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- By Native News Online Staff
Native Vote. A day ahead of Veterans Day on Monday, New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) toured the Veterans Integration Center in Albuquerque, where she pledged to strengthen state programs serving veterans and fill gaps left by recent federal cuts.
During her visit, Haaland was briefed on the challenges veterans face as they transition from active duty to civilian life. She outlined plans to bolster the New Mexico Department of Veterans Services, expand programs that recognize veterans’ transferable skills in the workforce, and target predatory businesses that exploit veterans.
“Our veterans have earned the right to come back to the benefits and resources that will put them on their feet,” Haaland said. “But right now, threats from the Trump White House and inaction in Congress are taking those resources away. That’s why the state can strengthen our Department of Veteran Services and partner with places like the Veterans Integration Center to step up for those who risk everything to protect our country.”
Haaland, a Democrat and former member of Congress, has made veterans’ issues a key part of her campaign. Earlier this year, she earned the endorsement of Common Defense, the nation’s largest progressive veterans’ organization. Her campaign also launched Vets for Deb, an initiative aimed at reaching veterans who she says have been “left behind” by federal policies.
Haaland has also criticized proposed cuts to Small Business Administration programs that support veteran-owned businesses, promising that her administration would ensure those entrepreneurs have the resources they need to succeed.
According to Haaland’s campaign, the Trump administration has already terminated thousands of employees at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, with more reductions expected before the end of the year. The cuts, she said, could hurt services for New Mexico’s more than 122,000 veterans.
Her campaign also noted that 1.2 million veterans nationwide who rely on food assistance programs such as SNAP were affected by the recent federal government shutdown.
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