Nation

Local Woman Witnesses Endeavour’s Final Flight

September 22, 2012 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

Yvonne M. Deshayes of Los Alamos was in California’s Bay Area Friday where she captured history on camera. Strapped to the back of a 747 jumbo jet, the Space Shuttle Endeavour flew over the Berkeley Lab during its final flight. After a nearly five-hour aerial tour around California landmarks, the Endeavour touched down at 1 p.m. at the Los Angeles International Airport. In a few weeks, the Endeavour will move to its final home – the California Science Center, which is paying the estimated $28 million cost for shipping and handling the Endeavour’s final flight. Photo

Manhattan Project National Historical Park Fails to Pass House

September 20, 2012 by Submitted by CSTadmin

Staff report

Earlier this afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Resolution 5987.

A 2/3 vote was require to pass the “Yeas and Nays” vote. The Park received 257 Yeas and 158 Nays, however, 276 Yea votes were needed to pass the park through the House and on to the Senate for consideration.

H.R. 5987 is titled, “To establish the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington, and for other purposes.”

Los Alamos Historical Read More

Colorado’s Chimney Rock to Become National Monument

September 20, 2012 by Submitted by Press Release-DailyPost

Chimney Rock, Colo. Courtesy

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, R-Colo., Wednesday praised the decision by President Obama to designate Chimney Rock as a national monument. The president will use his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to make the designation.

“Chimney Rock contains the rare combination of a spectacular geologic formation with extraordinary cultural, historical and archeological significance. Coloradans have made it clear that those attributes should be matched with national monument status,” Bennet said. “It will be an extraordinary boost for Read More

Luján: Decision … Step in Right Direction

September 19, 2012 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

Photo: U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

Santa Fe – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District called a decision Tuesday by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health a step in the right direction to help workers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) who have suffered illnesses as a result of their work at the Lab.

The board’s 12 to one decision to recommend compensation for all workers, contractors, and subcontractors who were employed at LANL between 1976 and 1995 is a vital step in the process that has dragged on since the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) petition was submitted in 2008. Read More

AUDIO: Udall Talks Burn Pits & Senate Business

September 19, 2012 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On his weekly radio call Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall discussed the Senate Veterans Committee’s unanimous passage of his legislation to create an open burn pits registry and this week’s Senate business.

Click here to listen to the full audio online.

Click here to download the audio.

Below are highlights from Udall’s remarks:

0:00 – Udall expresses his support for Americans serving in the Middle East and discusses the loss of four Americans in Libya last week, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

0:28 – “Ambassador Stevens

Washington Post Columnist Claims Los Alamos in Disrepair

September 17, 2012 by Submitted by CSTadmin

ON THE MESA FACING NORTH

Column by Greg Kendall

In the Washington Post’s National Security section is a two-part report, “Aging U.S. nuclear arsenal slated for costly and long-delayed modernization,” published on Saturday, Sept. 15.

A frontal view of four B-61 nuclear free-fall bombs on a bomb cart. Courtesy/DoD

Dana Priest writes:

“… parts of Los Alamos are in serious disrepair. Inside one critical building, pipes carrying dangerous wastewater are duct-taped together at the joints to plug leaks; plastic bags have been wrapped around Read More

Luján Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15, 2012 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District released the following statement in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins today:

“Hispanic Heritage Month represents an opportunity to reflect on the enduring contributions of a community that has strengthened the fabric of a nation whose diversity is a source of strength and pride. As one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States, Hispanics have increasingly played a vital role in our country as businessmen and women, members of the armed forces, teachers, and first Read More

Udall Introduces VOW to Hire Heroes Extension

September 14, 2012 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

Bill Would Simplify Hiring Of Unemployed Vets

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., has joined Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in introducing the bipartisan VOW to Hire Heroes Extension Act of 2012 (S. 3536), a bill that simplifies the hiring of unemployed and disabled veterans.

Senators Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Jim Webb, D-Va. and Dean Heller, D-Nev., are also original cosponsors of the legislation.

“New Mexico has 180,000 veterans who risked their lives to defend our freedom, often at a physical or emotional cost to themselves,”

Senate Vets Committee Advances Udall’s Burn Pit Legislation

September 13, 2012 by Submitted by Carol A. Clark

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., reported Wednesday that the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee unanimously passed legislation that includes S. 1798, The Open Burn Pits Registry Act.

Udall became an advocate for a burn pit registry after meeting Albuquerque veteran Msgt. Jessey Baca and his wife Maria. MSgt Baca was stationed at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, which hosted approximately 25,000 personnel at the height of operations and over 10 acres of land for burning toxic debris.

MSgt Baca has faced a multitude of health problems believed to be associated with

Luján Announces $1.2 Million Grant for LANL to Improve Energy Efficiency of Vehicles

September 12, 2012 by Submitted by Press Release-DailyPost

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District announced Tuesday that Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is receiving a $1.2 million grant through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Vehicles Technology program.

The program is investing in three new projects that focus on increasing the efficiency of engines and powertrain systems for future highway transportation vehicles.

The federal government will contribute $1.2 million to the project, while the private sector will invest $300,000.

LANL will use the grant to develop a low cost and robust Read More