Teresa Leger Fernandez

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on November 12, 2024. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No.456; and NAY on Roll Call No.457.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the community of Las Trampas, and the generations of New Mexicans who built, maintained, and protected the San Jose de Gracia Church. The community of Trampas was settled in 1751 by 12 Spanish families who painstakingly carved out an existence in one of the most beautiful parts of our state and country. They relied on the strength of family, the power of community, and faith in God; so much so, that after more than 10 years of backbreaking work they raised up the San Jose de Gracia Church. The church, which is designated as a National Historic Landmark, is approaching its 250th anniversary. After spending nearly a decade handcrafting, carving, shaping, lifting, and tenderly decorating; the community of Las Trampas spent the next 250 years upkeeping this gem of 18th Century culture, architecture, and faith. For 250 years, it was their faith that kept the candles burning, the vigas and planks intact, and the adobe plaster fresh and strong. For 250 years this community has worked as one to preserve their faith and heritage in such a way that is unmistakably New Mexican--and unmistakably a reflection of unwavering faith in God and in one another. The San Jose de Gracia Church is the only distinctly Spanish Colonial building that remains completely intact within the original historic district of Las Trampas. Walking in, you are reminded of the original builders, members of the community from all walks of life, the fathers and mothers, the sons and daughters who lent any talent they could to their community for the sake of honoring God and creating a remarkable place to worship. The original floorboards, under which are buried countless members of the Trampas Community creak and pop as you approach the original 18th century altar. The altar, which is covered in frescos, is unlike anything else standing in this country--and still vibrant enough today to steal the breath and inspire awe from all who behold it. In addition to the faith that it has taken for a community to continue such painstaking work for so long--I also wish to honor the love that it took to keep this church alive. It is love that makes it more than just a structure, but a symbol of resilience, survival, and compassion. I wish that every single American could open their heart and draw from that example as we live and work with one another today and into the future. For the countless hours spent on its construction, for the countless hands that plastered its 6-foot-thick adobe walls, for the thousands of hearts that looked to God for salvation in its pews, and for the 250 years that it has graced the mountains of northern New Mexico, I honor the San Jose de Gracia Church, and the community of Las Trampas. Mr. Speaker, members of Congress of the United States of America, I also pray that God grants at least 250 more.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an inspiring young girl from my hometown of Las Vegas, New Mexico--Heaven Rose Archuleta. Heaven Rose, a seventh grader at West Las Vegas Middle School, has already proven herself to be a remarkable young leader. At only 13 years old, she delivered a powerful TED Talk about teachers' salaries, earning her first place at the Educators Rising National Competition in Washington, D.C. Heaven Rose is not only a passionate advocate for strengthening our education system, but also an active member of her school and community. She participates in cross country, track, and Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) at West Las Vegas Middle School and serves at her local church. Her dedication, passion, and commitment to her community and education have made her a true role model for her peers. Her achievements have been recognized across the state. At the first New Mexico Highlands University football game this season, she was honored at halftime for her accomplishments. Heaven Rose Archuleta continues to shine brightly, representing her state, city, community, and school district with distinction. She is a source of pride for all of us, and I look forward to seeing the many ways she will continue to lead and inspire others in the future.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Susan Hudson of the Navajo Nation, who is a 2024 NEA National Heritage Fellow. Hudson is an activist storyteller who weaves the saga of her community into quilts that are masterpieces. Hudson learned to sew out of necessity at the age of 9. Her mother and grandmother passed on the sewing skills they had been forced to learn in boarding schools. In line with the tradition of resistance and resilience, she transformed a painful heirloom into a storytelling tool. In a break from traditional quilting, Hudson makes ledger art that depicts the history and modern challenges facing indigenous people. Additionally, Hudson co-founded the Navajo Quilt Project, which donates fabric to elders. This initiative has engaged community members, empowered small business owners, and been instrumental in the construction of quilts for traditional ceremonies and donations. Hudson's work has won many prizes and is included in many renowned museums across the country such as International Quilt Museum, Heard Museum, Autry Western Museum, Riverside Museum, and National Museum of the American Indian. I want to congratulate and thank Ms. Hudson for her tremendous contribution to our collective heritage and her commitment to tell her own stories and the stories of her community.