Udall Joins 19 Senate Colleagues On Bipartisan Resolution To Advance Equal Rights Amendment
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 30, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom UdallU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined 19 of his Senate colleagues on a bipartisan resolution to advance the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a proposed Constitutional amendment to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex.
The bipartisan resolution Udall is supporting would remove a 1982 deadline for ratification of the ERA, thereby paving the way for full and equal protections for women under the Constitution.
Thirty-seven states have already ratified the ERA, just one short of the 38 needed to adopt the amendment
Read More Tales Of Our Times: Efficient Rules For Fracking Stem From Unique Tracers
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 30, 2019
Tales of Our Times
By JOHN BARTLIT
New Mexico Citizens
for Clean Air & Water
Efficient Rules For Fracking Stem From Unique Tracers
Politics is lightning quick in using social media. Still, politics lags years behind in using smart tools for efficient regulation. Up till now, talking fast has not helped politics be more businesslike in putting digital devices to their best uses.
People at work in other fields prize the latest tools that work wonders, saving time and money all around. Smart tools are common in homes, schools, commerce and industry. Yet, the urge to be efficient
Lunch With A Leader: Rep. Christine Chandler Dec. 10
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 30, 2019
Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler
LWV News:
The League of Women Voters invites the community to its monthly Lunch with a Leader at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10 in Mesa Public Library.
The speaker is Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler of Los Alamos. She is now a veteran of one legislative session and will be talking about that experience and share some ideas about what she is expecting in the upcoming 30 day session.
Chandler graduated with a BA from Smith College, holds a LLM International Law, Comparative Law from Georgetown Law Center and a JD from Boston College Law School. She has worked
Read More GOP Hosts Christmas Potluck At UNM-LA Dec. 5
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 29, 2019
GOP News:
The Republican Party of Los Alamos is hosting a Christmas potluck at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 in Room 505 at UNM-LA.
The community is invited to attend … just bring a favorite dish to share!
To participate in the White Elephant gift exchange, bring a wrapped gift (no more than $15).
For more information, contact leadership@losalamosgop.com. Read More
Taos City Councilor Speaks At VOLA Meeting Dec. 2
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 28, 2019
Taos City Councilor Darien FernandezVOLA News:
Voices of Los Alamos meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2 at the Unitarian Church, 1738 N. Sage Loop.
The guest speaker for this special holiday edition meeting is Taos City Councilor Darien Fernandez. He will present on the intersectionality of climate change, demographic change and land use in northern New Mexico, and what it means for agriculture and the regional economy, from a policy-maker’s perspective.
Fernandez will discuss proposed policy changes at the local, state and federal level, that would help protect
Read More U.S. Sen. Tom Udall And Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Stop Cyber Grinches From Ruining Holidays
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 28, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom UdallU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), announced the introduction of the Stopping Grinch BOTS Act, legislation that will crack down on the use of digital “bot” technology being used to buy up large batches of trending holiday toys in order to resell them at grossly inflated prices.
These third-party sellers are using these automated tools to manipulate online
Read More County Council Considers Revising Library Policies
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 27, 2019
Los Alamos County Library System Manager Eileen Sullivan By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Libraries everywhere have experienced a lot of changes from the introduction of new technologies to changes in community expectations about libraries’ roles.
The Internet and social media have had major impacts on library functions and services, more patrons are requesting e-books and e-magazines, but people still rely on libraries for information, programs, services and a sense of community
In order to ensure that library policies stay relevant and up-to-date, Read More
U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces $11.2 Million In Grants To Revitalize New Mexico’s Bus Infrastructure
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 26, 2019
USDOT News:WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will award $423 million in transit infrastructure grants nationwide to improve the safety and reliability of America’s bus systems and enhance mobility for transit riders.
Two projects in New Mexico will receive $11.2 million from FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program. A list of the selected projects is available online.
“Public bus systems throughout the country provide millions of Americans access to jobs, healthcare,
Governor, Congressional Delegation, House Speaker, AG Discuss Action On Violent Crime, Domestic Terrorism
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 26, 2019
STATE News:SANTA FE ― Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, New Mexico Speaker of the House Brian Egolf and Attorney General Hector Balderas met Monday in Santa Fe to advance ongoing discussions between New Mexico elected leaders on prospective action to decrease the risk of violent crime and domestic terrorism in the state.
Meeting at the state Capitol, the governor, congressional delegation, speaker and attorney general built upon the analysis of the domestic terrorism summit convened by the governor
Read More Bail Reform Working As Intended … Is Not Cause Of Crime Problem In Albuquerque
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 25, 2019
NMSC News:SANTA FE ― Voter-approved reforms to New Mexico’s pretrial justice system are not fueling a crime problem in the state’s largest city and instead are working as intended, Administrative Office of the Courts Director Artie Pepin told lawmakers today.
