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, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.03), David G. Valadao (R-CA-22) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) introduced the Support Water-Efficient Strategies and Technologies Act (WEST) Act (H.R. 5764) to support agriculture practices more commonly used in Western arid climates. This bipartisan bill would allow the USDA Secretary to increase cost shares to 85 percent for Environmental Quality Incentives Programs (EQIP) practices that support water-conserving and drought-resilient programs. It would also make perennial production systems eligible for supplemental payments within the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Further, it would strengthen the USDA soil health program by allowing the Secretary to conduct outreach on the program and offer payments for soil testing. 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 »
Today, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that it has issued a license to Holtec International to construct and operate a consolidated interim storage facility in Lea County, New Mexico.
If constructed, the NRC license authorizes the facility to store up to 8,680 metric tons of commercially spent nuclear fuel for a 40-year term. Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández… Read more »
Today, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández secured The United States Forest Service’s (USFS) commitment to work with her and the GAO to implement the GAO’s recommendations to improve prescribed burn management. Rep. Leger Fernández questioned USFS Chief Randy Moore during today’s Federal Lands Subcommittee hearing on the FY 2024 budget request for the… Read more »
Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández issued the following statement on the 1-year anniversary of the Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Fire.
“Today marks the 1-year anniversary of the Hermit’s Peak prescribed burn –a painful reminder of the man-made disaster that ravaged our beautiful communities, forests, acequias, lands, and ancestral intergenerational homes.… Read more »
Representative Teresa Leger Fernández and Senator Martin Heinrich introduced legislation to approve the water rights settlements of the Pueblos of Acoma, Jemez, Laguna, and Zia, as well as participating non-Tribal parties.
Senator Ben Ray Luján and Representatives Melanie Stansbury and Gabe Vasquez are original cosponsors.
The Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Settlements… Read more »
Today, Congresswoman Leger Fernández helped pass the fiscal year 2023 appropriations bill to fund the government.
The bill includes $23,552,000 in specific Community Project Funding for New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District. It also includes numerous other provisions she championed, including an additional $1.45 billion for wildfire relief, to uplift New Mexico communities… Read more »
Today, Congresswoman Leger Fernández voted to pass the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2023 in the House of Representatives. The NDAA includes provisions requested by the Congresswoman to improve water infrastructure and support acequias in New Mexico. The legislation will bolster the United States’ national security as it invests in service members… Read more »