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Zuni Olla Maidens for the critical role they play in Zuni culture, establishing themselves as ambassadors for all Pueblo communities and proving that traditions are not only necessary for the soul but all future generations. The Zuni Olla Maidens perform a delicate dance that includes jars or ollas balanced on top of their heads. It is breathtaking to watch. For this beautiful dance, they have been rightfully honored as 2024 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows. The dance brings together the beauty of the music together with colors and jewelry and clothing to bring beauty to our world. There is a power in this ceremony that flows before the singing, the drums and the rattles. The Zuni songs remind us how small we are in this world and that we need to remember the origins and culture of our people and our homes. I am honored to recognize the significance of these matriarchs. Where there are powerful women, there are powerful families and communities. Let the traditions of the Zuni people ring forever in the halls of Congress.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McGovern for pointing out what we heard last night. This is all political theater. That is what we heard last night. That is what we are hearing on the floor today, but is that what I heard when I was in New Mexico? No. In New Mexico, what I heard in the fields and at the markets was ranchers and farmers actually anxiously asking about the farm bill. What I heard was veterans who marched in the Bean Day parade describing how their health would suffer dramatically if we don't pass the VA supplemental. Families told me they want Congress to work together on a bipartisan matter, which this is not. They want us to work together to make their lives better. We have 12 legislative days to do Congress' basic job: Fund the government, fund veterans' programs, fund emergency programs, pass a farm bill. Instead of funding our Nation's obligations, the Republicans are toying with a government shutdown, yet again. Instead, the Republicans Armed Services Committee chair called this temporary funding terrible. Your own chair of Armed Services called this terrible. Their CR also fails to fund disaster relief as wildfires, hurricanes, and floods devastate the countryside. Businesses and neighbors in New Mexico and across the country won't get the emergency relief they deserve unless Congress funds FEMA. Instead of living up to their obligations, Republicans are using this funding deadline to make it harder for American citizens to vote. They have included their voting restriction bill as a poison pill on this CR. What is the real-life consequence of their voting restriction bill? With a military ID, you can fight and die for this country, but Republicans won't let you use it alone to register to vote. Why would House Republicans make it harder for servicemembers, for recently married or divorced women, for Native Americans, and for rural Americans to register and vote? Republicans and their Presidential campaigners are fabricating a lie that noncitizens vote to sow fear and distrust of our elections. They are pushing their Project 2025 agenda today. New Mexicans don't want us to make it harder for them to vote. They are concerned about how hard it is to live. Yesterday, in the Rules Committee, a Republican witness said we could wait until later to take care of veterans funding. Why wait? Instead of do-nothing messaging bills and a politicized CR that is going nowhere, we should prioritize our veterans now. We should prioritize disaster relief funding now. We should pass a farm bill that helps our rural communities now. Mr. Speaker, this rule fails our military. It fails our veterans, families, and neighbors. I urge a ``no'' vote now on this rule.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, with a heavy heart, I commemorate the passing of a beloved force in New Mexico, Dr. Miguel Rios, Jr. Miguel's life was a remarkable journey of dedication and achievement. From his early days earning his Ph.D. in Experimental Nuclear Physics at the University of Maryland to founding ORION International Technologies, Inc. in Albuquerque, Miguel was a pioneer in his field. His tenure as president of ORION and his work at Sandia National Laboratories showcased his brilliance and unwavering commitment to advancing technology and science. In 1985, Miguel's expertise and leadership were further recognized when he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to serve as a member of the National Science Board for the National Science Foundation. This prestigious appointment underscored his significant contributions to the scientific community and his influence on national science policy. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Miguel's leadership at the National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR) in Santa Fe, where he served as Chairman of the Board and Interim President/CEO, was transformative. His work in bioinformatics and computational biology has left an important mark on the field, contributing to advancements that will benefit future generations. I was privileged to work alongside Miguel on the National Genome Resource Center, where his insights into the role of science in shaping New Mexico's economy were invaluable. His passion for both science and community was truly inspiring, and I learned so much from him. Miguel was not only a brilliant scientist and leader but also a loving husband, father, and grandfather. His deep love for his wife, Maria Estela de Rios, is legendary. I will always remember their smooth dancing to the tango, the cumbia, and other mainstays of his Latino cultural heritage. His love for his family (familia)--Miguel III, the late Benjamin Tomas, Eva Angelica, Magdalena Anastacia--and his grandchildren was evident in all he did. His family is in my thoughts and prayers. May Miguel's spirit continue to guide and watch over them. His passing is a profound loss not only to his family but also to the scientific community, to our civic community, and to all who were fortunate enough to know him. Miguel's legacy will continue to inspire all who knew him.