Senator warns of job losses and higher insurance premiums as ACA credits hang in the balance for New Mexico families

Organ Mountain News report

ALBUQUERQUE - U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said federal workforce cuts and stalled action on health care affordability continue to squeeze New Mexico families, as he convened two roundtables Friday to hear from residents impacted by layoffs and rising insurance premiums.

Heinrich, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, met with public lands advocates, small business owners and the New Mexico State Forester to discuss how reductions in the public lands workforce are affecting safety, access and local economies across the state.

"Working families deserve stability, affordable health care and good jobs they can build their lives around," Heinrich said. "What we are seeing instead is chaos, higher costs and uncertainty driven by decisions in Washington that ignore the realities on the ground in New Mexico."

Public lands workforce under pressure

Participants described the impact of workforce reductions on agencies such as the Department of the Interior, U.S. Forest Service and Department of Energy, which oversee and manage public lands across New Mexico. Advocates said staffing shortages strain maintenance, weaken fire prevention efforts and undermine access to lands that support tourism and outdoor recreation.

Heinrich said he continues to push back against efforts to privatize or sell off public lands, citing his role in blocking provisions in the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" that would have opened the door to land sales.

He also highlighted legislation he introduced this year that would impose an immediate moratorium on politically motivated reductions in force at DOI, USFS and DOE, giving Congress time to conduct oversight and assess long-term workforce needs.

"Our public lands must remain in public hands," Heinrich said. "New Mexico families rely on these lands for jobs, cultural connection and outdoor access, and we cannot allow short-sighted policies to dismantle that."

Health care costs climb for New Mexico families

In a second roundtable, Heinrich met with residents facing higher insurance premiums following Congressional Republicans’ refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits.

Participants shared how rising monthly costs threaten household budgets, force difficult trade-offs and leave families uncertain about continued coverage.

Heinrich said the failure to extend the credits places additional strain on working families already grappling with inflation and economic instability. He pointed to the 44-day government shutdown as a missed opportunity to protect affordable coverage for thousands of New Mexicans.

Heinrich voted to extend the ACA tax credits as part of a government funding bill and urged bipartisan negotiations to preserve the subsidies. He also cited his previous support for the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, both of which expanded and extended health insurance subsidies at the federal level.

He currently cosponsors the Health Care Affordability Act of 2025, which would make the enhanced premium tax credits permanent and help stabilize insurance costs for families across the state.

Listening to impacted families

Heinrich said the purpose of the roundtables was to amplify the voices of New Mexicans most affected by federal policy decisions and to ensure those experiences guide future legislative efforts.

"The message from today’s conversations is clear," Heinrich said. "Families need certainty, affordable health care and strong career opportunities. My job is to take these real stories back to Washington and keep fighting for solutions that put New Mexico families first."

The senator said he will continue to advocate for protections for federal workers, the preservation of public lands and permanent extensions of health care tax credits that lower costs for families statewide.