{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"NM\" and year = 2025 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trumps-assault-on-wind-energy-leaves-permitting-reform-dead-in-the-water", "Trump\u2019s Assault on Wind Energy Leaves Permitting Reform Dead in the Water", "2025-12-22", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), issued the following statement after the Trump Administration stopped five offshore wind farms that were under construction\u2014adding to the growing number of onshore solar and wind energy projects that are still waiting for approval from the Department of Interior\u2014preventing the delivery of affordable, reliable energy to tens of millions of Americans:\n\n\u201cWe want to thank Chairs Capito and Lee for their good-faith efforts to negotiate a permitting reform bill that would have lowered electricity prices for all Americans. There was a deal to be had that would have taken politics out of permitting, made the process faster and more efficient, and streamlined grid infrastructure improvements nationwide.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut any deal would have to be administered by the Trump Administration. Its reckless and vindictive assault on wind energy doesn\u2019t just undermine one of our cheapest, cleanest power sources, it wrecks the trust needed with the executive branch for bipartisan permitting reform. By sabotaging U.S. energy innovation and killing American jobs, the Trump Administration has made clear that it is not interested in permitting reform. It will own the higher electricity prices, increasingly decrepit infrastructure, and loss of competitiveness that result from its reckless policies.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe illegal attacks on fully permitted renewable energy projects must be reversed if there is to be any chance that permitting talks resume. There is no path to permitting reform if this administration refuses to follow the law.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/2025-review-rep-vasquez-delivered-big-bipartisan-wins-new-mexico", "2025 in Review: Rep. Vasquez Delivered Big, Bipartisan Wins for New Mexico", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In a year marked by partisan gridlock and politics, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) managed to put common sense over D.C. dysfunction to deliver big, bipartisan wins for New Mexicans.\n\nIn 2025, seven of Rep. Vasquez\u2019s bipartisan bills were signed into law by President Trump, including:\n\nAerial Firefighting Enhancement Act \u2013 boosts resources for aerial wildfire suppression to better combat the year-round threat of catastrophic wildfires\n\nSecure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act \u2013 restores $9 million in annual federal support for rural New Mexico counties to fund essential infrastructure like roads and schools\n\nTRICARE Travel Improvement Act \u2013 expands access to medical travel reimbursement for military families by lowering the mileage threshold under TRICARE Prime to 75 miles, helping families stationed at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base who routinely drive up to 95 miles each way for care\n\nWolf and Livestock Fairness Act \u2013 ensures ranchers are made whole when wolves kill their livestock by raising federal reimbursement from 75% to 100%\n\nDownwinder Commemoration Act\u2013 directs the Department of Defense to establish permanent memorials at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base honoring New Mexican Downwinders impacted by the 1945 Trinity Test\n\nCOUNTERAct \u2013 combats national security risks posed by unidentified drones by bolstering military base commanders\u2019 counter-drone authorities\n\nWhole Milk for Healthy Kids Act \u2013 allows schools to serve whole milk to ensure that students receive the many health benefits and nutrients whole milk provides to young Americans\n\nIn addition to fighting to pass the above pieces of practical, bipartisan legislation, Rep. Vasquez remained laser-focused on protecting his constituents from extreme Republican plans to jack up the price of health care and other essentials like food and utilities. He also introduced legislation to protect New Mexican renters from being priced out of their homes by greedy, corporate landlords.\n\n\u201cFrom boosting New Mexico\u2019s ability to fight wildfires to protecting our rural schools and roads to ensuring our military families can access the health care they deserve, every day I am working to make life better for New Mexicans. I am proud that the seven bipartisan bills I led to passage this year will do just that,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cWhether they voted for me or not, I represent all New Mexicans who call our district home, and these are the folks I work for \u2014 not any one political party or special interest group.\u201d\n\nOther wins Rep. Vasquez delivered in 2025 for New Mexicans included:\n\nReturned $4.5 Million to NM Taxpayers: In 2025, Rep. Vasquez supported New Mexicans when they needed it most. His team resolved 654 constituent cases this year, including 59 cases with the IRS, Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and more, helping folks navigate red tape and bureaucracy to make the federal government work for them and returning nearly $4.5 million to taxpayers who were rightfully owed.\n\nKept Public Lands in Public Hands: The Congressman built a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers \u2014 the first-ever Public Lands Caucus \u2014 and successfully blocked extreme Republicans\u2019 attempts to sell off millions of acres of public lands.\n\nSecured Federal Dollars for Smart Investments Back Home: Rep. Vasquez also worked hard to secure federal grants to improve life in New Mexico, including:\n\n$11 million to address homelessness in New Mexico\n\n$745,000 for rural New Mexico airports to improve safety and boost local economies\n\n$4 million for new Las Cruces-El Paso Express Bus Service\n\n$500,000 for the Las Cruces Fire Department to train 15 additional paramedics\n\n$850,000 to construct a workforce training center in Bayard, NM\n\n$1 million to construct a public meeting space and multi-use community area in the Mesilla Town Hall\n\nWent the Extra Mile: New Mexico\u2019s second Congressional district is roughly the size of Pennsylvania \u2014 one of the largest in the country \u2014 but that didn\u2019t stop Rep. Vasquez from going the extra mile to hear from his constituents directly. In 2025, he traveled over 5,000 miles across New Mexico\u2019s second district and visited 14 counties and five Tribal nations to make sure New Mexicans\u2019 voices are heard and acted on.\n\nPut Constituent Service First: With over 190 stakeholder meetings and nearly 35,000 constituent letters, Rep. Vasquez stayed in constant contact with New Mexicans. He also made sure the doors to his D.C. office were always wide open to welcome New Mexicans, and his team provided 104 tours of the Capitol to groups visiting from the Land of Enchantment.\n\nIntroduced a New, Commonsense Immigration Plan: As someone raised on both sides of the border who now represents 180 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, the Congressman knows both parties have gotten immigration and border security wrong for far too long. That\u2019s why he introduced his New American Immigration Plan \u2014 a commonsense path forward to secure our borders, grow our economy, live up to our American values, and create strategic pathways to legal status.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gabe-vasquez-statement-speed-act-vote", "Rep. Gabe Vasquez Statement on SPEED Act Vote", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 18, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) released the following statement on his vote on the SPEED Act:\n\n\u201cI strongly believe in an all-of-the-above energy approach. Southeast New Mexico is blessed with an abundance of natural energy resources, and I will always support smart energy policies that cut red tape and ensure our district remains an American energy powerhouse.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur energy producers have made it clear that to unleash our district\u2019s full energy production potential, something must be done to slash costly regulatory delays, ease onerous permitting processes, and boost certainty for projects across the energy spectrum. Unfortunately, the SPEED Act goes too far and fails to deliver the permitting predictability New Mexico\u2019s energy producers need across all energy sources.\u201d\n\nRep. Vasquez engaged in bipartisan, good faith negotiations to improve the SPEED Act, including leading a letter to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman urging changes to the bill to make the permitting process more efficient and reduce energy costs for New Mexicans. However, the final bill failed to include provisions that would treat all energy sectors equally regardless of the political party in power, protect meaningful consultation with local and Tribal leaders, and increase certainty for American investments.\n\n\u201cOver the past decade, we\u2019ve seen how shifting policies from one administration to the next lead to stalled energy projects and make long-term planning impossible, and we cannot afford to leave our energy producers exposed to this political pendulum. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to be leading the CERTAIN Act, a bipartisan solution that protects the permitting process for all types of energy projects from undue political interference.\u201d\n\nCongressman Vasquez is a strong advocate for smart energy policies that support New Mexico\u2019s economy, prioritize domestic energy production to meet growing demand, lower electricity bills, and support the men and women who work every day to keep our lights on.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-issues-statement-on-trump-administration-breaking-the-law-by-refusing-to-release-complete-epstein-files", "Heinrich Issues Statement on Trump Administration Breaking the Law by Refusing to Release Complete Epstein Files", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that President Trump\u2019s Department of Justice would only release a portion of the Epstein files today, in direct violation of federal law:\n\n\u201cThe law could not have been clearer: President Trump\u2019s Department of Justice had 30 days to release ALL the files. Presumably, President Trump signed the bill into law himself, so he should know that...\n\n\u201cBut let\u2019s not forget \u2014 President Trump has always had the power to release these files on his own. Ignoring the law now isn\u2019t confusion or delay. It\u2019s a deliberate attempt to bury the truth and protect the pedophiles who exploited and abused young girls.\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve transparency. Survivors deserve justice. President Trump: Release all the files. Now.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-releases-new-fact-sheet-on-rising-electric-bills-on-trumps-watch", "Heinrich Releases New Fact Sheet on Rising Electric Bills on Trump\u2019s Watch", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released a new fact sheet that details how President Trump\u2019s actions are gutting the energy sector and hiking up costs for families across the country.\n\nSince President Trump took office, household electricity bills have gone up 13%, with consumers soon to face a total of $85.8 billion in proposed or approved cost increases. Additionally, the Trump Administration has stalled the permits of more than 500 clean energy projects, rolled back tax credits that are helping families save money, taxed critical metals that are the backbone of the electric grid, and forced rate payers to bear the cost of keeping fossil fuel plants online past their retirement dates, exacerbating the nation\u2019s energy affordability crisis.\n\nData Source: Monthly Form EIA-861M (formerly EIA-826) detailed data - Revenue, sales, customer counts, and retail price by state and sector (https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861m/xls/sales_revenue.xlsx)\n\n\u201cRight now, Americans are facing an energy affordability crisis \u2013 electric bills are skyrocketing for families, and we\u2019re not getting enough energy on our grid to meet the increasing demand from communities and data centers,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cDonald Trump\u2019s actions are single-handedly making this crisis worse. If we\u2019re serious about lowering utility costs for working families, Donald Trump and his agencies need to stop sitting on routine approvals that are stalling projects across America and preventing them from bringing additional supply onto the grid.\u201d\n\nRead the factsheet here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-during-committee-markup-heinrich-spotlights-need-to-pass-his-bipartisan-legislation-to-complete-continental-divide-trail", "ICYMI: During Committee Markup, Heinrich Spotlights Need to Pass His Bipartisan Legislation to Complete Continental Divide Trail", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 In his opening statement at a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to examine pending legislation, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee\u2019s Ranking Member, emphasized the need to pass legislation to improve New Mexicans\u2019 access to their public lands, including his bipartisan Continental Divide Completion Act, which would complete the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail to better maintain the trail\u2019s purpose while ensuring a safer more enjoyable journey for hikers.\n\nIn addition to the Continental Divide Completion Act, Heinrich also highlighted the need to pass U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n's (D-N.M.) New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act to improve coordination of New Mexico land grants and public land agencies, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet\u2019s (D-Colo.) Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act, which protects the Dolores River in Colorado by establishing a National Conservation Area and Special Management Area in the public land surrounding the river, and U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis\u2019 (R-Wyo.) Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act, which allows Wyoming greater flexibility on how to manage revenue from their state land.\n\nVIDEO: Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks during a Committee business meeting, December 17th, 2025.\n\n\u201cThe CDT is not just for through-hikers; for many New Mexicans, the CDT is their local trail. The trail where they walk their dog or spend time with their families. And the problem has been that there are still many gaps in the trail, where hikers have to literally hike on roads, even highway shoulders to connect from one segment to the next,\u201d noted Heinrich.\n\n\u201cThe Continental Divide Completion Act, which we will consider today, would direct the land management agencies to work with trail users and local communities to fill in the gaps and complete this trail,\u201d continued Heinrich. \u201cI want to thank Senator Daines for partnering with me on this legislation.\u201d\n\nA video of Heinrich\u2019s opening remarks is here.\n\nA transcript of Heinrich\u2019s remarks as delivered is below:\n\nThank you, Mr. Chairman and I am pleased to see us considering 12 bills today. I hope that we can build on this for the future.\n\nAnd I want to point out that our agenda today includes the Continental Divide Completion Act, a bill I introduced along with Senator Daines.\n\nThe CDT stretches from the Mexican border to the Canadian border, crossing more than 3,000 miles of some of the most rugged terrain in the U.S.\n\nWhile Senator Daines and I disagree on which portions of the trail are more scenic, we agree on getting this across the finish line.\n\nThe trail is part of the Triple Crown of hiking and brings visitors from around the world to climb the spine of the North American continent.\n\nAnd for the mountain towns along the way, the trail really means economic development, it means good jobs, and it means money in their pockets.\n\nThe CDT is not just for through-hikers; for many New Mexicans, the CDT is their local trail. The trail where they walk their dog or spend time with their families.\n\nAnd the problem has been that there are still many gaps in the trail, where hikers have to literally hike on roads, even highway shoulders to connect from one segment to the next.\n\nThe Continental Divide Completion Act, which we will consider today, would direct the land management agencies to work with trail users and local communities to fill in the gaps and complete this trail.\n\nI want to thank Senator Daines for partnering with me on this legislation.\n\n--\n\nAnd while there are too many bills on today\u2019s agenda to mention all of them, but I do want to quickly highlight three others:\n\nS. 1363 would improve coordination between New Mexico land grants and the public land agencies on traditional uses of public land.\n\nS. 1787 would protect the Dolores River in Colorado by establishing a National Conservation Area and Special Management Area on the public land along this river.\n\nAnd lastly, S. 2273 would allow the state of Wyoming greater flexibility in how they manage state revenues derived from state lands.\n\nNew Mexico recently needed Congressional action to change how we use state land revenues, so I know how important it is that this committee address these state trust land issues quickly as they arise.\n\nAnd I\u2019ll hold the rest of my comments on other bills until we reach them on the agenda, and yield back my time.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-applauds-committee-passage-of-legislation-toprovide-greater-cooperation-between-the-federal-government-and-land-grant-communities/", "Luj\u00e1n Applauds Committee Passage of Legislation to Provide Greater Cooperation between the Federal Government and Land Grant Communities", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) applauded the passage of the New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. This legislation will provide greater cooperation between the federal government and land grant communities. There are 27 community land grant-mercedes that are recognized as political subdivisions under New Mexico law.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud that my legislation to strengthen cooperation between the federal government and land grant communities, which are an essential part of New Mexico\u2019s history and culture, has passed through committee and is one step closer to becoming law. These communities have cared for our land for generations, and preserving that connection is crucial for our land and cultural heritage,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n, member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. \u201cThis legislation ensures that the federal government considers historical traditional uses in federal land management planning, helping to protect these valuable traditions for future generations.\u201d\n\n\u201cLand grant communities represent farmers and ranchers, families, and elders. They care for and sustain our lands,\u201d said Rep. Leger Fern\u00e1ndez, House lead of the legislation.\u201cThe New Mexico Land Grant Council\u2019s work to advocate for their communities is a perfect example of the beauty of democracy in action. We\u2019re happy to see that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee took action on this bill today. We will continue to work towards passage to improve cooperation and communication between federal agencies and our land grant communities to make sure these communities can access lands for the historical and traditional uses they have been practicing for centuries.\u201d\n\nThe New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act:\n\nDirects the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) and Department of Agriculture (USDA), through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the New Mexico Land Grant Council, to clarify existing agency processes that qualified land grant-mercedes may use to seek authorization for historical or traditional uses on Federal public lands, including permit requirements and associated fees;\n\nClarifies that the MOU does not directly authorize any uses or activities on Federal public lands;\n\nDirects the DOI and USDA to consult with Tribes when the MOU is entered into, extended, renewed or revised;\n\nEnsures that the MOU contains a description of the notice and comment procedures on agency land management planning decisions, and that qualified land grant-mercedes, the New Mexico Land Grant Council, and Tribes are notified of opportunities to comment on and be involved in agency land management planning decisions; and\n\nRequires the DOI and the USDA to evaluate impacts on historical or traditional uses in Federal land use planning.\n\nIn April 2025, Senator Luj\u00e1n and Representative Leger Fern\u00e1ndez reintroduced the New Mexico Land Grant-Mercedes Historical or Traditional Use Cooperation and Coordination Act. In March 2022, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest, and Public Lands held a hearing on a previous version of the legislation. In June 2022, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining held a hearing on the legislation. In July 2022, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources unanimously passed the legislation, and in December 2022, the Senate passed the legislation unanimously. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 116th Congress, Senator Luj\u00e1n unanimously passed similar legislation through the House to make it easier for land grant-mercedes to work with federal land management agencies.\n\nA summary of the bill is available HERE. Full text of the legislation is available HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-fighting-for-new-mexicans-in-2025/", "Luj\u00e1n: Fighting for New Mexicans in 2025", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Luj\u00e1n Saved Over $7.4 Million for New Mexicans, Closed 1,204 Constituent Cases in 2025\n\nVIDEO: A Message From Senator Luj\u00e1n to New Mexicans\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) highlighted legislative victories, constituent services successes, and efforts to push back against extreme policies that hurt New Mexicans in 2025.\n\n\u201cIt is an honor and a privilege to represent New Mexico every day in the United States Senate,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cFrom securing an extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, to delivering more than $200 million for projects across New Mexico, I am proud to have delivered real results for New Mexicans in 2025 \u2013 even as the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans have continued to advance policies that harm our state. This year, we have seen this administration hurt New Mexico\u2019s farmers, ranchers, small business owners, veterans, and families trying to make ends meet. I will continue fighting to defend New Mexicans from these extreme policies, mass firings, and deep cuts that unravel the fabric of our communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cProviding the best constituent services for New Mexicans has always been a top priority for my office, and I am extremely proud of the work that we accomplished for my constituents this year,\u201d continued Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cAs always, I encourage New Mexicans to reach out to my office for assistance whenever they need help.\u201d\n\nHosting Town Halls Across New Mexico\n\nIn 2025, Senator Luj\u00e1n held four in-person town halls across New Mexico to hear directly from hundreds of constituents and engage in conversations regarding issues impacting New Mexicans. During the town halls, Senator Luj\u00e1n highlighted his work on behalf of New Mexicans and took questions from community members on their concerns.\n\nSpotlight Forums\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n led two Senate Spotlight Forums, events where he brought together Senate colleagues and industry experts to bring attention to policies implemented by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans that are hurting Americans across the country.\n\nTo highlight devastating cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Senator Luj\u00e1n convened a Spotlight Forum titled \u201cHunger by Design: The GOP\u2019s Assault on SNAP\u201d to underscore the devastating impact of Congressional Republicans\u2019 plan to gut SNAP.\n\nExamining how President Trump\u2019s tariff policies raise costs for working families and fuel economic instability, Senator Luj\u00e1n hosted a Spotlight Forum titled \u201cCosts, Chaos, Corruption: The Household Impact of Trump\u2019s Tariffs,\u201d featuring testimony from policy experts, labor leaders, and small business owners directly impacted by the reckless tariffs.\n\nFighting for New Mexicans by Holding the Trump Administration Accountable\n\nSince taking office in January 2025, President Trump has undermined the rule of law, gutted key federal programs, shutdown our federal government, and created chaos and confusion. New Mexicans deserve a federal government that works for them, not a presidential administration that only looks out for themselves.\n\nIn 2025, Senator Luj\u00e1n has fought in Congress to defend New Mexicans from extreme policies, mass firings, and deep cuts to federal programs that New Mexicans rely on.\n\nLearn more about how Senator Luj\u00e1n has held the Trump administration accountable here.\n\nHelping New Mexicans in 2025\n\nIn 2025, Senator Luj\u00e1n saved constituents over $7.4 million, helped close 1,204 constituent cases on issues ranging from taking care of our state\u2019s veterans to helping our seniors collect their benefits. In 2025, Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s office received correspondence from more than 256,000 New Mexicans and sent over 530,000 pieces of mail in response.\n\nNew Mexicans in need of assistance in navigating federal agencies and issues can contact Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s office here or by calling 575-252-6188 or 202-224-6621.\n\nDelivering Legislative Victories\n\nThis year, Senator Luj\u00e1n introduced 47 bills and 71 amendments and co-sponsored over 350 bills and amendments to boost the quality of life for New Mexicans. Of the legislative work that Senator Luj\u00e1n championed, 6 bills authored by Senator Luj\u00e1n were signed into law.\n\nSignificant initiatives Senator Luj\u00e1n championed this year include:\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n led the Senate Democratic Caucus in proposing legislative solutions to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits that make health care affordable for families in New Mexico and people across the country.\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n led the Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing legislation to repeal the devastating Republican cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) made in the Republican Budget Betrayal.\n\nBased on years of work spearheading legislation to strengthen the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) program, Senator Luj\u00e1n helped secure an expansion and extension of RECA to compensate victims of radiation and uranium mine workers. Since being elected to Congress, Senator Luj\u00e1n has played a leading role in advancing legislation to strengthen the RECA program in both the House and Senate, introducing RECA legislation in every Congress and twice passing it through the Senate.\n\nFour bills led by Senator Luj\u00e1n to combat the fentanyl crisis through addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery were signed into law as a part of the SUPPORT Act \u2013 a bipartisan package of fentanyl prevention bills.\n\nIn appropriations bills that were signed into law, Senator Luj\u00e1n successfully secured $202,188,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for 13 critical New Mexico projects.\n\nLooking Ahead to 2026\n\nSince being elected to Congress, Senator Luj\u00e1n has developed extensive relationships with his House and Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance legislation, make life more affordable for Americans, and defend New Mexico values and priorities.\n\nIn 2026, Senator Luj\u00e1n will continue delivering results for New Mexicans. He will stand up to protect New Mexicans from attacks from the Trump administration, defend health care and Social Security, protect our public lands, serve our veterans, honor our commitment to Tribal Nations, invest in National Laboratories, and promote affordability for all New Mexicans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-statement-on-trump-administrations-failure-to-release-all-epstein-files/", "Luj\u00e1n Statement on Trump Administration\u2019s Failure to Release All Epstein Files", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice refused to release the full Epstein files:\n\n\u201cToday is the deadline for the Trump administration and the Department of Justice to release all of the documents related to the Epstein files. The DOJ was given sufficient time to properly review and redact information pertaining to the privacy of the victims in order to make the files available to the public and to brief Congress.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s failure to release the full report only impedes long-awaited justice for Epstein\u2019s victims and further implicates this administration in a cover-up. This administration must follow the law and release all of the files immediately.\u201d\n\nSenators Luj\u00e1n and Merkley introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act earlier this year to ensure full transparency for the American people, accountability for those involved with Epstein, and justice for victims.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/n-m-delegation-calls-on-trump-administration-to-support-states-application-for-federal-rural-health-transformation-program-funding/", "N.M. Delegation Calls on Trump Administration to Support State\u2019s Application for Federal Rural Health Transformation Program Funding", "2025-12-19", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz in support of New Mexico\u2019s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program application. The RHT program was established following the passage of the Republican Budget Betrayal, which is estimated to cut $137 billion in funding for rural hospitals across the country.\n\nIn their letter, the New Mexico delegation stresses the urgent need for federal support to meet New Mexico\u2019s rural health needs. Following cuts made to rural health care in the Republican Budget Betrayal, 6 to 8 rural hospitals are at risk of closure in New Mexico in the next 18 months, with a potential of up to 15 closures.\n\n\u201cWe write to express our enthusiastic support for New Mexico\u2019s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program application. As members of New Mexico\u2019s congressional delegation, we are proud to endorse our state\u2019s ambitious plan to improve health care access, quality, and sustainability across New Mexico\u2019s rural, frontier, and Tribal communities,\u201d said the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico\u2019s geography and demographics present unique challenges that our RHT program application will help us to address. Nearly one-third of our residents live in rural areas, and many face long travel distances to receive health care services and have limited provider availability in their immediate communities,\u201d continued the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cOur state\u2019s rural health transformation plan is also actionable, designed to deliver both immediate and long-term benefits to our rural providers and community members,\u201d concluded the lawmakers.\n\nThe full text of the letter is available here and below:\n\nDear Administrator Oz,\n\nWe write to express our enthusiastic support for New Mexico\u2019s Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program application. As members of New Mexico\u2019s congressional delegation, we are proud to endorse our state\u2019s ambitious plan to improve health care access, quality, and sustainability across New Mexico\u2019s rural, frontier, and Tribal communities.\n\nNew Mexico\u2019s geography and demographics present unique challenges that our RHT program application will help us to address. Nearly one-third of our residents live in rural areas, and many face long travel distances to receive health care services and have limited provider availability in their immediate communities. Our rural community members often face persistent health challenges, especially chronic disease management. Additionally, although our provider community is both strong and resilient, many rural providers are facing ongoing challenges to maintain viability and their ability to deliver highly necessary services. The transformation plan defined in our state\u2019s RHT Program application offers a bold and thoughtful response to these challenges, built on suggestions received through community engagement and aligned with our state\u2019s most pressing rural health care needs.\n\nThe plan\u2019s five initiatives (Healthy Horizons, Rooted in New Mexico, the Rural Health Innovation Fund, Bridge to Resilience, and the Rural Health Data Hub) reflect a comprehensive strategy to enhance and modernize rural health care across New Mexico. These initiatives will help our state expand specialty care access, strengthen chronic disease management, build a sustainable health care workforce, support community-led and community-tailored innovation, stabilize and support rural providers, and improve data transparency and infrastructure. We are especially encouraged by the plan\u2019s commitment to keeping care close to home and respecting the sovereignty and cultural priorities of New Mexico\u2019s 23 tribal nations, pueblos, and sovereign communities.\n\nOur state\u2019s rural health transformation plan is also actionable, designed to deliver both immediate and long-term benefits to our rural providers and community members. The plan includes clear performance metrics, robust ongoing stakeholder engagement, and a sustainability plan that will help promote impact beyond the five-year funding period. By improving access to care, investing in community-designed and led solutions, empowering rural communities, and helping to stabilize our rural health care providers, New Mexico will set a national example for how to effectively use rural health transformation funding in a way that will help every rural resident, regardless of their zip code, to access the care they need to live healthy, full lives.\n\nWe urge CMS to approve and support this application. We are thankful for Governor Lujan Grisham\u2019s leadership in preparing this transformation plan and look forward to its successful implementation. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued commitment to improving health and health care access across rural America. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/albuquerque-journal-congressional-proposal-would-transfer-more-land-to-fast-growing-indian-pueblo-cultural-center-campus", "Albuquerque Journal: Congressional proposal would transfer more land to fast-growing Indian Pueblo Cultural Center campus", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "A fast-growing area of Albuquerque would get another boost from federal legislation that would transfer the nearly 10 acres that were part of the former Albuquerque Indian School to a trust run by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico.\n\nThe transfer would be for the benefit of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which is run jointly by the 19 pueblos of New Mexico.\n\nU.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich sponsored the legislation, while U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n is a co-sponsor. Luj\u00e1n is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. On the House side, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury is supporting the legislation. All are New Mexico Democrats.\n\n\u201cMy legislation expands on decades of bipartisan work to put the former Albuquerque Indian School campus and surrounding tracts of land in to trust for the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico,\u201d Heinrich said in a statement. \u201cThis land, in particular, will be used by the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to scale Native-owned businesses, create jobs, and expand business services for local and Native-owned businesses \u2013 an economic win for everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur 19 Pueblos of New Mexico have come together to create a place in the heart of Albuquerque where Pueblo culture is celebrated and uplifted while creating pathways for progress,\u201d Indian Pueblo Cultural Center President and CEO Monique Fragua said in a statement. \u201cThis congressional action to transfer federal land honors our mission and empowers us to expand economic opportunities and cultural initiatives. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sen. Heinrich and his team for their unwavering commitment to this cause and to the future of Pueblo people.\u201d\n\nThe Indian Pueblo Cultural Center campus includes 80 acres of land in Albuquerque, which includes a museum and gallery space. The campus is located in a cultural and business district, which is also owned and operated by the Pueblos.\n\nThis includes the Indian Pueblo Kitchen, an entrepreneurial complex, the Four Winds convenience store, commercial retail and restaurant lease space, multiple hotels and more.\n\n\u201cThe Albuquerque Indian School Land Transfer Act of 2025 will expand economic development and cultural education opportunities for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which serves all nineteen of New Mexico\u2019s Pueblos,\u201d Luj\u00e1n said in a statement. \u201cI am proud to introduce this legislation to help the center grow its capacity as a cultural and economic institution, creating jobs and generating revenue for New Mexico\u2019s Pueblos and our communities.\u201d\n\nIn 2015, Congress passed a law that transferred 11.1 acres that were part of the Albuquerque Indian School to the trust of the 19 Pueblos.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/nm-delegation-condemns-trumps-plan-to-cut-veterans-health-administration-positions", "N.M. Delegation Condemns Trump\u2019s Plan to Cut Veterans Health Administration Positions", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) released the following statement condemning the Trump Administration\u2019s announced plan to eliminate tens of thousands of positions within the Veterans Health Administration, which could include positions at the Raymond G. Murphy U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Albuquerque and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in New Mexico.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico veterans answered the call to serve our country and defend our freedoms. We owe it to these men and women to honor their sacrifice and ensure they have access to the care they have earned. The VA must be held accountable for plans to cut their essential workforce and for President Trump\u2019s pattern of disrespecting our veterans by further delaying their care and benefits.\n\n\u201cThis is just another step toward the Trump Administration\u2019s goal of privatizing the VA. Let\u2019s be clear: New Mexico veterans do not want a private VA. They want a better VA that is their own. We will fight like hell to protect their VA and ensure these heroes receive the health care they were promised.\u201d\n\nThe VA has already lost more than 30,000 employees this year and Trump\u2019s newest plan to eliminate tens of thousands more jobs will only exacerbate staffing shortages due to mass firings, hiring freezes, and contract cancellations earlier this year. Eliminating vacant positions will only make it even harder for VA to meet increased demand for services as more than one million veterans enrolled as a result of the expanded eligibility under the PACT Act for toxic exposure, as well as urgently needed mental health care resources aimed at reducing the veteran suicide rate.\n\nWhile the VA has not announced how many positions will be cut from New Mexico, the plan would shrink the VA\u2019s essential workforce across the country. Today, N.M. Delegation staff asked the VA if any positions at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center will be cut and how those cuts will be determined. But the VA did not provide any answers specific to New Mexico. The N.M. Delegation will continue to press the Trump Administration for transparency and concrete answers on these planned VA cuts and their impacts on essential medical services for New Mexico veterans.\n\nEarlier this year, Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n introduced the Putting Veteran\u2019s First Act, which reverses the chaos and damage created at the VA by the Trump Administration.\n\nAdditionally, Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n called on VA Secretary Doug Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated in February who serve veterans and their families nationwide, including critical employees combatting veteran suicide working at the Veterans Crisis Line.\n\nThis week, Heinrich and Vasquez successfully passed their TRICARE Travel Improvement Act to ensure active-duty service members and their families can be reimbursed when they travel for medical care.\n\nIn March, Vasquez introduced the New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Act to protect access to care for rural veterans living in Otero and Eddy counties.\n\nIn 2022, Heinrich, Lujan, Leger Fern\u00e1ndez, and Stansbury also successfully defeated recommendations put forth to the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission, which threatened to close the CBOCs in Gallup, Las Vegas, Espa\u00f1ola, and Raton, New Mexico.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-fischer-lead-colleagues-to-preserve-states-ability-to-use-broadband-infrastructure-funds-as-congress-intended/", "Luj\u00e1n, Fischer Lead Colleagues to Preserve States\u2019 Ability to Use Broadband Infrastructure Funds as Congress Intended", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, sent a letter to Arielle Roth, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), urging the administration to preserve states\u2019 ability to use their non-deployment Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program funds consistent with congressional intent and the bipartisan infrastructure law.\n\nLuj\u00e1n and Fischer\u2019s letter also requests NTIA to provide a public accounting of unspent BEAD funds for each state, clarification of NTIA\u2019s current interpretation of allowable \u201cnon-deployment\u201d uses, and a timetable for revised guidance on non-deployment funds.\n\nThe lawmakers write: \u201cWe write to request the agency\u2019s attention to a major question emerging within the BEAD Program. Under the latest BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity, many states likely will \u2014 or already do \u2014 have leftover BEAD allocations. Given the intent of Congress that these resources be used to expand broadband access nationwide, we respectfully seek clarity on how NTIA will ensure proper stewardship and redistribution of non-deployment funds to close the digital divide.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Senators Luj\u00e1n and Fischer, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Moran (R-KS), Cantwell (D-WA), Risch (R-ID), Rosen (D-NV), Crapo (R-ID), Shaheen (D-NH), Sullivan (R-AK), Markey (D-MA), Murkowski (R-AK), Baldwin (D-WI), Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Klobuchar (D-MN).\n\nFull text of the letter is here and below.\n\nDear Administrator Roth,\n\nWe write to request the agency\u2019s attention to a major question emerging within the BEAD Program. Under the latest BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity, many states likely will \u2014 or already do \u2014 have leftover BEAD allocations. Given the intent of Congress that these resources be used to expand broadband access nationwide, we respectfully seek clarity on how NTIA will ensure proper stewardship and redistribution of non-deployment funds to close the digital divide.\n\nUnder the statutory framework established by Section 60102 of the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (47 U.S.C. \u00a7 1702), BEAD funding was intended first and foremost to fund broadband expansion: deployment to unserved locations, then underserved areas and connection of eligible community anchor institutions, before consideration of a broader set of permissible \u201cnon-deployment\u201d uses to facilitate goals of the program. Congress granted this authority, along with the authority to redistribute unallocated funding amongst eligible entities, to maximize broadband infrastructure expansion \u2013 and thereby boost the economic productivity that connectivity brings to every corner of our country.\n\nThe current status of non-deployment funding, however, appears unsettled. While NTIA\u2019s recent guidance stated that allowable non-deployment purposes were still under review, we were encouraged by your public comments on December 2, 2025, stating that the agency is \u201coperating under the assumption that the states will get to use their BEAD savings,\u201d though noting that \u201cnothing has been finalized.\u201d\n\nGiven these considerations, we respectfully request that NTIA provide:\n\n1. A public accounting of the unspent BEAD funds for each state, including amounts already committed to deployment projects and amounts remaining unallocated or reserved for non-deployment uses;\n\n2. Clarification of NTIA\u2019s current interpretation of allowable \u201cnon-deployment\u201d uses in light of the June 2025 policy notice and consistent with authorized use of the funds under 47 U.S.C. \u00a7 1702 moving forward, and whether any previously approved non-deployment activities may remain eligible; and\n\n3. A timetable for revised guidance on non-deployment funds, along with any criteria or conditions under which non-deployment programs will be permitted or prioritized.\n\nIn responding, we strongly urge NTIA to preserve states\u2019 ability to use their non-deployment BEAD funds consistent with congressional intent and the bipartisan infrastructure law. We look forward to your timely reply and to ensuring that every BEAD dollar is used to connect Americans for generations to come, as Congress intended.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-reintroduces-legislation-to-increase-multilingual-content-moderation-enforcement-and-transparency/", "Luj\u00e1n Reintroduces Legislation to Increase Multilingual Content Moderation Enforcement and Transparency", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, led U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Oreg.) in introducing the Language-Inclusive Support and Transparency for Online Services (LISTOS) Act to improve multilingual large language models, automated decision-making systems, and content moderation practices online to better protect non-English speaking communities.\n\nThe LISTOS Act requires online platforms to consistently communicate and enforce their policies across languages and transparently report on the processes used to enforce policies.\n\n\u201cDespite having a global user base that speaks multiple languages, tech platforms do not make adequate investments in protecting families who speak Spanish and other non-English languages online,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cI\u2019m proud to reintroduce the LISTOS Act to require platforms to provide more transparency of multilingual AI models and staff used to moderate content, and enforce their policies consistently across languages.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe LISTOS ACT ensures inclusive access to AI and equitable online safety for non-English language communities who are currently underserved by major social media companies,\u201d said Senator Padilla. \u201cInvesting in multilingual access to information and services will improve online communication and propel innovation while helping to bridge the gap between English and non-English speakers.\u201d\n\n\u201cMany non-English speaking communities are being left out of online safety measures, as protections and filters that would apply to content in English, are neglected for other languages, putting many online users at a higher risk of disinformation, scams, and fraud,\u201d said Senator Hirono. \u201cI am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing this legislation to ensure that online platforms are consistent across languages, accessible to non-English speaking communities, and help to protect users against fraud attempts, regardless of their native language.\u201d\n\n\u201cBig tech companies are failing millions of people by allowing scams, fraud and other slime to spread in Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese, where the same posts in English would be filtered out. At the same time, tech companies are fueling crises abroad by refusing to invest adequate resources in their overseas offices,\u201d said Senator Wyden. \u201cEvery community in Oregon and nationwide deserves the same protections from Big Tech as their English-speaking neighbors. I\u2019m proud to join my colleagues to introduce this bill, which would protect online communities, no matter what language they speak.\u201d\n\n\u201cFar too often, online platforms create double standards regarding content moderation. While English-language content receives some oversight and clearer enforcement, Spanish and other languages are treated as an afterthought,\u201d said Mark Maga\u00f1a, GreenLatinos Founding President & CEO.\u201cNearly 22% of the entire population in the U.S. spoke a language other than English at home. False and harmful narratives remain unchecked in Spanish and other languages, allowing for disinformation and hate to spread readily throughout our communities. The LISTOS Act is a critical step in addressing these disparities by requiring online platforms to communicate and enforce their policies consistently across languages, increase transparency around their content moderation practices, and allocate resources equitably. Green Latinos is proud to support this measure and looks forward to how this act will provide the foundation for stronger accountability, greater transparency, and a safer online environment for non-English speaking communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cOnline access to information across languages is essential in today\u2019s digital-first world. We do everything online \u2014 from finding jobs, paying bills, chatting with friends, catching up on news of the day. The LISTOS Act is a critical step towards ensuring equity of access for non-English users and holding social-media platforms accountable to content moderation policies and practices. Free Press Action Fund is honored to endorse the LISTOS Act at a time when the role of fact-checkers faces undue scrutiny and online manipulation risks further tearing at collective cohesion and democratic engagement,\u201d said Nora Benavidez, Senior Counsel at Free Press and Free Press Action Fund.\n\nThis legislation is endorsed by Free Press, National Hispanic Media Coalition, GreenLatinos, and Digital Democracy Institute of the Americas (DDIA).\n\nFull text of the bill is available HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-schiff-colleagues-blast-fcc-efforts-to-strip-broadband-price-transparency-labels-for-consumers-demand-reversal/", "Luj\u00e1n, Schiff, Colleagues Blast FCC Efforts to Strip Broadband Price Transparency Labels for Consumers, Demand Reversal", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) led six senators to urge Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to reverse the agency\u2019s decision to weaken broadband label rules that help consumers understand the type of broadband services they are buying before committing to a provider.\n\nIn a letter to Chairman Carr, the Senators expressed strong opposition to the FCC\u2019s proposed rulemaking that would scale back key broadband consumer label requirements adopted unanimously in 2022. Congress gave the Commission explicit instructions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to create these labels.\n\n\u201cThe broadband label framework was designed to work like nutrition labels, giving consumers a clear, consistent way to understand what services they are buying before they commit. After years of development and a bipartisan vote to implement these protections, we are now at the point where providers have integrated these labels into their systems and consumers are beginning to rely on them. This is not the moment to reverse course,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\n\u201cThe entire purpose of the broadband label is to show consumers the real, total cost of service so that they can make informed choices. Allowing providers to bundle these fees into vague line items recreates exactly the kind of billing opaqueness that Congress sought to end. Families need to see what they are being charged and why,\u201d the Senators continued.\n\nUnder the FCC\u2019s proposal, internet service providers would be allowed to take actions such as bundling optional fees instead of listing them clearly and removing labels from customer account portals which consumers often use to compare and review their service terms. The proposal could also allow providers to not display labels in the same languages used to advertise their plans.\n\nIn addition to Senators Luj\u00e1n and Schiff, this letter is also signed by Senators Brian Schatz (D- Hawai\u2019i), Ron Wyden (D-Ore,), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.).\n\nThis letter follows an earlier letter sent by Senators Lujan and Klobuchar on October 24, 2025.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found hereand below:\n\nDear Chairman Carr:\n\nWe write to express strong opposition to the Federal Communication Commission\u2019s (FCC) Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would scale back key broadband consumer label requirements this Commission adopted unanimously in 2022. Congress gave the Commission explicit instructions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to create these labels, and we are concerned that the current proposal moves in the opposite direction from what the law requires and what consumers deserve. This letter is submitted as a follow-up to the letter sent by Senators Klobuchar and Lujan on October 24, 2025, prior to the Commission\u2019s 2-1 vote to advance the proposed changes.\n\nThe broadband label framework was designed to work like nutrition labels, giving consumers a clear, consistent way to understand what services they are buying before they commit. After years of development and a bipartisan vote to implement these protections, we are now at the point where providers have integrated these labels into their systems and consumers are beginning to rely on them. This is not the moment to reverse course.\n\nThe proposal to exclude telephone sales from point-of-sale disclosure requirements would eliminate transparency for some of the most vulnerable consumers in our country. Seniors, people with disabilities, rural residents, and households shopping for their first internet service frequently rely on phone conversations to compare plans and sign up for service. Under this proposal, those consumers would lose access to the very information that online shoppers take for granted. Instead of regulatory efficiency, this change would create a two-tier system that disadvantages the Americans who can least afford confusion about the services they are purchasing.\n\nWe are equally troubled by the Commission\u2019s proposal to let providers aggregate discretionary fees that companies choose to impose rather than itemize them. The entire purpose of the broadband label is to show consumers the real, total cost of service so that they can make informed choices. Allowing providers to bundle these fees into vague line items recreates exactly the kind of billing opaqueness that Congress sought to end. Families need to see what they are being charged and why. Comparison shopping becomes meaningless if the prices are not actually comparable.\n\nThe proposal to remove labels from customer account portals is also misguided. Right now, a consumer can log into their account months after signing up, pull up their label, and verify what they were promised at the initial point of sale. They can check whether their promotional rate is about to expire or compare their current plan to newer options. Eliminating that access would leave consumers with no reliable way to review their own service terms. At a time when internet service costs are rising and many families are managing tighter budgets, we should be making it easier for people to understand what they are paying for.\n\nPublic interest advocates have long emphasized that ongoing access to these labels is not merely a convenience but a core consumer protection. Broadband plans change frequently, promotional rates expire, and providers sometimes introduce new terms or fees long after the initial sale. Without a persistent label visible in customers\u2019 online accounts, consumers have no simple way to verify whether their service still matches what they were promised or to detect price increases and speed changes that may occur over time. Removing this requirement would make it easier for providers to bury bill changes in dense terms of service or scattered emails, and it would hinder consumers\u2019 ability to exercise their rights, switch plans, or challenge inaccurate billing. Continuous transparency is essential to preventing bait-and-switch tactics and to ensuring broadband markets function fairly for all people.