SANTA FE, N.M. - Today, in his address to a Joint Session of the New Mexico Legislature, U.S. Senator Tom Udall called on state lawmakers to work together and focus on improving the well-being of New Mexico's children. More than one-third of children in New Mexico live below the poverty line.
"Our state is dead last in overall child well-being," Udall said. "And next to last in education, in children's health and economic well-being. This troubles all of us. It has to change. The future of our state — and not just for our children, but for our economy — depends on changing it."
"How do we fix it? It takes money, of course. It also takes commitment — and it takes leadership," Udall continued. "Children have to come first — and New Mexico cannot stay locked in at dead last."
Udall also endorsed the constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the state's Land Grant Permanent Fund to fully fund the most effective early child care and education programs. He urged lawmakers to pass the Joint Resolution to put the proposal on the statewide ballot. "Let's take it to the voters. Let them decide," Udall said.
Below are Udall's remarks as prepared for delivery.
Good morning. Thank you for that introduction, Mr. Speaker. Lieutenant Governor Sanchez. President Pro-tem Papen. Distinguished members of the New Mexico Legislature. Tribal leaders, and honored guests.
It's an honor to be here, to have this opportunity to speak with you. First, thank you-for all that you do for our state. You are a new legislature-and you have a great many challenges to work through in a short time. So I appreciate your attention.
Before I begin my remarks, I want to recognize Uranium Workers Day. All of you who came to the legislature today, we honor you. Thank you for coming here today. Thank you for fighting. I'm with you. I've introduced a bipartisan bill in the Senate to ensure that you are compensated for your sacrifice. You have waited too long for benefits you deserve.
Today, I want to extend a hand. We face great challenges in our state. Our neighbors-in Colorado, Texas and Arizona and beyond-are growing jobs, pulling out of the recession. But New Mexicans are still struggling.
Albuquerque is in a double dip recession. Traditional sources of revenue and employment - oil and gas, federal dollars - are subject to boom and bust and becoming less reliable.
I believe that we all agree. We have to find a path forward to build a strong private sector economy. An economy that is resilient to periodic downturns. We have to build a strong, well-trained workforce; to have good schools for our kids; and to ensure our families are healthy and thriving.
How do we get there? That's the question the voters elected us to solve. We have to lead.
For the first time in decades, we have a divided legislature. Divided by party. Divided by ideology.
I urge you to resist wasting time on quick fixes that sound good but would hold back hard-working families.
Right to work laws won't make child care more available for working moms in Guadalupe. They won't build a strong high-tech workforce in Albuquerque, or ensure farmers in Luna County can find a market for chiles and wine.
Politics is the art of standing your ground. But, also finding common ground.
New Mexico does not have the luxury of gridlock. Trust me. You do not want to go there. I've seen it in Washington. It is a very bumpy road.
I'm here as your partner. Willing to do everything I can to help. Let's focus on working together to move our state forward.
Our challenges are great. Let's be honest about that. But, I have high hopes for the future. I know we have bright days ahead. But we have to face the challenges head on. We have a lot of work to do. But we can do it.
Too often we fall into the habit of wringing our hands and saying the solution is outside our grasp. We say, "If only things were different. If only we had more money..."
It's not beyond our control. We should make it a goal - every one of us - to work together to improve the well-being of children in New Mexico.
It is a tragedy that throughout New Mexico our children struggle to get by. Thirty-four percent of children live below the poverty line. Among Native American children-it's 44 percent. One in five children across our state goes to bed hungry. Their parents can't find adequate child care. They can't get quality medical care when they need it. They lack access to safe housing and clean water.
Our state is dead last in overall child well-being, and next to last in education, in children's health and economic well-being.
This troubles all of us. It has to change. The future of our state-not just for our children, but for our economy-depends on changing it.
There's no quick fix. If there were, New Mexico would not still be at the bottom.
When the only Head Start program in Santa Rosa is down to two days a week, we can't just tell parents to drive an hour one way to the already overcrowded day care in Las Vegas. And that's just one of many, many examples. These are big problems with no easy solution.
How do we fix it? It takes money, of course. It also takes commitment-and it takes leadership.
First, let's agree that healthy kids are an investment in our future economy. And let's dedicate the resources we have to improving child well-being.
I support the constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the permanent fund to improving child well-being. Let's take it to the voters. Let them decide.
