Press Releases
Udall Statement on Senate Vote on Student Loan Rates
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after voting against a measure that would allow interest rates on federal undergraduate subsidized Stafford Loans to rise to as high as 8.25 percent: "After listening to this debate and weighing both sides, I couldn't endorse this bill. I can't support any measure that balances the budget on the backs of college students. The ability to get a college degree is too important for our students' future - and for our country… Continue Reading
July 24, 2013
Udall Highlights N.M. Success Using Brownfields Program to Revitalize Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health, today led a hearing examining how a toxic site cleanup program overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has helped revitalize communities in New Mexico and across the country. Since 2002, the EPA's brownfields program has enabled communities in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and elsewhere to clean up and repurpose formerly polluted land, a… Continue Reading
July 24, 2013
Udall, Heinrich, Luján Announce Housing Privatization Project at Cannon AFB
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján announced today that the Air Force will award a project to Balfour Beatty Communities (BBC) to privatize the military family housing at Cannon Air Force Base (AFB) as part of the six-base Northern Group housing privatization project. The Air Force intends to close the deal on August 1, 2013. At Cannon AFB, the Air Force will convey 763 homes to BBC and lease the underlying land of 368 acres for… Continue Reading
July 24, 2013
Udall: We Need a Functioning FEC to Reform our Campaign Finance System
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) called for a functioning Federal Election Commission (FEC) to enforce federal campaign finance laws. His remarks came during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Rules & Administration to consider President Obama's nominees to serve on the FEC. "As you know, I am a strong supporter of reforming our campaign finance system. I believe one important step is to have a functioning FEC, where all six seats are filled with commissioners in terms th… Continue Reading
July 23, 2013
Veterans: Help Create the Burn Pits Registry
Earlier this year President Obama signed into law a bill I wrote to create a registry of military service members and veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals and fumes from open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have been working closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make sure it has the registry up and running quickly, and to ensure it meets the needs of our veterans. The VA is currently seeking input from veterans about a Web-based questionnaire that will be … Continue Reading
July 22, 2013
Udall, Corker: End Unnecessary & Dangerous Use of Burn Pits in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) announced they have sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel asking for immediate action to halt the use of open-air burn pits at two camp sites supporting Operating Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Their letter follows reports by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) that found the burn pits were utilized without need and at great danger to the health of U.S. military an… Continue Reading
July 18, 2013
Udall Advances 2 Bills to Support N.M. Small Businesses
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today announced two bills to help New Mexico small businesses grow in the tough economy and continue to create jobs. The bills, the Helping Our Middle Class Entrepreneurs (HOME) Act and the Expanding Opportunities for Main Street Act, are the result of Udall's conversations with small business owners across New Mexico about ways the federal government can streamline contracting and reduce unnecessary red tape. Udall's announcement comes a day after h… Continue Reading
July 17, 2013
New Mexico Chamber Leaders Join Udall for Economic Development Meeting on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) hosted two New Mexico chamber of commerce leaders on Capitol Hill for a discussion on job creation and economic recovery. Alex O. Romero, President and CEO, Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, and Laura E. Sanchez, CEO, New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, joined Udall for a meeting in the U.S. Capitol before the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee. The goal of the discussion was to highlight how the federal government and local c… Continue Reading
July 17, 2013
Udall and Heinrich Call for Investigation of Allegations that "Debt Relief" Firms are Exploiting Students
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich have called on federal officials to investigate allegations that so-called "debt relief" companies have been using deceptive practices to profit from students seeking assistance in repaying their college loans. The federal government provides tools to help students manage their college loans free of charge, but a new National Consumer Law Center report revealed that private companies are taking advantage of students by charging them up to … Continue Reading
July 16, 2013
Udall Statement on Agreement to Vote on Presidential Appointments
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans agreed to end their filibusters of several presidential appointees for key positions protecting consumers and working families: "The agreement to confirm nominees for the slate of presidentially appointed positions before us today is a very positive breakthrough. Their confirmation is good news for consumers and the health and well-being of families across the country, and I want to thank S… Continue Reading