\n\nWe also urge the Commission to reconsider eliminating multilingual label requirements. Providers actively market to non-English-speaking communities in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and other languages. It is both reasonable and fair to require that the same consumers receive pricing and service term disclosures in the language they were sold in. Marketing in one language while providing key financial information only in English will only result in confusion and exploitation.\n\nFurthermore, the proposed elimination of machine-readable formats and archiving requirements would undermine accountability across the board. These technical features allow consumer advocates, researchers, regulators, and journalists to analyze pricing trends, track harmful practices, and fuel tools that help families make fully informed financial decisions. They also support the Commission\u2019s own enforcement work. Removing these features would weaken oversight at a time when the broadband market needs more scrutiny.\n\nThe broadband label program represents bipartisan recognition that clear information is essential to a functioning market. The law Congress passed was not a suggestion. It was a directive, rooted in the straightforward principle that consumers deserve to know what they are purchasing in easy-to-understand terms and what it costs when they sign a contract.\n\nWe respectfully urge the Commission to withdraw or substantially revise this proposal and to maintain the comprehensive transparency protections that Congress mandated in IIJA. Families across the country are counting on the FCC to ensure that broadband providers compete in quality and price. That requires consumers to actually see and understand both.\n\nThank you for considering these views.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/n-m-delegation-condemns-trumps-plan-to-cut-veterans-health-administration-positions/", "N.M. Delegation Condemns Trump\u2019s Plan to Cut Veterans Health Administration Positions", "2025-12-18", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) released the following statement condemning the Trump Administration\u2019s announced plan to eliminate tens of thousands of positions within the Veterans Health Administration, which could include positions at the Raymond G. Murphy U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Albuquerque and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in New Mexico.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico veterans answered the call to serve our country and defend our freedoms. We owe it to these men and women to honor their sacrifice and ensure they have access to the care they have earned. The VA must be held accountable for plans to cut their essential workforce and for President Trump\u2019s pattern of disrespecting our veterans by further delaying their care and benefits.\n\n\u201cThis is just another step toward the Trump Administration\u2019s goal of privatizing the VA. Let\u2019s be clear: New Mexico veterans do not want a private VA. They want a better VA that is their own. We will fight like hell to protect their VA and ensure these heroes receive the health care they were promised.\u201d\n\nThe VA has already lost more than 30,000 employees this year and Trump\u2019s newest plan to eliminate tens of thousands more jobs will only exacerbate staffing shortages due to mass firings, hiring freezes, and contract cancellations earlier this year. Eliminating vacant positions will only make it even harder for VA to meet increased demand for services as more than one million veterans enrolled as a result of the expanded eligibility under the PACT Act for toxic exposure, as well as urgently needed mental health care resources aimed at reducing the veteran suicide rate.\n\nWhile the VA has not announced how many positions will be cut from New Mexico, the plan would shrink the VA\u2019s essential workforce across the country. Today, N.M. Delegation staff asked the VA if any positions at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center will be cut and how those cuts will be determined. But the VA did not provide any answers specific to New Mexico. The N.M. Delegation will continue to press the Trump Administration for transparency and concrete answers on these planned VA cuts and their impacts on essential medical services for New Mexico veterans.\n\nEarlier this year, Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n introduced the Putting Veteran\u2019s First Act, which reverses the chaos and damage created at the VA by the Trump Administration.\n\nAdditionally, Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n called on VA Secretary Doug Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated in February who serve veterans and their families nationwide, including critical employees combatting veteran suicide working at the Veterans Crisis Line.\n\nThis week, Heinrich and Vasquez successfully passed their TRICARE Travel Improvement Act to ensure active-duty service members and their families can be reimbursed when they travel for medical care.\n\nIn March, Vasquez introduced the New Mexico Rural Veteran Health Care Access Actto protect access to care for rural veterans living in Otero and Eddy counties.\n\nIn 2022, Heinrich, Lujan, Leger Fern\u00e1ndez, and Stansbury also successfully defeated recommendations put forth to the Asset and Infrastructure Review (AIR) Commission, which threatened to close the CBOCs in Gallup, Las Vegas, Espa\u00f1ola, and Raton, New Mexico.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gabe-vasquez-statement-venezuela-blockade", "Rep. Gabe Vasquez Statement on Venezuela Blockade", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 17, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) released the following statement in response to the administration\u2019s blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.\n\n\u201cThis Administration is actively eroding the most basic Constitutional checks and balances for the use of military force, and it\u2019s gravely concerning. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I stand by the Constitution and by our troops \u2014 we must follow the law and rules of engagement.\u201d\n\n\u201cDeclaring war on a foreign government and sending American servicemembers into harm\u2019s way is a solemn decision, and our Founding Fathers made it clear \u2014 only Congress has the power to declare war. The Administration owes it to the American people to respect the Constitution and provide evidence and transparency around what it is really doing with our taxpayer dollars in the Caribbean and Venezuela.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe last thing Americans want is another drawn-out conflict in a faraway place that does nothing to make their lives better. I\u2019m from our southern border, so I firmly believe we must be doing everything we can to combat bad actors and cartels smuggling drugs into our country. That means investing in smart border technology and supporting our law enforcement officers, not pouring our resources into a conflict with a weak nation, which won\u2019t solve the fentanyl crisis here at home.\u201d\n\n\u201cEscalating hostilities in Venezuela will drive up energy prices for Americans and funnel taxpayer money away from things that actually matter here at home. My constituents are worried about the price of groceries and making rent on time, yet the Administration chooses to focus on starting new conquests overseas \u2014 it\u2019s wrong, and we must refocus.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-applaud-senate-passage-of-legislation-to-amend-water-rights-settlements-and-return-earned-interest-to-tribes", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Applaud Senate Passage of Legislation to Amend Water Rights Settlements and Return Earned Interest to Tribes", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, applauded the Senate passage of the Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act that authorizes the release of $18.312 million in water settlement interest funds to New Mexico Tribes to support water development projects. The legislation is co-led by Luj\u00e1n and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.).\n\nSpecifically, the legislation authorizes the appropriation of $6.3 million for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Fund; $7.8 million for the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund; and $4.3 million for the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos\u2019 Fund, which covers Namb\u00e9, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos. The bill provides a technical fix so Tribes can access interest payments they are owed on their trust funds. The additional interest funding will support water resources development projects for the affected Tribes.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud the Senate passed our legislation, acknowledging the Federal government\u2019s continued role in ensuring these Tribes have the necessary resources to use the water they own,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cThe amendments to these settlements will also ensure water security for many communities in northwest New Mexico. I urge the House to quickly take up and pass these bills to help New Mexico communities modernize and secure their water infrastructure.\u201d\n\n\u201cWater is a fundamental part of the federal trust responsibility,\u201d said Luj\u00e1n. \u201cAmending current law is vital to ensure the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos have access to clean, safe, and reliable water resources. I\u2019m proud to have led the charge to get this legislation through the Senate, and to push for impacted Tribes to collect the interest owed to support critical water infrastructure projects. Getting this legislation through the Senate is a vital step and we must continue to honor our trust responsibility and promote water security for Tribes and Pueblos, as well as non-Tribal users, in New Mexico.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndian water rights settlements are not abstract promises\u2014they\u2019re about whether families have clean, reliable water today and for generations to come,\u201d said Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. \u201cThis bill is a common sense fix to make sure Tribes receive the interest they rightfully earned on their own trust funds. Returning these dollars to the Navajo Nation and Pueblos of Taos, Namb\u00e9, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque honors our federal trust responsibility so that water settlements actually deliver the infrastructure and security they were meant to provide.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nTribal water rights settlements commonly allow the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary to invest trust funds after the funds are appropriated. This legislation provides Tribes with additional resources to support their water infrastructure.\n\nHowever, some Tribal water rights settlements enacted in 2009 and 2010 prohibited the Interior Secretary from investing the trust funds prior to the relevant settlement\u2019s enforcement date. That included the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act (Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project/Navajo Nation Water Rights), the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act.\n\nAs a result, the affected Tribes lost out on interest that was or could have been earned from investing the trust funds between the date they were appropriated and the settlement enforcement date. Instead of allowing the Tribes to keep the interest, as many settlements allow, the funds were returned to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This legislation provides a technical fix so that the affected Tribes can receive that interest.\n\nRead the full bill text here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-secures-wins-for-nm-service-members-military-installations-and-national-labs-in-fy2026-national-defense-bill", "Heinrich Secures Wins for N.M. Service Members, Military Installations, & National Labs in FY2026 National Defense Bill", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "NDAA includes Heinrich\u2019s bills to reimburse service members and their families for medical travel and to honor New Mexico Downwinders\n\nWASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) welcomed final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). The legislation includes major wins that Heinrich secured, including investments in New Mexico\u2019s service members, military installations, national labs, job-creating initiatives throughout the state, and two specific Heinrich-led bills.\n\n\u201cThis bipartisan defense bill includes important provisions to support our service members, invest in New Mexico\u2019s military installations, strengthen our national labs, and accelerate critical environmental clean-up work in New Mexico. It also includes my legislation to ensure military families stationed at White Sands Missile Range, Holloman Air Force Base, and rural bases across the U.S. are reimbursed for medical travel under TRICARE Prime,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cI\u2019m proud that this legislation also further cements New Mexico\u2019s leadership on emerging defense and space capabilities, includes my Downwinder Commemoration Act and International Nuclear Energy Act, and builds on important cybersecurity provisions that grew out of my work in the Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group. This bill will help make New Mexico and our country stronger and safer.\u201d\n\nHeinrich successfully included within the FY26 NDAA his TRICARE Travel Improvement Act to ensure active-duty service members and their families can be reimbursed when they travel for medical care. Currently, families stationed at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base travel nearly 100 miles to El Paso, Texas, for specialist medical care, but are denied reimbursement because they are just under the 100-mile threshold. Heinrich\u2019s TRICARE Travel Improvement Act will ensure fairness for military families serving in remote areas by lowering the travel reimbursement threshold under TRICARE Prime from 100 miles to 75 miles for military families.\n\nHeinrich also successfully included in the FY26 NDAA his Downwinder Commemoration Act to recognize the harm endured by New Mexico\u2019s Downwinders following the 1945 Trinity Test \u2014 the first nuclear detonation in U.S. history. The bill directs the Department of Defense (DoD) to place commemorative monuments in publicly accessible areas at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base in their honor.\n\nBoth the TRICARE Travel Improvement Act and the Downwinder Commemoration Act are led by Heinrich in the Senate and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) in the House.\n\n\u201cAs a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I\u2019m fighting for New Mexico\u2019s interests and fair share of funding in the nation\u2019s defense bill,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cWith the passage of these two bipartisan bills I have led, we will finally recognize the families who have suffered in silence from the impacts of the Trinity Test and also ensure military families at White Sands and Holloman Air Force Base don\u2019t have to pay out of pocket to access health care.\u201d\n\nAdditionally, Heinrich successfully included the FY26 NDAA his International Nuclear Energy Act, co-led with U.S. Senators James Risch (R-Idaho), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah), to provide the federal government new tools to coordinate on nuclear energy policy with allied nations and help American energy companies thrive on the world market.\n\nThe FY26 NDAA now heads to the White House.\n\nThe NDAA sets the DOD spending levels and policies for the upcoming fiscal year and authorizes funding for the U.S. Department of Energy's programs at Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, as well as the Department of Energy's environmental cleanup programs including the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).\n\nHeinrich has long championed provisions that benefit New Mexico\u2019s service members, national laboratories, and defense missions. Heinrich served as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee from 2013 to 2020 and as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee from 2021 to 2022. He is also a member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.\n\nDuring his time in Congress, Heinrich has doubled the total budgets for Sandia and Los Alamos, significantly increasing the total employees and local economic impact of both labs.\n\nHeinrich has also delivered a total of more than $1.5 billion for military construction projects at defense installations in New Mexico over the course of his career in Congress.\n\nFY26 Defense Authorization Bill Highlights\n\nMilitary Construction\n\nHeinrich championed a historic number of investments in our military installations in New Mexico, including:\n\n$90 million for a new 192-bed dormitory at Cannon Air Force Base.\n\n$79 million for a Deployment Processing Center at Cannon Air Force Base.\n\n$83 million for a Space Rapid Capabilities Office Headquarters at Kirtland Air Force Base.\n\n$10 million for a dormitory for the 58th Special Operations Wing on Kirtland Air Force Base.\n\n$26 million for an Explosive Operations Building on Kirtland Air Force Base.\n\n$38.5 million for a Power Generation and Microgrid project on White Sands Missile Range.\n\n$4.25 million for a Soldier Performance Readiness Center for the New Mexico Army National Guard at the Sante Fe Training Center.\n\nArtificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies\n\nHeinrich helped secure provisions that ensure the DoD only uses commercial AI services from companies with a reliable cybersecurity posture. AI companies that do not take appropriate steps to defend themselves in cyberspace may become the victims of supply chain attacks that compromise the trustworthiness of their products.\n\nPay Raise for Junior Enlisted Service Members\n\nThe FY26 NDAA authorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for service members. This builds off of a 14.5 percent pay raise for the most junior-ranking enlisted service members, and a 4.5 percent pay raise for the rest of the force in the FY25 NDAA.\n\nSandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories\n\nThe FY26 NDAA authorizes $1.79 billion for LANL\u2019s ongoing research and development programs. The funding supports personnel, equipment, and other activities at LANL.\n\nWithin the FY26 NDAA's overall $26 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Sandia National Laboratories will receive funding to support and sustain system integration, engineering, and science programs. Sandia is also receiving $40 million for their Microsystems, Engineering, Science and Applications (MESA) Photolithography Capability and $52.2 million for Combined Radiation Environments for Survivability Testing.\n\nAdditional Heinrich-led provisions include:\n\nDirecting the U.S. Department of Energy Secretary to brief Congress on recommended actions to accelerate environmental cleanup milestones with the State of New Mexico at Los Alamos National Laboratory, including interim measures to control migration of a hexavalent chromium plume and progress on the groundwater remedies for the Royal Demolition Explosive (RDX) plume in Ca\u00f1on de Valle.\n\nDirecting the NNSA Administrator for Nuclear Security and Directors of Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, along with leaders from other national labs, to evaluate site strategies that can aid the NNSA in making greater use of facilities in areas neighboring existing laboratory and site installations, particularly where workforce housing is less constrained.\n\nDirecting the U.S. Comptroller General to assess:\n\nWhat Unexploded Ordnance remediation efforts the NNSA has completed in the vicinity of Sandia National Laboratories; and\n\nThe extent to which additional efforts are needed to ensure that all affected nearby communities have been cleared of legacy unexploded ordnance.\n\nAuthorizing nearly $300 million for environmental cleanup efforts at Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories.\n\nDirecting the NNSA Administrator for Nuclear Security to conduct a study of portions of Tract A-14 (Rendija Canyon) of Los Alamos National Laboratory that may be suitable for conveyance.\n\nWaste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)\n\nThe FY26 NDAA authorizes over $415 million to operate WIPP including $2 million to construct a hoisting capability project to improve facility capacity and effectiveness.\n\nSpace Force Modeling, Simulation & Analysis Hub\n\nThe FY26 NDAA authorizes $7.5 million for the ongoing establishment and deployment of a U.S. Space Force modeling and simulation hub at the Air Force Research Lab on Kirtland Air Force Base.\n\nReadiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program\n\nThe FY26 NDAA authorizes over $182 million for the DoD\u2019s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program. Cannon Air Force Base, Melrose Air Force Range, and White Sands Missile Range utilize the REPI to prevent encroachment and preserve their testing and training missions. The program as a whole is critical to assisting military installations and ranges as they are increasingly impacted by extreme weather, flooding, wildfires, drought, and other threats to resilience.\n\nAdvanced Simulation and Computing for Nuclear Stockpile Stewardship\n\nThe FY26 NDAA authorizes $866 million in funding for the NNSA\u2019s advanced simulation and computing efforts in the Stockpile Stewardship Program. This program ensures continued reliability of the stockpile and allows realistic simulations on supercomputers to understand how they would behave, without requiring explosive testing.\n\nIntelligence Authorization Act\n\nThe FY26 NDAA includes the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY26, legislation that equips U.S. intelligence agencies with the tools, resources, and personnel they need to protect the American people, while also ensuring congressional oversight over those same agencies.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-sheehy-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-legislation-to-reduce-deadly-roadway-collisions-and-expand-wildlife-migration-crossings", "Heinrich, Sheehy Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Reduce Deadly Roadway Collisions & Expand Wildlife Migration Crossings", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Wildlife Road Crossings Program Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation to make permanent the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Wildlife Crossings Program and authorize funding for the program through 2031. U.S. Representatives Ryan Zinke (R-Mont) and Don Beyer (D-Va.) introduced companion legislation in the House.\n\nThe Wildlife Crossings Program is a competitive grant program established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation Heinrich championed into law, to address dangerous wildlife-vehicle collisions by supporting wildlife crossing projects that save lives by reducing collisions, protect migration corridors, and improve habitat connectivity.\n\n\u201cBuilding wildlife crossings is about saving lives and reducing the risk of dangerous vehicle collisions in New Mexico and across the country. I\u2019m proud to have established the first-of-its-kind $350 million Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program in the Infrastructure Law, and to now lead the bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Program's funding and make it permanent,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cI call on my Senate colleagues to pass this bill to keep people safe on the road \u2014 while also protecting big-game migration corridors and letting wildlife safely move within their ranges.\u201d\n\n\u201cMontanans know better than anyone the danger of running into wildlife on the road as we\u2019re traveling the state. I\u2019m proud to support this bipartisan, commonsense bill to invest in making our roads safer, protecting wildlife, and helping better connect communities in rural Montana and across the West,\u201d said Sheehy.\n\n\u201cThe wildlife crossings program created by Congress in 2021 has proven to be one of the most effective, popular, and bipartisan actions Congress has taken on wildlife in recent decades. It has delivered real results on the ground by saving lives, creating jobs, improving outdoor recreation, and maintaining magnificent wildlife migrations. We are glad so many Senators from both parties are working hard to reauthorize the wildlife crossings program and find more ways for Tribes and other communities to participate,\u201d said Mike Leahy, Senior Director for Wildlife, Hunting, and Fishing Policy for the National Wildlife Federation. \u201cThank you to the bill\u2019s sponsors for their work to reauthorize and increase funding for the national wildlife crossings program.\u201d\n\n\"Wildlife crossings are an investment in a better future, for the individual animals and people whose lives will be saved and for our nation's wildlife that depend on connected landscapes,\" said Katie Davis, Executive Director of Wildlands Network. \"We applaud Senators Heinrich and Sheehy for their leadership in responding to Americans' overwhelming support for more crossings by introducing and moving forward this bill.\"\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\nEarlier this year, Heinrich welcomed $6,372,354 from the Infrastructure Law for the Pueblo of Santa Ana to design wildlife corridors complete with wildlife exclusion fencing, overpasses, and underpasses, along 7.6 miles of US-550 and 19 miles of Interstate-25.\n\nAdditionally in 2023, Heinrich welcomed then-U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to New Mexico, where they visited a culvert under a busy stretch of I-25 for drivers commuting between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. This is also the middle of a very busy wildlife corridor between the Sandias and the Jemez. The Pueblo of Santa Ana has installed cameras in this culvert that have seen animals use this safer way to get under \u2014 rather than through \u2014 all the lanes of traffic on the Interstate.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-convenes-experts-to-create-roadmap-for-native-maternal-health-solutions/", "Luj\u00e1n Convenes Experts to Create Roadmap for Native Maternal Health Solutions", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Most American Indian/Alaska Native Pregnancy-Related Deaths Were Deemed Preventable\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, convened more than 55 American Indian, Alaska Native (AI/AN), and Native Hawaiian (NH) maternal health experts and organizations to create a landmark set of five reports outlining the current state of Native maternal health. The five reports synthesize national findings on maternal mortality, workforce equity, access to health care services, data sovereignty, and funding inequities.\n\nAI/AN people face pregnancy-related mortality ratios two to three times higher than non-Hispanic White counterparts, and Native Hawaiian mortality remains similarly elevated. The reports underscore that today\u2019s disparities are the result of generations of harmful federal Indian policies, underfunding of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs), and ongoing barriers to culturally-based, accessible maternal health care.\n\n\u201cFor far too long, Native families have had to be subjected to a maternal health system that was never built for them. These reports offer a roadmap that is based on data sovereignty, community-led care, and sustained federal investment and support,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cI am proud of the work these experts from across the country have led to identify solutions to the unacceptable and preventable disparities in Native maternal health outcomes. I look forward to seeing many of these solutions put to work and to making things better for Native mothers and care facilities.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne hundred percent of maternal deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native women were found to be preventable. We know exactly where the system is failing\u2014now we need the courage and commitment to fix it. Native Hawaiian women face some of the highest rates of hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, and cardiometabolic complications in the nation\u2014yet their risks remain masked by aggregated reporting. Disaggregation is not optional; it is lifesaving. Misclassification hides American Indian, Alaska Native women and Native Hawaiian women in our data\u2014and when women disappear from the data, they disappear from the solutions. Until we correct how we count, we cannot correct how we care,\u201d said Janelle Palacios, PhD, CNM, Founder & CEO, Encoded 4 Story, Committee Member, California Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Committee, COVID Expert Committee\n\n\u201cThe disparities facing AI/AN/NH birthing people are both profound and preventable. ACNM urges policymakers and partners to act on these findings by resourcing Indigenous-led systems of care, strengthening IHS infrastructure, and upholding Tribal sovereignty in workforce pathways. Equity depends on our willingness to follow\u2014and fund\u2014the leadership of Native communities,\u201d said Michelle L. Munroe, DNP, CNM, FACNM, FAAN, Chief Executive Officer, American College of Nurse-Midwives.\n\nAdditional quotes from report contributors can be found HERE.\n\nThe reports recommend federal action across three areas:\n\nData Sovereignty, Law, and Funding: Advance Indigenous data sovereignty, modernize race/ethnicity standards, and close long-standing IHS and UIO funding gaps.\n\nCoverage, Workforce, and Infrastructure: Guarantee permanent 12-month postpartum Medicaid and CHIP coverage, invest in Indigenous perinatal workforce pathways, and stabilize rural and community-based maternity care.\n\nSafety, Mental Health, Intimate Partner Violence, and Carceral Reform: Improve maternal safety, strengthen mental health and substance use supports, and implement protections for pregnant and postpartum people in carceral settings.\n\nLinks to all five reports can be found below:\n\nFrom Barriers to Bridges: Implementing Access Solutions to Improve American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Maternal Health\n\nStrengthening Maternal Health Data to Improve Health and Wellbeing in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities\n\nPreventing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity among American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian People\n\nBuilding Systems of Care: Investment in Native Maternal Health Infrastructure\n\nWorkforce Equity in Maternal Health: Tribal and Native Community-Led Solutions\n\nParticipating organizations and contributors: American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM), Association of Women\u2019s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM), Every Mother Counts (EMC), Roanhorse Consulting, Brindle Foundation, Anchorum Health Foundation, Urban Indian Health Institute, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services, Center for Reproductive Rights, American Association of Birth Centers, National Indian Health Board, Pacific Birth Collective, Seattle Indian Health Board, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, National Partnership For Women & Families; Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, and The Family Van & Mobile Health Map Harvard Medical School, NM Department of Health Office of Tribal Liaison.\n\nReport Authors: Jessica Akin MSN, APRN, CNM; Jennifer Almanza, DNP, APRN, CNM; Andrea Carpitcher, MSN, RNC-OB; Seth Chase, MA; Karen Crowley, DNP, APRN-BC, WHNP, ANP, CNE; Cassaundra Jah, PhD, CPM, LM, IBCLC; Amy Kohl; Michelle Munroe, DNP, CNM, FACNM, FAAN; Felina M. Ortiz, DNP, CNM, RN, FACNM; Misty Wilkie, PhD, RN, FAAN; Hailey A. Baker MD: Janelle Palacios PhD, CNM, RN; Amanda Roedl MSN, RNC-OB; Chelsea Bellon, MPH; Charla Naone, DNP, APRN, FNP-B: Jessica Perfette, MPH ; Margaret P. Moss, PhD, JD, RN, FAAN, FADLN; Lannesse Baker; Tess Abrahamson Richards; Amy Stiffarm (HMHB-MT); Katie Hess (King County, WA); Dr. Katy Backes Kozhimannil, PhD, MPA; Alyssa Fritz, MPH, RD, CLC; Lucy Rogers, MPH ; Carla Britton, PhD, MS ; Annette Marley, MPH ; Chelsea Bellon, MPH; Charlotte Little: Kait Guild; Nicolle L. Arthun FACNM, CNM, RN; Morea Mendoza; Carolina Nkouaga, MPH, LM, CPM; Jessica Whitehawk MPH; Chelsea Bellon MPH; Angela Cruz-Traditional Medicine Practitioner; Jill Alliman, DNP, CNM, FACNM: Janet Johnson.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-heinrich-applaud-senate-passage-of-legislation-to-amend-water-rights-settlements-and-return-earned-interest-to-tribes/", "Luj\u00e1n, Heinrich Applaud Senate Passage of Legislation to Amend Water Rights Settlements and Return Earned Interest to Tribes", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) applauded Senate passage of the Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act, legislation led by Senator Luj\u00e1n that authorizes the release of $18.312 million in water settlement interest funds to New Mexico Tribes to support water development projects.\n\nSpecifically, the bill authorizes the appropriation of $6.3 million for the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Fund; $7.8 million for the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund; and $4.3 million for the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos\u2019 Fund, which covers Namb\u00e9, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque Pueblos. The bill provides a technical fix so Tribes can access interest payments they are owed on their trust funds. The additional interest funding will support water resources development projects for the affected Tribes. The bill is led by Senator Luj\u00e1n and Representative Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. Senator Heinrich and Representative Stansbury are original cosponsors.\n\n\u201cWater is a fundamental part of the federal trust responsibility,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cAmending current law is vital to ensure the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt Settlement Pueblos have access to clean, safe, and reliable water resources. I\u2019m proud to have led the charge to get this legislation through the Senate, and to push for impacted Tribes to collect the interest owed to support critical water infrastructure projects. Getting this legislation through the Senate is a vital step and we must continue to honor our trust responsibility and promote water security for Tribes and Pueblos, as well as non-Tribal users, in New Mexico.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud the Senate passed our legislation, acknowledging the Federal government\u2019s continued role in ensuring these Tribes have the necessary resources to use the water they own,\u201d said Senator Heinrich. \u201cThe amendments to these settlements will also ensure water security for many communities in northwest New Mexico. I urge the House to quickly take up and pass these bills to help New Mexico communities modernize and secure their water infrastructure.\u201d\n\n\u201cIndian water rights settlements are not abstract promises\u2014they\u2019re about whether families have clean, reliable water today and for generations to come,\u201d said Representative Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez, House lead of the legislation. \u201cThis bill is a common sense fix to make sure Tribes receive the interest they rightfully earned on their own trust funds. Returning these dollars to the Navajo Nation and Pueblos of Taos, Namb\u00e9, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, and Tesuque honors our federal trust responsibility so that water settlements actually deliver the infrastructure and security they were meant to provide.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n and Representative Leger Fern\u00e1ndez initially introduced this bill in December 2023.\n\nIndian water rights settlements commonly allow the Secretary of the Interior to invest trust funds after the funds are appropriated. This provides tribes with additional resources to support their water infrastructure.\n\nHowever, some Indian water rights settlements enacted in 2009 and 2010 prohibited the Secretary from investing the trust funds prior to the relevant settlement\u2019s enforcement date. That included the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act (Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project/Navajo Nation Water Rights), the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act.\n\nAs a result, the affected Tribes lost out on interest that was or could have been earned from investing the trust funds between the date they were appropriated and the settlement enforcement date. Instead of allowing the tribes to keep the interest, as many settlements allow, the funds were returned to the Treasury. This legislation provides a technical fix so that the affected tribes can receive that interest.\n\nRead the full bill text here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-joins-leader-schumer-and-senate-democrats-to-unveil-new-initiative-to-lower-costs-as-trump-and-republicans-continue-to-burden-americans-with-tariffs-unstable-economy-and-skyrocketing-prices/", "Luj\u00e1n Joins Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats to Unveil New Initiative to Lower Costs as Trump and Republicans Continue to Burden Americans with Tariffs, Unstable Economy, and Skyrocketing Prices", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats to unveil a new forward-looking Democratic initiative to lower costs. Since taking office, President Trump\u2014abetted by the Republicans in Congress\u2014has plagued American families with higher costs. From slashing health care, housing, and food assistance to hiking prices with indiscriminate tariffs to handing new tax breaks to special interests and corporations, Republicans have tanked the economy and sent costs skyrocketing while prioritizing their billionaire donors over American families.\n\nDespite his lofty campaign promises, it is clear \u2013 Trump and Republicans are raising costs, catering to the wealthy and well-connected, and leaving American families behind. The American people know from utilities to housing to health care, this economy isn\u2019t working for middle-class families. Rather than \u201cstarting on day one [to] end inflation and make America affordable again,\u201d Republicans have relentlessly pursued an agenda that has raised prices for families and businesses.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump promised to lower costs on day one, but prices for food and groceries continue to climb under his administration,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cPresident Trump might think the affordability crisis is a hoax, but the data shows, and hardworking families know the real story. Senate Democrats will continue to push back against harmful Republican policies and fight for an economy that works for American families, not just the wealthy.\u201d\n\n\u201cQuite simply \u2013 the Republicans are leaving the American people behind. Now, families are left with high prices, inflation, and an erratic economy,\u201d said Leader Schumer. \u201cThe first year of Trump\u2019s administration has been nothing more than broken promises and handouts to corporations and the ultra-wealthy, while families pay the price. Their incompetence and malice demands a new vision for our country, one that actually focuses on the folks in the middle, not those at the top. Trump claims affordability is a \u201cscam,\u201d but Senate Democrats know that these skyrocketing prices can be a matter of life and death. And we are going to fight to make sure millions of families can reclaim the American dream.\u201d\n\nThe new initiative from the Senate Democratic Caucus will focus on five key policy failures of the Republican Party\u2019s agenda:\n\nHealth Care: Trump and Republicans are responsible for skyrocketing premiums, deductibles, coverage loss, and the rising cost of caregiving.\n\nEnergy: By blocking cheaper, cleaner energy sources from the grid and raising taxes on more than 90% of new electricity, Trump and Republicans are skyrocketing working families\u2019 electric bills and demolishing high-quality jobs.\n\nHousing: Trump and Republicans are dramatically worsening the housing crisis, slashing critical housing programs, and imposing punishing tariffs that are driving up construction costs for new homes.\n\nGroceries & Household Goods: Trump and Republican policies have driven up prices on everyday essentials and pushed higher costs onto American families, all the while gutting critical food assistance, spiking broadband bills, and imposing tariffs on everything from strollers to car seats to cribs.\n\nTariffs: Trump and Republican chaotic, ill-considered tariffs are unilaterally raising prices for families by nearly $1,700 a year. Consumers, small businesses, manufacturers, and farmers are paying the price.\n\n\u201cWe know what is dominating discussions across the country: costs. Americans don\u2019t know if they can afford their bills, whether it\u2019s for groceries, prescription drugs, or utilities. Those bills don\u2019t lie,\u201d said Senator Klobuchar. \u201cInstead of working to lower costs like they promised, President Trump and Republicans in Congress are raising costs and leaving families behind. Our forward-looking initiative will focus on lowering costs for Americans\u2019 basic needs. Together, Democrats will keep fighting to deliver common sense solutions to the problems plaguing hardworking Americans and our nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cElectric bills are going to keep going up for people because the Trump Administration is driving them up on purpose,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse. \u201cWhen you sabotage clean energy\u2014as Trump and his minions are trying to do\u2014you drive up demand for more expensive energy from fossil fuels. So, as Trump takes cheap clean energy off the grid, a big fossil fuel donor gets to run a plant that would otherwise be idle because it\u2019s too expensive to run. It\u2019s money directly from consumers to Trump\u2019s big fossil fuel donors. This is not only a cost problem, but it is also a corruption case, and we intend to make it aggressively.\u201d\n\n\u201cDonald Trump promised to lower costs \u2018on day one.\u2019 Instead his chaotic tariffs and failed economic policies have raised costs on Americans, especially the cost of housing,\u201d said Senator Warren. \u201cIf Republicans refuse to act to bring down housing costs, Democrats will do it ourselves when we take back Congress.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat should be a season of giving has become a season of paying for America\u2019s 36 million small businesses. Instead of making it affordable to start and run a small business, Trump\u2019s terrible tariffs are bringing Pain to Main Street,\u201d said Senator Markey. \u201cTariffs have driven up costs for toys, clothing, and even Christmas trees\u2014and once again it\u2019s small businesses who are paying the price. We need to end the Pain on Main and lower costs for small businesses, their employees, and their customers.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen I travel across Georgia, I always hear the same thing: that folks\u2019 dollar isn\u2019t going far enough, and things are only getting more expensive. Because of the president\u2019s reckless tariffs, the cost of almost everything continues to skyrocket,\u201d said Senator Reverend Warnock. \u201cDuring a holiday season when almost half of all families are buying fewer gifts for their loved ones, Congress should roll back these tariffs and focus our efforts on lowering costs for families.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-questioning-exposes-that-fcc-is-no-longer-an-independent-agency/", "Luj\u00e1n Questioning Exposes that FCC is no Longer an Independent Agency", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "FCC Chairman Carr in Response to Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s Questioning: \u201cThe FCC is not an Independent Agency\u201d\n\nFCC Edits Website Minutes After Questioning to Strip Word \u201cIndependent\u201d\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, pressed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing regarding the independence of the FCC.\n\nIn Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s questioning, he pressed FCC Chairman Carr on the independence of the FCC and displayed images of the FCC\u2019s own website, which minutes prior to the hearing, stated in its mission statement that the FCC is \u201c[a]n independent U.S. government agency.\u201d In response to Senator Luj\u00e1n, Chairman Carr contradicted previous testimony he has given and the FCC\u2019s own mission statement by stating that the FCC is not an independent agency. Minutes after Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s questioning, the FCC edited its own website to remove the word \u201cindependent.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s hearing made clear to the American people that Chairman Brendan Carr has weaponized the FCC on behalf of President Trump. Just this morning, the FCC\u2019s own website correctly stated that it was an independent agency. In 2022, before Congress, Chairman Carr himself testified that the FCC was \u2018an independent, expert agency.\u2019 However, in today\u2019s hearing, Chairman Carr contradicted himself and his own agency\u2019s stated mission. Minutes later, the FCC edited its own website to cover Chairman Carr\u2019s tracks and to please President Trump. Chairman Carr continues to fail the American people by treating the FCC as an extension of the President\u2019s corrupt agenda,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n.\n\nWatch Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s exchange with FCC Chairman Carr here.\n\nKEY MOMENTS:\n\nSen. Luj\u00e1n: Chairman Carr, yes or no, and please yes or no. Is the FCC an independent agency?\n\nChairman Carr: Thanks for that question.\n\nSen. Luj\u00e1n: Yes or no is all we need.\n\nChairman Carr: There is a test for this in the law.\n\nSen. Luj\u00e1n: On your website, it says the FCC is independent. This is not a trick question.\n\nChairman Carr: It is not independent.\n\nSen. Luj\u00e1n: Is your website wrong? Is your website lying?\n\nChairman Carr: The FCC is not an independent agency.\n\nSen. Luj\u00e1n: The FCC\u2019s mission on the homepage of the FCC: \u201cAn Independent U.S. Government agency overseen by Congress.\u201d Is that factual? Is that a lie?\n\nChairman Carr: The FCC is not formally an independent agency.\n\nSen. Luj\u00e1n: Is this true, or is this a lie?\n\nChairman Carr: The FCC is not an independent agency, formally speaking.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-statement-on-passage-of-the-national-defense-authorization-act/", "Luj\u00e1n Statement on Passage of the National Defense Authorization Act", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which now heads to the President\u2019s desk:\n\n\u201cToday, I voted to pass the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act, which makes critical investments to ensure our Armed Forces remain prepared to meet an increasingly complex global landscape. New Mexico\u2019s military installations and National Laboratories play an essential role in safeguarding our nation, and this year\u2019s NDAA delivers the resources and support these vital facilities need to continue protecting Americans.\n\n\u201cThis legislation makes targeted investments in our most pressing national security objectives \u2013 prioritizing a well-deserved pay raise for our service members and making key investments that strengthen research and development at our National Laboratories. This NDAA reinforces both New Mexico\u2019s contributions to our national defense and the security of our country. I was proud to support and help secure these critical measures for New Mexico and the nation.\u201d\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n helped secure the following provisions in the NDAA:\n\nSupporting Our Military Personnel:\n\nProvides a 3.8% pay raise for military service members;\n\nRequires DOD to document all servicemember radiation and toxic exposures, including those that occur domestically, so our veterans can be seen by the VA after they\u2019ve separated from the military;\n\nSupports Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) crews like those stationed at Holloman and Cannon Air Force Bases by recognizing their combat participation and enabling access to combat-related mental health services.\n\nBoosting Energy Security and our National Laboratories:\n\nAuthorizes $25.9 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to support and sustain its system integration, engineering, and science programs;\n\nAuthorizes $6.9 billion for DOE\u2019s defense environmental cleanup activities, including $278.2 million for Los Alamos National Lab and $1.03 million for Sandia National Labs to support defense-related environmental cleanup, and authorizes $415.4 million for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP);\n\nAuthorizes $45 million for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board;\n\nRequires the Secretary of Energy to brief Congress on actions that can be taken to accelerate cleanup milestones with the State of New Mexico at Los Alamos National Laboratory, including the hexavalent chromium plume.\n\nProtecting Against Threats From China:\n\nProhibits the Secretary of Defense from directly or indirectly acquiring computers or printers manufactured by covered Chinese entities;\n\nProtects against China buying land near U.S. military bases.\n\nFormally Ending Iraq Wars\n\nRepeals the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force for the Gulf and Iraq wars.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-stansbury-davids-bonamici-and-senators-kim-and-merkley-introduce-talents", "Reps. Stansbury, Davids, Bonamici and Senators Kim and Merkley Introduce TALENTS Act to Protect and Strengthen Federal Leadership Pipeline", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Melanie A. Stansbury", "S001218", "stansbury.house.gov", "stansbury", "https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Reps. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) today announced the introduction of the Training Aspiring Leaders Emerging Now to Serve (TALENTS) Act, to codify and strengthen the Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) Program\u2014one of the federal government\u2019s premier leadership development initiatives.\n\nSince 1977, the PMF Program has served as a cornerstone of federal workforce development, placing a highly accomplished cohort of emerging leaders into government agencies each year. The program has been a vital pipeline to strengthen public service and elevate the next generation of civil service leaders. However, in February, President Trump terminated the program through executive order after more than four decades of existence.\n\n\u201cWithout the Presidential Management Fellows Program, I likely would not have ended up in federal service,\u201d said Congresswoman Stansbury. The PMF Program has long served as a pipeline for the next generation of federal leaders, bringing highly qualified talent from across the country to serve our nation. I am proud to colead this legislation to restore and build upon this program at a time when we need America\u2019s best and brightest to address the challenges we face.\u201d\n\n\u201cPrograms like the Presidential Management Fellows are how we bring the next generation of talented public servants into government,\u201d said Rep. Davids (D-KS). \u201cIt also gives federal agencies a pool of highly qualified, pre-vetted candidates, saving them time and resources in hiring. Gutting this pipeline doesn\u2019t make government work better for everyday Americans \u2014 it makes it weaker and harder to navigate. This bill keeps that pipeline intact so we can continue bringing top talent into public service, and I\u2019m glad to support it.\u201d\n\n\"Creating more pathways for post-graduate students to enter into public service will benefit our country for generations to come,\u201d said Rep. Bonamici (D-OR).\u201cThe late President Carter created the Presidential Management Fellowship Program more than four decades ago to encourage and support talented young professionals from all walks of life who want to pursue a career in public service. I enthusiastically join Congresswoman Stansbury and our Senate counterparts on this legislation to put the PMF program into law so these opportunities continue for future generations.\u201d\n\nThe companion legislation is led in the Senate by Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR).\n\n\u201cI\u2019m a proud alumnus of the PMF program. I\u2019ve seen the impact it can have on young people who just want to give back to their community,\u201d said Senator Kim. \u201cCreating these pathways to serve is bigger than politics, it helps ensure the next generation is working to build a better future for us all, and that\u2019s why we need this program codified into the law. I\u2019m grateful to see this effort now in the House thanks to Representatives Stansbury, Bonamici, and Davids so we can have a bicameral push to get this done.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the Partnership for Public Service, The Volcker Alliance, and the Presidential Management Alumni Association (PMAA).\n\n\u201cFor almost fifty years, the PMF was the government\u2019s premier early-career on ramp program, launching the careers of thousands of our most decorated public servants,\u201d said Sara Mogulescu, President, The Volcker Alliance. \u201cIts cancellation earlier this year undermines our nation\u2019s proud legacy of service and chokes off a key source of skilled professionals that agencies need to meet their commitments to Americans. The TALENTS Act is an important step toward restoring the PMF program and investing in the next generation of government leaders.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongresswoman Stansbury\u2019s initiative restarts a professional development program for future public service leaders to prepare to address the nation\u2019s daunting public management challenges that are headed our way. This forward looking legislation will effectively reestablish the American tradition to select future public service leaders based on merit and experience to a professional calling inspired by motivation to serve the nation\u2019s citizens as the primary aspiration,\" said Former NASA Administrator and Secretary of the Navy Sean O\u2019Keefe. O'Keefe was a member of the 1978 inaugural class of the Presidential Management Intern Program, and has since retired from federal service after several public management experiences.\n\n\u201cOur country faces significant challenges, and our federal government will need the talents of future federal leaders to solve them,\u201d said The Partnership for Public Service. \u201cThe Partnership for Public Service applauds the introduction of the TALENTS Act and thanks Rep. Melanie Stansbury for championing a path to service for the next generation of federal workers.\u201d\n\nThe PMF Program has long been a flagship leadership development initiative, placing a cohort of a few hundred individuals into government agencies each year following a competitive and rigorous selection process. At the end of their two-year fellowship, many Fellows go on to become high-ranking federal officials. The TALENTS Act would codify the regulations that structured the PMF Program for over four decades, prevent it from being eliminated by presidential executive orders, make targeted improvements to the program, and strengthen Congress\u2019s role in supporting and protecting it.\n\nThe TALENTS Act would place the PMF Program into statute to prevent its elimination by executive action, reinforce congressional oversight, and implement targeted improvements to ensure the federal government continues to attract and retain top public service talent.\n\nThe bill text can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/source-new-mexico-new-mexico-us-sen-heinrich-reintroduces-act-to-strengthen-tribal-buffalo-herds", "Source New Mexico: New Mexico U.S. Sen. Heinrich reintroduces act to strengthen tribal buffalo herds", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) announced Tuesday he is reintroducing legislation to improve federal support for tribal buffalo herds, an effort he said he hopes will return the buffalo within his lifetime \u201cto the prominent place they once occupied as the keystone species on American shortgrass prairies.\u201d\n\nCo-sponsored with U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.,), the Indian Buffalo Management Act directs the federal Interior Department to work with tribes to develop, protect and grow buffalo herds across the country, authorizing up to $14 million annually. The bill seeks to spur more coordination and consistent investment at the Interior Department, which has provided only \u201cnominal\u201d funds over the last 20 years to tribes that want to start or expand buffalo herds, according to a news release from Heinrich\u2019s office.