From the left: 

Annaliza Gourneau, Kyle Tapaha, CD-2 Congressman Gabe Vasquez, Claudia Risner, Brock Wolff, Henry Gonzales, and his wife Amanda Gonzales

Congressman Vasquez’s tour of VIC included conversations with VIC CEO Brock Wolf and Claudia Risner, a Board Member at the Veterans Integration Center and Previous Chair of the Veterans and Military Families Caucus.  His support of VIC’s dedication to providing stable housing, financial security, and community for Veterans and their families is an extension of his 2-term record of support for Veterans.  

That work includes: 

• Leading in the passage of the TRICARE Travel Improvement Act, passed as part of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act.  The Act lowers mileage requirements from 100 miles to 75, making access to health care more affordable to more rural military families. 
• Leading the New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Act, adding Otero and Eddy counties to the VIC Service network and making it possible for Veterans in those counties to access health care at the El Paso VA Medical Center. 
• Introducing the not-yet-passed Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act increasing the yearly book and supply stipend for student Veterans from $1000 to $1400. 
• Introducing the Feed Our Veterans Act (not yet heard in Ag Committee) to restore federal exemption protecting low-income Veterans from SNAP work requirements instituted by Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which cuts the social safety net and lowers taxes for the rich.
• Signing the Discharge petition to require a House vote on the Major Richard Star Act, allowing combat-injured Veterans to receive both full military retirement and VA disability compensation. 
• Supporting the FY27 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriation Act.