Statement: Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act Passes the House

Last week, the bipartisan Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives as part of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2023. If signed into law, the bill would authorize full compensation for New Mexico residents and business owners for losses caused by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon wildfire. The bill would also establish an Office of Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Claims within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to receive, process, and pay claims in accordance with this Act.  

HECHO has been working closely with our networks to advocate for the people of New Mexico in the wake of the historic Hermit’s Peak/ Calf Canyon Fire. We’ve met with Members of Congress in the last month including Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez and Senator Ben Ray Luján, who introduced the bill in the House and Senate respectively, to communicate our support for this relief effort. 

HECHO now urges the Senate to pass this crucial piece of legislation and bring necessary relief to the people of New Mexico. 

For more from HECHO on the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Wildfire, read our blog post HERE written by our New Mexico Senior Field Coordinator, Max Trujillo.