In a progress report about bail reform, Pepin shared new data compiled by the Judiciary about the pretrial detention of defendants and highlighted a study by University of New Mexico researchers that analyzed nearly 6,400 cases between July 2017 and March 2019 in which defendants charged with felonies were released from
Read More Senators Heinrich, Udall Request Investigation Of Conditions For ICE Detainees In All Detention Facilities
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 25, 2019
U.S. SENATE News:WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) have sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari requesting an investigation into the conditions and oversight for detainees held at all Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities.
The Senators are asking that the DHS Office of Inspector General evaluate violations of detention standards and to make that report public.
“We are troubled by continued reports of inhumane
Read More U.S. And Australia Partner On Critical Minerals
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 25, 2019
U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt and Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan. Courtesy/DOI Photographer Tami Heilemann
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Director Jim Reilly and Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan. Courtesy/DOI Photographer Tami HeilemannDOI News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States and Australia formalized their partnership Nov. 18 on developing both nations’ critical mineral assets between Geoscience Australia CEO James Johnson and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Director Jim Reilly.
Read More Udall Applauds Committee Passage Of Legislation To Provide Full, Mandatory Funding For LWCF
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 25, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) released the following statement Wednesday applauding the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for its bipartisan action approving legislation to provide permanent, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF):
“It’s clear that there is bipartisan momentum in Congress behind fully and permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, our nation’s most successful conservation program,” Udall said. “LWCF is critical for improving
Read More Gessing: No, New Mexico Doesn’t Need Gas Tax Hike
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 24, 2019
By PAUL GESSINGRio Grande Foundation
As we move toward 2020 and the start of the short, 30-day legislative session, there are some who want the big-spenders in Santa Fe to raise taxes once again on hard-working New Mexicans.
In 2019, the Legislature, despite a massive surplus, passed the largest tax hike in New Mexico history. Although this was completely unnecessary, a portion of that money supposedly went to improving our roads. If that is still inadequate, there is plenty of surplus revenue sloshing around in the Roundhouse to ensure that roads across New Mexico are improved.
Read More New Mexico Congressional Delegation Unveils Legislation To Rename Clinic To Honor Veterans, Fallen Soldiers Of Bataan Death March
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 24, 2019
Congressional Delegation News:WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.), Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) announced legislation to officially designate the Department of Veterans Affairs community outpatient clinic in Las Cruces as the “Las Cruces Bataan Memorial Clinic.”
The legislation would commemorate the over 1,800 New Mexico National Guardsmen and the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery Regiments who defended U.S. military allies in the
Read More Udall Champions Latino Museum, Women’s History, Tribal Engagement At Oversight Hearing
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 24, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), spoke Thursday in a hearing of the Senate Rules Committee in favor of adequate budgets for a strong Smithsonian Institution and expressed support for establishing Smithsonian Latino and Women’s History Museums.
Udall also questioned Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. Bunch III about the Smithsonian’s work and engagement with Native American Tribes.
“We all know that the Smithsonian requires real investments to keep its existing museums operating, to expand its collections to tell the story of all
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall On DOJ ‘National Strategy To Address Missing And Murdered Native Americans’
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 23, 2019
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, issued the following statement Friday on the Department of Justice (DOJ) announcement of a “National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Native Americans”.
The national strategy takes much of its framework from the Udall co-sponsored Savanna’s Act that advanced to the Senate floor after passing the Indian Affairs Committee this week:
“The Department of Justice’s announcement is welcome, but long overdue. The crisis
Read More New Mexico State Game Commission Votes Unanimously To End Recreational Cougar Trapping
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 23, 2019
HSUS News:The New Mexico State Game Commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve a new regulation that ends recreational cougar trapping in the state beginning in 2020.
The decision follows a lawsuit waged by Animal Protection of New Mexico and the Humane Society of the United States, which argued that indiscriminate traps and snares threatened legally protected species including Mexican wolves, and that trophy hunting quotas for cougars were unsustainably high. The approved rule also substantially reduces hunting quotas for cougars throughout the state, albeit
Read More RSF Condemns Dissident Journalist’s Arrest In Vietnam
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 23, 2019
Pham Chi Dung is a well-known dissident journalist and one of the founders of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam. Courtesy/Dat Viet / IJAVNRSF News:
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns Thursday’s arrest of Pham Chi Dung, an outspoken Vietnamese journalist and leading press freedom defender who for years has been trying to help create an open and informed civil society in Vietnam that is not controlled by its Communist Party.
Included on RSF’s list of “information heroes” five years ago, Dung was arrested at his Ho Chi Minh City home by police, who
Read More Balderas Continues Fight Against Methane Pollution
Submitted by Carol A. Clark
on November 23, 2019
Attorney General Hector BalderasAG News:
ALBUQUERQUE ― Attorney General Balderas, joining a coalition of 22 attorneys general and the City of Chicago filed comments Friday opposing an unlawful proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which would gut the current standards that limit emissions of methane and other harmful pollutants from new, reconstructed, and modified facilities in the oil and natural gas industry.
This sector is the largest industrial source of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas up to 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide
Read More 
