Press Releases
Four Years After Paris Climate Accords, Udall Joins Shaheen, Bipartisan Group of Senators in Voicing Support for Global Efforts to Combat Climate Change
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and a group of bipartisan senators in a letter to Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in support of the organization's global efforts to mitigate climate change. The 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) is currently convening a meeting on the historic Paris Climate Agreement in Madrid. Earlier this week, Udall joined … Continue Reading
December 12, 2019
VIDEO: Following Release of Afghanistan Papers, Udall Appeals to the Senate to Reassert its Constitutional Authority over Authorizing War
Says 2020 National Defense Authorization Act is a "missed opportunity" to prevent unauthorized war with Iran and end U.S. participation in Saudi campaign in Yemen - actions supported by bipartisan majorities of both houses of Congress VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/VAXgltjR2Oo WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D- N.M.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor imploring his colleagues to heed the lessons and failures of 18 years of U.S. forces in A… Continue Reading
December 12, 2019
Udall, Senators Urge Stronger Methane Limits in Senate Pipeline Legislation
Unchecked leaks in natural gas pipelines release 1.3 million metric tons of methane - a potent greenhouse gas WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) pushed to amend legislation pending in the Senate to include strong provisions to prevent dangerous methane leaks that worsen climate change. The PIPES Act, which was reported out… Continue Reading
December 11, 2019
Udall, Indian Affairs Committee Advance Udall’s Legislation Supporting Tribal Public Safety and Health Care for Native Veterans
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, joined Committee Chairman John Hoeven (R-N.D.) in leading a business meeting to consider two bills, the Udall-sponsored BADGES for Native Communities Act and the Udall-sponsored Health Care Access for Urban Native Veterans Act of 2019. Both bills passed the committee unanimously. "Both of my bills considered and approved by the committee today put forward common sense solutions that add… Continue Reading
December 11, 2019
NM Delegation’s PFAS Legislation Included in National Defense Bill
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) announced that the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes the New Mexico delegation's bill, H.R. 1567 or the PFAS Damages Act, to provide relief to communities and businesses impacted by PFAS contamination in groundwater around Air Force bases in New Mexico and across the country, includ… Continue Reading
December 11, 2019
Udall Votes No on Turkey Sanctions Bill
Seeks amendment to ensure President Trump divests from Turkey to eliminate conflict of interest WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on his decision to vote against advancing S. 2641, a bill to impose U.S. sanctions on Turkey, which was reported out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier today: "While sanctions certainly can be an important tool, they are not the only tool that we have at our disposal to conduct foreign policy - but too… Continue Reading
December 11, 2019
Udall Statement on Federal Court Blocking President’s Unlawful National Emergency Raid for Border Wall
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after a federal court in Texas issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration's use of the National Emergencies Act to raid funds from Department of Defense (DOD) military construction accounts to pay for the president's border wall. Udall is the lead sponsor of the bipartisan resolution, which has twice passed the Senate, to terminate the president's national emergency declaration, which the pre… Continue Reading
December 10, 2019
AUDIO: On ‘Tuesdays with Tom,’ Udall Calls for Senate Action on New Mexico Priorities
AUDIO: Udall Holds Press Conference Call to Urge Senate Republican Action on New Mexico Priorities WASHINGTON -Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) held a press conference call for local reporters to call on the Republican Senate Majority to act on urgent priorities for New Mexico and the country. The House of Representatives has passed more than 275 bills since January, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has blocked the Senate from taking action on critical legislation to benefit Ne… Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
VIDEO & PHOTOS: Udall Delivers Remarks at U.S. Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony
VIDEO LINK PHOTOS LINK WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) delivered remarks at the official lighting ceremony for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. This year's Capitol Christmas Tree, also known as the 'People's Tree,' is a 60-foot blue spruce from Carson National Forest in New Mexico. The People's Tree is adorned with over 10,000 ornaments handcrafted by New Mexican schoolchildren and community members to reflect the state's culture, history, landscapes, and wildlife. "New Me… Continue Reading
December 04, 2019
Amid E-Cigarette Public Health Crisis, Udall and Senators Slam Trump Administration’s Reversal on Strong Tobacco Regulation
WASHINGTON - Amid a national public health crisis, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined 22 Senate Democrats to call out the Trump administration's recent flip-flop to abandon a critical pledge to clear the market of unauthorized, flavored e-cigarettes. Despite President Trump's public commitment to pull any unapproved, non-tobacco flavored products from the market in September amid epidemic usage rates by youth and ongoing instances nationwide of severe lung disease, the Trump administration … Continue Reading
