New Mexico in Focus; 2018 First Congressional District Candidate Forum

>>Public tv stations KNME, KRWG, KENW, are proud to present the 2018 First congressional district candidate forum. We are in the KNME studios in Albuquerque and featuring all three of the major party candidates, republican Janice Haaland, and Libertarian Lloyd Princeton. >> HELLO, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US. I'M GENE GRANT FROM KNME HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE. I'M JOINED BY LORENE MILLS >> WE'RE EXCITED TO HOST THIS FORUM AGAIN WITH OUR PUBLIC TV STATION PARTNERS KENW, AS JUST MENTIONED, IN PORTALES, AND ALSO KWRG IN LAS CRUCES. WE WANT TO HAVE AN ENLIGHTENING AND ENGAGING, CONVERSATION TONIGHT. WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THESE CANDIDATES TO GET SOME ENLIGHTENING ANSWERS TO SOME GOOD QUESTIONS TONIGHT. WE WANT TO DO THIS WITHOUT A TIMER, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TONIGHT WE ALSO WANT TO JUMP RIGHT IN WITH THE OPENING STATEMENTS FROM THE CANDIDATES, AND THE ORDER WAS ORDERED BEFORE THE BROADCAST. SO WE'LL START WITH DEB HAALAND. DEB, YOUR OPENING STATEMENT, PLEASE. >> GENE, AND THANK YOU, LORENE. I'M VERY HAPPY

TO BE HERE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DEB HAALAND. I'M THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR CONGRESS IN NEW MEXICO'S 1st CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. CONGRESS HAS NEVER HEARD A VOICE LIKE MINE BECAUSE THERE'S NEVER BEEN A NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN IN CONGRESS. I'M A SINGLE MOM. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON FOOD STAMPS. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HOLD A SICK CHILD IN A WAITING ROOM FOR THREE HOURS. I AM A FORMER SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, HAVING A SALSA COMPANY RIGHT HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE FOR 11 YEARS. MY DAUGHTER AND I BOTH GRADUATED FROM APS, BOTH GRADUATED FROM UNM, WE'RE BOTH PAYING OFF OUR STUDENT LOANS. IN THIS ERA OF TRUMP, WE NEED NEW STRONG VOICES TO GO TO D.C. TO FIGHT FOR THE THINGS THAT NEW MEXICANS NEED AND DESERVE, LIKE MOVING FORWARD ON A RENEWABLE ENERGY ECONOMY, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GET BIG DARK MONEY OUT OF POLITICS, AND ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS A QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION, INCLUDING AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. I AM THAT VOICE. I LIVE PROGRESSIVE VALUES. I WOULD

APPRECIATE HAVING YOUR VOTE ON NOVEMBER 6th. MY NAME IS DEB HAALAND. >> DEB, APPRECIATE IT. UP NEXT, JANICE YOUR OPENING STATEMENT. >> THANK YOU. I AM JANICE ARNOLD JONES. AND MANY THANKS TO ALL OF OUR PBS STATIONS FOR LETTING US SHARE WITH THE VIEWERS OUR THOUGHTS. I AM JANICE ARNOLD JONES. I'M RUNNING FOR THE 1st CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. I'M A FORMER BUSINESS WOMAN AND ENTREPRENEUR WITH OVER 30 YEARS PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING 12 YEARS AS A CONTRACTOR TO SANDIA NATIONAL LABS. I'VE ALSO SERVED FOR EIGHT YEARS IN THE NEW MEXICO STATE LEGISLATURE, AND ALSO ON THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL. SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL THAT SOME PEOPLE CALL ME LADY SUNLIGHT, BECAUSE I TOOK A WEB CAM TO THE LEGISLATURE AND, AS A RESULT, THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES ARE NOW OPEN FOR ALL TO SEE AT ALMOST ANY TIME. I AM A WAR ORPHAN, A NAVY WIFE, A MOM, A SOCCER COACH, A UNM LOBO, AND A LOYAL ALBUQUERQUE HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOG. YOU KNOW, NEW MEXICO IS THE MOST MAGNIFICENT STATE, BUT IT NEEDS AN ADVOCATE IN WASHINGTON. OFTENTIMES WE ARE OVERLOOKED, AND YET

THIS STATE HAS PROVIDED CRITICAL SERVICES TO OUR NATION FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR NATION. I AM PREPARED TO TACKLE THE MASSIVE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING OUR COUNTRY AND FACING US IN CONGRESS, WHICH INCLUDES NATIONAL SECURITY, TAX POLICY, HEALTH CARE, JOBS, CRIME, IMMIGRATION, REGULATION, AND THE DEBT. I WOULD BE HONORED TO REPRESENT YOU, TO SERVE AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, YOUR VOICE, AND ALSO, TO PROVIDE THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES THAT MY PREDECESSOR, CONGRESSMAN MANUEL LUJAN, SET AS A STANDARD FOR OUR CONGRESS. I'M JANICE ARNOLD JONES RUNNING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE. >> JANICE, THANK YOU. OUR LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE, LLOYD PRINCETON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME, I APPRECIATE IT. SO, I AM LLOYD PRINCETON, AND I AM THE LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE, ALSO THE THIRD PARTY,

THE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE WHO IS TRYING TO GIVE VOICE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT IDENTIFY WITH ONE PARTY OR ANOTHER. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IS NOT A PARTY. IT'S BEEN A FASCINATING EXPERIENCE. ALTHOUGH MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE STATE FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, I, MYSELF, ONLY MOVED HERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO TAKE CARE OF AN ELDERLY MOTHER, AND IN THE TIME OUT OF THE STATE, I'VE MANAGED TO LIVE IN SOME VERY FASCINATING AND GREAT CITIES, AND HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN VERY ROBUST ENVIRONMENTS. AND NOW THAT I'M HERE IN NEW MEXICO, OF COURSE EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT HOW WE MAY BE LAST IN A LOT OF CRITICAL RANKINGS, BUT I'D LIKE TO CHALLENGE YOU AND SUGGEST THAT WE DON'T NEED TO BE LAST. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED, OR AT LEAST THE MAJORITY OF THEM, AVAILABLE TO US TODAY, TO HAVE THE PROSPERITY IN ABUNDANCE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE SEEK AND WANT AND SEE IN OUR SURROUNDING STATES. AND CERTAINLY WHILE IT WOULD

BE MY JOB TO BE IN CONGRESS, IN WASHINGTON, D.C., I PLAN ON SPENDING AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE HERE IN THE STATE MEETING WITH MY CONSTITUENTS, HAVING AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY SO THAT THEY CAN COME AND ACTUALLY TELL ME THEIR IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS, AND SO THAT I CAN BE A ADVOCATE, BUT ALSO A CHEERLEADER AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP HERE ON THE GROUND, BECAUSE WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES, AND FRANKLY, WE'RE IN AN INCREDIBLY EXCITING TIME. AMERICA HAS A ROBUST ECONOMY, WE'RE IN FULL-ON EMPLOYMENT, NEW MEXICO'S CHILDHOOD POVERTY HAS DECREASED BY 7%. WE HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO PROSPER TODAY, AND THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS SHOW, I'LL BE SHARING WITH YOU SOME OF MY THOUGHTS ON THAT, AND ULTIMATELY BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 6th, I WANT TO EARN YOUR VOTE. SO THANK YOU, AND LET'S DO THIS. >> THANK YOU, MR. PRINCETON. APPRECIATE THAT. LORENE AND I WILL BE SWAPPING QUESTIONS. I'LL START

WITH THE FIRST ONE. THE FIRST ONE WILL BE TO DEB HAALAND. WHAT'S THE ONE THING IN THIS WE NEED URGENTLY THAT YOU WILL MAKE A TOP PRIORITY IF ELECTED, AND WHY? >> SURE. WELL, THAT LIST IS LONG, BUT I'LL START WITH ONE OF MY TOP CAMPAIGN ISSUES THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST 16 MONTHS, TO A RENEWABLE ENERGY ECONOMY. WE NEED JOBS HERE. THAT HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WITH MOVING FORWARD TOWARD 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY, IT WOULD NOT ONLY FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT WE WOULD CREATE THOUSANDS OF LIVEABLE WAGE JOBS. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MINIMUM WAGE JOBS. THEY NEED TO BE JOBS WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY EARN A LIVING AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES WITH THAT TYPE OF WAGE. SO I WOULD SAY WITH A RENEWABLE ENERGY ECONOMY, A GREEN NEW DEAL, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT NEW MEXICO

