Legislative Activity

The Every Child Deserves a Head Start Act of 2025 aims to solidify the foundational support for the Head Start program, recognizing its vital role in early childhood development. This bill permanently establishes the structure and staffing levels of the Office of Head Start, including its 12 regional offices, as they existed before January 20, 2025. The legislation strictly limits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from altering this established structure or reducing staff without specific Congressional notification procedures. Ultimately, the Act ensures the consistent delivery of essential educational and support services to eligible children and families nationwide.

This resolution officially designates October 8, 2025, as Latina Equal Pay Day to highlight the significant wage disparity faced by Latina workers. It recognizes that Latinas currently earn only about 58 cents for every dollar earned by White, non-Hispanic men, resulting in substantial lifetime earnings loss. The bill calls attention to systemic factors like workplace policies and harassment that contribute to this ongoing economic injustice. Ultimately, Congress reaffirms its commitment to achieving pay equity for all women.

The Seedlings for Sustainable Habitat Restoration Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to expand partnerships for ecosystem restoration activities. This allows the Forest Service to fund a broader range of groups, including universities and tribal organizations, for crucial work. The bill specifically enables the use of funds for collecting native seeds and growing seedlings necessary for habitat replanting efforts.

This bill enacts technical corrections across several New Mexico water rights acts, primarily authorizing specific, adjusted interest payments to boost the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos water development funds. It also waives certain past interest payments owed by the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos. Finally, the legislation includes disclaimers to ensure these changes do not invalidate previously settled agreements or administrative findings under existing law.

The Healing Partnerships for Survivors Act establishes new federal grants to foster stronger collaborations between health providers, behavioral health programs, disability services, and sexual assault organizations. These funds aim to create coordinated, trauma-informed systems of care that improve comprehensive support for survivors of sexual assault, including adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The grants will support activities like direct services, specialized training, and culturally relevant wellness options.

The Weather-Safe Energy Act of 2025 establishes a new digital tool, the Weather-Safe Energy Platform, to provide high-resolution weather and water data for electricity grid planning and operations. This initiative mandates research into extreme weather impacts on the grid and provides technical assistance to utilities and regulators. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance the resilience of the nation's electricity system against severe weather events.

The Small Cemetery Conveyance Act establishes a streamlined process for the Secretary to convey up to 40 acres of federal land used as a cemetery to a qualified entity, such as a state, local government, or Indian Tribe. This transfer must be for the express purpose of operating a cemetery, with the government retaining the right to reclaim the property if the condition is violated. The Act also grants the Secretary authority to waive associated transfer costs for qualified recipients.

The Support Water-Efficient Strategies and Technologies Act of 2025 aims to bolster agricultural water conservation efforts. It allows the Secretary of Agriculture to significantly increase cost-share payments for farmers adopting drought-resilient or water-saving practices. The bill also updates conservation stewardship payments to better account for economic risk and expands eligible practices to include perennial production systems. Finally, it sets a $200,000 cap on payments per entity (excluding tribes) while prioritizing soil health improvements and offering payments for soil testing.

This Act officially designates approximately 12,295 acres of federal land in Taos County, New Mexico, as the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness. The legislation also updates the boundaries and references related to the adjacent Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Provisions are included to allow for the maintenance of existing wildlife water projects under specific environmental guidelines and require cooperation with the State of New Mexico on wildlife management.

The Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2025 withdraws specific federal lands near Chaco Culture National Historical Park from oil, gas, and mineral leasing to protect significant cultural sites and ancestral resources. This action aims to halt new development pressures impacting the region's historical importance and local tribal communities. The bill also mandates the termination of non-producing oil and gas leases on these affected federal lands.

This Act establishes a framework for cooperation between the federal government and New Mexico's historical community land grants (mercedes) regarding their traditional, noncommercial uses of federal lands. It mandates the creation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to streamline permitting, fee waivers, and infrastructure maintenance for these established uses. Furthermore, the bill requires federal land use planning to specifically consider and incorporate the impact on these historical community practices. This legislation does not create new land use rights but rather coordinates existing traditional uses within current federal and state law.

