Vasquez, Heinrich discuss possible government shutdown

With a government shutdown looming, Gabe Vasquez, a former Las Cruces City Councilor and first-term Democrat congressional representative, voted against a Republican short-term spending solution.

During a Friday teleconference on Zoom, Vasquez was joined by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico). The two spoke about the likely government shutdown and the impacts it could have on residents.

“We're most certainly going into a government shutdown scenario that is going to cause more harm than any type of good that these extreme members are trying to bring forward,” Vasquez said. “In New Mexico, and in my district, in particular, we're talking about food for families. We're talking about hungry kids. Benefits from WIC and SNAP that feed our children would be limited, and some would be eliminated under these cuts.

"We're talking about wildfire prevention and assistance during a time where we're trying to get benefits out to the victims of the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire and the Black Fire. To not have that support for New Mexicans is completely irresponsible."

Vasquez said he is working with his colleagues to come up with an agreeable compromise.

“I’m counting on my colleagues in the Senate, like Senator Heinrich and Senator Ben Ray Lujan, to be able to help strike a deal with leadership that we can all agree to,” he said.

The final tally of Friday’s vote was 198-232, including 21 Republicans that opposed the legislation.

Congress has until Saturday night to pass a short-term funding bill. If it doesn’t pass, 26,000 Federal employees in New Mexico would be affected along with 14,300 active duty and 7,700 National Guard and reserve troops who will work without pay.

A shutdown would also disrupt federal services and programs for families.

“We are grinding through a bipartisan agreement in the Senate right now to create a stop gap spending bill,” Heinrich said. “We are negotiating in good faith. We are very close to a deal in the Senate. We will send that to the House.”

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Vasquez, Heinrich discuss possible government shutdown