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, we had to rush over last night to an emergency Rules Committee meeting to engage in this emergency resolution. This isn't an emergency. It is Republican panic. House Republicans are afraid of Vice President Harris. House Republicans are afraid of the energy and the excitement Vice President Harris inspires in Americans. She is a new generation of leader who is bringing us a vision of prosperity and opportunity for all Americans. They are afraid of that vision. They are afraid of the vision because she has been fighting for working families, for unions, and for women who want reproductive freedom. Vice President Harris' vision stands in stark contrast to the vengeful and hateful policies House Republicans and their nominee propose. Republicans and their nominee want to divide Americans while Vice President Harris wants to unite Americans. She wants to make sure she fights for reproductive freedom for women. She will fight to make sure that we have access to contraception, to IVF. What does the stark vision of the Republicans and their Project 2025 propose? They propose a national abortion ban. They propose restricting women's ability to make their own choices. They propose controlling Americans and controlling women. Let's talk about immigration, since that is in the title of this. For decades, House Republicans have been the ones who blocked meaningful immigration and border bills. They refuse to participate in bipartisan solutions which we know are necessary for immigration and the border. Congress, we are the ones who must act. This year, Vice President Harris, along with President Biden, Democrats, and Senate Republicans, made a deal on immigration reform and border security. Then former President Trump asked them to kill the border deal, so House Republicans did. They declared it dead on arrival in the House. House Republicans don't have a real solution for the border because they don't actually want to fix it. If they did, what would they talk about? Everything they propose is dark, and it is always siding with the billionaires and the richest corporations instead of working families. I am excited by Vice President Harris, and it is telling how scared the Republicans are of our nominee for President.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleague, Chairman Westerman, in support of H.R. 7377, the Royalty Resiliency Act, sponsored by my colleague, Representative Hunt. I have to say that not many oil and gas bills can make it through the Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent and to the floor on suspension, so I commend my colleague for working on this reasonable, technical fix that has the support of the Biden administration. This represents how we should, in fact, get things done, where we come together, where we work things out, and where we include the BLM so that we understand how to get the technical fix done. As noted, under current law, oil and gas lessees who are on land that is partially Federally owned and partially owned by the State or private owners need to get a communitization agreement, or CA, approved by the Department of the Interior, which outlines how much of the royalty payments should be paid to each landowner. While a lessee is waiting for approval on that CA from the Department of the Interior, they pay 100 percent of the royalties to the Federal Government, even in cases where the Federal Government does not own 100 percent of the land. When the CA is finally approved, then the State or private landowners get reimbursed for their share of the royalty payments. However, some Bureau of Land Management field offices are so understaffed right now that they have reportedly taken 800 days, in some cases, to approve a CA, resulting in a delay or loss of royalties to States who rightfully deserve those funds. For an example, in New Mexico, we have hundreds of oil and gas lessees on Federal lands and State lands. Many of those are in my district in the San Juan and Permian Basin. Indeed, 54 percent of production in New Mexico impacts Federal land. This bill represents a technical fix that would make sure that royalties flow to the State of New Mexico or the State of Colorado or the Dakotas or Texas or the many other places where we have these shared land ownership arrangements, because do you know what, Mr. Speaker? Our schools and our schoolchildren need that money to flow to them as quickly as possible. Under the bill, rather than paying 100 percent to the Federal Government while waiting approval, a lessee would pay royalties to each landowner in accordance with the lessee's proposal. If that proposal proves to be wrong, the lessee is then required to backpay any missing royalty revenue. While I believe we need to work together to find an off-ramp for States and communities that are overly dependent on fossil fuel revenue and we need to work on diversifying our economies, this legislation is straightforward and commonsense. Mr. Speaker, I support the bill. