Politics

AFT New Mexico Celebrates Introduction Of Senate Bill To Repeal Healthcare ‘Cadillac Tax’

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AFTNM President Stephanie Ly

AFTNM News:

 ALBUQUERQUE – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly released the following statement:

 

“Working New Mexicans can be proud of Sen. Heinrich and his bi-partisan efforts to repeal the regressive healthcare ‘Cadillac Tax’ from the Affordable Care Act.

 

“As a union who represents thousands of educators across New Mexico, and often negotiates aspects of healthcare coverage, we’re intimately familiar with the fight to ensure all New Mexicans have the best healthcare access possible at the lowest out-of-pocket Read More

September Is National Preparedness Month: Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today

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FEMA News:
 
DENTON, Texas ― “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.”
 
That’s the message emergency managers are sharing with people all over New Mexico and beyond during the month of September.
 
September is National Preparedness Month and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 6 Office is urging everyone to take steps to make a plan and know what to do during an emergency.
 
Whether you deal with the possible threats of flooding, wildfires, hurricanes or power outages, the preparedness steps to take are the same.
 
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Udall At EPW Hearing: New Mexicans Deserve Compensation, Long-Term Plan For Gold King Mine Spill

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
 
SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON ― During a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall called for action to help communities affected by the Gold King Mine wastewater spill into the Animas and San Juan rivers.
 
Udall discussed confusion and mistakes made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the immediate aftermath of the spill, and committed to introducing two bills to help Northwestern New Mexico recover and help prevent another disastrous mine spill.
 
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NNSA: Last HEU Removed From Switzerland

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DOE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), working in collaboration with the Government of Switzerland, announced that approximately 2.2 kilogram of U.S.-origin highly enriched uranium (HEU) has been returned from the University of Basel in Switzerland to the United States.
 
The HEU is from AGN-211-P research reactor, which commenced operation in 1961 using U.S.-origin HEU Material Test Reactor (MTR)-type fuel. 
 
The reactor was operated for decades by the University of Basel
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Energy Department Announces $70 Million For Innovation Institute On Smart Manufacturing

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DOE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The Department of Energy announced Wednesday $70 million in funding for the next Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute, which will be focused on smart manufacturing.
 
With this investment, the Department aims to support research and development advancements that can reduce the cost of deployment for technologies such as advanced sensors, controls, platforms, and modeling for manufacturing by as much as 50 percent.
 
As part of President Obama’s National Network of Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (NNMI), the institute
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The Role Of The Sheriff In Los Alamos County

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By PETE SHEEHEY
Los Alamos County Councilor

Two months ago, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office offered Los Alamos County Sheriff Marco Lucero a surplus Ford Explorer police vehicle to use in his duties as Sheriff. 

The Sheriff does a fair amount of driving using his own car (for which he is reimbursed) and sometimes County Motor Pool vehicles. The County Council (against my and Councilor (James) Chrobocinski’s votes) at this year’s budget hearing had declined his request to buy a new vehicle for him, which I considered at the time to be a cost-saving measure. Accepting Read More

Secretary Moniz Unveils Roadmap To Double U.S. Energy Productivity By 2030

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DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz
 
DOE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― In support of the President’s goal to double U.S. energy productivity by 2030, Secretary Ernest Moniz unveiled a strategic plan today laying out a path businesses, state and local governments, consumers and other stakeholders can use to achieve this goal.
 
The report, Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030: A Strategic Roadmap for American Energy Innovation, Economic Growth, and Competitiveness, identifies proven and effective strategies and actions to advance energy efficiency.
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Udall, Tester, Lujan Grisham Announce Bill To Help Tribes Fight Child Hunger

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U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), along with U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), announced that they have introduced legislation to streamline and expand access to federal school breakfast and lunch, summer feeding and other meal services by allowing Tribes to participate directly in these programs.
 
Native American children suffer from food insecurity and obesity at rates twice the national average, but too often aren’t able to access important hunger
Read More

District Court Testimony Begins Wednesday On Preliminary Injunction Pausing High-stakes Testing In Evaluation Of Education Professionals

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AFT NM News:

SANTA FE – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation’s District Court lawsuit against the New Mexico Public Education Department advances as Wednesday’s hearing commences a motion for a preliminary injunction.

This lawsuit seeks to provide relief to educators across New Mexico by pausing, and eventually seeking to prevent the use of high-stakes testing in the evaluation of education professionals.

It is the belief of AFT NM and ATF that the current evaluation system, imposed by Public Education Department rule, is unsound, Read More

Rep. Luján Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

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U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján delivers a speech honoring Hispanic Heritage Month. Courtesy image

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

SANTA FE – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District released the following video in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

“Hi I’m Congressman Ben Ray Luján. In communities across the country, Americans are coming together to celebrate the enduring contributions of the Hispanic community as we mark the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month.  Every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we take time to reflect on the important role that Read More