Albuquerque residents will have a chance to hear directly from their congressional representatives about federal issues affecting thousands of local students, military families and vulnerable residents during a virtual meeting hosted by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce on July 28.
The Congressional Delegation Meeting, scheduled for 2-3 p.m., features Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-1), Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-2), and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-3) discussing federal government actions on healthcare, energy, defense, and education — all issues with major local impacts.
The timing is critical as Albuquerque Public Schools faces a potential crisis with the federal government withholding $12 million in congressionally approved education funding that affects more than 13,000 students. The delayed funds threaten hundreds of teaching positions and programs specifically designed to help vulnerable students, including English language learners and children from low-income families.
“The federal government’s decision to withhold this funding has created a challenging situation for APS,” said District Spokesperson Martin Salazar, according to a news release from Rep. Vasquez’s office. “This money is critical to our district’s work and helps our most vulnerable students.”
Rep. Vasquez, who represents southern Albuquerque, has been demanding the immediate release of funds.
“This funding was already approved by Congress, period,” Vasquez said in the July 15 release. “There’s no excuse for it to be sitting on the sidelines. Every day of delay means fewer teachers, fewer resources, and more stress on students.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Stansbury has been pushing healthcare initiatives that affect local residents. On July 18, she fought for expanded healthcare access in rural and Indigenous communities during an Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee hearing. In June, she introduced the IHS Provider Expansion Act to address healthcare provider shortages affecting Native American communities throughout New Mexico.
Rep. Leger Fernandez has focused on energy resilience issues that directly impact New Mexico’s power grid. On July 18, she introduced the Weather-Safe Energy Act of 2025, which would create a federal weather data platform to help utilities prepare for extreme weather events.
“When the lights go out during a heat wave, flood, or wildfire, it’s not just inconvenient—it’s a matter of life or death,” Leger Fernandez said in a press release. “Every family deserves to know the power will stay on, no matter the forecast.”
The congressional meeting comes as the City of Albuquerque fights to protect more than $92 million in federal funding that supports police officers, affordable housing and homelessness programs. The city has joined lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to withhold money from cities that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement.
“Federal policies are putting essential services and Albuquerque families at risk,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “We need to ensure our police officers are well-equipped and fairly paid, and that vulnerable people aren’t pushed further into homelessness.”
The virtual Chamber meeting will allow residents to hear from all three representatives about their work on these and other federal issues affecting Albuquerque. The event is part of the Chamber’s regular programming featuring high-ranking public officials and policy experts.Registration information for the virtual event can be found on the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce website.