Valerie Plame Joins Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard At Los Alamos Fundraising Event
Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, second from right, and Valerie Plame, far right, answer questions from the crowd of some 200 women and a few men gathered Tuesday at a Los Alamos home. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Valerie Plame commends the crowd full of mostly women for serving or running for public office or supporting those who are. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard speaks to the crowd. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
From left, event co-host Marvel Harrison, Valerie Plame, Alec Csanadi , Sopahn Kellogg and co-host Read More
Udall, Heinrich Host Energy Secretary at WIPP
U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich host Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz at WIPP. Courtesy photo
NM Congressional Delegation Calls For Increased Oversight of State’s Human Services Department; Greater Access To Behavioral Health Services
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham wrote a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell requesting increased oversight of New Mexico Human Services Department to ensure New Mexicans in greatest need of behavioral health services are able to access care.
In 2013, HSD suspended Medicaid payments to 15 nonprofit behavioral health providers due to so-called “credible allegations of fraud.” This led Read More
Congressional Delegation Joins Interior Secretary to Announce Completion of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge
Senators Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich and Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham join Interior Secretary Sally Jewell Friday to announce the completion of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge. Courtesy photo
NM CONGRESSIONAL News:
ALBUQUERQUE – Friday U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham stood with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to announce that a diverse group of federal, state, and local partners and conservation groups have acquired the lands needed to complete the 570-acre Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, the Southwest’s first urban national Read More
Heinrich Travels Across State Discussing Economy, Energy, WIPP, Veterans Health Care
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. will travel to Santa Fe, Eddy, and Lea Counties Monday, Aug. 11 and Tuesday, Aug. 12.
He will deliver opening remarks Monday at a public meeting in Santa Fe with Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to receive stakeholder input to the Quadrennial Energy Review, an administration-wide effort to make recommendations regarding key infrastructure needed for transmission, storage and distribution of energy.
The meeting, hosted
Adults And Youngsters Invited To Try Out New Voting Machines At The Fair Saturday
Bureau of Election Manager Gloria A. Maestas feeds a sample ballot into the County’s new voting machine during a demonstration Wednesday afternoon at the Municiapl Building. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Staff members at the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office are eager to demonstrate their new voting machines, which they will have at Ashley Pond Park following Saturday’s Fair and Rodeo Parade.
“We really want folks … youngsters, too … to check out the machines on Saturday and use the ‘ice Read More
Gov.: Child Support Bench Warrant Round Up
Gov. Susana Martinez
STATE News:
For the third year in a row, Gov. Susana Martinez announces a two-part crack-down on non-custodial parents who aren’t paying child support.
The child support bench warrant operation runs through the end of August.
Non-custodial parents with an outstanding bench warrant due to unpaid child support obligations may visit one of the 14 child support offices across the state, pay the full amount of the bond by Aug. 29, and get the warrant quashed or cancelled without fear of arrest.
During the final week of August, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) and local law enforcement Read More
Udall, Heinrich Voice Concerns Over Plan to Reduce Hours at U.S. Post Offices in New Mexico
STATE News:
U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich sent a letter to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe Wednesday to express their concerns about the Postal Service’s multi-year “Post Plan” to reduce costs and streamline operations, which may impact more than 140 post offices in New Mexico.
USPS announced the Post Plan in 2012 in response to financial challenges it was facing at the time, which included declining revenues and mail volume. The Post Plan cuts operating costs for smaller Post Offices by reducing hours, delivering Read More
Secretary of the Interior Visits Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge Aug. 8
Sally Jewell
STATE News:
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will visit the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge Friday, Aug. 8 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and its positive impact on New Mexico.
Jewell and U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich with U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham will join U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director Benjamin Tuggle and local stakeholders to make an announcement about the Refuge and to highlight the importance of the LWCF for urban parks, clean water, outdoor recreation and healthy economies Read More
Women For Stephanie Event With Valerie Plame Aug. 12
POLITICAL News:
Women from across the state will join to celebrate Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos, with special guest Valerie Plame.
