Vasquez Introduces Standalone Legislation Ahead of NDAA to Prioritize New Mexico Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) introduced two standalone bills to address critical healthcare gaps affecting military families and deliver recognition to New Mexico’s Downwinders. The bills, which have been introduced ahead of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) markup, reflect Rep. Vasquez’s continued push to ensure New Mexico communities are prioritized in national defense policy.

“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I’m fighting for New Mexico’s interests and fair share of funding in the nation’s defense bill,” said Vasquez. “My proposals recognize the families who have suffered in silence from the impacts of the Trinity Test, and also ensure military families at White Sands and Holloman Air Force Base don’t have to pay out of pocket to access health care. With significant cuts to staffing and research across the state’s research and testing facilities, Congress must recognize the impact our state has to national defense and support these common sense amendments.”

The two bills include:

• The TRICARE Travel Improvement Act, which reduces the travel reimbursement threshold under TRICARE Prime from 100 miles to 50 miles for active-duty servicemembers and their families. Currently, families stationed at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base who travel nearly 100 miles to El Paso for medical care are denied reimbursement due to being just under the threshold. This bill would ensure fairness for military families serving in remote areas.
• The Downwinder Commemoration Act, which directs the Departments of Defense and Interior to place commemorative plaques in publicly accessible areas at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base. These plaques will recognize the harm endured by New Mexico’s Downwinders following the 1945 Trinity Test — the first nuclear detonation in U.S. history. Despite their exposure to radioactive fallout, Downwinder families were excluded from the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) until Rep. Vasquez’s successful push to reauthorize and expand RECA to include New Mexico’s Downwinders. This bill helps deliver long-overdue recognition by permanently commemorating their suffering while preserving their legacy for future generations. 

By introducing these bills independently, Rep. Vasquez is working to ensure these local priorities are protected as the NDAA advances through the legislative process.

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