The advocacy group Protect Our Care is on a multi-state bus-tour lobbying for the protection and expansion of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid. During their stop in Las Cruces, Congressman Gabe Vasquez spoke in favor of the federal policies.
“The truth is that for far too long, we’ve allowed pharmaceutical companies to gouge seniors, veterans, and others who need lifesaving care and drugs because the lobbyists are so strong in Washington D.C. That’s why we need strong representation in districts like the [2nd Congressional District] right here in New Mexico to fight back,” Vasquez said. “If MAGA Republicans succeed, we could see cuts to higher drug prices and reduced access to essential health services, including reproductive health care.”
Standing next to the Congressman during his speech was District 5 Las Cruces City Councilor Becky Corran, who also works as a public health professor at Doña Ana Community College. Corran said federal policies such as the Affordable Care Act have been a net positive for the county, where the community has historically been a medically underserved area.
“With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, many more people are getting the care that they need, and fewer people are falling through the cracks. I want us to continue to head in that direction,” Corran said. “I think we do have some healthcare infrastructure that we’re going to have to build up in Doña Ana County that has fallen through the cracks, but I think community organizations, [and] collaboration with all of the medical institutions and educational institutions can help us get there. But I do think without the Affordable Care Act, that will really set us back to the 90s when folks would die for lack of insurance, and we can’t go back to that.”
As Protect Our Care’s bus tour rolls to its next stops, advocates like Vasquez and Corran say that protection of the federal healthcare policies is essential to ensuring that communities like Doña Ana County don’t regress to a time when access to care was out of reach for vulnerable citizens.
KRWG requested an interview with Gabe Vasquez, as well as an interview with his opponent for New Mexico's Congressional District 2 seat Yvette Herrell, although both were unavailable to talk.
