Press Releases
Udall Highlights 2019 Legislative Accomplishments for Indian Country
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released a summary of his Indian Affairs 2019 legislative accomplishments, including 12 Indian Affairs Committee bills passing the Senate and six becoming law, such as the Udall-authored Esther Martinez Native Languages Revitalization Act. "The federal government has a solemn trust responsibility to Tribes, and in 2019, we worked diligently to live up to that responsibility to achieve Indian C… Continue Reading
January 16, 2020
NM Delegation Recognizes Sandia Contributions to State Economy, Employment
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.), commended findings from a 2019 economic-impact analysis released Wednesday, which found that Sandia National Laboratories is responsible for creating 1,100 new jobs while contributing $509 million to New Mexico businesses and $96.6 million in state gross receipt tax revenue. The Economic Impact report also foun… Continue Reading
January 16, 2020
Udall, Heinrich Praise Incorporation of Sulphur Springs into Valles Caldera National Preserve
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) welcomed the acquisition of the Sulphur Springs property into the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The property contains unique volcanic features such as steaming mud-pots, volcanic fumaroles, and sulphuric-acid hot springs that are rarely found across the world. "Valles Caldera is an awe-inspiring example of our treasured public lands and an iconic part of New Mexico's unique landscape," Udall said. "I am grateful for t… Continue Reading
January 16, 2020
Udall Votes for Updated US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) voted to pass legislation to implement the new NAFTA, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. He issued the following statement: "I am glad that Democrats have included significant improvements for workers to the weaker agreement that was negotiated by the Trump administration, and I hope today's vote will put President Trump's chaotic and harmful trade policies behind us-at least when it comes to our southern border. New Mexico's growing bor… Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
Udall, Lead Democrats Speak Out on Reports that Trump Plans to Raid an Additional $7.2 billion in Pentagon Funds for the Border Wall
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patrick Leahy, Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed, and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Vice Chair and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, in denouncing the Trump administration's reported plan to raid an addition $7.2 billion in Pentagon funding for border wall construction this year. In doing so, the president is again abusing the National Emergencies Act in an unpr… Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
AUDIO: Ten Years After Disastrous Citizens United Ruling, Udall Joins Senators and Advocacy Groups to Discuss Key Democracy Reform Bills
AUDIO LINK: https://www.tomudall.senate.gov/imo/media/audio/01152020CUTelepresser.wav WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), along with national pro-democracy organizations People For the American Way, Public Citizen, End Citizens United Action Fund, Democracy 21, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, US PIRG, and Common Cause to highlight the continuing harm caused by the 10-year-old Citizens United ru… Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
NM Delegation Requests Department of Defense Use New Authority to Reimburse NM Communities Affected by PFAS, Purchase Land, and Provide Clean-Up Solutions, Water Filtration
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.)wrote a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper requesting that the Department of Defense's (DoD) release a plan for next steps to ensure New Mexican communities and dairy farms in close proximity to Cannon Air Force Base receive access to a clean water supply and a reimbursement of incurred filtration expenses. The del… Continue Reading
January 15, 2020
Udall Joins Senate Democrats to Support Disaster Recovery Funds for Puerto Rico Following Devastating Earthquakes
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined 33 Senate Democrats in a letter to President Trump requesting the administration issue a major disaster declaration in Puerto Rico after the island suffered widespread damage from a 6.4-magnitude earthquake on January 7. The senators' request carries particular urgency given the Trump administration's failure to release $8.3 billion in congressionally-appropriated disaster recovery funds following the devastation the island suffered after Hurric… Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Udall, Democratic Colleagues Condemn Trump Administration’s Reversal on E-Cigarette Flavor Ban, Call for Action to Prevent New Generation of Nicotine Addiction
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and 29 Senate colleagues sent a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn, condemning the Trump administration's decision to allow e-cigarette companies to continue selling flavored products instead of prioritizing the health and safety of American youth. The Trump Administration reversed course from a September 2019 announcement that the FDA would pull any unapproved, no… Continue Reading
January 14, 2020
Udall, Heinrich, Luján Announce $850,000 in Grants to GallupARTS and Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), announced that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded $100,000 to gallupARTS to support a digital project to increase public engagement and $750,000 to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum for a grant-matching fund to encourage private support for a humanities project. These grants will support New Mexico's creative economy. "New Mexico's uni… Continue Reading
January 13, 2020
