Rep. Vasquez Appointed to House Committee on Armed Services for the 118th Congress

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) announced his appointment to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC). Rep. Vasquez will be the only member of the House of Representatives from New Mexico, representing our service members and military installations.

“It’s an honor to represent New Mexico on the House Armed Services Committee and make sure my constituents have a voice in Washington. New Mexico plays a unique and vital role in our nation’s national security—from the groundbreaking research produced at our two national labs, to the most expansive missile testing range in the nation at White Sands, to the critical training grounds at Holloman Air Force Base,” said Rep. Vasquez. “To strengthen the security of our district is to strengthen the security of our nation. I look forward to getting to work to support the men and women of the armed forces serving in our state and across the nation.”

New Mexico is the center of our nation’s national security, including the birthplace of America’s missile and space operations, White Sands Missile Range—the Department of Defense’s (DoD) most extensive Test and Evaluation Range. This encompasses approximately 2.3 million acres of land, including 8,500 miles of DoD-restricted airspace—the largest in the country. This region includes training routes, which are critical to the training of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

Beyond the critical military facilities and structures, New Mexico houses the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, Kirtland and Holloman Air Force bases, and is home to most of Fort Bliss’s Training area. New Mexico’s role in our nation’s defense has been a critical piece to the state’s economy. The labs, bases, and training area provide thousands of jobs in New Mexico, attracting top tier talent to our state. Most importantly, service members often remain in place to become integral members of our communities.

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