Press Releases
Udall Statement on Listing of Lesser Prairie-Chicken as Threatened Species
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) decision to list the lesser prairie-chicken as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. "Private citizens, industry and public land management agencies have put an impressive amount of effort toward a collaborative solution to protecting the lesser prairie-chicken habitat. We all had hoped those strong steps would avoid a listing. But years of severe drought have been hard on ev… Continue Reading
March 27, 2014
Udall, Heinrich, Lujan Grisham Congratulate Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham congratulated the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) in Albuquerque on its recent progress and achievements, and extended their gratitude to SIPI president, Dr. Sherry Allison, the board of regents, and the faculty and staff for their dedication to student success. SIPI is federally operated by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Education. This month, SIPI… Continue Reading
March 25, 2014
Udall, Heinrich: EPA to Deploy Mobile Air Monitors to WIPP
WASHINGTON - U.S Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich today announced that within the next two weeks, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will deploy mobile environmental monitoring units to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, N.M. In a Feb. 27 letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, the senators had asked the EPA to send the additional air monitors to conduct independent tests and help respond to questions that have arisen from the community about safety following … Continue Reading
March 20, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Announce Funds for Economic Development in Eastern New Mexico
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that the Eastern Plains Council of Governments, which serves Curry, De Baca, Guadalupe, Harding, Quay, Roosevelt and Union counties, has been awarded $120,000 in planning investment funding from the Economic Development Administration, to support the development and implementation of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region. A CEDS will help the public and private sectors of the region unite to … Continue Reading
March 20, 2014
Udall Statement on Move to Temporarily Stage Los Alamos TRU Waste at WCS in Texas
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Tom Udall responded to the decision by the Department of Energy (DOE) and its contractor, NWP, to temporarily stage TRU waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) at WCS in Andrews, Texas, while recovery efforts continue at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, N.M. Udall has worked throughout his career for safe cleanup at LANL, and since joining the Senate Appropriations Committee has led the delegation in securing increased funds to ensure nuclear wa… Continue Reading
March 19, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Announce over $300,000 in Funding to Improve Tribal Transit
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that the Pueblos of Isleta, Jemez and Santa Ana have been awarded a total of $307,770 in grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration to improve transit services and connections for tribal members and residents of the surrounding communities. Through a competitive selection process, projects at each Pueblo were chosen to receive funding through the FY 2013 Tribal Transit Program. The Tribal Transit Program author… Continue Reading
March 18, 2014
Udall, Corker Press Department of Veterans Affairs on Delay of Open Air Burn Pit Registry
WASHINGTON - In a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric K. Shinseki today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), a member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations subcommittee, and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pressed the VA for answers regarding its failure to diligently and expeditiously implement the Open Air Burn Pit Registry as mandated under Section 201 of PL 112-260, which Udall and Corker coau… Continue Reading
March 14, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Statement on Department of Energy WIPP Fire Investigation Report
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich issued the following statement on the release of the U.S. Department of Energy's accident investigation report for the underground mine fire involving a salt haul truck at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico. "The findings of the accident investigation board on the February 5th fire at WIPP are deeply concerning. Fortunately, no one was hurt. The community of Carlsbad and the nation expect WIPP to operate with… Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
Udall Tech Transfer Bill Would Help Move Innovation from Labs to the Marketplace, Create Jobs
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall introduced legislation to improve the Department of Energy's (DOE) technology transfer process and help innovators turn research into marketable products and businesses. Udall's Accelerating Technology Transfer to Advance Innovation for the Nation (ATTAIN) Act would help New Mexico entrepreneurs create jobs and revolutionary products. The changes it proposes are critical to helping leverage research at the state's two DOE labs and develop high-tech p… Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
Udall Votes to Improve Early Child Care for New Mexico Families
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall joined the Senate in voting 97-1 to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program. The program, which had not been updated in nearly 20 years, helps New Mexico families obtain safe, reliable and affordable child care while they work, or pursue an education or career training. The bipartisan reauthorization modifies the program based on current research on child development to better align child care health and safety standards w… Continue Reading
March 13, 2014
N.M. Delegation Pushing for Advanced Photonics Manufacturing Consortium to be Designated as a 'Manufacturing Community'
