HM 58 — REP. DEBORAH A. ARMSTRONG, IN RECOGNITION

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 58HONORING 55THREPRESENTATIVE LEGISLATURE-DEBORAH STATEA. OF NEWMEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2022 INTRODUCED BY Elizabeth "Liz” Thomson and Javier Martínez and Brian Egolf and Gail Chasey and Doreen Y.

Gallegos 7 9 A MEMORIAL HONORING REPRESENTATIVE DEBORAH A.

145 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 e t 17 years and four terms by the end of 2022;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong is a member of the house = = 19 a l judiciary committee and an advisory member of the courts, i a e r 20 corrections and justice committee and the legislative health a t m m 21 and human services committee;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong served as the secretary c e s k 23 of aging and long-term services from 2004 to 2007 and was a e a n b 24 public member of the board of acupuncture and oriental u [ medicine;

and .222790.1 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 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 HM 58 Page 1 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 e t 17 advocacy and to eventually accept an appointment as secretary w l n d 18 of aging and long-term services;

and = = 19 a l WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong brought to the i a e r 20 legislature unmatched expertise in health care;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong's professional mission d r e 22 is to provide leadership in the development and effectuation of c e s k 23 public policies that protect patients' rights and promote e a n b 24 affordable access to quality health care for all;

and u [ WHEREAS, through Representative Armstrong's work, she .222790.1 - 2 - hopes to instill in her three children a passion for community service;

and WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong not only had professional and educational expertise in developing a health HM 58 Page 2 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 is a good friend, a e t 17 dedicated family woman and an exemplar of strength while facing w l n d 18 personal challenges and is extremely calm and strong under = = 19 a l pressure;

and i a e r 20 WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong's experiences at the a t m m 21 council of state governments western legislative academy and as d r e 22 a Toll fellowship program recipient contributed to her c e s k 23 reputation as a respected and effective leader;

and e a n b 24 WHEREAS, Representative Armstrong has navigated personal u [ trials and tribulations, yet never lost sight in delivering .222790.1 - 3 - transformational change to the people of New Mexico;

Armstrong be recognized for her HM 58 Page 3 commitment to health care advocacy and compassion;

-HM 458 -Page 154 e5 t7 179 w25 l n d 18 = = 19 a l i a e r 20 a t m m 21 d r e 22 c e s k 23 e a n b 24 u [ .222790.1