Political Quotes

“Last week, I was approached by Larry Martinez who was there when the Community Service Block Grants first started in New Mexico. He told me that my late father worked tirelessly to secure funds so the State of New Mexico could match this new program. He called my late father the conscience of the Senate. My father knew that these funds would make a real impact in the lives of New Mexicans, and he was right. It has made a difference. The benefits are undeniable. Instead of a family shivering in the cold in northern New Mexico, we have families using LIHEAP to keep their children warm. Instead of a family being turned out of their home because they couldn't afford rising rent, CSBG provides rental assistance. Instead of a promising young man falling into homelessness or despair without an income, we have CSBG programs helping with career training and job searches. One of my favorite programs is Head Start. I started my academic career as a Head Start baby and fell in love with learning, and we know that an investment in our children at the earliest age is the biggest and best investment we can work; and this provides Head Start. CSBG touches every aspect of our community because there is not one root cause of poverty. We need to uplift our most vulnerable by meeting them where they are because they have aspirations that we need to help them achieve.…”