\n\nThe InterTribal Buffalo Council, which has been pushing to return buffalo to tribal land for more than 30 years, endorsed the legislation. The council has 89 tribal members in 22 states, including at least 10 New Mexico tribes and pueblos, according to a recent membership list.\n\n\u201cHelping Tribes reestablish herds of buffalo on our reservations is a righteous thing for the Congress to do and will be thoroughly welcomed by Tribes and Indian people across the county,\u201d council leaders, including Delbert Chisholm of Taos Pueblo, said in a statement.\n\nAt least 60 million buffalo once roamed throughout much of the United States before European settlers and the United States military destroyed all but a few hundred by the end of the 19th century. Indigenous people relied on the buffalo \u2014 \u201cculturally and nutritionally\u201d \u2014 for thousands of years, according to the council leaders\u2019 statement.\n\nVersions of the legislation have passed either the House of Representatives or the Senate, but not both, in recent years. Heinrich and Mullin (R-Okla.) also cosponsored the bill last year, and it passed the Senate in December but never received a hearing in the House.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal support for Tribal buffalo programs and continue the growth of Tribal buffalo herds,\u201d Heinrich said in a statement. \u201cI look forward to continuing to work with Senator Mullin to strengthen this federal partnership and secure future funding for this initiative.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-introduces-legislation-to-support-new-mexico-family-farmers-and-grow-agritourism", "Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Support New Mexico Family Farmers & Grow Agritourism", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined Senate colleagues to introduce the Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innovation and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces (AGRITOURISM) Act, bipartisan legislation to support the economic development and growth of agritourism businesses in New Mexico and nationwide.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico family farmers and rural communities have been hit hard by Trump\u2019s tariffs and affordability crisis. We need to do everything we can to support and expand opportunities for these New Mexicans,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cI\u2019m proud to cosponsor legislation that will give family farmers much-needed resources to not only survive but also grow and thrive.\u201d\n\nFrom McGinn\u2019s PistachioLand in Alamogordo to Los Poblanos Inn and Organic Farm in Albuquerque, Agritourism is an important and growing business strategy for small farms in New Mexico to diversify their income streams by offering outdoor recreational services like beer tasting, berry picking, seasonal festivities, bed-and-breakfast accommodations, and event venues. New Mexico farmers generated over $20.3 million in revenue in 2022 from agritourism, up from $18.6 million in 2017. However, without action, the number of participating farms is diminishing: the number of farms providing agritourism and recreational services in New Mexico has gone down from 465 in 2017 to 326 in 2022.\n\nThe AGRITOURISM Act will support local, family-owned businesses by designating a senior official at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the federal agritourism advisor. This role will coordinate with stakeholders and other federal agencies to promote the growth of family-owned farms and advise the USDA Secretary on this essential industry.\n\nThe AGRITOURISM Act is led by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ted Budd (R-N.C). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.). The House companion legislation is led by U.S. Representatives Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) and Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.).\n\nThe AGRITOURISM Act is endorsed by the Brewers Association, American Craft Spirits Association, and WineAmerica.\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-leads-legislation-to-transfer-federal-land-to-pueblos-for-the-indian-pueblo-cultural-center", "Heinrich Leads Legislation to Transfer Federal Land to Pueblos for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced the Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025, legislation to place three tracts of land from the former Albuquerque Indian School campus and surrounding land into trust for the benefit of the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico.\n\nHeinrich\u2019s Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and led in the House by U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.).\n\n\u201cMy legislation expands on decades of bipartisan work to put the former Albuquerque Indian School campus and surrounding tracts of land in to trust for the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico. This land, in particular, will be used by the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to scale Native-owned businesses, create jobs, and expand business services for local and Native-owned businesses \u2013 an economic win for everyone,\u201d said Heinrich.\n\n\u201cThe Albuquerque Indian School Land Transfer Act of 2025 will expand economic development and cultural education opportunities for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which serves all nineteen of New Mexico\u2019s Pueblos,\u201d said Luj\u00e1n. \u201cI am proud to introduce this legislation to help the center grow its capacity as a cultural and economic institution, creating jobs and generating revenue for New Mexico\u2019s Pueblos and our communities.\u201d\n\nHeinrich\u2019s Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 builds upon a longstanding, bipartisan effort to transfer the former Albuquerque Indian School campus and surrounding tracts to the 19 Pueblos in New Mexico for the development and growth of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is a nationally recognized museum and cultural institution owned and operated by the Pueblos, dedicated to both preserving and perpetuating pueblo history, culture, and art, while facilitating their future economic growth and long-term economic sustainability.\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\nIn 2015, Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n, and the rest of the N.M. Delegation successfully passed into law the Albuquerque Indian School Land Transfer Act, legislation to place four tracts of land from the former Albuquerque Indian School into trust for the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, consolidating the last parcels of the old school property into the Albuquerque Indian School campus. This followed several prior legislative efforts, from 1969 to 2008, led by former Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), former Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), and former Representative Manuel Lujan Jr. (R-N.M.).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-mullin-reintroduce-bipartisan-indian-buffalo-management-act", "Heinrich, Mullin Reintroduce Bipartisan Indian Buffalo Management Act", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) reintroduced the bipartisan Indian Buffalo Management Act, legislation to direct the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary to coordinate with Tribes and Tribal organizations that have an established buffalo herd and management program, as well as provide resources for Tribes that would like to establish new herds.\n\n\"For generations, buffalo have been a critical part of our culture \u2013 in New Mexico, the West, and especially in Indian Country. And I hope that within my lifetime, thanks to our broad coalition, buffalo will return to the prominent place they once occupied as the keystone species on American shortgrass prairies,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to strengthen federal support for Tribal buffalo programs and continue the growth of Tribal buffalo herds. I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Mullin to strengthen this federal partnership and secure future funding for this initiative.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe buffalo is essential to our heritage and must be supported. I am proud to reintroduce this important legislation that will help Tribes reestablish buffalo herds on reservation lands,\u201d said Mullin. \u201cDoing so ensures that Native peoples across the country will continue reconnecting with a keystone of their historic culture and way of life.\u201d\n\nThe Indian Buffalo Management directs the Interior Secretary to work with Tribes and Tribal organizations to:\n\nPromote and develop the capacity of Tribes and tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat;\n\nProtect and enhance buffalo herds for the maximum benefit of Tribes; and\n\nEnsure that Tribes are directly involved in the Interior Department decision-making regarding buffalo.\n\nThe bill has been endorsed by the InterTribal Buffalo Council, the National Wildlife Federation, the Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund, and the National Bison Association.\n\n\u201cWe are so pleased that Senators Heinrich and Mullin are reintroducing this important legislation. There are 89 Tribes who are members of the ITBC in 22 states. We have been dependent on the buffalo spiritually, culturally and nutritionally for thousands of years, as this wonderful animal, whom we consider our relative, has provided for our people in ways too numerous to list. The Indian Buffalo Management Act passed the House in the 117th Congress when the late Don Young sponsored it and it passed the Senate last year. Now we look forward to passage through both bodies of Congress. Helping Tribes reestablish herds of buffalo on our reservations is a righteous thing for the Congress to do and will be thoroughly welcomed by Tribes and Indian people across the county,\u201d said Ervin Carlson, President of the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC), Delbert Chisholm, Taos Pueblo of New Mexico Member, and Randy Hawk, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma Member.\n\n\u201cBuffalo are a treaty right afforded to Tribes in support of food sovereignty and self-determination. This bill recognizes the federal government\u2019s trust obligation to build capacity and access to buffalo on Tribal lands,\u201d said Jason Baldes, Senior Tribal Buffalo Program Manager for the National Wildlife Federation. \u201cWe\u2019re working toward large scale restoration of buffalo across even larger landscapes, and the Indian Buffalo Management Act prioritizes the cross collaboration needed to amplify that effort.\u201d\n\n\"American buffalo are a national icon, as well as a global symbol of strength and resilience. They deserve protection\u2014in the form of buffalo recovery and buffalo habitat restoration on Tribal lands. And Native American communities are best positioned to lead this work, given their ancient, ceremonial connection to buffalo. That is why The Nature Conservancy, which supports the transfer of buffalo to Tribal partners across the nation, is excited about this legislation,\u201d said Dr. Shane Doyle, North American Indigenous Right Relations Director for The Nature Conservancy.\n\n\u201cBuffalo represent everything that is strong, and good, and resilient about America and its people. For many Tribal Nations, they are also our relatives who are at the heart of our traditional lifeways, which is why Tribal Nations have led efforts to save them in the face of enormous historical challenges. The Indian Buffalo Management Act acknowledges the critical role that Tribal Nations are playing in bringing buffalo back \u2013 and the essential role that buffalo continue to play in food security, economic development, and cultural and spiritual life. We thank Senators Heinrich and Mullin for their leadership in reintroducing this bill to ensure continued federal support for Tribes and their work to restore and conserve this iconic American species,\u201d said Heather Dawn Thompson, Vice President for Native Nations Conservation and Food Systems, World Wildlife Fund.\n\nLast year, Heinrich and Mullin secured Senate passage of their Indian Buffalo Management Act.\n\nAdditional Background:\n\nFull Bill Text\n\nFact Sheet\n\nThe American Plains Bison, also known as the American Buffalo, is deeply connected to many Tribes, and has long held great meaning for Native Americans. Prior to the systematic destruction of the buffalo in 1800s, there were over 60 million bison roaming freely throughout much of the United States. They provided Tribes with everything from clothing, to food, shelter, utensils, pouches, headdresses, containers, arrows and much more. It is impossible to overstate their importance to Native Americans historically and, to this day, culturally.\n\nThe U.S. Department of the Interior has provided nominal funds for buffalo management for over 20 years. This legislation grows and strengthens that work by directing the Interior Secretary to support the work of Tribes and Tribal organizations that already have established buffalo herds and management programs and providing the opportunity to expand the program to other interested Tribes.\n\nThere are now 89 Tribes in 22 states that are members of the InterTribal Buffalo Council, up from 19 in 1991.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-heinrich-rosen-press-meta-on-dramatic-rise-in-antisemitism-on-their-social-media-platforms-and-artificial-intelligence-models/", "Luj\u00e1n, Heinrich, Rosen Press Meta on Dramatic Rise in Antisemitism on Their Social Media Platforms and Artificial Intelligence Models", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) pressed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Meta\u2019s failure to address antisemitic content on its platforms and potentially promote antisemitism through its artificial intelligence models. Specifically, the senators highlight how a rise in antisemitic content can be linked to the recent changes in community standards and content moderation practices, which were announced by Meta in January. Additionally in the letter, the senators press Meta to disclose its policies and procedures to address antisemitism on their platforms and combat hate speech.\n\n\u201cIn recent months, there has been a nearly fivefold increase in antisemitic behavior on Meta\u2019s platforms. The rise in antisemitic content has been linked to the recent changes in community standards and content moderation practices, which were announced by Meta in January,\u201d wrote the senators.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned about the increase of hate speech and antisemitic content on Meta\u2019s platforms. Platforming antisemitic speech normalizes it and breeds further hateful speech. Additionally, online hateful conduct can and often leads to real-world violence,\u201d continued the senators.\n\n\u201cMeta has an outsized role in its ability to combat antisemitism and we encourage Meta to consider how its policies and practices can be a force to unite communities and foster understanding rather than promote hate speech,\u201d concluded the senators.\n\nThe full text of the letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Mr. Zuckerberg,\n\nWe write regarding the drastic rise of antisemitic content on Meta\u2019s platforms and its artificial intelligence models. Before Congress, representatives of Meta, including yourself, have asserted Meta\u2019s responsibility in ensuring its platforms are not used to \u201churt others.\u201d During a joint session of the Senate Commerce and Judiciary committees, you stated \u201cIt\u2019s not enough to just give people a voice, we have to make sure people aren\u2019t using it to hurt people.\u201d When Neil Potts, Meta\u2019s current Vice President of Content Policy, testified to Congress in 2022 on antisemitism, he said: \u201cWe also recognize that bad actors may seek to use our platform in unacceptable ways, and we take our responsibility to stop them seriously as we give people a voice. We want to ensure that they are not using that voice to hurt others.\u201d\n\nIn recent months, there has been a nearly fivefold increase in antisemitic behavior on Meta\u2019s platforms. The rise in antisemitic content has been linked to the recent changes in community standards and content moderation practices, which were announced by Meta in January. This change in policies stands in conflict with the assurances you and others representing Meta made to Congress: that it was Meta\u2019s responsibility to ensure its platforms are not weaponized.\n\nWe are deeply concerned about the increase of hate speech and antisemitic content on Meta\u2019s platforms. Platforming antisemitic speech normalizes it and breeds further hateful speech. Additionally, online hateful conduct can and often leads to real-world violence. Finally, allowing antisemitic content remaining on Meta\u2019s platforms while using that same content to train Meta\u2019s AI models could lead to Meta\u2019s AI models reproducing antisemitic hate speech and promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories.\n\nWith these issues in mind, we request written responses to the following questions by January 7, 2025:\n\nAs part of the policy changes announced by Meta in January, it is no longer automatically removing \u201cless severe\u201d violative content. According to a study of Meta\u2019s transparency reports, last year there were 277 million posts correctly taken down that, under Meta\u2019s new policies, would be left up6.\n\nHow does Meta plan to handle the influx of reports of violative content, assuming this number stays static?\n\nHas Meta hired additional reviewers to respond to the expected increases in reports?\n\nAre any additional mechanisms being enacted to respond to reports of violative content?\n\nWhat percent of posts that would have been removed under Meta\u2019s previous policies and are now being left up specifically target the Jewish community?\n\nWhat actions has Meta taken or does Meta plan to take to improve the timely takedown of reported violative content?\n\nPlease describe Meta\u2019s current review process, expected response time, and actions Meta takes once content has been reviewed.\n\nIn a letter to Senators Luj\u00e1n, Shaheen, Warren, Wyden, and Merkley in November 2024, Meta stated, \u201cour automated systems flag and remove content that violates our policies. AI has improved to the point that it can detect violations across a wide variety of areas, often with greater accuracy than reports from users.\u201d Our staff has found examples of clear slurs on Meta\u2019s platforms that could be easily detected by keyword search and would not require an AI reasoning model in order to be identified and removed.\n\nPlease detail the reasons why Meta has stopped auto-removing clearly violative antisemitic content, despite Meta\u2019s assertion that AI can now detect violations with greater accuracy than reports from users.\n\nStaff have found many examples of blatant antisemitism on Meta\u2019s platforms (see Appendix) that were reported and reviewed twice. In each case, the review resulted in claiming that the content \u201cdoesn\u2019t go against [Meta\u2019s] community standards.\u201d\n\nPlease confirm that the changes to Meta\u2019s content moderation policies announced in January did not include a policy change toward antisemitic content and what content violates its community standards.\n\nDoes using antisemitic slurs violate Meta\u2019s community standards?\n\nDoes using antisemitic slurs only violate Meta\u2019s community standards when it includes language to incite violence?\n\nDo antisemitic slurs only violate Meta\u2019s community standards when that content is visible to enough people? How many users does an antisemitic slur have to be visible to before Meta determines it violates community standards?\n\nOne study found that one week after reporting anti-Jewish hate to Group admins, 76% of content and 90% of accounts promoting anti-Jewish hate had not been removed or hidden.\n\nDoes Meta take any steps to take down content, remove Admins, or limit posting in groups where violative antisemitic content is repeatedly posted?\n\nDoes Meta take any steps in its content moderation practices to address the unique danger of the proliferation of violent and harmful content, especially anti-Jewish content, within Facebook Groups?\n\nWith Meta\u2019s policy change to prioritize reviewing and taking down the most visible and most harmful content on its platforms, is Meta taking any steps to address the potential for harmful, violative content to proliferate on less visible parts of Meta\u2019s platforms, like private groups?\n\nIs Meta taking any action to prohibit participation in Meta\u2019s creator funds, or remove and suspend profiles of individuals or pages that repeatedly post antisemitic content that violates Meta\u2019s community guidelines?\n\nDoes Meta train its AI models on content posted on its platforms?\n\nDoes that include private content?\n\nDoes that include content posted in private groups?\n\nDoes that include content posted in public groups?\n\nWhat steps will Meta take to ensure antisemitic content that violates community standards is not included in training sets for its AI models?\n\nA recent study of antisemitic content in AI models found that Meta\u2019s Llama model is the most anti-Jewish of the major models tested7. Given the rapid rise of antisemitic content on Meta platforms, we are concerned Meta\u2019s models will become drastically more antisemitic.\n\nDoes Meta remove content or clean data sets from posted content before using them to train their AI models?\n\nWhat specific steps is Meta taking to reduce antisemitism in its AI models?\n\nWhat metrics does Meta use internally to track antisemitic content in its AI models? Please share these metrics with us.\n\nWhat percent improvement of these metrics will you commit to over the next 6 months?\n\nWe remain deeply concerned with Meta\u2019s failure to address antisemitic content on its platforms and potentially promote antisemitism through its AI models. Meta has an outsized role in its ability to combat antisemitism and we encourage Meta to consider how its policies and practices can be a force to unite communities and foster understanding rather than promote hate speech.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-lummis-applaud-house-passage-of-bipartisan-congressional-award-reauthorization-act/", "Luj\u00e1n, Lummis Applaud House Passage of Bipartisan Congressional Award Reauthorization Act", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2014 U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) applauded the Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act passing the U.S. House of Representatives, as it now goes to the president to be signed into law. This bill reauthorizes the board that administers the Congressional Award Program through FY2028. The Congressional Award is the highest honor bestowed by Congress for our nation\u2019s youth ages 14 to 24, encouraging young Americans to unleash their potential by achieving personal goals focused on volunteerism, character, development, exploration, and fitness.\n\n\u201cThe Congressional Award Program has inspired thousands of young Americans to challenge themselves, build valuable skills, and give back to their communities through countless hours of volunteer service,\u201d said Luj\u00e1n. \u201cI am proud to have worked with Senator Lummis to pass this bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Congressional Award Act, ensuring the program continues to inspire young people in New Mexico and across the nation to serve their communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Congressional Award has a rich history with the state of Wyoming, and I am proud to continue supporting this program that inspires our nation\u2019s youth to serve selflessly and dutifully,\u201d said Lummis. \u201cWyoming Senator Malcolm Wallop helped found this wonderful tradition in 1979, and more than four decades later, we continue to see the success and prosperity of the young Americans who choose to participate and serve their communities. I want to thank Senator Luj\u00e1n for his critical role in getting this bipartisan legislation across the finish line, and I am pleased to see it now headed to President Trump\u2019s desk.\u201d\n\nClick here to read the bill text.\n\nAbout the Congressional Award Program:\n\nAs the United States Congress\u2019 only non-profit and highest honor for youth civilians, the Congressional Award program was started by late Wyoming Senator Malcolm Wallop in 1979, and Senator Lummis is proud to carry on his legacy by serving on the national board of directors.\n\nTo achieve a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Congressional Award Certificate or Medal, each participant sets and achieves challenging goals in four program areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration.\n\nMedals are presented by members of the House and Senate, with the Gold Medal Ceremony/Summit taking place each June at a Ceremony in the U.S. Capitol.\n\nThe Congressional Award is a public\u2014private partnership.\n\nAlthough created by Congress, the Congressional Award program is funded entirely through private-sector donations.\n\nCongress provides in-kind support, including office space, the medals from the U.S. Mint and the audit oversight by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).\n\nThere are currently more than 50,000 youth enrolled throughout the country and reside in every congressional district.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-merkley-no-business-as-usual-until-justice-delivered-for-jeffrey-epsteins-victims/", "Luj\u00e1n, Merkley: No Business as Usual Until Justice Delivered for Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s Victims", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oreg.)\u2014the lead Senate sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act\u2014announced they would block any pending civilian nominations before the Senate from being carried over to the new session of Congress in response to the Trump Administration\u2019s failure to provide a briefing to lawmakers on the release of the Epstein Files. Merkley and Luj\u00e1n issued this statement announcing their hold:\n\n\u201cThere can be no business as usual until justice is delivered for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s horrific crimes. The Trump Administration\u2019s lack of transparency about its plans to release the Epstein Files signals it is gearing up to disregard the law we led the fight in the Senate to pass, which overwhelmingly passed both chambers of Congress. Without full transparency and accountability, there can be no \u2018equal justice under the law.\u2019 Until the administration reverses course and provides a common-sense briefing, which lawmakers from both parties requested, we are blocking the Senate from carrying over any outstanding civilian nominations into next year.\u201d\n\nEarlier this month, Merkley teamed up with Luj\u00e1n and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to demand a briefing from Attorney General Pam Bondi on the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s efforts to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act and fully release the Epstein Files by December 19, 2025\u2014as required by the law Merkley and Luj\u00e1n championed.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/ktsm-new-mexico-launches-gun-crime-center-inside-ags-office", "KTSM: New Mexico launches gun crime center inside AG\u2019s Office", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "New Mexico Attorney General Ra\u00fal Torrez, along with state law enforcement partners, announced the creation of the first Crime Gun Intelligence Center housed within an attorney general\u2019s office in the country.\n\nThey made the announcement during a news conference on Monday, Dec. 13.\n\nThe New Mexico Department of Justice\u2019s (NMDOJ) Crime Gun Intelligence Center uses forensic evidence to find connections between firearms used in crimes across the state.\n\n\u201cThe information collected will help law enforcement in every corner of New Mexico identify key suspects, witnesses and other key information,\u201d the NM Attorney General\u2019s Office said.\n\nIn addition to announcing the intelligence center, Torrez also announced that his office has received the funding to acquire four National Integrated Ballistic Information Network machines to be distributed across the state. Law enforcement officers will use these machines to conduct highly technical inspections of gun casings, which will provide meaningful leads connecting crimes and firearms used in crimes across the state, Torrez\u2019s office said.\n\n\u201cThis Crime Gun Intelligence Center is the first of its kind, allowing for start-to-finish information gathering and intelligence analytics that will be key to the arrests of dangerous criminals,\u201d Torrez said. \u201cThis unit and its statewide network will help law enforcement solve crimes at a faster rate and produce leads in criminal cases that would otherwise not be known. I\u2019m extremely grateful to Senator Heinrich for his work to secure the funding we needed to get this crimefighting network up and running.\u201d\n\nU.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, said: \u201cNew Mexicans want to be safe in their homes and communities, and I am committed to delivering the resources and legislation to make that a reality. From cracking down on firearms trafficking and straw purchases to ensuring illicit fentanyl remains a controlled substance, I remain committed to protecting our communities from violence in all forms. But public safety cannot be maintained through laws alone. It requires the dedication and partnership of state and local law enforcement throughout our state.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s delivering major investments like these NIBIN machines that make me proud to fight for New Mexico on the Senate Appropriations Committee. These state-of-the-art tools will be transformational in how we solve violent crime, giving law enforcement the ability to rapidly trace firearms used in crimes across our state and better hold repeat offenders accountable,\u201d Heinrich said.\n\nThe four new machines will be located with the Do\u00f1a Ana County Sheriff\u2019s Office, the Gallup Police Department, the Roswell Police Department and the San Juan County Sheriff\u2019s Office.\n\nThese machines will share information via the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network with the Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Albuquerque, where trained NMDOJ staff will analyze the results and produce leads for partnering law enforcement agencies, Torrez\u2019s office said.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-legislation-to-ensure-new-mexico-schools-offer-more-dairy-and-non-dairy-options-heads-to-white-house", "Heinrich Legislation to Ensure New Mexico Schools Offer More Dairy & Non-Dairy Options Heads to White House", "2025-12-15", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration, welcomed the House passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, legislation he cosponsored that will allow schools to provide more dairy options and non-dairy alternatives for school lunches.\n\nCurrently, schools participating in the National School Lunch Program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which means that schools can only provide fat-free or low-fat milk. Heinrich\u2019s Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act will alter that restriction and allow schools to offer whole milk, reduced-fat milk, and non-dairy beverages, in addition to fat-free and low-fat milk.\n\nEarlier this month, Heinrich secured Senate passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. The legislation now heads to the White House.\n\n\u201cEvery student in New Mexico and across the country deserves access to school meals that work for their needs. I\u2019m proud that legislation I cosponsored to ensure schools can offer a wider range of dairy options, including non-dairy alternatives, has passed both chambers of Congress and is now headed to the White House,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cThis bipartisan bill is a meaningful step forward, making it easier for families to request alternatives for children who are lactose intolerant, while continuing to support our state\u2019s dairy producers and agricultural workers. I urge the president to quickly sign this bill into law so New Mexico students and schools can benefit from these improvements.\u201d\n\nThe Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act is led by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators David McCormick (R-Pa.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Angus King (I-Maine), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).\n\n\u201cDairy Producers of New Mexico celebrates the congressional passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, not only for the nutritional improvement American school kids will be able to receive, but also for our dairy farmers in New Mexico and across the country. Studies have shown that children perform better in school when they have access to nutrient-rich meals, and milk has proven to be a super-food with 13 essentials vitamins and nutrients that lead to better health and stronger kids,\u201d said Beverly Idsinga, Executive Director of the Dairy Producers of New Mexico. \u201cParents, nutritionists, and dairy farmers have been advocating for this legislation for over a decade, and we applaud the efforts of the bill\u2019s sponsors and cosponsors, especially the New Mexico delegation. We would like to give a special thanks to Senator Martin Heinrich and his staff for cosponsoring and keeping in touch with us during this process. Senator Heinrich values the efforts of New Mexico family dairy farmers and we appreciate the changes this legislation will bring to child nutrition in schools.\u201d\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/albuquerque-journal-new-mexico-senators-ask-for-post-fire-money-to-clean-up-public-lands", "Albuquerque Journal: New Mexico senators ask for post-fire money to clean up public lands", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "As the state faces a dry winter, New Mexico\u2019s U.S. senators are pushing for emergency funds to remove hazardous fuels from federally owned public lands in the state.\n\n\u201cRepairing the wildfire damages to national parks, national forests and Bureau of Land Management lands is vital for the safety and economies of the entire country,\u201d Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n wrote in a letter to U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee leadership \u2014 Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Patty Murray, D-Wash.\n\nThe letter was led by Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and supported by seven other Democratic senators. It asked that any emergency disaster appropriations bills drafted this year include money for wildfire recovery on federal lands.\n\nFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds do not cover damage to federal lands. Instead, land agencies pay for fire cleanup and restoration costs. The mitigation work for ehich the senators want money includes removing hazard trees, road and bridge assessment, structural replacements and trail repairs.\n\nThe letter points out that many western states experienced fires on federal lands this year, including the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. There were at least seven fires in the Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness Area from May through November this year.\n\nThe Turkeyfeather Fire burned more than 24,000 acres and the Trout Fire burned over 47,000 acres, according to U.S. Forest Service news releases. Both were caused by lightning strikes.\n\nSens. Heinrich, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also led a letter asking Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz how prepared his agency is for wildfire risk reduction. The letter was signed by nine other Democratic senators, including Luj\u00e1n.\n\n\u201cIt is imperative that the Forest Service works closely with Congress to address shortfalls in wildfire mitigation and ensure staffing and budgetary resources are sufficient to fulfill the agency\u2019s mission,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\nA report from the nonprofit Grassroots Wildland Firefighters released in October found that the Forest Service was behind on mitigating the risk of wildfire through hazardous fuels reduction projects compared to previous calendar years. As of September in New Mexico, \u201cthe Forest Service has treated just 68,000 acres of national forestland \u2014 barely half (53%) of the average amount treated each of the previous four years,\u201d the analysis said.\n\nUSDA Forest Service spokesman John Winn took issue with the analysis, as in fiscal year 2025, which runs from October through September, the Forest Service \u201ccompleted more than 3.25 million acres of hazardous fuels reduction work, over 90% of our target.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne metric alone doesn\u2019t tell the story of what it takes to protect communities or rebuild healthier, more resilient forests. The truth is that this year was one of the most successful wildfire years in recent history,\u201d Winn said in a statement. \u201cDespite recording the highest number of wildfire starts on Forest Service lands since 2016, the agency held total acres burned to nearly half the 10-year average \u2013 a reduction of almost 1 million acres.\u201d\n\nThe Forest Service also delivered a high level of post-fire restoration, including more than 285,000 acres of reforestation, Winn said.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/kob-lawmakers-push-for-chimayo-post-office-rebuild-demand-clear-timeline", "KOB: Lawmakers push for Chimay\u00f3 post office rebuild, demand clear timeline", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "CHIMAY\u00d3, N.M. \u2013 Nearly three years after the Chimay\u00f3 post office burned down, lawmakers are pushing for its reopening next year.\n\nSenators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n and Martin Heinrich, along with Congresswomen Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez and Melanie Stansbury, have taken action. They wrote a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General.\n\nThe letter claims the United States Post Office has repeatedly failed to provide a clear timeline about the construction. They are asking for the Chimay\u00f3 office to be a priority.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/santa-fe-new-mexican-heinrich-presses-top-forest-service-officials-for-meeting-on-pecos-protections", "Santa Fe New Mexican: Heinrich presses top Forest Service officials for meeting on Pecos protections", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The yard signs and bumper stickers in western San Miguel County show the anxiety mining will someday return remains red-hot months after the Trump administration\u2019s rollback of protections for the Upper Pecos watershed.\n\nRecently, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich announced he secured a commitment from a top U.S. Forest Service official during a committee meeting to host a public forum meeting in the Pecos area on the issue. However, it is unclear when such a meeting could occur.\n\nA 165,000-acre area in the Upper Pecos watershed was temporarily closed to mining by former Biden administration Interior Secretary Deb Haaland while the Forest Service considered a longer, 20-year withdrawal. But the agency, which manages the majority of the land in question, alerted the Bureau of Land Management earlier this year it wanted to cancel that withdrawal application, according to a BLM New Mexico spokesperson. A public meeting to discuss the withdrawal was canceled.\n\nTerrero, about 10 miles north of Pecos, was a major mining center in the early 20th century, and concerns have long simmered in the Pecos area over the potential environmental impact if mining were to return. Mining in the Pecos Valley has been contentious for decades, especially after contamination from abandoned mines got into the water, killing fish downstream from the spill, in the 1990s. Signs and bumper stickers with the words \u201cTerrero Mine\u201d in bold, a red line slashing across it signaling opposition, are a frequent sight in the area.\n\nLocal and federal officials have also expressed opposition to renewed mining. Members of New Mexico\u2019s congressional delegation have reintroduced the Pecos Watershed Protection Act this year to permanently withdraw the Upper Pecos watershed from mining, but the bill has not advanced in the Republican-controlled Congress.\n\nDuring a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on Dec. 2, Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat, pressed U.S. Forest Service Acting Associate Chief Christopher French on the matter. French did appear to commit to a community meeting in the Pecos Valley.\n\n\u201cYour agency even canceled a public forum that would have allowed for discussion ... of the withdrawal and given the community a chance to share their views with the Forest Service,\u201d Heinrich said. \u201cWould you commit to coming out to the Pecos Valley and meeting with that community and having a public meeting?\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course, and we\u2019ll have a conversation around any of those issues,\u201d French said.\n\n\u201cWe know that the comments that we received on the withdrawal itself overwhelmingly supported the withdrawal, but across the agency, the administration\u2019s policy is to preserve the spaces we have right now for future development until such time that we understand what our current mineral development is across the agency,\u201d French added.\n\nIn 2019, filing dozens of mining claims, Comexico LLC, the Colorado subsidiary of Australian mining company New World Resources, announced plans to do exploratory drilling in the Pecos watershed, near Terrero, looking for gold, copper, zinc, lead and silver.\n\nA representative of Comexico told The New Mexican in April the company has not actively worked on the project for several years.\n\nPast community meetings have drawn high attendance and featured strong opposition. Ralph Lopez, Pecos\u2019 mayor-elect, said the Trump administration\u2019s decision to cancel the protections for watershed mining caused concern in the community.\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t want any mining. We were born and raised here,\u201d Lopez said. \u201cWe\u2019ll fight tooth and nail to keep anything like that from happening, and I\u2019m pretty much sure I speak for pretty much all of the people of Pecos and the surrounding areas.\u201d\n\nThe U.S. Department of Agriculture, which includes the Forest Service, did not respond to an inquiry Friday about a potential public forum on the matter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/source-new-mexico-senators-call-for-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-vaccine", "Source New Mexico: Senators call for highly pathogenic avian influenza vaccine", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Nearly two dozen U.S. senators urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a letter, to \u201cprioritize\u201d a vaccine strategy for the highly pathogenic avian influenza.\n\nThe virus has impacted more than 184 million commercial and backyard poultry birds and more than 1,000 head of dairy cattle since February 2022.\n\nThe letter comes as detections of the bird flu have increased over the winter months in states across the country, according to reporting from the USDA\u2019s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.\n\nA case of bird flu was detected in Iowa Dec. 2, in a Hamilton County commercial turkey flock, and as recently as Tuesday in flocks in Indiana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Washington.\n\nThe bipartisan letter, which included Iowa Republicans Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, said a \u201cthoughtful and comprehensive vaccine strategy\u201d would \u201cstrengthen\u201d the nation\u2019s ability to fight the bird flu, as it prepares for a \u201cresurgence.\u201d\n\nU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins launched a $1 billion plan in February to combat the ongoing outbreak of the H5N1 virus. Part of that plan included $100 million for research into a bird flu vaccine and other potential treatments.\n\nThe letter said USDA has a \u201cdraft proposal of an avian flu vaccine strategy for poultry\u201d that is \u201ccurrently under review\u201d and the signed senators urged the department to advance the process with \u201cspeed and diligence.\u201d\n\nA draft proposal for a bird flu vaccine strategy had not been filed in the Federal Register as of Friday. In June, Reuters reported USDA was \u201cconsidering\u201d a plan to vaccinate poultry for HPAI and expected the plan would be completed in July.\n\nUSDA did not respond Friday to a request for comment and for additional information on the vaccination plan.\n\nMembers of the Congressional Chicken Caucus, representing the interests of poultry producing states, submitted a letter to Rollins in February, noting they were wary of a vaccine, as it might interrupt export markets.\n\nWhile the December letter from senators urged the advancement of the vaccine process, it also asked for \u201cproactive consultation with affected stakeholders.\u201d\n\n\u201cAny finalized vaccine strategy must take into account feedback from animal health stakeholders, industry experts, and be grounded in sound science,\u201d the letter said.\n\nSenators said the vaccine strategy should also address \u201call impacted species\u201d of poultry and that the department should then prioritize a vaccine strategy for dairy cattle.\n\n\u201cFinally, as the USDA rolls out any avian flu vaccine strategy, it is critical that clear and transparent communication to producers, veterinarians, and state animal health officials, along with direct guidance and resources are in place,\u201d the letter said.\n\nThe letter was addressed to Rollins and dated Dec. 11. Signees included: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota; Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania; Sen. John Thune R-South Dakota; Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona; Sen. James Justice, R-West Virginia; Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan; Sen. Michael Lee, R-Utah; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York; Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia; Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio; Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minnesota; Sen. Ted Budd, R-North Carolina; Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia; Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado; Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana; Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico; Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio; Sen. Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n, D-New Mexico.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-cosponsors-legislation-to-close-the-charleston-loophole", "Heinrich Cosponsors Legislation to Close the Charleston Loophole", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined 25 Senate Democrats to introduce the Background Check Completion Act, legislation to close a current loophole that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check is not completed within a certain time period, even if the gun buyer is not legally allowed to purchase a gun. The gap in existing law has allowed thousands of gun sales to prohibited buyers, including the sale of the firearm used by the shooter in the deadly attack at Charleston\u2019s Emanuel AME Church. The bill is led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in the Senate and the companion legislation is led by U.S. Representative James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) in the House.\n\nWhen a criminal background check indicates that a firearm purchaser may have a criminal record, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tries to determine whether the purchaser can legally buy a gun. If this process takes longer than 72 hours for those 21 years of age or older, or 10 days for those under 21, gun dealers can complete the sale even though there is a heightened risk that the purchaser is legally disqualified from purchasing a gun.\n\nThe Background Check Completion Act will require a completed background check for every gun buyer who purchases a gun from a federally-licensed gun dealer.\n\nAlongside Heinrich, the Background Check Completion Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\nThe legislation has been endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, Brady, Sandy Hook Promise and Newtown Action Alliance.\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/nm-delegation-demands-usps-take-urgent-action-to-restore-full-service-postal-operations-in-chimayo", "N.M. Delegation Demands USPS Take Urgent Action to Restore Full-Service Postal Operations in Chimay\u00f3", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) to take all necessary actions to prioritize and ensure that the rebuilding project for USPS operations in Chimay\u00f3 is completed in 2026.\n\nThis letter follows the USPS\u2019s repeated failure to provide a clear timeline or adequate information about the construction of a new Chimay\u00f3 Post Office, which burned down nearly three years ago. The N.M. Delegation has continually fought to restore a permanent, full-service post office in Chimay\u00f3, where it has long served as a cornerstone of the community.\n\n\u201cSince the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office burned down on February 14, 2023, we have persistently called on the United States Postal Service to reinstate operations in Chimay\u00f3. Time and again, however, our requests\u2014and those of the community\u2014have been met with a troubling lack of urgency,\u201d the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Postmaster General David Steiner.\n\n\u201cDespite the extensive correspondence, community engagement, and ongoing inquiries initiated by our offices, we remain concerned about USPS\u2019s limited responsiveness to the needs of the Chimay\u00f3 community. We recognize that rebuilding a facility requires time; however, more than two years have passed, and the community has received only broad assurances,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cIn the absence of direct and transparent communication from USPS, members of the community understandably question the status of the project and whether progress is being made.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers concluded by demanding urgent action: \u201cWe strongly urge USPS to prioritize and expedite the rebuilding of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office and to commit publicly to a clear, achievable timeline for completion in 2026. The community of Chimay\u00f3 deserves transparent communication and timely action from USPS.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here and below:\n\nDear Postmaster General Steiner,\n\nWith the end of the year approaching, we write as a delegation to strongly urge the United States Postal Service to take all necessary actions to prioritize and ensure that the rebuilding project for USPS operations in Chimay\u00f3 is completed in 2026.\n\nSince the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office burned down on February 14, 2023, we have persistently called on the United States Postal Service to reinstate operations in Chimay\u00f3. Time and again, however, our requests\u2014and those of the community\u2014have been met with a troubling lack of urgency.\n\nOn May 23, 2023, we sent a joint letter expressing our concerns regarding the continued absence of postal services in Chimayo. One year after the disastrous fire, we again urged USPS to publicly communicate its commitment and timeline for establishing a new, permanent post office for the community. In response dated March 6, 2024, the Senior Government Relations Representative stated that the construction of a new postal facility requires a minimum of 12 to 18 months, as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations. Earlier this year, on the two-year anniversary of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office burning down\u2014the delegation once more urged USPS to prioritize the return of a full-service post office, emphasizing its ongoing importance to the residents of this beautiful community.\n\nDespite the extensive correspondence, community engagement, and ongoing inquiries initiated by our offices, we remain concerned about USPS\u2019s limited responsiveness to the needs of the Chimay\u00f3 community. We recognize that rebuilding a facility requires time; however, more than two years have passed, and the community has received only broad assurances. In the absence of direct and transparent communication from USPS, members of the community understandably question the status of the project and whether progress is being made.\n\nOn November 3, 2025, USPS informed Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n\u2019s office that the USPS is now negotiating a lease with Santa Fe County and the Board of Finance. The selected location is 205 Juan Medina Road, the former Santa Fe County Head Start facility. While the space will require a buildout, USPS stated that it cannot provide a completion timeline until the lease is finalized.\n\nAdditionally, we were notified by Santa Fe County having finalized its portion of the lease. The agreement now awaits action from USPS. The Deputy Manager also noted that once the lease is finalized the County will complete minor building repairs before turning the property over to USPS for redevelopment.\n\nWe respectfully request clarification on when USPS anticipates completing these lease negotiations and providing a timeline for the project\u2019s completion.\n\nWe have previously urged former Postmaster General DeJoy to expedite the rebuilding of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office, but those efforts did not result in meaningful progress. With your leadership, we hope to work with you to ensure that USPS prioritizes this project and takes the necessary steps to achieve its timely completion for the Chimay\u00f3 community.\n\nTo that end, we strongly urge USPS to prioritize and expedite the rebuilding of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office and to commit publicly to a clear, achievable timeline for completion in 2026. The community of Chimay\u00f3 deserves transparent communication and timely action from USPS.\n\nWe appreciate your attention to this critical matter affecting our constituents and urge USPS to provide a timely and detailed response outlining the concrete steps it will take to fulfill its obligations to the residents of Chimay\u00f3.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-sheehy-introduce-bill-to-provide-free-national-parks-passes-to-law-enforcement-wildland-firefighters/", "Luj\u00e1n, Sheehy Introduce Bill to Provide Free National Parks Passes to Law Enforcement, Wildland Firefighters", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act, a bill to provide free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes to law enforcement officers and firefighters, including wildland firefighters. The bill ensures those who ensure the security and protection of these recreation spaces for Americans across the country are able to access them at no cost.\n\n\u201cIn New Mexico and across the country, our law enforcement officers and firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. I\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Sheehy to introduce bipartisan legislation that would allow law enforcement officers and firefighters to enjoy National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands free of charge. Whether it\u2019s visiting White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, or New Mexico\u2019s vast Federal Recreational Lands, allowing these heroes to visit for free is a simple way for us to say: thank you,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n.\n\n\u201cCountless firefighters and law enforcement officials across our nation work day and night, year-round to keep our communities, national parks, and public lands safe for American families. It\u2019s only right that we ensure these heroes can enjoy these treasured landscapes free of charge, and I\u2019m proud to lead this commonsense, bipartisan bill in the Senate,\u201d said Senator Sheehy.\n\nSenators Luj\u00e1n and Sheehy were joined by Senators Cassidy (R-La.), Crapo (R-ID), and Risch (R-ID) in introducing the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act. The House of Representatives companion to the bill was introduced by Representative Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) and passed the House under suspension of the rules in July of this year.\n\nBackground:\n\nUnder current law, members of the Armed Services and their dependents are provided free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes. These passes cover entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at recreation areas managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE). Law enforcement officers and firefighters are currently not eligible for a free annual pass unless they are members of the Armed Services, veterans, or a Gold Star family member.