U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

STATE News:

NAMBÉ – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, Monday joined Representatives Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.), Governor Toledo of Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico Indian Affairs Department Cabinet Secretary Lynn Trujillo, and the NAVA Education Project for a virtual phone bank to ensure a full and accurate count of the state’s Native communities in the 2020 Census.

“New Mexico could lose $780 million if just 1 percent of New Mexicans don’t participate in the 2020 Census. As of today, it stands to lose $36.3 billion if we don’t act now … And nowhere will that be felt more than in Indian Country,” Luján said. “I’m urging all New Mexicans – and especially members of Hard-To-Count communities like those living on Tribal lands – to complete their census today by phone, mail, or online. It has never been safer or easier to respond to the census, and by now, most residents of New Mexico’s Tribal communities should have received a census packet at their home.”

Background:

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau announced it would end its efforts to count every resident one month early, on September 30. This decision could cost New Mexico billions of dollars in funding for education, health care, and other essential services. Today marks the first day census enumerators will be door-knocking across New Mexico in an effort to reach every household before the end of September. Households can still self-respond through the Non-Response Follow Up phase.

New Mexicans are encouraged to respond to the census immediately by visiting http://my2020census.gov; calling 844-330-2020 for English or 844-468-2020 for Spanish; or returning their completed questionnaire in the envelope