Politics

DOE Secretary Visits WIPP Aug. 12

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Sec. Moniz. Courtesy/wikipedia.com
 
STATE News:
 
Energy Sec. Ernest Moniz will host several meetings on the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) and visit the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad this month.
 
Friday, Aug. 8, Moniz will join other federal and local officials, including Transportation Sec. Anthony Foxx for two public meetings to receive public input on the QER, an administration-wide effort to make recommendations regarding key infrastructure needed for transmission, storage and distribution of energy.
 
In Chicago, the discussion will focus
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USDA Increasing Investment Opportunities In Rural America For Private Entities

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USDA News:

Recently the White House Rural Council, chaired by the United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, announced the creation of a new U.S. Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund to allow private entities to invest in rural infrastructure projects across the nation. 

Ten billion dollars have been pledged to start the Fund and it expects to grow with additional funds. Co Bank, a national cooperative bank serving rural America, is the anchor investor and Capital Peak Asset Management will manage the new fund.

With assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture Read More

Luján: House GOP Wants to Weaken Protections for Kids Fleeing Human Trafficking & Go After DREAMers

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U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

CONGRESSIONAL News:

Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District and first vice chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) joined members of the House Democratic Leadership and CHC at a press conference in the Capitol. 

Luján discussed House Republicans’ attempts to weaken human trafficking laws and DREAMer protections as part of legislation addressing the humanitarian crisis at the border.  Below are his remarks. 

“Yesterday we saw a House Republican conference that was in disarray because Ted Cruz and a Read More

Senators: WIPP’s Missed Inspections ‘Unacceptable’

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced Monday that the Department of Labor has responded to their March request for an explanation detailing why the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) failed to conduct legally required regular safety inspections at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

The senators asked for the information after an investigation into a February truck fire at WIPP revealed that MSHA had done only two inspections during the three years before the accident.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

A specialized Read More

Sen. Al Franken Attends Democratic Campaign Headquarters Opening Event in Santa Fe Saturday

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Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos introduces Sen. Tom Udall to a crowd of several hundred at Saturday’s opening of the Democratic Campaign Headquarters in Santa Fe. Photo by Brad Storey
 
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., addresses the crowd at the opening of Democratic Campaign Headquarters office Saturday in Santa Fe office. Photo by Brad Storey

Sen. Tom Udall speaks to the crowd at Saturday’s event in Santa Fe. Photo by Brad Storey

Sen. Al Franken with Public Education Commission candidate Karyl Ann Armbruster of Los Alamos at the opening of  the Democratic

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Heinrich on CIA’s Redactions in Interrogation Study

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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, issued the following statement on the CIA’s redactions to the executive summary of the Committee’s study of the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program.

“I was disappointed to learn of the CIA’s extensive use of redactions on the Committee’s executive summary. Redactions are supposed to remove names or anything that could compromise sources and methods, not to undermine the source material so that

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Heinrich Votes to Reform VA System

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Sen. Martin Heinrich

U.S. SENATE News:

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. released the following statement Thursday after voting to pass the Conference Report for the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act.

The proposal, cosponsored by Heinrich, will improve veterans’ access to health care services and address serious systemic problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

“I’m pleased we were able to work together and pass a bipartisan compromise that addresses the chronic mismanagement and systemic Read More

Heinrich: It’s Irresponsible To Believe Refugee Crisis Will Fix Itself

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Sen. Martin Heinrich

U.S. SENATE News:

 

 U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., a leading voice in addressing the current Central American refugee crisis on the southern border and staunch advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, voted Thursday in favor of S.2648, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.

 

The bill failed on a procedural vote that would have allowed it to get a final up or down vote. 

“Inaction is not a viable solution to this incredibly serious problem. It is absolutely irresponsible to believe that this humanitarian crisis will Read More

Udall: VA Reform Bill Improves NM Veterans Care

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Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall joined the Senate Thursday in approving a bipartisan measure to reform veterans’ care and begin to restore accountability and transparency at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in New Mexico and across the country.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill, which passed by a vote of 91-3, earlier this week. It now goes to the president, who is expected to sign it into law. 

The bill will address barriers that have led to long wait times for doctors’ appointments by allowing veterans to get care outside the VA Read More

Heinrich On Failure To Pass Bill To Protect Jobs

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Sen. Martin Heinrich

U.S. SENATE News:

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. released the following statement Wednesday after S. 2569, the Bring Jobs Home Act, failed to overcome a procedural hurdle that requires 60 votes, with a vote of 54 to 42.

 The bill, supported by Heinrich, would protect and promote U.S. job growth by ending a tax incentive for moving jobs overseas and creating a new tax incentive for bringing jobs back to the U.S.

“We shouldn’t reward companies that ship jobs overseas with special tax breaks. To most people, that’s just common sense. What we should Read More