Melanie A. Stansbury

“Climate change is hurting New Mexico with severe drought, extreme heat, and dried-up rivers. The President made things worse by pulling out of global climate deals, ending clean air rules, and helping oil donors instead of our communities. I am going to Climate Week in New York to fight for clean energy, global climate deals, and congressional action on climate change.”

“Mr. Speaker, it rained yesterday in New Mexico--a real rain, a monsoon rain, a rain that we have been waiting for, for months in our communities. My social media was flooded with images of people celebrating, recording out of their windows and doors, dancing, and rejoicing. That is because in New Mexico, in our desert, water is life, water is culture, and water is what sustains us. As New Mexicans, we have been in the grips of a historic drought. The mighty Rio Grande has been dry for a record of over 90 days through our communities this summer. We have had record-low snowpack and the highest number of high-heat days over 90 degrees. In our communities, climate change is not a hypothetical. It is here. Our communities are on the front lines and bearing the brunt. Our farmers have been forced to drill wells and fallow their fields. Our acequias, which are hundreds of years old, have gone dry. Ancient orchards that have sustained our communities have been lost, and a bosque and wildlife have suffered through the consequences. This is not just New Mexico. It is happening all across the planet. Extreme weather is pounding the shores of California and Hawaii right now. Wildfires have left the West Coast and the East Coast covered in smoke for months. In August, globally, it was the hottest year in recorded modern history. The planet is raising the alarm, and our communities are on the front lines. For years, the United States has been a global leader. We helped to lead negotiations that led to global climate accords. We invested in new technologies and clean energy. We aggressively committed to stopping and transitioning pollution to save our economy and our planet. Yet, since the current President took office last January, not only have we seen one of the largest increases in pollution from the United States in modern history, but we have seen our standing as a nation fall in the eyes of the world. He rescinded climate policies on day one and removed us from international agreements, just this week announcing the removal of clean air protections and divestment from technologies that our Nation was at the forefront of, as our adversaries are stepping in to take over global economic dominance. He even invaded a foreign country to steal their oil, even when U.S. oil companies did not have a development plan for it. This has not only led to the highest prices at the pump that we have seen over a Labor Day weekend in the history of the United States, but it has set our country back decades. Why? To give kickbacks to his donors, oil and gas companies that he asked to donate $1 billion to his campaign; corrupt side deals with foreign actors and foreign leaders; his own insider trading, which he posted an AI image of in the Oval Office just this last weekend; and his own efforts to increase prices in order to line the pockets of his own investments and those of his family and friends. We are paying the price in drought, in heat, at the pump, in our food, in our housing, and in air that is too smoky to breathe for our children. Well, we have had enough, Mr. Speaker. That is why myself and a delegation of congressional leaders are headed to Climate Week in New York, to recommit to the United States climate leadership, to recommit to a climate-resilient future, to lay out a plan for a new deal for America, and to invest in the infrastructure, the technology, and global leadership that we need; but, yes, most importantly, to invest in our communities. That is why, Mr. Speaker, I am here on the House floor today to speak up, to speak out, and to demand climate action for our communities now. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Amodei of Nevada). Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.”

“I support New Mexico's farmers and ranchers. The administration is hurting them by importing too much foreign beef, failing to keep our food supply safe, and cutting food aid for hungry people. I want to protect our local producers and make sure families can feed themselves.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand with our farmers and ranchers because in New Mexico, these are not just industries, they are part of our identity, our culture, and our way of life passed down from generation to generation. From our acequias to family farms, they put food on our tables, but right now that way of life is under attack. This administration is flooding our beef supply with foreign beef, failing to protect the safety of our food as Americans face recall after recall, and cutting food programs that keep our children, our seniors, and our people from going hungry. This is not how we protect our people. This is not how we honor the people who feed us, and that is why we are fighting to make sure that New Mexico’s producers can make a living, that our families can put food on the table, and that the next generation can continue the traditions that define who we are as a State. That is why I am standing here on the House floor today, to stand with our ranchers and farmers.”

“I oppose the attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. These cuts hurt my state by harming hospitals, veterans, the military, Native American tribes, and LGBTQ+ people. These programs give everyone a fair chance, and I will keep defending them.”