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, during the Biden administration, we have had historic oil and gas production with many more leases coming online, and so this kind of legislation is precisely needed to make sure that we get the royalty revenues to where they should go, especially with all of the new leases that have come on. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I am prepared to close. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the loss of one of New Mexico's most accomplished and best-loved public servants, former New Mexico State Representative Jim Trujillo. He demonstrated what it means to answer the call to public service and that public service is an act of love. I am grateful for the love Rep. Trujillo gave to the people of his district and our state. His legacy now lives on in countless lives he touched in our beautiful state through both his important career as a financial professional and his broad public service in the New Mexico Human Services Department, six years in the New Mexico National Guard, and his outstanding 17 years in the New Mexico Legislature. I met with Rep. Trujillo numerous times when I was working on voting rights and tribal intergovernmental matters. He always listened with deep attention and gave clear direction and support. He was a man of his word. His tireless dedication to the people of New Mexico proved how much we can accomplish when we work together for our beloved communities. I carry his inspiration with me as I continue my own service in the beautifully diverse Third District of New Mexico. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife Victoria, their children, and the entire extended Trujillo family.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, we all inhabit one planet with vibrant, colorful rich traditions of folk art. I rise to congratulate the International Folk Art Market, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year for bringing to Santa Fe some of the best of that folk art. This art gives us a glimpse into the history and cultural traditions across our continents, but also is an economic engine for the families and communities who create these masterpieces. Since 2004, over a thousand volunteers have shared in this vision as they join forces to make this major economic driver for the artists and the Santa Fe area both possible. For many artists, the revenue feeds their family, and for the collective, the profits go to digging water wells for the village. The first market hosted 60 participating folk artists, and this year my hometown will host 160 artists from over 50 countries. It is one of the largest folk art markets in the world. This next weekend, the Market will transform the Santa Fe Historic Rail Yard into an international village, with global music, ethnic foods, speakers, and more. The art will come alive in stories, tastes, and dance moves. Humankind is strongest and kindest when we can celebrate the diverse traditions found in our country, and in our world. Happy Birthday (Feliz Cumpleanos) to International Folk Art Market on their 20th year of bridging cultures.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, the House Republicans' bills would give freedom to refrigerators but restrict freedom for American citizens to vote. Last week we marched in parades and celebrated our Nation's 248th birthday. Democracy and elections are at the core of that celebration. However, this week, Republicans welcomed us back to Washington with a bill that chips away at Americans' most sacred right, the right to vote. This bill is consistent with Project 2025, the extreme Republicans' blueprint they want to implement in a second Trump Presidency. Project 2025 is their proposal to restrict democracy, restrict women's freedoms, and favor the wealthy. Remember that, Madam Speaker. These bills favor the wealthy and corporations over consumers. Project 2025 would do away with the Department of Education and destroy Social Security. The architects of Project 2025 are the same people who served as experts for the bill we are hearing this week. We don't need to wonder if these extreme proposals could become a reality because the Republicans are showing us that when they are in charge they will go after our freedoms, our voting, and our planet. Rather than celebrate the record-high turnout of our last Presidential election in 2020, the Republicans' SAVE Act, which is actually a voter restriction act, would decrease voting access for Americans citizens. Republicans don't like mail-in and absentee voting, so they go after that. If this bill becomes law, a recently married woman who changed her last name couldn't use her birth certificate to register to vote because her name would no longer match. If this bill becomes law, a military ID--imagine that--a military ID would not be enough for that servicemember to vote. Our men and women sacrifice so much. They risk their lives. Why would Republicans make it harder for them to vote? Perhaps it is because military servicemembers voted in bigger numbers for President Biden than Trump than they had expected. If that wasn't enough, their voter suppression bill would also make it more difficult for Native Americans to vote. They would not accept Tribal IDs. Imagine, the first Americans being restricted from their ability to vote. I believe that they are going after the very communities that voted against Trump last November with these bills. But, wait, Madam Speaker, that is not enough. Once again, Republican bills favor big corporations over consumers. Republicans want to roll back popular energy efficiency standards because they favor the richest corporations. While the Nation swelters and the heat kills, Republicans ignore the climate change only to protect their biggest benefactors. They don't care about saving folks money on their energy bills. Sadly, it doesn't end there.