July 15, 2013
Udall Calls for Reform to Fix Broken Senate
WASHINGTON - Today, following a rare meeting of Republicans and Democrats to discuss how to end unprecedented obstruction, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) said he was hopeful that the Senate would move forward to confirm several nominees for key administration positions. But he added that "obstruct and delay" has become the norm, and said a permanent change in the Senate rules must be made so the Senate can get work done for the American people. Since 2009, Udall has called on the Senate to ref… Continue Reading
July 15, 2013
Udall Urges Congress not to Move Forward on Farm Bill that Eliminates Nutrition Programs
WASHINGTON - After the U.S. House of Representatives voted late last week to cut nutrition programs, including food stamps, from its version of the Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Tom Udall called on Senate leadership to keep the Farm Bill whole and oppose any efforts that would undermine New Mexico's farmers and hungry families. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Udall joined with 16 other colleagues to oppose the House's unprecedented legislative maneuver. He said the move disrupts a de… Continue Reading
July 12, 2013
Udall: $1.9 Million in Grant Funding for Homeless Veterans
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, announced that three New Mexico nonprofit organizations will receive a combined $1.9 million in grant funding to provide services to veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Goodwill Industries of New Mexico will receive $1,085,481 to serve veterans in 26 counties throughout the state, including the tribal lands of Cochiti, Isleta, … Continue Reading
July 12, 2013
Tom's Travels in Eastern New Mexico
During the Fourth of July work period, I was glad to travel through eastern New Mexico and talk with local leaders, farmers and ranchers and small business owners about how I can work with them as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to help them boost the economy and create jobs in our rural communities. From Tucumcari to Raton, I heard about the incredible need for affordable housing and community development projects, the serious situations our farmers and ranchers are facing durin… Continue Reading
July 11, 2013
Udall Statement in Memory of Gov. David Cargo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today issued the following statement, which will also be read at the memorial service for former Gov. David Cargo. "Dave Cargo holds a special place in the annals of our state and in our hearts. He was much more than New Mexico's youngest governor. He led our state with uncommon gifts. Dave had a compassion for people that knew no bounds. He was bold. He was visionary. And he was always willing to reach across the aisle. He governed our state during a … Continue Reading
July 11, 2013
Udall Statement on Historic Gridlock in Washington
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) issued the following statement on the need to end gridlock in Washington: "I have said for a long time: the Senate is a graveyard for good ideas. Gridlock, hyper-partisanship, delay, obstruction - it all adds up to one thing: broken. I have been calling for changes in the Senate rules since I was elected to the Senate - for a simple reason: the Senate is not serving the American people. It's not serving the people of my home state of New Mexico. "What … Continue Reading
July 10, 2013
Udall Announces Grant Program to Improve Highly Rural Vets Transportation
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is launching a new initiative that supports innovative transportation services for veterans living in highly rural areas. Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) and State Veterans Service Agencies can now apply for grants up to $50,000 to provide transportation options for rural veterans to VA medical centers and other facilities that administer VA care. If specified in the application, the servic… Continue Reading
July 10, 2013
Udall: $2.2 Million to Increase NM's Health Insurance Enrollment
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today announced that 15 community health centers across New Mexico will receive over $2.2 million in grants to help enroll uninsured individuals into new affordable health coverage options that will go into effect on October 1, 2013. Currently, approximately 20 percent of New Mexico residents are uninsured. The awards are issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and will allow t… Continue Reading
July 10, 2013
Udall Urges Senate to Act to Keep Student Loan Rates Low
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today expressed disappointment that the Senate again failed to act to prevent interest rates from increasing on loans for college students in New Mexico and across the country. Last month, because of gridlock in the Senate, Congress failed to prevent a temporary agreement from expiring, causing interest rates on new federal subsidized Stafford loans for undergraduates to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Today, the Senate considered legislation… Continue Reading
July 03, 2013
Tom Udall's Statement on the Passing of Randy Udall
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the death of his cousin, James "Randy" Udall: "My family and I are moved by the overwhelming support and condolences for my cousin Randy Udall. He was an extraordinary person who touched so many lives with his spirit, his intelligence and his example. His death is a tremendous loss, and we will miss him more than I can express. There was no one like him. "Randy and I were especially close. We shared a love of the mountains and… Continue Reading