“Mr. Speaker, good evening. I thank Mr. Jackson for yielding. He is not only one of my dear friends, but also a mentor, and I believe one of the greatest fighters in this institution. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight on behalf of the people of New Mexico because in New Mexico, the assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion is not just an assault on our communities but on our identities, our histories, and our ways of life. The consequences go far beyond a slogan or some polling that some political firm has done. They reach into our hospitals and our clinics. They reach our veterans. They reach our military bases. They reach our Tribal nations and our Native communities. They reach the LGBTQ+ community, our small businesses, our nonprofits, and our working families. What this administration is doing is nothing short of an assault on our communities, their identities, their histories, and creating something that no person should ever live with which is fear. In New Mexico, healthcare is not an abstract policy debate. It is whether a patient can see a doctor, whether a rural clinic can keep its doors open, and whether a family can afford care. Every day we are watching as the assaults on DEI are affecting the ability of our communities to access care. It affects our veterans who depend on the VA, not as a political favor but as a promise our Nation made to them, is being impacted by cuts to DEI. It affects our military, which is a part of the culture in service of who we are as New Mexicans, generals being denied promotions, and people in our communities wondering if the military still represents them. It affects our Tribal nations impacted and threatened by cuts to Tribal programs and essential services. These are programs that help our elders, our young people--nutrition, family, housing, their healthcare, their jobs, their opportunity, and our Federal Government’s fundamental responsibility under treaty obligations. These are legal responsibilities of the Federal Government. In our LGBTQ+ community, the message coming from Washington is increasingly clear, which is that the government is trying to erase the existence of LGBTQ+ people. That is not equality. That is not equity. That is about targeting our communities. Meanwhile, our nonprofits and small businesses that depend on Federal grants and contracts are being forced to ask whether the programs they have operated for years and generations will be considered politically unacceptable for merely serving the Americans who live in our communities. This administration has gone far beyond just eliminating Federal DEI offices. They have slashed Federal programs. They have targeted Federal contractors. They have taken out hundreds of Americans who have given their life to service to this Nation as Federal employees, as members of the military, as leaders, and they have slashed fundamental programs that make it possible for our communities to survive. Mr. Speaker, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not about giving special treatment. They are about making sure that every American has a fair shot--that those who have been left behind have the opportunity to move forward. They are about honoring the cultures and identities of who we are. I invite you, Mr. Speaker, to come to New Mexico, where we live our culture, where we live our identities, where we live our traditions. Walk in our communities, meet our people, shop in our small businesses, hike on our public lands, pay your respects to our Pueblo and Tribal leaders. Come learn our stories directly from our people, directly from our lands. Come learn about the resilience of our people, who have persisted not just for centuries but millennia, because we live our culture. We live our identity, and we learn from our history. We know that no matter what kind of efforts you take in the coming days, months, or years to try to cut programs, to try to erase history, to try to stop our people from speaking loud and clear, we know that our people are strong. They are resilient, and they will continue. As the congresswoman for New Mexico’s First Congressional District, I will continue to lift up their stories every single day and continue this fight, because, Mr. Speaker, we are not going back.”

“I am voting against this resolution. It locks in the current conservative Supreme Court and stops Congress from reforming it. The Court has hurt our rights and democracy. Congress needs to be able to make the Court fair and ethical.”

“Mr. Speaker, today, the GOP is proposing a constitutional amendment to lock in the current conservative Supreme Court. In fact, it would take away the power of this Congress to reform the Court. The question is why? Who asked them to do this? Where did this proposal come from? Why are Republicans arguing that they have to protect the Court from reform? This is a Court that has, under this conservative majority, undermined democracy, undermined our rights, and undermined the system of checks and balances that make this country great. These reforms would bring equity, fairness, and ethics to the Court. Why are my colleagues across the aisle bringing this constitutional amendment? It is clear in the debate here on the floor itself that they don’t even know how many Justices are currently sitting. In fact, my colleague across the aisle just claimed that there are currently 13 Justices sitting on the Court. What is this? Political theater? Is this what you plan to run on because you don’t actually have an agenda to run on this election cycle? Because you have decimated the economy, because you have an unending war in the Middle East, and because Americans can’t afford their healthcare, their housing, and putting food on the table and a roof over their head, I am a hell no on this resolution, and I will vote ``no.’’”

“I oppose this bill and will vote against it. Americans are struggling with the cost of food, housing, and healthcare, but the House is voting to weaken environmental laws instead. This bill will harm endangered right whales, and there are only 380 of them left.”