December 03, 2019
NM Delegation Applauds Economic Development Grant to Help Northwest New Mexico
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments (NWNMCOG) a $988,400 grant to expand its current efforts to diversify the economy in Cibola, McKinley, and San Juan Counties. The EDA grant adds to $540,000 in state in… Continue Reading
December 03, 2019
NM Delegation Highlights Seven Department of Justice Grants to Strengthen Public Safety and Public Health
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) andXochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) announced the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded seven public safety grants to the City of Albuquerque, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, and Bernalillo, Dona Ana and Sierra counties. Two grants will fund Albuquerque's initiative to investigate sexual assault cold cases and reduce the backlog in Se… Continue Reading
December 02, 2019
Udall, Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Stop Cyber Grinches from Ruining Holidays
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), announced the introduction of the Stopping Grinch BOTS Act, legislation that will crack down on the use of digital "bot" technology being used to buy up large batches of trending holiday toys in order to resell them at grossly inflated prices. These third-party sellers are using these automated tools to manipulat… Continue Reading
November 26, 2019
Udall Joins Bipartisan Resolution to Advance Equal Rights Amendment
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined 19 of his Senate colleagues on a bipartisan resolution to advance the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a proposed Constitutional amendment to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex. The bipartisan resolution Udall is supporting would remove a 1982 deadline for ratification of the ERA, thereby paving the way for full and equal protections for women under the Constitution. Thirty-seven states have already ratified the ERA, just one short of the 3… Continue Reading
November 22, 2019
Udall Statement on DOJ Announcement of ‘National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Native Americans’
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, issued the following statement on the Department of Justice (DOJ) announcement of a "National Strategy to Address Missing and Murdered Native Americans," which takes much of its framework from the Udall-co-sponsored Savanna's Act that advanced to the Senate floor after passing the Indian Affairs Committee this week: "The Department of Justice's announcement is welcome, but long overdue.… Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
VIDEO: Udall Advocates for Native Veterans in Indian Affairs Hearing
VIDEO LINK: https://www.indian.senate.gov/hearing/oversight-hearing-recognizing-sacrifice-honoring-nation-s-promise-native-veterans[Udall's opening statement and questioning begins at 40:30] WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, joined committee chairman U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) to convene an oversight hearing entitled, "Recognizing the Sacrifice: Honoring a Nation's Promise to Native Veterans." "American Indians, Alaska… Continue Reading
November 20, 2019
Udall, Heinrich Urge Increase in Funding for Election Security Grants to Protect New Mexico Elections
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with 37 of their colleagues, wrote a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees urging an increase in funding for election security grants and the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 to help secure upcoming elections in New Mexico and across the country. Established by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), the EAC is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring … Continue Reading
November 20, 2019
Udall, Indian Affairs Committee Advance Legislation to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis
WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement after the committee's action to approve two bills to combat the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW). The two bills, Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act of 2019, passed the committee in a roll call vote of 12-1, with one absence. "The missing and murdered Indigenous women crisis is appalling and demands the attention of Congress and… Continue Reading
November 20, 2019
VIDEO: Udall Champions Legislation to Stop Drunk Driving, Pushes Top Safety Officials to Protect Public in Autonomous Vehicle Technology Deployment
VIDEO LINK: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2019/11/committee-announces-hearing-on-automated-vehicles [Udall begins at the 1:18:40 mark] WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) pushed the nation's top highway safety officials to improve transportation safety in a Senate Commerce Committee Hearing entitled "Highly Automated Vehicles: Federal Perspectives on the Deployment of Safety Technology." Udall advocated for his legislation, the RIDE Act, to stop drunk driving with in-car techn… Continue Reading
November 19, 2019
Udall Applauds Committee Passage of Legislation to Provide Full, Mandatory Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) released the following statement applauding the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for its bipartisan action approving legislation to provide permanent, dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): "It's clear that there is bipartisan momentum in Congress behind fully and permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, our nation's most successful conservation program," Udall said. "LWCF is cri… Continue Reading