\n\nThe Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes to law enforcement officers and firefighters, including wildland firefighters. This bill ensures that those who are often tasked with ensuring the security and protection of recreation spaces that Americans across the country enjoy will be able to access them at no cost.\n\nRead more on the bill HERE. Read the full text of the bill HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/members-of-the-n-m-delegation-demand-usps-take-urgent-action-to-restore-full-service-postal-operations-in-chimayo/", "Members of the N.M. Delegation Demand USPS Take Urgent Action to Restore Full-Service Postal Operations in Chimay\u00f3", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) to take all necessary actions to prioritize and ensure that the rebuilding project for USPS operations in Chimay\u00f3 is completed in 2026.\n\nThis letter follows the USPS\u2019s repeated failure to provide a clear timeline or adequate information about the construction of a new Chimay\u00f3 Post Office, which burned down nearly three years ago. The N.M. Delegation has continually fought to restore a permanent, full-service post office in Chimay\u00f3, where it has long served as a cornerstone of the community.\n\n\u201cSince the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office burned down on February 14, 2023, we have persistently called on the United States Postal Service to reinstate operations in Chimay\u00f3. Time and again, however, our requests\u2014and those of the community\u2014have been met with a troubling lack of urgency,\u201d the lawmakers wrote in their letter to Postmaster General David Steiner.\n\n\u201cDespite the extensive correspondence, community engagement, and ongoing inquiries initiated by our offices, we remain concerned about USPS\u2019s limited responsiveness to the needs of the Chimay\u00f3 community. We recognize that rebuilding a facility requires time; however, more than two years have passed, and the community has received only broad assurances,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cIn the absence of direct and transparent communication from USPS, members of the community understandably question the status of the project and whether progress is being made.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers concluded by demanding urgent action: \u201cWe strongly urge USPS to prioritize and expedite the rebuilding of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office and to commit publicly to a clear, achievable timeline for completion in 2026. The community of Chimay\u00f3 deserves transparent communication and timely action from USPS.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here and below:\n\nDear Postmaster General Steiner,\n\nWith the end of the year approaching, we write as a delegation to strongly urge the United States Postal Service to take all necessary actions to prioritize and ensure that the rebuilding project for USPS operations in Chimay\u00f3 is completed in 2026.\n\nSince the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office burned down on February 14, 2023, we have persistently called on the United States Postal Service to reinstate operations in Chimay\u00f3. Time and again, however, our requests\u2014and those of the community\u2014have been met with a troubling lack of urgency.\n\nOn May 23, 2023, we sent a joint letter expressing our concerns regarding the continued absence of postal services in Chimayo. One year after the disastrous fire, we again urged USPS to publicly communicate its commitment and timeline for establishing a new, permanent post office for the community. In response dated March 6, 2024, the Senior Government Relations Representative stated that the construction of a new postal facility requires a minimum of 12 to 18 months, as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations. Earlier this year, on the two-year anniversary of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office burning down\u2014the delegation once more urged USPS to prioritize the return of a full-service post office, emphasizing its ongoing importance to the residents of this beautiful community.\n\nDespite the extensive correspondence, community engagement, and ongoing inquiries initiated by our offices, we remain concerned about USPS\u2019s limited responsiveness to the needs of the Chimay\u00f3 community. We recognize that rebuilding a facility requires time; however, more than two years have passed, and the community has received only broad assurances. In the absence of direct and transparent communication from USPS, members of the community understandably question the status of the project and whether progress is being made.\n\nOn November 3, 2025, USPS informed Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n\u2019s office that the USPS is now negotiating a lease with Santa Fe County and the Board of Finance. The selected location is 205 Juan Medina Road, the former Santa Fe County Head Start facility. While the space will require a buildout, USPS stated that it cannot provide a completion timeline until the lease is finalized.\n\nAdditionally, we were notified by Santa Fe County having finalized its portion of the lease. The agreement now awaits action from USPS. The Deputy Manager also noted that once the lease is finalized the County will complete minor building repairs before turning the property over to USPS for redevelopment.\n\nWe respectfully request clarification on when USPS anticipates completing these lease negotiations and providing a timeline for the project\u2019s completion.\n\nWe have previously urged former Postmaster General DeJoy to expedite the rebuilding of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office, but those efforts did not result in meaningful progress. With your leadership, we hope to work with you to ensure that USPS prioritizes this project and takes the necessary steps to achieve its timely completion for the Chimay\u00f3 community.\n\nTo that end, we strongly urge USPS to prioritize and expedite the rebuilding of the Chimay\u00f3 Post Office and to commit publicly to a clear, achievable timeline for completion in 2026. The community of Chimay\u00f3 deserves transparent communication and timely action from USPS.\n\nWe appreciate your attention to this critical matter affecting our constituents and urge USPS to provide a timely and detailed response outlining the concrete steps it will take to fulfill its obligations to the residents of Chimay\u00f3.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/stansbury-introduces-claim-act-advance-fair-mining-claims-and-protect-public", "Stansbury Introduces CLAIM Act to Advance Fair Mining Claims and Protect Public Lands", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Melanie A. Stansbury", "S001218", "stansbury.house.gov", "stansbury", "https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) today introduced the Conserving Lands and Areas Incompatible with Mining (CLAIM) Act of 2025. This legislation seeks to modernize mining fee practices on federal lands and ensure the public is properly compensated after years of taxpayer giveaways to large corporate mining companies.\n\nIn a massive giveaway to mining companies that were already benefitting from an outdated mining fee system from the 1800s, Trump and the GOPs Big Ugly Bill\u2014provided additional massive giveaways to large multinational mining corporations. This includes opening lands to extensive mining and lowering royalty rates, essentially allowing corporations to hold valuable mining claims on public lands while paying egregiously low fees. As a result, thousands of acres and sensitive ecosystems are at risk, taxpayers have been shortchanged, and critical cleanup and conservation needs have gone unmet.\n\nThe CLAIM Act seeks to correct these failures by modernizing mining claim maintenance fees and ensuring that companies pay a fair price for the privilege of accessing claims on lands owned by the American people\u2014particularly those in proximity to important places like national parks, monuments, and culturally significant sites. Protecting sensitive public lands at this moment from mining operations is especially important as the Administration has targeted vast public lands for sale and lease, including even some of our most sacred landscapes. This includes sites such as Oak Flat in Arizona which is sacred to multiple Apache Nations in Arizona and New Mexico.\n\n\u201cAs Trump is prepared to sell our most precious public lands to the lowest bidder, we\u2019re fighting to protect our lands and the public trust,\u201d said Rep. Stansbury. \u201cWith the CLAIM Act, we\u2019re working to protect sacred and important landscapes from unchecked development, while ensuring taxpayers get a fair return for the resources that belong to all of us.\u201d\n\nThis bill is also cosponsored by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA).\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by The National Parks Conservation Association, The Coalition to Protect America\u2019s National Parks, The Native Organizers Alliance Action Fund, and The Wilderness Society.\n\nStatement by Charlie Olsen, Energy and Public Lands Policy Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA): \u201cIf we don\u2019t act now, our national parks risk becoming industrial mining zones. We know the next boom-and-bust rush for critical minerals is coming for our public lands, and this bill takes long-overdue steps to protect our national parks and our American heritage. The CLAIM Act is a promising step that brings balance to our mining system, steering new mining claims away from national parks and ensuring the public isn\u2019t the only one left footing the cleanup costs. Nobody wants mining in or near our national parks. We urge Congress to support commonsense reforms like this to better balance responsible mining practices with the preservation of our exceptional national parks.\u201d\n\nStatement by Emily Thompson, Executive Director of The Coalition to Protect America\u2019s National Parks: \u201cWe should not simply sell off our public land to the highest bidder. It\u2019s bad policy and terrible for our public lands. For more than a century, the federal mining system has operated on an outdated premise: that public lands should be handed over\u2014effectively free of charge\u2014to whoever stakes a claim first. This outdated system leaves taxpayers footing the bill for abandoned mines, environmental damage, and the protection of cultural resources\u2014while some of the most valuable public lands in the country are tied up by speculative claims. The CLAIM Act would finally bring this antiquated system into the 21st century. By creating a tiered claim maintenance fee structure that aligns fees with land value, the bill discourages mining speculators from sitting on claims near national parks, monuments, and other irreplaceable landscapes. Congress should pass it without delay.\u201d\n\nStatement by Tremayne Nez, Policy Director at The Native Organizers Alliance Action Fund (NOAAF): \"Native Organizers Alliance Action Fund (NOAAF) support the Conserving Lands and Areas Incompatible with Mining (CLAIM) Act because our public lands, waters, and sacred places deserve protections that advance responsible stewardship for future generations. For Tribal Nations and Native communities, this bill helps expose how much of our homelands are being given away to mining interests in the rush for harmful resource extraction, with no regard to the people who rely on these lands. It also ensures safeguards from extraction near National Parks, monuments, and Tribally significant areas.\"\n\nStatement by Isabella Jaramillo, Government Relations Representative at The Wilderness Society:\u201cWe applaud Representative Stansbury for taking this step toward long-awaited reforms to the outdated federal mining system, which currently hands public lands over to mining companies with very few safeguards in place. The CLAIM Act would discourage mining claims from some of our most special public lands, ensure companies clean up after themselves and pay a responsible fee to hold claims. Congress should pass this bill and reject threats to our freedom to breathe clean air, drink clean water and access public lands, all in the name of a fictitious energy emergency.\"\n\nDr. Valerie Grussing, Executive Director for Legislative Affairs & Strategic Partnerships at the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO): \u201cBecause America's public lands are part of the ancestral homelands of our Tribal Nations, it only makes sense to dedicate a portion of the fees for mining leases on those lands to support the Tribal Historic Preservation Officers who review those leases to ensure sacred places and cultural resources are protected. We appreciate the work of Congresswoman Stansbury to introduce this important legislation and look forward to continuing to work with her on this issue.\u201d\n\nThe CLAIM Act introduces an updated mine claim maintenance fee structure that:\n\nAligns fees with land value, discouraging speculative claims near national parks and monuments.\n\nCreates a dedicated funding stream for abandoned mine cleanup, Tribal cultural resource protection, and other vital programs.\n\nEnsures industry pays responsibly for the privilege of accessing claims on lands with exceptional public value.\n\nWould double revenue generated by the annual claim maintenance fee to the American taxpayer.\n\nThe bill text can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-urge-usda-to-prioritize-hpai-poultry-vaccine-strategy", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Urge USDA to Prioritize HPAI Poultry Vaccine Strategy", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) joined their colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to move forward with the USDA\u2019s avian flu vaccine strategy for poultry while encouraging a comprehensive, science-based approach.\n\n\u201cWe are writing to encourage the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue prioritizing an avian flu vaccine strategy that takes into account a comprehensive, science-based approach for the potential vaccination of poultry and livestock that have been impacted by this disease,\u201d wrote the Senators. \u201cAvian flu infections have already begun to increase as winter approaches, and it is essential that USDA take renewed action to address and fight this virus.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe USDA recently noted that a draft proposal of an avian flu vaccine strategy for poultry was currently under review, and we strongly urge the Department to advance this review process with speed and diligence, while allowing for proactive consultation with affected stakeholders,\u201d the Senators continued. \u201cAny finalized vaccine strategy must take into account feedback from animal health stakeholders, industry experts, and be grounded in sound science. It must also be comprehensive in scope, addressing all impacted species, including turkeys and egg-laying hens. Once a vaccine is developed and USDA has confirmed its safety and efficacy, a vaccine strategy for dairy cattle should also be prioritized.\u201d\n\nThe National Turkey Federation, the United Egg Producers, the National Milk Producers Federation, the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, and the Minnesota Milk Producers Association endorsed the Senators\u2019 call for an HPAI poultry vaccine strategy.\n\n\u201cThe National Turkey Federation (NTF) commends Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Rounds for their bipartisan leadership in elevating the need for a credible, science-driven approach to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) vaccination,\u201d said Leslee Oden, president and CEO of the National Turkey Federation. \u201cNTF supports USDA developing a vaccination strategy as one component of a broader approach to HPAI, and we believe that plan should be shaped through meaningful stakeholder input and accompanied by active engagement with trading partners to modernize international standards and ensure trade continuity. We look forward to continuing our work with USDA, members of Congress and industry partners to strengthen animal health, ensure food affordability and maintain access to key export markets.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica's egg farmers genuinely appreciate the bipartisan Senate cooperation in support of farmers' fight against HPAI. Like everyone, we value food affordability, and we believe that a successful trade strategy that leads to a viable vaccine strategy is the right long-term solution. Consumers love eggs, and we all benefit from the stability of a market where outbreaks of HPAI can be contained,\u201d said Chad Gregory, President and CEO, United Egg Producers.\n\n\u201cDairy farmers and their cooperatives appreciate Ranking Member Klobuchar and Senator Rounds in their efforts to unite the Senate in advocating to give high priority to a national vaccine strategy for avian influenza that includes dairy cattle considerations. As we approach the two-year mark since the H5N1 bird flu virus began affecting our herds, biosecurity remains critical for the dairy industry,\u201d said Dr. Jamie Jonker, Chief Science Officer at the National Milk Producers Federation. \u201cInvesting in vaccine development and strategic deployment will be a critical piece of controlling and eradicating this disease from dairies across the country,\u201d said Jonker, who leads NMPF\u2019s efforts to coordinate the dairy industry\u2019s response to bird flu. \u201cUntil that day, we remain diligent in our work with our partners on Capitol Hill, at USDA, and in the private sector to mitigate H5N1\u2019s negative effects on dairy producers and consumers.\u201d\n\nThe letter was led by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). Along with Along with Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n, the letter was signed by Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), and U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa),Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio).\n\nThe full text of the letter is below and can be found HERE.\n\nDear Secretary Rollins,\n\nWe are writing to encourage the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue prioritizing an avian flu vaccine strategy that takes into account a comprehensive, science-based approach for the potential vaccination of poultry and livestock that have been impacted by this disease. We have appreciated your commitment to addressing avian flu thus far in your tenure as Secretary, including the release of the Department\u2019s February 26, 2025, \u201cFive-Pronged Approach to Address Avian Flu\u201d.\n\nSince the beginning of this outbreak in 2022, avian flu has impacted more than 184.03 million birds in 1,905 flocks, including more than 21.1 million turkeys and 141.1 million layers, and 1,083 dairy herds across the country. Avian flu infections have already begun to increase as winter approaches, and it is essential that USDA take renewed action to address and fight this virus.\n\nThe USDA recently noted that a draft proposal of an avian flu vaccine strategy for poultry was currently under review, and we strongly urge the Department to advance this review process with speed and diligence, while allowing for proactive consultation with affected stakeholders. Any finalized vaccine strategy must take into account feedback from animal health stakeholders, industry experts, and be grounded in sound science. It must also be comprehensive in scope, addressing all impacted species, including turkeys and egg-laying hens. Once a vaccine is developed and USDA has confirmed its safety and efficacy, a vaccine strategy for dairy cattle should also be prioritized. We encourage the Department to work closely with trading partners and impacted producers to fully assess and manage any potential trade implications. Finally, as the USDA rolls out any avian flu vaccine strategy, it is critical that clear and transparent communication to producers, veterinarians, and state animal health officials, along with direct guidance and resources, are in place.\n\nWe value USDA\u2019s continued action to curb the spread of avian flu. Producers, veterinarians, and the American public depend on timely, science-based action to safeguard animal health and protect our nation\u2019s food security. As we prepare and respond to the resurgence of this virus, a thoughtful and comprehensive vaccine strategy will strengthen our ability to fight and mitigate avian flu.\n\nThank you for your continued attention to this urgent matter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-statement-on-senate-republicans-blocking-aca-tax-credit-extension-and-raising-health-care-premiums-on-thousands-of-new-mexicans", "Heinrich Statement on Senate Republicans Blocking ACA Tax Credit Extension & Raising Health Care Premiums on Thousands of New Mexicans", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked the Lower Health Care Costs Act, legislation led by Senate Democrats, which extends the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits through 2028. With Congressional Republicans and President Trump blocking this bill \u2014 alongside Republicans in the New Mexico state legislature refusing to call on Trump to address skyrocketing health care costs \u2014 Republicans are effectively raising the cost of health care for New Mexico families.\n\n\u201cWorking families are being crushed by soaring health care costs \u2014 and instead of helping, Senate Republicans slammed the door on extending the ACA tax credits. Their decision means New Mexicans will be stuck paying more for the care they rely on. Trump and Republicans love to preach affordability, but when it comes time to actually deliver for families, they walk away every time.\n\n\u201cRepublicans control the House, Senate, and the White House. And they made a choice \u2014 a choice that ignores the mom in Farmington trying to afford her kid\u2019s next checkup and the retiree in Las Cruces who\u2019s now wondering whether they can keep their health coverage. That level of callousness is infuriating. Make no mistake, Republicans are responsible for every consequence New Mexicans are about to feel.\n\n\u201cI will keep fighting to rein in Trump\u2019s affordability crisis and permanently extend the ACA tax credits. Because New Mexico families deserve certainty, stability, and a health care system that doesn\u2019t force them to choose between paying their bills and staying healthy.\u201d\n\nHeinrich remains unwavering in the fight to permanently extend the ACA tax credits and lower health care costs for New Mexico families.\n\nRepublicans control the House, Senate, and the White House. In the most recent government shutdown, Trump and Republicans chose not to work with Heinrich and Democrats to extend the ACA tax credits, chose to shut down the government for 44 days, which made it the longest government shutdown in American history, and chose to pass a government funding bill that failed to extend the ACA tax credits. The ACA tax credits expire on December 31. BeWell New Mexico estimates that over 6,300 New Mexico enrollees will be impacted if the enhanced advanced premium tax credit is not extended.\n\nHeinrich repeatedly voted for a government funding bill that included an extension of the ACA health tax credits and urged Congressional Republicans to come to the negotiating table to engage in good faith bipartisan negotiations with Democrats to extend these tax credits and reopen the government. Meanwhile, Republicans refused and voted to let insurance premiums skyrocket, let children go hungry, and let working people fend for themselves.\n\nHeinrich voted to pass the American Rescue Plan in 2021, which authorized initial enhancements to the premium tax credit to make health insurance more affordable for more people and increase subsidies for working, middle-income families in New Mexico. In 2022, Heinrich voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which extended the enhanced premium tax credit through 2025.\n\nIn addition to voting for the Lower Health Care Costs Act, Heinrich cosponsors the Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 to make the enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credit permanent and build upon record health care marketplace enrollment.\n\nRecently, Heinrich hosted a roundtable to hear directly from New Mexicans whose premiums will rise significantly as a result of Congressional Republicans\u2019 refusal to extend the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits.\n\nIn September, Heinrich hosted a press conference with BeWell New Mexico and the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty to highlight how the health care crisis, created by Trump and Republicans, will hike health care premiums if Republicans allow ACA premium tax credits to expire.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-heinrich-speaks-at-semafors-principals-event-on-permitting-reform", "ICYMI: Heinrich Speaks at Semafor\u2019s Principals Event on Permitting Reform", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "PHOTOS HERE\n\nWASHINGTON \u2014 Last night, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, spoke at Semafor\u2019s Principals Live \u2013 Powering America\u2019s Future event in D.C. about permitting reform legislation in Congress.\n\nDuring the fireside chat moderated by Semafor\u2019s Congressional Bureau Chief Burgess Everett, Heinrich emphasized the importance of passing bipartisan permitting legislation, the negative impacts of Trump\u2019s actions to kill fully permitted projects, and how data centers play a role in permitting reform.\n\nVIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, answers questions on future permitting legislation in Congress, December 9, 2025.\n\nOn Working in a Bipartisan Fashion to Pass Permitting Reform\n\n\u201cHas it been your experience that [Senator Mike Lee] is open to working with Democrats, and the Democratic Party on getting this done and trying to separate out the issues?\u201d asked Semafor\u2019s Congressional Bureau Chief Burgess Everett.\n\nHeinrich responded, \u201cI\u2019m optimistic that this is a space where... we're more aligned than maybe some of the other spaces. And so, I think we need to take advantage of that. And I'm a big believer, you know, do what you can, when you can, and don't wait for the perfect moment to suddenly manifest itself. We've got a lot of great foundational work that he and I were both part of in the previous Congress. And so let's build on that.\u201d\n\nOn Trump Canceling Energy Projects\n\nBurgess followed, \u201cYeah, and the dynamics, we were referencing this a little bit, have changed a bit, because the change in administrations.\u201d\n\nHeinrich responded, \u201cThat's actually something that worries me more than him and I being in different places, on the policies. The dynamic where you have an administration that's willing to do things like issue stop work orders on fully permitted NEPA compliant projects, that's caused a lot of angst in my colleagues. And you know... we know things like the offshore wind \u2014 Empire and Revolution \u2014 and then there's literally a stack of red tape now on Doug Burgum's desk where, you know, he issued a directive that said for 68 different things that are usually handled at a very low level, that are very, you know, routine that they all have to go through his desk. And things like, right of ways for a solar or wind project, that's a recipe for not building things. And so we have to figure out a way to insert more certainty for both sides and for traditional and new clean generation. Like, how do we make it about whether you check the actual boxes that are relevant to the permit, and you insulate it from the politics?\u201d\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cIs that something you guys can legislate on, or is your concern that if you did legislate on \u2014 that the Trump administration wouldn\u2019t follow the legislation or the law?\u201d\n\nHeinrich responded, \u201cWell that\u2019s what the courts are for, right? I do think to the extent that we can create law that is more clear, that sets standards instead of allowing for one person's discretion.\u201d\n\nOn Permitting Legislation Negotiations\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cHave you guys started like real discussions on what sort of legislation would come out of your committee, or are you waiting to see what happens in the House at this point?\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cWe\u2019re not waiting on the House. I think both our teams are figuring out, you know, what's important to the two different caucuses on the committee, and, you know, I hope to be trading paper with Chairman Lee very soon.\u201d\n\nBurgess followed, \u201cIs the House bill a non-starter?\n\nHeinrich responded, \u201cNo, it's not a non-starter. I think anytime the House can move on things it's helpful for the overall dynamic. It's a very different... it's not an analogous permitting reform effort to what our committee is going to do because it's NEPA-centric.\u201d\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cYours would be much broader, correct?\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cIt would, but the NEPA stuff also lives at EPW. It\u2019s in a different committee, right? So, you know, speed is not necessarily analogous to the things that we would work on in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, like geothermal that Chairman Lee talked about and transmission and those things.\u201d\n\nOn the Importance of Building New Energy Projects Faster\n\nBurgess followed, \u201cWe hear also a lot about this Abundance agenda for Democrats. Democrats want to build.\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cI think that's a real dynamic. I mean, as a country, we need to be able to build big things. And to use an example that I worked on, I worked on a transmission project that I started working on with a developer when I got to the House of Representatives in 2009. It\u2019s being energized right now. Seventeen years. That\u2019s not functional. We need to do better than that. Now it's a great project, inserting, injecting, you know, tens of billions of dollars into the economies of New Mexico and Arizona. It's the largest clean energy project ever built in the Western Hemisphere. But come on, like capital, they talk about patient capital, nobody\u2019s that patient.\u201d\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cHas your party been too resistant, historically to building things quickly?\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cI think the times have changed, yes, and I think my party feels a sense of urgency that was not shared by a number of my colleagues in the past.\u201d\n\nBurgess followed, \u201cAre you having to convince them? Or is this happening naturally as they read the national politics?\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cIt\u2019s kind of both. I would tell that story about that one power line in caucus in the past as a way to say, \u2018No, we really do have to do this.\u2019 And so we had those conversations hoping to get EPRA, the previous iteration, onto the floor, but it didn't quite get there. But we've also just seen a shift that people realize whether you want to solve for climate, or whether you want to solve for AI, I mean, we have to be able to build stuff. And you know, if you look at the pipeline right now of new generation onto the grid because of price, 95% of it is actually clean energy. And if that all gets hung up in the permitting process or on somebody's desk, like the Secretary of Interior, we're not going to be able to win the AI race. We just won't.\u201d\n\nOn Relationships with Administration Officials\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cWhen you have a problem with Secretary of Interior, is he taking your calls?\u201d\n\nHeinrich responded, \u201cHe takes my calls.\u201d\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cYou still have a decent relationship with them? I know that\u2019s been something... I feel like you\u2019ve gone out of the way to maintain.\u201d\n\nHeinrich responded, \u201cI've tried very hard over the years, in both the first Trump administration and in this Trump administration, to try to maintain a relationship with the Secretary of Energy and Secretary of Interior, because my state has so many things that are directly related to those agencies, from our public lands to our national laboratories that are some of our biggest employers and do some of the most incredible government work that exists. I need to be able to pick up the phone and talk to those folks.\u201d\n\nOn AI Data Centers\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cYou mentioned the AI data centers. Is it difficult to get communities bought into those sprouting out around the country or are people ambivalent about this movement? What\u2019s your take? What are people in your state telling you?\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cI think that a lot of AI developers are not experienced in this state, and they're kind of where transmission projects were twenty years ago \u2013 they're making a lot of mistakes out of the gate. And so I actually do think that there's a way to do this that does not generate the kind of backlash that we're starting to see in a number of different states, but it requires things, you know, and I'll talk for a moment about a place I think that Chairman Lee and I very much agree is that those AI, large loads generally should pay their own freight. They should not be asking some community to subsidize their electricity. So if you know, if that's step one, if you screw that up out of the gate, people are going to turn against you. And then there are things like water consumption that are really acute in states like Arizona and Nevada.\u201d\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cSenator Lee says he\u2019s talked to his leadership, they seem onboard with prioritizing this. Where do things stand in the Democratic caucus, because as you know, these things are hard. People want to fight Trump. Now this may not have anything to do with Trump, but sometimes that could just mean blocking legislation that Republicans support.\u201d\n\nHenrich answered, \u201cI think the leadership in my caucus is very interested in getting this done, and Sheldon Whitehouse and myself have had regular meetings with our leadership and with the caucus members that are interested in this space as well.\u201d\n\nBurgess asked, \u201cHow do you handle sensitivities of making big changes in environmental policy here? Are there red lines for you that you will not touch?\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cSo I think we need to get to yes or no a lot faster. But that doesn't mean you, like, lower the standard. It just means that the process gets you to an outcome. Sometimes the outcome is no for good reason, but you shouldn't have to invest 10 years of effort to get no. You need to know earlier in the process. And one of the things that I found very frustrating in the course of working for well over a decade on a route for transmission line, and getting that right, is that the federal family does not always work well together. And you can have one agency hang up a project that nine other agencies think is the right answer, and so that takes leadership in the administration to do both concurrent processing, but also have somebody who can say no, this is going to be a no or it's going to be a yes, but we're not going to give a veto authority to every single agency. They need to tell you, like, if not here, that where?\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-statement-on-republicans-voting-against-keeping-health-care-costs-down-for-millions-of-americans/", "Luj\u00e1n Statement on Republicans Voting Against Keeping Health Care Costs Down for Millions of Americans", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against the Democratic proposal to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits that make health care affordable for families in New Mexico and people across the country:\n\n\u201cJust days before ACA tax credits are set to expire \u2014 and health care costs spike for Americans across the country \u2014 Republicans chose to ignore the affordability crisis they created.\n\n\u201cSenate Democrats offered a simple proposal that would have kept health care costs down for more than 20 million Americans: a clean, straightforward extension of the ACA tax credits. Instead of supporting hardworking families, Republicans voted against this commonsense solution, allowing health care costs to skyrocket when families are being crushed by the Republican affordability crisis.\n\n\u201cThe reality is clear: Republicans are not serious about making health care more affordable. They offered no meaningful proposal to prevent these looming price hikes, and the President refuses to acknowledge the affordability crisis. Now, millions of Americans will see their premiums double or even triple because Republicans failed to act.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico families should not be forced to pay the price for a crisis manufactured by Republicans. Democrats put forward a real plan to protect affordability, support rural hospitals, and maintain access to health care for millions of Americans. Republicans stood in the way, and now hardworking New Mexicans and Americans will pay the price.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/video-lujan-on-ms-now-extending-aca-tax-credits-is-the-best-way-to-prevent-a-major-price-hike-to-millions-of-americans/", "VIDEO: Luj\u00e1n on MS NOW \u2014 Extending ACA Tax Credits is the Best Way to Prevent a Major Price Hike to Millions of Americans", "2025-12-11", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Watch Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s full interview HERE.\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Just days before Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits are set to expire, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) joined MS NOW\u2019s Chris Jansing to discuss Democrats\u2019 plan to avoid skyrocketing health care premiums for hardworking American families and Republicans\u2019 refusal to prevent this crisis.\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n stressed the impact of the Republican-made health care crisis on hard-working New Mexican families:\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been receiving phone calls and messages from seniors across New Mexico who are even looking at what\u2019s happening to their Medicare plans. They\u2019re worried.\n\n\u201cA single mom from New Mexico yesterday messaged me. She said, \u2018Hey, if you need to know what\u2019s going on, I just got my notice. And for me and my daughter, it\u2019s going from $900 to $1300.\u2019\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n underscored the fact that Americans are feeling the pain of this affordability crisis and need to be able to afford their health care:\n\n\u201cThe American people are paying way too much with health insurance companies. I say we should hold health insurance companies accountable. This notion that doctors can\u2019t make decisions about how to treat a patient because they need some bean counter somewhere that works for an insurance company to see if you should or shouldn\u2019t get it\u2014I trust my doctor. I don\u2019t trust that insurance company. So, I\u2019m all about reform and working on this as well.\u201d\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n highlighted Republicans\u2019 long history of not having a health care plan to bring to the table:\n\n\u201cBut don\u2019t forget, Chris, Republicans have voted over 70 times to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. They don\u2019t like it. They don\u2019t want it in place. Well, over the last ten years, where is their plan? Let\u2019s come up with something here. Stop playing games with the American people.\n\n\u201cAnd the last thing that I would say to Leader Thune if he was talking to me, Chris \u2014 he knows I survived a stroke three years ago. He knows that I was in an ICU bed. I didn\u2019t know if I was going to live one day to the next. But what I\u2019ve been reminded day in and day out is when you\u2019re in those situations, the only thing you should be worried about when you\u2019re in a bed like that is about getting better. Not worried about paying the bills.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-stansbury-votes-no-national-defense-authorization-act", "Rep. Stansbury Votes \"NO\" on National Defense Authorization Act", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Melanie A. Stansbury", "S001218", "stansbury.house.gov", "stansbury", "https://stansbury.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) released the following statement after voting \"NO\" on the annual National Defense Authorization Act of 2025:\n\n\"In New Mexico, we have a long and proud history of military service, and we honor our service members and veterans every day. I am proud of the bipartisan work on the National Defense Authorization Act this year, which has yielded significant wins for New Mexico, including a long-overdue pay raise of 3.8% for our service members, funding for Kirtland Air Force Base, and language we secured to hold DOD and DOE accountable for the cleanup of munitions on tribal lands, including at Isleta Pueblo. I am also grateful for bipartisan negotiations that removed some of the more harmful provisions in the bill, increased oversight over the Administration\u2019s DOD activities, and restored funding for our European allies against Russian aggression, which the Administration zeroed out.\n\n\"However, as a Member of the House Oversight Committee, I cannot in good conscience vote for a bill that authorizes over $900 billion in military spending while the President has turned his back on our allies in his National Security Strategy, is deploying U.S. troops on U.S. soil, and his Secretary of Defense is being investigated for potentially illegal strikes and military build-up in the Caribbean. Furthermore, the discriminatory thumbprint of this White House is evident throughout this bill with the inclusion of anti-transgender language, the removal of coverage for IVF, and continued attacks on diversity across our nation\u2019s proud service members.\n\n\"As such, I am grateful for the good that will come from provisions that will help New Mexico, but I must vote no in these extraordinary times, as this bill fails to rein in a President and Defense Secretary who are daily defying the Constitution, law, and values of this country.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gabe-vasquez-passes-national-defense-bill-secures-major-wins-new-mexico", "Rep. Gabe Vasquez Passes National Defense Bill, Secures Major Wins for New Mexico", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, December 10, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, voted in favor of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), delivering vital investments for New Mexico\u2019s military installations, service members, and national laboratories.\n\n\u201cAs a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I fought to ensure this year\u2019s defense bill reflects the needs of New Mexico\u2019s military families and makes smart investments that leave the U.S. stronger and safer,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cFrom expanding access to care for rural service members to delivering long-overdue recognition to New Mexico\u2019s Downwinders, this is a bipartisan win that honors those who have served and delivers real, meaningful progress for New Mexico.\u201d\n\nVasquez\u2019s bipartisan TRICARE Travel Improvement Act was passed in the final NDAA. His legislation expands access to medical travel reimbursement for military families by lowering the mileage threshold under TRICARE Prime to 75 miles. This provision will directly help families stationed at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base who routinely drive up to 95 miles each way for care.\n\nThe bill also includes Vasquez\u2019s Downwinder Commemoration Act, which directs the Department of Defense to establish memorials at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base honoring New Mexicans impacted by the 1945 Trinity Test. By permanently commemorating the suffering endured by New Mexico\u2019s Downwinder community, this bill delivers long-overdue recognition and preserves their legacy for future generations.\n\nVasquez also secured bipartisan passage of the COUNTER Act, which strengthens the ability of base commanders to defend installations like White Sands Missile Range against dangerous drone incursions.\n\nAlongside these wins, the FY26 NDAA provides a 3.8% pay raise for service members and authorizes $1.5 billion for upgrades to quality of life infrastructure such as barracks, family housing, and child development centers. The bill also authorizes significant investments in New Mexico\u2019s military infrastructure, including upgrades at White Sands Missile Range, Cannon Air Force Base, Kirtland Air Force Base, and the Santa Fe Army National Guard Training Center, as well as major support for Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. These investments will strengthen national security, create jobs, and support New Mexico\u2019s role in cutting-edge research and defense readiness.\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s NDAA reflects the priorities I have heard firsthand from service members and their families across southern New Mexico,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cWe are improving quality of life, protecting rural jobs, and making sure our state continues to play a central role in our national defense.\u201d\n\nThe bill now moves to the Senate for final passage. \u201cServicemembers and their families stationed at White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base shouldn\u2019t have to pay out of pocket just to access basic medical care,\u201d said SenatorMartin Heinrich (D-N.M.), who is leading the Senate version of the TRICARE Travel Improvement Act. \u201cI\u2019m proud that my commonsense legislation to ensure they\u2019re reimbursed for travel and can get the high-quality care they\u2019ve earned was included in the conferenced NDAA and passed the House. I'll keep fighting to get this bill passed through the Senate and signed into law.\u201d\n\nThe full list of New Mexico NDAA provisions can be found HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-introduces-bipartisan-secure-our-skies-drone-safety-act-modernize", "Rep. Vasquez Introduces Bipartisan Secure Our Skies Drone Safety Act to Modernize Law Enforcement Efforts", "2025-12-10", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 10, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) introduced the bipartisan Secure Our Skies Drone Safety Act to ensure that law enforcement agencies\u2019 use of drones and counter-drone technology are keeping pace with rapidly evolving threats to public safety and national security. Law enforcement officers have applauded this Fraternal Order of Police-endorsed bill as a definitive step forward for public safety.\n\n\u201cBad actors are rapidly innovating and increasing their use of drones to chip away at our public safety and national security,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cBut we won\u2019t let them win. I\u2019m proud to be introducing this bill to equip our law enforcement officers with the tools and authorities they need to keep pace.\u201d\n\nThe bill, co-led by Republican Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report to Congress on the use of drones and counter-drone systems by Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies, as well as recommendations on what legal authorities or policies need to be changed to improve law enforcement\u2019s ability to counter criminal drone threats. The report will also dictate what actions need to be taken to bolster the procurement of domestic and ally-produced drones and equipment.\n\n\"It is critical for our law enforcement agencies to have the tools, training, and technology they need to keep our communities safe. Drones are becoming an increasingly common part of criminal activity, and we must ensure our officers can counter these threats effectively and responsibly,\" said Kiggans. \"This bipartisan bill will give Congress the clear, comprehensive information we need to strengthen our laws, improve coordination, and support the use of secure, American-made and allied-made drone systems.\"\n\nOther required elements of the report include:\n\nThe number of drones purchased by non-federal agencies from entities within adversarial countries, such as China;\n\nThe number of drones that are domestically produced;\n\nAny cost restrictions preventing law enforcement from procuring U.S. or non-adversarial drones;\n\nHow frequently law enforcement is using drones and for what purposes;\n\nWhether drone operators are trained or certified;\n\nWhat authorities, policies, and protocols govern their drone usage;\n\nWhat privacy protections exist regarding law enforcement drone usage; and\n\nWhat counter-drone strategies and training exist for law enforcement.\n\n\u201cUnmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are quickly becoming a vital law enforcement tool,\u201d said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. \u201cThey have a variety of uses, including searching for missing persons, especially in hard-to-reach areas or if the search area is very large. They are absolutely critical at the border, where they can help law enforcement identify, track, and arrest cross-border traffickers and disrupt ongoing criminal activity.\u201d\n\nRep. Vasquez\u2019s introduction of the Secure Our Skies Drones Safety Act builds on his other recent efforts to modernize the United States\u2019 approach to countering criminal drone activity.\n\nEarlier this month, he sent a letter to the Departments of Defense, Justice, Homeland Security, and the Federal Aviation Administration, Vasquez urging leaders to establish clear federal guidance and strengthen authorities for law enforcement at all levels to counter illegal drone activity on U.S. turf.\n\nRep. Vasquez also co-sponsored a bipartisan bill to strengthen the Department of Defense\u2019s counter-drone authorities by expanding the definition of \u201ccovered facilities\u201d to include all military bases with a secured perimeter. This bill is expected to pass the House today as part of the final Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gabe-vasquez-delivers-major-bipartisan-victory-rural-new-mexico", "Rep. Gabe Vasquez Delivers Major Bipartisan Victory for Rural New Mexico with Reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools Program", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 9, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) delivered a major bipartisan victory for rural New Mexico with the passage of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025. Now enacted, the law restores $9 million in annual federal support for rural New Mexico counties to fund essential infrastructure like roads and schools, and it requires missed payments from 2024 and 2025 to be issued to counties within 45 days.\n\n\u201cThis past August, I met with a bipartisan group of county officials, educators, and tribal leaders back home to discuss SRS and the need for reauthorization. Their message never wavered: rural communities needed Congress to act. They needed certainty. They needed this lifeline restored,\u201d said Vasquez while leading the House Agriculture Committee\u2019s floor debate on the reauthorization of the funds.\n\n\u201cToday, after months of fighting for reauthorization, we are delivering. We are sending a clear message to rural towns across New Mexico and across the country that they are not invisible, not expendable, and not expected to bear the weight of this lapse alone.\u201d You can view Rep. Vasquez\u2019s full remarks from today here.\n\nThe Congressman has championed Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding reauthorization for months, working to raise D.C. politicians\u2019 awareness of the urgent need for Congress to reauthorize these funds and the dire impact the funding lapse has had on rural communities in New Mexico and nationwide. In 2024, the federal funds \u2014 paid to rural counties whose tax bases are limited by extensive federal land \u2014 expired, forcing rural communities in New Mexico to make drastic cuts to their school and road maintenance budgets.\n\nBack in August, Rep. Vasquez met with school and county officials from Catron, Sierra, Cibola, and Grant counties, as well as officials from the U.S. Forest Service, who raised grave concerns about the lapse in SRS funding and what it meant for their rural communities. The officials noted that the drop in funding was forcing them to make impossible budgetary decisions, like laying off reading specialists, cutting back to a four-day school week, or reducing critical road maintenance (leaving residents stranded in times of medical emergencies or natural disasters). He also met with the Fence Lake Volunteer Fire Department in Cibola County, where first responders underscored that the lapse in SRS funds was degrading road conditions, making it hard for EMS to reach folks in need.\n\nFortunately, Rep. Vasquez\u2019s successful advocacy for the reauthorization of SRS funding means these cuts will no longer be necessary, and officials in Catron, Sierra, Cibola, and Grant will no longer be forced to decimate their budgets for schools, road maintenance, and other municipal services \u2014 protecting investment in rural New Mexico and its future.\n\n\u201cThe reauthorization of SRS funding provides stability for rural counties like Sierra County,\u201d said Amber Vaughn, Sierra County Manager. \u201cWe rely on these dollars to maintain our road network and support day-to-day road operations, which are essential for public safety and access across our large, mostly federal-land county. Renewing this funding gives us the certainty we need to keep our infrastructure reliable for the people who live, work, and travel here.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools is more than a budget decision; it is an acknowledgment of rural communities like ours,\u201d said Kayli Ortiz, Principal of Reserve Schools. \u201cIt brings stability to the services our schools rely on and affirms that our students and families matter. This support strengthens the opportunities we can offer, and for each individual student who benefits, it means they are seen and can continue to receive the support they need, too. We are grateful for this renewed investment in our children and the communities they, and we, call home.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gabe-vasquez-demands-urgent-relief-all-new-mexico-farmers", "Rep. Gabe Vasquez Demands Urgent Relief for All New Mexico Farmers", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 8, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) sent a letter urging Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to deliver timely, equitable relief to farmers across New Mexico who continue to face rising costs and uncertainty due to the administration\u2019s tariff war. Nine of Rep. Vasquez\u2019s colleagues joined him in sending this letter.\n\nIn the letter, the Members underscored that any relief funding tied to the administration\u2019s farmer aid plan \u2014 meant to reverse the harm caused by the tariffs they themselves imposed \u2014 must deliver real support to New Mexico\u2019s farmers and ranchers. They urged the USDA to ensure the assistance reaches the chile growers, pecan producers, dairies, and cattle operations that anchor southern New Mexico\u2019s economy, rather than allowing the bulk of funding to flow to large corporations that don\u2019t need extra funding.\n\n\u201cFor months, the administration's disastrous tariff war has crushed farmers and producers with soaring prices and growing uncertainty,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cOur real farmers \u2014 New Mexican growers and producers who bring millions into the state\u2019s economy and keep our communities fed \u2014 deserve real, timely relief. Farm country is in crisis and needs our support, and that relief shouldn\u2019t end up in the hands of the Wall Street billionaires buying up New Mexico\u2019s farmland.\u201d\n\nThe letter calls out that across New Mexico, families are paying more for everyday essentials, from groceries to household goods to utility bills. Producers across southern New Mexico are facing higher input costs for fertilizer, fuel, and feed, while the administration\u2019s tariff war drives up expenses and uncertainty across the agriculture sector. As a result, farmers are paying more for what they need and getting less for what they grow. That\u2019s not a fair deal for New Mexico.\n\nThe full text of the letter is below and here.\n\nDear Madam Secretary:\n\nRight now, the cost of everyday goods from ground beef and coffee to clothes and car parts are crushing Americans in every corner of our country and making it hard for them to make ends meet. The economic pain and hardship have hit family farmers \u2014 no matter their size, production type or location \u2014 particularly hard. The president's trade war has increased the cost of production, depressed the price of goods and commodities and eliminated the valuable market access our farmers depend on. Based upon public reporting, it is clear that USDA is planning to provide some direct relief to farmers, growers, producers and ranchers, and that the announcement of such a program could come this week.