“Mr. Speaker, welcome back. It has been a wild ride this Congress. After 5 weeks of being out for the August district work period, a war is raging in the Middle East; the economy is in shambles; working people of this country cannot afford food, housing, and healthcare; the President is raiding the Venezuelan oil reserves and lining his own pockets; and what are we doing on the House floor after 5 weeks of break? We are hearing bills to basically gut environmental protections, including protections for one of the most endangered species on planet Earth. Just a few years ago before my mother passed away, I had the extraordinary opportunity to visit the Cape Cod National Seashore, and on that day, which was an unusually warm day, we went down to the beach, and there were literally hundreds of right whales right off the shore. Today there are 380 right whales still in existence on planet Earth. Only 70 are considered able to breed. What is before us today is a decision about whether or not to let one of God’s great creatures continue to exist on planet Earth. With all of the things that are happening in this world and in this country, this body under this Republican majority is choosing to advance a bill on the first day we come back in the middle of global turmoil and economic chaos to decide whether or not a species that has existed on this planet longer than the United States has even been an idea should be able to continue. It is disgraceful. The American people did not send us here to gut environmental laws. The American people sent us here to save our democracy, to defend our institutions, and to ensure that they can get a fair shake. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this bill, and I will vote it down on the floor today.”

“This is Disability Pride Month. I am honoring disabled people in New Mexico and across the country. They fight for accessible schools, transportation, and jobs, and they belong everywhere.”

“Mr. Speaker, happy Disability Pride Month, which originated in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This month and every month, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and leadership of New Mexicans living with disabilities in our State and across the country. They have fought for accessible schools, reliable transportation, inclusive workplaces, and the freedom to live with dignity, self- determination, and joy. I thank our leaders, advocates, and communities for their work. To every New Mexican living with a disability, their voice, their advocacy, and their leadership matter. They belong in every classroom, every workplace, every community, and at every seat at every table. We will continue to fight and celebrate alongside them, not just this month but every month, to build a New Mexico and a world where every person can live with dignity, independence, and pride.”

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  Speech in the House

  Signal 24 of 100

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“The administration is removing protections for Chaco Canyon and Bears Ears to allow oil, gas, and mining. These are sacred tribal lands. I will fight to protect them in Congress and in the courts.”

“Mr. Speaker, this week the administration has continued its assault on our public and sacred lands, repealing critical protections for Chaco Canyon and Bears Ears, two of our most sacred cultural landscapes. For New Mexico’s Tribes and pueblos, these are not relics of the past. They are living, sacred places where history, culture, religion, and identity endure. They hold thousands of ancestral sites that are central to ceremonies, traditions, the stories, and the people who have cared for these lands since time immemorial. These repeals disregard years of Tribal consultation and open the door to oil, gas, and mining, threatening sacred sites that are irreplaceable. Let me be clear, though. This fight is not over. We will stand with our Tribal Nations, our communities, and everyone fighting on the front lines. We will fight back in the courts, in Congress, and alongside our Tribal Nations and the American people because our sacred sites are not for sale.”

“I voted to block $3.3 billion in foreign military aid. That money should be spent on needs at home like housing, roads, and child care, not on bombing civilians. I also celebrate the end of DOGE. Instead of saving money, it fired thousands of veterans and key workers, hurt public services, and cost billions of dollars. We will investigate what this program and this administration did.”

