ALBUQUERQUE — Federal regulators are ramping up scrutiny of a prominent women’s hospital here after clinicians’ allegations that Native Americans had been racially profiled for extra COVID-19 screening, leading to the temporary separation of some mothers from their newborns.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will refer findings from state investigators about a violation of patient rights at Lovelace Women’s Hospital to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights, state officials said. The state Department of Health declined to specify details of the violations it had found.

The HHS Office for Civil Rights enforces federal...

NAMBÉ, N.M.—  During a remote hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee focused on addressing the urgent needs of Tribal communities, Congressman Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, called for action to address the inequities facing Tribal nations that have been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Congressman Luján pointed to bridging the digital divide, adequately funding the Indian Health Service, investing in infrastructure, and expanding compensation for individuals impacted by radiation exposure as critical parts of a robust response to the pandemic in Tribal communities.

“The conversations [I have had] with Tribal leaders and Pueblo leaders...

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham delivered hundreds of millions of dollars for low-interest, low-risk loans to help small New Mexico businesses recover financially from COVID-19 when she signed a loan program measure July 7.

The Small Business Recovery Act of 2020 allocates $400 million from the state’s $5 billion Severance Tax Permanent Fund for loans to small New Mexico businesses and nonprofits and almost $50 million for loans to local governments.

Eligible businesses and nonprofits may borrow two times their average monthly expenses up to a maximum of $75,000. The measure sets the interest rate at one-half the prime rate on the day the loan is made. The initial loan...

NAMBÉ, N.M.—  During a remote hearing of the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, Congressman Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, announced plans to introduce legislation to address the growing threat of COVID-19 scams by empowering the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to hold bad actors accountable.

Citing shocking statistics on the pervasiveness of COVID-19 scams,  Luján explained: “These numbers represent real suffering and loss. That’s why I plan to introduce the Stopping COVID Scams Act of 2020, which would allow the FTC to levy civil penalties on COVID-19 scammers.”

“A stronger FTC with civil penalty...