Before the commencement of the New Mexico special legislature session on Wednesday, Democratic state lawmakers outlined their priorities to address the impacts from federal budget cuts.
House Speaker Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) said the issues are urgent.
“They are happening right now,” he said. “We are laser-focused on limiting and minimizing the impact on our people.”
Issues Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham put on the agenda include funding to fill gaps in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as well as public media. There are also bills focused on rural health care, insurance tax credits and funding for the state Health Care Authority.
Lawmakers are also looking to create state vaccine standards in the wake of policy shifts at the federal level.
State Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo) said federal cuts threaten to close rural hospitals and clinics across the country including New Mexico. She projects 6 to 8 hospitals could close with 1300 jobs lost.
“So without help from the state, [this] leaves entire communities without access to emergency care, maternal health services, chronic disease management,” she said.
Martinez said New Mexico is ready for this fight, with surplus revenues from oil and gas, and this special session is just the first step. But he added that any allocation of temporary funds is not sustainable in the long run.
“We need the Congress to flip parties so that they can rescind these cuts,” he said. “No state has the ability to offset those cuts in long term. It's just too much, and it's too many people that will fall through the cracks, too many people who lose their housing, too many people who will end up on the streets, too many people who will end up sick, too many children who will end up without food benefits, too many seniors who will end up without the most basic needs.”
Republicans criticized the Governor and Democrats stating that they were not involved in planning this session. Martinez said no Republican member offered feedback in the planning.
Lawmakers said they’re hopeful the special session will end quickly since each day costs taxpayers $50,000 to $60,000.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
