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.

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. Our state is also at the forefront of research and development that contribute to our country’s safety. I am proud to have championed initiatives to expand the roles of our labs and bases—from directed energy and small satellites to new flying missions.  Today, New Mexico is the nation’s Center of Excellence for researching, developing, and testing high energy laser and high powered microwave systems as well as researching and developing rapid space capabilities. I will continue fighting to ensure our state remains a leader in developing these next generation systems as well as transformative technologies like Artificial Intelligence. In the Senate, I founded a bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Caucus so that lawmakers can strike a careful balance between mitigating the risks of new technologies like AI and fostering its tremendous economic and national security benefits.

As a son and brother of service members, and in my role as a member of the Senate Armed Service Committee and 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.

On the Senate Intelligence committee, I have helped lead efforts to investigate the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and to combat foreign disinformation campaigns.  I am also a strong supporter of human and constitutional rights, and believe in the notion that America can be both safe and free. I was proud to help pass the USA FREEDOM Act, which ended the National Security Agency's (NSA) bulk metadata collection program that allowed the government to collect billions of Americans' private phone call records while suspecting them of no wrongdoing. 

I was also an active proponent of doing away with the discriminatory military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and I continue to stand up for reforms to reduce sexual assault in our military.

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

  • Heinrich Approves Additional Funding For Construction Project At WSMR

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, approved a request from the Department of Defense to reprogram $13 million in additional funding to replace an outdated testing and evaluation facility at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). Overall, the project will bring a construction project valued at over $50 million to southern New Mexico. Read More

  • Heinrich Urges DHS Secretary To Review Problems At Department’s Intelligence Arm

    WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in sending a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), drawing attention to a recent report identifying significant problems within the intelligence arm of DHS and its involvement in responding to protests in Portland, Oregon in June and July of last year. Read More

  • Heinrich To Chair Military Construction And VA Appropriations Subcommittee

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a new member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced today that he will serve as the chairman of the Military Construction (MILCON), Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, which oversees funding for new military construction and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Read More

  • Heinrich Votes To Confirm DHS Secretary Mayorkas

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement after voting to confirm U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. The Senate confirmed Secretary Mayorkas today by a vote of 56 to 43. Read More

  • Heinrich Encouraged By Holloman AFB F-16 Training Update, Calls For Air Force To Be Transparent With Community

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is encouraged by a U.S. Air Force Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that identifies the expansion of the Talon Military Operations Area (MOA) and the overlying Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace as the preferred alternative to enlarge Holloman Air Force Base's F-16 fighter pilot training area. Read More

  • Heinrich Calls On FBI And Intelligence Community To Conduct Immediate Interagency Review Of The Growth of Domestic Terrorism In The United States

    WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced a resolution expressing the Sense of the Senate on the imminent and pervasive threat of domestic terrorism, violent white supremacists, neo-Nazis, anti-government militias, and dangerous, fringe conspiracy theories to the democratic institutions and values of the United States. Read More

  • Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández Demand Comprehensive Review Of U.S. Space Command Basing Decision

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) are requesting that the Biden administration conduct a comprehensive review of the Air Force's decision in the final days of the Trump administration to host the U.S. Space Command headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama – over several final contenders including Albuquerque, New Mexico. Read More