Heinrich Urges U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission To Address Indoor Air Pollutants Emitted By Gas Stoves
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), founder and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus, is urging the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to address the high level of dangerous indoor air pollutants emitted by gas stoves.
Reports have found that gas stoves, which are used by more than 40 million homes across the country, emit dangerous air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Without adequate ventilation, this can cause serious health risks and raise Read More
New Mexico Congressional Democrats Secure Language To Unlock Major Investments In Early Childhood And K-12 Education In Omnibus
New Mexico Congressional News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) secured language to unlock major investments in early childhood and K-12 education in New Mexico in the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Agreement for Fiscal Year 2023.
“This effort to provide a long-term, stable funding stream for quality early childhood education is years in the making—backed overwhelmingly by New Mexico voters, the state legislature, and an incredible coalition Read More
OSA: New Mexico Charter School Foundations Risk Advisory
OSA News:
The Office of the State (OSA), together with the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC), issue this joint risk advisory to alert the legislative bodies and policy advisors in the State of New Mexico of risks related to a significant lack of oversight and accountability failures concerning the technical relationships between charter schools and non-profit charter school foundations.
For further information or questions on this Risk Advisory contact the Director of the Government Accountability Office, Stephanie W. Telles at: Stephanie.Telles@osa.state.nm.
To report waste, Read More
Economic Development Department Budget Requests Support Diversified New Mexico Economy
Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes
EDD News:
SANTA FE — Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes asked state lawmakers today to continue their support for a diverse New Mexico economy with robust job growth and higher-paying jobs.
“EDD has just completed our best fiscal year for job creation in over a decade,” Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes told members of the Legislative Finance Committee today. “The word is getting out about New Mexico’s success in bringing in new businesses and higher-paying jobs and we are asking for continued investments to sustain this Read More
Rep. Stansbury Secures $84.5 Million For New Mexico Water Infrastructure
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thursday, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) voted to pass the 2022 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) in the House of Representatives, sending the $84.5 million she secured for critical New Mexico water infrastructure investments to the Senate as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
Stansbury secured funding for five of her proposed community-driven projects and programs in this year’s WRDA to support New Mexico’s communities in their response to historic drought and unprecedented hydrologic change. Read More
Heinrich, Stansbury Bill To Rename Belen Post Office For Former U.S. Sen. Dennis Chávez Included In FY23 Omnibus
Dennis Chavez / by Francisco Passalacqua / Paint on hand-etched black granite, c. 1960 / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Gloria Chavez Tristani, 2013
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Omnibus Appropriations Agreement for Fiscal Year 2023 includes legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Rep Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) to rename the U.S. Post Office at 400 North Main St. in Belen, in honor of former U.S. Sen. Dennis Chávez.
Sen. Chávez, the first American-born Hispanic Senator, worked to further civil rights, education, conservation, Read More
New Mexico Supreme Court Justices Take Oath Of Office
Senior Justice Michael E. Vigil taking the Oath of Office. Courtesy/NMSC
Justice Julie J. Vargas takes the Oath of Office. Courtesy/NMSC
New Mexico Supreme Court News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Supreme Court Justices Michael E. Vigil, Julie J. Vargas and Briana H. Zamora took the oath of office Dec. 14, during a private ceremony in the Supreme Court courtroom.
Senior Justice Vigil begins a new eight-year term Jan. 1, 2023 after being selected for retention in the November election.
Justices Vargas and Zamora were elected in November and are serving out unexpired terms ending in 2028 and 2024, respectively. Read More
Cotillion Sneddy Of Navajo Nation Appointed New ECECD Assistant Secretary For Native American Early Education And Care
Assistant Secretary Cotillion Sneddy
ECECD News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) Monday announced that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed Cotillion Sneddy as Assistant Secretary for Native American Early Education and Care.
Sneddy was raised in Crownpoint, New Mexico in the eastern region of the Navajo Nation and comes from the Water-Flows Together people and born for the Start-of-the-Red-Streak people. She brings 24 years of experience in early childhood to the position, ranging from roles as a teacher assistant and home visitor Read More
Heinrich Applauds U.S. Postal Service Dramatically Increasing Electrification Of Mail Delivery Fleet
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus, welcomed Tuesday’s announcement that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will be electrifying 75 percent of its new purpose-built Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDV) and commit to acquire 100 percent electric NGDVs starting in 2026.
This is a significant increase from the 40 percent electric vehicle target that USPS announced earlier this year.
“I’m pleased that the U.S. Postal Service has listened to our calls Read More
Heinrich Announces Over $87 Million Allocated To New Mexico For Home Energy Rebate Program
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), founder and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus, announced $87,742,040 that will be available to the State of New Mexico and Tribes in the state from the Inflation Reduction Act for consumer home energy rebate programs, enabling communities to make homes more energy efficient, upgrade electric appliances, and cut energy costs.
