HOUSE MEMORIAL 59

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Mark B. Murphy and Martin R. Zamora and Andrea Reeb

and Pat Woods and Pat Boone

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE APPROPRIATE INTERIM LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE BENEFITS OF A FORMAL ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND AND PROPOSE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES.

 

     WHEREAS, in 2023, the United States exported to Ireland twenty-four billion one hundred million dollars ($24,100,000,000) in goods, including:

          A. seven billion three hundred sixty million dollars ($7,360,000,000) in planes, helicopters and spacecraft;

          B. three billion sixty million dollars ($3,060,000,000) in vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures; and

          C. one billion two hundred ten million dollars ($1,210,000,000) in crude petroleum; and

     WHEREAS, over the past five years, exports of United States products to Ireland have increased at an annualized rate of almost four percent, from twenty billion dollars ($20,000,000,000) in 2018 to twenty-four billion one hundred million dollars ($24,100,000,000) in 2023; and

     WHEREAS, in 2023, Ireland exported to the United States sixty-seven billion four hundred million dollars ($67,400,000,000) in goods, including:

          A. eighteen billion three hundred million dollars ($18,300,000,000) in vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures;

          B. twelve billion nine hundred million dollars ($12,900,000,000) in packaged medicaments; and

          C. seven billion nine hundred sixty million dollars ($7,960,000,000) in hormones; and

     WHEREAS, over the past five years, exports of Irish products to the United States have increased at an annualized rate of almost six percent, from fifty-one billion dollars ($51,000,000,000) in 2018 to sixty-seven billion four hundred million dollars ($67,400,000,000) in 2023; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico and Ireland have a more-than-two-hundred-year history of deep cultural, religious and business ties; and

     WHEREAS, many Irish immigrants came to our state during the European famines and New Mexico mining booms of the 1800s; and

     WHEREAS, the former St. Elizabeth hospital and Christus St. Vincent regional medical center were both established by Irish nurses; and

     WHEREAS, Glanbia nutritionals and Intel have made significant investments in New Mexico and Ireland, creating with other companies exports to Ireland of sixty-seven billion four hundred million dollars ($67,400,000,000) and imports from Ireland of twenty billion dollars ($20,000,000,000); and

     WHEREAS, Glanbia nutritionals has a fifty percent stake in Southwest cheese, located in Clovis, and has invested at least one hundred forty million dollars ($140,000,000) for plant expansion, employing four hundred people locally and producing ten percent of the cheddar cheese made in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's economy could benefit from increased bilateral trade and investment opportunities with Ireland, joint policy actions, business and academic exchanges and mutual investments in infrastructure; and

     WHEREAS, economic ties with Ireland can provide access to the European Union for New Mexico companies, thereby fostering economic growth in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, thirty-six states have passed or are considering legislation establishing an Irish trade commission;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council request the appropriate interim legislative committee addressing economic development issues to study the benefits of a formal economic relationship with the Republic of Ireland, including establishing a New Mexico-Ireland trade commission to advance bilateral trade and investment between Ireland and New Mexico, and make recommendations for legislative initiatives for the 2026 legislative session; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council and the secretary of economic development.

- 4 -