Press Releases
Senator Tom Udall’s Legislative Actions to Address the Novel Coronavirus/COVID-19
To download and print this information, please click HERE. Funding - Senator Udall voted to pass H.R. 266, a $484 billion bipartisan COVID-19 response package with key funding for New Mexico and Indian Country, including: - Senator Udall and Senate Democrats fought to increase the amount of loans that small community lenders receive by $120 billion, a key provision that will help finance the loans for many small businesses in New Mexico and Indian Country. - An additional $75 billion for h… Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
Udall, Heinrich Join Call to Strengthen Support for Children of Migrant Workers in the Next COVID-19 Relief Package
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined a bicameral group of 18 Democratic lawmakers in sending a letter to Senate leadership asking for increased funding dedicated to supporting the unique needs of the children of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic as a part of the next congressional relief package. More than 300,000 children relocate throughout the country with their families who are seeking seasonal agricultural work multiple times throug… Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
Udall, Heinrich, Haaland Applaud FCC Telehealth Grant to Improve Remote Medicine Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has awarded $376,621 to the First Choice Community Healthcare (FCCH) South Valley Family Health Commons in Albuquerque through the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. The FCCH South Valley Family Health Commons plans to install network upgrades, telecommunications equipment, and telehealth and business software licenses that wi… Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
Udall, Heinrich Urge ICE And DHS To Immediately Withdraw New Guidance That Threatens International Students With Deportation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined 96 Senate and House Democrats in a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), urging the agencies to withdraw new guidance issued by ICE that imperils the status of international students who would be studying online at U.S. institutions this coming academic year. The guidance threatens international students with deportation if they do not comply w… Continue Reading
July 10, 2020
VIDEO: Udall, HECHO, Community Leaders Push for Full Conservation Funding During Roundtable Discussion on Great American Outdoors Act Benefits for New Mexico
Find the Facebook Live video link here. SANTA FE, N.M.-Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, hosted a virtual roundtable with Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) and small business and community leaders from across New Mexico. During the roundtable, Udall and the panel discussed the Senate passage of the Great American Outdoors Act and how the major public la… Continue Reading
July 09, 2020
Udall Statement on Supreme Court Decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma
SANTA FE, N.M.- U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, released the following statement on the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling inMcGirt v. Oklahoma: "This decision is a landmark victory for Indian Country, upholding the United States' treaty obligations to the Creek Nation of Oklahoma and treaty Tribes across the country. The Supreme Court has affirmed that a promise is a promise: that treaties between the United States and Tribes are the law of th… Continue Reading
July 07, 2020
NM Delegation Applauds $550,000 in Grants to 11 Arts Organizations Across the State
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 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has awarded $550,000 in grant funding to 11 organizations across New Mexico. The grants, part of the $75 million for NEA appropriated through the CARES Act, will be used to support staff salaries, fees for artists or contractual personnel, and facilities cost… Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
In Indian Affairs Hearing, Udall Scrutinizes Barriers Impacting COVID-19 Response in Native Communities
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, joined U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, to convene an oversight and legislative hearing entitled "Evaluating the Response and Mitigation to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Native Communities." "Over the last several months, our nation has faced a convergence of major and seemingly unprecedented challenges: a global pandemic, an economi… Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Udall, Leahy Lead Amendment Requiring Trump Organization Disclose Income and Licensing Agreements for Its Foreign Properties
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) are leading a new proposed amendment to the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to require President Trump and the Trump Organization to disclose full financial information, including the total income earned by the Trump Organization from any licensing agreements, for foreign properties owned by President Trump's family business. In addition to Udall and Leahy, the amendment is co-sponsored by U.S. Se… Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Udall, Murray, Pallone, Grijalva, Gallego Raise Concerns about Tribes Being Denied Access to Critical Federal COVID-19 Data
