Military & National Security

Our women and men in uniform make up the strongest, best-trained, most well-equipped military in the world. New Mexicans have long answered the call of duty to serve. This tradition runs deep in our state’s history, and at times New Mexico has had the highest rate of military volunteerism of any state in the country.  As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I am firmly committed to ensuring that our military and intelligence communities have the tools they need to keep our nation safe, fight terrorism, and support our allies. With military bases at Cannon, Holloman, Kirtland, and White Sands Missile Range, and two national laboratories, New Mexico plays a pivotal role in our national security and defense, and are at the forefront of research and development that contribute to our country’s safety.

I am also strong supporter of human and constitutional rights, and believe in the notion that America can be both safe and free. I opposed the authorization of the PATRIOT Act and was an active proponent of doing away with the discriminatory military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Latest

  • Following Washington Post Report, Senators Reiterate Calls for Full Disclosure of Trump-Saudi Business Ties

    WASHINGTON - Today, a group of 11 Democratic senators are reiterating their call for President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization to disclose any financial ties between the Trump Organization and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, following a Washington Post report that lobbyists representing the Saudi government paid for 500 rooms at the Trump D.C. hotel shortly after President Trump's election. Last month, after the Saudi-led killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to President Donald Trump and to the Trump Organization seeking a full accounting of any financial ties between the Trump Organization and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but the senators never received a response to their inquiry. Read More

  • Heinrich Fights To Improve Care For Military Families Covered By TRICARE

    Today, in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Thomas McCaffery to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) pressed Mr. McCaffery on improving delivery of care for TRICARE West which serves military retirees, service members, and military families - including 83,800 TRICARE beneficiaries in New Mexico. Read More

  • Senators Introduce Bill to Prevent Unconstitutional War with Iran

    "We have been at war for 17 years, spent over a trillion dollars, and lost thousands of lives. The last thing our country needs is another war in the Middle East," said Heinrich. “President Trump is dangerously raising the risks of another war, so Congress should reassert its constitutional authority and require the Administration to receive its approval before it takes any preemptive military action against Iran. That's exactly what this legislation does.”  Read More

  • Udall, Heinrich Secure Strong Funding for NM Priorities in Defense Appropriations Bill

    "New Mexicans make tremendous contributions to our national security and conduct some of the most critical missions for our military including training in fighter aircraft, carrying out search and rescue missions, and researching and developing the most advanced technologies." said Heinrich. "This bipartisan bill makes major investments to ensure our Armed Forces can train and are equipped with the most modern technology so that we can stay ahead of our adversaries." Read More

  • Udall, Heinrich Call on Trump Administration to Uphold Protections for Servicemembers Against Predatory Lending & Financial Fraud

    WASHINGTON - In an effort to shield New Mexico's 12,000 active-duty military members and their families from abusive financial practices, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined every Democratic member of the U.S. Senate in urging the Trump Administration not to abandon its duty to protect our servicemembers and their families under the Military Lending Act (MLA).   Read More

  • Heinrich Secures Major Wins For New Mexico In Annual Defense Spending Bill

    Aug. 2, 2018) - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced provisions he secured in the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that support New Mexico's men and women in uniform, military installations, national laboratories, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), and job-creating initiatives throughout the state. The bill includes an amendment sponsored by Senator Heinrich to establish the nation's first U.S. policy on cyber warfare. Read More