Leger Fernández Announces State of the Union Guests: Epstein Survivor Elizabeth Stein and Rural Health Care Leader Carmen Pacheco-Muñoz

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, announced that Elizabeth (Liz) Stein, a survivor advocate and human trafficking specialist, and Carmen Pacheco-Muñoz, Interim Chief Executive Officer of La Casa Family Health Center, will join her in Washington, D.C. for the day of the State of the Union Address to highlight the urgent need for justice for survivors of human trafficking and to protect rural health care access for New Mexico families.

Elizabeth Stein is a nationally recognized survivor advocate, human trafficking specialist, and prominent voice in the fight for transparency and accountability in the Jeffrey Epstein case. Drawing on her lived experience, Stein has helped lead efforts to expose systemic failures that allowed abuse to occur and has advocated for the full release of records necessary to uncover the truth and deliver justice to survivors. Stein has worked extensively on survivor-centered policy reform, served as a Survivor Mentor and Child Policy Associate, and contributed to anti-trafficking initiatives at the local, state, and national levels. She is a World Without Exploitation STAND Fellow and has provided analysis on trafficking and accountability for major national and international news outlets.

Over a dozen members of Congress announced they will also bring Epstein survivors to highlight the Trump administration’s consistent pattern of ignoring and exposing survivors, including by releasing files that revealed survivors’ personal information while protecting perpetrators. Despite that, the survivors have continued to fight for justice, including many visits to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Members and survivors will demand that the Department of Justice (DOJ) release all the Epstein files, explain why millions of pages remain withheld, and stop treating accountability as optional when the perpetrators are wealthy and well-connected. Members and survivors will not stop fighting until the truth comes out and every perpetrator is held accountable.

Congresswoman Leger Fernández announced last week that Carmen Pacheco-Muñoz, Interim CEO of La Casa Family Health Center, will also join her to highlight the devastating impact of health care cuts on rural communities.

Pacheco-Muñoz has dedicated 36 years to La Casa Family Health Center, which serves rural communities across eastern New Mexico, providing primary care, behavioral health, dental services, and outreach to thousands of patients across Roosevelt, Curry, and Chaves counties. She began her career as a medical secretary and rose through the organization to lead it as Interim CEO, bringing firsthand experience of the barriers rural families face when trying to access care.

Congresswoman Leger Fernández will not attend the State of the Union Address. Instead, she will participate in alternative programming focused on families harmed by the administration’s policies. 

Headshots of Elizabeth Stein and Carmen Pacheco-Muñoz are available HERE.