Udall Applauds House Passage of PFAS Action Act
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) released the following statement on last week's House passage of the PFAS Action Act: "The House vote to pass the PFAS Action Act brings communities in New Mexico and across the country one step closer to the relief they long have deserved. While federal agencies drag their feet - families, business owners, farmers, servicemembers and communities continue to suffer from exposure to these hazardous chemicals. The evidence is clear that these c… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Udall Hails House Vote to Halt March to War With Iran
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and author of the bipartisan Senate bill The Prevention of War with Iran Act introduced in 2018 and 2019, issued the following statement after the House voted to adopt a War Powers Act resolution to terminate the use of U.S. military force in hostilities against Iran. Udall is a co-sponsor of a similar Senate resolution (S.J.Res.63) in response to the latest escalation barring the use of force aga… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Udall, Heinrich, Torres Small Laud LWCF Park Funding For Las Cruces
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Representative Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.), are lauding a grant award of $750,000 to the City of Las Cruces to renovate Apodaca Park. The funding was made available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that the lawmakers helped secure permanent authorization for in 2019. The National Park Service's grant will allow Las Cruces to continue renovation plans for Apodaca Park to add new featur… Continue Reading
January 09, 2020
Udall Statement on the Trump Administration’s Attempt to Gut Another Landmark Environmental Law
Rollback also would eliminate NEPA public health and community input protections for major mining, pipeline, logging and other projects Udall: 'This move to gut NEPA is a new low for the worst environmental administration in history' WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) released the following statement after the Trump administration decided to undermine the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) by limiting the consideration of climate change impacts of new federal project… Continue Reading
January 08, 2020
VIDEO: Following Congressional Briefing on Iran, Udall Urges Senate to Halt the March to War
Calling the echoes of Iraq war "chilling," Udall urges de-escalation, diplomacy VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTtMreidu9w&feature=youtu.be WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D- N.M.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and author of the bipartisan bill The Prevention of Unconstitutional War With Iran Act, spoke on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to halt the march to an unauthorized war with Iran and reassert congressional war powers. Udall is … Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Udall, Paul Call for Vote on Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Unconstitutional War with Iran
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) sent a letter to their Senate colleagues requesting them to support their bipartisan bill, The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019, and calling for a Senate vote on this important bipartisan legislation. The bill currently has 27 co-sponsors in the Senate. Udall and Paul originally introduced The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act in September of 2018, and then again in April 2019 as S.1… Continue Reading
January 07, 2020
Udall Joins War Powers Resolution to Prevent Unauthorized War with Iran
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) officially signed on as a cosponsor to a war powers resolution (S. Res. 63) to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran, introduced on Friday by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.). Udall is the author of the bipartisan Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act, first introduced in 2018 and then again in 2019, a bill to prohibit the United States from expending funds which could lead to war with Iran without express approval from … Continue Reading
January 06, 2020
Udall Statement on Passing of Mayor Esther Garcia
WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) released the following statement on the passing of former Village of Questa Mayor Esther Garcia: "Jill and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend, former Village of Questa Mayor Esther Garcia. Esther was a tireless champion for the people of Northern New Mexico and played a key role in protecting the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, Columbine Hondo Wilderness, land grants, acequias and other treasures in our state. We join her… Continue Reading
January 02, 2020
Udall Statement on U.S. Strikes on Iranian Military Officials in Iraq
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and author of a bipartisan amendment to prevent an unauthorized war with Iran, issued the following statement after U.S. air strikes killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and other Iranian military officials: "President Trump is bringing our nation to the brink of an illegal war with Iran without any congressional approval as required under the Constitution of the United States. Such a reckles… Continue Reading
December 31, 2019
Udall Statement on Escalation in Iraq
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after Iranian-backed protestors attacked the U.S. embassy in Iraq following U.S. air strikes: "The predictable result of the Trump administration's reckless bluster, escalation and miscalculation in the Middle East is that we are now hurtling closer to an unauthorized war with Iran that the American people do not support. I am hoping and praying the dangerous situatio… Continue Reading