\n\nGiven the fact that Congress has been given no additional information on your plans, we, the undersigned Members of Congress who represent a wide variety of agriculture stakeholders and producers, encourage you to ensure that any farm relief package is fair and equitable. It should provide appropriate relief to all types of producers, of all sizes and in all locations.\n\nThe effects of the administration\u2019s trade war know no bounds. It hurts specialty crop producers from coastal Maine to the Central Valley of California, large row crop farmers from Northern Minnesota to Southern Arkansas, dairies in New York, cattle ranches in New Mexico, and everywhere in between. In 2025, fertilizer increased by 25 percent and 37 percent, respectively, for specialty crop growers compared to just a few short years ago. In just the last 12 months, we have seen production costs for farmers increase by $12 billion. Soybeans may only achieve barely half of all the total purchases it normally receives from China, and we are already seeing signs that future orders may fall short of those promised in the latest trade deal struck between the administration and the Chinese Communist Party. Despite strong exports, dairy producers are having to discount their products. The entire farm economy is hurting, and it is critical that any relief you provide does not pick winners and losers.\n\nAs you finalize this program and speak to your cabinet colleagues, we impress upon you the importance of finding opportunities to provide relief and support for more than just our nation\u2019s farmers. Main street businesses and manufacturers are struggling, and all hardworking Americans are confronting higher costs for everyday goods. Our most vulnerable neighbors are struggling to make ends meet and put food on their table due to the high cost of groceries. It is time we found a way to support them as well.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-secures-nearly-500000-las-cruces-fire-department-train-additional", "Rep. Vasquez Secures Nearly $500,000 for Las Cruces Fire Department to Train Additional Paramedics", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 9, 2025 U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) announced that he had secured $456,181 for the City of Las Cruces to expand paramedic training for local first responders. This funding was secured through the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.\n\nThis award, one of the most competitive federal firefighter grants, will strengthen emergency medical response capacity across southern New Mexico. The funding will allow the Las Cruces Fire Department to train 15 new paramedics by covering tuition and overtime costs for firefighters enrolled in the Do\u00f1a Ana Community College paramedic program. Three firefighters currently in paramedic school will be supported through the grant, with an additional cohort of 12 beginning training early next year.\n\n\u201cThis funding will save lives and support the brave first responders who show up for our families every day,\u201d said Rep. Gabe Vasquez. \u201cI worked to bring this money home because southern New Mexicans deserve nothing but the best, including well-trained emergency medical teams that can respond quickly when every second counts.\u201d\n\nRep. Vasquez remains committed to delivering for New Mexico\u2019s firefighters and improving EMS services:\n\nAfter meeting with the Las Cruces Fire Department earlier this year, Vasquez led a letter urging the Administration to protect and expand first responders' affordable access to overdose reversal medications, like Narcan, which are critical tools in combating the fentanyl and opioid crisis.\n\nVasquez is a consistent supporter of increased funding for both AFG and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER), the two main sources of federal funding for local fire departments.\n\nVasquez is a cosponsor of H.R. 2538, Comprehensive Alternative Response for Emergencies (CARE) Act, a bipartisan bill to allow seniors on Medicare to receive at-home emergency medical services to treat minor medical incidents by creating a model that reimburses EMS providers delivering treatment in place and not just reimburses when Medicare patients are transported to the hospital. This legislation is supported by the International Association of Firefighters.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-highlights-economic-benefits-of-americas-national-parks-condemns-recent-announcement-to-remove-fee-free-admission-of-juneteenth-and-martin-luther-king-jr-day", "Heinrich Highlights Economic Benefits of America\u2019s National Parks, Condemns Recent Announcement to Remove Fee-Free Admission of Juneteenth and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks hearing to consider 26 pending bills, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the full committee, delivered opening remarks on the role national parks play in boosting our country\u2019s economy and the importance of protecting public lands as the Trump Administration continues to divest from National Park Service sites.\n\nHeinrich also sounded the alarm on the Trump Administration\u2019s recent announcement to remove fee-free admission on Juneteenth and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, both federal holidays, and instead implement a fee-free day on President Trump\u2019s birthday, a move that reflects the Administration's ongoing commitment to erasing our nation\u2019s history.\n\nVIDEO: Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks during a National Parks Subcommittee hearing, December 9th, 2025.\n\n\u201cEvery single day, the public lands recreation economy contributes over $350 million a day to our nation\u2019s economic health,\u201d began Heinrich, citing the economic impact of our nation\u2019s public lands. \u201cAnd that\u2019s not a typo. It\u2019s a testament to just how deeply Americans value time outdoors and their nation\u2019s history and how crucial our public lands are to supporting job growth, supporting small businesses, rural communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Administration recently announced that Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth would no longer be fee-free days on our public lands, despite being federal holidays,\u201d said Heinrich, pointing out the latest move the Trump Administration has made to denigrate our public lands. \u201cInstead, Flag Day will be fee-free. And it\u2019s a coincidence, I\u2019m sure, that while Flag Day isn\u2019t a federal holiday, it is the President\u2019s birthday.\u201d\n\n\u201cRest assured folks...when this President is in the past, Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth will not only have fee-free National Park admission, but they will occupy again incredible places of pride in our nation's history,\u201d closed Heinrich.\n\nA video of Heinrich\u2019s opening remarks is here.\n\nA transcript of Heinrich\u2019s remarks as delivered is below:\n\nThank you, Mr. Chairman and I want to thank you and C0-Chair Angus King for convening today\u2019s hearing.\n\nThough I may not agree with every bill on the agenda, I am so grateful that we have the chance to spend some time talking about an issue that literally touches every corner of this country: our national parks and the role they play in America\u2019s incredible outdoor recreation economy.\n\nAnd I particularly look forward to working with you and the Co-Chair on the America the Beautiful Act.\n\nEvery single day, the public lands recreation economy contributes over $350 million a day to our nation\u2019s economic health. And that\u2019s not a typo. It\u2019s a testament to just how deeply Americans value time outdoors and their nation\u2019s history and how crucial our public lands are to supporting job growth, supporting small businesses, rural communities.\n\nOur national parks and park system units are major contributors to the economic success that our public lands bring. Parks like Glacier, White Sands, Acadia are iconic for a reason.\n\nThey are world-class destinations that draw millions of visitors from around the world. And today\u2019s hearing also highlights something equally important: the hundreds of smaller national parks, historic sites, seashores, and monuments that really are the woven into the fabric of our nation\u2019s history and communities across the United States.\n\nPlaces like Petroglyph National Monument or Pecos National Historical Park in New Mexico, these are places make a real difference in people\u2019s lives. They preserve and celebrate our history, the good and the bad. They honor our heroes, they protect our wildlife and watersheds. And they offer outdoor classrooms for students and provide spaces for families to connect with the outdoors.\n\nThey offer us opportunities to escape the pressures of everyday life and enjoy the outdoors.\n\nAnd unfortunately, you know, recent National Park Service management directives from this Administration, including the dramatic budget cuts that the Co-Chair referenced, major staffing reductions, proposals to divest of hundreds of NPS sites, are a significant threat to the parks that Americans know and love.\n\nWhat\u2019s more, the Administration recently announced that Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth would no longer be fee-free days on our public lands, despite being federal holidays.\n\nInstead, Flag Day will be fee-free. And it\u2019s a coincidence, I\u2019m sure, that while Flag Day isn\u2019t a federal holiday, it is the President\u2019s birthday.\n\nRest assured folks...when this President is in the past, Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth, will not only have fee-free National Park admission, but they will occupy again incredible places of pride in our nation's history.\n\nThank you, Mr. Chairman.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-joins-senate-democrats-to-introduce-legislation-to-extend-the-aca-tax-credit-and-protect-new-mexicans-from-trumps-affordability-crisis", "Heinrich Joins Senate Democrats to Introduce Legislation to Extend the ACA Tax Credit & Protect New Mexicans from Trump's Affordability Crisis", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined Senate Democrats to introduce the Lower Health Care Costs Act, legislation to extend the enhanced premium ACA tax credits for three years and protect New Mexicans from Trump's affordability crisis, which is skyrocketing the cost of health care. The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).\n\nThe full text of the Lower Health Care Costs Act is here.\n\nRepublicans control the House, Senate, and the White House. In the most recent government shutdown, Trump and Republicans chose not to work with Heinrich and Democrats to extend the ACA tax credits, chose to shut down the government for 44 days, which made it the longest government shutdown in American history, and chose to pass a government funding bill that fails to extend the ACA tax credits. The ACA tax credits expire at the end of this month. BeWell New Mexico estimates that over 6,300 New Mexico enrollees will face increased health insurance costs starting January 1, 2026, if the enhanced APTC is not extended.\n\nHeinrich repeatedly voted for a government funding bill that included an extension of the ACA health tax credits and urged Congressional Republicans to come to the negotiating table to engage in good faith bipartisan negotiations with Democrats to extend these tax credits and reopen the government. Meanwhile, Republicans refused and voted to let insurance premiums skyrocket, let children go hungry, and let working people fend for themselves.\n\nHeinrich voted to pass the American Rescue Plan in 2021, which authorized initial enhancements to the premium tax credit to make health insurance more affordable for more people and increase subsidies for working, middle-income families in New Mexico. In 2022, Heinrich voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which extended the enhanced premium tax credit through 2025.\n\nHeinrich cosponsors the Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 (S.46) to make the enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credit permanent and build upon record health care marketplace enrollment.\n\nRecently, Heinrich hosted a roundtable to hear directly from New Mexicans whose premiums will rise significantly as a result of Congressional Republicans\u2019 refusal to extend the ACA\u2019s enhanced premium tax credits.\n\nIn September, Heinrich hosted a press conference with BeWell New Mexico and the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty to highlight how the health care crisis, created by Trump and Republicans, will hike health care premiums if Republicans\u2019 allow ACA premium tax credits to expire.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-pushes-for-additional-funding-for-the-federal-public-defender-program-in-fy26-funding", "Heinrich Pushes for Additional Funding for the Federal Public Defender Program in FY26 Funding", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, joined 23 Senate Democrats to send a letter calling on the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on Financial Services and General Government to provide additional funding, beyond the recently released Republican budget proposal, for the Federal Defender Services program in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) bill.\n\nIn their letter, the lawmakers urged subcommittee leaders to fully fund the program at $1.76 billion, as requested by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, to maintain baseline constitutional requirements for federal public defense instead of the lower amounts in House and Senate Republicans\u2019 appropriations bills.\n\n\u201cAs you are aware, in FY24, an inadvertent failure to account for the federal defender program\u2019s carryforward funding structure resulted in initial funding levels that were more than $100 million less than what the program needed. In response to those marks, the program implemented a set of cost-savings measures, including a hard hiring freeze, suspension of most in-person training opportunities, and deferral of other programmatic needs such as cybersecurity upgrades. In FY25, the Defender Services budget was frozen at the artificially low FY24 levels, leaving the program with a critical shortfall woefully inadequate to meet its identified needs,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cAs a result of two years of underfunding because of a calculation error, Defender Services began FY26 significantly in the red. The current funding level, based on the recent anomaly, is still $194 million short of what is required to fund the program.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cWe are very appreciative of your inclusion of a $1.564 billion anomaly for Federal and Community Defenders in the Continuing Resolution. This is an important step in addressing the underfunding. Now we must fully fund the program as soon as possible. Full funding for the program to staff Federal Defender offices, pay the panel deficit for missed payments last fiscal year, and avoid missed payments to panel attorneys throughout FY26 requires $1.76 billion. Without full funding, Federal Defender Services will face more extreme shortfalls in FY26.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Defender Services program has a history of bipartisan support. This essential funding supports the more than 4,000 attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and other personnel throughout 83 federal defender organizations serving 92 of the 94 federal judicial districts, as well as approximately 12,000 private CJA panel attorneys. Criminal defense funding is non-partisan, and federal defenders represent everyone regardless of political affiliation. Currently, more than ninety percent of federal cases are handled by public defense lawyers,\u201d the lawmakers underscored. \u201cThe inevitable cascading consequences of underfunding public defense will delay prosecutions, create backlogs in U.S. Attorneys Offices, compromise convictions and sentences, and deny witnesses and victims their day in court.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn short, a fully funded federal defender system is necessary to promote public safety and the rule of law. We respectfully urge you to fully fund the Federal Defender Services program at $1.76 billion to maintain baseline constitutional requirements for federal public defense and appreciate the unprecedented challenges of the current appropriation process,\u201d the lawmakers concluded.\n\nThe Federal Defender Services program serves as an integral part of the federal judicial system by securing access to counsel and providing other necessary defense services for those who cannot afford counsel. The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to an attorney in criminal proceedings, and the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) provides that courts appoint counsel from Federal public and community defender organizations or from a panel of private attorneys established by the court. The court must employ private attorneys, often at a higher cost, to meet their constitutional duty to appoint counsel for individuals who cannot afford counsel. As the Executive Branch pursues increased federal prosecutions, including capital cases, it is important that constitutionally adequate counsel is provided.\n\nFederal Defender organizations have now entered their third year in a hard hiring freeze, resulting in more than 500 positions below what the Judicial Conference-approved staffing formula dictates. Additionally, CJA panel attorneys face another devastating year of months-long payment delays. In FY25, money to pay CJA panel attorneys for work performed in federal court ran out beginning in July 2025 and did not restart until the government shutdown ended this November, resulting in over four months without pay. Trials across the country were delayed because of the nonpayment, and at least one case was dismissed.\n\nThe letter is led by U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.). Alongside Heinrich, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). The letter is led by U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) in the House.\n\nThe text of the letter is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-gillibrand-reintroduce-legislation-to-expand-workplace-rights-for-domestic-workers/", "Luj\u00e1n, Gillibrand Reintroduce Legislation to Expand Workplace Rights for Domestic Workers", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Bill Would Guarantee Domestic Workers Basic Rights Like Overtime Pay, Time Off, Sick Leave, Meal and Rest Breaks, and Legal Protections from Harassment and Unsafe Working Conditions\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) reintroduced the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act, commonsense legislation that would extend common workplace rights to the 2.2 million domestic workers in the United States.\n\nUnder current law, domestic workers\u2014including home health aides, nannies, cleaners, and live-in caretakers\u2014are excluded from many of the labor, harassment, and discrimination protections guaranteed to other workers under federal law. As a result, severe financial insecurity and lack of workplace benefits are all too common in these professions. The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act would patch these flaws in existing labor law and also create new protections for domestic workers.\n\n\u201cDomestic workers in New Mexico and across the country are essential members of our workforce and deserve dignity and respect. I\u2019m proud to reintroduce legislation to require employers to establish clear standards for wages, responsibilities, schedules, and time-off policies to help protect the rights of the people who care for our families and support our communities,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cThis legislation is critical to ensuring workplace protections and rights for domestic workers who have been left out for far too long.\u201d\n\n\u201cCaretakers, cleaners, nannies, and other domestic workers play a vital role in the economy and in American life. However, they\u2019ve too often been overlooked in the fight for workers\u2019 rights, leaving many working long hours, earning low wages, and struggling to make ends meet. This is unacceptable,\u201d said Senator Gillibrand. \u201cBy closing loopholes that exclude domestic workers from federal labor and civil rights laws, theDomestic Workers Bill of Rights Act would afford these workers the safety, stability, and dignity that they deserve. I am honored to introduce this bill, and I will fight tooth and nail to get it passed.\u201d\n\n\u201cDomestic workers are too often called essential, but treated as expendable. These workers, who are predominantly women of color and immigrants, make all other work possible,\u201d said Representative Jayapal.\u201cThis landmark legislation ensures that domestic workers are finally included in our existing labor laws, giving them access to the basic protections they deserve in the workplace, including overtime pay, guaranteed rest and meal breaks, time off, and legal protections from unsafe working conditions and harassment. It will finally give our domestic workers the dignity and respect they deserve. This legislation is more important now than ever as the Trump Administration works to strip many of the programs domestic workers rely on to survive, like Medicaid and food assistance.\u201d\n\nDomestic workers have historically been excluded from worker protections and, as a result, often have no benefits, few protections, and little recourse to fight harassment and unsafe working conditions. A 2021 National Domestic Workers Alliance survey of domestic workers reported that:\n\nOnly 16% of domestic workers have a written agreement with their employer laying out their job responsibilities and the terms of their employment.\n\nOver one-third of domestic workers do not get meal and rest breaks, and of those who do, only 34% are paid for those breaks.\n\n81% of domestic workers receive no pay if their employer cancels on them with less than three days\u2019 notice, and 76% receive no pay if their employer cancels on them after they show up for work.\n\n23% of domestic workers do not feel safe at work.\n\nIf passed, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act would, among other things:\n\nEntitle domestic workers to overtime pay for hours worked above 40 hours per week.\n\nEnsure domestic workers have paid sick leave to take care of themselves or their families.\n\nExtend civil rights protections, including against workplace harassment and discrimination, to domestic workers.\n\nAfford domestic workers the right to meal and rest breaks.\n\nRequire employers to provide domestic workers with written agreements detailing agreed-upon hourly pay rates, scheduling requirements, and termination procedures.\n\nIn addition to Sens. Luj\u00e1n and Gillibrand, the bill is cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).\n\nIt is endorsed by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, as well as 38 other organizations.\n\n\u201cDomestic workers across the country do the work that makes all other work possible by caring for our children, keeping our households running, and ensuring our loved ones can live with dignity and independence,\u201dsaid Ai-Jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. \u201cYet, for over 400 years, this workforce, made up of predominantly women of color, has been largely excluded from basic labor protections. Today, they are facing an unprecedented crisis fueled by nearly one trillion dollars in Medicaid cuts, low wages, and widespread immigration raids that are creating a climate of fear. The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights will work to address these historical injustices, protect the dignity and financial security of these workers, and strengthen our care economy.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the legislation can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-introduces-native-american-seeds-act", "Heinrich Introduces Native American Seeds Act", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) reintroduced the Native American Seeds Act of 2025, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will assist Tribal governments working to protect seeds that are culturally significant to their communities. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) is a cosponsor of the bill.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to lead legislation that will help preserve Tribes\u2019 cultural practices and way of life by protecting Native seeds and traditional foodways for future generations,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cThis effort will grow local economies in Indian Country and help ensure Tribal members remain connected to their culture and heritage.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Pueblo of Tesuque thanks Representatives Torres and LaMalfa and Senators Heinrich and Crapo for introducing the Native American Seeds Act of 2025. This legislation would assist us in our efforts to protect and preserve our traditional seeds and our agricultural systems that have nourished us physically, culturally, and spiritually since time immemorial. The Tesuque people have always had an unbroken relationship with plants for food and medicine, allowing our community and our culture to survive; and, this bill will help us foster our deep connections to these plants,\u201d said Governor Earl Samuel, Pueblo of Tesuque.\n\nThe Native American Seeds Act of 2025 will provide flexibility so that the U.S. Department of the Interior can support the efforts of Tribes to develop seed banks and engage in traditional forms of farming. Factors such as wildfires, droughts, insect and disease outbreaks, inclement weather, and contamination have increased the challenges that Tribes face in preserving their seeds. This bill will help ensure that Tribal connections to plants holding traditional importance will continue for future generations while also strengthening food security, improving physical and mental health outcomes, and expanding economic opportunity on Tribal lands.\n\nHeinrich co-led the Native American Seeds Act alongside U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and U.S. Representatives Norma J. Torres (D-Calif.) and Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.). Alongside Luj\u00e1n, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and James Risch (R-Idaho).\n\nThe full text of the bill is here.\n\nA one-page summary of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-slam-trump-administration-for-latest-efforts-to-dismantle-the-department-of-education", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Slam Trump Administration for Latest Efforts to Dismantle the Department of Education", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senators Call on McMahon to Reverse Illegal Actions that Weaken Support for New Mexico Students\n\nWASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) joined 34 Senate Democrats to send a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon slamming her recent announcement that the Department of Education has illegally outsourced core functions that New Mexico students and their families rely on \u2014 and calling on Secretary McMahon to reverse these latest steps to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\n\u201cThe actions you announced on November 18th to continue hollowing out the U.S. Department of Education are outrageous, illegal, and will jeopardize the funding and support that tens of millions of students, teachers, and families across the country rely on,\u201d the senators wrote to Secretary McMahon. \u201cYour brazen attempt to dismantle the Department by transferring to other federal agencies complex and foundational responsibilities that Congress specifically charged to the Department \u2014 including more than half of all federal funds for elementary and secondary education programs and billions in higher education funding \u2014 will undermine public education.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be very clear: You are choosing to create even more bureaucracy that states, school districts, and educational institutions across America will have to expend time and resources navigating at the expense of students and families,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cWe urge you to immediately reverse course and to focus your time and attention on actions that actually help states, school districts and educational institutions improve educational outcomes and support for students.\u201d\n\nIn the letter, the senators make clear that, as McMahon has previously acknowledged, dismantling the Department would require an act of Congress, which has not been pursued by the Trump Administration: \u201cWe expect you to work with Congress to pursue any ideas to streamline programs and improve public education, as the law and the Constitution require, and you have yourself stated you would do in your confirmation hearing... Congress has unambiguously authorized dozens of education programs to be administered by the Department through numerous laws and has clearly appropriated funding on a bipartisan basis for decades to the Department to carry out those programs. Appropriations law prohibits the transfer of funds to another federal agency unless expressly authorized in appropriations law, which it has not done in this case.\u201d\n\nThe senators also detail how the myriad departmental responsibilities McMahon is now seeking to spin off to other agencies that lack the expertise, capacity, and legal mandate to successfully administer key programs will risk support, funding, and oversight that our laws provide to students and families in New Mexico and nationwide:\u201cUnfortunately, we have already seen negative consequences for states, schools, colleges, and students as these interagency agreements roll out: the first interagency agreements inked earlier this year between the Department and the U.S. Department of Labor on career and technical education and adult education has been plagued with serious challenges \u2014 and it is but a small fraction of what is now being transferred to the U.S. Department of Labor.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe once again demand that you reverse these detrimental plans and refocus your efforts on supporting state and local efforts by properly implementing federal laws intended to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all students, especially those who count on the Department doing its job most,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe letter is led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Alongside Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below:\n\nDear Secretary McMahon:\n\nThe actions you announced on November 18 to continue hollowing out the U.S. Department of Education (\u201cthe Department\u201d) are outrageous, illegal, and will jeopardize the funding and support that tens of millions of students, teachers, and families across the country rely on. Your brazen attempt to dismantle the Department by transferring to other federal agencies complex and foundational responsibilities that Congress specifically charged to the Department\u2014including more than half of all federal funds for elementary and secondary education programs and billions in higher education funding\u2014will undermine public education. This is the latest example of this administration\u2019s complete lack of regard for our laws and its failure to provide the certainty, clarity, and stability that students and schools deserve when it comes to the federal government\u2019s approach and commitment to properly implementing federal education laws and appropriations.\n\nLet\u2019s be very clear: You are choosing to create even more bureaucracy that states, school districts, and educational institutions across America will have to expend time and resources navigating at the expense of students and families. We urge you to immediately reverse course and to focus your time and attention on actions that actually help states, school districts and educational institutions improve educational outcomes and support for students. We expect you to work with Congress to pursue any ideas to streamline programs and improve public education, as the law and the Constitution require, and you have yourself stated you would do in your confirmation hearing.\n\nThe Department of Education is the only federal agency whose sole mission is to help children learn and improve their educational outcomes. The Department delivers much-needed federal funding and enforces basic educational guardrails and civil rights protections so that every child can get the quality public education that they are entitled to under the law, no matter who they are or where they live. Congress has unambiguously authorized dozens of education programs to be administered by the Department through numerous laws and has clearly appropriated funding on a bipartisan basis for decades to the Department to carry out those programs. Appropriations law prohibits the transfer of funds to another federal agency unless expressly authorized in appropriations law, which it has not done in this case. When Congress wants another agency to administer a program or function, it has expressly said so\u2014and in some cases, it has provided authority to transfer funds to allow this to happen. By contrast, Congress has not expressly authorized any other agency to administer the programs established under the previously mentioned laws, nor has it provided the authority for the Department to transfer these programs and associated funding to another agency.\n\nThe November 18 announcement outlines six interagency agreements (IAAs) with the Departments of Labor, Interior, Health and Human Services, and State to transfer major responsibilities out of the Department of Education. The authorities cited in the IAAs do not enable the Department to do an end-run around the relevant authorizing and appropriating statutes. For example, the Department cites the Economy Act to justify its use of the IAA framework. While the Economy Act is routinely used by other federal agencies to enter into IAAs for the procurement of discrete goods and services that a particular agency might have expertise in and authority to provide, such as DOJ\u2019s fingerprinting authority, this authority was never contemplated to allow the transfer of major program functions or entire offices to another agency with the express stated purpose of eventually dismantling the agency or putting the Secretary \u201cout of a job.\u201d Federal resources outlining the purpose of the Economy Act make this clear. This view is further affirmed by the Department\u2019s inability to cite a single instance of using this statute or any others in a similar way prior to this year.\n\nYou have expressed your interest in working with Congress on these issues, but these IAAs were developed in secret without outside input. The fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department makes no reference to administering these programs at other agencies and the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), for example, makes no reference to administering them either. The Secretaries of Labor, Interior, State, and HHS have similarly never testified to Congress on how they would carry out and administer these critical education programs.\n\nSince you were nominated to lead the Department, you have routinely misled the public about the level of involvement the Department has long had in the day-to-day management of schools\u2014inaccurately suggesting that the Department was depriving states and families from making choices about their children\u2019s education, shackling teachers with burdensome regulations and paperwork and causing K-12 and college students to experience \u201cdrudgery caused by administrative burdens.\u201d On the basis of these false assertions, you have strangely claimed that we need to \u201cReturn Education to the States.\u201d In fact, states and local communities have\u2014since the founding of our republic\u2014had the primary responsibility for educating our students and the establishment of the Department in 1979 did nothing to change that fact. In fact, there are numerous federal laws that prevent the Department from being involved in the day-to-day decision making in schools and colleges as it relates to curriculum, teaching, and programs.\n\nUntil your arrival at the Department, its role has been to provide funding, support, and oversight as authorized by federal education laws to ensure students from all walks of life and in every part of the country can get a high-quality public education. The Department\u2019s programs ensure that parents get timely, accessible information about how their kids\u2019 schools are doing. They ensure students with disabilities\u2019 rights are enforced, so that they can get the education they are entitled to. The Department administers programs to help under-resourced rural school districts and allocates Impact Aid for more than 1,000 school districts with a reduced revenue base or increased costs due to a federal presence, such as a military base. It also administers programs to help first-generation and low-income students pursue and succeed in college. These are just a select few examples of the indispensable supporting role that the federal government\u2014and the Department, in particular\u2014plays in advancing educational outcomes for students.\n\nTo justify these new IAA\u2019s, you say federal funding will keep flowing to states, school districts, and colleges. But we have already seen funding held up and seriously delayed because of this administration\u2019s chaotic changes\u2014and its extreme policies\u2014and the moves you announced last week are certain to further jeopardize these funds.\n\nYou claim these actions will improve student achievement, yet your actions will significantly weaken federal monitoring of states\u2019 K-12 accountability and school improvement systems. Before Congress mandated that states develop these systems with key guardrails in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, several states had weak or no school improvement systems, which allowed vulnerable students to slip through the cracks. As part of ESEA and subsequent appropriations directives, Congress has charged OESE with improving state compliance in state and local school report cards requirements, school improvement, and more. But without the staff expertise from OESE, it is likely that DOL will be ineffective in holding states accountable for improving student outcomes.\n\nThe Department also provides deep policy expertise to ensure programs support improved student outcomes, such as through expert guidance to colleges and universities to improve college access, retention, and completion through programs like TRIO, GEAR UP, the Postsecondary Student Success Grant Program, and others. Now, DOL, who lacks the necessary expertise, is tasked with managing these programs and students will suffer as a result.\n\nDOL has no prior experience in administering education programs at this scale and complexity and will need to develop the capacity and processes to allot billions of dollars in funding to state and local educational agencies. States will also have to make changes to receive any funds distributed through DOL\u2019s grant system while continuing to draw down prior year grant funding in the Department\u2019s system. Your IAA also seems to suggest the Department will still retain some authorities over Title I-A, which means that states will now have to work with two federal agencies when they need help navigating this complex and absolutely critical program. These changes solve exactly zero problems but manage to create an onslaught of new ones. We are very concerned that these changes will mean funds our constituents rely on will not continue to flow as intended under federal education laws.\n\nIn addition to its scope and complexity, the Title I-A program primarily funds instruction and activities in elementary schools. We do not believe kindergartners or other elementary school students should be the focus of efforts to integrate workforce programming and education activities, activities that are better suited to older students. Instead of improving students\u2019 readiness for the workforce, the move of Title I-A to DOL is much more likely to deprive states and school districts of the technical assistance and support they need to effectively implement federal education funding in their schools and provide high-quality educational opportunities to all students.\n\nDOL already has a comprehensive workload to support the nation\u2019s workers and workforce programs. It is authorized and funded to administer workforce training and enforce worker protection programs for which Congress appropriates $13.5 billion in discretionary funding annually, including for roughly a dozen workforce training grant programs totaling approximately $4 billion in annual funding. In addition to lacking the subject area expertise needed to administer the Department\u2019s programs, DOL does not have the grant administration capacity to take on the work outlined in the IAA; the approximately $30 billion in the Department\u2019s funding across approximately 50 discrete formula and competitive education grant programs that you seek to transfer now to DOL dwarf its current grant administration and oversight work. Transferring basic and significant responsibilities for administering education programs to DOL creates very significant risks of delays in funding and other administrative challenges for states, school districts, institutions of higher education, and other organizations through Impact Aid, rural education programs, afterschool programs, TRIO, and foundational education formula grant programs that tens of thousands of schools count on to help provide a quality education to millions of students.\n\nUnfortunately, we have already seen negative consequences for states, schools, colleges, and students as these IAAs roll out: the first IAA inked earlier this year between the Department and DOL on career and technical education and adult education has been plagued with serious challenges\u2014and it is but a small fraction of what is now being transferred to DOL. In fact, as your own staff reportedly concluded in its analysis after this transfer, \u201cThe size and scope of OCTAE\u2019s programs are miniscule [sic] compared to other [Education Principal Operating Components] and programs\u2026Larger formula grants and competitive grants are going to be much more difficult to migrate.\u201d States and districts faced delays in accessing their Perkins CTE funding, and advocates report delays in guidance and training issued by DOL.\n\nMoreover, a CTE expert recently testified before the House of Representatives, \u201cAt a time of scarce resources, it\u2019s hard to understand why the Department is paying Labor to do work that it can do for itself.\u201d The fiscal year 2025 funding level for Perkins CTE and adult education was $2.18 billion, whereas the other programs DOL will now be responsible for are funded at roughly $30 billion. If the administrative costs balloon under these new IAAs as the administrative costs under the CTE IAA have, not only will these IAAs be terrible for students, their families, and educators, they will also be a catastrophic waste of time and money for the American taxpayer.\n\nThe Department has provided no substantive detail or even basic information about how the significant changes envisioned by these IAAs would be implemented. The other federal agencies that will suddenly have significant responsibilities in administering billions in education funding\u2014have provided no information about their roles or their capacity to carry out these programs and activities. The plan seems clear\u2014to jam these changes through for a talking point, whatever the consequences may be for states, school districts, schools, students, and families.\n\nWe once again demand that you reverse these detrimental plans and refocus your efforts on supporting state and local efforts by properly implementing federal laws intended to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all students, especially those who count on the Department doing its job most.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/four-lujan-led-bills-signed-into-law-as-part-of-major-bipartisan-bill-to-address-fentanyl-crisis/", "Four Luj\u00e1n-Led Bills Signed Into Law as Part of Major Bipartisan Bill to Address Fentanyl Crisis", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) applauded legislation to reauthorize the SUPPORT Act \u2013 a landmark federal investment to combat the fentanyl crisis through addiction prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement efforts \u2013 being signed into law by the President. The bipartisan package of fentanyl prevention bills, led by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), contains four bills led by Senator Luj\u00e1n.\n\nOriginally enacted in 2018, the SUPPORT Act represents the foundation of the federal response to the opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis. Its reauthorization builds on years of progress reducing overdose deaths and strengthening community responses to addiction.\n\n\u201cFamilies in New Mexico have felt the devastating toll of the fentanyl crisis. This bipartisan legislation will now deliver critical support for first responders, health care workers, and community organizations on the frontlines of this fight,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cThe legislation will also expand access to treatment and recovery services, provide life-saving tools to first responders, and provide more resources to keep people in recovery connected to jobs and support. I\u2019m proud to have led four critical bills that are now law.\u201d\n\nAs a then-member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Senator Luj\u00e1n raised this legislation as an early priority in the last Congress. Senator Luj\u00e1n secured the following provisions in the SUPPORT Act:\n\nThe Pregnant and Postpartum Women (PPW) Treatment Reauthorization Act to reauthorize residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women who have a substance use disorder;\n\nThe Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act to supports peer support services by reauthorizing grant programs that allow organizations to develop and enhance peer recovery and general recovery support while fostering collaboration with other harm reduction entities;\n\nThe Improving Access to Addiction Medicine Providers Act to amend the Public Health Service Act to expand the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), allowing fellowships to be awarded for training professionals in the addiction medicine field;\n\nThe Peer Support Services Center of Excellence Act to support individuals in recovery through proven recovery support systems.\n\nThe SUPPORT Act represents the foundation of the federal response to the fentanyl crisis, and its reauthorization includes:\n\nIncreased training and resources for first responders and other essential community members on how to use life-saving overdose reversal drugs, like naloxone and how to connect people to treatment;\n\nSignificant funding for training and recruitment for health care workers who want to work in mental health, addiction medicine, and related fields, including measures to expand student loan repayment for health care workers who focus on addiction medicine and recovery in underserved areas;\n\nFunding to provide residential treatment for pregnant and postpartum women who need addiction treatment;\n\nExpansion of access to fentanyl and xylazine test strips, a critical tool to help lower overdose deaths;\n\nFunding for community organizations that help people stay in recovery over the long term, as well as those that help connect people in recovery to jobs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-slam-trump-administration-for-latest-efforts-to-dismantle-the-department-of-education/", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Slam Trump Administration for Latest Efforts to Dismantle the Department of Education", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Senators Call on McMahon to Reverse Illegal Actions that Weaken Support for New Mexico Students\n\nWASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) joined 34 Senate Democrats to send a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon slamming her recent announcement that the Department of Education has illegally outsourced core functions that New Mexico students and their families rely on \u2014 and calling on Secretary McMahon to reverse these latest steps to dismantle the Department of Education.\n\n\u201cThe actions you announced on November 18th to continue hollowing out the U.S. Department of Education are outrageous, illegal, and will jeopardize the funding and support that tens of millions of students, teachers, and families across the country rely on,\u201d the senators wrote to Secretary McMahon. \u201cYour brazen attempt to dismantle the Department by transferring to other federal agencies complex and foundational responsibilities that Congress specifically charged to the Department \u2014 including more than half of all federal funds for elementary and secondary education programs and billions in higher education funding \u2014 will undermine public education.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be very clear: You are choosing to create even more bureaucracy that states, school districts, and educational institutions across America will have to expend time and resources navigating at the expense of students and families,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cWe urge you to immediately reverse course and to focus your time and attention on actions that actually help states, school districts and educational institutions improve educational outcomes and support for students.\u201d\n\nIn the letter, the senators make clear that, as McMahon has previously acknowledged, dismantling the Department would require an act of Congress, which has not been pursued by the Trump Administration: \u201cWe expect you to work with Congress to pursue any ideas to streamline programs and improve public education, as the law and the Constitution require, and you have yourself stated you would do in your confirmation hearing\u2026 Congress has unambiguously authorized dozens of education programs to be administered by the Department through numerous laws and has clearly appropriated funding on a bipartisan basis for decades to the Department to carry out those programs. Appropriations law prohibits the transfer of funds to another federal agency unless expressly authorized in appropriations law, which it has not done in this case.\u201d\n\nThe senators also detail how the myriad departmental responsibilities McMahon is now seeking to spin off to other agencies that lack the expertise, capacity, and legal mandate to successfully administer key programs will risk support, funding, and oversight that our laws provide to students and families in New Mexico and nationwide: \u201cUnfortunately, we have already seen negative consequences for states, schools, colleges, and students as these interagency agreements roll out: the first interagency agreements inked earlier this year between the Department and the U.S. Department of Labor on career and technical education and adult education has been plagued with serious challenges \u2014 and it is but a small fraction of what is now being transferred to the U.S. Department of Labor.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe once again demand that you reverse these detrimental plans and refocus your efforts on supporting state and local efforts by properly implementing federal laws intended to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all students, especially those who count on the Department doing its job most,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe letter is led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Alongside Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below:\n\nDear Secretary McMahon:\n\nThe actions you announced on November 18 to continue hollowing out the U.S. Department of Education (\u201cthe Department\u201d) are outrageous, illegal, and will jeopardize the funding and support that tens of millions of students, teachers, and families across the country rely on. Your brazen attempt to dismantle the Department by transferring to other federal agencies complex and foundational responsibilities that Congress specifically charged to the Department\u2014including more than half of all federal funds for elementary and secondary education programs and billions in higher education funding\u2014will undermine public education. This is the latest example of this administration\u2019s complete lack of regard for our laws and its failure to provide the certainty, clarity, and stability that students and schools deserve when it comes to the federal government\u2019s approach and commitment to properly implementing federal education laws and appropriations.\n\nLet\u2019s be very clear: You are choosing to create even more bureaucracy that states, school districts, and educational institutions across America will have to expend time and resources navigating at the expense of students and families. We urge you to immediately reverse course and to focus your time and attention on actions that actually help states, school districts and educational institutions improve educational outcomes and support for students. We expect you to work with Congress to pursue any ideas to streamline programs and improve public education, as the law and the Constitution require, and you have yourself stated you would do in your confirmation hearing.\n\nThe Department of Education is the only federal agency whose sole mission is to help children learn and improve their educational outcomes. The Department delivers much-needed federal funding and enforces basic educational guardrails and civil rights protections so that every child can get the quality public education that they are entitled to under the law, no matter who they are or where they live. Congress has unambiguously authorized dozens of education programs to be administered by the Department through numerous laws and has clearly appropriated funding on a bipartisan basis for decades to the Department to carry out those programs. Appropriations law prohibits the transfer of funds to another federal agency unless expressly authorized in appropriations law, which it has not done in this case. When Congress wants another agency to administer a program or function, it has expressly said so\u2014and in some cases, it has provided authority to transfer funds to allow this to happen. By contrast, Congress has not expressly authorized any other agency to administer the programs established under the previously mentioned laws, nor has it provided the authority for the Department to transfer these programs and associated funding to another agency.\n\nThe November 18 announcement outlines six interagency agreements (IAAs) with the Departments of Labor, Interior, Health and Human Services, and State to transfer major responsibilities out of the Department of Education. The authorities cited in the IAAs do not enable the Department to do an end-run around the relevant authorizing and appropriating statutes. For example, the Department cites the Economy Act to justify its use of the IAA framework. While the Economy Act is routinely used by other federal agencies to enter into IAAs for the procurement of discrete goods and services that a particular agency might have expertise in and authority to provide, such as DOJ\u2019s fingerprinting authority, this authority was never contemplated to allow the transfer of major program functions or entire offices to another agency with the express stated purpose of eventually dismantling the agency or putting the Secretary \u201cout of a job.\u201d Federal resources outlining the purpose of the Economy Act make this clear. This view is further affirmed by the Department\u2019s inability to cite a single instance of using this statute or any others in a similar way prior to this year.\n\nYou have expressed your interest in working with Congress on these issues, but these IAAs were developed in secret without outside input. The fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department makes no reference to administering these programs at other agencies and the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), for example, makes no reference to administering them either. The Secretaries of Labor, Interior, State, and HHS have similarly never testified to Congress on how they would carry out and administer these critical education programs.\n\nSince you were nominated to lead the Department, you have routinely misled the public about the level of involvement the Department has long had in the day-to-day management of schools\u2014inaccurately suggesting that the Department was depriving states and families from making choices about their children\u2019s education, shackling teachers with burdensome regulations and paperwork and causing K-12 and college students to experience \u201cdrudgery caused by administrative burdens.\u201d On the basis of these false assertions, you have strangely claimed that we need to \u201cReturn Education to the States.\u201d In fact, states and local communities have\u2014since the founding of our republic\u2014had the primary responsibility for educating our students and the establishment of the Department in 1979 did nothing to change that fact. In fact, there are numerous federal laws that prevent the Department from being involved in the day-to-day decision making in schools and colleges as it relates to curriculum, teaching, and programs.