in the news

The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has awarded a $15.2 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant for the Amtrak Southwest Chief Route Advancement and Improvement Project. According to a grant notification sent to U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and others, “The Southwest Chief Route Advancement and...

CIBOLA COUNTY – “More than eight years ago we asked for access,” said Mayor Martin Hicks at the beginning of an official right-of-way signing ceremony on Monday. “Fourteen months ago Senator [Martin] Heinrich became involved and things really started moving. It’s amazing what happens when you get the right people...

The U.S. Department of Energy is markedly stepping up efforts to promote commercialization of new technologies from DOE laboratories nationwide, and New Mexico’s labs are playing a critical role in the process. Jetta Wong, acting director of the DOE’s new Office of Technology Transitions, said she and other federal representatives have...

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KRQE) – It’s a New Mexico staple. Every year farmers harvest thousands of tons of chile and and every year, the industry brings in hundred of thousands of dollars for the state. Yet, some companies are capitalizing off New Mexico’s good name. Now, lawmakers are stepping in to put it to a stop. The word...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It was a surprise to 90-year-old Marlin “Temp” Templeton. He had no idea Friday’s celebration was all for him. Temp is a World War II veteran. He enlisted in the army in 1943, but never received any of the awards he earned. But that changed Friday. “To give the recognition that he should have...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nearly 40 veterans boarded a bus to Washington, D.C., Tuesday morning after flying across the county the night before.  The group, part of this year’s honor flight, is traveling to our nation’s capital to visit their war memorials.  The once in a lifetime experience brought tears to their eyes. Cruz...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The federal government will provide $5.7 million to pay for building a veterans cemetery near Fort Stanton in south-central New Mexico’s Lincoln County. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich on Monday announced the funding being provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The senators said ground-breaking for...

Recently, the final piece of the Miranda Canyon property was set aside for protection as part of the Carson National Forest. This addition of historic and scenic land will bring new economic activity and recreation opportunities to the Taos area. It will also conserve a vital local water supply. The Land and Water Conservation Fund helped pay for...

RED VALLEY, Ariz. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich is continuing to build the steps to push mining reform in wake of the Gold King Mine spill. Heinrich and U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, both New Mexico Democrats, are working to introduce legislation to amend the General Mining Law of 1872. Under the proposal, hard rock mining companies would pay...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) raised concerns over reports of an out-of-state company manufacturing and marketing its products under the guise of authentic chile from Hatch, New Mexico. He issued the following statement today calling for better labeling protections for locally-produced products: "I am proud of...

SHIPROCK, NM-- The Navajo Nation is still reeling from the Gold King Mine spill as the nation continues to recover from another decades-old mining operation. Uranium mining operations from the Cold War and all the way back to the 1940s are still being felt on the Navajo Nation. Friday, Senator Martin Heinrich toured some key sites. "We wanted to...

One of my earliest memories is visiting my father in the hospital after a high-voltage accident caused him to fall from an electrical transmission pole. That fall never dampened his enthusiasm for his work as a utility lineman, climbing up power poles in the middle of lightning storms to restore electricity after outages. My father’s days as...

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...