AND DISTRICT 1 TREMENDOUSLY. >> JANICE ARNOLD JONES, SAME QUESTION. WHAT'S THE ONE PRIORITY THIS DISTRICT NEEDS URGENTLY AND WHAT WILL YOU DO TO SEE THAT HAPPEN? >> WELL, I THINK THERE ARE CLEARLY MANY ISSUES, BUT IF YOU ASK ME AND THAT BEGINS WITH MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING AND STANDING UP FOR ALL OF THE JOBS AT SANDIA NATIONAL LABS AND ALSO KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE. BUT WE CANNOT RELY JUST ON THE FEDERAL SECTOR. WE MUST GET OUT OF OUR OWN WAY AND FINALLY DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY, AND THAT'S GOING TO COME IN A COUPLE OF STEPS. ONE IS A STATE ISSUE, AND THE STATE SIDE IS, WE NEED TO BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT WHEN BUSINESSES WANT TO EXPAND, WHETHER THEY'RE HOME-GROWN OR THEY COME FROM OUT OF STATE, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO START UP THEIR BUSINESS AND NOT WASTE THEIR CAPITAL WAITING ON NEW MEXICO. WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DO IN NEW

MEXICO THAT WE NEED TO LET THE REST OF THE WORLD KNOW ABOUT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT, OR THAT I LOOK AT WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT JOBS, IS HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE IN OUR STATE MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THE INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY OF OUR STATE TO ACTUALLY GET OUT. THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CREATE JOBS. BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT CORE QUESTION, MR. PRINCETON. PRIORITIES FOR THE DISTRICT. WHAT WOULD THEY BE, AND WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ENSURE THOSE? >> I SEE A THEME HERE, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY THE ECONOMY. THIS IS TWO-FOLD. FRANKLY, WE'RE ALREADY DOING THIS. WHILE WE TALK ABOUT NEEDING TO CREATE JOBS, I BELIEVE THAT ABSOLUTELY HAS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO TRAINING OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY HERE WHO ARE NOT IN SCHOOL, AND WE HAVE EXCELLENT PROGRAMS. TALENT ABQ IS ONE OF THEM THAT ACTUALLY ASSESSES PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR SKILLS, AND IT MATCHES THEM WITH EMPLOYERS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO REQUIRE A COLLEGE DEGREE.

AND IF THE SKILLS ARE A LITTLE RUSTY, THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THEM SOME SKILL-UP CENTERS, WHICH YOU COULD GET AT A LIBRARY OR SOMETHING. SO I WANT TO TAKE THE PEOPLE WE HAVE TODAY AND MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE FOR THE WORKFORCE. WE ALREADY HAVE IMMEDIATE SUCCESS STORIES WITH OUR LEDA PROGRAM, THE LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS. ALBUQUERQUE RECENTLY PUT FORWARD $2 MILLION TO A COMPANY CALLED TASK-US THAT IS ACTUALLY NOW INVESTING $9 MILLION IN THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA WHICH WILL GENERATE UP TO 700 JOBS. BERNALILLO COUNTY HAS ALSO HAD A SIMILAR SUCCESS STORY. THEY'RE WORKING ON SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, AN $800,000 INVESTMENT WILL YIELD A $2 MILLION INVESTMENT INTO IMPROVING HEADQUARTERS FOR A DATA SCIENCE COMPANY. THESE ARE GREAT JOBS, THESE ARE NOT MINIMUM WAGE JOBS, AND THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT ALREADY EXIST. ALL WE NEED TO DO IS KEEP STOKING THEM. AND WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE

IF THEY ACTUALLY TRY, AND I THINK THAT AS WE LOOK INTO OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, WE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY START OFFERING CAREER AND SKILLS TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, ONCE AGAIN, THE PROGRAMS ABOUND. CNM HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM GEARED TOWARD STEM JOBS, AS WELL. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE IN TECHNOLOGY OR SCIENCE, NOT MINIMUM WAGE, THEY CAN GET THEIR IMMEDIATE TRAINING SO THEY CAN SEGUE INTO A JOB. WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN FRONT OF US TODAY BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE A ROBUST ECONOMY, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT. >> APPRECIATE THAT. NEXT QUESTION FROM LORRAINE MILLS. >> WELL, THE NEXT QUESTION WAS YOUR PRIORITIES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND SORT OF YOUR LISTING OF PRIORITIES OF FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT I DO INVITE YOU TO EXPAND FURTHER

FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ANOTHER SIDE ISSUE, IF YOU HAVE A MINUTE, BECAUSE THE 1st CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT COVERS BOTH ALBUQUERQUE AND THE RURAL COMMUNITIES IN BERNALILLO, TORRANCE, SANDOVAL, SANTA FE, AND VALENCIA COUNTIES, HOW DO YOU BALANCE DEMANDS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES? WE'LL START WITH YOU, JANICE. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ME TO TALK ABOUT EXPANDING AND ITS 137 TENANT COMMANDS, AND ALSO THE WORK AT SANDIA NATIONAL LABS. THIS REALLY DOES TAKE YOUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SHOWING UP, DOING THE JOB, AND ADVOCATING FOR NEW MEXICO. BUT THAT'S JUST ONE PART. SO, HOW DO WE BALANCE THE RURAL PART WITH THE REST OF THE AREA? WE'RE SO LUCKY THAT IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WE HAVE PROBABLY ONE OF THE LEADING AGRICULTURAL COUNTIES IN THIS DISTRICT, WHICH IS TORRANCE COUNTY. NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES GOING ON. CERTAINLY THE FARM BILL COMES INTO PLAY. WE MUST

PAY ATTENTION TO IT. WE NEED TO ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO MAKING SURE THAT WATER IS ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR RURAL AREAS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN YOU WANT TO EXPAND THIS ECONOMY, YOU CANNOT JUST LOOK TO GOVERNMENT. WE NEED TO LOOK OF NEW MEXICANS WHO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU WANT TO CREATE AN ECONOMY, THAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO WORK, YOU WANT TO CREATE A NEW IDEA, YOU HAVE TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO TO DO EXACTLY THAT. BUT I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT NEW MEXICO MUST GET OUT OF OUR OWN WAY AND ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY USE THAT CREATIVE INSTINCT THAT IS RESIDENT RIGHT HERE. >> THANK YOU. AND LLOYD, YOUR THOUGHTS. >> ABSOLUTELY, LORENE. THANK YOU. SO SANDIA LABS HAS COME AGAIN, WE'RE ALREADY DOING IT. SANDIA LABS HAS AN

ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXPLORATION PROGRAM WHICH ENCOURAGES ITS EMPLOYEES AND FORMER EMPLOYEES TO ACTUALLY FIND TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES, AND THEY WORK IN TANDEM WITH ABQid, WHICH IS A MENTORSHIP AND COACHING PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE PREPARE AND TO GET THEIR BUSINESS PLANS FORWARD. LOS ALAMOS HAS HAD A RECENT SUCCESS STORY WHERE ONE OF THEIR FORMER TENANTS HAS JUST RECEIVED $6 MILLION IN VENTURE FUNDING TO BRING A NONTOXIC WATER REPELLENT TO THE MARKET, AND IT'S INCREDIBLY VIABLE. WE'VE GOT SMART PEOPLE HERE, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO NURTURE THIS PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. AND TO ADDRESS THE RURAL COMMUNITIES, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO DRIVE TO ALBUQUERQUE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO START AND PROSPER IN THEIR OWN SMALL TO DO THAT IS TO TACKLE OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING.

OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING IS SOMETHING THAT GETS IN THE WAY AND REALLY KIND OF PROHIBITS COMPETITION IN MANY SECTORS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF HOURS IN LICENSURE IN ORDER TO GET PERMITS TO RUN BUSINESSES. TAKING AN EXTREME EXAMPLE OF HAIR WEAVING AND BRAIDING, THAT TAKES A LICENSE WHICH CAN TAKE 1600 HOURS. IT'S NOT NECESSARY. IN MANY CASES, AN INSPECTION OF A FACILITY PERIODICALLY WILL MORE THAN SUFFICE FOR A LICENSE. BUT THAT'S ONE PROGRAM RIGHT THERE WHICH CAN GO AHEAD AND HELP OUR RURAL AND WE'RE ALREADY DOING IT, WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE DOING IT. THIS IS PART FEDERAL, AND THIS IS ALSO REALLY PART STATE, AS WELL. >> THANK YOU, LLOYD. AND DEB, TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS. >> THANK YOU, LORENE. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SINGLE RURAL COMMUNITY HAS BROADBAND INTERNET, THAT EVERYBODY CAN ACCESS THE WEB. THAT WILL HELP

EDUCATION, THAT WILL HELP ENTREPRENEURS, THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE. IN FACT, THERE ARE A LOT OF AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE BROADBAND INTERNET. I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE. ADDITIONALLY, HEALTH CARE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. HEALTH CARE IS THE FASTEST GROWING AND LARGEST ECONOMY HERE IN OUR STATE, AND IF WE ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, THAT WE KEEP THAT INTACT UNTIL WE HAVE RELIABLE HEALTH CARE THEN WE CAN PROTECT HEALTH CARE IN THOSE RURAL COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS IS ONE WAY TO ENSURE THAT. LAST, GIVING A PLUG FOR THE SMALL FARMERS ACROSS DISTRICT 1. I WAS TALKING TO ONE SMALL FARMER IN THE NORTH VALLEY WHO SAID SHE LOST A USDA GRANT TO A LARGE CORPORATE FARM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO HELP THE LARGE CORPORATE FARMS. I THINK WE NEED TO HELP THE SMALL FARMERS RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO. SO I WOULD WORK TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR SMALL

FARMERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. >> THANK YOU. >> JUST A QUICK REMINDER, WE DID HAVE AN AGREEMENT FOR ONE MINUTE FOR RESPONSES FROM EACH. JUST A LITTLE TIGHTER ON SOME OF THEM, AND WE'LL BE IN GOOD SHAPE ON TIME. JUST WANT MEXICANS ARE ON A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM LIKE MEDICARE MAINTAINING OR EVEN INCREASING FUNDING FOR FEDERAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS? >> EVERYONE DESERVES ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE HEALTH CARE JUGGERNAUT IS JUST SO COMPLEX, AND AS DEB WAS JUST SAYING, IT'S A GROWING SECTOR, BUT IT'S GROWING BECAUSE OF INEFFICIENCIES. THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY THAT'S WASTED, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START ADDRESSING IT FROM A NUMBER OF PERSPECTIVES. FOR INSTANCE, FOR THOSE THAT ACTUALLY CAN AFFORD HEALTH

CARE, WE NEED TO START TRANSITIONING OVER TO A DIRECT PRIMARY CARE MODEL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PRIVATE PRACTICE PHYSICIANS ARE ALREADY EMBRACING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE ALSO ESSENTIALLY REALLY NEED TO CUT THROUGH THE REGULATION AND THE RULES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED, ONCE AGAIN, TO PREVENT COMPETITION. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PURCHASE OUR INSURANCE ACROSS STATE LINES FOR ANY MAJOR MEDICAL NEED. AND AS FAR AS OBAMA CARE IS CONCERNED, WHILE IT WAS TRYING TO, IT HAD WORTHY GOALS, ONLY 20 MILLION OF THE 50 MILLION PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO INSURE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN INSURED, AND I, FOR ONE, AS WELL AS MANY OF MY CONSTITUENTS, OUR RATES HAVE ACTUALLY GONE UP. SO THAT'S A PROBLEM. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENT GETTING IN THE WAY OF ITSELF, LIKE THE FDA TAKING FOREVER TO APPROVE DRUGS OR TO APPROVE ULTIMATELY SAVE US MONEY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENT RESTRICTING MEDICARE'S ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE FOR PHARMACEUTICALS, THINGS LIKE THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO I DO WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE. I DO

THINK IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE MEDICARE. BUT I ULTIMATELY THINK THAT PEOPLE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE, EVEN IF IT'S A $5 CO-PAY. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO DEPRIVE ANYBODY, BUT IF YOU DON'T PUT SOMETHING FORWARD, THEN IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. THANK YOU. >> JUST A LITTLE TIGHTER. JUST A LITTLE TIGHTER ON TIME, GET THAT INTERNAL CLOCK GOING AND KEEP IT AT JUST A MINUTE. DEB HAALAND, SAME QUESTION. WOULD YOU SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS, BUT EVEN INCREASING THE SUPPORT FOR NEW MEXICANS? >> ABSOLUTELY. LOOK, NEW MEXICO, HALF OF OUR POPULATION IS MEDICAID ELIGIBLE. THAT TELLS ME THAT THERE IS A NEED SO, YES, I DO SUPPORT THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE KICKING PEOPLE OFF THOSE PROGRAMS WILL BE OF A BENEFIT TO OUR STATE. THE REPUBLICANS JUST GAVE A $1.5 TRILLION TAX CUT TO A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TAX

CUTS, AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE CAN AFFORD THAT, WE CAN DEFINITELY AFFORD TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HERE IN NEW MEXICO HAVE THE HEALTH CARE THAT THEY NEED. >> DEB, I WANT TO ASK YOU A FOLLOW-UP, AND I'LL ASK THE SAME FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU, JANICE. THERE'S A MOVEMENT IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS NEXT COMING SESSION TO POSSIBLY EXPAND MEDICAID PROTECTION FOR SOME NEW MEXICANS. WHILE YOU'RE NOT A STATE LEGISLATOR, THERE'S A HAND-IN-HAND KIND OF TIE-IN HERE. WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT MOVE LOCALLY, AND WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT MOVE FROM WASHINGTON, AS WELL? >> I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT HELPS PEOPLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, TO HAVE THEY NEED, ABSOLUTELY. >> GOTCHA. JANICE, WE'LL START AT THE TOP, THAT NEARLY HALF ARE ON SOME KIND OF FEDERAL PROGRAM. WOULD YOU SUPPORT MAINTAINING OR EVEN EXPANDING THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS FOR NEW MEXICANS? >> WELL, LET ME TAKE A DIFFERENT TACT. WE DO HAVE ABOUT 48% OF OUR POPULATION MEDICAID ELIGIBLE. OUR GOAL THE MEDICAID DEPENDENCY TO ABOUT 30% OVER FIVE YEARS. AND I'M NOT TALKING

ABOUT TAKING AWAY SERVICES, I'M TALKING ABOUT BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. I'M TALKING ABOUT BETTER JOBS. YOU KNOW, IT IS TIME THAT I -- IT JUST KILLS ME THAT THERE ARE BUSINESSES IN OUR STATE WHO HIRE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A BETTER WAGE, AND YET BECAUSE OF OUR CURRENT LAWS, THEY HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT IF THEY GIVE THEM TOO BIG OF A RAISE, THEN THEY CAN'T GET THE MEDICAID THAT THEY NEED, SO THEY DON'T GIVE THEM THE RAISE. THIS IS CRAZINESS. IT IS TIME TO LIFT OUR STATE UP SO THAT WE ARE ALL DOING BETTER. SO, LET ME SHIFT OVER TO MEDICARE. YOU KNOW, FIRST OFF, MEDICARE IS NOT FREE, AND I DON'T THINK -- WELL, MAYBE LORENE. MAYBE YOU AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES HERE ON MEDICARE. WE PAY FOR THIS. YOU PAY FOR THIS AS YOU ARE WORKING. IT IS NOT A FREE PROGRAM. DO I BELIEVE A COMMITMENT TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN TERMS

OF THEIR HEALTH CARE, BUT THIS PROGRAM, I THINK, IS SACROSANCT. WE PAID FOR IT. IT'S LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY. WILL WE EXPAND IT? WE MIGHT, BUT THERE'S SOME PLACES THAT WE DO NEED TO EXPAND, AND LET ME JUST HIT ON SOME CITIZENS THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, WE AS AMERICANS OWE THEM THAT CARE. ANY CHILD ON A DD WAIVER. THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ARE GOING TO ALWAYS HAVE TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FOR. OUR VETERANS WHO HAVE LOST LIMBS, LOST PARTS OF THEIR LIVES IN TERMS OF SERVING. WE OWE THAT. SO BALANCING THE NUMBERS, IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING ISSUE. BUT TO SIMPLY SAY, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE MORE DEPENDENT WHEN THERE ARE BETTER CHOICES, LET'S GIVE NEW MEXICO BETTER CHOICES. >> LORENE MILLS, NEXT QUESTION. >> WELL, THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING SOCIAL SECURITY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEXT ONE WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO. I'LL START WITH YOU, DEB, BUT I'LL LET YOU HEAR THE QUESTION FIRST. SO, SOCIAL SECURITY IS UNDERFUNDED IF IT

