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Native Americans

Leger Fernandez Secures New Funding for Hermit’s Peak Fire Victims and NM Water Infrastructure in Budget Bill

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Leger Fernández released the following statement after voting for a Continuing Resolution that passed the House tonight by a widely bipartisan vote of 366-34-1 and will keep the government open until March 14, 2025. “Today, in time for Christmas, Democrats saved our country from a dangerous government shutdown. We defeated Elon Musk and Donald…

N.M. Delegation Announces Over $3 Million for Tribal Communities to Address Opioid Use Disorder

| Posted in Press Releases

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), and U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) are announcing $3,068,909 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Tribal communities to serve individuals with opioid use disorder and co-occurring substance use…

Congressional Delegation Lead Press Conference Calling For House RECA Vote

| Posted in Press Releases

U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), and U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined RECA advocates for a press conference calling on House Speaker Mike Johnson to hold a vote on a Senate-passed bill that would strengthen the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). It has been over…

Leger Fernndez, Heinrich Lead Bill to Approve Water Rights Settlement for the Navajo Nation in the Rio San Jos Watershed

| Posted in Press Releases

U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced legislation to approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation as well as participating non-Tribal parties in the Rio San José watershed. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.)…

Leger Fernndez Introduces Bill to Maintain Vital Access to Audio-Only Telehealth for Tribal Communities

| Posted in Press Releases

Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) introduced the Telehealth Access for Tribal Communities Act of 2024, crucial legislation designed to protect access to essential healthcare services through audio-only telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries in tribal communities. The bill seeks to extend the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) provision that allows audio-only telehealth…

Leger Fernndez, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Approve Ohkay Owingeh Water Rights Settlement

| Posted in Press Releases

U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced legislation to approve the water rights settlement of Ohkay Owingeh and participating non-Tribal parties for water in the Rio Chama Basin. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are original cosponsors.  The Ohkay Owingeh…

Leger Fernndez, Lujn Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Land Grant Communities Rights

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act to provide greater cooperation between the federal government and land grant communities. There are 27 community land grant-mercedes that are recognized as political subdivisions under New Mexico law. 

Leger Fernndez Announces Navajo Uranium Worker as State of the Union Guest

| Posted in Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Leger Fernández (NM-03) announced Phil Harrison as her guest to President Biden’s State of the Union Address to Congress on Thursday, March 7, 2024. Rep. Leger Fernández reintroduced bipartisan legislation designed to strengthen the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), also known as the bipartisan RECA Amendments Act of 2023, in the House. The…

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