Their earliest years
Dear Friend,
I have long said that the key to making New Mexico the best place to raise a family, to start or expand a business, to find a good-paying job, and to hire the best and brightest employees, is to invest more in our kids. Back in 2014, I was the first member of the New Mexico Congressional Delegation to publicly support the proposal to tap into our state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund for early childhood education programs. I have been proud to stand with the community organizations and advocates from all around our state who led this long and hard-fought campaign.
Yesterday, I was proud to announce that I am introducing the New Mexico Education Enhancement Act to affirm New Mexico’s commitment to our children. The New Mexico Legislature passed a resolution earlier this year proposing a constitutional amendment to invest a sustainable portion of our state’s Land Grant Permanent Fund in early childhood education and in our K-12 public schools. The Legislature included a clause requesting congressional authorization for this constitutional amendment, should the voters ultimately approve it. Our bill would do just that.
VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, members of the New Mexico Congressional Delegation, and champions of H.J.R. 1 announce the introduction of the New Mexico Education Enhancement Act, December 15, 2021.
Extensive research has found that targeting resources to support development in the earliest years of our children’s lives produces a number of significant economic and social benefits. We need to level the playing field for our kids if we want to set all of them up for long-term academic and career success.
If New Mexico can take this historic step to invest in our kids at the level that they have long deserved, we will set them up for lifetime success—and we will steer our whole state in a better direction.
Sincerely,
MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator
