Press Releases
Udall, Heinrich, Pearce Welcome Final Approval by Air Force to Begin Moving F-16s to Holloman Air Force Base
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Steve Pearce welcomed the U.S. Air Force's announcement it has completed the Environmental Impact Assessment for the relocation of two additional F-16 training squadrons to Holloman Air Force Base for the creation of a new Formal Training Unit (FTU). The assessment found no significant impact, and Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson gave final approval to begin moving the F-16s from Hill Air Force Base … Continue Reading
June 01, 2017
Udall Decries Trump’s Decision to Withdraw from Paris Climate Agreement
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations committees, responded to President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. "Of all of President Trump's reckless decisions, this could very well turn out to be the most dangerous because it affects global security and the economy for generations to come. By pulling out of the Paris Agreement, President Trump is choosing to isolate the Unite… Continue Reading
May 31, 2017
Udall, Heinrich Introduce Legislation to Expand Voting Access Nationwide
WASHINGTON - This week, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich introduced a bill with Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to improve voting access and fight growing voter suppression nationwide by requiring states to provide every registered voter a ballot two weeks before the election, allow voters to mail in their ballots, and establish automatic voter registration. Modeled after the electoral reforms being implemented in Oregon, the Vote by Mail Act would amend the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) o… Continue Reading
May 26, 2017
Udall, Heinrich Urge Administration to Address Tourism Slump Created by ‘Trump Effect’
Visitors to New Mexico spend more than $6 billion annually, sustaining more than 90,000 jobs in the state WASHINGTON - Today, ahead of Memorial Day weekend, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich called on the Trump administration to take concrete steps to address the reported decline in tourism to the United States as a result of President Trump's hostile rhetoric and harmful travel policies, which have created the perception that the United States is not a welcoming place for foreign vis… Continue Reading
May 26, 2017
Udall, Bipartisan Coalition Introduce Bill to Protect States’ Mineral Royalties
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) introduced legislation this week that would allow states to collect their own mineral royalties, protecting money that is rightfully owed to the states. The bill would effectively eliminate a collection fee charged by the federal government, which amounts to around $40 million per year. The State Mineral Revenue Protection Act is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). … Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
Udall Statement on CBO Score of TrumpCare
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall released the following statement after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its score of the updated TrumpCare bill that passed the House of Representatives: "Today's CBO report confirms that TrumpCare would be an utter disaster for New Mexico and the nation, and it proves that President Trump has shattered his promise to provide health care for all Americans and protect Medicaid. TrumpCare would massively increase the cost of hea… Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
In Light Of Recent White House Efforts To Withhold Info From Dems In Congress, Udall, Senate Dem Leaders & Top Committee Dems Urge President Trump To Immediately Clarify Why Admin Is Obstructing Congress’ Constitutional Legislative & Oversight Duties
Senate Dems Argue Such An Order - If True - From the White House Would Impede Congress' Constitutional Ability To Legislate & Conduct Oversight - Admin Must Make It Clear To Agencies They Cannot Withhold Information From Congress Senate Dems: Any Attempt To Obstruct Transparency, Accountability & Information Flow on Partisan Basis Is Unacceptable WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall, Senate Democratic leaders, and top committee members today released a new letter to President Trump dema… Continue Reading
May 24, 2017
Udall, Heinrich Cosponsor Legislation To Reduce Skyrocketing Student Loan Debt
Student loan debt has swelled to $1.4 trillion, raising the urgency for immediate action WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich joined Senator Elizabeth Warren in introducing the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act that would allow those with outstanding student loan debt to refinance at the lower interest rates currently offered to new borrowers. Outstanding student loan debt in America totals more than $1.4 trillion. In New Mexico, students are graduating with an… Continue Reading
May 23, 2017
VIDEO: Udall Outlines TrumpCare's Devastating Consequences for New Mexico
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/k2uX-gCc5uk WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall spoke on the Senate floor outlining his opposition to TrumpCare, the Republican bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In his speech, Udall said TrumpCare would be devastating for New Mexicans and rural communities, and he shared stories of New Mexicans who rely on the the historic protections of the ACA and could lose health and economic security under TrumpCare. "When he was elected, President Trump promised he w… Continue Reading
May 23, 2017
Udall: Trump FY18 Budget Violates US Treaty and Trust Obligations to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, spoke out against President Trump's proposed FY 2018 budget and its devastating impact to Tribal programs and services: "President Trump's budget proposal for programs affecting Indian Country is extremely troubling because of its disregard for the federal government's responsibilities and its troubling lack of understanding of the challenges facing Tribal communities. I'm concerned that it woul… Continue Reading
