Politics

Udall Votes For Short-Term Agreement To Keep Government Open

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined the full Senate Friday in voting 63-36 for a short-term agreement to keep the government running until April 28.
 
The bill also includes a measure that would expedite a bill to change the law requiring a Defense Secretary to have been out of military service for at least seven years. President-elect Donald Trump’s expected nominee for Defense Secretary, Marine Gen. James Mattis, retired in 2013.
 
The stop-gap budget, called a “continuing
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Udall On Trump’s Nominee For EPA Administrator

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SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Tom Udall responded to President-elect Trump expected nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to serve as EPA Administrator:
 
“Global warming is one of the greatest threats to public health, our environment and our national security. And New Mexico is in the bull’s eye, as farmers and anyone who relies on water and weather know all too well. The American people accept that the science is real; the facts can’t be denied, and we need to take urgent action to stop the impacts from growing
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Attorney General Files Suit In Massive Real Estate Contract Scheme; Issues Consumer Alert

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Attorney General Hector Balderas 
 
AG News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― Thursday, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that he filed a lawsuit against Jesus Cano for an alleged real estate contract and mortgage scheme involving potentially hundreds of victims and properties in Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia Counties.
 
The lawsuit alleges Mr. Cano and his associates perpetrated fraud and would prey on Spanish-speaking and Hispanic communities in central New Mexico taking anywhere from $1,000 to $46,000 from victims with the empty promise
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EM Names Sue Cange New Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

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EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Sue Cange
 
DOE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― EM announced Dec. 8 that Sue Cange has been named its principal deputy assistant secretary.
 
“Sue is a trusted and effective leader with a deep understanding of EM’s cleanup mission and passion for advancing our mission,” EM Assistant Secretary Monica Regalbuto said. “With a strong track record of leading organizations to complete cleanup work safely and efficiently, she will be integral to our progress.”
 
Cange has nearly three decades of DOE leadership
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Udall On 75th Anniversary Of Bataan Invasion

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall 
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thursday U.S. Sen. Tom Udall commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Bataan invasion, which began Dec. 8, 1941 – just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor – when soldiers from the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment became the “first to fire” to defend the Philippines from Japanese bombers. 
 
The 200th Coast Artillery Regiment was made up of members of the New Mexico National Guard and were deployed to the Philippines before the onset of hostilities against the Japanese in September 1941.
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Letter To The Editor: Taxpayers Should Set Capital Priorities

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By JIM REDMAN
Los Alamos

I am outraged that the Council should be trying to repeat the “Kiddie Pool” bond ruse with a new recreational bond election (link).

Having raided the taxpayers capital fund for the projects that Council and staff feel important we find that it is short money for popular “recreational” projects. Thus the bond election hoping that the tax payers will vote for a property tax increase to fund these projects.

We have seen excessive spending by Councils in recent memory and I have no confidence in any Council’s judgment in spending our money. As taxpayers, we need to be sure Read More

Whacking At Wicked Problems Of Nuclear Weapons

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William Perry, left, and Eric Schlosser converse at the Lensic Theater this weekend during the nuclear weapons summit in Santa Fe. Photo by Roger Snodgrass/ladailypost.com
 
An unarmed Minuteman III ICBM blasts out of the silo during an operational test launch Feb. 25, 2015 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. U.S. Air Force photo courtesy of 30th Space Wing Public Affairs

By ROGER SNODGRASS
Los Alamos Daily Post

The Minuteman III, the fixed land-based missile of the American nuclear triad, was the obvious loser during several dialogues on nuclear weapons in Santa Fe this weekend. An Read More

Udall Welcomes EPA Proposal To Ban TCE In Dry Cleaning Under Lautenberg Chemical Safety Law

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall 
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall issued the following statement about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule to ban uses of the toxic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) under the newly reformed bipartisan chemical safety law.
 
It is the EPA’s first effort to ban an existing chemical since it failed in its attempt to ban asbestos in the early 1990s. Used as a degreaser and spot remover in dry cleaning, TCE is a neurotoxin linked to cancer, developmental
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Udall Won’t Run For Governor Of New Mexico

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

From the Office of U.S. Sen. Tom Udall:

Staying in the Senate is the Best Way I can Fight for New Mexico. –Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall issued the following statement:

“I am very grateful for the support of so many New Mexicans who have personally urged me to run for governor in 2018. Under the current governor, our state has fallen behind in education and jobs. We have failed to take full advantage of our abundant natural resources and our potential for developing a renewable energy industry. While I firmly believe that I have the backing and the experience to properly address
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State Auditor Tim Keller Releases Special Audit

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New Mexico State Auditor Tim Keller
 
STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― New Mexico State Auditor Tim Keller released a statewide special audit of untested sexual assault evidence kits, commonly known as “rape kits.”
 
The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) conducted the special audit to determine why a backlog of 5,440 untested kits amassed in New Mexico and develop best practices to clear it and prevent it from happening again.
 
In New Mexico, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 20 men have experienced sexual assault in their lifetime and 65 percent of sexual assault victims are minors. Although
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