Next, let's agree to pool our collective leadership. Let's improve the programs we have. Let's make sure they're working the best they can-at the federal level, and at the local level, and within neighborhoods, and within families.
We have talented and dedicated people all across our state. Let's give them the support they need to work with us to help our kids.
I will promise you this. I will continue to fight for those priorities in Washington. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will do all I can to support infant and toddler care, preschool, and home-visiting programs. We know they can help.
Last week, I took the first step. I introduced legislation in Congress-the Saving Our Next Generation (SONG) Act-that will help do that. The SONG Act is based on suggestions from child well-being experts from across New Mexico, and it's aimed at improving access to resources that will help our kids succeed.
I'm also cosponsoring the PRE-K Act to expand high-quality, early learning programs for children from birth to age 5.
And I'm an original cosponsor of the reauthorization for one of the most effective child well-being programs our nation has known - the Children's Health Insurance Program.
A recent White House report tells the story. These programs make a difference-and they save money. More than $8 dollars for every $1 dollar invested.
Children have to come first-and New Mexico cannot stay locked in at dead last.
Healthy children means children who can learn and thrive. It means an educated workforce and communities that will attract new businesses.
We have a lot to do. We have to upgrade our roads. Manage our water resources. Make sure we have an educated workforce.
We need to do all those things and sooner than later. The federal government can help. I get up every day to make that happen-and will gladly reach across the aisle-when it helps our state move forward.
That means investing in infrastructure. Federal dollars are almost half of New Mexico's total transportation budget-and 70 percent of funding for our highways and bridges.
It means full funding for the PILT program to help local communities pay for law enforcement, schools, and other services folks depend on. Idaho Republican Senator Mike Crapo and I worked together for bipartisan support for PILT.
It means making sure our national labs and our military bases have the resources they need. I will continue to do all I can as a new member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
All of this makes a difference for the people of our state. But the federal government can only do so much. New Mexico is suffering from dysfunction in Washington, from budget cuts, and government shutdowns.
I think everyone in this chamber agrees. To move our state forward-for the long term-we have to make New Mexico's economy more diverse.
We have made progress. We have to build on it. New Mexico is one of the leading states in export growth. Santa Teresa is booming. It is a key port of entry, expanding trade, creating jobs, growing our economy in southern New Mexico.
We can all get behind that. In fact, we did-and this is a point I want to make.
I was at the opening of the new Union Pacific rail facility-just this past summer-with the Governor and with Congressman Pearce. I said at the time that we were not only on the same stage. We were on the same page. And it felt pretty good!
Because we know those railroad tracks bring more than freight. They bring new business, new jobs, new hope.
I supported the Recovery and Reinvestment Act and pushed for the $11 million dollars in federal funding to expand the Santa Teresa port. Today, Santa Teresa is home to over 60 trade-related businesses-employing more than 2,500 people.
This is great for New Mexico-and we all worked together to make it happen.
I think we all agree. It is worth fighting for-and so is doing more for small businesses. They are the engine of our economy. They create most new jobs. They need incentives. They need a fair tax policy. I will work with anyone to see that they get it.
We can also build a strong high-tech sector in New Mexico. This is a great opportunity-and we need to seize it. I'm working hard in Washington to ensure DOE gives priority to tech transfer. Last year, Congress passed two measures I introduced that will help.
Our national labs are doing a terrific job-creating new technologies. We need to move that work from the lab bench to the marketplace-right here in New Mexico.
I also believe we have to raise the federal minimum wage. No American who works full-time should be in poverty.
We need a tax system that supports the middle class-not corporations sending jobs overseas. Our economy is recovering. But, the benefit needs to go to all Americans, not just the top ten percent.
We still have a lot to do. And, here's one final truth. Most folks aren't sure we will get it done. Two out of three voters stayed home in the last election. Think about that. Two out of every three. Because maybe they don't really see how we make any difference in their lives-or how government works anymore for them.
We represent those folks too. Let's show them we can work together. For all New Mexicans.
We can meet these challenges. Not just with a hand shake, but with a hand to the plough-for the long haul.
With partnerships, with innovation - public and private sectors, local, state, and federal governments. Not always agreeing, but always bringing something to the table - for jobs, for the children of our state, for a brighter future for New Mexico.
It will take time. It will take commitment. But we can get it done.
Thank you again. Thank you for having me here today. It is my privilege to work with you-and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