May 23, 2017
Senators Demand Explanation of White House Attempt to Block Ethics Waiver Disclosure
WASHINGTON - If the White House succeeds in blocking the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) from discovering who has received waivers of President Donald Trump's ethics pledge, we will get it ourselves, said a group of Senators in a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney today. Their letter comes in response to Mulvaney's request to "stay" OGE's collection of information on executive branch ethics waivers, which previous presidents made public as a matter of course… Continue Reading
May 23, 2017
Udall, Heinrich Say TrumpCare Will Hurt Rural America
2.9 million rural Americans could lose health care by 2020 WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall outlined the harmful impact TrumpCare will have in rural America where communities have long faced challenges with access to affordable health care insurance and services. The senators were joined by New Mexico Radiologist Dr. Robert Rosenberg and National Association of Rural Health Clinics President John Gill, along with U.S. Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Bob Casey (D… Continue Reading
May 23, 2017
Udall: Trump Budget a ‘Disturbing Statement of President’s Dangerous & Cruel Priorities'
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and vice chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, released the following statement on President Trump's FY 2018 budget: "This budget is a disturbing statement of President Trump's dangerous and cruel priorities. President Trump's budget would cannibalize programs that help lower-income and middle-class families to give the richest Americans a… Continue Reading
May 22, 2017
Udall Statement on Trump Budget Cutting $800 Billion from Medicaid
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall released the following statement on reports that President Trump's budget calls for $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid. The $800 billion cut assumes that the House-passed bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as "TrumpCare," would become law. Tomorrow, Udall will deliver a speech on the Senate floor outlining his opposition to TrumpCare, which would take away health care from hundreds of thousands of New Mexicans and could send New Mexico into rec… Continue Reading
May 22, 2017
Senators Udall, Hassan Urge Senate Commerce Committee to Hold Hearing on the State of Media in U.S.
Letter Also Follows Recent Incidents of Hostility Against Members of the Press by Trump Administration WASHINGTON - Today, in light of the changing dynamics of how people access and pay for news, the proliferation of so-called "fake news," and recent incidents of hostility against members of the press corps by members of President Trump's Administration, Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, S… Continue Reading
May 22, 2017
Udall, Heinrich Urge Against Cuts to NASA Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to support NASA's Office of Education in the coming fiscal year despite a proposal by President Trump to eliminate the office, which works to inspire and educate students across the country to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). NASA's Office of Education programs include the Space Grant College and Fellowship Program -- a competitive, state-federal partnership that… Continue Reading
May 19, 2017
Udall, Hassan Demand Answers from FCC Chairman about FCC Security Violence against Journalist
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai demanding an explanation for reports that FCC security personnel manhandled, threatened further violence, and ejected CQ Roll Call journalist John M. Donnelly following a press conference at FCC headquarters. Calling the incident a "new low point in a disturbing trend" of the Trump administration's hostile relations with the press, Udall and Hassan di… Continue Reading
May 18, 2017
Udall Statement on Notice of NAFTA Renegotiation from Trump Administration
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall released the following statement after the Trump administration sent Congress formal notice of its intention to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): "NAFTA, like many of our trade agreements, could certainly be improved with better protections for American workers and updated to reflect new circumstances. However, any renegotiation of NAFTA must protect the thousands of New Mexicans whose livelihoods depend on stable trade relat… Continue Reading
May 17, 2017
Udall Welcomes Appointment of Former FBI Director Robert Mueller as Special Counsel in Trump-Russia Probe
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement: "Robert Mueller has solid credentials, and I am relieved that Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein faced reality and heeded the calls by an increasing number of lawmakers in Congress - including myself - and appointed an independent counsel to oversee the Justice Department investigation into Russia's meddling in our election. This is a badly needed step after weeks of chaos. Now Congress must do its job, conduct real oversight, … Continue Reading
May 17, 2017
Udall, Heinrich, Luján Announce Funding for Substance Abuse Treatment at IHS and Partner Facilities, Including NCI in Gallup
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján announced that they secured $13 million in funding for new Indian Health Services (IHS) substance abuse programs in a major bipartisan appropriations bill to fund the government through September 2017. The provision dedicates $2 million in new funding specifically for partner detoxification facilities, such as Na'Nizhoozhi Center Inc. (NCI) in Gallup. Altogether the funding will help IHS… Continue Reading
