Vasquez: Funding Cuts to Carlsbad Caverns Hurt Jobs, Tourism, and Tradition

CARLSBAD, N.M. – Last week, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) joined leaders from Carlsbad Caverns National Park and the neighboring Guadalupe Mountains National Park to discuss the ongoing staffing and operational disruptions caused by the shortsighted DOGE budget cuts.

The budget cuts — which included laying off seasonal workers and offering buyouts to permanent workers — and the hiring freeze have led to reduced cave-tour offerings, scaled back visitor center hours, diminished ranger-led programming, and less visitors. These changes have hit the community hard, threatening the local economy that largely depends on outdoor tourism.

When budget cuts affect staff and services at Carlsbad Caverns, it’s not just a loss for visitors — it’s a loss for every New Mexican whose livelihood depends on the tourism and jobs these lands sustain. Rep. Vasquez will continue fighting to restore the resources our parks need so families can keep working, visitors can keep exploring, and future generations can keep traditions alive.

Vasquez, a strong advocate for New Mexico’s public lands and the founder of the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus, has repeatedly opposed proposals to sell off public lands and instead championed efforts to keep public lands in public hands and bolster the outdoor economy in Southern New Mexico. 

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