Q&A with Congressman Gabe Vasquez

When some in Congress tried to quietly auction off half a million acres of public land to fund tax breaks, a bipartisan group of lawmakers stood firm—and one lawmaker stood out as a leading voice in killing the deal and keeping those lands in public hands. Today, we’re featuring US Congressman Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), a first-generation Mexican-American and dedicated champion for working families, conservation, and outdoor access.

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About Rep. Gabe Vasquez: Congressman Vasquez is a first-generation Mexican-American who grew up in the borderlands and has dedicated his career to serving New Mexico. After helping build a successful Las Cruces startup, he worked on Senator Heinrich’s staff supporting businesses and communities across southern New Mexico.

Elected to Las Cruces City Council in 2017 with over 70% of the vote, Vasquez delivered millions in investments for parks, infrastructure, job creation, and poverty reduction. He also played a key role in protecting the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.

Before Congress, he served as executive director of the Las Cruces Hispano Chamber of Commerce and advocated for public lands and family well-being. Vasquez was elected to represent New Mexico’s 2nd District in 2022 and is a champion for working families and an inclusive economy.

Q: Can you tell us about the Public Lands Caucus and what motivated you to start it?

Like many New Mexicans, I grew up fishing, hunting, and camping on public lands with my family. Those outdoor moments taught me resilience, self-reliance, and pride in my culture. Nature shaped the kind of leader I am today. 

Back in 2017, I co-founded the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project to make sure Latino and other underrepresented communities could see themselves in outdoor spaces—and have access to them. I helped write the nation's first Outdoor Equity Fund and even worked to get hunting and fishing regulations translated into Spanish, because everyone deserves to feel like they belong on our public lands. And I hunt and fish in New Mexico today alongside many of my friends, where we don’t talk about party and politics, we just get to enjoy what we love doing.

So when I got to Congress and saw our shared lands under threat by some Republicans trying to sneak in the public lands sell-off behind closed doors, I knew I had to act. That’s why I co-founded the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus. Our mission is simple: keep public lands in public hands. We’re here to protect the sacred places where families connect, where communities thrive, and where culture is passed down across generations.

Q: How did you work with your colleagues to make sure public lands sell-off wasn’t included in reconciliation?

We saw what was coming: a backroom deal buried in a massive reconciliation package, one that would’ve auctioned off half a million acres of public land in Utah and Nevada to help pay for tax breaks for the wealthy. No hearings or transparency, just a quiet land grab designed to benefit the powerful at the expense of everyday Americans. 

I teamed up with Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican from Montana and former Interior Secretary, and together we launched the Public Lands Caucus. We built bipartisan pressure and shined a national spotlight on the scheme. That language was ultimately stripped from the bill, and we protected not just acres of land but the principle that America’s public lands belong to the people, not special interests.

Q: We know there will likely be more efforts to roll back public lands protections, both from the Trump administration and from Congress. What message do you have for public lands advocates about the fights ahead?

This fight isn’t over. The next attack on our public lands might be bigger, better hidden, and even more coordinated. But here’s what I want public lands advocates to know: we’re ready. We’ve proven that even in a divided Congress, we can still win when we organize, when we build coalitions, and when we lead with our values. I’ll keep fighting alongside anyone, from either party, who believes our public lands deserve to be protected, not sold off to the highest bidder.

Q: What's the biggest risk you've ever taken? 

Running for Congress—hands down! It’s tough to sacrifice time away from family, the things you love to do, and a place you love dearly to spend time legislating in DC, but it’s also an honor. 

I’m also not wealthy and didn’t grow up with money, so it was tough to run a race that relied on me asking my best friends and family for $25 and expecting to win. 

Q: What's something about you that might surprise people?

English is my second language, and I grew up in Juarez, Mexico. While I appreciate it when folks tell me I speak English well, I worked dang hard to master it.

Why This Week’s News About Senator Brian Schatz is a Big Deal

There’s big news for climate and clean energy advocates—though it may fly under the radar this week due to its inside-baseball nature: Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii has secured the votes to become the number-two Senate Democrat, putting him firmly on the path to potentially becoming the next Senate Majority Leader.

Why does this matter? Because Senator Schatz is one of the most credible, consistent, and effective voices on climate in the Senate—and one of the sharpest communicators. He’s young (especially by Senate standards), has strong relationships across the aisle, and understands how to use modern platforms to reach voters. Case in point: as Punchbowl News reported this morning, since 2022 he’s raised $5 million through Twitter/X alone.

Schatz chaired the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, which helped lay the foundation for the Inflation Reduction Act. He’s a clear, disciplined communicator who knows how to talk about climate and clean energy in a way that resonates with voters—something we need much more of. If you haven’t already, listen to his February 12 interview on Heatmap News’s Shift Key podcast. You’ll see what I mean.

He’s about to be in a position to help shape the communications and policy strategy on climate and clean energy for years to come. That’s very good news.