IS TO CONTINUE THE CURRENT BENEFIT STRUCTURE INDEFINITELY. SOME HAVE SUGGESTED REMOVING THE EARNINGS CAP ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY TAX AS A WAY TO AVOID REDUCING BENEFITS, OR RAISING THE AGE OF ELIGIBILITY, OR OTHER MEASURES. DO YOU SUPPORT REMOVING THE EARNS CAP ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY TAX, YES OR NO, AND WHY? AND IF THE ANSWER IS NO, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? >> YES, I DO SUPPORT -- THEY CALL IT SCRAP THE CAP. THAT'S THE CATCHY PHRASE THAT THEY USE SO THAT EFFICIENTLY. BUT, YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SCRAP THE CAP. THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE NOT READY TO RETIRE, NUMBER ONE, WHO CAN AFFORD TO CONTINUE TO PAY INTO SOCIAL SECURITY. ONE OF THE ISSUES, REAL QUICK, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ALWAYS CONSISTENTLY BORROWING FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUND. IF WE PROTECT AND EXPAND SOCIAL SECURITY, IF WE SCRAP THE CAP, I THINK WE'LL BE

IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE. >> THANK YOU. JANICE. >> I HAVE A FEELING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE GREAT AGREEMENT HERE. SOCIAL SECURITY IS ANOTHER PROMISE. IT'S YOUR MONEY. THE CAP ON IT, I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE. BUT, ALSO, IT IS TIME THAT -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIVING LONGER. IT'S TIME TO RAISE THE AGE. AND I THINK THAT CONGRESS HAS TO SAY, OKAY, ANYBODY UNDER THE AGE OF 45, IN 20 YEARS YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RETIRE AT 62 OR 65, BUT THE AGE IS GOING TO BE 67, IT MAY EVEN GO TO 70. BUT YOU HAVE TO GIVE TIME FOR CHANGE. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO, AND IN OUR STATE, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO ERB AND PERA. WHEN YOU HAVE AN UNFUNDED LIABILITY, YOU MUST TAKE A PROACTIVE STEP TO ACTUALLY CORRECT THAT, AND THAT MEANS THAT IF WE ARE NOT SOLVENT IN SOCIAL SECURITY, THEN CONGRESS MUST ACT TO ACTUALLY CHANGE THAT

SITUATION, AND THAT MAY MEAN A DIRECT APPROPRIATION. >> LLOYD, YOUR RESPONSE. >> ABSOLUTELY. SO, I THINK THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE. ONE, I ABSOLUTELY SECURITY DOES NEED TO BE RAISED. I ALSO THINK THAT THE AMOUNT OF RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION NEEDS TO BE RAISED, AS WELL. I MEAN, EVEN WEALTHY PEOPLE, ALIKE, OR PEOPLE WHO MAY MAKE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATE HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'RE GOING TO NEED FOR RETIREMENT, AND IT'S INCUMBENT UPON EACH OF US TO PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS. AND TO THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE THIRD IDEA, AND THAT IS TO ALLOW EACH OF US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO OUR OWN PRIVATE RETIREMENT, NOT TO PAY INTO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, BECAUSE IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT WE CAN PREPARE FOR OURSELVES AND NOT HAVE TO PAY INTO A PROGRAM DEFUNCT. WE GET A LOT OF AIR

PLAY ABOUT THE $21 TRILLION DEFICIT. A NUMBER THAT I WAS JUST READING IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SAYS THAT ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE A $100-TRILLION BILL FOR UNFUNDED ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS, AND MOST STATES HAVE UNDERFUNDED RETIREMENT PROGRAMS. THIS IS JUST A CLIFF THAT'S COMING, AND WE NEED SOME QUICK RADICAL ADJUSTMENTS TO IT. THANK YOU. >> I'D JUST LIKE TO OFFER A LITTLE FOLLOW-UP OPPORTUNITY FOR DEB AND JANICE IN LIGHT OF THIS IS A VERY SERPENTINE ISSUE. IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD, DEB, JUST ON THIS QUESTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY? >> I MEAN, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS SOLVENT FOR YEARS TO COME, AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT AND EXPAND SOCIAL SECURITY. >> GREAT. AND JANICE? >> I'M KIND OF PINGING ON BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES' THOUGHTS. THE OTHER POINT IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR RETIREMENT PROGRAM, IT

IS THE LAST STEP SAFETY NET. AND SO IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL LITERACY, BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE CORRECT THAT WE NEED TO STEP IT UP SO THAT YOU ARE PLANNING EARLIER FOR RETIREMENT. >> GREAT, THANK YOU. >> GOOD DEAL. JANICE, THIS WILL BE TO YOU FIRST. INTERESTING QUESTION HERE, BUT VERY SIMPLE. IT'S IN THE NEWS RIGHT NOW. DO YOU SUPPORT RESTRICTIONS ON IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGES ENTERING OUR COUNTRY? >> DO I SUPPORT RESTRICTIONS? YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD 30-SOME ODD YEARS, MAYBE EVEN 50 YEARS, WE'VE ALLOWED ABOUT A MILLION IMMIGRANTS PER YEAR INTO OUR NATION. IS IT A HARD AND FAST NUMBER? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. BUT FOR ME, IF I'M THINKING ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND PEOPLE COMING TO OUR COUNTRY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR COUNTRY WHO WANT TO BE AMERICANS. I THINK THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO

WHEN WE'RE OPENING OUR DOORS. AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SERVE REFUGES WHO ARE BEING SAVAGED FOR WHATEVER REASON IN THE COUNTRY THAT THEY ARE FROM. I THINK THAT IT IS WORTHWHILE LOOKING AT SKILL SETS. I GET IRRITATED THAT CURRENTLY OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS CLEARLY BROKEN, IT'S NOT WORKING FOR ANYBODY, AND WE HAVE TWO PROBLEMS. ONE IS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE OVERSTAYING THEIR VISAS. YOU KNOW, AT SANDIA, THEY TRACK YOU GOING IN, GOING OUT. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE CAN'T DO THAT. BUT ON THE OWN SIDE, HERE IN NEW MEXICO -- LET US TAKE NEW MEXICO TECH IN PARTICULAR WHERE WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WHO ARE EARNING POSTGRADUATE DEGREES THAT MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN, BUT WE NEED THEM. AND THEY CAN'T EVEN GET THEIR VISAS RENEWED. SO, DO I WANT PEOPLE TO COME? I WANT PEOPLE TO WANT THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND WE NEED TO FIX OUR IMMIGRATION POLICIES SO IT I'S POSSIBLE. >> LLOYD PRINCETON, SAME QUESTION. DO YOU SUPPORT RESTRICTIONS ON IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGES ENTERING OUR COUNTRY? >> TO JANICE'S POINT, WE ARE

A SOVEREIGN NATION AND WE ARE IN AND WHO IS GOING OUT. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED IMMIGRATION REFORM, AND RIGHT OFF THE BAT, WE DESPERATELY NEED TO HAVE A LIBERAL WORK VISA PROGRAM. MANY OF OUR INDUSTRIES, A LOT OF SERVICE INDUSTRIES, AGRICULTURAL, ARE CURRENTLY UNDERSTAFFED, AND IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO KEEP THIS ECONOMY GOING WITH WORKERS TO DO THE WORK. IN TERMS OF ACTUAL IMMIGRATION POLICY, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED IMMEDIATE IMMIGRATION REFORM, AND I THINK THAT A MERIT-BASED SYSTEM, SIMILAR IT THAT OF CANADA'S, WHERE WE TAKE SKILL SETS, LANGUAGE SKILLS, EDUCATION, ADAPTABILITY INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN ALLOWING PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE COUNTRY. AND FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT READILY QUALIFY OR MAY NOT BE NECESSARILY A TARGET IN THIS RESPECT, WE COULD ALSO OFFER AN ANCILLARY PROGRAM OF PROVIDING MAYBE A SURETY BOND WHERE THEY PUT MONEY UP IN EXCHANGE FOR THE ABILITY TO MAKE APPLICATION FOR ENTRY, AND WE HAVE THE MONEY ON DEPOSIT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ACTUALLY FOLLOW OUR LAWS AND DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO VIS-A-VIS