Valerie Plame is a former career covert CIA operations officer, who worked to protect America’s national security and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons. She is the author of the New York Times best-selling memoir Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House, which was released as a major motion picture of the same name starring
DOE Secretary Visits WIPP Aug. 12
Sec. Moniz. Courtesy/wikipedia.comUSDA Increasing Investment Opportunities In Rural America For Private Entities
USDA News:
Recently the White House Rural Council, chaired by the United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, announced the creation of a new U.S. Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund to allow private entities to invest in rural infrastructure projects across the nation.
Ten billion dollars have been pledged to start the Fund and it expects to grow with additional funds. Co Bank, a national cooperative bank serving rural America, is the anchor investor and Capital Peak Asset Management will manage the new fund.
With assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture Read More
Luján: House GOP Wants to Weaken Protections for Kids Fleeing Human Trafficking & Go After DREAMers
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján
CONGRESSIONAL News:
Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District and first vice chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) joined members of the House Democratic Leadership and CHC at a press conference in the Capitol.
Luján discussed House Republicans’ attempts to weaken human trafficking laws and DREAMer protections as part of legislation addressing the humanitarian crisis at the border. Below are his remarks.
“Yesterday we saw a House Republican conference that was in disarray because Ted Cruz and a Read More
Senators: WIPP’s Missed Inspections ‘Unacceptable’
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced Monday that the Department of Labor has responded to their March request for an explanation detailing why the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) failed to conduct legally required regular safety inspections at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
The senators asked for the information after an investigation into a February truck fire at WIPP revealed that MSHA had done only two inspections during the three years before the accident.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
A specialized Read More
Sen. Al Franken Attends Democratic Campaign Headquarters Opening Event in Santa Fe Saturday
Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos introduces Sen. Tom Udall to a crowd of several hundred at Saturday’s opening of the Democratic Campaign Headquarters in Santa Fe. Photo by Brad Storey
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., addresses the crowd at the opening of Democratic Campaign Headquarters office Saturday in Santa Fe office. Photo by Brad Storey
Sen. Tom Udall speaks to the crowd at Saturday’s event in Santa Fe. Photo by Brad Storey
Sen. Al Franken with Public Education Commission candidate Karyl Ann Armbruster of Los Alamos at the opening of the Democratic
Heinrich on CIA’s Redactions in Interrogation Study
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on the CIA’s redactions to the executive summary of the Committee’s study of the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program.
“I was disappointed to learn of the CIA’s extensive use of redactions on the Committee’s executive summary. Redactions are supposed to remove names or anything that could compromise sources and methods, not to undermine the source material so that
Heinrich Votes to Reform VA System
Sen. Martin Heinrich
U.S. SENATE News:
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. released the following statement Thursday after voting to pass the Conference Report for the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act.
The proposal, cosponsored by Heinrich, will improve veterans’ access to health care services and address serious systemic problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
“I’m pleased we were able to work together and pass a bipartisan compromise that addresses the chronic mismanagement and systemic Read More
Heinrich: It’s Irresponsible To Believe Refugee Crisis Will Fix Itself
Sen. Martin Heinrich
U.S. SENATE News:
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a leading voice in addressing the current Central American refugee crisis on the southern border and staunch advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, voted Thursday in favor of S.2648, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.
The bill failed on a procedural vote that would have allowed it to get a final up or down vote.
“Inaction is not a viable solution to this incredibly serious problem. It is absolutely irresponsible to believe that this humanitarian crisis will Read More
Udall: VA Reform Bill Improves NM Veterans Care
Sen. Tom Udall
U.S. SENATE News:
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall joined the Senate Thursday in approving a bipartisan measure to reform veterans’ care and begin to restore accountability and transparency at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in New Mexico and across the country.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill, which passed by a vote of 91-3, earlier this week. It now goes to the president, who is expected to sign it into law.
The bill will address barriers that have led to long wait times for doctors’ appointments by allowing veterans to get care outside the VA Read More
Heinrich On Failure To Pass Bill To Protect Jobs
Sen. Martin Heinrich
U.S. SENATE News:
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. released the following statement Wednesday after S. 2569, the Bring Jobs Home Act, failed to overcome a procedural hurdle that requires 60 votes, with a vote of 54 to 42.
The bill, supported by Heinrich, would protect and promote U.S. job growth by ending a tax incentive for moving jobs overseas and creating a new tax incentive for bringing jobs back to the U.S.
“We shouldn’t reward companies that ship jobs overseas with special tax breaks. To most people, that’s just common sense. What we should Read More