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Reps. Steve Pearce, Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham are advocating for New Mexico Advanced Photonics Manufacturing Consortium in Albuquerque to be recognized by the federal government as a "Manufacturing Community," a designation that could make it eligible for up to $1.3 billion in future federal investment to further economic development strategies. The delegation together wrote a letter in support of an application… Continue Reading
March 12, 2014
Udall Statement on Confirmation of France Cordova of N.M. to Lead NSF
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the confirmation of France Cordova of New Mexico to lead the National Science Foundation: "France Cordova is an internationally recognized astrophysicist with a distinguished career in academia and government service. I look forward to working with her in this position, which plays an important role in New Mexico. As a major source of funding for scientific research, the NSF's mission is to keep the nation at the leading edge… Continue Reading
March 12, 2014
Getting the Most Out of Every Drop
You've probably heard the saying - everyone complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. We know we can't make it rain in New Mexico, but we can improve our response to drought conditions that are stressing our farmers and our community water systems. By taking smart steps, we can save water - and millions of dollars. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I've been working with communities across New Mexico to find ways to improve our infrastructure and increase … Continue Reading
March 11, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Announce Funding For Major Water Projects In New Mexico
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that the Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to fund eight New Mexico water projects they advocated for, bringing over $28 million in funding to New Mexico and ensuring important infrastructure work for the state is added to the Army Corps' 2014 work plan. "As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I've been working to ensure the Army Corps of Engineers understands the importance of these projects, which are critical to pre… Continue Reading
March 11, 2014
Udall: N.M. 'At the Bull's-eye' of Climate Change Crisis; Urges Action in Speech on Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - Early this morning, U.S. Senator Tom Udall joined his colleagues from the Senate Climate Action Task Force for an all-night session urging Congress to take action on climate change. In a speech from the Senate floor, Udall highlighted the impact of climate change in New Mexico and other Southwestern states, which are experiencing one of the longest, most severe droughts in history. "New Mexico and the Southwest are at the bull's-eye when it comes to climate change," Udall said in hi… Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
Udall, Heinrich, Pearce Press Energy Secretary Moniz on Next Steps for WIPP
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce met with Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to discuss the agency's ongoing response to the incident at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, N.M. PHOTO LINK: http://www.tomudall.senate.gov/images/PhotoSecMoniz.jpeg The lawmakers together reiterated the message that it is critical for the DOE to be as open and responsive to the Carlsbad community, where residents understandably are concerned … Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
Udall Welcomes Nomination of Estevan López to Lead the Bureau of Reclamation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall today welcomed news that Estevan R. López has been nominated to serve as Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. López, a native New Mexican and a graduate of New Mexico Tech, is being nominated replace outgoing Commissioner and Las Cruces native Michael Connor. Connor was recently confirmed as Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior. "Estevan López is highly qualified to lead the Bureau of Reclamation. With his experience in… Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
Udall Votes to Support Reform for Victims of Military Sexual Assault
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall delivered the following statement after joining the Senate in voting unanimously to advance the Victims Protection Act of 2014, a bill to improve sexual assault prevention measures and response systems within the armed forces. The final vote is expected next week. Senator Udall also voted for a stronger measure, the Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013, introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), which would have placed authority for pursuing… Continue Reading
March 06, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Welcome Wildfire Funding Reform in President's Budget
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich today applauded the news that President Obama incorporated into his Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal a plan based on a bill they cosponsored to reform federal wildfire policy. The change, which still must be approved by Congress, would fund major wildfires the same as other natural disasters and free up funding to prevent future fires. "Wildfires are as devastating in New Mexico and the rest of the West as hurricanes are on the East and G… Continue Reading
March 05, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Announce $1.7 Million for Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System Project
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that the Bureau of Reclamation will provide $1.7 million for the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System Project. Combined with previously enacted FY 2014 funding, these additional funds bring the total available for the project to over $2.3 million. The funding will be used to continue construction at the Ute Resevoir, which will supply water to the communities of Clovis, Elida, Grady, Melrose, Portales and Texico, and redu… Continue Reading