\n\nUntil your arrival at the Department, its role has been to provide funding, support, and oversight as authorized by federal education laws to ensure students from all walks of life and in every part of the country can get a high-quality public education. The Department\u2019s programs ensure that parents get timely, accessible information about how their kids\u2019 schools are doing. They ensure students with disabilities\u2019 rights are enforced, so that they can get the education they are entitled to. The Department administers programs to help under-resourced rural school districts and allocates Impact Aid for more than 1,000 school districts with a reduced revenue base or increased costs due to a federal presence, such as a military base. It also administers programs to help first-generation and low-income students pursue and succeed in college. These are just a select few examples of the indispensable supporting role that the federal government\u2014and the Department, in particular\u2014plays in advancing educational outcomes for students.\n\nTo justify these new IAA\u2019s, you say federal funding will keep flowing to states, school districts, and colleges. But we have already seen funding held up and seriously delayed because of this administration\u2019s chaotic changes\u2014and its extreme policies\u2014and the moves you announced last week are certain to further jeopardize these funds.\n\nYou claim these actions will improve student achievement, yet your actions will significantly weaken federal monitoring of states\u2019 K-12 accountability and school improvement systems. Before Congress mandated that states develop these systems with key guardrails in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, several states had weak or no school improvement systems, which allowed vulnerable students to slip through the cracks. As part of ESEA and subsequent appropriations directives, Congress has charged OESE with improving state compliance in state and local school report cards requirements, school improvement, and more. But without the staff expertise from OESE, it is likely that DOL will be ineffective in holding states accountable for improving student outcomes.\n\nThe Department also provides deep policy expertise to ensure programs support improved student outcomes, such as through expert guidance to colleges and universities to improve college access, retention, and completion through programs like TRIO, GEAR UP, the Postsecondary Student Success Grant Program, and others. Now, DOL, who lacks the necessary expertise, is tasked with managing these programs and students will suffer as a result.\n\nDOL has no prior experience in administering education programs at this scale and complexity and will need to develop the capacity and processes to allot billions of dollars in funding to state and local educational agencies. States will also have to make changes to receive any funds distributed through DOL\u2019s grant system while continuing to draw down prior year grant funding in the Department\u2019s system. Your IAA also seems to suggest the Department will still retain some authorities over Title I-A, which means that states will now have to work with two federal agencies when they need help navigating this complex and absolutely critical program. These changes solve exactly zero problems but manage to create an onslaught of new ones. We are very concerned that these changes will mean funds our constituents rely on will not continue to flow as intended under federal education laws.\n\nIn addition to its scope and complexity, the Title I-A program primarily funds instruction and activities in elementary schools. We do not believe kindergartners or other elementary school students should be the focus of efforts to integrate workforce programming and education activities, activities that are better suited to older students. Instead of improving students\u2019 readiness for the workforce, the move of Title I-A to DOL is much more likely to deprive states and school districts of the technical assistance and support they need to effectively implement federal education funding in their schools and provide high-quality educational opportunities to all students.\n\nDOL already has a comprehensive workload to support the nation\u2019s workers and workforce programs. It is authorized and funded to administer workforce training and enforce worker protection programs for which Congress appropriates $13.5 billion in discretionary funding annually, including for roughly a dozen workforce training grant programs totaling approximately $4 billion in annual funding. In addition to lacking the subject area expertise needed to administer the Department\u2019s programs, DOL does not have the grant administration capacity to take on the work outlined in the IAA; the approximately $30 billion in the Department\u2019s funding across approximately 50 discrete formula and competitive education grant programs that you seek to transfer now to DOL dwarf its current grant administration and oversight work. Transferring basic and significant responsibilities for administering education programs to DOL creates very significant risks of delays in funding and other administrative challenges for states, school districts, institutions of higher education, and other organizations through Impact Aid, rural education programs, afterschool programs, TRIO, and foundational education formula grant programs that tens of thousands of schools count on to help provide a quality education to millions of students.\n\nUnfortunately, we have already seen negative consequences for states, schools, colleges, and students as these IAAs roll out: the first IAA inked earlier this year between the Department and DOL on career and technical education and adult education has been plagued with serious challenges\u2014and it is but a small fraction of what is now being transferred to DOL. In fact, as your own staff reportedly concluded in its analysis after this transfer, \u201cThe size and scope of OCTAE\u2019s programs are miniscule [sic] compared to other [Education Principal Operating Components] and programs\u2026Larger formula grants and competitive grants are going to be much more difficult to migrate.\u201d States and districts faced delays in accessing their Perkins CTE funding, and advocates report delays in guidance and training issued by DOL.\n\nMoreover, a CTE expert recently testified before the House of Representatives, \u201cAt a time of scarce resources, it\u2019s hard to understand why the Department is paying Labor to do work that it can do for itself.\u201d The fiscal year 2025 funding level for Perkins CTE and adult education was $2.18 billion, whereas the other programs DOL will now be responsible for are funded at roughly $30 billion. If the administrative costs balloon under these new IAAs as the administrative costs under the CTE IAA have, not only will these IAAs be terrible for students, their families, and educators, they will also be a catastrophic waste of time and money for the American taxpayer.\n\nThe Department has provided no substantive detail or even basic information about how the significant changes envisioned by these IAAs would be implemented. The other federal agencies that will suddenly have significant responsibilities in administering billions in education funding\u2014have provided no information about their roles or their capacity to carry out these programs and activities. The plan seems clear\u2014to jam these changes through for a talking point, whatever the consequences may be for states, school districts, schools, students, and families.\n\nWe once again demand that you reverse these detrimental plans and refocus your efforts on supporting state and local efforts by properly implementing federal laws intended to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all students, especially those who count on the Department doing its job most.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-alsobrooks-rosen-introduce-bill-to-break-barriers-in-stem-and-strengthen-americas-future-workforce/", "Luj\u00e1n, Alsobrooks, Rosen Introduce Bill to Break Barriers in STEM and Strengthen America\u2019s Future Workforce", "2025-12-08", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.)introduced the 21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act, designed to close persistent equity gaps in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and expand high-quality STEM education access for girls and students from underrepresented communities.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico is at the forefront of science, technology, and innovation in the United States. That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to introduce legislation that will help tap into more homegrown talent from underrepresented communities and build up the next generation of New Mexico\u2019s workforce,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cBy expanding opportunity, we are helping to ensure our state continues to lead in discovery and innovation.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am laser-focused on finding opportunities for young women to succeed and thrive. Our 21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act would provide grants to local school districts to encourage girls and underrepresented students to pursue studies and careers in STEM fields. This legislation would create real pathways for success and wealth for our girls and students of color while also fueling our economy and keeping the United States a global leader in STEM,\u201d said Senator Alsobrooks.\n\n\u201cAs a former computer programmer who worked in a male-dominated STEM industry, it\u2019s always been important to me to provide more pathways for girls to join the STEM field,\u201d said Senator Rosen. \u201cBy increasing access to STEM education and ensuring teachers have the resources they need, we can help many more young girls become interested in the exciting career opportunities in these fields. This bill will do just that, helping to educate the next generation of innovators and creators that is as diverse as the communities they serve.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur nation cannot afford to leave talent on the sidelines,\u201d said Congresswoman Beatty. \u201cExpanding STEM opportunities for girls and underrepresented minorities is essential for our economic future, our national competitiveness, and the next generation of innovators. This bill is an investment in the students who will build the world we live in tomorrow.\u201d\n\n\u201cPittsburgh is a growing beacon for the tech industry but resources and opportunities often do not extend to students in public schools right next door, particularly for our girls and underrepresented communities,\u201d said Congresswoman Lee. \u201cThe21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act brings us one step closer to closing the education equity gap and ensuring all of our youth can bring their talents to this thriving industry. I am proud to co-lead this bill to support the next innovative generation of students.\u201d\n\nThe 21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act will:\n\n\u00b7 Direct the Department of Education to make grants to qualifying local education agencies to fund STEM education activities for girls and underrepresented minorities.\n\n\u00b7 Authorize $10 million to qualifying local educational agencies serving high-poverty students from fiscal years 2026 through 2029.\n\nThese investments are designed to expand access to rigorous coursework, hands-on learning, and pathways that lead to STEM degrees and high-growth careers.\n\nAs STEM careers continue to drive economic growth and shape the future workforce, women and people of color remain significantly underrepresented. Recent declines in national mathematics performance have sharpened the urgency. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 22% of twelfth-grade students performed at or above the proficient level in mathematics in 2024. Black and Hispanic twelfth graders scored three and five percentage points lower than their 2019 averages, and female twelfth graders experienced nearly double the decline in math scores compared to their male peers.\n\nCongresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio-03) is introducing companion legislation in the United States House of Representatives. The co-leads of this bill in the House of Representatives include Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.-10), Rep. Steven Lynch (D-Mass.-08), Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.-04), Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.-12), Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11), Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio-11), and Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.-07).\n\nRead full text of the bill here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-visits-bosque-del-apache-discuss-funding-staffing-and-his-push", "Rep. Vasquez Visits Bosque del Apache to Discuss Funding, Staffing, and His Push to Protect Public Lands", "2025-12-06", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "San Antonio, N.M. \u2013 On December 6, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) visited the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge to meet with refuge staff, local partners, and members of the Friends of the Bosque to assess the impacts of chronic understaffing, federal budget cuts, and the recent government shutdown on one of New Mexico\u2019s most important pieces of public land.\n\nDuring the visit, Rep. Vasquez toured the refuge\u2019s North Loop, received a briefing from Deputy Refuge Manager Bernard Lujan and refuge staff, and met with leadership from the Friends of the Bosque. The group discussed the refuge\u2019s growing operational challenges \u2014 including a decade-long staffing decline that has left just 10 employees to manage more than 57,000 acres \u2014 as well as drought pressures, reduced food production for migratory birds, and continued budget shortfalls following cuts that reduced the refuge\u2019s funding from $2 million to $1.4 million.\n\n\u201cBosque del Apache is a place unlike any other in southern New Mexico \u2014 it\u2019s a haven for migrating waterfowl and a huge economic engine for Socorro and its neighboring communities. That\u2019s why I\u2019m deeply concerned by recent cuts to the Wildlife Refuge system which have put an enormous strain on the staff who manage these places for the public,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cOur public land agencies must be well-staffed and well-managed for the benefit of rural economies and all Americans. Once we lose these places, and the integrity of their management, we can\u2019t get them back. We must protect our public lands at all costs.\u201d\n\nRep. Vasquez also highlighted the consequences of the cancellation of the annual Festival of the Cranes, a major cultural and economic event that typically brings $2 to $3 million in revenue to Socorro County and contributes to the refuge\u2019s broader $15.8 to $17 million annual economic impact.\n\nRep. Vasquez underscored recent efforts he has led in Congress, including founding the bipartisan Public Lands Caucus earlier this year and preventing a predatory attempt to sell off millions of acres of public lands as part of the Republican reconciliation bill. The Congressman also serves as Co-Chair of the Wildlife Refuge Caucus and is working to bolster staffing and funding across the National Wildlife Refuge System. Earlier this year, he also introduced legislation designating National Wildlife Refuge Week and the Arctic Refuge Protection Act to safeguard critical habitat nationwide.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-leads-bipartisan-push-bolster-dod-counter-drone-authorities", "Rep. Vasquez Leads Bipartisan Push to Bolster DOD Counter-Drone Authorities, Protect WSMR, and Boost National Security", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 5, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) led a bipartisan push to boost national security, co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill to combat the risks posed by unidentified drones. The bill, the Comprehensive Operations for Unmanned-System Neutralization and Threat Elimination Response (COUNTER) Act introduced with Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), strengthens the Department of Defense\u2019s counter-drone authorities by expanding the definition of \u201ccovered facilities\u201d to include all military bases with a secured perimeter.\n\nThis marks a major step toward combating national security risks posed by unidentified drones, which have entered restricted airspace at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) and other military installations, jeopardizing sensitive testing operations and endangering service members. These concerns were reiterated by military officials during Rep. Vasquez\u2019s most recent visit to WSMR.\n\nIn practice, this bill will bolster base commanders\u2019 130i authorities, giving them the power to protect against unidentified drones attempting to enter restricted military airspaces in the same way they would treat vehicular threats attempting to enter military installations by ground. These authorities grant DOD the ability to protect certain facilities from drone threats through detection, tracking, and disabling.\n\n\u201cCartels, criminal organizations, and foreign adversaries are using drones to gather intelligence at federal properties in New Mexico and nationwide, and it\u2019s jeopardizing sensitive information, putting our troops and law enforcement at risk, and undermining U.S. national security,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cThe time to bolster our military\u2019s ability to counter these unidentified drones is now, and I\u2019m proud to be leading this push.\u201d\n\nIn New Mexico\u2019s second district, this bill will materially improve security at WSMR, providing heightened airspace protections to administrative buildings, housing, and testing ranges located inside the installation\u2019s secure perimeters.\n\nThis effort builds on Rep. Vasquez\u2019s ongoing commitment to supporting national security and public safety. He also recently sent a letter to the administration urging federal agencies to develop a cohesive counter-drone strategy to protect American communities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-secures-critical-funding-lower-utility-heating-bills-new-mexicans", "Rep. Vasquez Secures Critical Funding to Lower Utility & Heating Bills for New Mexicans This Winter", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (NM-03), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) and U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced that the administration had officially released overdue funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), following the delegation's successful push demanding the immediate release of the funds. This relief comes as New Mexico families prepare for colder temperatures this winter amidst sharply rising energy costs.\n\nRep. Vasquez led the New Mexico delegation in calling for this funding to be released last week, underscoring that families across the state have been hit with an average 8.1 percent increase in utility costs this year alone.\n\nOn December 2, the New Mexico Human Services Department received its award letter and notified the New Mexico delegation that the LIHEAP funding is now on the way to help thousands of New Mexico households keep the heat on this winter. This award letter came after a month-long delay, which is what prompted the New Mexico delegation\u2019s demand for the funding\u2019s immediate release.\n\n\u201cToo many New Mexicans are already feeling the squeeze of rising utility costs, and they should never have to choose between staying warm and putting food on the table,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cWe demanded action, and I\u2019m proud that this critical funding is now on the way to cover rising costs so that seniors, veterans, working parents, and families in rural and Tribal communities stay safe and warm this winter.\u201d\n\n\u201cNew Mexico families deserve the support to weather the winter with dignity,\u201d said Congresswoman Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t have been this hard to unlock the funding that Congress had already appropriated to keep our kids, our elders, and families warm in our snowy winter months. While the Trump administration keeps pushing prices up, we will continue fighting to lower energy costs for everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs winter approaches and the temperature drops, so many struggling in our community face the impossible reality of having to choose between heating their homes versus putting food on the table and countless other needs,\u201d said Rep. Stansbury. \u201cThis should never be a reality in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet, but unfortunately is all too common for so many families. I am grateful the Administration has finally released critical LIHEAP funds after the NM delegation demanded they do so. But, it never should have come to this\u2014which is why we will continue fighting for our communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs temperatures drop and energy costs continue to rise, New Mexicans need reliable support to keep their homes warm and their families safe. With prices up across the board, no one should have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cI\u2019m glad that after we demanded the Trump administration immediately release funding for this critical program that keeps New Mexican families safe, the funds are now on their way.\u201d\n\n\u201cNew Mexico families are being subjected to increasing utility costs due to Trump\u2019s energy affordability crisis. Working families deserve affordable heat and reliable power \u2013 especially as temperatures drop far below freezing at night,\u201d said Senator Heinrich. \u201cThat\u2019s why I fought alongside the New Mexico Delegation to release the funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program that help New Mexico families access affordable heat and power.\u201d\n\nThe released LIHEAP funding will be administered through the New Mexico Human Services Department and will help eligible households cover heating costs, prevent utility shutoffs, and avoid dangerous winter conditions.\n\nRep. Vasquez\u2019s work to lower utility costs for New Mexicans is a core component of his Affordability Agenda \u2014 a concrete plan to make life more affordable for working class New Mexicans. He has also stood up against the administration\u2019s reckless policies that are raising utility bills, including the Department of Energy\u2019s decision to cut $135 million for next-generation energy projects in New Mexico and the Republican tax law that cut incentives for energy projects in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/source-new-mexico-still-no-contract-for-nm-ice-lockup-as-detainees-report-interrupted-access-to-vital-tablets", "Source New Mexico: Still no contract for NM ICE lockup, as detainees report interrupted access to \u2018vital\u2019 tablets", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "More than a month after a contract expired governing the operation of a New Mexico immigrant detention facility, local officials have yet to receive any updates from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency or the facility\u2019s private operator CoreCivic, officials told Source New Mexico on Thursday.\n\nThe inter-governmental services agreement between Torrance County, ICE and CoreCivic expired Oct. 31 during the federal government shutdown. But even after the government reopened Nov. 13, County Manager Jordan Barela said he has neither received an updated contract from ICE nor word of when it could be renewed.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve been checking weekly, and the feedback we have received is that ICE is still evaluating the terms and conditions of a potential extension,\u201d Barela told Source via email Thursday.\n\nAn ICE spokesperson did not respond to Source New Mexico\u2019s request for comment on the contract. Ryan Gustin, a CoreCivic spokesperson, did not respond to questions about the contract status, but instead responded that the company is \u201ccommitted to providing safe,?humane?and respectful care for everyone entrusted to us, and we take seriously our obligation to adhere to all applicable federal detention standards.\u201d\n\nAdvocates for approximately 550 ICE detainees in the jail, as well as U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), say the lack of a contract means ICE should immediately stop detaining immigrants at the facility. They point to ICE standard operating procedures that require ICE to remove detainees and equipment from the facility absent a contract, as well as long-standing issues about detainee treatment at the facility.\n\nIn a statement Thursday to Source New Mexico, Heinrich said he remains \u201cdeeply concerned about the situation\u201d at the facility in Estancia, noting that an inspector general overseeing ICE called for the facility\u2019s closure in 2022.\n\n\u201cConditions have not improved, and now they\u2019re purportedly running the facility without a contract,\u201d he said. \u201cICE\u2019s inaction on this contract, and refusal to meet their own minimum detention standards, is another example of the agency shunning accountability.\u201d\n\nHeinrich sent a letter to ICE on Nov. 7 demanding the agency identify what authority it has to continue detaining immigrants in Estancia and that it transfer ICE detainees out of the facility in the meantime. ICE had not responded to Heinrich as of Thursday, according to a spokesperson.\n\nMeanwhile, about 30 ICE detainees signed a handwritten letter to Source New Mexico recently saying they continue to face poor conditions inside the jail, including problems accessing tablets they rely on for various necessities.\n\n\u201cTablets are our only means for vital services such as communication, medical care at the center, and our only way to \u2018complain\u2019 about our various needs, not to mention our only access to legal resources for an adequate defense process for the detainees here,\u201d the detainees wrote in Spanish.\n\nGustin said CoreCivic was unaware of any \u201crecent significant outages or issues with the tablets,\u201d but noted that staff immediately create a service ticket when they learn of technological issues.\n\nHeinrich\u2019s staff also previously noted non-working tablets during a visit in late May and included that in a letter to ICE that also reported complaints of verbal and physical abuse, lack of access to laundry and lack of medical care.\n\nPreviously, detainees, including Rogelio Boluf\u00e9 of Cuba, said they were repeatedly denied access to the legal library and to legal aid groups, allegations that CoreCivic also denied.\n\nThe letter, which Source received Nov. 24, has signatures from inmates who say they lacked access to the tablets since Nov. 14 due to what jail operators described as a \u201ctechnical failure.\u201d It\u2019s unclear from the letter whether the problem has been resolved, and Haymel de la Vega, Boluf\u00e9\u2019s friend and contact, did not respond to Source\u2019s requests Thursday for an update.\n\nThe letter\u2019s signatories said they are from Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba, Mexico and Ecuador. One detainee who identified himself as Edin Santos of Honduras wrote that he missed his son\u2019s birthday due to the issue.\n\n\u201cIt was my son\u2019s birthday, and the reason the tables weren\u2019t working was that there was no internet,\u201d he wrote.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-colleagues-urge-fda-action-on-preterm-infant-formula-fortifiers", "Heinrich, Colleagues Urge FDA Action on Preterm Infant Formula Fortifiers", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding action from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on preterm infant formula. Heinrich\u2019s demand comes in the wake of over 1,000 lawsuits against preterm infant formula manufacturers in the United States, stemming from failures to warn parents of the increased risk of a serious gastrointestinal illness, necrotizing enterocolitis, associated with the use of non-human milk-derived fortifiers.\n\nHeinrich sent the letter alongside U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R- Kan.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Riley Moore (R-W.Va.), and Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.).\n\n\u201cProtecting our youngest, most vulnerable infants should be our highest priority. We request your attention to nutritional products that feed very low birthweight infants,\u201d the lawmakers wrote to Secretary Kennedy. \u201cNecrotizing enterocolitis is among the most fatal diseases in the neonatal intensive care unit, with one baby a day dying of this debilitating disease. Over 1,000 lawsuits threaten the stability of the infant formula industry and endanger our most vulnerable.\u201d\n\n\u201cHuman milk-derived formulas and fortifiers are proven to have a 77 percent reduction in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis, among other devastating complications of prematurity. Human milk has proven beyond doubt to be the best source of infant nutrition, and we urge the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate other preterm infant fortifiers and their potential impact on the gut health of premature infants,\u201d the lawmakers continued.\n\nThe lawmakers conclude their letter by emphasizing the need for HHS to thoroughly explore how very low birthweight babies are impacted by the components of the fortifiers and recommending HHS take the following steps:\n\nThe text of the letter is here and below:\n\nDear Secretary Kennedy:\n\nProtecting our youngest, most vulnerable infants should be our highest priority. We request your attention to nutritional products that feed very low birthweight (VLBW) infants, particularly those born weighing 1,250 grams (2.75 lbs.) or less.\n\nThere has been a recent deluge of lawsuits against preterm infant formula manufacturers in the United States because of a failure to warn of the increased risk of a serious gastrointestinal illness, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), with the use of non-human milk-derived fortifiers. NEC is among the most fatal diseases in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), with one baby a day dying of this debilitating disease. Over 1,000 lawsuits threaten the stability of the infant formula industry and endanger our most vulnerable. We propose multiple actions that this Administration could take right now to address health concerns while ensuring the fragile preterm formula market remains stable.\n\nOne factor that has been proven to reduce the development of NEC in VLBW infants is the use of human milk. Human milk-derived formulas and fortifiers are proven to have a 77 percent reduction in the development of NEC, among other devastating complications of prematurity. Human milk has proven beyond doubt to be the best source of infant nutrition, and we urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to investigate other preterm infant fortifiers and their potential impact on the gut health of premature infants.\n\nThe October 2024 Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus statement identified the absence of human milk as being associated with an increased risk of NEC. There are nearly two decades of studies consistently showing that an exclusively human milk diet (mom\u2019s own milk or pasteurized human donor milk and human milk-derived fortifier) is the best source of nutrition for VLBW babies. Of the 22 studies comparing human milk-based fortifiers to non-human milk based fortifiers that have reported on NEC as an outcome, all 22 studies have shown lower rates of NEC in the babies fortified with human milk-based fortifiers.\n\nAs you further investigate this concerning connection, one thing is clear, human milk reduces the incidence of NEC. Additionally, a study released in 2024 showed that VLBW babies fed human milk-derived human milk fortifiers also experienced shorter NICU stays, with savings ranging from $307,916 to $2,520,000 per institution annually. We emphasize the need for HHS to thoroughly explore how VLBW babies are impacted by the components of the fortifiers.\n\nWe recommend taking the steps below:\n\n1) Ensure that the FDA has received all adverse event reports from infant formula manufacturers related to the feeding of non-human milk derived fortifiers in this population. Without this information, HHS cannot evaluate all data needed to determine the best nutritional sources for preemies.\n\n2) Instruct the FDA to explore ways to make pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) safer and more accessible. Given the overwhelming evidence supporting the use of PDHM for premature infants, the Department should solidify proper oversight of PDHM, ensuring milk banks adhere to consistent minimum safety standards. This oversight will ensure better coverage of, and access to, safe and affordable PDHM.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/nm-delegation-secures-critical-funding-to-lower-utility-and-heating-bills-for-new-mexicans-this-winter", "N.M. Delegation Secures Critical Funding to Lower Utility & Heating Bills for New Mexicans This Winter", "2025-12-05", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) announced that the Trump Administration released overdue funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), following the Delegation's successful push demanding the immediate release of the funds. This relief comes as New Mexico families prepare for colder temperatures this winter amidst sharply rising energy costs.\n\nOn December 2, the New Mexico Human Services Department received its award letter and notified the N.M. Delegation that the LIHEAP funding is now on the way to help thousands of New Mexico households keep the heat on this winter. This award letter came after a month-long delay, which is what prompted the Delegation\u2019s demand for the funding\u2019s immediate release.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico families are being subjected to increasing utility costs due to Trump\u2019s energy affordability crisis. Working families deserve affordable heat and reliable power \u2013 especially as temperatures drop far below freezing at night,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cThat\u2019s why I fought alongside the New Mexico Delegation to release the funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program that help New Mexico families access affordable heat and power.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs temperatures drop and energy costs continue to rise, New Mexicans need reliable support to keep their homes warm and their families safe. With prices up across the board, no one should have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table,\u201d said Luj\u00e1n. \u201cI\u2019m glad that after we demanded the Trump administration immediately release funding for this critical program that keeps New Mexican families safe, the funds are now on their way.\u201d\n\n\u201cToo many New Mexicans are already feeling the squeeze of rising utility costs, and they should never have to choose between staying warm and putting food on the table,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cWe demanded action, and I\u2019m proud that this critical funding is now on the way to cover rising costs so that seniors, veterans, working parents, and families in rural and Tribal communities stay safe and warm this winter.\u201d\n\n\u201cNew Mexico families deserve the support to weather the winter with dignity,\u201d said Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t have been this hard to unlock the funding that Congress had already appropriated to keep our kids, our elders, and families warm in our snowy winter months. While the Trump administration keeps pushing prices up, we will continue fighting to lower energy costs for everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs winter approaches and the temperature drops, so many struggling in our community face the impossible reality of having to choose between heating their homes versus putting food on the table and countless other needs,\u201d said Stansbury. \u201cThis should never be a reality in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet, but unfortunately is all too common for so many families. I am grateful the Administration has finally released critical LIHEAP funds after the NM delegation demanded they do so. But, it never should have come to this\u2014which is why we will continue fighting for our communities.\u201d\n\nThe released LIHEAP funding will be administered through the New Mexico Human Services Department and will help eligible households cover heating costs, prevent utility shutoffs, and avoid dangerous winter conditions.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-secures-4-million-federal-grant-launch-las-cruces-el-paso-express", "Rep. Vasquez Secures $4 Million Federal Grant to Launch Las Cruces\u2013El Paso Express Bus Service", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) secured a $4 million Federal Transit Administration grant for the South Central Regional Transit District (SCRTD) to launch a new Las Cruces\u2013El Paso Hybrid Express Bus Service. This award, one of SCRTD\u2019s largest and most competitive federal grants to date, will connect southern New Mexico communities with fast, reliable, and environmentally sustainable transit.\n\nThe new limited-stop express service will link Las Cruces, Anthony, Sunland Park, and the El Paso Downtown Transit Center, with future plans to extend to the El Paso International Airport. SCRTD is already moving forward with service planning, bus procurement, and driver training, keeping the Las Cruces\u2013El Paso Express on track for an imminent launch.\n\n\u201cThis new bus service isn\u2019t just about transportation, it\u2019s about connecting communities, creating local jobs, and providing smart, reliable transit for our families,\u201d said Rep. Gabe Vasquez. \u201cI worked to make sure southern New Mexico received this investment because our communities deserve tangible investments that improve daily life and strengthen our regional economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis grant provides the resources to operate a new bus service that will connect Las Cruces with Sunland Park and the El Paso International Airport,\u201d said David Armijo, Executive Director of SCRTD. \u201cThis is a vital link between these communities, providing transportation to the people who rely on it most.\u201d\n\nRep. Vasquez remains committed to delivering practical solutions to make life easier for New Mexicans. Projects like this build a stronger, more connected future for the region.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/abc-7-senators-demand-dod-reverse-decision-to-delay-cleanup-of-forever-chemicals-at-cannon-afb", "ABC 7: Senators demand DOD reverse decision to delay cleanup of 'forever chemicals' at Cannon AFB", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "CLOVIS, NM (KVII) \u2014 Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n, and 26 other Senate Democrats, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding he reverse the DOD's decision to delay the cleanup of so-called forever chemicals at military installations nationwide -- including Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis.\n\nPFAS \u2014 or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances \u2014are synthetic chemicals that have been used in everything from fast-food packaging to nonstick cookware, clothing, household cleaning products and even firefighting foam. They resist breaking down and as a result have found their way into drinking water, soil, air and the bloodstreams of 99% of Americans.\n\n\u201cFor years, communities contaminated by PFAS from nearby DOD installations in our states have waited for the DOD to take action,\u201d the senators wrote. \"Servicemembers, their families, and the communities surrounding contaminated military installations need to be able to make informed decisions about their health.\"\n\nPFAS-laden firefighting foam was used for years at Cannon AFB.\n\nAccording to state officials, PFAS have been detected in groundwater beyond the base at concentrations of 26,200 parts per trillion, exceeding state and federal drinking water standards by over 650,000%.\n\nCannon reported earlier this year that it has spent more than $73 million so far on investigating the problem and installing pilot projects to treat contaminated groundwater.\n\nExposure to PFAS is linked to an array of health problems, including various cancers, reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects, and thyroid issues.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/source-new-mexico-nm-us-senators-heinrich-lujan-call-on-forest-service-to-account-for-wildfire-prevention-decline", "Source New Mexico: NM U.S. Senators Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n call on Forest Service to account for wildfire prevention decline", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "United States senators from New Mexico joined Democratic colleagues this week in calling on the federal Forest Service to account for a reported steep decline in wildfire prevention measures, including forest thinning and prescribed burns, in New Mexico and other states during President Donald Trump\u2019s second term.\n\nU.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n and Martin Heinrich sent a letter Dec. 2 to Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz along with 10 other senators, calling on Schultz to \u201cprovide clear answers\u201d about the Forest Service\u2019s staffing to reduce wildfire risk across the West.\n\nThe letter cited an analysis of publicly available data from Grassroots Wildland Firefighters finding a 38% decrease in the removal of hazardous fuels as of September 2025 when compared with the same period over the last four years.\n\nBetween 2021 and 2024, the Forest Service completed hazardous fuel projects covering 3.6 million acres a year, according to the analysis. In the first nine months of 2025, the group found that the Forest Service treated less than 1.7 million acres.\n\n\u201cThe steep decline in hazardous fuels reduction efforts on Forest Service lands poses a serious risk to public safety, public health, and the economy,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cIt is imperative that the Forest Service works closely with Congress to address shortfalls in wildfire mitigation and ensure staffing and budgetary resources are sufficient to fulfill the agency\u2019s mission.\u201d\n\nThe letter says Schultz previously provided misleading answers in response to criticism about his agency\u2019s wildfire prevention efforts, including counting work done during President Joe Biden\u2019s term as evidence that the agency was adequately staffed. But that data included staffing figures from before Trump\u2019s \u201cmass staff firings, forced retirements, and unnecessary pauses on projects,\u201d the letter states.\n\nIn New Mexico, the analysis found wildfire prevention efforts are down by 53% since President Donald Trump took office in January.\n\nThe letter ends with a list of questions to Schultz about where staffing currently stands and what his plans are to address the \u201ccurrent wildfire risk environment.\u201d It also asks for updated numbers on treated acres, how many such projects were delayed this year, and for quarterly updates on progress going forward.\n\nIt also asks for Schultz to respond to the letter by Dec. 12.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-colleagues-trump-staffing-cuts-at-forest-service-are-threatening-wildfire-prevention-efforts-in-new-mexico-the-us", "Heinrich, Colleagues: Trump Staffing Cuts at Forest Service Are Threatening Wildfire Prevention Efforts in New Mexico, the U.S.", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "According to an independent analysis of publicly available data, the Forest Service is approximately 38 percent behind on hazardous fuels reduction work compared to recent years\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 This week, U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.),Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led nine senators to demand urgent answers from U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz regarding the agency\u2019s wildfire risk reduction efforts across the West and the nation.\n\nTheir inquiry follows an independent analysis of publicly available data indicating that the Forest Service is approximately 38 percent behind on hazardous fuels reduction work, as compared to the previous four calendar years.\n\nThe senators wrote to Forest Service Chief Schultz, \u201cYou have continued to maintain that the Forest Service has adequate resources and staffing to manage wildfire preparedness and response on federal lands, and that, while the Forest Service is significantly behind on hazardous fuels reduction work overall, there have been more positive results in certain regions like the Pacific Northwest. You have also claimed that in certain Western states, the Forest Service has even exceeded annual hazardous fuels reduction goals. However, it appears that to make these claims, you are referencing all Fiscal Year 2025 data, which began under the Biden Administration and includes five months of work prior to the beginning of the Trump Administration and its mass staff firings, forced retirements, and unnecessary pauses on projects.\u201d\n\nThis latest letter follows a series of actions by Heinrich, Merkley, and Klobuchar sounding the alarm over funding freezes and staffing cuts at the Forest Service that have undermined critical wildfire mitigation work across the United States.\n\n\u201cThe steep decline in hazardous fuels reduction efforts on Forest Service lands poses a serious risk to public safety, public health, and the economy. It is imperative that the Forest Service works closely with Congress to address shortfalls in wildfire mitigation and ensurestaffing and budgetary resources are sufficient to fulfill the agency\u2019s mission,\u201d the senators directed.\n\nHeinrich, Merkley, and Klobuchar\u2019s letter was signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below:\n\nDear Chief Schultz:\n\nWe write with significant concerns regarding the persistent wildland firefighter staffing shortages at the U.S. Forest Service, leading to a significant decline in planned wildfire prevention work in high-risk, fire-prone areas. We are asking you to provide clear answers regarding the Forest Service\u2019s efforts to ensure adequate staffing and reduce wildfire risk in the West during this challenging fire season.\n\nYou have continued to maintain that the Forest Service has adequate resources and staffing to manage wildfire preparedness and response on federal lands, and that, while the Forest Service is significantly behind on hazardous fuels reduction work overall, there have been more positive results in certain regions like the Pacific Northwest. You have also claimed that in certain Western states, the Forest Service has even exceeded annual hazardous fuels reduction goals. However, it appears that to make these claims, you are referencing all Fiscal Year 2025 data, which began under the Biden Administration and includes five months of work prior to the beginning of the Trump Administration and its mass staff firings, forced retirements, and unnecessary pauses on projects.\n\nAn analysis of publicly available data indicates that for calendar year 2025 the Forest Service is significantly behind in hazardous fuels reduction across National Forest System lands. When compared to the previous four calendar years, there has been a 38% reduction in wildfire risk reduction in 2025. Through September of calendar year 2025, only 1.7 million acres received hazardous fuels reduction treatment, a decline from the four-year average of 3.6 million acres. Additionally, as of this summer, as many as 27% of Forest Service wildland firefighting positions remained vacant.\n\nThe steep decline in hazardous fuels reduction efforts on Forest Service lands poses a serious risk to public safety, public health, and the economy. It is imperative that the Forest Service works closely with Congress to address shortfalls in wildfire mitigation and ensure staffing and budgetary resources are sufficient to fulfill the agency\u2019s mission.\n\nPlease provide answers to the following questions as soon as possible, but not later than December 12, 2025:\n\nHow many full-time wildland firefighter and other hazardous fuel reduction personnel, including those with \u201cred cards,\u201d were employed at the beginning of FY 2025?\n\nWhat are the current staffing levels for wildland firefighters and other hazardous fuels reduction personnel within the U.S. Forest Service?\n\nAre those staffing levels sufficient to conduct the necessary amount of hazardous fuels reduction on National Forest System lands by the end of calendar year 2025?\n\nWhat is the Forest Service plan to fill vacant wildland firefighting positions?\n\nYou have publicly stated that the agency has \u201cthe staffing-levels and resources necessary to adequately prepare for and respond to wildfires.\u201d What evidence do you have (and can you provide) that your staffing levels are sufficient given the current wildfire risk environment?\n\nWhat was the total number of acres treated by the Forest Service in FY 2025 for hazardous fuels reduction (mechanical thinning, prescribed burn, brush clearing) and how does that compare to the target set at the beginning of the year and to the average for FY 2021\u20132024?\n\nWhat is the total number of acres treated by the Forest Service in calendar year (CY) 2025 to date for hazardous fuels reduction (mechanical thinning, prescribed burn, brush clearing) and how does that compare to the target set at the beginning of the year and to the average for CY 2021-2024?\n\nWhat percentage of Forest Service hazardous fuels treatment projects in FY 2025 and in CY 2025 (to date) were delayed, cancelled, or reduced in scale relative to plan, and what were the primary reasons for such \u201coperational challenges\u201d?\n\nHow are treatment priorities set (i.e., certain forests, risk levels, proximity to communities) and how has that priority-setting changed (if at all) in recent years given increasing wildfire risk?\n\nIn the regions/states where treatment is < 30-40 % of the four-year average (e.g., Idaho, Montana, Oregon), what is being done differently (or will be done) to bring those areas back on track?\n\nHow has reduced staffing affected interagency coordination with state, local, and tribal firefighting partners?\n\nHas reduced federal capacity affected collaborative fuel treatment projects (mechanical thinning and prescribed burning) with tribal, state, or local partners?\n\nWill you commit to providing Congress a quarterly update detailing: authorized vs. filled crew positions, number of vacancies, acres treated (by region/state), funding expended, number of delayed/cancelled projects with reasons, contractor usage and costs?\n\nWill you commit to providing Congress a quarterly update detailing hazardous fuels reduction efforts on National Forest System lands?\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-demand-trump-administration-stop-stalling-pfas-cleanups-protect-military-families-and-nearby-communities-in-new-mexico", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Demand Trump Administration Stop Stalling PFAS Cleanups, Protect Military Families and Nearby Communities in New Mexico", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) joined 26 Senate Democrats to send a letter demanding that U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth reverse DoD\u2019s decision to delay the cleanup of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) at military installations in New Mexico and nationwide and to urge the DoD to take action to protect military families and nearby communities by addressing PFAS contamination at the affected sites.\n\nPFAS from industrial processes and products like firefighting foams can end up in waterways and soils. Exposure to PFAS from contaminated soils and water is linked to an array of health problems, including various cancers, reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects, thyroid issues, and more.\n\nIn their letter, the senators called on the DoD to immediately restore the previous timetable for remediating PFAS contamination at U.S. military bases and to reverse plans that would further delay long-overdue cleanups.\n\n\u201cFor years, communities contaminated by PFAS from nearby DOD installations in our states have waited for the DOD to take action. We request that the Department reverse its decision, return to the previous timetable released in December 2024, and accelerate efforts to remediate confirmed PFAS contamination,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\nThe use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam at DoD facilities, and the subsequent stormwater runoff, is a significant source of ground water pollution. This contamination poses serious health risks to service members and their families, as well as surrounding communities.\n\nAt least 700 military sites in the United States are known or suspected to have PFAS contamination from DoD activities \u2014 including 6 in New Mexico. DoD\u2019s delayed timetable would postpone cleanup efforts at approximately 140 of them, in some cases for nearly a decade. Specifically, DoD pushed back the time frame of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) phase for these bases, which involves collecting detailed information on the nature and extent of the PFAS contamination and conducting a study to evaluate potential options for cleanup.\n\n\u201cWe are also alarmed that DoD lacked transparency when changing the timeline for remediation. Servicemembers, their families, and the communities surrounding contaminated military installations need to be able to make informed decisions about their health,\u201d the senators continued.\n\n\u201cWe again urge you to reverse your decision to delay cleanup timelines and prioritize remediation of PFAS contamination at bases to protect the public health of military families across the country,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThis letter is led by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). Alongside Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below:\n\nDear Secretary Hegseth,\n\nWe write to express our concerns regarding the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) decision to delay the cleanup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination at military installations across the country. This is unacceptable. For years, communities contaminated by PFAS from nearby DoD installations in our states have waited for the DoD to take action. We request that the Department reverse its decision, return to the previous timetable released in December 2024, and accelerate efforts to remediate confirmed PFAS contamination.\n\nPFAS are a class of synthetic chemical substances that have been manufactured for decades for use in various consumer products and industrial processes. However, the strong chemical bonds in PFAS that make them useful in the manufacturing of certain goods also make them extraordinarily persistent in our bodies and the environment, earning PFAS the label of a \u201cforever chemical.\u201d Already, PFAS have been found in drinking water sources for at least 172 million people across the country. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to a litany of public health risks, including various cancers, reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects, and thyroid problems.\n\nThere are over 700 military sites with known or suspected PFAS contamination from DoD activities. According to reporting, DoD\u2019s new timetable delays cleanup of PFAS pollution at approximately 140 sites, and in some instances, the delay will be nearly a decade. Studies confirm that residents living near many of these sites have dangerously high levels of PFAS in their drinking water, putting them at risk for serious health issues linked to PFAS exposure.\n\nPFAS from these sites have also contaminated surrounding groundwater and soil, hurting the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers. Further delaying cleanup will only increase the health and economic costs to servicemembers and communities across the country.\n\nWe are also alarmed that DoD lacked transparency when changing the timeline for remediation. Servicemembers, their families, and the communities surrounding contaminated military installations need to be able to make informed decisions about their health. Given the current and continuous impact on these servicemembers and communities, please provide answers to the following inquiries by December 1, 2025:\n\nWhat is the reason for delaying cleanup at each of the DoD installations with confirmed PFAS contamination?\n\nHow did DoD communicate with impacted bases and surrounding communities to notify them of the change in cleanup timetables?\n\nWhat resources will be provided to the communities currently exposed to PFAS and dangerous drinking water to mitigate ongoing exposure due to the delay in remediation?\n\nWhat water quality monitoring will DoD conduct in impacted communities?\n\nWe again urge you to reverse your decision to delay cleanup timelines and prioritize remediation of PFAS contamination at bases to protect the public health of military families across the country.