Issue Position: Child & Family Wellness

Issue Position

Where you live shouldn't determine how well you live -- especially not for our children. One of my top priorities has always been to fully invest in our children and families so they have the resources needed to thrive.

This begins by making sure our children are healthy from their earliest years. My Child Health Outreach and Mentorship Program Act helps states enroll more children in health care coverage by expanding the outreach and enrollment grant program. Specifically, the bill authorizes $100 million in federal funding for CHIP outreach and enrollment grants dedicated to providing more children with health coverage. Keeping our children healthy and ensuring that any child can see a doctor without their parents worrying about the cost is a fundamental principle I've always fought to ensure.

I know that New Mexico's children face far too many burdens during their formative years. The science is clear: growing up in poverty can have lifelong consequences, and it is our responsibility to invest in children and families so every kid has an equal and fair shot at life. We need bold leaders who are willing to transform our government and systems so that children are cared for. This is why I support universal health care and have voted to fund health, nutrition, food security, and safety programs that give our kids the best shot at life.

As a proud former Head Start child, I will always be an advocate for programs that make a difference and improve our kids' opportunities, including expanding Wi-Fi services to buses to bridge the digital divide, allocating more than $34 million to update and expand rural schools in New Mexico, and making sure students have safe spaces in libraries to explore and learn.

New Mexico proudly ended the cruel practice of lunch shaming but students across the country are still forced to go hungry or are ostracized if they are unable to afford a school lunch. We are the richest nation in the world and must end this practice. The data is clear: Children cannot learn when they are hungry and they cannot succeed when they are sick. This is why I've continued to champion the No Shame Act to end this senseless policy.

Keeping our kids healthy means stopping senseless mass shootings that are taking the lives of individuals of all ages, but disproportionately impacting young people. Two of the proudest votes I've taken in the U.S. House were to close dangerous loopholes that allowed criminals or individuals intent on doing harm to access machine guns designed to take life. We need gun comprehensive gun safety laws that get weapons of war off the street and keep us all safe in our communities.

Investing in our children also means they have the educational opportunities that best fits their needs and goals. Currently, a college education is out of reach for far too many or it leaves young people saddled with unmanageable debt for decades. This must change. I am a proud supporter of multiple pieces of legislation designed to dismantle the skyrocketing costs of higher education. Despite a growing economy, I know we still need greater resources to encourage young people to build their lives and careers in New Mexico through technical training and apprenticeships.

That begins with providing opportunities for people to have meaningful futures that are not dependent on the traditional models of higher education. My DOE ACCESS Act, legislation I've championed in Congress, expands training programs so young people can learn the technical skills needed for well-paying jobs at New Mexico's National Labs.

My Record on Child & Family Wellness

Authored legislation to provide funding for educational materials and training for pregnant women making pain management decisions during pregnancy.
Secured more than $100 million to expand enrollment in the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Proudly supported the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid Expansion, which helped New Mexico's uninsured rate go from the highest in the nation to one of the lowest.
Worked closely with colleagues to introduce the Alleviating Adverse Childhood Experiences Act -- legislation to improve early childhood home visiting services for children in at-risk or vulnerable situations.
Introduced the Save for Success Act to reform the American Opportunity College Tax Credit to increase its impact and encourage saving for college.
Introduced legislation to allow the Federal Communications Commission's E-Rate program to reimburse schools that place Wi-Fi technology on school buses carrying students.

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