Nation

Luján Signs Petition to Force Vote to End Government Shutdown

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U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District announced this morning that he has signed a petition to reopen the government. This effort launched by House Democrats would force an up or down vote on a clean continuing resolution, which would end the government shutdown when a majority of the House, 218 members, sign on to the petition.

Despite the fact that 200 Democrats (https:////1.usa.gov/1gdTnlK) have said they would compromise on the clean continuing resolution passed by the Senate and more than 20 Republicans (https:////wapo.st/1fIQVG3 Read More

Piecemeal Funding Bill Picks Winners and Losers, Would Still Leave Lab Employees Furloughed

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U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District spoke Friday on the House floor on the importance of swiftly passing a clean funding bill that will end the government shutdown, fund the national laboratories, and ensure that Lab employees are not furloughed. 

House Republicans are bringing up piecemeal bills that fund portions of the federal government, but fail to provide full funding to end the shutdown, he said. 

Click here to watch Luján’s speech.

Luján’s remarks on the floor:

“Mr. Speaker, Read More

Community Partners Announce Assistance for Furloughed Federal Employees

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U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham

ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) today announced that several New Mexico community partners have offered to assist federal employees furloughed as a result of the government shutdown.

At Rep. Lujan Grisham’s Oct. 6 roundtable meeting with furloughed federal employees, participants expressed fear and concern that the government shutdown would cause serious financial hardship for them and their families. The furloughed workers told Lujan Grisham that any missed or delayed paychecks would prevent them from paying their mortgage Read More

Luján: Republican Piecemeal Funding Bill Picks Winners and Losers, Would Still Leave Lab Employees Furloughed

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U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District spoke today on the House floor on the importance of swiftly passing a clean funding bill that will end the government shutdown, fund the national laboratories, and ensure that lab employees are not furloughed. 

House Republicans are bringing up piecemeal bills that fund portions of the federal government, but fail to provide full funding to end the shutdown. Below are Luján’s remarks on the floor. Click here to watch his speech.

“Mr. Speaker, Read More

Government Shutdown Closes U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Document Room

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NCR News:

Due to the lapse in government funding, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC), website was last updated Oct. 9 and will not be updated until further notice.

Normal business activities (including public meetings) are suspended. According to the NRC’s shutdown plan, approved by the Office of Management and Budget, the agency will retain about 300 of its current 3,900 employees for “excepted functions” during a lapse of appropriations. Of that number, roughly half are resident inspectors assigned to reactor and fuel facilities. The rest are Read More

NNSA Directs Labs to Begin Preparing for Possible Closure

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Director Charlie McMillan

LANL News:

In an email to employees at Los Alamos National Laboratory today, Director Charlie McMillan explained that because of the ongoing lapse in federal appropriations, the NNSA has directed all labs and sites to start preparing for the orderly closure of all operations except for those required to maintain minimum safety.

Without a resolution to the budget impasse, Los Alamos will complete the transition to closure as of the end of business on Friday, Oct. 18, McMillan said in his email message.

LANL will continue to conserve available funding through reductions Read More

N.M. Delegation Working to Protect Federal and Lab Workers Hurt by Shutdown

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STATE News:
  • Urges DOE to compensate national lab employees for back pay if furloughed because of shutdown

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham are working to ensure that federal workers in New Mexico are not financially hurt in the long-term by the federal government shutdown.

New Mexico is home to roughly 27,000 federal workers, and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) employ an additional 18,000 New Mexicans.

All four lawmakers are strong supporters of the Federal Employee Read More

First Lieutenant Micah Andersen Continues Recovery

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Photos from the visit of the New Mexico American Legion Riders to First Lieutenant Micah Jay Andersen and the other New Mexico military members currently at Brooke Army Medical Center. Courtesy photos

Staff Report:

First Lieutenant Micah Jay Andersen received the Purple Heart Aug. 13 from four-star General Daniel B. Allyn, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces Command.

The Los Alamos High School graduate was serving as an Armor Officer in Afghanistan June 1 and suffered severe combat injuries when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting a combined dismounted patrol. Read More

PRObE Provides Access to Large Scale Supercomputers

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Computer & Information Systems Manager Andree Jacobson of the New Mexico Consortium discussed the PROBE project during Tuesday’s taping of ‘Behind the White Coat’ at the PAC 8 Studio in downtown Los Alamos. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos High School student interns assist in assembling, testing and installing hundreds of computers at the PROBE Center in the Los Alamos Research Park. Courtesy photo

 

By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
 
For the sixth year in a row, Los Alamos National Bank has sponsored the award-winning “Behind
Read More

Luján Wants LANL Employees Compensated if Furloughed Due to Government Shutdown

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U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District spoke today on the House floor in support of H.R. 3223, legislation that ensures furloughed federal employees retroactively receive their pay.

During his remarks, Luján highlighted that it is the intent of Congress to also support contract employees at the national laboratories.

In addition, he submitted into the Congressional Record a letter he is sending Department of Energy Secretary Earnest Moniz to emphasize that fact.  Below are Luján’s remarks as Read More