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. At a time when women demand that we have reproductive freedoms, Republicans instead brought us a bill to give refrigerators freedom. Republicans say that it is overreach to regulate home appliances, but they will regulate women's bodies. We say no, we are against these bills. We are against Project 2025. We urge Americans to see what they are doing and what they intend to do.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my hometown newspaper, the Santa Fe New Mexican, on its 175th Anniversary. The first issue of the paper was printed on November 28, 1849. The New Mexican has brought stories to life about gold strikes, floods, votes on prohibition, and debates on statehood. It has shared stories of the struggles and strength of the survivors of wildfires, informed voters about their local candidates, and anointed the best chile in the city. To keep democracy strong, it made sure voters understood the positions and perspectives of local candidates for office. Stories matter, and who tells them matters just as much. That's why it's important that an independent paper with integrity, like the New Mexican, has been telling stories about our communities since it was founded. Papers like the New Mexican help us be well informed, active citizens. In 2023, 34 reporters from the New Mexican won first place in the New Mexico Press Association Better Newspapers contest. Amongst the awards were best investigative reporting, best news writing, best feature photo, and best special section on the recovery from the Hermit's Peak/ Calf Canyon fire in 2022. Independent journalism is a crucial foundation of democracy. That's clear now more than ever, as we ward off fake news and alternative facts in the battle for our nation's very soul. I still get a copy of the New Mexican delivered to my door every day. Their stories, from high school sports to national news are crucial to the work that I do. Most importantly, however, they are vital to the fabric of New Mexico. I like to think that future generations will sit with their cup of cafe and turn the pages to learn about their hometown from the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. America. Mr. Speaker, what a beautiful sound it is to just utter the name of this great country of ours. Americans do not share a common ancestry or common religion, but we are bound together by something that is bigger than us: the ideals of freedom and democracy. Our belief and faith in democracy, and the freedoms it provides, unite us, and it strengthens us. Yet, today's extreme Republican appropriations bills pit Americans against each other. They insert partisan culture wars into what should be funding to protect Americans from foreign wars. Republican culture wars undermine our unity. Their culture wars undermine our democracy, our security, and our freedom. Their culture wars limit our ability to see each other as something bigger than our individual selves, States, or party affiliation. Sometimes it is hard to picture democracy, but we can feel it. We can feel it when we see those soldiers whom we celebrated recently because they crossed the channel and stormed Normandy with salt and fear in their mouths. We can see it when we imagine the sand that has blown around and seeped into the pores of our servicemen and -women in the Middle East. They were all fighting for democracy. That is what it feels like. However, if this Republican Defense appropriations bill passes, then many of our brave servicewomen who tasted that sand would lose their own reproductive health freedoms even as they fight for American freedom. These extreme Republican bills would take away the freedoms of LGBTQ servicemembers to be themselves, even as they fight for American freedoms in hostile countries. That is not all. Republicans have cut funding to prepare our military for the dangers of climate change. Unlike the Republicans, Americans know climate change exists because we smell it in the wildfires that burn and the heat waves that kill. We can see it in the rising sea- and floodwaters that threaten our bases and our military readiness. Nevertheless, Republicans put our military at risk and give up strategic military advantage when they cut climate funding in these bills. Meanwhile, the Republican Homeland Security appropriations bill cuts $1.4 billion for Customs and Border Protection, and they cut National Guard counter-drug interdiction funding. Let me say that again: Republicans are proposing cuts to border protection funding from current levels. They are proposing, instead, a medieval form of defense for our country, a Trumpian wall, that doesn't do anything to stop the fentanyl streaming into our borders from China to kill our youth. Republicans followed Trump when they killed the border security bill that existed. They do not care to protect us. They care about those partisan culture wars. Finally, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill cuts all funding for vital United Nations humanitarian assistance programs that help women and children. What values do we hold and what American values do we send abroad when we turn our back on women and children across the world? Indeed, we increase instability, and we increase the flow of migration when we cut this kind of funding. The Republican culture wars in these bills don't help our constituents, and they harm our country at home and abroad. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the rule.