KEEPING THE ECONOMY VIBRANT, STUDIES HAVE ALREADY SHOWN AS LIKELY TO CREATE SMALL BUSINESSES THAN NONIMMIGRANTS. IT'S A FALLACY TO SUGGEST THAT IMMIGRANTS CAUSE ANY MORE CRIME THAN NONIMMIGRANTS DO. SO I WELCOME THEM AND EMBRACE THEM, AND THAT KIND OF SMALL BUSINESS ENGINE IS GOING TO BE EXACTLY WHAT NEW MEXICO NEEDS TO COME OFF OF ITS FEDERAL DEPENDENCY. AND REALLY THE IDEA IS, WE DON'T HAVE TO SHRINK THE FEDERAL PIE, BUT WE NEED TO GROW THE ECONOMIC PIE IN NEW MEXICO, AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO DO IT. >> DEB HAALAND, SAME QUESTION. >> THANK YOU, GENE. WELL, WHEN I THINK ABOUT IMMIGRATION IN OUR COUNTRY, YES, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HAVE COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM IN OUR COUNTRY. CURRENTLY, WITH THE PREJUDICIAL POLICIES COMING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE OF BANNING MUSLIMS, SEPARATING CHILDREN FROM THEIR FAMILIES ON THE BORDER, THAT HAS CAUSED, FOR EXAMPLE, A LOT OF FOREIGN STUDENTS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE COME TO THE UNITED

STATES TO NOT WANT TO COME, AND THAT'S AN ISSUE. THAT'S AN ECONOMIC ISSUE, ALSO, FOR OUR COUNTRY AND OUR STATE RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO. SO I THINK WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IMMIGRATION REFORM, IT NEEDS TO BE -- WE NEED TO APPROACH IT WITH SOME COMPASSION. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALLOWING FOLKS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, IF THEY COME HERE, TO ACTUALLY FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK AND MAKE IT COUNT, THAT THEY'RE NOT REFUSED BECAUSE THEY FORGOT TO DOT AN 'I' OR PUT A PERIOD IN THEIR FORM. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE 20 YEARS FOR SOMEONE TO FINISH THEIR PAPERWORK. AND I HOPE THAT WHEN WE APPROACH THIS ISSUE, THAT WE'LL DO IT WITH COMPASSION, THAT WE'LL DO IT WITH SOME LOGIC AND REASON. >> LET ME ASK A FOLLOW-UP FOR EACH OF YOU ON THIS ONE. MR PRINCETON, I'LL START WITH YOU. I'M GOING TO ASK FOR ABOUT HALF THE TIME FROM EACH OF YOU ON THIS ONE.

IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO ANSWER. DO YOU SUPPORT GOING BACK TO DACA, SOMETHING TO PROTECT CHILDREN WHO WERE BROUGHT HERE ILLEGALLY BY THEIR PARENTS? DO YOU SUPPORT THAT IDEA? >> CONGRESS'S RESPONSIBILITY, NOT THE PRESIDENT'S. I ALSO AM TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT WHILE THEY HAVE BEEN HERE UNDOCUMENTED FOR TEN YEARS OR MORE, DON'T KNOW OTHER COUNTRIES, I'M ALSO SENSITIVE TO THE FACT, AND AT LEAST WANT TO HAVE AS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED LEGALLY, MUCH AS DEB POINTED OUT, BUT NOW THEY'RE WAITING EXTRAORDINARILY LONG TIMES FOR CITIZENSHIP. SO I THINK WE DO NEED TO FIND A BALANCE. BUT IT DOES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, AND IT DOES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY CONGRESS. >> DEB, DEFERRED ACTION ON CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS, DO YOU SUPPORT IT? >> YES, ABSOLUTELY. THEY NEED A PATH A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP IMMEDIATELY. AND I WOULD ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THAT. >> JANICE ARNOLD JONES, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS. >> YOU KNOW, AMERICA IS A VERY COMPASSIONATE COUNTRY,

AND WE DO NOT PUNISH CHILDREN FOR THE ILLEGAL ACTS THIS IS INVOLVED IN COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM, IT BELONGS DIRECTLY RIGHT IN THE LAP OF CONGRESS. I HAVE A SIMPLE SOLUTION FOR DACA CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18. AND GENE, I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IF THEY ARE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WE ARE ALREADY SUPPORTING THEM, AND THAT BY THE TIME THEY GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, THOSE CITIZENSHIP CLASSES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND TO EVERY OTHER STUDENT, BY THE WAY, AND THAT WHEN THEY GRADUATE, THAT THEY MAY MAKE A CHOICE TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AND RAISE THEIR HAND TO BECOME A CITIZEN. AND I APPRECIATE THAT THIS WILL BE A VERY SPECIAL PROGRAM, BECAUSE THE BIG COMPLAINT IS, AS YOU'RE BOTH MENTIONING, IS DO YOU GIVE SPECIAL RIGHTS TO ONE GROUP OVER ANOTHER GROUP. WE WILL HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO DO THIS, BUT I DO SEE A WAY FORWARD ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHILDREN. AND LET ME JUST ADD THAT UNDER DACA,

UNDER THE CURRENT DEFINITION THAT WE HAVE, THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AS MUCH AS 40 YEARS OLD THAT ACTUALLY ARE IN THIS CATEGORY, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO PATH TO ANYTHING. IT DOES NOT EXIST. SO THE ANSWER CLEARLY IS, IMMIGRATION REFORM. CONGRESS, YOU BETTER GET ON IT. >> THANK YOU ALL. APPRECIATE THAT. LORENE MILLS. >> WE HAVE MANY BUT WE'VE BOILED THEM DOWN TO TALKING ABOUT WATER BRIEFLY. NEW MEXICO IS FACING DIRE WATER CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW WITH THE RIVERS LOW, MANY OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESERVOIRS NEARLY OUT OF STORED WATER, AND GROUNDWATER RESOURCES OVERPUMPED. WHAT WILL YOU DO IN CONGRESS TO ADDRESS NEW MEXICO'S WATER CHALLENGES IN THE SHORT-TERM AND THE LONG-TERM, AND WE'LL START WITH YOU, LLOYD. >> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. CERTAINLY WATER IS LIFE. I WISH I HAD AN IMMEDIATE SOLUTION TO THIS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK CONSIDERATION IS THAT WE ARE

IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT, AND THAT ARIDITY IS SLOWLY MOVING TOWARDS THE EAST COAST. SO OUR WATER CONSIDERATIONS ARE GOING TO INCREASE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO IMPROVE IN TIME. AND WHILE WE'RE JUST ENDING OUR MONSOON SEASON HERE, IT'S NOT FANTASTIC. I THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS MUCH MORE DRAMATICALLY THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST, FROM LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION TO AGRICULTURAL USE. A LOT OF THINGS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START TO CONTINUE TO FIND GREATER EFFICIENCIES. I DON'T THINK WE CAN MANUFACTURE MORE WATER, OTHER THAN DESALINIZATION, WHICH IS CERTAINLY EXPENSIVE, BUT MAYBE EVEN THAT WOULD BE YOUR THOUGHTS. >> SURE. IN THE SHORT TERM, YES, EDUCATION, CONSERVATION. YOU KNOW, I'M A MEMBER OF LAGUNA PUEBLO. WHEN I WAS

GROWING UP, MY GRANDMOTHER DIDN'T GET RUNNING WATER UNTIL THE MID SEVENTIES. SO IF YOU WANTED WATER, YOU HAD TO WALK TO THE CENTER OF THE VILLAGE AND FILL BUCKETS UP AND TAKE THEM BACK TO THE HOUSE. AND WHEN YOU'RE UNDER THAT SITUATION, YOU LEARN VERY QUICKLY THAT YOU CONSERVE EVERY DROP THAT YOU HAVE, BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE THAT HAS TO GO AND FILL THE BUCKETS UP, AND THAT'S A LOT OF WORK WHEN YOU'RE A KID. SO I THINK WE NEED TO ALL BE MORE COGNIZANT ABOUT CONSERVING OUR WATER. I PERSONALLY HAVE RAIN BARRELS AT MY HOUSE UNDER THE GUTTERS, AND I CAN TURN THE WATER OFF AND WATER PLANTS, AND TREES WITH THAT INSTEAD OF USING CITY WATER. IN THE LONG-TERM, WE NEED TO ALL BE COGNIZANT OF CLIMATE CHANGE. CLIMATE CHANGE IS THE ISSUE OF OUR TIME, AND WE'RE EXPERIENCING IT MORE HARSHLY RIGHT HERE IN THE HIGH ARID SOUTHWEST. EVENTUALLY IF WE DON'T WATCH IT, LOS ALAMOS WILL BE MORE LIKE ALBUQUERQUE IN CLIMATE, GOING IF WE DON'T PUT A STOP TO CLIMATE CHANGE RIGHT NOW.

