National Labs

Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories employ some of the best and brightest minds in the country and are indispensable to our national security. The labs also strengthen our economy by providing high-paying, high-skilled technology jobs in our state. I will always fight to protect their missions and create a sustainable future for the innovative research and development at our labs.

As an engineer, I bring a problem solver’s perspective to the U.S. Senate in advocating for New Mexico’s national laboratories. I have consistently fought to protect the national security missions of the labs while strengthening their diversity in areas such as energy, homeland security, and nonproliferation. I also remain focused on looking for ways to better leverage our laboratories’ resources and competitive strengths in partnership with universities, local small businesses and the private sector.

Our labs will continue to have a vital role in addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Additionally, the completion of the environmental cleanup of legacy waste from the work at Los Alamos and Sandia is an important commitment that Congress and the Department of Energy have made to New Mexico communities that should remain a top funding priority.

Latest

  • Heinrich Lauds Approval For Sandia National Laboratories To Begin COVID-19 Testing

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is lauding the announcement that Sandia National Laboratories has been granted approval by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to begin public testing for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The approval will expand New Mexico's testing capabilities and will allow for hundreds of additional tests to be processed in coordination with the New Mexico Department of Health and DOE. WASHINGTON (April 21, 2020) – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is lauding the announcement that Sandia National Laboratories has been granted approval by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to begin public testing for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The approval will expand New Mexico’s testing capabilities and will allow for hundreds of additional tests to be processed in coordination with the New Mexico Department of Health and DOE. "I thank Sandia and its staff for their tireless work to assist in New Mexico’s coronavirus response efforts. Expanding our capacity for testing is absolutely essential to an effective public health response and the eventual reopening of our economy," said Heinrich. "I have been working around the clock to ensure that New Mexican’s receive the health care they need during this pandemic, and that has included working to get health care systems and providers the necessary resources to assess the public’s health. This approval for Sandia National Labs is a critical step forward in ramping up testing capabilities in our state. It will greatly expand New Mexico's ability to process test results on a daily basis. I will continue holding the Trump administration accountable to keep increasing the widespread availability of testing and monitoring nationwide." Senator Heinrich has been urging the Trump administration to do everything possible to engage the researchers and scientists at New Mexico's national laboratories to find solutions to the coronavirus pandemic. "Our national labs employ some of the best and brightest minds on Earth, and they have played a leading role in finding solutions to past public health crises," said Heinrich in a statement last month. "I urge President Trump to put our national labs to work once again in helping us better understand the challenges we are facing and engineering lifesaving solutions." Read More

  • Heinrich To Convene Roundtable On New Mexico’s Role In Artificial Intelligence

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - On Thursday, May 30, at 11 a.m. MT, in Albuquerque, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) will convene a roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the challenges and opportunities this transformational digital technology presents.  The event will bring together leaders from technology companies, universities, and our national laboratories to discuss how to prepare New Mexico's workforce for AI careers, utilize investments in research and development, and formulate policies to keep innovations on a responsible path. Read More

  • Heinrich Secures Major Gains For N.M. Military Installations, National Labs, and Artificial Intelligence In Annual Defense Spending Bill

    May 24, 2019) - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Ranking Member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, and co-founder of the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus, announced provisions he secured in the fiscal year 2020 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), Artificial Intelligence, and job-creating initiatives throughout the state. The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to advance this important legislation to the Senate floor. Read More

  • VIDEO: Heinrich Calls On Secretary Perry To Focus On Safety And Cleanup

    March 28, 2019) - Today, in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) asked U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty about their commitment to safety and environmental cleanup at Department of Energy (DOE) sites and facilities. Read More