Born and raised in New Mexico, Rep. Ben Ray Luján grew up in Nambe, a small farming community north of Santa Fe bordered by the pueblos of Nambe and Pojoaque. There he learned the time-honored traditions and values of New Mexico.

On November 4, 2008, Rep. Luján was elected to the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. In the House of Representatives, he is a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science and Technology. On these committees, he is able to serve the diverse interests of the district which spans from San Juan County in the Northwest to Roosevelt County in the Southeast – and the treasured lands in between.

Rep. Luján is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Native American Caucus and the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.

Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Luján served as the Chairman of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. As a Commissioner, Rep. Luján worked with his colleagues to develop a renewable portfolio standard to increase renewable energy production by New Mexico utilities to 20 percent of their total production by 2020 and to diversify utilities’ renewable portfolios to include solar energy. On behalf of the state of New Mexico, Rep. Luján joined his fellow Commissioners from California, Oregon, and Washington to sign onto the Joint Action Framework on Climate Change to create regional solutions to climate change.

As a member of the Committee on Science and Technology and Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, Rep. Luján will continue working to combat climate change and make New Mexico a leader in renewable energy through investment in research and development of energy efficiency and clean energy technologies. Rep. Luján is also on the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, where he focuses on investment in programs that promote environmental sustainability.

Rep.Luján is also the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ Green Economy and Renewable Energy Task Force where he focuses on the role of the Hispanic community in clean energy issues.

With the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, Rep. Luján advocated for first responders. He worked with firefighters, the state legislature, and other officials to overhaul the New Mexico Fire Fund so that all distributions from the fund would go to improving fire services in New Mexico. On the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Luján will continue to focus on emergency preparedness and improving resources for first responders. As a member of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Technology, Rep. Luján will work to ensure consumer safety through investment in cybersecurity as our country becomes more dependent on computers as a means of daily transactions.

Rep. Luján worked to improve health care as a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission by investigating the denial practices of the health insurance industry. The investigation led to the development of legislation that expands access to insurance and closes loopholes the industry had been using to unfairly deny medical claims and void policies.

Rep. Luján has also served as New Mexico’s deputy state treasurer as well as New Mexico Cultural Affairs Department's director of administrative services and chief financial officer.

Rep. Luján earned his Bachelor's degree from New Mexico Highlands University in Business Administration.