Nation

Lujan Grisham Urges Extension of Federal Unemployment Insurance

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Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With 1.3 million Americans losing all of their federal unemployment insurance Dec. 28, Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, N.M.-01, is urging an extension of the program.

Friday, she announced that she is cosponsoring the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013 (H.R.3546), legislation that would extend the current Emergency Unemployment Compensation program through the end of 2014. In addition to the 6,000 long-term unemployed New Mexicans who are slated to lose their unemployment insurance Saturday, Read More

Luján, Lujan Grisham Introduce Legislation to Protect Native American Seeds

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Courtesy/nativeseeds.org

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján, N.M.-03 and Michelle Lujan Grisham, N.M.-01, both members of the Congressional Native American Caucus, have introduced legislation to help preserve Native American seeds used for cultural, religious, medicinal, ceremonial and agricultural purposes.

The Native American Seeds Protection Act of 2013 (H.R. 3782) would allow tribes, working in conjunction with qualified research entities, to obtain grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct research, education and training Read More

New Episode Released of ‘The Udall Update’ Television Show

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

  • Public Access Program Provides Information About Udall’s Work in the U.S. Senate on Behalf of New Mexicans
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall has released a new episode of “The Udall Update,” a public access television program that provides the public an inside look at what’s happening in the U.S. Senate and how it impacts life in New Mexico.
 
The 30-minute episode, which airs on Udall’s YouTube channel and on public access TV throughout the state, includes interviews, in-depth stories and feature segments about the work he is doing in Washington
Read More

Udall Nominates Two Los Alamos Students to United States Service Academies

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U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C., – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall has announced that 45 New Mexico students have received his nomination to attend a United States service academy beginning in 2014, including Matthew Davenport and Alexander Kirkland of Los Alamos.
 
“It is my honor to congratulate the students I have nominated to the service academies this year,” Udall said. “These students have distinguished themselves both in and out of the classroom, and they represent some of New Mexico’s best and brightest. I am proud that they want to dedicate their talent and leadership in
Read More

Udall, Moran Urge Overhaul of Federal IT Oversight to Save Taxpayers Billions

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U.S. SENATE News:
  • Bipartisan bill would increase accountability, ensure clear chain of command in federal IT process
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tom Udall, D-N.M. and Jerry Moran, R-KS, both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill that would require the first major overhaul of the government information technology (IT) procurement process in over a decade. The senators urged quick action on IT reform, announcing their bill as President Obama met with executives from tech firms to discuss ways to improve the functioning of the health care website,
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Valles Caldera’s Dennis Trujillo Concludes 39 Years of Public Service

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Dennis Trujillo

VCNP News:

JEMEZ SPRINGS — The Valles Caldera Trust executive director scheduled a small employee gathering ostensibly to share some holiday spirit with coffee and cake.

Many employees would be leaving for vacation this weekend so it was important that they hear what executive director Dennis Trujillo had to say, because when they return in January, he will no longer be leading their way.

“The public lands and the conservation of our natural resources have been my career’s work, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had a career doing what I love,” Trujillo said. “I have been Read More

Udall: Budget Bill Good for New Mexico

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Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON. D.C. — Wednesday, Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., joined the full Senate in voting for the bipartisan budget agreement, which was approved by a vote of 64-36. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly last week by a bipartisan vote of 332-94.

Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has been fighting for budget certainty and an end to the devastating sequestration cuts, which have disproportionately hurt New Mexico. He issued the following statement:

“While the budget bill is not exactly what I would have written, Read More

Albuquerque Company Receives $60 Million Air Force Contract

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Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (N.M.-01)

State News:

ALBUQUERQUE – Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, N.M.-01, announced Wednesday that Applied Technology Associates (ATA) in Albuquerque has been awarded a $60 million contract by the U.S. Air Force.

Under the contract, ATA will assist the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate’s Spacecraft Technology Division in the development, evaluation and integration of new technologies, as well as innovative operational concepts. The work will ultimately lead to improved operational systems in support of our nation’s Read More

MainStreet Center Releases Findings of Economic Impact on New Mexico

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Los Alamos MainStreet Executive Director Suzette Fox with National President/CEO Patrice Frey at the Chamber in downtown Los Alamos. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost

MAINSTREET News:

The New Mexico Economic Development Department’s New Mexico MainStreet program hosted a visit by Patrice Frey, President and CEO of the National MainStreet Center.

Frey took time during her visit to tour downtown Los Alamos and meet with Los Alamos MainStreet and local officials to discuss economic impact of the New Mexico MainStreet program on 27 accredited downtown programs, of which Los Alamos Read More

Heinrich: Declassify Report Detailing CIA’s Interrogation Program

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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

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, is calling for a full and transparent accounting of the CIA’s interrogation program and full declassification of the committee’s study on the program.

Last year, the Senate Intelligence Committee voted to adopt the study, which is a 6,000-page comprehensive review of the Bush administration’s CIA interrogation program based on a documentary review of more than 6 million pages of CIA and other records. Read More