{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221083456/http://pearce.house.gov/press-release/nm-delegation-26-million-mineral-royalty-payments-returning-nm", "N.M. Delegation: $26 Million in Mineral Royalty Payments Returning to NM", "2013-08-26", "2013", "2013-08", "Republican", "House", "NM", "Steve Pearce", "P000588", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u00a0\u2013 Today,\u00a0U.S. Senators Tom Udall\u00a0and\u00a0Martin Heinrich\u00a0and U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n, Michelle Lujan Grisham and Steve Pearce\u00a0announced the U.S. Department of the Interior will return $26 million in mineral royalty payments to the state of New Mexico as a result of the N.M. lawmakers\u2019 call for the state to be rightfully paid under the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA).\u00a0\nIn fiscal year 2013, administration officials unilaterally made the decision that state\u2019s share of royalties under the MLA would be subject to sequestration \u2013 automatic, across-the-board federal government spending cuts. The New Mexico delegation uniformly opposed the move, which would cost 35 states a total of $109 million, including $26 million from New Mexico in 2013, and similar amounts in future years.\u00a0The delegation, along with lawmakers from other Western states, led a bipartisan call\u00a0for the administration to return the payments.\u00a0In a May 16 letter,\u00a0they also noted the hardship\u00a0that states and local communities would experience if the sequestered revenues were not returned.\u00a0\nToday, the Interior Department responded to the delegation\u2019s request by\u00a0announcing it will return the fiscal year 2013 royalty payments beginning on October of this year, which is the start of fiscal year 2014. As long as sequestration is in place, it is expected that future funds will still be subject to sequester in the year they are collected, but they will be returned the following fiscal year \u2013 in effect, refunding the funds to states after a delay.\n\"This is extremely good news for New Mexico -- I'm very pleased that the administration has seen reason and will return the revenue owed to states from energy production on federal lands,\"\u00a0Udall said. \"These funds are the result of an existing agreement for mineral development. They provide a vital source of funding for public education and other functions New Mexicans rely on, and the federal government shouldn't be using them to balance its books.\u00a0I'm relieved that we were able to reverse this aspect of sequestration and restore $26 million back to our state this year and in years ahead.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased the Department of Interior heeded our call to return $26\u00a0million in mineral royalty payments to New Mexico that were withheld due to sequestration,\u201d Heinrich said. \u201cOur federal lands and natural resources provide significant revenue that fund infrastructure, education, and flood protection projects, which are especially critical for rural communities across New Mexico. I will work to ensure every dollar is returned and continue to protect these much-needed funds that belong to our state.\u201d\n\u201cReturning these funds to New Mexico and other states that receive mineral royalty payments is the right course of action and will have an important impact in communities across New Mexico,\u201d Luj\u00e1n said.\u00a0\u201cThese payments represent a significant source of funding that help support vital programs and critical investments that make a difference in the lives of the people of New Mexico.\u201d\n\u201cThis is great news for our state,\u201d Lujan Grisham said. \u201cThe Department of Interior\u2019s announcement reaffirms what I said previously: these mineral royalties belong to New Mexico, and they should stay in New Mexico. I\u2019m proud to have fought for New Mexico, and I\u2019m pleased that these mineral royalty payments will once again be able to support our schools, hospitals and infrastructure.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased that the Department of the Interior has decided to return the mineral royalties withheld earlier this year,\u201d Pearce said.\u00a0\u201cIt is unacceptable that a unilateral decision in Washington can so easily cut off millions of dollars that are the lifeblood of western states like New Mexico.\u00a0 New Mexico\u2019s classrooms and communities should not suffer at the whim of DC bureaucrats\u2014the Administration\u2019s reckless handling of this issue led to delays and uncertainty that are sure to impact our economy.\u201d\nUdall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee,\u00a0questioned Department officials about the issue during an Appropriations subcommittee hearing while asking that they\u00a0reevaluate their decision and solve the issue administratively.\u00a0For full video of the exchange, click\u00a0here.\u00a0\nThe full text of the letter from the Department of the Interior can be viewed\u00a0here.\u00a0\u00a0\n###\nContacts:\u00a0 Jennifer Talhelm (Udall) 202.228.6870 / Whitney Potter (Heinrich) 202.228.1578 / Eric Layer (Pearce) 575.517.7382 / Andrew Stoddard (Luj\u00e1n) 202.225.6190 / Richard Ruffner (Lujan Grisham) 202.225.6316", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221083456/http://pearce.house.gov/press-release/nm-delegation-26-million-mineral-royalty-payments-returning-nm"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0238289143890142, "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"}