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and U.S. Representatives Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Ruben Gallego (D- Ariz.), Chair of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee for Indigenous Peop… Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Klobuchar, Udall, Colleagues, Urge Department of Justice to Address Mass Closure of Polling Locations in Tribal Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections, and Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, led a letter with Senate colleagues to Attorney General Barr expressing serious concern regarding the mass closures of polling locations in Tribal communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senators are asking for a commitment from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to wor… Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Udall, Heinrich Join All Senate Democrats in Telling Trump Administration: Don’t Repeal Affordable Care Act During Public Health Crisis
WASHINGTON -U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined all Senate Democrats in introducing a Senate resolution condemning the Trump administration's "reckless" effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) just last week filed a Supreme Court brief arguing the entire law should be struck down. The resolution demands that the DOJ defend the lifesaving law in court. If the ACA is repea… Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Following Trump’s National Guard Deployment to D.C. During Largely Peaceful Protests, Udall Introduces Amendment to Block Presidents from Using National Guard Troops as a Domestic Police Force
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to restore the long-standing American principle of "posse comitatus" - the principle that the federal government cannot deploy troops to act as a domestic police force absent explicit authorization by Congress. The Udall amendment follows President Trump's deployment of thousands of National Guard troops from other states into Washington, D.C. to respond to overwhelmingly… Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
VIDEO: Sens. Udall and Smith Speak Out on Senate Floor Calling on Senate to Immediately Provide Additional COVID-19 Relief for Tribes
VIDEO LINK, Sen. Udall: https://youtu.be/1du5efb_rHI VIDEO LINK, Sen. Smith: https://smithsenate.app.box.com/s/whi3jxtm8c85i4f7bhw7vkz1dbhpy9lv WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) spoke on the Senate floor about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on American Indian and Alaska Native communities in the United States, and called for immediate Senate action on additional COVID-19 re… Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
As Trump Admin. Continues Saber-Rattling, Udall Re-introduces Amendment to Prevent Unconstitutional War with Iran
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), a senior member of the Senator Foreign Relations Committee, introduced an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prohibit any war with Iran that is not authorized by Congress. A bipartisan majority of the Senate supported Udall's amendment during consideration of the 2020 NDAA last year, but it did not clear the 60-vote threshold to advance instituted by the Republican Majority Leader. In March of this year, Co… Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
NM Delegation Applauds Nearly $800,000 in Grants to Cultural Organizations Across the State
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) applauded nearly $800,000 in grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to cultural and historical organizations across the state. The grants represent the second wave of funds from $75 million in supplemental NEH funding as part of the emergency $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Response, and E… Continue Reading
June 30, 2020
Udall Statement on Passing of Author Rudolfo Anaya
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) released the following statement on the passing of Rudolfo Anaya, pioneering Chicano author and recipient of the National Humanities Medal: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Rudolfo Anaya, a true American treasure," Udall said. "Great authors and great literature inspire empathy-empathy with their characters and diverse experiences. Rudolfo Anaya helped render and share Chicano experiences in New Mexico with works like Bless Me Ultima. Th… Continue Reading
June 30, 2020
Udall: 30 by 30 National Conservation Goal a Part of House Climate Action Plan
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) applauded the inclusion of the national conservation goal, his 30 by 30 Resolution to Save Nature, in the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis' Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America. On Sunday, Udall authored an op-ed in the Denver Post with Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), calling on the Senate to take action on the 30 by 30 Resolution. U.S. Representative Deb Haaland (D-N.M.… Continue Reading
June 30, 2020
Udall, Heinrich Announce Over $41 Million in 2020 PILT Payments for 32 NM Counties
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced that 32 counties across New Mexico will receive $41,357,054 through the Department of Interior's (DOI) Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. The PILT funding will be used by local governments across New Mexico to provide crucial services to residents, such aspublic safety, fire protection, emergency response, road maintenance, and more. A full list of funding by county is available below. PILT provides fede… Continue Reading
June 30, 2020
Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act Highlighted in House Democrats’ Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), announced that their landmark legislation, the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, is highlighted in the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis's Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America. The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis was created by Speaker Pelosi at the outset of the 116th session of Congress to make science-ba… Continue Reading
