Rep. Gabe Vasquez, Locals Celebrate Wins for Rural Veterans and Service Members in Alamogordo

ALAMOGORDO, N.M.– On May 6, 2026, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) met with local veterans and community leaders at the Lincoln Otero County Veterans Leadership Council (LOCVLC) monthly meeting in Alamogordo to hear their concerns and celebrate recent progress on the Congressman’s legislation supporting veterans and active-duty service members living in rural communities across southern New Mexico. 

The discussion focused on challenges facing rural veterans, including access to VA health care, transportation barriers, staffing shortages at VA facilities, affordability pressures, and the need for opportunities for veterans to transition into civilian careers. Rep. Vasquez emphasized that many of the bills he is currently leading in Congress were directly inspired by past conversations with veterans and military families in Otero County.

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Rep. Vasquez with local veterans and community members in Alamogordo, May 6

(Photo courtesy of the Office of Rep. Gabe Vasquez)

“I’ve been listening to veterans in southern New Mexico for more than a decade, understanding the challenges they face in healthcare, housing, employment, reintegration, mental health, and so much more,” said Vasquez. “These conversations have shaped my veterans policy work in Congress, which reflects promises made and promises kept. This nation can and should be doing much more to honor the service of those who served our nation, and I’ll continue to fight for them and their families not just with words, but with continued action.”

Rep. Vasquez highlighted recent wins and provided attendees with updates on his legislation to support New Mexico veterans and active-duty service members, including:

• The New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Act, legislation introduced by Vasquez to allow veterans in Otero and Eddy Counties to access care through the El Paso Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), bringing care closer to home for many southern New Mexico veterans. The bill is currently under review by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and addresses many local veterans’ top concern with VA care.
• Vasquez’s continued support for restoring full funding and staffing for VA Medical Centers. Many New Mexico veterans have complained about the Administration’s hiring freeze and decision to cut 28,000 VA positions, including 2,700 nurses. In New Mexico, those cuts hit nearly 5% of the state’s VA workforce.
• NOW LAW: The TRICARE Travel Improvement Act, which Vasquez led and got passed into law with bipartisan support through the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill lowers the mileage requirement for TRICARE travel reimbursement from 100 miles to 75 miles — helping military families in rural communities more easily access medical care.
• The Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act, legislation led by Vasquez to increase the annual book and supply stipend for student veterans from $1,000 to $1,400 to account for inflation. The stipend has not been adjusted since 2008. The bipartisan bill has earned 40 cosponsors and advanced out of subcommittee in February 2026.
• The Feed Our Veterans Act, legislation Vasquez introduced and fought for during the most recent Farm Bill markup to combat food insecurity among veterans and protect them from new burdensome SNAP work requirements introduced under the Republican tax law last summer. 
• The Honor and Hire Veterans Act of 2025, Vasquez’s legislation to incentivize small businesses to hire veterans with expanded tax credits and help create more job opportunities for servicemembers transitioning into civilian life.

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Rep. Vasquez speaks with local veterans in Alamogordo, May 6

(Photo courtesy of the Office of Rep. Gabe Vasquez)

The meeting brought together local veterans organizations, retired service members, community advocates, active-duty service members, and representatives from Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range to discuss the unique challenges facing veterans and military families in southern New Mexico.

Rep. Vasquez thanked the Lincoln Otero County Veterans Leadership Council and Chairman of the organization, Senior Master Sgt. Roland Cooper, for hosting the discussion and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring rural veterans have a strong voice in Congress.

“I am grateful to see that people like Gabe are leading the pack in making sure we, as veterans, get what we earned and deserve,” said Senior Master Sgt. Roland Cooper on behalf of the veterans’ groups he volunteers with. Mr. Cooper is a local veteran and community leader. 

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