DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF FUNDING FREEZE AND MASS FIRINGS

DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF FUNDING FREEZE AND MASS FIRINGS

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 37 (Tuesday, February 25, 2025)] [House] [Page H778] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF FUNDING FREEZE AND MASS FIRINGS The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Vasquez) for 5 minutes. Mr. VASQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address the dire consequences of the Federal funding freezes and mass firings that are devastating communities across the country, including in my home State of New Mexico. Over the past few weeks, I have spoken with New Mexicans who have been impacted by these reckless decisions. Their stories are heartbreaking. Their families are suffering. Rural communities are reeling, and they deserve to be heard. The funding freeze is crippling essential programs in our State, programs that provide wildfire prevention, conserve rangelands, grasslands, and forests, provide services to veterans, and fund public safety services. Rural communities and food producers are left vulnerable. Our national parks and forests are in disarray, and our local economies are suffering. At the same time, mass firings are stripping thousands of dedicated Federal workers of their livelihoods. They are Americans--parents, veterans, and public servants--who have spent years serving their communities. More than 2,400 employees have been dismissed from the Department of Veterans Affairs, undermining care for those who have served our country. The U.S. Forest Service is losing the very employees that provide Americans access to our national treasures and public lands. These cuts also threaten wildfire prevention as our State enters another critical fire season. The administration has fired 2,300 Department of the Interior employees, including 800 from the Bureau of Land Management and another 1,000 from the National Park Service, crippling decades of conservation efforts and degrading public land management. These numbers alone are shocking, but they don't fully capture the impact. I want to share what my constituents have told me about these firings because behind every statistic is a real American. Jason, a former National Park Service employee from Grants, New Mexico, told me: I received outstanding reviews on my last evaluation just a week before I was laid off. The local economy here in Grants will be devastated. I moved here to serve my community. I joined the local library board, and I am serving my people, but now I am afraid I will have to leave. There are no options left. Devrie, who works with the Friends of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, shared: We already lost two employees at the refuge. We were understaffed before, and now if we lose visitors, my job is next. The Bosque brings in thousands of tourism dollars to Socorro, New Mexico. This isn't just about jobs. It is about the future of our communities, and what is happening is reckless. Madison, a former probationary Federal employee in Carlsbad, New Mexico, told me: I lost my dream job on February 14. Many of us had moved hours away from our families to serve. In Carlsbad alone, the government wasted nearly half a million taxpayer dollars training us, only to fire us months later. These mass firings cannot go unnoticed. Claudia, who worked at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, shared this: In 4\1/2\ months, I dedicated myself to my work, training others, providing emergency medical services, ensuring visitor safety. Then, without warning, I was fired. I was told I failed to prove my skills, despite my experience, my positive evaluations, and my commitment. How does firing somebody making less than $40,000 a year solve the debt crisis? These are the voices of our rural communities. They are not nameless, faceless numbers to be scratched off by somebody who wasn't even elected by the American people. From their country and from this administration, they deserve better. As Elon Musk is busy firing thousands of New Mexicans, the Republican majority is preparing today a budget that offers American taxpayer dollars to give massive tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. I hope that my colleagues can justify eliminating a $40,000 Federal job at a national park for wildfire prevention so that a millionaire can take another summer vacation to Aruba. I urge my colleagues to recognize the human cost of these reckless firings and funding freezes. I am sure the constituents of my colleagues will make it clear to them even if they don't listen to us today. (English translation of the statement made in Spanish by Mr. Vasquez is as follows:) Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize a group of individuals who are the life force of our nation: our farmworkers. Their commitment and tireless efforts in the field ensure that every family in this country can access fresh, nutritious food. I see and hear you, and I am proud to represent you. Every day, these tireless workers face challenges that require strength and perseverance. Whether enduring extreme weather conditions or working long hours, their work sustains our economy and feeds our communities. Behind every meal we enjoy is the constant dedication of farm workers, who often go unnoticed. Mr. Speaker, hoy quiero reconocer a un grupo de personas que son la fuerza vital de nuestra nacion: nuestros trabajadores agricolas. Su compromiso y esfuerzos incansables en el campo aseguran que todas las familias de este pais puedan tener alimentos frescos y nutritivos. Los veo y los escucho y estoy orgulloso de representarlos. Cada dia, estos trabajadores incansables enfrentan desafios que requieren fortaleza y dedicacion. Trabajan muchas horas en condiciones climaticas extremas para sostener nuestra economia y alimentar a nuestras comunidades. Detras de la comida que disfrutamos esta la dedicacion constante de los trabajadores del campo que muchas veces son invisibles en este pais. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New Mexico will provide a translation of his remarks to the desk. ____________________