Albuquerque Journal - Working for all New Mexicans

Op-Ed

By Michelle Lujan Grisham

Even before being sworn into Congress, I tried to find out why veterans in New Mexico were not getting the services they were promised from the VA. When news surfaced about secret waiting lists and bonuses, I was outraged.

I stood up and demanded accountability at the Albuquerque VA -- the same way I've always responded to nursing homes and other providers who were abusing or neglecting the people they were meant to serve.

Throughout my career in public service, I have always fought for those who were not being treated fairly or receiving the benefits and services they deserve.

I'm a 12th-generation New Mexican, and in my family public service and caring for others was the way of life. I grew up in Los Alamos and Santa Fe, the daughter of a dentist who practiced nearly seven days a week -- our garage was converted into a dental office to provide access, even after office hours and on weekends.

My father made sure that any kid who needed to see a dentist could. My mother worked to ensure that children with disabilities, like my sister, are treated with dignity and respect and are afforded the maximum opportunity to live a normal a life.

It's these values that have guided me throughout my career and continue to guide me as your representative in Congress.

Before any decision I ask myself, will it improve the economy and create jobs? Does it protect our most vulnerable citizens? Is it going to improve the quality of life for the residents of New Mexico?

When the voters in New Mexico's 1st Congressional District elected me in 2012 -- the message was clear -- you wanted a representative for this district who would work across party lines to get things done and would bring New Mexico values to Washington, D.C., and that is exactly what I've done.

As president of my freshman class, I've worked with my Republican colleagues to hold bipartisan meetings so that we, the freshmen members, are able to get to know each other and foster a more productive working relationship for the long term. These meetings have allowed us to gain a better understanding of where we each stand on issues and to find areas of common interest where we can work together.

I made it a point to meet with the Republican chairs and leadership of the committees and subcommittees on which I serve so that I could better understand their priorities and to let them know what I would be advocating for. One of the chairmen told me no freshman members have taken the initiative to build that relationship.

As a member of the Budget Committee, I have been working to pass a budget that takes a balanced approach to deficit reduction by removing cuts that are harming our bases and labs and protects students and families over special tax breaks and giveaways to billionaires, Big Oil, and Wall Street. It would also invest in education, decrease the heavy burden of student loans and protect Medicare while preserving Social Security.

And I wasn't afraid to vote against my party leadership and in favor of an appropriations bill that had additional support for Sandia National Laboratories.

My bipartisan approach has made me successful in getting two bills passed that support our local community in a Congress that is the least productive in history. The first protects sacred lands in the Sandia Mountains for Sandia Pueblo. The second bill will allow the Amy Biehl High School Foundation to buy the Post Office building where they are currently housed -- saving taxpayers money.

And I've just introduced legislation creating a Peace Corps-like program called Care Corps, providing much needed care-giving assistance to our families and developing a workforce pipeline of future health care providers.

And while the 113th Congress is struggling to provide long-term solutions to the challenges we face as a nation, I'm doing all that I can do help my community locally.

When the University of New Mexico Hospital System moved to outsource 57 jobs to a firm across the country, I stepped in and fought to keep those jobs right here in Albuquerque. When 100 jobs at Kirtland Air Force Base were threatened, I worked with our senators to secure $10 million in funding for the program.

After learning that Wherry Elementary School was one of the worst public schools on a military installation, I worked with Department of Defense to recover $16 million for reconstruction. I also secured $2 million in increased funding for behavioral health training for local law enforcement agencies like the Albuquerque Police Department.

I launched a Congressional Business Advisory Council to explore ways we can better promote businesses and increase our economic vitality in New Mexico. It's going to take all of us working together to turn around our state's economy and create jobs.

But my work just doesn't end there. I regularly call government agencies on behalf of constituents who come to our office asking for assistance -- to make sure they are getting the services they worked for. And if they aren't getting that care and service, I'm not afraid to speak up and demand attention and accountability from those agencies.

Government shouldn't work against you -- it needs to work for you.

As I tell every one who comes into my office or whom I meet in the grocery store -- I work for you. I'm honored to have this job and represent the citizens of the 1st Congressional District in Congress. The challenges we face are many and we've got a lot of more work to do.

I am humbly asking for your vote this fall to build upon the work I've been doing and make New Mexico the best place to live, work and raise a family.

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