AND SO I'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT IN THAT RESPECT, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO. SO IN THE LONG TERM, WE NEED TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, WE NEED TO MAKE NEW MEXICO A RENEWABLE ENERGY LEADER. >> THANK YOU, DEB. JANICE, YOUR THOUGHTS. >> OH, TOO MANY THINGS TO TALK ABOUT HERE, BUT LET ME START WITH, WE HAVE A WATER CYCLE, NOT CHANGE OVER TIME, BUT IT IS FINITE. AND I MUST REMIND YOU THAT WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 1963, I USED TO RIDE MY HORSE ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE. WE HAVE MORE WATER IN THE RIVER NOW THAN WE DID THEN. A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED. WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE WHOLE PERIOD WHERE THERE WAS THE BELIEF THAT WE HAD AN OCEAN UNDER THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, BUT THAT'S NOT TRY, EITHER. SO THERE IS MORE THAT WE DON'T KNOW THAN WE DO KNOW. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW, AND WHERE NEW MEXICO IS GOING TO LEAD, IS WE ARE REALLY GOOD AT CONSERVING WATER. NOT ONLY DO WE CONSERVE USE, WE ARE

EXCELLENT AT RE-USING WATER. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE, AND WE DO HAVE DAIRIES IN THE STATE OF NEW MULTIPLE TIMES IN ORDER TO MEET THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A FINITE ACCESS TO WATER IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. AND WE HAVE OTHER ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT. SO I APPRECIATE THE RAIN BARRELS, AND I HAVE BEEN IN ARGUMENTS IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE RAIN BARRELS BECAUSE IT IMPEDES THE RECHARGE TO ALL OF OUR RIVERS. NONE OF THESE ARE SIMPLE ISSUES, AND THERE IS ENOUGH OF A NERD IN ME TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA FLOODS EVERY SPRING, WE COULD ACTUALLY PUT A PIPELINE IN AND PUT WATER WHERE WE NEED IT. YOU KNOW, WE'LL KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT THE ISSUE IS, DO WE HAVE WATER WHERE WE NEED IT, AND IN NEW MEXICO, WHAT WE HAVE DONE, WHETHER YOU'RE A CITY OR YOU'RE FARMERS AND RANCHERS, WE HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET A VERY FINITE, CRITICAL ELEMENT TO WHERE

WE NEED IT AND WE ARE PROSPERING, AND I SAY THE NATION NEEDS TO LOOK AT US. >> THANK YOU ALL. >> GOOD STUFF. INTERESTING SUBJECT HERE. WE GET THIS A LOT HERE AT KNME AND CHANNEL 5. STUDENT LOAN DEBT. I'LL START WITH DEB HAALAND ON THIS. THERE'S BEEN A MOVEMENT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, CERTAINLY. ONE PARTICULAR CLIENT LAST CYCLE TALKED ABOUT FORGIVING STUDENT LOAN DEBT AS A WAY TO REALLY KIND OF GET NOT JUST THE GENERATION GOING, NOT SADDLE THEM WITH DEBT, BUT GET THE COUNTRY GOING, AS WELL, ECONOMICALLY. DO YOU SUPPORT THAT IDEA OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT FORGIVENESS? >> ABSOLUTELY. STUDENT LOANS I'M STILL PAYING OFF, AND I PROBABLY WILL HAVE THEM FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IN STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS. YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, IT HITS ME. WHEN MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM UNM LAST YEAR, AND SHE HAD THE LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP, SHE STILL IS IN DEBT FOR FIVE FIGURES OF DEBT. THAT'S A LOT

FOR A 24-YEAR-OLD WHO IS JUST GETTING STARTED. AND I REALLY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IF WE WERE ABLE TO FORGIVE STUDENT LOANS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP MORE OF OUR STUDENTS HERE. SO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM OUR UNIVERSITIES AND THEY FIND JOBS ELSEWHERE BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED A GOOD JOB AND THEY NEED IT NOW SO THEY CAN START PAYING OFF THEIR DEBT. SO, ABSOLUTELY, ANY WAY WE CAN FIND TO ENSURE THAT SUCCESSFUL AS SOON AS THEY GRADUATE, I AM DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF THAT. >> JANICE ARNOLD JONES, SAME QUESTION, STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS. >> THANK YOU. IT'S A COMPLICATED QUESTION. ON THE TOP NOTE, AM I INTERESTED IN REFINANCING THE STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS SO THAT IT IS NOT SUCH A CHOKING BURDEN? YES, I AM. BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE ROOT CAUSES. AND ONE OF THE ROOT CAUSES IS, WE HAVE GONE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WHERE THE DRUMBEAT HAS BEEN, AND THE COLLEGE TUITIONS HAVE GONE UP AND UP. WHAT WE NEED,

ACTUALLY, IS VOCATIONAL TRAINING, AND HOW DO LOAN PROGRAMS WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT, OR COULD WE REDUCE IT AND ELIMINATE IT IN THOSE PROGRAMS. BUT I HAVE ANOTHER IDEA THAT I WANT TO THROW OUT AND SEE WHERE WE CAN GO WITH IT. IS IT TIME FOR OUR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, WE ARE EDUCATING STUDENTS, PUTTING THEM IN DEGREE PROGRAMS WHERE THEY HAVE NO HOPE OF ACTUALLY PAYING BACK THEIR DEBT. IS IT TIME TO SAY, OKAY, IN THIS PARTICULAR DEGREE PROGRAM, WE REASONABLY CAN SEE THAT ONLY 'X' AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PAY OFF THEIR LOAN AND LIVE, AND WE CAN DO A 10% BUMP. BUT THE WAY THAT WE ARE DOING THIS AND CREATING THE STUDENT DEBT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND. AND YET I LOOK AT THE PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS, AND MY DAUGHTER IS ONE, SHE WENT TO LAW SCHOOL. THE RULE IS, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL, YOU WILL NOT WORK, AND WE WILL GIVE YOU MONEY AND YOU WILL LIVE ON THIS MONEY, AND YOU WILL PAY IT BACK UNLESS YOU WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. SO THIS

SYSTEM, IT REALLY DESERVES SOME FORM OF RE-EXAMINATION AND SOME OTHER CREATIVE ANSWERS. >> LLOYD PRINCETON, DOES THIS IDEA FIT INTO THE LIBERTARIAN ETHOS, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT STUDENT LOAN DEBT FORGIVENESS? SOME MIGHT GET IT, SOME MIGHT NOT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? DOES THAT FIT YOUR PHILOSOPHY? >> IT REALLY DOESN'T, BUT IF THE QUESTION IS, WOULD FORGIVENESS, I WOULD IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GETS OUT OF THE STUDENT LOAN BUSINESS ENTIRELY. HERE'S THE PROBLEM. ONCE AGAIN, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS CREATED THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHICH HAS ENABLED HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO RAISE THEIR TUITION RATES TO BECOME UNAFFORDABLE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THERE IS THIS SOURCE OF FREE MONEY. AND DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE OVER 4 MILLION STUDENTS IN THE U.S. RIGHT NOW WITH STUDENT LOANS OF MORE THAN $50,000, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEGUN PAYING ON THEM FOUR YEARS OUT OF UNIVERSITY. THERE ARE TWO AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE WITH $100,000 STUDENT

DEBTS THAT THEY HAVE YET TO START PAYING ON FOUR YEARS OUT OF UNIVERSITY. IF STUDENTS WERE NOT ABLE TO JUST BORROW POINT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH PROGRAMS THEY'RE GOING TO GO INTO, AND PERHAPS THEY WOULD GO INTO AN ACCOUNTING PROGRAM, OR THEY WOULD GO INTO ONE OF THE STEM PROGRAMS WHERE THEY ACTUALLY WOULD READILY BE ABLE TO GET A JOB TODAY, OR THEY WOULD GO TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THEY COULD TAKE WHATEVER THEY LIKE KNOWING THAT WHEN THEY GET OUT OF THERE, THEY PROBABLY WILL HAVE NO DEBT. SO IT IS AVAILABLE. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT DEPRIVING PEOPLE OF EDUCATION BY ANY SENSE OF THE IMAGINATION. IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BEING IN BUSINESS. LISTEN, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT TOUCHES SOMETHING, IT GENERALLY MAKES IT BIGGER AND LESS EFFICIENT. >> I HAVE A QUICK FOLLOW-UP FOR DEB ON THIS ONE, AND I'M GOING TO OFFER IT JUST TO DEB JUST TO MAKE UP A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, SHE'S A LITTLE BEHIND. WE'RE KEEPING TRACK OF THIS AS WE GO ALONG. BUT DEB, ANOTHER ASPECT THAT'S INTERESTING THAT'S COMING UP IS PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS, MEANING YOU WORK OFF THE LOAN. NOT JUST FORGIVE

