HOUSE MEMORIAL 109

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Patricia A. Lundstrom and Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson and Christine Trujillo and Rodolpho "Rudy" S. Martinez and Harry Garcia

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT TO INTERVIEW, RECORD AND ARCHIVE A DISCUSSION WITH REPRESENTATIVE NICK L. SALAZAR ABOUT HIS POLITICAL CAREER AND HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN HIS LIFETIME.

     WHEREAS, Representative Nick L. Salazar has led a long and illustrious career in the state legislature; and

     WHEREAS, after forty-six years as a state representative for district 40, Representative Salazar will retire at the end of 2018; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar was first elected to the house of representatives in 1972 in a district that covers parts of Colfax, Mora, Rio Arriba and San Miguel counties; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar is New Mexico's longest-serving legislator and is among the ten longest-serving members of any legislature in the country; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar was born April 18, 1929 in the small town of Chamita, one mile west of the Pueblo of San Juan; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar began his political career as a commissioner for Rio Arriba county; and

     WHEREAS, during the early days of his political career, Representative Salazar was a participant in a historic event that is recognized and discussed to this day; and

     WHEREAS, in June 1967, during his tenure as a county commissioner, Representative Salazar was held hostage for a few hours by Reies Lopez Tijerina in the infamous Rio Arriba county courthouse raid in Tierra Amarilla; and

     WHEREAS, during his tenure in the house of representatives, Representative Salazar gained a breadth of experience by serving on many standing and interim committees; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar was the chair of the house rules and order of business committee and is a member of the house agriculture and water resources committee and the house appropriations and finance committee; and

     WHEREAS, during his tenure, Representative Salazar also served on the house consumer and public affairs committee; the house energy and natural resources committee; the house health and government affairs committee; the house health, government and Indian affairs committee; and numerous other standing committees; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar also served on many interim committees as a member and chair, where his many years on the Indian affairs committee allowed him to travel and visit with tribal communities and become an even stronger advocate for Native Americans; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar has been a strong advocate for senior citizen programs and is proud to have championed this cause; and

     WHEREAS, Native American issues have been at the forefront of Representative Salazar's support from the beginning of his legislative tenure; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar has been a staunch supporter of education throughout his career, supporting funding to advance all of New Mexico's colleges and universities; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Salazar has led a rich and varied political career and has experienced historically significant events in his lifetime; and

     WHEREAS, interviewing and recording Representative Salazar discussing his political career and participation in historical events and archiving this information for posterity would be a valuable service in retaining New Mexico's history;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the cultural affairs department be requested to interview, record and archive a discussion with Representative Nick L. Salazar about his political career and historically significant events experienced in his lifetime; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of cultural affairs and Representative Nick L. Salazar.

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