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, yesterday in Rules, we had a rare but wonderful moment of bipartisanship as we considered the NDAA. Republican Chair Rogers and Democratic Ranking Member Smith spoke in harmonious unison about the benefits of the bill, which increases pay for junior enlisted members of our Armed Services by 19.5 percent. It invests in childcare, healthcare, and job opportunities for their spouses, which are especially important for rural bases like the Cannon Air Force Base, which is in my district. Remember, these bases are often in rural districts because cows don't complain when those planes make a lot of noise flying overhead. These benefits are essential as we battle low recruitment levels. We must treat our servicemembers with the same dignity and respect that they offer our country and our flag. Last year, however, I might remind us that we had a similar bipartisan bill come to Rules, which was then weighed down by poison pills added as amendments on the House floor. These amendments had to be taken out in the Senate. This year, we once again see many proposed amendments adopted in this rule which are seen as poison pills by so many. These amendments would block servicewomen's access to reproductive healthcare and abortion. As the planet faces more extreme storms, one of the amendments would prevent our military from combating the climate crisis and building resilience for our bases as sea levels rise. Madam Speaker, I want to speak to an amendment that was left out of the rule. Our Republican colleagues blocked a vote on the bipartisan amendment to extend and expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, an amendment offered by Republican Representatives Moylan and Wagner, myself, and many others. For 30 years, the United States has provided a one-time payment to some of the Americans who were exposed to radiation from the U.S. Government's nuclear testing program and developed cancers or other diseases. For reasons no one can explain, RECA left out many communities that were downwind from these nuclear explosions, like New Mexico, where the first atomic bomb was exploded, or the communities where the nuclear waste from the Manhattan Project leaked into the water and soil in Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. It left out the workers who cleaned up the radioactive sites from this nuclear testing program, which was essential for our defense. Uranium miners, including those who worked after 1971 in Texas, Wyoming, and North Dakota, were left out. Republicans and Democrats represent these communities that share a common bond of grief and illness. Our RECA amendment would provide justice to these communities and make sure they are eligible. It would also extend the program for 5 years, since it has now expired. Some will say we can't do this because of the cost, but the cost has already been paid in cancer diagnoses, medical bills, and death. The government assumed this cost when it started our nuclear testing program, when it first poisoned those unwilling Americans. The government recognized it should pay this cost when it first passed RECA. Our ask is simple today: Please let every person harmed by this national defense program receive the same compensation. Blocking a vote on our bipartisan RECA amendment is walking away from the opportunity to do right by these communities that we have hurt. RECA expired on Monday. Every moment that Congress fails to act is a moment when another downwinder or miner might get a cancer diagnosis, a moment where a son or daughter may start to plan a loved one's funeral. We cannot wait to do what is right any longer. While the moment to vote on an amendment to this NDAA may have temporarily passed in the House, we are asking Speaker Johnson to let the House vote on the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act that the Senate already passed by a 2-1 margin. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the rule.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. McGovern for pointing out the importance of choosing our leaders wisely and choosing those who would reject tyrannical tendencies themselves or to ally themselves with tyrants. This reminds me that 250 years ago when the revolutionaries of our American soil decided to fight to escape the tyrannical and authoritarian rule of the king, some pushed back. They were concerned that the people of the beautiful experiment we call America would not be able to choose the right leader. Samuel Adams believed that virtue was the soul of democracy. He said these beautiful words: A moral people will elect moral leaders. A moral people will elect moral leaders. I have incredible faith in our American people. I know that they honor and cherish our Constitution. I know that the American people will honor the rule of law. Today, I will not speak of the 34 reasons why I know that the American people are moral people and will elect moral leaders. Today, instead, I will speak about the manner in which Americans not just cherish virtue, rule of law, and our Constitution, Americans also cherish our veterans and our military. The appropriations bill the Republicans have presented today does not cherish or honor the sacrifices our servicemembers made in battle for this country. Instead, it sacrifices our national security to industries and lobbyists who don't want us to even acknowledge climate change. The Republican Speaker last night actually recognized that it would be common sense to protect our bases from sea rise and flooding, but this bill strips funding for climate resilience. They would sacrifice our military readiness for climate denialism. This bill is a kitchen sink of