Santa Fe, NM- The House Republican Leadership continued its efforts to stop Governor Lujan Grisham's federal stimulus money-grab scheme by seeking emergency intervention of the bipartisan Legislative Council and requesting immediate consideration of some type of legal action before the New Mexico Supreme Court to prohibit the Governor from unilaterally spending some $1.75 billion in federal COVID relief. House Republican Leadership also called on the Legislative Council, if they continue to refuse to consider possible litigation against the Governor, to instead reconvene the State Legislature into an Extraordinary Session to override the Governor's recent vetoes of several provisions in the state budget bill that were designed to give legislative direction as to how more than $1.2 billion in federal stimulus funding should be spent. Additionally, House Republican Leaders asked the State Treasurer to immediately secure the expected billions in federal relief funds into the state's General Fund to prevent the Governor and her administration from spending these federal dollars without first receiving legislative approval.

The Governor's vetoes in the state budget bill have come under fire from legislators in both political parties, with the crux of the dispute being whether the executive branch or the Legislature has the ultimate authority to appropriate federal funds that have yet to be allocated by law. This separation of power issue is fundamental to preserving the Legislature's constitutional "power of the purse" and it demands that bipartisan legislative leaders should act together to ensure current and future Governors cannot spend billions of federal dollars on their sole authority. Lujan Grisham's money-grab is based on her interpretation of a 1974 NM Supreme Court decision, while bipartisan legislators have claimed that decision does not apply to these recent COVID-19 federal relief dollars and that the Legislature still has the final say in how this money is spent to help New Mexicans.

It should be noted the previous Governor was sued several times by bipartisan groups of lawmakers, including Speaker Egolf who has continually refused to address Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham's money-grab vetoes and uphold the Legislature's "power of the purse." At stake is more than a billion dollars in federal relief that was appropriated by the Legislature during the 2021 regular session, but was subsequently vetoed by Governor Lujan Grisham. Lujan Grisham vetoed $1.2 billion to support student scholarships, improve the solvency of the state Unemployment Trust Fund and stop a massive tax increase on NM employers, and expand early childhood education. The Governor has not made clear what she plans to do with the $1.75 billion the State of New Mexico is expected to receive as she continues to claim only she can spend these federal dollars.

The vetoes by the Michelle Lujan Grisham were the following:
Lujan Grisham vetoed $600 million to stabilize the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
Lujan Grisham vetoed $5 million for reemployment services
Lujan Grisham vetoed $100 million from LEDA funds that directly support community economic opportunities
Lujan Grisham vetoed $100 million from the Lottery Scholarship
Lujan Grisham vetoed $200 million from DOT major road projects
Lujan Grisham vetoed $25 million from funds to assist housing assistance, small businesses, non-profits, and tourism and hospitality organizations impacted by COVID-19
Lujan Grisham vetoed $20.5 million to state parks and the state fair (which both have been impacted during the Governor's shutdowns)
Lujan Grisham vetoed $84.4 million in local projects across the state
Lujan Grisham vetoed $10 million in tourism funds
Lujan Grisham vetoed $50 million for Medicaid
Lujan Grisham vetoed $20 million for early childhood education
Lujan Grisham vetoed $5 million in senior citizen program funds
Copies of the letters to the Legislative Council and the State Treasurer are attached to this press release.

{pdf}mypdfs/Final-PDF-Letter-to-Legislative-Council-Co-Chairs-on-May-10,-2021.pdf{/pdf}

{pdf}mypdfs/FINAL-PDF-Letter-to-State-Treasurer-on-Receipt-of-Federal-Stimulus-Dollars.pdf{/pdf}

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