“Mr. Speaker, there are so many things to be said about DOGE and the waste of money and lives that happened over the course of the year and a half that it was officially on the books. Mr. Speaker, I also want to take a moment to talk about our country at a crossroads. Do we continue to use American taxpayer dollars to fund the killing of civilians, children, and families abroad, or do we finally say, enough? Today, I took a vote for the children, for peace, and for the future of this country, by voting ``yes’’ on an amendment to block $3.3 billion in offensive military aid. This is money that should be used to build roads, to build housing, and to lower the cost of food and childcare for families who are struggling right here in the United States. I did not come to Congress to write blank checks to the military. I did not come to Congress to write blank checks to foreign militaries to bomb civilians, and I did not come here to support an unending and illegal war in the Middle East. That is why I chose today to block offensive military aid. Today, I choose our people over weapons. I choose peace over war. I choose accountability over silence, and I will continue to choose that every single time. Now, Mr. Speaker, as we close out this debate and the broken promises of DOGE and this administration, let us be reminded that when President Trump and Elon Musk first created DOGE, the American people were promised that it would cut waste, fight fraud and abuse, and save the taxpayers $2 trillion across the government. Many of us hoped that was actually true because cutting waste, fraud, and abuse is not a partisan issue. It is just good government. All of us want a government that actually works for the people of this country. Actions speak louder than words. When it comes to the legacy of DOGE and this administration, its actions speak for themselves. Instead of cutting waste, they cut over 100,000 jobs of veterans across the Federal Government, veterans in my district who worked at the VA and across our Federal agencies, who wanted nothing more than to continue their service to this country. They cut workers in charge of maintaining our nuclear stockpile, only to scramble to rehire them. They fired some of our Nation’s top scientists, who were responsible for making sure our national security is taken care of. They attacked Social Security. They fired thousands of workers across the Social Security Administration, including in my district where people were struggling just to get access to their basic needs being met. DOGE cut back hours and fired hundreds across New Mexico. It pushed seniors, children, and veterans to the brink. Instead of saving taxpayers money, DOGE cost taxpayers billions of dollars in lost productivity, lost revenue, and the cost to hire essential civil servants they fired. Instead of fighting abuse, DOGE gave the richest man on planet Earth direct influence over government decisionmaking and access to our personal and financial data. We will never know the true damage that DOGE did because the administration won’t even release the final information or final report explaining what they did. This is not okay. Let me say this to this administration: You better bet we will be investigating every inch of what you did through DOGE and your behavior in the administration. The American people deserve transparency. The American people deserve a government that works for them. The American people deserve a government and leaders who tell the truth. The American people deserve accountability for their taxpayer dollars. The American people deserve respect, especially those who have served this great Nation. Even though DOGE’s disaster is officially over on the books, we already have another agency whose job is to find waste, fraud, and abuse. We will continue to investigate what happened through DOGE. We will continue to do the work of improving our government, and we will continue to investigate what has happened. Our question is: After all that has been said and done, will the Republicans of this body continue to support the lies that this administration has put forward through DOGE? Will they continue to support the dismantling of our Federal agencies, as is happening right now at the Department of Education, as we stand here, and the Education Committee? Will they continue to raid agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and steal money from the taxpayers? Will they continue to allow this administration to steal your taxpayer dollars and give it to the military to bomb civilians overseas? Will they continue to allow an out-of-control President to make billions of dollars in self-dealing while lining his pockets and demolishing the White House or will they actually stand up for the American people? That is the real waste, fraud, and abuse, and that is the real corruption, a President who is wasting our taxpayer dollars on an unending and illegal war, painting a pool filled with algae, a golden ballroom, and trying to put his name on the Kennedy Center, spending millions of dollars, taxpayer dollars litigating over illegal actions he has taken since taking office, all while giving private contracts to his own family members and the very man who started DOGE in the first place. While DOGE may be over, let the lesson be that when we take back the House, we will hold them accountable. We will build a government that works for the American people, that is stronger. We will stop billionaires from coming in and using their money to achieve their own political ends and line their own pockets. We will stop the self-dealing not only in the White House, but that happens in this Chamber. We will work to get big money out of politics, to end Citizens United, and to ensure that we have a system that actually represents the people of this country. We will rebuild better the agencies that were dismantled. We will create a whole new generation of public servants who want to serve this great Nation, and we will bring a new deal for this country that is about results, that is about dignity, that puts people and services ahead of profits and not empty promises. That is why, Mr. Speaker, we are here today to celebrate the end of this dark chapter and bring DOGE to a conclusion. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Dozens of people have died in government immigration detention centers. Congress funded this agency and let the President break the law. We must act now and shut these centers down.”

“Mr. Speaker, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Joan Sebastian Guerrero, Ruben Ray Martinez, Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and dozens of others are now dead at the hands of ICE, this administration, and detention centers across the country. Fathers, brothers, sons, daughters--dozens who have lost their lives, stolen from them at the hands of our government and the choices of this body, the choices of a House that has enabled a President to spend billions of dollars on funding ICE, choices of this body to not stop a President from breaking the law, and choices of this body for failing to act. Mr. Speaker, it is time to act and for this body to do its job and shut it down.”