LOCAL COLUMN
OPINION: One year of protecting New Mexicans from the 'Big Brutal Bill'
It鈥檚 been one year since President Donald Trump signed the so-called 鈥淏ig Beautiful Bill鈥� into law. Though enacted on Independence Day, the law鈥檚 policies directly contradict our nation鈥檚 core ideals of equality and opportunity, deepening the pockets of the ultrawealthy while inflating costs for the average American.
Over the past year, the 鈥淏ig Brutal Bill鈥� has stripped health insurance from over 5 million Americans. Nearly as many have lost access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, taking food off the tables for families, seniors and veterans. Hundreds of healthcare facilities in rural and underserved areas have shuttered or been forced to cut essential services to stay afloat.
The good news is that we鈥檙e not seeing these devastating impacts in New Mexico because your Democratic state lawmakers stepped up to protect our people. In two special sessions last fall and this year鈥檚 30-day legislative session, we passed a slate of investments and policies to shield New Mexicans from the harms in the Big Brutal Bill.
When the federal government stripped food benefits from our familias, New Mexico House Democrats dedicated $33 million to expand state-level nutrition programs and provided $8 million to statewide foodbanks. We also increased funding to the Health Care Authority, which oversees these programs, so they can staff up to help New Mexicans navigate the complicated new rules in the law鈥檚 unfunded mandates.
With 90,000 New Mexicans at risk of losing health insurance, we strengthened our Healthcare Affordability Fund, allowing the state to help those kicked off of Medicaid find affordable insurance through the marketplace. Because we know that when more New Mexicans are insured, it brings down healthcare costs and wait times for all of us.
The gutting of health coverage in this 鈥渂eautiful鈥� bill also put our already-struggling rural hospitals and clinics at risk, since they rely heavily on Medicaid funding. Once again, your state Legislature stepped in, delivering $24 million for rural residencies and rotations and $50 million to stabilize our rural providers, so families from Taos to Hatch still have access to local care.
In addition to cutting off access to basic needs, H.R. 1 (the Big Brutal Bill) attacks America鈥檚 fundamental identity as a nation of immigrants and a place of refuge. This Big Brutal Bill 鈥� and subsequent federal legislation last month 鈥� have shelled out unprecedented funding for Trump鈥檚 cruel mass deportation agenda. But in New Mexico, we know that immigrants play a critical role in our workforce, our economy and our communities, so House Democrats took action to make sure that all New Mexicans feel safe here.
The recently enacted Immigrant Safety Act gets New Mexico out of the business of for-profit civil immigration detention and prevents Immigration and Customs Enforcement from deputizing our local officers. This is not just the right thing to do 鈥� it makes us all safer by reassuring our immigrant friends and neighbors that they don鈥檛 need to be afraid to seek help from local law enforcement when they need it.
Most recently, the Big Brutal Bill has cut off access to higher education for many low- and middle-income students by rolling back financial aid programs and making repayment more expensive. Thankfully, our state continues to offer tuition-free college to all New Mexicans who want to further their education.
New Mexico has set a shining example of how to protect our people from the harms in H.R. 1. Despite the greed and cruelty shown by this federal administration, your New Mexico House Democrats still believe in the promise of America, and we are prepared to keep fighting for the working families at the heart of our great state and nation.
Javier Mart铆nez, D-Albuquerque, is the New Mexico House speaker. Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe, is the majority leader. Dayan Hochman-Vigil, D-Albuquerque, is the majority whip. Raymundo Lara, D-Chamberino, is the majority caucus chair.
