Reflecting on 2023
Dear Friend,
Serving you in the United States Senate is an honor. From fighting for our shared values nationally to delivering game changing investments at home, we have accomplished a whole lot this year.
Honoring New Mexico legends
The first bill I introduced this Congress was to honor the late Medal of Honor recipient and World War II and Korean War veteran Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura by renaming the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Gallup in his honor. In October, President Joe Biden signed this legislation into law.
PHOTO: (From Left) U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura, and then-U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the VA's Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Gallup, June 5, 2015.
This was a continuation of the legislation I was proud to pass in 2022 to rename the U.S. Post Office in Belen in honor of former U.S. Senator Dennis Chávez.
Growing the economy
We had huge successes last Congress in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act. This year I worked to deliver the benefits of these landmark legislative wins to our communities in New Mexico.
In August, I joined President Biden in welcoming Arcosa Wind Towers manufacturing facility in Belén, which is creating 250 advanced manufacturing and trades careers in Valencia County. Just days after, the major solar cell and panel manufacturer Maxeon announced that it will open a new $1 billion factory that will create 1,800 new jobs in Albuquerque's Mesa del Sol neighborhood.
A month later, we broke ground on the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project, which will become the largest clean energy infrastructure project in U.S. history. With each project, we are delivering careers that New Mexicans can build their families around. And it's just the beginning.
PHOTO: (From Left) U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich, and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham greet President Joe Biden upon his arrival in Albuquerque, August 8, 2023.
Leveling the playing field
Of the billions that we have delivered to New Mexico thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and recent appropriations bills, there's $272 million I was proud to fight for and deliver for the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System—which will provide a long-term supply of clean water to communities like Clovis and Portales.
PHOTO: U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján attend groundbreaking for the next portion of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System, August 22, 2023.
The Infrastructure Law’s Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program will also deliver $675 million to New Mexico to help us connect more of our rural and Tribal communities to affordable, high-speed internet. This is by far the single largest investment in broadband internet deployment in our state’s history.
I have also been proud to bring:
- A $25 million RAISE Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help the City of Albuquerque improve safety, reduce crime, and reimagine the Uptown Transit Center area.
- More than $235 million this year to bring important water security to the Tribal communities in New Mexico.
- And nearly $60 million to make major safety upgrades on the roads and bridges in the Shiprock area.
New Mexico hasn’t experienced this scale of federal infrastructure and economic investment since the days when interstate highway system was built.
Fighting for safer communities
New Mexicans deserve to feel safe in their community – whether at school, the grocery store, or the movie theater. That’s why I fought so hard to pass major gun reform legislation last year and recently introduced new, pragmatic legislation to regulate the firearms most used in mass shootings, called the Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act.
VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich leads a press conference with GOSAFE Act co-sponsors Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), December 5, 2023.
Together with Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, I’ve also delivered important investments to reduce the number of pedestrian fatalities in our state, including $6.3 million to Bernalillo County to improve a busy stretch of Coors. I helped establish a first-of-its-kind $350 million Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. And I am working to support our firefighters and first responders through the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act, extending and expanding programs that help local fire departments address staffing needs, purchase equipment, and improve emergency medical services.
PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg meet with first responders at Bernalillo County Fire Department Station 33, April 4, 2023.
Conserving the places we love
Finally, after years of work and advocacy, this year I was proud to welcome the Biden Administration’s proposed federal mineral withdrawal for 4,000 acres of public lands in southern Sandoval County, including the Buffalo Tract and the Crest of Montezuma, and its decision to withdraw federal minerals from development in the Chaco Culture Heritage Withdrawal Area. I will continue the fight in Congress to make these withdrawals permanent.
PHOTO: (From left) Sandoval County Commissioner Joshua Jones, Santa Ana Pueblo Governor Nathan K. Garcia, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury, and Placitas resident Mary Rose de Valladares at community event to protect the Buffalo Tract, March 17, 2023.
I’ve also been pleased to deliver tens of millions in federal resources to support the work done by Governor Michael Chavarria and Santa Clara Pueblo to restore Santa Clara Canyon. And, in October, I welcomed the announcement by the Santa Fe National Forest on its final acquisition of two parcels of land known as the Valley of the Spirit Ranch, which will unlock direct access to the forest from the Village of Jemez Springs for the very first time. Expanded access to new hiking trails and other recreation opportunities on our public lands is exactly what I had in mind when I fought to pass the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act into law.
PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich meets with Santa Clara Pueblo Governor Michael Chavarria, October 13, 2023.
Helping New Mexicans
My office also continues to help constituents in New Mexico on a one-on-one basis when they are having trouble with Social Security benefits, Medicare, immigration, veterans benefits, student loans, and other federal programs.
If you or your family needs help, I encourage you can contact my office by calling (505) 346-6601 or by visiting the Helping You section on my website. Please also let me know if you would also like to keep receiving email newsletters and tell me which issues are most important to you.
As we close the door on what has been a truly productive year, I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying some quiet time together.
Sincerely,
MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator
