Yesterday [Nov. 10, 2025, at the New Mexico Legislature Special Session), I voted to secure gap funding for SNAP benefits to ensure that New Mexico family, children and the elderly do not lose access to food during the federal shutdown. Our caucus sponsored an amendment to this funding package that added an independent evaluation and oversight of how the state administers SNAP benefits. This would be a nonpartisan review by the Legislative Finance committee to ensure efficiency, accountability and fraud prevention if the state taxpayers' dollars are being used.

We must guarantee full transparency. The funds that were allocated come from reverting unspent prior year allocations, not from new taxes. We were unlocking money already appropriated, but left unused. It prevents cuts to important programs and avoids raiding our reserves later. It's important to note that this is a short-term bridge, not a permanent state take over SNAP.

Now that the shutdown seems to be ending, full SNAP benefits from the Federal government will return, but the real value of this bill is that it created a full audit of New Mexico's SNAP Administration, so lawmakers can get answers and make sure every dollar is being used responsibly.

I'm very disappointed in our US Senators Heinrich and Lujan refusing to vote yes to end the shutdown, when it mattered. Their inaction forced New Mexico taxpayers to clean up the crisis they could have prevented.
Both US Senators stated that they were holding out for subsidies to secure Obamacare premiums. The FACT is that the New Mexico Legislature already passed legislation to guarantee that funding days after the shutdown began to secure the Affordable Care Act subsidies for 1 year. Our US Senators should remember that they are elected by New Mexican voters to represent and secure our needs in this state.

When the government is shut down, we are not paying our active duty members of the military, air traffic controllers, who keep us safe while we travel, food security for those in need, not to mention many other vital parts of our government that ensure our safety and security

I believe that US Senators and members of Congress should not be paid during a shutdown and should remain in session until they have reached an agreement to reopen the government!

Keep praying for America. May God bless us and unite us!