\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-push-for-emergency-funding-for-wildfire-recovery-on-new-mexico-public-lands", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Push for Emergency Funding for Wildfire Recovery on New Mexico Public Lands", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n\u2019s push comes amid the Trump Administration\u2019s failure to properly engage in forest management and wildfire prevention to keep New Mexico communities safe\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Amid the Trump Administration\u2019s failure to properly engage in forest management and wildfire prevention \u2014 including slowing down the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s rate of prescribed burns, fuel treatments, and other fire-prevention work \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, sent a letter calling on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to include additional funding to support wildfire recovery on federal lands in New Mexico and nationwide.\n\nIn a letter to U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the senators pressed for additional resources to help National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands recover from this year\u2019s devastating wildfires. Since damage to federal lands is not covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, federal land agencies themselves are responsible for cleanup and restoration costs.\n\n\u201cWe write to request that any emergency disaster appropriations bills drafted this year include funding for wildfire recovery on federal lands,\u201d the senators wrote to Chair Collins and Vice Chair Murray. \u201cRepairing wildfire damages to National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management Lands is vital for the safety and economies of the entire country. Just as our forests and parks require restoration, so too do the surrounding counties and communities that bear the economic and infrastructure impacts of these disasters; their recovery is inseparable from that of the federal lands themselves.\u201d\n\nWhile noting that the Gila National Forest experienced the damaging and widespread effects of wildfire this year, the senators also underscore that mitigation activities such as removing hazard trees, road and bridge assessment, structural replacements, and trail repairs are needed.\n\n\u201cIn the past, Congress has appropriated the funds our public land agencies require for their critical response, remediation, and mitigation activities,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cEnsuring that federal lands are restored after wildfires is a responsibility to our shared, national heritage.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe stand ready to provide any additional information or support that the Appropriations Committee may require to ensure that our federal lands, surrounding counties, and gateway communities receive the resources necessary to recover fully and build long-term resilience,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe letter is led by U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). Alongside Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.),Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\nRead the full text of the letter here and below.\n\nDear Chair Collins and Vice Chair Murray:\n\nWe write to request that any emergency disaster appropriations bills drafted this year include funding for wildfire recovery on federal lands. Repairing wildfire damages to National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management lands is vital for the safety and economy of the entire country. Just as our forests and parks require restoration, so too do the surrounding counties and communities that bear the economic and infrastructure impacts of these disasters; their recovery is inseparable from that of the federal lands themselves.\n\nUnfortunately, federal lands in each of our states have recently experienced the damaging and widespread effects of wildfire. This year, the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires devastated over 200,000 acres in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Kaibab National Forest, destroying structures including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.12 Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, Joshua Tree National Park in California, the Gila National Forest in New Mexico, and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon have all had wildfires this year as well.345 Across the West, nearly a million acres of BLM land burned this year alone.6 While each of these fires has unique response needs, all will require mitigation activities such as removing hazard trees, road and bridge assessment, structural replacements, and trail repairs.\n\nAs you know, unlike wildfire response activities on state, tribal, or private lands which are coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), wildfire response on federal land is managed by the land agencies themselves. In the past, Congress has appropriated the funds our public land agencies require for their critical response, remediation, and mitigation activities.\n\nOur nation\u2019s public lands have tremendous intrinsic, economic, and ecological value. Gateway communities rely on the tourism generated by National Parks and other federal lands for economic development and employment opportunities. Many federal lands include sacred tribal sites that must be preserved to uphold federal trust responsibilities. Our watersheds originate in national forests and on public lands \u2013 promoting wildfire recovery on these lands helps mitigate water pollution for communities downstream. Ensuring that federal lands are restored after wildfires is a responsibility to our shared, national heritage.\n\nWe will continue to work closely with federal land management agencies and local officials in our states to assess specific wildfire reconstruction needs and to identify the most urgent priorities for recovery. We stand ready to provide any additional information or support that the Appropriations Committee may require to ensure that our federal lands, surrounding counties, and gateway communities receive the resources necessary to recover fully and build long-term resilience. Thank you for your consideration of this important request.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-ranking-member-heinrich-delivers-remarks-on-senate-floor-stressing-need-to-protect-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge-blasts-trump-administration-for-relentless-ongoing-attacks-on-public-lands", "ICYMI: Ranking Member Heinrich Delivers Remarks on Senate Floor Stressing Need to Protect Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Blasts Trump Administration For Relentless, Ongoing Attacks on Public Lands", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor stressing the need to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and urged his colleagues to vote no on a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval that will upend the management plan for the Arctic Refuge, risking one of the world's last great wild landscapes.\n\nVIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee delivers floor speech on Congressional Republicans\u2019 Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval undoing a resource management plan aimed at protecting the Arctic Refuge, December 3, 2025.\n\n\u201cSimply put, the Arctic Refuge is the crown jewel of the American national wildlife refuge system, and it has been ever since it was set aside in 1960 by President Eisenhower to protect its wildlife and habitat values,\u201d started Heinrich. \u201cBut that\u2019s only part of its story. The Arctic Refuge is also deeply connected to the traditions and daily life of the people who have lived there for thousands of years \u2013 longer than this building, this city, or this country have existed. Because the Refuge is not just land. For wildlife, it\u2019s essential habitat.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Arctic Refuge is under threat from the Trump Administration\u2019s relentless attacks on public lands \u2013 attacks that put so-called \"energy dominance\u201d above every other use. Every other value,\u201d continued Heinrich. \u201cNow we could be discussing ways, ways to lower electricity costs, which are spiraling out of control. Or doing something about the skyrocketing health care costs in this country right now, but instead, we're talking about industrial oil and gas development in the beating heart of our greatest wildlife refuge, literally developing the place where the Porcupine Caribou Herd drops their calves every year.\u201d\n\nA video of Heinrich\u2019s floor speech can be found here.\n\nA transcript of Heinrich\u2019s remarks as delivered is below:\n\nMr. President, nestled in the far northeast corner of Alaska is one of the wildest and most untouched places in America \u2013 the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.\n\nI have been blessed to see this refuge with my own eyes, and I\u2019ve seen its towering peaks.\n\nI've seen the critical habitat on the coastal plain where caribou drop their calves.\n\nI've even seen its polar bears.\n\nAnd over the course of a year in the Arctic Refuge, you might also see one of the last great spectacles of migrating caribou, dueling musk ox straight out of the Pleistocene or rare spectacle eiders nesting on the coastal plain.\n\nIn fact, the Arctic Refuge is home to hundreds of iconic wildlife species, including 200 species of birds that have called this landscape home since long before humans stepped on this continent.\n\nSimply put, the Arctic Refuge is the crown jewel of the American national wildlife refuge system, and it has been ever since it was set aside in 1960 by President Eisenhower to protect its wildlife and habitat values.\n\nBut that\u2019s only part of its story.\n\nThe Arctic Refuge is also deeply connected to the traditions and daily life of the people who have lived there for thousands of years \u2013 longer than this building, this city, or this country have existed.\n\nBecause the Refuge is not just land.\n\nFor wildlife, it\u2019s essential habitat.\n\nFor many people who live there and are sustained by its caribou. This place is literally their grocery store.\n\nIt\u2019s not just a reminder of the past \u2013 it\u2019s hope for the future.\n\nBut that future is at stake.\n\nThe Arctic Refuge is under threat from the Trump Administration\u2019s relentless attacks on public lands \u2013 attacks that put so-called \"energy dominance\u201d above every other use.\n\nEvery other value.\n\nToday, the Senate will vote on a Congressional Resolution of Disapproval to overturn the management plan for the Arctic Refuge.\n\nAnd instead of a targeted approach that emphasizes subsistence hunting and wildlife conservation, and a focus on Tribal consultation, a vote for this resolution will\u2014redundantly \u2014 open up the entire Coastal Plain of the Refuge to be leased for oil drilling without local input.\n\nI say redundantly, because the Trump Administration has already overturned this management plan.\n\nAnd Republicans in Congress have already passed legislation requiring this area \u2013 a national wildlife refuge -- requiring it to be drilled for oil, despite a complete lack of interest by legitimate industry players.\n\nNow we could be discussing ways, ways to lower electricity costs, which are spiraling out of control.\n\nOr doing something about the skyrocketing health care costs in this country right now, but instead, we're talking about industrial oil and gas development in the beating heart of our greatest wildlife refuge, literally developing the place where the Porcupine Caribou Herd drops their calves every year.\n\nNow, when Congress first debated whether to allow oil development in the Arctic, America's energy landscape looked very different.\n\nWe were importing significant amounts of oil, much of it from our political adversaries.\n\nOil prices were rising, and U.S. energy could not meet demand. Yet, even in that context, in those challenging years, for decades and across both political parties, Congress recognized the irreplaceable ecological and cultural importance of the Arctic Refuge.\n\nLawmakers on both sides of the aisle understood that some places are sacred.\n\nSome places are simply too unique to sacrifice.\n\nAnd together, they kept these lands closed to industrial development.\n\nIn fact, it was not until 2017 that a Republican majority reversed that longstanding commitment and opened this refuge to exploitation.\n\nThey turned their backs on the American people who own this refuge and embrace the development anywhere and at any cost approach.\n\nDoing so despite the fact that the United States was already experiencing record oil production on public lands and was on its way to being a net energy exporter.\n\nAnd now they have done it again in their Big Bad Bill.\n\nBut this time they want more and more.\n\nTo what end?\n\nWe know this hasn't worked before.\n\nWe know previous efforts to offer leases here have actually been a failure.\n\nNow, they told us that development of the Arctic Refuge would bring in a billion, billion with a B, a billion dollars to the Treasury, to pay off the tax cuts that were in the 2017 bill for billionaires.\n\nBut as we all remember, that came up a little short.\n\nIn fact, it came up $993 million short, to be exact.\n\nAnd it's because development in the refuge is so complicated and so expensive.\n\nIt's costly in time. Seasons are short. Days can be even shorter. There's not a lot of time to break new ground.\n\nThere are no roads, no infrastructure even remotely close to this part of the coastal plain.\n\nThat is why it\u2019s estimated that oil prices have to be at least 75 dollars per barrel just to break even on oil from the Refuge.\n\nCompare that to today\u2019s average cost of an oil barrel, which is hovering around $60.\n\nLegitimate investors knew these pitfalls.\n\nIn 2023, the six largest banks in the U.S., the five largest banks in Canada, and 29 other international banks all issued policies against financing drilling in the Arctic Refuge.\n\nThe banks. Insurers, too, followed suit.\n\nWhich is why the second justification they are using to do this just doesn\u2019t make sense: That producing oil in the Refuge will make gas cheaper for everyday Americans.\n\nYou can see from the math that this is not remotely true.\n\nIf construction and drilling costs are so high that a barrel of oil has to be almost $20 more expensive just to break even, what do you think that does to prices at the gas station when you fill up your car?\n\nDoesn\u2019t mean cheaper gas.\n\nThe last thing they\u2019ll tell you is that: We have to drill everywhere in America, because we\u2019re in a, quote, \u201cenergy emergency\u201d.\n\nThe truth is the only energy crisis in America is the one that President Trump has created himself.\n\nIt\u2019s the skyrocketing utility bills that Americans are facing because of Republican's relentless attacks on affordable, American-made clean energy.\n\nOpening precious wilderness to industrial development is not going to fix that \u2014especially when it\u2019s to drill for oil that costs so much to produce.\n\nDrilling in the Arctic Refuge is not going to make energy more affordable.\n\nIt seems to me, as I stand up here to speak about yet another attack on our public lands, that no place is sacred from this extractive-at-all-costs playbook.\n\nNot even Wildlife Refuges, Mr. President.\n\nWhat\u2019s next?\n\nAre we going to develop geothermal energy in Yellowstone?\n\nMaybe more uranium mining in the Grand Canyon?\n\nI think Teddy Roosevelt must be tired from rolling over in his grave.\n\nThe bottom line is that the Arctic Refuge is too unique, too globally important to develop.\n\nIt's a wildlife refuge for a reason.\n\nNow, proponents love to hide the fact that this is, in fact, a national wildlife refuge.\n\nThey call it all kinds of things so that they don't have to use the phrase Wildlife Refuge.\n\nThey'll call it the 1002 area. They'll call it ANWR. It sounds like someplace in the Middle East you would expect oil and gas production.\n\nThey don't want us to pay attention to how crazy a prospect developing one of our last remaining untouched landscapes is.\n\nThe Arctic Refuge provides subsistence fish and game for people who live in the region.\n\nIt serves as a seasonal home to species you might see in your own state, species like Arctic terns and all sorts of waterfowl.\n\nAnd it is a remarkable, vast and breathtaking wilderness that should inspire us to be better stewards of our wildlife heritage.\n\nThe Arctic Refuge is the crown jewel of our National Wildlife Refuge System that belongs to every single American deserves our protection.\n\nSo I would urge colleagues to vote no on the CRA today.\n\nThank you, Mr. President.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-demand-trump-administration-stop-stalling-pfas-cleanups-protect-military-families-and-nearby-communities-in-new-mexico/", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Demand Trump Administration Stop Stalling PFAS Cleanups, Protect Military Families and Nearby Communities in New Mexico", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) joined 26 Senate Democrats to send a letter demanding that U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth reverse DoD\u2019s decision to delay the cleanup of per-and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) at military installations in New Mexico and nationwide and to urge the DoD to take action to protect military families and nearby communities by addressing PFAS contamination at the affected sites.\n\nPFAS from industrial processes and products like firefighting foams can end up in waterways and soils. Exposure to PFAS from contaminated soils and water is linked to an array of health problems, including various cancers, reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects, thyroid issues, and more.\n\nIn their letter, the senators called on the DoD to immediately restore the previous timetable for remediating PFAS contamination at U.S. military bases and to reverse plans that would further delay long-overdue cleanups.\n\n\u201cFor years, communities contaminated by PFAS from nearby DOD installations in our states have waited for the DOD to take action. We request that the Department reverse its decision, return to the previous timetable released in December 2024, and accelerate efforts to remediate confirmed PFAS contamination,\u201d the senators wrote.\n\nThe use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam at DoD facilities, and the subsequent stormwater runoff, is a significant source of ground water pollution. This contamination poses serious health risks to service members and their families, as well as surrounding communities.\n\nAt least 700 military sites in the United States are known or suspected to have PFAS contamination from DoD activities \u2014 including 6 in New Mexico. DoD\u2019s delayed timetable would postpone cleanup efforts at approximately 140 of them, in some cases for nearly a decade. Specifically, DoD pushed back the time frame of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) phase for these bases, which involves collecting detailed information on the nature and extent of the PFAS contamination and conducting a study to evaluate potential options for cleanup.\n\n\u201cWe are also alarmed that DoD lacked transparency when changing the timeline for remediation. Servicemembers, their families, and the communities surrounding contaminated military installations need to be able to make informed decisions about their health,\u201d the senators continued.\n\n\u201cWe again urge you to reverse your decision to delay cleanup timelines and prioritize remediation of PFAS contamination at bases to protect the public health of military families across the country,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThis letter is led by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). Alongside Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below:\n\nDear Secretary Hegseth,\n\nWe write to express our concerns regarding the Department of Defense\u2019s (DoD) decision to delay the cleanup of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination at military installations across the country. This is unacceptable. For years, communities contaminated by PFAS from nearby DoD installations in our states have waited for the DoD to take action. We request that the Department reverse its decision, return to the previous timetable released in December 2024, and accelerate efforts to remediate confirmed PFAS contamination.\n\nPFAS are a class of synthetic chemical substances that have been manufactured for decades for use in various consumer products and industrial processes. However, the strong chemical bonds in PFAS that make them useful in the manufacturing of certain goods also make them extraordinarily persistent in our bodies and the environment, earning PFAS the label of a \u201cforever chemical.\u201d Already, PFAS have been found in drinking water sources for at least 172 million people across the country. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to a litany of public health risks, including various cancers, reduced immune function, reproductive challenges, birth defects, and thyroid problems.\n\nThere are over 700 military sites with known or suspected PFAS contamination from DoD activities. According to reporting, DoD\u2019s new timetable delays cleanup of PFAS pollution at approximately 140 sites, and in some instances, the delay will be nearly a decade. Studies confirm that residents living near many of these sites have dangerously high levels of PFAS in their drinking water, putting them at risk for serious health issues linked to PFAS exposure.\n\nPFAS from these sites have also contaminated surrounding groundwater and soil, hurting the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers. Further delaying cleanup will only increase the health and economic costs to servicemembers and communities across the country.\n\nWe are also alarmed that DoD lacked transparency when changing the timeline for remediation. Servicemembers, their families, and the communities surrounding contaminated military installations need to be able to make informed decisions about their health. Given the current and continuous impact on these servicemembers and communities, please provide answers to the following inquiries by December 1, 2025:\n\nWhat is the reason for delaying cleanup at each of the DoD installations with confirmed PFAS contamination?\n\nHow did DoD communicate with impacted bases and surrounding communities to notify them of the change in cleanup timetables?\n\nWhat resources will be provided to the communities currently exposed to PFAS and dangerous drinking water to mitigate ongoing exposure due to the delay in remediation?\n\nWhat water quality monitoring will DoD conduct in impacted communities?\n\nWe again urge you to reverse your decision to delay cleanup timelines and prioritize remediation of PFAS contamination at bases to protect the public health of military families across the country.\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-push-for-emergency-funding-for-wildfire-recovery-on-new-mexico-public-lands/", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n Push for Emergency Funding for Wildfire Recovery on New Mexico Public Lands", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n\u2019s push comes amid the Trump Administration\u2019s failure to properly engage in forest management and wildfire prevention to keep New Mexico communities safe\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Amid the Trump Administration\u2019s failure to properly engage in forest management and wildfire prevention \u2014 including slowing down the U.S. Forest Service\u2019s rate of prescribed burns, fuel treatments, and other fire-prevention work \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, sent a letter calling on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to include additional funding to support wildfire recovery on federal lands in New Mexico and nationwide.\n\nIn a letter to U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the senators pressed for additional resources to help National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands recover from this year\u2019s devastating wildfires. Since damage to federal lands is not covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, federal land agencies themselves are responsible for cleanup and restoration costs.\n\n\u201cWe write to request that any emergency disaster appropriations bills drafted this year include funding for wildfire recovery on federal lands,\u201d the senators wrote to Chair Collins and Vice Chair Murray. \u201cRepairing wildfire damages to National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management Lands is vital for the safety and economies of the entire country. Just as our forests and parks require restoration, so too do the surrounding counties and communities that bear the economic and infrastructure impacts of these disasters; their recovery is inseparable from that of the federal lands themselves.\u201d\n\nWhile noting that the Gila National Forest experienced the damaging and widespread effects of wildfire this year, the senators also underscore that mitigation activities such as removing hazard trees, road and bridge assessment, structural replacements, and trail repairs are needed.\n\n\u201cIn the past, Congress has appropriated the funds our public land agencies require for their critical response, remediation, and mitigation activities,\u201d the senators continued.\u201cEnsuring that federal lands are restored after wildfires is a responsibility to our shared, national heritage.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe stand ready to provide any additional information or support that the Appropriations Committee may require to ensure that our federal lands, surrounding counties, and gateway communities receive the resources necessary to recover fully and build long-term resilience,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe letter is led by U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). Alongside Heinrich and Luj\u00e1n, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).\n\nRead the full text of the letter here and below.\n\nDear Chair Collins and Vice Chair Murray:\n\nWe write to request that any emergency disaster appropriations bills drafted this year include funding for wildfire recovery on federal lands. Repairing wildfire damages to National Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management lands is vital for the safety and economy of the entire country. Just as our forests and parks require restoration, so too do the surrounding counties and communities that bear the economic and infrastructure impacts of these disasters; their recovery is inseparable from that of the federal lands themselves.\n\nUnfortunately, federal lands in each of our states have recently experienced the damaging and widespread effects of wildfire. This year, the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires devastated over 200,000 acres in the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Kaibab National Forest, destroying structures including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.12 Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, Joshua Tree National Park in California, the Gila National Forest in New Mexico, and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon have all had wildfires this year as well.345 Across the West, nearly a million acres of BLM land burned this year alone.6 While each of these fires has unique response needs, all will require mitigation activities such as removing hazard trees, road and bridge assessment, structural replacements, and trail repairs.\n\nAs you know, unlike wildfire response activities on state, tribal, or private lands which are coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), wildfire response on federal land is managed by the land agencies themselves. In the past, Congress has appropriated the funds our public land agencies require for their critical response, remediation, and mitigation activities.\n\nOur nation\u2019s public lands have tremendous intrinsic, economic, and ecological value. Gateway communities rely on the tourism generated by National Parks and other federal lands for economic development and employment opportunities. Many federal lands include sacred tribal sites that must be preserved to uphold federal trust responsibilities. Our watersheds originate in national forests and on public lands \u2013 promoting wildfire recovery on these lands helps mitigate water pollution for communities downstream. Ensuring that federal lands are restored after wildfires is a responsibility to our shared, national heritage.\n\nWe will continue to work closely with federal land management agencies and local officials in our states to assess specific wildfire reconstruction needs and to identify the most urgent priorities for recovery. We stand ready to provide any additional information or support that the Appropriations Committee may require to ensure that our federal lands, surrounding counties, and gateway communities receive the resources necessary to recover fully and build long-term resilience. Thank you for your consideration of this important request.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-lujan-bipartisan-members-demand-doj-briefing-on-release-of-the-epstein-files/", "ICYMI: Luj\u00e1n, Bipartisan Members Demand DOJ Briefing on Release of the Epstein Files", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Senate and House sponsors of Epstein Files Transparency Act \u2013 recently signed into law \u2013 lead the charge to ensure law is fully implemented\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), who introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act that was signed into law, joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to brief Congress on the Department of Justice\u2019s compliance with the Act and its plan to fully release the Epstein Files by the law\u2019s December 19, 2025 deadline.\n\nSenators Luj\u00e1n, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) issued the letter as the Justice Department approaches the law\u2019s 30-day deadline to release all Epstein Files.\n\nSenators Luj\u00e1n and Merkley introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act earlier this year to ensure full transparency for the American people, accountability for those involved with Epstein, and justice for victims.\n\nNBC: Lawmakers ask AG Pam Bondi for a status update on releasing the Epstein files\n\nFive members of Congress from both parties and both chambers are asking Attorney General Pam Bondi for a briefing and status update by the end of the week on the legally mandated release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.\n\nThe signatories are Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., as well as the law\u2019s lead authors, Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif. They expressed in the letter a \u201cshared interest in supporting the Department of Justice\u2019s efforts to carry out the provisions of this critical new law.\u201d\n\nWaPo: Lawmakers ask Bondi for Epstein files update as deadline nears\n\nThe lawmakers who signed Wednesday\u2019s letter \u2014 Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-New Mexico) and Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Ro Khanna (D-California) \u2014 asked for a briefing \u201cto discuss the full contents of this new information in your possession.\u201d\n\nDaily Beast: Lawmakers Demand Urgent Briefing With Bondi Over Secret New Epstein Intel\n\nLawmakers from both sides of the aisle are demanding an urgent sit-down with Attorney General Pam Bondi over new information related to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.\n\nIn a letter sent Wednesday, they gave Bondi until Friday to provide them with the \u201cnew information\u201d that was cited as the impetus for fresh Epstein-related investigations, which could hinder the full release of the files. Republicans Thomas Massie and Lisa Murkowski joined Democrats Ro Khanna, Ben Ray Lujan, and Jeff Merkley in calling on Bondi to back up her words from a Nov. 19 press conference, according to NBC News. As the lawmakers note in the letter, Bondi at that time said \u201cnew\u201d and \u201cadditional\u201d information had emerged to warrant fresh investigations into figures connected to Epstein.\n\nAxios: Pam Bondi asked to brief lawmakers on hurdles with releasing Epstein files\n\nThe bipartisan group of five lawmakers asked for the briefing in a Wednesday letter to Bondi in \u201cinterest of transparency and clarity on the steps required to faithfully implement\u201d the act.\n\nSens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) were joined in signing the letter by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).\n\nNY Magazine: When Will the Epstein Files Be Released?\n\nOn December 3, a group of bipartisan lawmakers signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi seeking an update on the status of the release process. \u201cIn light of the short 30 day deadline to release the Epstein Files, we are particularly focused on understanding the contents of any new evidence, information or procedural hurdles that could interfere with the Department\u2019s ability meet this statutory deadline,\u201d they wrote, per NBC News, which obtained the letter.\n\nThe lawmakers include Democratic representative Ro Khanna and Republican representative Thomas Massie, the lead co-signers of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, as well as Democratic senators Jeff Merkley and Ben Ray Lujan and Republican senator Lisa Murkowski. The group is seeking a briefing no later than Friday, December 5.\n\nRoll Call: Lawmakers seek update from DOJ on Epstein disclosure law\n\nA bipartisan group of five lawmakers has asked the Justice Department for a briefing by Friday on any new information that could interfere with the department\u2019s ability to release files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by a mid-December deadline.\n\nThe letter \u2014 signed by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., along with Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n, D-N.M. \u2014 points to reports about new information and a new investigation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-protect-scientific-standards-and-safeguard-acip-vaccine-committee", "Heinrich, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Scientific Standards & Safeguard ACIP Vaccine Committee", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Senators introduce bill ahead of ACIP\u2019s meeting tomorrow to revisit hepatitis B, other childhood shots\n\nThis year, HHS Secretary replaced all 17 non-partisan experts on CDC\u2019s top vaccine committee, attacked settled science\n\nWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined 8 Senate Democrats to introduce the Family Vaccine Protection Act, legislation to protect Americans\u2019 access to vaccines and to safeguard proven science from recent Trump Administration efforts to undermine vaccines. The bill comes as the CDC\u2019s top vaccine panel meets tomorrow to discuss \u2013 and potentially vote on \u2013 updates to the childhood vaccine schedule, including the hepatitis B vaccine.\n\nThe Family Vaccine Protection Act codifies the structure and practices of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a 60-year-old federal panel at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention that recommends who should get vaccines and when. It strengthens transparency into how vaccine guidance is developed and adopted, reinforces science-based decision-making, and ensures accountability in the nation\u2019s vaccine process.\n\nACIP\u2019s recommendations inform which vaccines are covered by insurers and government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Vaccines for Children, which provides free vaccines to more than half of the children in the U.S.\n\nThe senators\u2019 legislation comes after Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. undermined the ACIP and replaced all 17 non-partisan scientific experts with ideologues who have a history of undermining vaccines. Two weeks after Secretary Kennedy replaced all of the committee\u2019s members, the new ACIP announced plans to revisit the childhood vaccine schedule, putting access to vaccines that children have received for decades, such as hepatitis B and polio, in danger. The new ACIP also invited a known vaccine denier and conspiracy theorist to speak on vaccines, and then made recommendations based solely on her pseudoscience-filled presentation.\n\nThis attack on settled vaccine science comes as the U.S. faces the highest total number of measles cases in 33 years, including the first measles deaths in the country in a decade.\n\nSpecifically, the Family Vaccine Protection Act will:\n\nEstablish guardrails to ensure vaccines remain accessible to all:\n\nProtect the role of ACIP recommendations in programs like the Vaccine for Children Program and ensure that health insurance plans provide cost-free coverage for vaccines recommended by ACIP.\n\nCodify current rigorous, science-based processes for recommending vaccines:\n\nSet a timeline for new vaccine consideration by ACIP\n\nRequire that both the CDC Director and HHS Secretary adopt such recommendations if supported by a majority of the scientific evidence.\n\nStrengthen the independence of the Advisory Committee:\n\nWrite the role of ACIP into statute and specify its structure, its membership selection processes, meeting frequency, and expertise requirements to protect it from dissolution or undue interference by the HHS secretary.\n\nEnsure the Secretary cannot unilaterally make or withdraw vaccine recommendations contrary to the advice of scientific experts:\n\nRequire the HHS secretary to adopt the official vaccine decision as set by ACIP\n\nRequire the secretary to publish the basis for the agency action, including an explanation as to how the action is supported by the best available, peer-reviewed scientific evidence, if the secretary chooses to depart from an ACIP recommendation.\n\nThe Family Vaccine Protection Act is led by U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). U.S. Representatives Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) introduced companion legislation in the House.\n\nThe bill is endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, The American Public Health Association and The Infectious Disease Society of America.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-legislation-to-ensure-new-mexico-schools-offer-more-dairy-and-non-dairy-options-passes-senate", "Heinrich Legislation to Ensure New Mexico Schools Offer More Dairy & Non-Dairy Options Passes Senate", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration, welcomed the Senate passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, legislation he cosponsored that will allow schools to provide more dairy options and non-dairy alternatives for school lunches.\n\nCurrently, schools participating in the National School Lunch Program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which means that schools can only provide fat-free or low-fat milk. Heinrich\u2019s Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act will alter that restriction and allow schools to offer whole milk, reduced-fat milk, and non-dairy beverages, in addition to fat-free and low-fat milk.\n\nThe bill now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud that the Senate passed legislation I cosponsored to ensure schools can offer a wider range of dairy options, including non-dairy alternatives, so every student in New Mexico can access meals that work for their needs. This bipartisan bill is a meaningful step forward, making it easier for families to request alternatives for children who are lactose intolerant, while continuing to support our state\u2019s dairy producers and agricultural workers,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cI encourage the House to take up and pass this bill quickly so New Mexico students and schools can benefit from these improvements.\u201d\n\nThe Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act is led by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators David McCormick (R-Pa.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Angus King (I-Maine), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-justice-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-crack-down-on-fentanyl-traffickers/", "Luj\u00e1n, Justice Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Fentanyl Traffickers", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) and Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) introduced the Strengthening Sanctions on Fentanyl Traffickers Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that strengthens and expands the federal government\u2019s ability to sanction individuals and entities involved in fentanyl trafficking.\n\nChina remains the primary global source of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture illicit fentanyl. However, most of the fentanyl entering the United States is trafficked across the U.S.\u2013Mexico border by transnational criminal cartels. The Strengthening Sanctions on Fentanyl Traffickers Act of 2025 would direct the President to prioritize sanctions against China-based persons and entities\u2014including pharmaceutical companies\u2014connected to fentanyl trafficking. The bill also mandates continued sanctions against transnational criminal cartels engaged in fentanyl trafficking.\n\n\u201cFar too many families in New Mexico have felt the devastating impact of the fentanyl crisis. More must be done to stop the flow of fentanyl before it reaches our communities,\u201d said Senator Luj\u00e1n. \u201cI\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Justice on this vital bipartisan legislation that empowers the government to go after those responsible for trafficking fentanyl. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation to combat the fentanyl crisis, keep deadly drugs off our streets, and help protect communities across New Mexico.\u201d\n\n\u201cFentanyl and similar synthetic drugs continue to devastate communities across West Virginia and the country. Much has been done to stop the flow of fentanyl, but we must do more. This bill will build on that progress by strengthening our sanctions, holding foreign entities accountable, curbing the flow of this substance into our state, and ultimately saving lives across our nation,\u201d said Senator Justice.\n\nSenator Luj\u00e1n has long fought to stop the flow of fentanyl into our communities. Senator Luj\u00e1n introduced legislation to crack down on the trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, using the U.S. transportation network. Additionally, Senator Luj\u00e1n introduced legislation to reduce the flow of fentanyl by providing much-needed resources to secure the Southwest border.\n\nFull bill text is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-merkley-murkowski-massie-khanna-demand-doj-briefing-on-release-of-the-epstein-files/", "Luj\u00e1n, Merkley, Murkowski, Massie, Khanna Demand DOJ Briefing on Release of the Epstein Files", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Senate and House sponsors of Epstein Files Transparency Act lead the charge to ensure law is fully implemented.\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined forces with U.S. Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to call on Attorney General Pam Bondi to provide a briefing on the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s efforts to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Actand fully release the Epstein Files by December 19, 2025\u2014as required by the law.\n\nLuj\u00e1n, Merkley, Murkowski, Massie, and Khanna\u2019s letter comes as the Justice Department is legally required to release all the Epstein Files within the law\u2019s 30-day requirement.\n\n\u201cWe write as the bipartisan lead sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act to express our shared interest in supporting the Department of Justice\u2019s efforts to carry out the provisions of this critical new law,\u201d the bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote. \u201cIn light of the short 30 day deadline to release the Epstein Files, we are particularly focused on understanding the contents of any new evidence, information or procedural hurdles that could interfere with the Department\u2019s ability meet this statutory deadline.\u201d\n\nThey demanded, \u201cIn the interest of transparency and clarity on the steps required to faithfully implement the Epstein Files Transparency Act, we request a briefing either in a classified or unclassified setting, to discuss the full contents of this new information in your possession at your convenience, but not later than Friday, December 5, 2025.\u201d\n\nThe Epstein Files Transparency Act overwhelmingly passed Congress and was signed into law by President Trump on November 19, 2025. The landmark transparency legislation includes strong protections to redact appropriate information to protect victims\u2019 privacy and national security, while explicitly prohibiting redactions based on reputational harm or political sensitivity.\n\n\u201cIn addition, we underscore that protecting survivors\u2019 privacy is central to the law\u2019s intent. We share concerns about the Department\u2019s ability to accurately identify and redact victims\u2019 names. The victim\u2019s lawyers have far greater knowledge of who these individuals are, and they are prepared to confidentially transmit names that must be redacted to prevent privacy violations. We urge the Department to coordinate directly with these attorneys to establish a secure process to fully protect all victim identities,\u201d the lawmakers emphasized.\n\nLuj\u00e1n and Merkley introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act earlier this year to ensure full transparency for the American people, accountability for those involved with Epstein, and justice for victims.\n\nFull text of the letter can be found by clicking here and follows below:\n\nDear Attorney General Bondi:\n\nWe write as the bipartisan lead sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act to express our shared interest in supporting the Department of Justice\u2019s efforts to carry out the provisions of this critical new law. In light of the short 30 day deadline to release the Epstein Files, we are particularly focused on understanding the contents of any new evidence, information or procedural hurdles that could interfere with the Department\u2019s ability meet this statutory deadline.\n\nOn July 7, 2025, the Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation published a memo outlining conclusions from an \u201cexhaustive review of the investigative holdings relating to Jeffrey Epstein.\u201d This memo confirmed that the Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation \u201cdid not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.\u201d\n\nOn November 14, 2025, the Department of Justice announced that Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, would initiate new investigations into connections between Jeffrey Epstein and former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and a prominent investor, Reid Hoffman. In a press conference on November 19, 2025, you justified the new investigations into these individuals by stating \u201cinformation [that] has come forward, new information, additional information.\u201d\n\nIn the interest of transparency and clarity on the steps required to faithfully implement the Epstein Files Transparency Act, we request a briefing either in a classified or unclassified setting, to discuss the full contents of this new information in your possession at your convenience, but not later than Friday, December 5, 2025.\n\nIn addition, we underscore that protecting survivors\u2019 privacy is central to the law\u2019s intent. We share concerns about the Department\u2019s ability to accurately identify and redact victims\u2019 names. The victim\u2019s lawyers have far greater knowledge of who these individuals are, and they are prepared to confidentially transmit names that must be redacted to prevent privacy violations. We urge the Department to coordinate directly with these attorneys to establish a secure process to fully protect all victim identities.\n\nWe look forward to hearing from you to ensure the law is fully implemented with critical safeguards to protect survivors.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/nm-delegation-presses-usda-refund-new-mexico-30-million-shutdown-food-stamps", "N.M. Delegation Presses USDA to Refund New Mexico $30 Million for Shutdown Food Stamps Lapse", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On December 2, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) was joined by Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03) and Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) as well as U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) in demanding that the federal government reimburse New Mexico $30 million for the emergency state funds used to protect hardworking New Mexicans\u2019 from a lapse in their November food assistance during the most recent government shutdown.\n\nThe New Mexico delegation sent a letter pressing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for accountability to New Mexico taxpayers after the USDA purposefully withheld November SNAP benefits it had the legal obligation to fund.\n\n\u201cFunding SNAP is a federal responsibility, and New Mexican taxpayers should not be penalized for your failure to fulfill your duty,\u201d the members wrote. \u201cNo state should have to raid their own budgets to fix a problem the administration created. In New Mexico, this failure placed more than 450,000 SNAP recipients at immediate risk of going without the food assistance they rely on each month.\u201d\n\nThe text of the letter is below and available here.\n\n+++\n\nDear Director Vought and Secretary Rollins:\n\nWe write to demand full and immediate reimbursement to the State of New Mexico for the $30 million it was forced to reallocate to provide food assistance to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients for the month of November during the federal government shutdown. Funding SNAP is a federal responsibility, and New Mexican taxpayers should not be penalized for your failure to fulfill your duty.\n\nDuring the shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) refused to issue SNAP benefits despite having sufficient funding and transfer authority available to issue full benefits. After multiple court orders, USDA eventually allowed states to issue benefits, but their repeated appeals and conflicting guidance caused further delays and confusion \u2014 leaving more working-class Americans needlessly hungry every step of the way. New Mexico\u2019s governor did what the administration would not: she kept children, seniors, and people with disabilities fed. No state should have to raid their own budgets to fix a problem the administration created. In New Mexico, this failure placed more than 450,000 SNAP recipients at immediate risk of going without the food assistance they rely on each month. Fortunately, the State of New Mexico stepped in and provided $30 million in food assistance to prevent a hunger crisis, protect vulnerable households, ensure continuity across local food systems, and sustain local economies.\n\nThis was not the only federal responsibility New Mexico has been forced to shoulder. In addition to the $30 million stopgap for SNAP, the state had already reallocated $162 million to protect residents who would have lost Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits because of the Republican tax law. These programs \u2014 SNAP, Medicaid, and ACA subsidies \u2014 are core federal obligations, and no state should be forced to backfill federal programs. New Mexico acted responsibly under extraordinary circumstances, and it must not bear the long-term financial burden for failures at the federal level.\n\nCongress has already made its intent clear. The Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act includes explicit language under Section 118 authorizing reimbursement to states that used their own funds to cover programs \u201cthat would have been paid\u201d by the federal government during the shutdown. The directive is unambiguous: USDA and OMB are required to repay states in full.\n\nWe therefore expect USDA and OMB to move quickly to restore New Mexico\u2019s funds and execute the reimbursement without delay. The federal government has a duty to make New Mexico whole, and we insist that responsibility be met immediately.\n\nWe stand ready to assist in ensuring this directive is carried out and expect timely confirmation that New Mexico\u2019s reimbursement is being processed.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/notus-the-us-forest-service-is-falling-further-behind-on-wildfire-prevention", "NOTUS: The U.S. Forest Service Is Falling Further Behind on Wildfire Prevention", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "President Donald Trump and his top Cabinet officials have repeatedly blamed the most catastrophic wildfires on poor forest management. His administration, however, appears to be lagging on that very work.\n\nIn the first nine months of this year, the United States Forest Service slowed its rate of prescribed burns, tree thinning and other fire-prevention work across its hundreds of millions of acres of land, according to an outside analysis of U.S. Forest Service data being circulated by Democratic senators.\n\nSens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and nine other Democratic senators wrote the Forest Service on Tuesday, demanding details about staffing levels and plans to meet wildfire mitigation needs.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/santa-fe-new-mexican-new-mexico-congressional-delegates-push-for-federal-refund-of-30m-in-state-food-aid", "Santa Fe New Mexican: New Mexico congressional delegates push for federal refund of $30M in state food aid", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "New Mexico\u2019s members of Congress on Tuesday sent a letter to federal officials urging them to reimburse the state for $30 million in food aid the state provided during federal disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.\n\nThe Trump administration, meanwhile, threatened to pull future funding for the program from New Mexico and other states.\n\nThe U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday said it would stop directing federal funds to states that have refused to turn over sensitive personal data from SNAP recipients, including Social Security numbers, The New York Times reported.\n\nThe federal shutdown, which lasted from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, delayed the disbursal of food aid under SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. After the federal government refused to tap emergency funds to issue November benefits, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered $30 million in emergency state funds to be distributed to New Mexicans enrolled in the program, covering around 30% of their monthly benefits.\n\n\u201cNew Mexico\u2019s governor did what the administration would not: she kept children, seniors, and people with disabilities fed,\u201d wrote New Mexico\u2019s Democratic U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez, Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez and Melanie Stansbury, and U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n.\n\n\u201cNo state should have to raid their own budgets to fix a problem the administration created,\u201d the delegation added in the letter.\n\nThat $30 million in state-funded benefits went out Nov. 1.\n\nAfter a federal court ruling in November required the Trump administration to pay SNAP benefits, New Mexico administered the full federal benefits around one week later. The state did not require SNAP recipients to pay back the extra 30% in state-funded benefits they had received earlier in the month.\n\nThe congressional delegates have said they\u2019re hopeful New Mexico will ultimately be reimbursed, although the Department of Agriculture\u2019s Food and Nutrition Services has said states that provided benefits won\u2019t be reimbursed. The agency didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.\n\n\u201cFunding SNAP is a federal responsibility, and New Mexican taxpayers should not be penalized for your failure to fulfill your duty,\u201d the state\u2019s congressional delegates wrote.\n\nAnother threat to the state\u2019s SNAP funds emerged Tuesday.\n\nNew Mexico was one of over 20 states, all led by Democratic governors, that refused the federal government\u2019s request earlier this year to hand over recipients\u2019 personal data. Instead, the states filed a lawsuit in California District Court in July.\n\nThe states argued the data could be used for immigration enforcement and other activities unrelated to administering food aid, The New York Times reported, adding, \u201cThe Trump administration contends that the information will be used to root out waste, fraud and abuse.\u201d\n\nA judge in October issued a preliminary injunction to prohibit the federal government from cutting off SNAP funding due to states\u2019 refusal to share personal information.\n\nBut Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday the funds will be halted, according to the Times.\n\n\u201cAs of next week, we have begun and will begin to stop moving federal funds into those states until they comply and they tell us and allow us to partner with them to root out this fraud and to protect the American taxpayer,\u201d Rollins said.\n\nThe Department of Agriculture asked New Mexico on Nov. 24 to hand over five years of \u201cdetailed data about all SNAP recipients in the state\u201d within seven days, said Michael Coleman, a spokesperson for the governor.