BLET National President Mark Wallace has announced BLET’s national endorsement of Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-New Mexico), who represents New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District, for re-election, in recognition of his support for BLET members, including his co-sponsorship of H.R.8468, the Protecting American Railroad Workers’ Jobs Act of 2026. The BLET-endorsed legislation would protect BLET locomotive engineers’ jobs by requiring that crew changes occur at the Southern Border, so that foreign crews cannot operate trains inside the United States. The New Mexico 2nd Congressional District borders Mexico and stretches north to the outskirts of Albuquerque.
President Wallace met with Congressman Vasquez last year about the issue. Since then, the BLET National Division and New Mexico State Legislative Board Chairman (SLBC) Clem Harris have been in regular contact with the Congressman and his staff about the importance of the issue and legislation to BLET members in the Congressman’s district.
In addition to cosponsoring the cross-border legislation, Congressman Vasquez recently signed onto a letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) expressing concern about the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger and urging the Board to protect railroad workers as part of any merger.
President Wallace recently spoke with Congressman Vasquez to thank him for his support in protecting BLET members’ jobs and to relay BLET’s national endorsement, which is an honor reserved for elected officials who have shown the strongest support for BLET and its members.
“Congressman Vasquez is a champion of BLET’s issues,” said President Wallace. “He understands that BLET’s issues are not Democratic or Republican but rather common-sense issues that deserve the support of Members of Congress in both parties. We will always support those elected officials who support us. Because of his support for BLET members in New Mexico, BLET is proud to endorse Congressman Vasquez for re-election in November.”
President Wallace also thanked New Mexico SLBC Harris for his persistence and his critical role in building a relationship with Congressman Vasquez as well as getting him to cosponsor the cross-border legislation and sign on to the UP-NS merger letter to the STB.