HOUSE MEMORIAL 58

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Elizabeth "Liz” Thomson and Javier Martínez and Brian Egolf and

Gail Chasey and Doreen Y. Gallegos

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

HONORING REPRESENTATIVE DEBORAH A. ARMSTRONG AND RECOGNIZING HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO NEW MEXICO.

 

     WHEREAS, Representative Deborah A. Armstrong, a Democrat, was elected to represent district 17 in Bernalillo county in 2014, served her first term in 2015 and will have served eight years and four terms by the end of 2022; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong is a member of the house judiciary committee and an advisory member of the courts, corrections and justice committee and the legislative health and human services committee; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong served as the secretary of aging and long-term services from 2004 to 2007 and was a public member of the board of acupuncture and oriental medicine; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong received her bachelor of science degree from the university of Michigan in 1975 and her juris doctor degree from the university of New Mexico in 2001 and was a licensed physical therapist; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong is the president of Albuquerque-based Delta consulting group, incorporated; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong has been a physical therapist for more than thirty years and has been one of two physical therapists to serve at the same time in the legislature, making New Mexico the only state with this distinction; and

     WHEREAS, as a physical therapist, Representative Armstrong developed a passion for home- and community-based services and patient autonomy in decision making, which prompted her to increasingly focus on her work in health care and later to attend law school to further her interests in health policy and advocacy and to eventually accept an appointment as secretary of aging and long-term services; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong brought to the legislature unmatched expertise in health care; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong's professional mission is to provide leadership in the development and effectuation of public policies that protect patients' rights and promote affordable access to quality health care for all; and

     WHEREAS, through Representative Armstrong's work, she hopes to instill in her three children a passion for community service; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong's commitment to this mission led her to become the executive director of the New Mexico medical insurance pool, a safety net program that provides health insurance for people with serious medical conditions; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong not only had professional and educational expertise in developing a health care safety net but also had lived experience, with her now-adult daughter being diagnosed with childhood-onset metastatic thyroid cancer; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong's proudest personal accomplishment is leading with excellence in all of the aforementioned venues; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong is a good friend, a dedicated family woman and an exemplar of strength while facing personal challenges and is extremely calm and strong under pressure; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong's experiences at the council of state governments western legislative academy and as a Toll fellowship program recipient contributed to her reputation as a respected and effective leader; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong has navigated personal trials and tribulations, yet never lost sight in delivering transformational change to the people of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong's proudest accomplishments in the legislature include her work on the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act and the Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act, and she is also known for her leadership in repealing an outdated abortion ban law;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Representative Deborah A. Armstrong be recognized for her commitment to health care advocacy and compassion; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to Representative Deborah A. Armstrong.

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