Torres Small Delivers Major Investments for New Mexico’s High-Speed Internet, Water Infrastructure, and Ports of Entry

July 1, 2020
Press Release
H.R. 2 makes investments in shovel-ready projects across NM

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02) voted to pass H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, which invests critical infrastructure funding to improve the country’s crumbling roads and bridges, schools, high-speed internet service, and water and wastewater systems as the country confronts post COVID-19 economic recovery.

“America’s economy is reeling from the impact of COVID-19. Our infrastructure, particularly in rural communities, is crumbling and inadequate.  Today Congress sought to address those challenges by passing a bipartisan infrastructure package that will help create jobs for hard working Americans by investing in safer roads and stronger bridges,” said Torres Small. “I fought to make sure this package would also increase access to good, reliable internet for kids across the district, improve water infrastructure to preserve the lifeblood of southern New Mexico, and strengthen our ports of entry to support trade and stop illegal drug trafficking.  Now more than ever, we need to rebuild our economy together.”

In addition to investing more than $1.5 trillion in infrastructure, including $300 billion to fix our roads and bridges, $100 billion for school facilities, $100 in broadband, $65 billion for water and wastewater, and $25 billion for the United States Postal Service (USPS), H.R. 2 included several Torres Small-led initiatives meant to serve central and southern New Mexico.

Those initiatives include:

  • Several programs outlined in the Western Water Security Act, which Torres Small introduced in October 2019, such as:
    • Increased funding for WaterSMART by $50 million, which invests in water infrastructure that supports conservation and efficiency
    • Reauthorization of the Rio Grande Pueblo Irrigation Infrastructure Act, which provides for rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure for each of the Rio Grande Pueblos
    • Extension of a pilot water leasing program to provide the United States Bureau of Reclamation and water managers with increased flexibility
    • Investments in rural desalination efforts by setting aside $260 million toward desalination over FY2021-FY2025, with a floor of $15 million for rural desalination projects.
  • An amendment introduced by Torres Small to support land ports of entry like Santa Teresa POE, by authorizing $100 million for infrastructure improvement projects at land ports of entry that experienced significant trade growth in 2019.
  • The inclusion of the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act—legislation introduced last week by Torres Small and House Rural Broadband Task Force to expand access to affordable high-speed internet. Throughout this process, Torres Small advocated for NM-02’s top priorities, including funding for service maps that reflect the reality on the ground and solutions to cover the last mile buildout in our most rural and remote communities.

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Issues: 
Congress