New Mexico governor signs bills to counter federal cuts, support health care and food assistance
Share and Follow


SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a package of bills Friday aimed at shoring up food assistance, rural health care and public broadcasting in response to recently enacted federal cuts.

The new legislation responds to President Donald Trump’s big bill as well as fear that health insurance rates will rise with the expiration of COVID-era subsidies to the Affordable Care Act exchange in New Mexico. Exchange subsidies are a major point of contention in the Washington budget standoff and related federal government shutdown.

New Mexico would set aside $17 million to backfill the federal credits if they are not renewed, under legislation signed by the governor.

The Democratic-led Legislature met on Wednesday and Thursday to approved $162 million in state spending on rural health care, food assistance, restocking food banks, public broadcast and more.

Starting this year, New Mexico expects to lose about $200 million annually because of new federal tax cuts. But the state still has a large budget surplus thanks to booming oil production.

“When federal support falls short, New Mexico steps up,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

Many federal health care changes under Trump’s big bill don’t kick in until 2027 or later, and Democratic legislators in New Mexico acknowledged that their bills are only a temporary bandage.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Court says Greg Bovino, Border Patrol commander, won't have to brief Judge Sara Ellison Chicago immigration operations

Greg Bovino Exempt from Briefing Judge Sara Ellison on Chicago’s Immigration Tactics, Court Rules

In a recent development from Chicago, an appeals court has sided with…
Multiple people stabbed on train as passengers hide in toilet

Incident on Train: Passengers Seek Refuge in Restroom Amidst Multiple Stabbings

Passengers on a train experienced sheer terror as they sought refuge in…
Baseball fans claim World Series is 'rigged' for the Dodgers

Is the World Series Rigged? Dodgers’ Controversial Wins Spark Outrage Among Fans!

Game 6 of the World Series ended in controversy, sparking accusations from…
'Deliver Me From Nowhere' is tanking because Bruce Springsteen is too dull for a biopic

Why Bruce Springsteen’s Biopic ‘Deliver Me From Nowhere’ Isn’t Hitting the Right Notes

Well, it seems the Bruce Springsteen biopic, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,”…
Trump denies reports he has decided to strike Venezuela

Trump Refutes Claims of Planned Military Action Against Venezuela

President Donald Trump has firmly dismissed claims suggesting he is planning an…
Fergie 'on edge': Ex-Duchess hunkers down 'surrounded by deliveries'

Fergie Adapts to New Lifestyle: Former Duchess Embraces Home Deliveries

Sarah Ferguson is reportedly considering leaving the UK as she holds herself…

Century City Family Grieves Loss of Grandmother in Tragic Hit-and-Run Incident

A memorial of white flowers now stands at the crossroads of Pico…
Desperate homeowners spend $400K to save properties from the sea

Homeowners Invest $400K to Protect Coastal Homes from Rising Seas

In Buxton, North Carolina, the relentless Atlantic Ocean claimed five more oceanfront…