The new rebate program for electric appliances was established by Sen. Heinrich, mirroring legislation he introduced, the Zero-Emission Homes Act, to provide Read More
AG Hector Balderas Announces $132 Million In Opioid Settlements With Walmart, CVS & Albertsons
Attorney General Hector Balderas
From the Office of the Attorney General:
SANTA FE — Today, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that his office has resolved its opioid litigation against retail pharmacy chain operators Walmart, CVS, and Albertsons in a statewide deal that will deliver more than $132 million to the State and to local communities to fund opioid abatement efforts within the next 90 days.
“I’m incredibly proud of the extraordinary work of my team in securing this historic settlement, and it is imperative that these funds are invested in treatment services Read More
Luján On Delivering Results For New Mexico
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) secured $4.5 million in savings for his constituents in 2023 and assisted more than 1,100 New Mexicans through casework services.
Sen. Luján also sent more than 130,000 letters to New Mexicans who contacted the office seeking information on policies and legislative priorities.
This year, Sen. Luján introduced 80 bills and amendments with 29 successfully passing the Senate. In total, 24 bills and amendments spearheaded by Luján were signed, or are expected to be signed, by President Biden in service Read More
Governor Selects Scott Groginsky Education Policy Advisor
Education Policy Advisor Scott Groginsky
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Thursday announced the appointment of Scott Groginsky as her education policy advisor.
Groginsky will work alongside Children’s Cabinet Director Mariana Padilla and state education department leadership to support Gov. Lujan Grisham’s ongoing work to continue improving New Mexico’s cradle-to-career public education system and building the strongest possible educational foundation for New Mexico children and families.
Groginsky will focus on improving student outcomes
Tales Of Our Times: Party Chiefs Grab Power With Their Own Rules Of Congress
Tales of our Times
By JOHN BARTLIT
New Mexico Citizens
for Clean Air & Water
To learn what is going on, I trade thoughts with many folks on the left and the right, with some hybrids mingled in. An accounting of their political views would take reams of words. The mix of feedback I get is a study in democracy.
To skip details, we have a cryptic color code. Many shades of thought from liberal to conservative, from “progressives” to “MAGAs”, are reduced to “blue” and “red.” Varieties across the board agree with points I raise below. So, any sharp dispute lands on whose schemes are worse.
The blue team Read More
Bill Safeguarding Tribal Patrimony Objects Signed Into Law
U.S. Congressional News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) welcomed President Joe Biden signing their bipartisan legislation, the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony (STOP) Act, into law Wednesday.
“Now that the President has signed the STOP Act into law, I look forward to working with the Biden Administration to implement this bipartisan legislation to prohibit the exporting of sacred Native American items and increase penalties for stealing and illegally trafficking Tribal cultural patrimony,” Heinrich said. Read More
Heinrich, Luján Announce Over $6.4 Million For Drought Resiliency Projects In N.M.
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) announced $6,464,685 in funding from the Infrastructure Law to help communities in New Mexico prepare for and respond to the challenges of drought and help bring clean, reliable drinking water to households.
The City of Gallup will receive $5,000,000 for its drought resiliency ground water well project, and the New Mexico Acequia Association will receive $1,464,685 to adapt to water scarcity and guide implementation of strategies to increase acequia community and water resilience. Read More
Heinrich Statement On Final Passage Of Bill To Unlock Early Childhood Investments In New Mexico
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, released a video statement on investing in early childhood education in New Mexico after final passage of the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Agreement for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23).
The omnibus agreement, which passed the Senate and House and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law, includes language that Sen. Heinrich helped secure to unlock major investments in early childhood and K-12 education in New Mexico.
Sondra Wyman Submits Letter To Fill School Board Vacancy
Sondra Wyman
LAPS News:
Longtime Los Alamos resident Sondra Wyman has submitted a letter of interest to fill the vacancy in District 5, created by the resignation of School Board member Erin Green.
District 5 includes Mountain Elementary School.
Wyman’s three children attended Los Alamos Public Schools, including Mountain Elementary School. She worked for Los Alamos Public Schools for four years, first as a substitute teacher, then as a special education instructional assistant and then as Los Alamos High School Athletic Secretary before pursuing a career in the procurement field. She Read More
Luján Announces Nominations For U.S. Service Academies
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M) announced student nominations today from New Mexico for the United States Service Academies including Kelly Wetteland and Los Alamos and Carson Hick of White Rock.
“New Mexico has a long and proud tradition of serving in our Armed Forces. It’s a distinct honor as a United States Senator to nominate some of New Mexico’s best and brightest to U.S. Service Academies,” Sen. Luján said. “Each student nominated has demonstrated a commitment to serve New Mexico and the country, and I am confident that each student Read More
New Mexico Republican Party Offices Closed Dec. 24-Jan. 1
In observance of the Christmas holiday, the Republican Party of New Mexico’s (RPNM) office will be closed Dec. 24 through Jan. 1. The office will reopen 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 2. RPNM wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year! Courtesy/RPNM Read More