\n\n\u201cDespite that clear directive from the court,\u201d Coleman said, \u201cthe USDA nevertheless demanded New Mexico produce the data under threat of cutting off benefits.\u201d\n\nHe added, \u201cWe expect imminent legal action will be taken stop the Trump administration once again from unlawfully cutting off vital benefits to the people that need them the most.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-secures-commitment-from-us-forest-service-to-visit-and-meet-with-new-mexicans-in-pecos-valley-slams-administration-for-repealing-roadless-rule", "Heinrich Secures Commitment from U.S. Forest Service to Visit and Meet with New Mexicans in Pecos Valley, Slams Administration for Repealing Roadless Rule", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "VIDEO HERE\n\nWASHINGTON \u2014 During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Public Lands, Forests, and Mining Subcommittee hearing to examine pending legislation, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Committee, secured a commitment from U.S. Forest Service Acting Associate Chief Christopher French to host a public forum meeting in the Pecos Valley on mining developments. Heinrich additionally brought attention to the Administration\u2019s refusal to take public opinion into account prior to repealing the Roadless Rule.\n\nVIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), secures commitment from U.S. Forest Service Acting Associate Chief Christopher French to host a public forum in Pecos Valley, December 2nd, 2025.\n\nOn Additional Mining in Pecos Valley\n\nHeinrich began his questioning by asking French to commit to hosting a public forum in the Pecos Valley, \u201cMr. French, the Administration recently reversed a very popular administrative withdrawal in the upper Pecos watershed, despite overwhelming public support in that community for the withdrawal. Your agency even canceled a public forum that would have allowed for discussion with the, of the withdrawal and given the community a chance to share their views with the Forest Service. Would you commit to coming out to the Pecos Valley and meeting with that community and having a public meeting?\u201d\n\nFrench affirmed his commitment, \u201cYeah, thank you very much for the question, Senator. Of course, and we'll have a conversation around any of those issues. We know that the comments that we received on the withdrawal itself, overwhelmingly supported the withdrawal, but across the agency, the Administration's policy is to preserve the spaces we have right now for future development until such time that we understand what our current mineral development is across the Agency. So, it's, it is about more about a broader administrative, administration policy around the use of public lands and...\u201d\n\nHeinrich pushed back, \u201cWell, why not meet with the local community before making a decision? I mean, that's kind of the way we typically do planning in these public land agencies is first you listen to the community, just like Senator Barrasso, the Chairman, articulated his issues with BLM planning. We want these decisions to be rooted in local communities, and yet they seem to have been cut out of this process.\u201d\n\nFrench responded, \u201cYeah. Senator, as you're aware, when this was first put, proposed, more than two years ago, there was broad comment period on that so that we could understand what the feelings the community were. I'm not aware of any comments that oppose that withdrawal, but that is in conflict with the broader Administration's policy right now on the use of public lands and supporting mineral and energy development.\u201d\n\nHeinrich answered, \u201cSo, my dad worked for Anaconda Copper, my grandfather worked at Battle Mountain Gold Mine in Nevada. So, I fully recognize that there are many places in this country where mining can be done safely and with strong local support. I just don't think the upper Pecos is one of those places. And I wonder, can you tell us, does the Forest Service even consider values like recreation, agricultural productivity, or traditional uses when making decisions about where to permit new mining activity?\u201d\n\nFrench said, \u201cOf course we do. Yeah. So, there's a difference between an administrative withdrawal versus when we actually get an expression of interest and we go through the environmental process to look at what the consequences of permitting something like that would be. In those cases, we are looking at all the various impacts, whether they're economic, social, to the environment that surrounds where the mine would be, including the uses of that area, such as recreation or cattle grazing. All that takes into consideration and how we permit areas and allow for that activity.\u201d\n\nOn the Roadless Rule\n\nHeinrich shifted gears, \u201cI very much appreciate your willingness to come out and meet directly with the local community, and I look forward to that happening. You called the Roadless Rule a barrier. Do you know what sportsmen in New Mexico call the roadless areas that are protected in our state?\u201d\n\nFrench answered, \u201cI do not.\u201d\n\nHeinrich helped French, \u201cThey call it elk habitat.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes they do,\u201d French said.\n\nHeinrich continued, criticizing the lack of public meetings the Administration had when overturning the Roadless Rule, \u201cAnd if you overlay the Roadless Rule with, I mean, I almost hesitate to suggest people do that, because they would see places that I like to go and have some solitude when I\u2019m elk hunting. But how many public meetings did this Administration have before proposing overturning the roadless rule?\u201d\n\nFrench answered, \u201cThe Administration has only proposed a new approach on the Roadless Rule and the general approach there is thinking about, what are the barriers to protecting the communities from wildland fire risk. There's more than 24 million acres of the wildland urban interface that are either within roadless or within a mile of roadless, of which we are restricted from how we treat those areas other than, let's say, using prescribed fire access.\u201d\n\nHeinrich disagreed, \u201cI looked at a number of state roadless treatment numbers, and there are substantial amounts of those roadless areas being treated for fire prevention.\u201d\n\nFrench responded, \u201cThat is correct, but it limits the type of activities that you can do. And I'll go back to the discussion that was happening earlier with Senator Barrasso, and the question around, how do you expand these things? Oftentimes, when you're doing field production work, the actual value that is coming out of those materials is minimal compared to the actual cost of doing that. So, in order for us to do more acres and create broader areas of treatments, we need to do the most efficient treatments that we can, providing access and providing the ability to get in there and do that is the way to make that happen. Otherwise, those costs for doing that work are extremely, extremely expensive.\u201d\n\nHeinrich concluded, reiterating the importance of including the public in policy decisions, \u201cOnce again, I would just encourage you to have a robust public process before making these decisions.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/nm-delegation-presses-usda-to-refund-new-mexico-30-million-for-shutdown-food-stamps-lapse", "N.M. Delegation Presses USDA to Refund New Mexico $30 Million for Shutdown Food Stamps Lapse", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to demand that the Trump Administration reimburse New Mexico $30 million for the emergency state funds used to protect hardworking New Mexicans\u2019 from a lapse in their November food assistance during Trump's government shutdown.\n\nThe N.M. Delegation is demanding accountability for New Mexico taxpayers from the Trump Administration after the USDA purposefully withheld New Mexicans' SNAP benefits, which the USDA had the legal obligation to fund during Trump's shutdown.\n\n\u201cFunding SNAP is a federal responsibility, and New Mexican taxpayers should not be penalized for your failure to fulfill your duty,\u201d the N.M. Delegation wrote. \u201cNo state should have to raid their own budgets to fix a problem the administration created. In New Mexico, this failure placed more than 450,000 SNAP recipients at immediate risk of going without the food assistance they rely on each month.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the letter is here and below here.\n\nDear Director Vought and Secretary Rollins:\n\nWe write to demand full and immediate reimbursement to the State of New Mexico for the $30 million it was forced to reallocate to provide food assistance to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients for the month of November during the federal government shutdown. Funding SNAP is a federal responsibility, and New Mexican taxpayers should not be penalized for your failure to fulfill your duty.\n\nDuring the shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) refused to issue SNAP benefits despite having sufficient funding and transfer authority available to issue full benefits. After multiple court orders, USDA eventually allowed states to issue benefits, but their repeated appeals and conflicting guidance caused further delays and confusion \u2014 leaving more working-class Americans needlessly hungry every step of the way. New Mexico\u2019s governor did what the administration would not: she kept children, seniors, and people with disabilities fed. No state should have to raid their own budgets to fix a problem the administration created. In New Mexico, this failure placed more than 450,000 SNAP recipients at immediate risk of going without the food assistance they rely on each month. Fortunately, the State of New Mexico stepped in and provided $30 million in food assistance to prevent a hunger crisis, protect vulnerable households, ensure continuity across local food systems, and sustain local economies.\n\nThis was not the only federal responsibility New Mexico has been forced to shoulder. In addition to the $30 million stopgap for SNAP, the state had already reallocated $162 million to protect residents who would have lost Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits because of the Republican tax law. These programs \u2014 SNAP, Medicaid, and ACA subsidies \u2014 are core federal obligations, and no state should be forced to backfill federal programs. New Mexico acted responsibly under extraordinary circumstances, and it must not bear the long-term financial burden for failures at the federal level.\n\nCongress has already made its intent clear. The Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act includes explicit language under Section 118 authorizing reimbursement to states that used their own funds to cover programs \u201cthat would have been paid\u201d by the federal government during the shutdown. The directive is unambiguous: USDA and OMB are required to repay states in full.\n\nWe therefore expect USDA and OMB to move quickly to restore New Mexico\u2019s funds and execute the reimbursement without delay. The federal government has a duty to make New Mexico whole, and we insist that responsibility be met immediately.\n\nWe stand ready to assist in ensuring this directive is carried out and expect timely confirmation that New Mexico\u2019s reimbursement is being processed.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ranking-member-lujan-leads-telecommunications-and-media-subcommittee-hearing-on-defending-americas-communications-networks/", "Ranking Member Luj\u00e1n Leads Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee Hearing on Defending America\u2019s Communications Networks", "2025-12-02", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, helped lead a subcommittee hearing titled \u201cSignal Under Siege: Defending America\u2019s Communications Networks.\u201d\n\nWith Americans spending more time online, cybercriminals \u2013 both domestic and global \u2013 are evolving and finding new ways to disrupt, infiltrate, and attack U.S. telecommunications systems. During the hearing, Senator Luj\u00e1n examined how evolving threats and security vulnerabilities are impacting our communications networks and reviewed efforts the federal government can take to safeguard the communications industry. Additionally, Senator Luj\u00e1n raised concerns about actions taken by the Trump administration to dismantle efforts to protect our communications networks from fraud, espionage, and sabotage.\n\nLast year, as Chair of the Subcommittee, Senator Luj\u00e1n convened a hearing on communications networks safety and security in the wake of the Salt Typhoon hacks.\n\nThe hearing witnesses included:\n\nMr. Robert Mayer, Senior Vice President of Cybersecurity and Innovation, USTelecom\u2014The Broadband Association\n\nMr. Daniel Gizinski, President of Satellite and Space Communications Segment, Comtech\n\nMr. Jamil N. Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director, National Security Institute at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University\n\nMs. Debra Jordan, Former Chief of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission\n\nVideo of the hearing is available here.\n\nAn excerpt of Senator Luj\u00e1n\u2019s opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:\n\nI think every member on this committee can agree that there is nothing more important than keeping our communities and our country safe. That\u2019s why the security of our communications networks is vital.\n\nThe networks are the foundation of our daily lives \u2013 they carry our phone calls, texts, internet traffic, health information, emergency services, and so much more.\n\nIt\u2019s also our responsibility to ensure that foreign actors like China cannot infiltrate our infrastructure or steal Americans\u2019 data.\n\nThere is clear evidence that foreign adversaries \u2014 including nation-state actors \u2014 are escalating their efforts to infiltrate and compromise our networks.\n\nThe Salt Typhoon hacks from last year exposed fundamental weaknesses in our telecom infrastructure. That attack breached major carriers, such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, and compromised millions of individuals\u2019 data.\n\nThis attack also likely represents the largest telecommunications hack in our nation\u2019s history.\n\nAbout a year ago, we examined this very topic \u2013 in this very same committee room. Yet a year later, our communications networks are no more secure. And we can see that it\u2019s not just the major carriers \u2013 I\u2019m also concerned that our schools, hospitals, and libraries; our police departments and emergency responders; are all exposed and do not have the resources to defend themselves against foreign adversaries.\n\nI am also extremely concerned that the Federal Communications Commission rushed to dismantle efforts taken under the last administration to verify the security of our networks.\n\nThe FCC stripped these protections away \u2014 replacing them with voluntary pledges and handshakes from companies whose networks have already proven themselves to be vulnerable to data breaches. To put it plainly, these companies are basically leaving their front doors unlocked after a data break-in, and the FCC has decided to take their word when they promise they\u2019ve installed deadbolts and security cameras.\n\nIt is all deeply troubling.\n\nBy removing enforceable standards, the FCC is weakening our national security at a time when our communications and digital landscapes are growing like never before.\n\nThere is still a lot we don\u2019t know about the damage done by the Salt Typhoon hacks. In fact, President Trump fired the board that was investigating the attack.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/albuquerque-journal-three-takeaways-from-sen-martin-heinrichs-roundtable-with-public-land-experts", "Albuquerque Journal: Three takeaways from Sen. Martin Heinrich\u2019s roundtable with public land experts", "2025-11-26", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "The 2026 fire season, staffing levels at national parks and monuments, and the long-term public land employee pipeline were top of mind for public land advocates and experts at a roundtable with Sen. Martin Heinrich on Friday.\n\nPublic lands have been a priority for the New Mexico Democrat, who has long touted his identity as a hunter and led some of the opposition to Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee\u2019s proposal to make it easier to sell public land earlier this year. Here are three takeaways from his conversation with public land experts and advocates.\n\n1. The 2026 fire season is keeping New Mexico\u2019s state forester up at night\n\nState Forester Laura McCarthy is concerned about a plan to combine federal firefighting teams next year in what she believes may be a bad fire season. The predictions for winter snowpack are not promising, part of why McCarthy is losing sleep over next year\u2019s fire season.\n\nPresident Donald Trump ordered the nation\u2019s wildland firefighting forces underneath the Interior and Agriculture departments to combine. In September, the federal agencies announced a plan for implementing the order in January 2026.\n\nMcCarthy would like them to postpone implementation to January 2027.\n\n\u201cWith the six-week shutdown, we\u2019ve not heard what progress they\u2019ve made on that,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cAnd our fire season, given the snowpack and the forecast, we\u2019re going to be cranking in February.\u201d\n\nThe Interior Department\u2019s effort to modernize the wildland fire response is on track, according to Interior spokeswoman Elizabeth Peace.\n\n\u201cThe transition is being implemented in deliberate phases to ensure continuity of operations and readiness for the 2026 fire season,\u201d Peace said in a statement. \u201cCurrent firefighting capability remains fully in place, and there will be no gap in response capacity.\u201d\n\nThe plan includes creating a joint federal firefighting aircraft service, modernizing training, streamlining cooperative agreements and integrating pre- and post-fire activities.\n\n\u201cUnder President Trump\u2019s leadership, we are cutting through the bureaucracy and building a unified, modern wildfire response system that works as fast and as fearlessly as the men and women on the front lines,\u201d Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a September statement.\n\nHeinrich said he would be willing to work with McCarthy on a letter asking Burgum to consider delaying combining federal firefighting forces. Based on conversations he\u2019s had in Senate committees, the plan \u201cis an idea with no detail in the actual implementation, and we cannot afford to have a single fire season where we don\u2019t actually understand who\u2019s in charge,\u201d Heinrich said.\n\n\u201cRight now, we have a system, and it\u2019s not perfect, but it pulls resources from all over the country, and it follows the fire season. \u2026 We have to make sure that rhythm is fully functional through any organizational changes,\u201d he said.\n\nAccording to Peace, the phased approach allows Interior to align personnel, systems and support functions while maintaining coordination with USDA, state and local partners, and the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group.\n\nImplementation will continue throughout 2026 with oversight and support from the Agriculture and Interior departments and in coordination with Congress, Peace said.\n\n2. Staffing levels are down at Bosque del Apache and beyond\n\nBosque del Apache, a national wildlife refuge in Socorro County known as a winter hotspot for sandhill cranes, has almost half the staff it did a decade ago, according to Deb Caldwell, Friends of the Bosque del Apache executive director. She\u2019s expecting the wildlife refuge\u2019s budget to be cut further.\n\n\u201cSo we lost staff, we\u2019ve lost funding, and so the Friends have really had to step up,\u201d Caldwell said, by helping with machine repairs, buying fuel and putting in wells and bridges.\n\nThe refuge is an economic boon to the area, with an economic impact between $15 million and $17 million annually, Caldwell said. That impact may be blunted this year, as the annual Festival of the Cranes was canceled due to the government shutdown.\n\nMore broadly, the 15 national parks and monuments in New Mexico bring in 2.4 million visitors a year, according to Dennis Vasquez, a retired National Park Service superintendent. Vasquez has heard from former colleagues at parks around New Mexico that \u201cthe staffing shortage is the No. 1 issue,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cI think in this current climate, there\u2019s just a lack of security, maybe, in taking on a job in federal lands or public lands anymore,\u201d Vasquez said.\n\n3. Advocates are concerned about future employee shortages\n\nThe 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided an influx of money into federal agencies, meaning there were many recently hired employees within federal land management agencies like the U.S. Forest Service when probationary employees were laid off earlier this year, according to McCarthy.\n\n\u201cA lot of young people with master\u2019s degrees and really specialized, important experience, scientifically \u2014 fire ecology for example, or conservation biology \u2014 that were going to really help the agency instead got let go,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cThe loss of science capacity within the land management agencies is really distressing.\u201d\n\nOutdoor recreation is a huge part of the Taos economy, according to Nick Streit, Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument president and Taos Fly Shop owner. But he\u2019s concerned that young people considering careers in public land management will be deterred from seeking those specialized degrees after seeing the federal layoffs and government shutdown this year.\n\n\u201cIt really scares me about what\u2019s down the road,\u201d Streit said.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/kfda-cannon-air-force-base-receives-80m-in-federal-funding-for-infrastructure", "KFDA: Cannon Air Force Base receives $80M in federal funding for infrastructure", "2025-11-26", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "CLOVIS, N.M. (KFDA) - Cannon Air Force Base will receive over $80 million in federal funding for key infrastructure projects, part of more than $200 million secured by New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich for the state with a focus on military construction.\n\nThe projects include an $80 million, 192-bed dormitory at the base, as well as over $8 million to renovate and construct a training facility for security forces.\n\nCannon Air Force Base was founded in the 1920s and is home to the 27th Special Operations Wing.\n\n\u201cThese are the very best, our nation\u2019s war fighters and they\u2019re just awesome sons and daughters of America,\u201d said Mayor Mike Morris, City of Clovis. \u201cAnd so, we\u2019re proud to be home to them while they\u2019re stationed at Cannon and really everything that we do here is with them in mind. I think of us as one community.\u201d\n\nThe City of Clovis works closely with Cannon and families and said it is grateful for the support.\n\nInfrastructure improvements target quality of life\n\nThe commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base said strengthening security forces infrastructure ensures that airmen remain mission-ready.\n\n\u201cThis kind of investment is not just about construction\u2014it\u2019s about giving our people the foundation they need to perform at their best, day in and day out. Our Air Force is strong because of the airmen who serve and the families who support them\u2014and providing them the resources to do so is fundamental to our readiness,\" said Col. Robert Johnston, commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing.\n\nSenator Heinrich said he will always fight for federal resources that grow the economy, lower costs, put New Mexico families first, and honor the service of those who keep the nation safe.\n\n\u201cReally, really appreciate our congressional delegation prioritizing Cannon Air Force Base directing some of that spending toward Cannon,\u201d said Morris. \u201cWe\u2019re always thrilled to see the continued investment.\u201d\n\nCannon said the funding will improve the quality of life for air commandos and enable airmen to train with purpose, realism, and discipline.\n\nCannon has not announced a date for these upgrades.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-leger-fernandez-introduce-legislation-to-fulfill-taos-pueblo-water-rights-settlement", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n, Leger Fern\u00e1ndez Introduce Legislation to Fulfill Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlement", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S> Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, along with U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.), introduced the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act, legislation that provides more funding, flexibility, and oversight to fulfill the Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlement.\n\nSpecifically, the legislation updates the original 2010 Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlement and establishes two new trust funds to help Taos Pueblo build and maintain groundwater and surface water infrastructure. Additionally, the legislation sets clear timelines for state and local partners to finish shared \u201cMutual-Benefit Projects,\u201d and authorizes $367 million in new federal funding and contemplates an additional $54 million in state funding. Further, the legislation ensures that if other entities fail to deliver on projects, the Pueblo or the Bureau of Reclamation can step in to ensure completion and the parties can use interim mitigation.\n\n\u201cThe United States has a moral obligation to uphold its trust responsibility to Tribes and Pueblos. I\u2019m proud to help introduce the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act to ensure the Pueblo can continue vital work to ensure reliable, safe drinking water \u2014 the foundation of a healthier, stronger community,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cDelivering long-term water security to Tribes, Pueblos and to every community in New Mexico is absolutely essential, and I\u2019m committed to that work.\u201d\n\n\u201cWater is a vital part of the federal trust responsibility,\u201d said Luj\u00e1n. \u201cAmending current law is vital to ensure Taos Pueblo has access to clean, safe, and reliable water. I\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Heinrich and Representative Leger Fern\u00e1ndez to introduce legislation to fulfill the Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlementan and deliver much-needed water infrastructure. This legislation is vital to help us fulfill our trust responsibility and promote water security for Taos Pueblo.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe waters flowing from Taos mountain sustain culture, community, and life itself. The Pueblo has worked hard to fulfill its commitments under the 2010 settlement but costs and conditions have changed dramatically. Congress must respond so the Pueblo can finish the water projects that will benefit everyone who relies on these waters,\u201d said Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. \u201cThese amendments honor our trust responsibility so Taos Pueblo has the resources to build and maintain the water infrastructure their families and future generations deserve and realize the dream of water security\u2014not just for the Pueblo, but for the entire Taos Valley.\u201d\n\n\"Resolution of Tribal Water Rights is a high priority of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration,\" said State Engineer Elizabeth Anderson. \"This Taos settlement provides far-reaching benefits to Taos Pueblo and the surrounding communities, and we look forward to working with the Pueblo, the non-Pueblo parties and the federal government to ensure we make continued progress.\"\n\n\"We would like to thank Senator Luj\u00e1n, Senator Heinrich, and Congresswoman Leger Fern\u00e1ndez for introducing the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025. Their unwavering support for tribal sovereignty and self-sustainability, as embodied in this legislation, ensures the successful implementation of our Indian water rights settlement, and provides a secure future for our tribe and our non-Indian neighbors in the Taos Valley,\u201d said Taos Pueblo Governor Edwin Concha.\n\nAdditional funding is needed for deep wells and pipelines, which provide a means for critically needed and sustainable groundwater development in the Taos Valley and are vital to implement the Settlement, due to multiple compounding factors beyond the control of settlement parties. These factors include delays in initiating environmental reviews, inflation, market volatility further increasing construction prices, updated hydrology information that has changed where wells can be located, and changing regulatory requirements for wells.\n\nFull text of the bill is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-heinrich-leger-fernandez-introduce-legislation-to-fulfill-taos-pueblo-water-rights-settlement/", "Luj\u00e1n, Heinrich, Leger Fern\u00e1ndez Introduce Legislation to Fulfill Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlement", "2025-11-25", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n", "L000570", "www.lujan.senate.gov", "lujan", "https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez (D-N.M.), introduced the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act, legislation that provides more funding, flexibility, and oversight to fulfill the Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlement.\n\nSpecifically, the legislation updates the original 2010 Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlement and establishes two new trust funds to help Taos Pueblo build and maintain groundwater and surface water infrastructure. Additionally, the legislation sets clear timelines for state and local partners to finish shared \u201cMutual-Benefit Projects,\u201d and authorizes $367 million in new federal funding and contemplates an additional $54 million in state funding. Further, the legislation ensures that if other entities fail to deliver on projects, the Pueblo or the Bureau of Reclamation can step in to ensure completion and the parties can use interim mitigation.\n\n\u201cWater is a vital part of the federal trust responsibility,\u201d said Luj\u00e1n. \u201cAmending current law is vital to ensure Taos Pueblo has access to clean, safe, and reliable water. I\u2019m proud to partner with Senator Heinrich and Representative Leger Fern\u00e1ndez to introduce legislation to fulfill the Taos Pueblo Water Rights Settlementan and deliver much-needed water infrastructure. This legislation is vital to help us fulfill our trust responsibility and promote water security for Taos Pueblo.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe United States has a moral obligation to uphold its trust responsibility to Tribes and Pueblos. I\u2019m proud to help introduce the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act to ensure the Pueblo can continue vital work to ensure reliable, safe drinking water \u2014 the foundation of a healthier, stronger community,\u201d said Heinrich. \u201cDelivering long-term water security to Tribes, Pueblos and to every community in New Mexico is absolutely essential, and I\u2019m committed to that work.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe waters flowing from Taos mountain sustain culture, community, and life itself. The Pueblo has worked hard to fulfill its commitments under the 2010 settlement but costs and conditions have changed dramatically. Congress must respond so the Pueblo can finish the water projects that will benefit everyone who relies on these waters,\u201d said Leger Fern\u00e1ndez. \u201cThese amendments honor our trust responsibility so Taos Pueblo has the resources to build and maintain the water infrastructure their families and future generations deserve and realize the dream of water security\u2014not just for the Pueblo, but for the entire Taos Valley.\u201d\n\n\u201cResolution of Tribal Water Rights is a high priority of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham\u2019s administration,\u201d said State Engineer Elizabeth Anderson. \u201cThis Taos settlement provides far-reaching benefits to Taos Pueblo and the surrounding communities, and we look forward to working with the Pueblo, the non-Pueblo parties and the federal government to ensure we make continued progress.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe would like to thank Senator Luj\u00e1n, Senator Heinrich, and Congresswoman Leger Fern\u00e1ndez for introducing the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025. Their unwavering support for tribal sovereignty and self-sustainability, as embodied in this legislation, ensures the successful implementation of our Indian water rights settlement, and provides a secure future for our tribe and our non-Indian neighbors in the Taos Valley,\u201d said Taos Pueblo Governor Edwin Concha.\n\nAdditional funding is needed for deep wells and pipelines \u2013 which provide a means for critically needed and sustainable groundwater development in the Taos Valley and are vital to implement the Settlement \u2013 due to multiple compounding factors beyond the control of settlement parties. These factors include delays in initiating environmental reviews, inflation, market volatility further increasing construction prices, updated hydrology information that has changed where wells can be located, and changing regulatory requirements for wells.\n\nFull text of the bill is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-gabe-vasquez-leads-new-mexico-delegation-call-lower-utility-bills", "Rep. Gabe Vasquez Leads New Mexico Delegation in Call to Lower Utility Bills as Hardworking NM Families Brace Themselves for the Cold", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On November 24, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) led the New Mexican delegation in urging the administration to immediately fund the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as New Mexico families prepare for colder temperatures this winter amidst sharply rising energy costs.\n\nIn a letter addressed to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., Rep. Vasquez emphasized that LIHEAP plays a critical role in ensuring hardworking families can make ends meet and protect their families from the elements, especially as New Mexico families grapple with an average 8.1% jump in utility costs this year.\n\n\u201cIn communities across our state, families are struggling to afford rising energy costs. As winter approaches, many households face difficult choices between paying their heating bills and covering other basic needs like groceries, rent, or prescription drugs,\u201d the NM delegation wrote to Secretary Kennedy. \u201cFor New Mexicans living on fixed incomes, especially seniors, families with young children, and those in rural and Tribal areas, LIHEAP can mean the difference between safety and crisis.\u201d\n\nRep. Vasquez\u2019s work to lower utility costs for New Mexicans is a core component of his Affordability Agenda \u2014 a concrete plan to make life more affordable for working class New Mexicans. He has also stood up against the Administration's reckless policies that are raising utility bills, including the Department of Energy\u2019s decision to cut $135 million for next-generation energy projects in New Mexico and the Republican tax law that cut incentives for energy projects in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-calls-us-dot-restore-consumer-protections-air-travelers-ahead-peak", "Rep. Vasquez Calls on U.S. DOT to Restore Consumer Protections for Air Travelers Ahead of Peak Holiday Travel", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Ahead of the upcoming peak in holiday travel, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM\u201102) called on U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Duffy to restore a rule that requires airlines to compensate travelers anywhere from $200 to $775 for flight delays and cancellations.\n\nThe letter from Rep. Vasquez, Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04), and dozens of other Democratic lawmakers to the Secretary of Transportation noted that the rule they are seeking to restore would require \u201cairlines to provide free meals, lodging and rebooking in cases where domestic flight changes were under the carrier\u2019s control, such as a mechanical issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t rocket science. Flights are expensive, and flight delays and cancellations are frustrating,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cMany New Mexicans are out of luck and out of money when these preventable delays and cancellations happen, and they must be compensated, just as they would in any other industry. Let\u2019s restore the rule and restore faith in air travel.\u201d\n\nThis effort builds on Vasquez\u2019s record of working to hold corporations accountable for rising costs and protecting hardworking New Mexicans from footing the bill.\n\nThe Congressman\u2019s demand that the DOT restore these consumer protections comes as air travelers face all-time record delays and air traffic controllers recover from shutdown staffing shortages nationwide. This week, an estimated 6 million Americans are projected to take domestic flights during the Thanksgiving travel period.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-vasquez-urges-federal-agencies-develop-cohesive-counter-drone-strategy", "Rep. Vasquez Urges Federal Agencies to Develop Cohesive Counter-Drone Strategy to Protect American Communities, Combat Cartels and Secure the Border", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Gabe Vasquez", "V000136", "vasquez.house.gov", "vasquez", "https://vasquez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On November 24, 2025, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) called on top national security, defense, and law enforcement agencies to take urgent action against the growing criminal use of drones across the United States. In a letter sent to the Departments of Defense, Justice, Homeland Security, and the Federal Aviation Administration, Vasquez urged leaders to establish clear federal guidance and strengthen authorities for law enforcement at all levels to counter illegal drone activity on U.S. turf.\n\nFollowing meetings with law enforcement and national security officials across southern New Mexico, Rep. Vasquez\u2019s letter highlighted escalating threats posed by cartels, drug traffickers, and other bad actors, stating, \u201cCriminals are using drones to harm Americans, and our communities are vulnerable in the absence of a cohesive federal counter-drone strategy. Whether it\u2019s cartels smuggling illegal contraband across the border, foreign adversaries spying on military tests, or traffickers operating in our neighborhoods, these threats demand immediate action.\u201d\n\nBased on his past trips to the border, Rep. Vasquez underscored that Border Patrol agents in southern New Mexico remain on the front lines of the fight against cartel drone activity, which includes surveillance flights, intelligence gathering, cross-border smuggling, and even threats involving explosives.\n\n\u201cAs a border legislator, protecting my community and the law enforcement personnel who keep us safe is my top priority,\u201d said Vasquez. \u201cWe must ensure that U.S. Border Patrol agents have the tools, personnel, and guidance needed to disrupt cartel drone activity and secure our border.\u201d\n\nThe letter also warns of significant risks to national security and U.S. military operations. At White Sands Missile Range and other Department of Defense installations, unidentified drones have entered restricted airspace, jeopardizing sensitive testing operations and endangering service members. These concerns were reiterated during Rep. Vasquez\u2019s most recent visit to WSMR.\n\nLocal law enforcement, including police departments in Albuquerque, reported facing similar challenges as drones are used for counter-surveillance and other criminal activity far from the border during a recent law enforcement roundtable with Rep. Vasquez. Many local agencies lack the resources, authorities, and federal support needed to confront these threats, making it difficult \u2014 if not impossible \u2014 to remove illegal drones from their airspace.\n\n\u201cUnmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are quickly becoming a vital law enforcement tool. They have a variety of uses, including searching for missing persons, especially in hard-to-reach areas or if the search area is very large,\" said Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. \"They are absolutely critical at the border, where they can help law enforcement identify, track, and arrest cross-border traffickers and disrupt ongoing criminal activity.\u201d\n\n\u201cSouthern New Mexico illustrates the urgency of this issue, but we are not alone,\u201d Vasquez stated. \u201cThe threat from criminal drone activity is a nationwide concern. Protecting American communities and national security is not a partisan issue, and I stand ready to work with the administration and both parties in Congress to get this done.\u201d\n\nRep. Vasquez continues to champion policies that strengthen border security, support law enforcement, and address emerging threats to national security and public safety. He is a national leader in the push to modernize border security in the U.S. and is a tireless advocate for heightened investments in drones, scanners, surveillance towers, and other smart, cost-effective border technology.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/albuquerque-journal-more-than-200-million-in-federal-dollars-will-come-to-new-mexico-projects", "Albuquerque Journal: More than $200 million in federal dollars will come to New Mexico projects", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "More than $206 million will come to New Mexico through congressionally directed spending in the 2026 fiscal year for high-dollar items like an Air Force dormitory and for smaller projects like buying a wildland fire engine in Questa.\n\nAlong with a stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government open through January, three year long appropriations bills were included in the November deal to end the government shutdown. Those yearlong appropriations bills will pay for military construction and Veterans Affairs; provide annual appropriations for agriculture, rural development, nutrition assistance programs and the Food and Drug Administration; and fund Congress and agencies that support its function, like the Capitol Police and Library of Congress.\n\nWithin those annual appropriations bills was congressionally directed spending, commonly called earmarks, money members of Congress secure to bring federal dollars to specific, local projects.\n\nBy far, the largest allocations secured for New Mexico were for two of the state\u2019s Air Force bases. New Mexico\u2019s senators got more than $80 million to build new facilities and infrastructure at Cannon Air Force Base, including a new dormitory. More than $100 million will go to buildings and infrastructure at Kirtland Air Force Base, the most expensive item being $83 million for a Space Rapid Capabilities Office headquarters.\n\nThree of the allocations are for health care facilities: Sandoval County will get $1 million to build a health care facility, another $1 million is going to Valencia County to help it build a hospital and the Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City will get $193,000 to upgrade hospital utility systems.\n\nTwo cities, Estancia and Mesilla, will get funds to renovate their town halls.\n\nThere\u2019s also just over $3 million for fire trucks and firefighting communication equipment in San Juan County, Rio Arriba County, Questa and Truchas.\n\nAlthough they secured the money for New Mexico projects, every member of the state\u2019s all-Democrat congressional delegation, Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n, and Reps. Teresa Leger Fern\u00e1ndez, Melanie Stansbury and Gabe Vasquez, voted against the funding package. All five opposed passing the stopgap bill because it did not address expiring health insurance subsidies.\n\nSince it was reformed in 2021, congressionally directed spending can only go toward government organizations or nonprofits. It is not available to organizations where the requesting member of Congress or someone in their immediate family has a financial interest in the organization.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-bennet-hickenlooper-and-lujan-urge-trump-administration-to-protect-taxpayers-and-ensure-oil-and-gas-companies-pay-for-site-cleanup", "Heinrich, Bennet, Hickenlooper, Luj\u00e1n Urge Trump Administration to Protect Taxpayers and Ensure Oil and Gas Companies Pay for Site Cleanup", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-N.M.) urged U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Acting Director Bill Groffy to maintain the federal oil and gas bonding requirements in the 2024 Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule to hold developers accountable for the costs of site cleanup on federal lands. The Trump Administration has proposed rescinding the 2024 rule, and the senators strongly oppose the potential repeal of the federal bonding requirements included in that rule, which could cost taxpayers over $15 billion to clean up orphaned wells and put local communities at risk from harmful methane leaks, water contamination, and degraded habitat across the West.\n\n\u201cFor years, we have championed stronger bonding standards to make sure oil and gas companies \u2014 not taxpayers \u2014 pay the true costs of cleaning up oil and gas drilling on federal lands. In 2022, the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act was introduced in the Senate to increase woefully outdated bonding rates. The 2024 Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule built directly on these efforts by modernizing federal bonding requirements for the first time since the 1950s and 1960s to better reflect the actual cost of reclamation, which frequently exceeds $300,000 per well,\u201d the senators wrote to Secretary Burgum and Acting Director Groffy.\n\nThe senators emphasized that rescinding the 2024 bonding requirements would undo the first meaningful step in decades to ensure fiscal accountability for oil and gas operations on federal lands. They also highlight the overwhelming public support for the rule, with 90 percent of Westerners believing oil and gas companies should pay to clean up their own drilling sites.\n\n\u201cThe bonding requirements in the Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule represent a balanced, responsible approach to energy development, which is grounded in fiscal prudence, environmental stewardship, fairness to the American people, and a responsible approach to public lands management. We strongly urge you to maintain the rule\u2019s bonding requirements and reject any effort to roll them back. Doing so will protect taxpayers, honor the values of the West, and safeguard our land and water for future generations,\u201d the senators concluded.\n\nThe text of the letter is available HERE and below:\n\nDear Secretary Burgum and Principal Deputy Director Groffy,\n\nWe write to express strong opposition to the Bureau of Land Management\u2019s (BLM) proposal to rescind the oil and gas bonding requirements in the 2024 Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule. These requirements reflect input from Western communities and public lands advocates to promote responsible oil and gas production and good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Reversing oil and gas bonding requirements would undo the first meaningful progress in decades toward ensuring fiscal accountability for oil and gas operations on federal lands.\n\nFor years, we have championed stronger bonding standards to make sure oil and gas companies\u2014not taxpayers\u2014pay the true costs of cleaning up oil and gas drilling on federal lands. In 2022, the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act was introduced in the Senate to increase woefully outdated bonding rates. The 2024 Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule built directly on these efforts by modernizing federal bonding requirements for the first time since the 1950s and 1960s to better reflect the actual cost of reclamation, which frequently exceeds $300,000 per well. The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly warned that outdated bonds leave taxpayers responsible for cleanup when operators walk away. Rescinding this rule would reverse this important step and shift the financial burden back onto taxpayers.\n\nRequiring sufficient bonding for oil and gas drilling reflects the fairness and accountability that define Western values. People across the West overwhelmingly support these reforms, with 90 percent of Westerners believing oil and gas companies should pay to clean up their own drilling sites, and nearly three-quarters considering the impacts of oil and gas development on land, air, and water to be a serious problem. When BLM finalized the 2024 rule to cover bonding on federal lands, it received more than 260,000 public comments, with more than 99 percent in support of the reforms. Weakening these standards would ignore the will of the American public and reward irresponsible use of public lands \u2013 which Westerners have consistently rejected.\n\nRolling back the 2024 bonding requirements would also worsen the public safety risks and fiscal threats of orphaned wells. As of September 2024, more than 10,000 idle wells sit on our national public lands, and as an oil and gas executive acknowledged in a recent industry survey, that number is expected to grow over time. Before bonding requirements were strengthened, a report from Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship found that cleaning up existing wells could cost taxpayers as much as $15 billion. Repealing these reforms would push those costs back onto the public and increase the risks of harmful methane leaks, water contamination, and degraded habitat across the West.\n\nMany states, including both Colorado and North Dakota, recognize the risks posed by inadequate bonding and orphaned wells and have enacted strong state-level bonding rules for oil and gas production. In Colorado, the State designed standards to account for and not duplicate federal standards, and the rollback of the federal bonding requirements would undermine public confidence in the broader financial assurance regime. Keeping the bonding requirements as enacted in the 2024 rule provides regulatory stability and predictability for industry.\n\nThe bonding requirements in the Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule represent a balanced, responsible approach to energy development, which is grounded in fiscal prudence, environmental stewardship, fairness to the American people, and a responsible approach to public lands management. We strongly urge you to maintain the rule\u2019s bonding requirements and reject any effort to roll them back. Doing so will protect taxpayers, honor the values of the West, and safeguard our land and water for future generations.\n\nThank you for your consideration.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"], ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/heinrich-lujan-klobuchar-colleagues-press-usda-on-unnecessary-snap-reapplications", "Heinrich, Luj\u00e1n, Klobuchar, Colleagues Press USDA on Unnecessary SNAP Reapplications", "2025-11-24", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "In a letter to the USDA, the senators assert that the Trump Administration's plan is duplicative of existing programs rules, increases red tape, and will unnecessarily inhibit access to SNAP benefits\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry led 30 of their colleagues, to press U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins on the USDA\u2019s plan to have all beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) \u201creapply\u201d for their benefits.\n\n\u201cWe write to express serious concerns and request further details about the plan by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to have all beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 'reapply' for their benefits,\u201d the senators wrote to Secretary Rollins. \u201cThese changes appear to be duplicative of existing SNAP rules and designed to create more red tape for families seeking to put food on the table.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis reapplication requirement comes after repeated efforts to deny Americans in need of essential nutrition assistance,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cIn addition to unprecedented cuts to SNAP enacted earlier this summer, decisions to disrupt food assistance during the shutdown have created additional uncertainty. We are therefore troubled that the Administration could choose, at this moment, to add additional red tape that creates duplicative and unnecessary barriers to accessing nutrition assistance for families.\u201d\n\nThe letter is led by Luj\u00e1n and Klobuchar. Alongside Heinrich, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Chuck Shumer (D-N.Y.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.).\n\nLast week, Heinrich joined Luj\u00e1n, Klobuchar, and the entire Senate Democratic Caucus to introduce legislation that will repeal Republicans' cuts to SNAP made in Trump's Big, Bad Bill. During Trump's government shutdown, Heinrich joined Luj\u00e1n to introduce legislation that prevents the Trump Administration from illegally withholding available funds for SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).\n\nThe full text of the letter is below and can be found here.\n\nDear Secretary Rollins,\n\nWe write to express serious concerns and request further details about the plan by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to have all beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) \u201creapply\u201d for their benefits. These changes appear to be duplicative of existing SNAP rules and designed to create more red tape for families seeking to put food on the table.\n\nSNAP benefits are provided pursuant to existing statute passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. Under these SNAP rules, states are generally required to certify SNAP households for a period of not more than 1 year. All Americans who receive SNAP must be recertified by states to verify that they continue to qualify for SNAP on a regular basis. Additionally, SNAP rules prohibit states from ending a household\u2019s certification period early unless the household has become ineligible. Introducing further roadblocks for SNAP beneficiaries, most of whom are children, the elderly, or disabled, is unnecessary and unwarranted.\n\nThis reapplication requirement comes after repeated efforts to deny Americans in need of essential nutrition assistance. In addition to unprecedented cuts to SNAP enacted earlier this summer, decisions to disrupt food assistance during the shutdown have created additional uncertainty. We are therefore troubled that the Administration could choose, at this moment, to add additional red tape that creates duplicative and unnecessary barriers to accessing nutrition assistance for families.\n\nWith millions of Americans, including children, at risk of losing access to nutritious foods, we strongly support efforts to ensure the SNAP program is working efficiently and reaching beneficiaries consistent with the law. We therefore request responses to the following questions by December 1, 2025:\n\nHow is the \u201creapplication\u201d plan different from the current recertification process?\n\nHow is the \u201creapplication\u201d plan consistent with existing program rules and regulations?\n\nWhen will the USDA issue rulemaking or guidance for states and families on the \u201creapplication\u201d plan?\n\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 977, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "NM", "p2": "2025"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 977, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NM&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 745, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM&year=2025&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}, {"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 232, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM&year=2025&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "NM", "label": "NM", "count": 977, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2025", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM&year=2025", "results": [{"value": "2025", "label": "2025", "count": 977, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2025-11-24,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eheinrich~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fheinrich-lujan-klobuchar-colleagues-press-usda-on-unnecessary-snap-reapplications", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=NM&year=2025&_next=2025-11-24%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eheinrich~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fheinrich-lujan-klobuchar-colleagues-press-usda-on-unnecessary-snap-reapplications&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 194.65445401147008, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}