Luján Highlights the Importance of Protecting Nutrition Programs for Children and Families, Hermit’s Peak Recovery and Support for Small Farmers in Agriculture Secretary[...]

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry,participated in the nomination hearing for Brooke Rollins, the nominee to be Secretary of Agriculture. Senator Luján raised the importance of programs that feed families and children, wildfire recovery, and cutting red tape for farmers and ranchers.

Video of Senator Luján's exchange with Brooke Rollins is availablehere.

"One of the areas I shared in our conversation is something that I hold deeply, as I expressed to you, which is that every American should be able to have food on their table. No one should go hungry in America, no matter what zip code or area code they live in, or no matter how much money they make,"Senator Luján said in the hearing."I am always reminded that budgets are a reflection of values, depending on how those budgets are put forth as well, and I certainly hope that in America we all have a responsibility, a fiscal responsibility, that our priorities would say children shouldn't go hungry in America. I hope that is something we can find some commonality on down the road."

"The other area I raised in our meeting was the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon fire. This is a fire that started a few years ago that became the largest fire in the state of New Mexico's history. What surprises a lot of folks, and I appreciate my Republican and Democratic colleagues for supporting me and helping me create a fund specifically for this fire, is that this fire started as a prescribed burn," Senator Luján continued. "There's got to be a better way to ensure that the technology we can secure, that firefighters get paid properly, and that we follow this so this doesn't happen anywhere in America again. I very much appreciate Mrs. Rollins' commitment to working with Governor Noem and with FEMA and making sure that when these programs exist, that money gets out the door to the families that need it most."

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