ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico is a hub for military operations with four major military bases and thousands of people working at them. 

Now, there’s a new bill protecting those workers. This week, Rep. Gabe Vasquez’s Rural Installation Job Protection Act was signed into law. It protects jobs at rural military bases like Cannon Air Force. 

The bill will require the Department of Defense to notify Congress before cancelling civilian contracts that impact 50 or more jobs. 

In a statement, Vasquez said in part:

“My bill will ensure transparency and accountability and even the playing field for communities like Alamogordo and Las Cruces.”