SOMETHING, BUT IT'S A SCHEME TO GET OUT THERE IN THE WORLD, IN OUR COUNTRY, AND DO SOMETHING TO EARN THAT MONEY. DO YOU SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT? >> YES, OF COURSE. AND THAT'S HAPPENED. I KNOW AT THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, AND FINISH THEIR MEDICAL TRAINING CAN GO AND SERVE THE PUBLIC IN THAT RESPECT AND HAVE THEIR LOANS FORGIVEN. BUT, LOOK, WHAT I FEEL A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT AFTER HEARING THE OTHER CANDIDATES IS THAT IF WE BASE OUR EDUCATION ON SOLELY WHAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO, IT WOULD BE THE BOTTOM RUNG OF PEOPLE WHO AREN'T EARNING ENOUGH MONEY TO EVEN, PARENTS, TO SAVE FOR THEIR KIDS' COLLEGE, THEY WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO GO TO COLLEGE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE IN THE UNITED STATES. EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH MONEY YOUR PARENTS MAKE, OR WHETHER YOUR PARENTS WENT TO COLLEGE OR NOT -- AND BY THE WAY, MINE DID NOT. NEITHER ONE OF MY PARENTS GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE. EVERY STUDENT, EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE

THE DREAMS THAT THEY WANT. IN FACT, I JUST WANT TO MENTION REAL QUICK, WHEN I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL, I APPROACHED THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS A BILL, SENATE BILL 482, IN 2005 THAT GAVE IN-STATE TUITION TO ANY MEMBER OF A NEW MEXICO TRIBE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RESIDENCY, UNDERREPRESENTED GROUP OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY TO ACHIEVE THEIR EDUCATIONAL DREAMS. AND I THINK WE CAN MAKE -- WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE THAT TO HELP PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS. I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD EVER BE BASED ON WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, A LOT OF US WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE TO COLLEGE. >> APPRECIATE THAT. THERE WILL BE OTHER FOLLOW-UPS FOR YOU GUYS, TOO, AS WE TRY TO BALANCE THIS AS WE GO ALONG. RIGHT NOW, LORENE MILLS. >> ISSUES OF RACE AND DIVERSITY ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN NEW MEXICO. JANICE, YOU'VE BEEN CRITICIZED FOR YOUR RECENT COMMENTS

ON FOX NEWS THAT IMPLIED THAT YOUR OPPONENT, DEB HAALAND, SHOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED FULLY NATIVE AMERICAN. WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLARIFY YOUR STATEMENT NOW? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS. AND THEN I'D LIKE YOU TO RESPOND TO HER CLARIFICATION, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, LLOYD, IN A MINUTE. >> CERTAINLY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T SAY THAT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT BUT I ALSO HAVE BEEN WITH MY OPPONENT THROUGHOUT PART OF THE PRIMARY, AND SHE HAS TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT BEING A MILITARY BRAT. WHAT I KNOW ABOUT BEING A MILITARY BRAT IS YOU MOVE ALL OVER, AND THE SAME AS ME. MY CLASSMATES AT ALBUQUERQUE HIGH SCHOOL HAVE LONG RELATIONSHIPS. IT WAS NOTHING OTHER THAN TO SAY, TO THAT EXTENT, WE ARE SIMILAR, BECAUSE WE ARE BOTH MILITARY BRATS. HER DAD SERVED HONORABLY. MY DAD WAS KILLED ON ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE. I'M SO SORRY THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T BOTHER TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE INTERVIEW, AND THEN SIMPLY REPEATED WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE SAID. BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT,

AND SHE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF HER HERITAGE, AND I AM PROUD OF IT FOR HER, BECAUSE WHAT MAKES NEW MEXICO SO VERY SPECIAL IS WE ARE A DIVERSE STATE. IT IS OUR GREAT STRENGTH. AND IF YOU HAVE NOT LIVED YOU MIGHT OVERLOOK THAT ONE VERY IMPORTANT FACT. IT IS OUR STRENGTH. >> DEB, RESPONSE? >> SURE. WELL, YES, I AM ALL FOR DIVERSITY, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE SUPPORTED SO MANY CANDIDATES FOR THE LONGEST TIME SO THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE DIVERSITY, AND I THINK NEW MEXICO DOES FOLKS FROM VARYING BACKGROUNDS. YES, I HAVE OFTEN SAID THAT I ATTENDED 13 PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEFORE GRADUATING FROM HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SOUTHEAST HEIGHTS, AND GROWING UP ON MILITARY BASES, QUITE FRANKLY, WAS A LOT OF FUN, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS IN THOSE AREAS. BUT, I MEAN, WITH RESPECT TO RACE AND DIVERSITY, IT'S

ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE VARYING BACKGROUNDS, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE FACT THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD A NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN IN CONGRESS IN 240 YEARS, AND THAT I'M THE 35th GENERATION NEW MEXICAN, AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THE STATE THAT I LOVE, IT'S REALLY WE NEED FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, FROM CLASS BACKGROUNDS. I JUST SAID THAT NEITHER ONE OF MY PARENTS GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO TO A GROCERY STORE AND HAVE TO PUT FOOD BACK AT THE CASHIER BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR IT, SO I KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE FOR A LOT OF NEW MEXICANS. AND I THINK WE NEED REPRESENTATION, NOT JUST ON OUR ETHNIC DIVERSITY, BUT ALSO DIVERSITY IN WHAT WE EARN AND HOW WE CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M PROUD TO BE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, AND I'LL JUST FORGE AHEAD. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LADIES. AND LLOYD, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS MORE ON

THE DIVERSITY POINT OF VIEW, BECAUSE HOW IMPORTANT -- YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE THIRD PARTY. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT MAJOR PARTY IN THIS RACE, AND HOW DOES THAT INFORM YOUR APPROACH IN THE CAMPAIGN? SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DIVERSITY IN PHILOSOPHY, PERSPECTIVE, AND THEN THE WHOLE ISSUE OF CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION AND BEING A THIRD PARTY MEMBER. >> LORENE, THAT'S A BIG QUESTION. >> I KNOW. >> THE REALITY IS, AS A THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE, I AM HERE TO SAY THAT DISCRIMINATION IS ALIVE AND WELL IN NEW MEXICO AND IN AMERICA, I THINK WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. I FIND IT INEXCUSABLE IN MY CANDIDACY, AND IF I SHOULD BE REPRESENTING IN CONGRESS, I WILL NEVER TOLERATE IT. I AM REACHING OUT TO ALL OF MY CONSTITUENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR MEANS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE OR THEIR ORIGINS OR THEIR ABILITIES. I WILL REPRESENT EVERYONE. I WILL

REPRESENT EVERYONE EQUALLY. AND IF YOU ELECT ME, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ELECTING SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO GO IN AND HELP REINFORCE PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO BE SELF-RELIANT FOR THEMSELVES. I DO NOT BELIEVE BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE ADVERSITIES THAT THEY NEED TO BE MARGINALIZED, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT OUR SYSTEM HAS CURRENTLY DONE. I WANT TO PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP AND ACTUALLY THE TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE GET ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET, BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO GIVE THEM DIGNITY AND PRIDE. >> APPRECIATE THAT, TOO. WE'RE GETTING CLOSE, JUST ABOUT A MINUTE FOR EACH ANSWER, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO FINAL STATEMENTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD YOU TO A SOLID MINUTE ON THOSE. BUT WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD ON TIME, I APPRECIATE THAT. NOW, TOUGH SUBJECT, JANICE ARNOLD JONES, STARTING WITH YOU. GUN VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A BIG SUBJECT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, IF NOT A LOT LONGER, NATIONALLY AND CERTAINLY IN NEW MEXICO. DEMONSTRATIONS, WITH A VERY BROAD QUESTION. WHO SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CARRY GUNS IN OUR SOCIETY? DO

YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THAT AT THIS POINT? AND ACTUALLY, I HAVE A SPECIFIC SCHOOL THING AFTER THAT. BUT WHO SHOULD BE ALLOWED? >> I BELIEVE THAT EVERY AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILY, AND THEIR PROPERTY. AND WHETHER THAT BE A GUN, A BASEBALL BAT, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. THEY DO. SO SHOULD WE BE LIMITING WHO IS CARRYING A FIREARM? WE ALREADY DO THAT, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT COME UNDER THAT CATEGORY. IF YOU ARE A FELON, YOU MAY NOT CARRY A FIREARM. IF YOU ARE ADJUDGED MENTALLY ILL OR INCAPABLE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY A FIREARM. NOW, WE KNOW THINGS ARE NOT WORKING BECAUSE FELONS ARE CARRYING FIREARMS, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE ARE CARRYING THAT ARE NOT WORKING. BUT DO WE GIVE UP THE RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES IN ORDER TO SIMPLY TAKE CARE OF THIS ONE ISSUE? SO I THINK IT'S A MORE COMPLICATED ISSUE, SO LET ME JUST SEGUE OVER TO OUR SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, I AM

