POLIITICS
At Acoma town hall, concerns range from health care to elections
Pueblo of Acoma residents and leaders on Thursday evening pressed Democratic federal and state officials to rebuff the Trump administration on immigration and elections, while seeking support to address housing and other issues close to home.
In a town hall at the Acoma Pueblo Amphitheater, U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, whose 2nd Congressional District spans New Mexico鈥檚 southern border and up the state鈥檚 western flank, joined state Rep. Michelle Pauline Abeyta of Tohajiilee and Acoma Gov. Charles Riley to address residents鈥� questions.
Vasquez and Abeyta, who both are campaigning for reelection this year, told the approximate 50 attendees they were committed to representing tribal communities鈥� interests.
Vasquez said if Democrats win back a majority in the U.S. House in the midterms, 鈥渢here is hope鈥� for legislation he has introduced to and .
鈥淥ur priorities are going to be very different than the current priorities that currently exist in which I believe much of Indian country is left as an afterthought,鈥� Vasquez said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 unacceptable.鈥�
Vasquez also to help applicants to the newly extended Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, to provide lump-sum payments for diseases caused by exposure to radiation from atomic tests or uranium mining.
Abeyta updated attendees about recent laws passed by the state Legislature, such as one . She said improvements to tribal infrastructure, recruitment of rural health providers and establishing affordable solar programs would be the topics of upcoming interim sessions with lawmakers this summer.
The town halls, she noted, offer the chance to address long-standing issues, such as inadequate access to health care, rising costs and push new policies.
鈥淐ontinue to raise the issues. If you have ideas or solutions, we need to hear them 鈥� not only because we鈥檙e your voice up there, but we鈥檙e the ones working together to make sure it鈥檒l get resolved,鈥� she said.
While the town hall format encouraged residents to ask questions about topics close to home, such as RECA, health care and housing, big-picture concerns about citizenship and elections also emerged.
The on President Donald Trump鈥檚 executive order to overturn the constitutional right to birthright citizenship 鈥渞aised alarms鈥� for how it would affect Pueblos, which predate the creation of the United States, Riley said.
鈥淲e would be more than happy to try and rally whatever you may need to ensure our birthright citizenship stays in place,鈥� Riley told Vasquez, urging him to 鈥渇ollow up鈥� on the issue.
Attendees also asked about federal legislation pushed by President Donald Trump that would require voters to to participate in elections.
Vasquez sought to reassure the crowd that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act 鈥攖he SAVE Act 鈥� faces long odds, citing .
鈥淎side from being what I believe is unconstitutional and limiting our access to the polls, it would likely be challenged in court immediately, even if it was passed,鈥� Vasquez said.
Theresa Pasqual, who spent the town hall handwriting postcards to remind residents of important upcoming election dates, told Source NM that, 鈥淧eople are nervous. If the SAVE Act did have a path for passage, it would make voting even more challenging in rural communities like ours.鈥�
