WASHINGTON, D.C. – On June 18, 2026 — following confirmed cases of the New World screwworm (NWS) in Texas and New Mexico — U.S. Representatives Leger Fernández and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) introduced the Protecting America’s Herds Act, an innovative, bipartisan solution to combat the spread of the parasite, herd loss, and a jump in beef prices.
The bill — which has 13 cosponsors from… Read more »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Leader John Thune, Speaker Mike Johnson, and additional chairs and ranking members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives calling for the completion of current outstanding water settlements and related technical… Read more »
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz demanding answers about the agency’s decision-making and response to the devastating Laguna Fire that continues to burn across Rio Arriba County. Read more »
This afternoon, every single House Democrat, including Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), and 2 Republicans voted NO on the legislation, which passed by a vote of 218 to 214 in the House.
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WASHINGTON — 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. 3293) to support agriculture practices more commonly used in Western arid climates. This bipartisan bill would allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture (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 health testing. Read more »
WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM-03) joined by Congresswomen Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01), and Deborah Ross (D-NC-02) introduced the bipartisan Women in Agriculture Act. Read more »
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) are reintroducing a slate of Tribal water rights settlement bills they are pushing to pass in this Congress.
The full slate of Tribal water rights settlements legislation includes:
The… Read more »
WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE
SANTA FE, N.M. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) hosted a press conference with local farmers, ranchers, Tribal representatives, and conservation leaders to denounce the Trump Administration’s funding freeze on critical U.S. Department of Agriculture programs, including the… Read more »
SANTA FE, NM– Congresswoman Leger Fernández (D-NM) released a statement slamming President Trump following the news that the Trump administration has turned its back on rural Americans by freezing critical U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding, including grants within the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative… Read more »
WASHINGTON – Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M), U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and announced $120 million for Fiscal Year 2025 for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project using funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Reclamation Water Settlements Fund. Read more »
