Press Releases
The Military Retirement Restoration Act
I'm glad to return to Washington to work for New Mexicans. We're starting the year with a bipartisan budget and the hope that we can come together to meet the challenges before us. The budget deal is important to New Mexico because it replaces the across-the-board sequestration cuts -- which would have been disastrous to our military bases, labs, and other federal installations -- with smarter alternatives that will help our small businesses expand, create jobs, and support our military. However… Continue Reading
January 06, 2014
Udall Praises Confirmation of Janet Yellen
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall joined the Senate in confirming Janet Yellen to serve as Chairwoman of the Federal Reserve. He issued the following statement: "Today's vote was a historic moment for the Federal Reserve and for our nation. I look forward to seeing Dr. Yellen become the first woman to lead the Federal Reserve Board. As Vice Chair of the Fed, Dr. Yellen has proven herself to be a thoughtful and extremely effective leader. I look forward to her experienced hand and stron… Continue Reading
December 23, 2013
Senators: Congress Should Honor Commitment to Rural Communities Through PILT Funding
WASHINGTON - Where there's federal land, rural and local communities must provide government services despite being unable to obtain property tax revenue from land owned by the federal government. To offset this loss in revenue, Congress should continue annually appropriating Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funds to offset the cost of providing services related to public safety, housing, social services, transportation and the environment. That was the message of U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.)… Continue Reading
December 20, 2013
Tom Udall Releases New Episode of 'The Udall Update' Television Show
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall released a new episode of "The Udall Update," a public access television program that provides the public an inside look at what's happening in the U.S. Senate and how it impacts life in New Mexico. The 30-minute episode, which airs on Sen. Udall's YouTube channel and on public access TV throughout the state, includes interviews, in-depth stories and feature segments about the work he is doing in Washington on behalf of New Mexicans. Viewers in Albuquerq… Continue Reading
December 20, 2013
Udall-Sponsored N.M. Priorities Included in Major Defense Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall last night joined the Senate in overwhelmingly approving a major defense bill by a vote of 84-15. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes provisions that will support jobs and strengthen New Mexico's military bases, small businesses and federal defense installations, including Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The NDAA is critical legislation, which sets the fiscal year 2014… Continue Reading
December 19, 2013
New Mexico Lawmakers Applaud New Mexico Supreme Court Decision on Marriage Equality
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham applauded a decision by the New Mexico Supreme Court that affirms marriage equality in the State of New Mexico. "We hold that the State of New Mexico is constitutionally required to allow same-gender couples to marry and must extend to them the rights, protections, and responsibilities that derive from civil marriage under New Mexico law," wrote Justice Edward Chávez in a un… Continue Reading
December 18, 2013
Udall Joins Senate in Approving Budget that Reduces Sequestration Cuts, Offers Relief to N.M.
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall joined the full Senate in voting for the bipartisan budget agreement, which was approved by a vote of 64-36. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly last week by a bipartisan vote of 332-94. Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has been fighting for budget certainty and an end to the devastating sequestration cuts, which have disproportionately hurt New Mexico. He issued the following statement: "While the bu… Continue Reading
December 18, 2013
Udall Backs Plan to Undo Military Retiree COLA Changes in Budget Agreement
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall announced that he has cosponsored the Military Retirement Restoration Act to safeguard military retirees from a proposed 1 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) cut for working-age military retirees. This change was included in the bipartisan budget agreement the Senate is expected to clear this week. The legislation would replace the $6 billion in total expected cuts to working-age military retirees' COLAs with an estimated $6.6 billion raised by el… Continue Reading
December 17, 2013
The Udall Update
As we close out the year, I'm proud to release a new episode of the "The Udall Update," a public access television program that provides you with an inside look at what's happening in the U.S. Senate and how it impacts life in New Mexico. The episode includes interviews, in-depth stories and feature segments about the work I am doing in Washington on behalf of New Mexicans. If you live in Albuquerque, Carlsbad, Las Cruces, Los Alamos, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe and Silver City you can watch "The Udall… Continue Reading
December 17, 2013
Udall, Moran Urge Overhaul of Federal IT Oversight to Save Taxpayers Billions of Dollars
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), both members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill that would require the first major overhaul of the government information technology (IT) procurement process in over a decade. The senators urged quick action on IT reform, announcing their bill as President Obama met with executives from tech firms to discuss ways to improve the functioning of the health care website, HealthCare.gov. The… Continue Reading
December 17, 2013
Udall, Rubio Introduce Bill to Promote Historic Preservation Education at Hispanic-Serving Institutions
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill that would give Hispanic-serving colleges and universities increased access to a grant program designed to encourage more students to pursue historic and cultural preservation. The program is similar to one already available to historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges, and nontribal colleges with a high enrollment of Native Americans or Native Hawaiians. The Preservation Research a… Continue Reading
December 16, 2013
Udall Statement on District Court Ruling on NSA Phone Surveillance Program
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall responded to the D.C. District Court ruling regarding the National Security Agency's phone surveillance program. Udall has long pushed for reforms that would balance national security with Americans' constitutional rights, including the USA FREEDOM Act to end the bulk collection of phone records, and two bills to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courts. He has also led a bipartisan push to ask for an independent investigation of t… Continue Reading
December 12, 2013
Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks
Today I'm proud to introduce legislation to preserve some of our state's most iconic landscapes, while boosting the region's tourism and outdoor economy, creating jobs and improving hunting and hiking opportunities. Our Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act would designate the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument on 498,815 acres to conserve to conserve and protect scenic, recreational and culturally significant land. Designating a national monument would put the Organ Mountain… Continue Reading
December 12, 2013
Udall, Heinrich Introduce Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich introduced legislation to preserve some of Doña Ana County's most iconic landscapes, while boosting the region's tourism and outdoor economy, creating jobs and improving hunting and hiking opportunities. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act would designate the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument to conserve, protect and enhance scenic, recreational and culturally significant land. The new monument wo… Continue Reading
December 12, 2013
Udall-Heinrich Provision to Expand White Sands Included in Defense Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich today made the following statements in response to a provision included in the compromise language of the fiscal year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released yesterday. The provision is part of a bill the New Mexico senators introduced earlier this year, which passed the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to strengthen the missions at White Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss. "White Sands Missile Ran… Continue Reading
December 10, 2013
Winter Photo Contest Results
[<a href="//storify.com/SenatorTomUdall/winterphotocontest" mce_href="//storify.com/SenatorTomUdall/winterphotocontest" target="_blank">View the story "#ShowcaseNM Photo Contest - Winter 2014" on Storify</a>]… Continue Reading
December 10, 2013
Udall: Filibuster Rule Change Reducing Senate Gridlock
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall praised the confirmation of Patricia Millett to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She is the first nominee to be confirmed by the Senate since changing its rules to prohibit filibusters of executive branch and judicial nominees, other than those to the U.S. Supreme Court. Since 2009, Udall has led the fight in the Senate to cut through gridlock, and he said Millett's confirmation by a vote of 56-38 is evidence that… Continue Reading
December 09, 2013
Additional Women's Career Success Conference on Thursday
Last month, I was pleased to host the Women's Career Success Conference to help women in New Mexico advance their careers. Because of the overwhelming response from you, I'm hosting another conference on Thursday, December 12, at CNM's Workforce Training Center in Albuquerque. Limited space is still available, so I invite you to register today at tomudall.senate.gov/womenssuccess or by calling my Albuquerque office at (505) 346-6791. If you are a woman in New Mexico and you haven't attended a pr… Continue Reading
December 05, 2013
Udall Statement Honoring the Life of Nelson Mandela
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, issued the following statement on the death of former South African President Nelson Mandela: "I'm deeply saddened to hear of Nelson Mandela's passing. His inspiring personal fight to overcome oppression and his lifetime of crusading for justice transformed a nation and changed the world for the better. He taught that freedom and peace are best achieved through education and respect for everyone i… Continue Reading
December 05, 2013
Udall to Host Additional Women's Career Success Conference in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Office of U.S. Senator Tom Udall and Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) is hosting an additional Women's Career Success Conference at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12. The Women's Career Success Conference will bring together businesses, nonprofit organizations and federal agency officials to help women in New Mexico learn how to enhance their careers and increase their competitiveness in the job market. Space is limited, so women interested in attending are asked to … Continue Reading