The Pecos Watershed Protection Act withdraws specific federal lands in New Mexico from future mining and leasing to protect the watershed. It also officially designates approximately 11,599 acres of Forest Service land as the Thompson Peak Wilderness Area, managed under the Wilderness Act. Existing valid rights, including pre-existing grazing, are preserved within both the withdrawn area and the new wilderness.

The Telehealth Access for Tribal Communities Act of 2025 makes permanent crucial telehealth flexibilities for services provided by Indian health programs under Medicare. This legislation ensures that patients served by these programs can receive care from any location in the U.S., including their homes. Furthermore, it permanently mandates Medicare coverage and payment for audio-only telehealth services furnished by these providers.

The Women in Agriculture Act establishes a dedicated Liaison within the USDA to advocate for and assist women farmers and ranchers in accessing USDA programs. The bill also prioritizes federal research funding for the development of ergonomically designed farm equipment for women. Finally, it grants priority consideration for rural development loans and grants to applicants focused on improving rural child care infrastructure.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to exchange approximately 160 acres of Federal land near the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers in Artesia, New Mexico, for an equal value of approximately 160 acres of non-Federal land owned by Caza Ranches LLC. The exchange aims to consolidate property for the Centers' training mission, with all associated costs split equally between the parties. Upon completion, the acquired private land will become part of the Centers, and the transferred Federal land will be officially removed from the Centers' boundaries.

The Home of Your Own Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program administered by HUD to provide up to \$30,000 in assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers via states and Indian tribes. Funds are intended to cover down payments, closing costs, or necessary pre-move-in repairs, provided recipients complete mandatory financial counseling. Recipients must occupy the home for five years to avoid repayment, and the assistance received is not counted as taxable income. The Act authorizes \$6.7 billion annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to support this initiative.

The Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act of 2025 modifies and expands the existing Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project by increasing authorized funding to $2,175,000,000, expanding the project's service area, and updating language regarding land acquisition and construction. The act establishes and governs the use of settlement trust funds for the Navajo Nation and Jicarilla Apache Nation, and allows the Navajo Nation to supply non-Project water to its communities in Utah under specific conditions. It also extends deadlines for fund deposits and waivers related to water rights, and clarifies taxation of project facilities.

The Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 seeks to resolve Navajo Nation water rights claims in the Rio San José Stream System by ratifying a settlement agreement between the Navajo Nation, the State of New Mexico, and other parties. The Act establishes a trust fund for the Navajo Nation to manage and utilize for water-related projects and infrastructure, while also defining the scope and limitations of the Navajo Nation's water rights. It also addresses the water rights of individual allottees and allows for the expansion of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project service area. The Act includes waivers and releases of certain claims, and requires specific actions by the Secretary of the Interior and the State of New Mexico to ensure the agreement's enforceability.

This bill resolves water rights disputes in New Mexico for the Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna, Jemez, and Zia by ratifying existing agreements and establishing trust funds to manage settlement money. It clarifies and protects the water rights of each Pueblo, ensuring long-term access to water resources, and requires the Pueblos to waive certain claims in exchange for the settlement benefits. The legislation allocates specific funding for water infrastructure, watershed protection, and economic development, contingent upon meeting key conditions and timelines for implementation. By settling these disputes, the bill aims to enhance water security and support economic development for the Pueblos.

The Ohkay Owingeh Rio Chama Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 authorizes and ratifies a settlement of water rights claims for the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo within the Rio Chama Stream System, establishing a trust fund to support water infrastructure, resource management, and economic development for the Pueblo. The Act defines Pueblo water rights, outlines the process for managing and distributing funds from the trust, and requires specific waivers and releases of claims from the Pueblo and the United States. It also sets forth the conditions for the Act's enforceability, including necessary funding, legal changes by the State of New Mexico, and judicial approval of the settlement.