culture wars rather than one that honors our servicemembers and veterans. Instead of focusing on what our military bases need for readiness, Republicans are attacking women's healthcare, promoting discrimination against LGBTQ veterans, and denying climate change. This appropriations bill will prevent women veterans from receiving reproductive healthcare wherever they may live. If a female veteran's health is at risk during her pregnancy, Republicans don't want her to get VA care in the full array that she may need it. If she lives in Texas, Alabama, or a State that took away her reproductive healthcare, she might find herself waiting in an emergency room parking lot until she is near death. I have made difficult decisions about life-threatening conditions during my own pregnancies. I enjoyed the right to make decisions about my health with the people I trust and love, my doctors, and my own faith in God. I want every woman to have the same right, to have access to healthcare if her health is at risk during pregnancy, especially if she is a veteran who has served our country. All veterans deserve our respect wherever they live. That respect is measured by action, actions that protect healthcare access. This bill does not show that respect. I urge my colleagues to oppose the rule.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Hayes so very much for organizing and for giving me this time, because I am here on behalf of my good friend and the ranking member of the Rules Committee, Jim McGovern, who Republicans silenced today for simply telling the truth about a criminal trial. Imagine that, on this House floor, we cannot state a fact about a trial. Here is another fact about the former President that represents a policy choice Democrats oppose. President Trump supported cutting SNAP by nearly 30 percent within 10 years. Mr. McGovern stands for the opposite. He stands up every week on this House floor with his poster ``end hunger now.'' If Republicans hadn't silenced him, he would have spoken tonight against the farm bill because of its impact on farmers. If Republicans hadn't silenced him, he would have spoken up for families who do not have enough food to eat. Similar to me, Mr. McGovern represents a district that includes thousands of farms and farmers who benefit from SNAP because they sell their produce to the program, but also farmers need to use SNAP because they don't make enough money. We are starving the people who are raising the food for us. In my district, one in five New Mexicans receive SNAP benefits, the highest of any State. This Republican majority silenced him, so I am here to read the remarks that the Republican majority might not want to hear from Mr. McGovern. These are his remarks: Mr. Speaker, Republicans are advancing a bill that cuts SNAP, our Nation's first line of defense against hunger, by an astounding $30 billion. He would have probably raised his hands and said: You can't make this up. MAGA Republicans included a provision in their extremely partisan farm bill that will prevent SNAP benefits from ever being increased, even if a scientific review says they should be. The last reevaluation, in 2021, which was the first update in 50 years, gave families an extra--wait for it--$1.40 per person per day to purchase food. That extra help has meant families can access more nutritious food. It has meant fewer skipped meals. It has meant better food security. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this MAGA Republican farm bill which would cut future benefits and increase hunger for kids, seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable adults. Those are Jim McGovern's remarks. While House Republicans silenced him today, they will never silence the truth that he speaks. We must end hunger now. We must answer the call: ``When I was hungry you gave me to eat; when I was thirsty you gave me to drink.'' I thank Representative Jahana Hayes for her advocacy in bringing us together to heed this call.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Santa Fe International Literary Festival. Humans have painted stories on cavern walls, etched them into clay tablets, and recounted them around the dinner table. Puebloans in New Mexico celebrate their storytellers in beautiful sculptures. The invention of the printing press in 1440 allowed readers across the world to access literature and begin to understand cultures and lives different from their own. Sadly, some fearful politicians want to limit our curiosity and knowledge. They are now banning books. In contrast, the Santa Fe International Literary Festival brings together the best literary minds from across the world to move us forward. Every participating author is exceptional and has included powerful authors whose award-winning books have been banned, like N. Scott Momaday, Margaret Atwood, and Julia Alvarez. At the festival, writers will take us around the world and back through history, like Doug Preston, Hampton Sides, and Diana Gabaldon, who will share their vision and their craft. Memorialists like Javier Zamora will take us on a 9-year-old's perilous journey of migration to the United States, hopefully increasing our empathy along the way. I congratulate to the festival on another year of spreading the joy of stories. Felicidades to the authors. National Police Week

