Teresa Leger Fernández
House Democrats voted to invest in the values and heart of our Nation—our women, children, workers, immigrants, and beautiful Mother Earth—through the Build Back Better Act. I’m energized by the work done to secure funding for New Mexico’s priorities.
We know that the key to closing the wealth gap is homeownership. I pushed for down payment assistance and the bill includes $10 billion for first generation homeowners. Build Back Better also builds on the clean energy investments from the infrastructure bill to create good-paying jobs. I secured $240 million for a Just Transition investment fund to create new economic opportunities for our energy communities as well as provisions to reduce methane pollution and hold oil and gas companies accountable.
The Build Back Better Act is transformational for women and includes universal pre-k for all 3- and 4-year olds, allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices so big pharma can’t make excessive profit out of people’s pain, and provides protections and work permits for immigrant communities.
As chair of the Indigenous People’s Subcommittee, prioritizing investments in our Native American communities was paramount. A minimum of 12 billion dollars will flow to Native American and Indigenous peoples. New Mexico’s Tribes will benefit from the investments upholding our trust obligations on a range of issues including health facilities, broadband, clean water, and climate resilience. I also secured a provision to protect Chaco Canyon from damaging oil and gas development, building off of the Biden Administration’s recent actions.
It’s shameful that not one of my Republican colleagues voted to deliver these life-saving investments for their communities despite it being fully paid for by making millionaires and big corporations finally pay their fair share. I urge the Senate to work swiftly and pass this bill para la gente, for our communities.
U.S. Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández serves New Mexico’s 3rd District.
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