House GOP statement on end of 2022 Legislative Session
Santa Fe – The 2022 Legislative Session concluded, Sine Die, today at noon. The New Mexico House of Representatives wrapped up over 24-hours of nearly nonstop debate on many important issues. With New Mexicans facing fallout from the Governor’s nearly two-year long COVID restrictions, hyper-inflation, eco-price gouging and out-of-control crime, many expected bipartisan support to correct the course. Despite initial good faith efforts from many lawmakers and key stakeholders to come together on crime, election security, and energy policy, these efforts crashed and burned as the clock ran down.
“The broad agenda that Lujan Grisham and progressives attempted to pass was dead on arrival- for three years New Mexicans have seen the broken promises of a so-called progressive utopia,” said House Republican Leader Jim Townsend (Artesia).“Working families are seeing less of their paycheck due to higher gas prices, increased utility rates, and hyper-inflation. I think the results of this session speak volumes to the dissatisfaction of so many New Mexicans and how they are struggling to trust in a government so focused on making their lives harder.”
The session was not without victories for New Mexicans. House Republicans were effective in stopping many bad policies that the House Democrats aimed to use to double down on the previous three-years of their progressive agenda. The increase on New Mexico’s gas tax, the clean future act, an attack on New Mexico’s elections, and a hydrogen proposals that excluded many communities were effectively blocked in rare bipartisan votes.
“For three years the progressives have rammed through their agenda with promises of transformative change, unfortunately New Mexicans are learning that their future has transformed into a dystopia,” said House Republican Whip Rod Montoya (Farmington). “Our Republican caucus can go home knowing that we were effective in pushing back against what has amounted to destructive and failed policies. New Mexicans are waking up to the broken promises of the Governor and progressives out-of-touch agenda, and we are hearing them loud and clear.”
As the state enters 2022, New Mexicans have serious concerns about the direction the state is going. Despite the state’s largest budget in history, many working families continue to feel the effects of a drastically higher cost of living, expected power blackouts this summer, and policies that simply make their lives harder.
“Not all hope is lost,” said House Republican Caucus Chair Rebecca Dow (T or C). “I think many New Mexicans are still hopeful for our future, there is tremendous support to change the direction of our state. This session revealed that New Mexicans can count on Republicans, despite being few in numbers, to be effective in shutting down the radical agenda of Lujan Grisham and her progressive allies in the legislature. Just imagine what we can accomplish in the majority.”
###