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, this National Police Week, I rise to give thanks to the officers who keep us safe every day everywhere. Police have families who love them and miss them when long hours keep them on the road and on duty. My gratitude extends to their families, as well. My gratitude must include getting them the Federal resources to do their job to solve crimes and to keep us safe. My community projects have funded mobile command units in rural counties, virtual training gear so they are prepared before they face the worst, and squad cars to get them to where they need to go. In my district, we have many small rural police forces who are grateful for the FBI help with forensics and Federal COPS and Byrne JAG grants, which help their police officers do their jobs. Federal law enforcement investigates and prevents crime in Indian Country. Sadly, Republican bills and proposals seek to cut these important Federal funds and defund the FBI. This year alone, Democrats have sent almost double the amount of funding than Republicans to local law enforcement. I will fight to keep these Federal funds flowing so my rural and Tribal police forces have access to these important Federal grants and to an FBI that can be their partner when the worst happens. Recognizing New Mexico State Representative Jim Trujillo

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the loss of one of New Mexico's most accomplished and best-loved public servants, former New Mexico State Representative Jim Trujillo. He demonstrated what it means to answer the call to public service and that public service is an act of love. I am grateful for the love Representative Trujillo gave to the people of his district and our State. His legacy now lives on in countless lives he touched in our beautiful State through both his important career as a financial professional and his broad public service in the New Mexico Human Services Department, 6 years in the New Mexico National Guard, and his outstanding 17 years in the New Mexico legislature. I met with Representative Trujillo numerous times when I was working on voting rights and Tribal intergovernmental matters. He always listened with deep attention and gave clear direction and support. He was a man of his word. His tireless dedication to the people of New Mexico proved how much we can accomplish when we work together for our beloved communities. I carry his inspiration with me as I continue my own service in the beautifully diverse Third District of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Virginia, their children, and the entire extended Trujillo family.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the loss of one of New Mexico's most accomplished and best-loved public servants, former New Mexico State Representative Jim Trujillo. He demonstrated what it means to answer the call to public service and that public service is an act of love. I am grateful for the love Rep. Trujillo gave to the people of his district and our state. He also truly embodied what it means to be a loving husband, father, and grandfather. His legacy now lives on in countless lives he touched in our beautiful state through both his important career as a financial professional and his broad public service in the New Mexico Human Services Department, six years in the New Mexico National Guard, and his outstanding 17 years in the New Mexico Legislature. I met with Rep. Trujillo numerous times when I was working on voting rights and tribal intergovernmental matters. He always listened with deep attention and gave clear directions and support. He was a man of his word. His tireless dedication to the people of New Mexico proves to all of us how much we can accomplish together for our beloved communities. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife Virginia, their children, and the entire extended Trujillo family. I carry his inspiration with me as I continue my own service in the beautifully diverse Third District of New Mexico.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, last week, House Republicans tried to pass H.R. 2925 to make it easier for the biggest mining corporations to take our public lands and mineral resources without giving the American people a dime. I filed a motion to send the bill back to the committee to consider my amendment, which would have prevented companies owned or controlled by our adversaries from taking our gold, copper, and precious rare earth minerals to use against us in the market or in national security. Fortunately, last week, a bipartisan majority, including six Republicans, passed my motion. We stood up together for our national security. However, the Republican leadership ignored last week's bipartisan vote, and here we are again. What is worse, the Rules Committee Republicans rejected Chairman Moolenaar's amendment to ban foreign entities of concern from conducting mining operations on our public lands. Let me remind everybody, Chairman Moolenaar heads the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. It is his job to know how dangerous China's mining of our precious minerals is to our economy and national security. The Republicans blocked their own Republican chair's amendment. I believe in bipartisanship, so when I see an amendment I like and recognize is good, I support it. Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee once again. If House rules permitted, I would offer the motion with Chairman Moolenaar's amendment, which would block foreign entities of concern from mining our public lands. When Republicans block even consideration of an amendment which would ban China from taking away the precious metals that belong to the American people, Republicans are putting the interests of wealthy foreign corporations over the American people. I hope the six Republicans who were courageous enough to stand up for American security interests last week stand for America today. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.