STUNNED, ESPECIALLY IN NEW MEXICO, ESPECIALLY IN ALBUQUERQUE, THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SO POROUS. YOU CAN WALK INTO MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS AND NOBODY WILL STOP YOU. YOU DON'T SIGN IN UNTIL YOU GET TO THE CENTER OF THE SCHOOL, AND EVEN THEN, NOBODY MAY BE THERE FOR YOU TO SIGN IN. BUT I'M A GOOD PARENT, I KNOW TO SIGN IN. THE FACT THAT WE TAKE THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN SO LACKADAISICALLY JUST IS STUNNING TO ME, AND IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. BUT THOSE ARE EASY THINGS TO FIX. SO IF WE TAKE CARE OF THE SCHOOLS, WE HARDEN THEM AS A TARGET -- AND WHEN I SAY HARDEN THEM, THERE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE BELL RINGS, YOU SHOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO GO IN AND OUT OF A SCHOOL ONE WAY, AND SOMEBODY OUGHT TO CHECK YOU IN. IT'S JUST REALLY SIMPLE. THAT DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THE INSIDER THREAT, AND ANYBODY WHO IS LOOKING AT SECURITY OF ANY SORT KNOWS THAT THE INSIDER THREAT IS ALWAYS THE MOST DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH. SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT CONGRESS CAN DO. ONE IS, ALL OF THESE BACKGROUND CHECKS THAT WE DO,

ALL OF THE DATABASES THAT WE KEEP, THEY NEED TO TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER, WHICH IS WHY I'M ASKING YOU TO SEND ME TO CONGRESS. I HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE THAT WOULD MAKE THEM WORK. IT JUST BROKE MY HEART AT PARKLAND AND AT SANTA FE THAT THERE WERE DATABASES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED THAT DIDN'T WORK, THEY DIDN'T DO THEIR JOB. >> LLOYD PRINCETON, SAME QUESTION. WHO SHOULD BE ALLOWED? >> ABSOLUTELY. TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, WE NEED TO EMBRACE THE EXISTING SYSTEMS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE. BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE INFORMATION THAT IS PROVIDED, MUCH LIKE JANICE JUST SAID. IN UTILIZING A SYSTEM LIKE THAT -- YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE STATE OF ILLINOIS THAT JUST PASSED THEIR OWN FIREARM ID CARD THAT YOU HAVE TO GET IN ORDER TO BUY A FIREARM OR AMMUNITION, WHICH IS VERY KEY. YOU NEED TO GO TO THE STATE POLICE, YOU NEED TO GET A PASSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK AND FINGERPRINTING, AND THEN YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND BUY GUNS, AND THAT WOULD BE PEOPLE WHO OBVIOUSLY ARE DETERMINED, YOU KNOW, MENTALLY CAPABLE, AND THAT DON'T HAVE CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS.

AND IF YOU JUMP INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT THEY NEED TO NO LONGER BE SOFT TARGETS. YES, SCHOOLS NEED TO BE REINFORCED, AND ADULTS BE ALLOWED TO BE TRAINED AS WELL AS ARMED, IF AT ALL APPROPRIATE. AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, I ABSOLUTELY THINK WE NEED TO STILL RETURN TO GUN SAFETY TRAINING FOR CHILDREN. THE REALITY IS, THEY'RE A PART OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE OWNERS OF GUNS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM, THAT IF WE HAVE A GUN REGISTRY, WE TRACK BALLISTIC FINGERPRINTS OF GUNS, WE CAN KEEP A MUCH TIGHTER CONTROL ON WHAT'S OUT THERE. >> GOOD DEAL. THANK YOU FOR THAT. APPRECIATE IT. WE'LL GO TO CLOSING STATEMENTS -- I'M SORRY. MY FAULT, AGAIN. PLEASE. >> I'LL BE QUICK. LOOK, WHEN THE 2nd AMENDMENT WAS WRITTEN, I DON'T THINK THE WRITERS OF THE 2nd AMENDMENT REALIZED THAT MAGAZINES, BUMP STOCKS, AUTOMATIC WEAPONS, OR PLASTIC

GUNS ON THE STREETS, OR THAT THE NRA WOULD BE RUNNING SO MANY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. SO THE TRUE QUESTION, WHO SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CARRY GUNS, THOSE WOULD BE PEOPLE THAT DON'T INTEND TO KILL ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. >> APPRECIATE THAT. TIME FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD IT TO ONE MINUTE. YOU'LL HEAR ME DO THIS AT 50 SECONDS, JUST TO WRAP IT UP. THE ORDER WILL BE LLOYD, IF YOU WOULD START US OFF WITH YOUR CLOSING STATEMENT. ONE MINUTE, PLEASE. >> ABSOLUTELY. NEW MEXICO HAS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SEND A SIGNAL TO THE U.S. THAT IT NO LONGER WAY TO DO THAT IS TO ELECT DIFFERENT VOICES TO CONGRESS, AND IN THIS CASE, THIRD VOICES. LIBERTARIAN PARTY. A VOICE THAT WANTS TO BRIDGE THE GAP OF THE DIVISIVE IDENTITY POLITICS THAT IS RIFE IN OUR SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ANYMORE FEDERALLY BECAUSE IT JUST SOUNDS SO HORRIBLE. AND THE WAY YOU DO THAT IS

A LITTLE DOWN THE CENTER, WHO WORKS WITH BOTH SIDES, SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO BUILD A COALITION. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE HISTORY, NEW MEXICO, ELECT GARY JOHNSON AS YOUR NEXT SENATOR, AND ELECT ME, LLOYD PRINCETON, AS YOUR NEXT CONGRESS PERSON, AND WE WILL WORK WITH EVERYBODY TO ACTUALLY GET RESULTS FOR THE ISSUES, FOR THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. >> WELL DONE. COUPLE SECONDS LEFT TO SPARE, APPRECIATE THAT. DEB HAALAND, YOUR CLOSING STATEMENT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M DEB HAALAND, AND CONGRESS HAS NEVER HEARD BECAUSE THERE'S NEVER BEEN A NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN IN CONGRESS. IN THIS ERA OF TRUMP, WE NEED NEW STRONG VOICES TO GO TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO FIGHT FOR A GREEN ECONOMY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET BIG DARK MONEY OUT OF POLITICS, AND TO ENSURE THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAN BE A SUCCESS FOR EVERY SINGLE NEW MEXICO CHILD, INCLUDING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. I AM THAT VOICE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE. AND I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU'D VOTE EARLY STARTING OCTOBER 9th. MY NAME IS DEB HAALAND. I'M

THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR CONGRESS IN NEW MEXICO'S 1st DISTRICT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. JANICE ARNOLD JONES. >> AND I AM JANICE ARNOLD JONES. I AM PREPARED THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. EVERY NEW MEXICAN, ALL OF NEW MEXICO. I AM READY TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS GREAT STATE, TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE THINGS THAT WE DO SO WONDERFULLY WELL FOR OUR COUNTRY. OUR COUNTRY NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT IT. BUT ALSO, TO ADVOCATE IN CONGRESS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE JOBS AND WE GET THE SERVICES FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS ALSO PART OF NEW MEXICO. YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT ABOUT CREATING DRAMA, THIS IS NOT ABOUT RHETORIC, IT'S ABOUT SOLVING PROBLEMS. AND THE WAY YOU SOLVE PROBLEMS IS BY LISTENING AND BEING WILLING TO WORK WITH EVERYONE. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WILL DO FOR YOU IN CONGRESS. I AM APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE. >> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU ALL, CANDIDATES. I WANT TO THANK

ALSO LORENE MILLS, MY COLLEAGUE, FOR JOINING ME IN THIS ENDEAVOR. THANK YOU, LORENE. >> THANK YOU, GENE, AND THANK YOU, KNME, ALSO FOR HOSTING THIS, AND TO THE CANDIDATES FOR DOING SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB. >>AND AS WAS MENTIONED, OCTOBER 9th, EARLY BALLOTS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DATE HERE. OCTOBER 20th, FULL EARLY VOTING STARTS THEN. AND, OF COURSE, IN-PERSON VOTING IS AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR RACE. AND THANK YOU ALL