in the news

The landmark reforms in the Affordable Care Act have given thousands of New Mexicans access to quality, affordable health care for the first time in their lives. But even the strongest supporters of the law know it isn’t perfect and that there are some parts that need to be fixed. The so-called “Cadillac tax” is one of those...

WASHINGTON – The Taos airport was among four other New Mexico airports to receive more than $23.2 million in grants to support air transportation infrastructure. U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced  airports in Taos, Artesia and Albuquerque would benefit from U.S. Department of Transportation grants to fund airport...

ARTESIA >> More than $2 million in grants was awarded to the Artesia Municipal Airport on Wednesday, according to a news release. U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that the grant is part of $23.2 million awarded to five airports in New Mexico, including airports in Taos and Albuquerque. "The U.S. Department of...

Last month, a large plume of bright orange toxic waste spilled into the Animas and San Juan Rivers and polluted the Four Corners region. When I toured affected areas following the Gold King Mine spill, I visited with impacted residents and joined the San Juan County Fire Department to deliver water to farmers in Aztec. I was also briefed on the...

FARMINGTON — Two AmeriCorps programs that operate on the Navajo Nation will receive AmeriCorps grants to continue their services. AmeriCorps is a national service program whose members serve rural and urban communities across the country. Members focus on mentoring youth, helping veterans access services, responding to disasters and building...

On Aug. 12, Santa Fe Community College hosted the 2015 Santa Fe Energy Summit. Federal, state, tribal and local public officials gathered to share ideas about the changing face of energy generation and New Mexico’s potentially pivotal role in determining the course of the United States’ energy future.  U.S. Department of Energy...

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Thursday expressing concern over the Pentagon's plans to dramatically increase drone flights over the next four years amid a drone pilot shortfall.  "There is indeed a need for broadened surveillance and intelligence collection, but I remain very concerned that...

FARMINGTON — The federal government is paying nearly all the costs to rebuild crumbling taxiways at the Four Corners Regional Airport. New Mexico's U.S. senators, Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, announced on Tuesday that the Federal Aviation Administration is awarding the city a little more than $200,000 to design plans to fix taxiways G, E...

Senate Democrats have introduced legislation that aims to increase access to affordable post-secondary education for low- to moderate-income students through Pell Grants. The Middle Class Creating Higher Education Affordability Necessary to Compete Economically, or CHANCE Act, Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) unveiled...

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich helped fill troughs used to water livestock today as local farmers and ranches relied on stored and transported water and waited for word they can reopen irrigation ditches that were closed to prevent contamination from a plume of toxic wastewater that was released into the Animas River last week from a mine in...

LAS CRUCES >> U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-NM, visited Las Cruces on Monday, promoting a new proposal he says will help counter child and family poverty in New Mexico. Heinrich said he was gathering feedback for what will become a federal bill called the Two Generation Economic Empowerment Act. The goal, he said, is to streamline federal...

WASHINGTON -- Everyone on Capitol Hill seems to be an expert on the Iran deal these days. But one freshman Democrat in the Senate has better credentials than most -- he actually has a background in science and engineering. And he drew on that expertise to become one of the first senators in either party to declare that he will vote in favor of the...

In the first decade of this century when we were entangled in the War in Iraq, Iran’s nuclear program surged ahead rapidly, adding thousands of centrifuges, building complex nuclear facilities and stockpiling highly enriched uranium. In the absence of real negotiations and before the most recent sanctions, Iran built a nuclear infrastructure...

Being dishonorably discharged from the military sticks with you for the rest of your life. It makes it harder to get a job, you aren’t entitled to military benefits, and it can even make it harder to vote. But what about those who have been dishonorably discharged for their sexual orientation? Several New Mexico lawmakers are working to...

Hispanic-owned businesses in Doña Ana County and across New Mexico are critical to strengthening our state’s economy. In recent decades, Hispanic immigrant entrepreneurs have grown exponentially. According to a 2014 study from the Partnership for a New American Economy, the number of Hispanic immigrant business owners in the...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday that it would expand hours of operation for south-bound commercial traffic at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry as part of a public-private partnership with Dell Computers. Dell will be funding four additional hours for southbound commercial traffic Monday through Friday for one year, according to a...

Commercial traffic traveling south into Mexico through the Santa Teresa Port of Entry will soon enjoy expanded border-crossing hours thanks to a new agreement between Dell Inc. and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The federal agency approved a public-private partnership with Dell on Tuesday that allows the company to reimburse the government for...

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today debuted legislation to open up renewable energy tax credits to Native American tribes. While the Senate scrambles to extend tax incentives for the expanding alternative energy sector, Heinrich and Grijalva offered their bills to give federally recognized Indian tribes...

Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico is prepared to unveil legislation today that would allow residents tapping into communal solar projects to offset power from traditional power plants and more easily connect to the grid. Heinrich's bill, S. 1723, the "Promoting Renewable Energy with Shared Solar Act of 2015," would amend the Public...

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) spent Wednesday afternoon getting his hands dirty in Bandelier National Monument. Heinrich worked two hours with a preservation crew composed entirely of Puebloan youth who are helping to restore Tyuonyi Pueblo on the Main Loop Trail. The Bandelier Preservation crew is a pilot program sponsored by AmeriCorps and the...