press releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The second phase of a planned three-phase acquisition of the 570-acre Price’s Dairy has been acquired for the Valle De Oro National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 2012, the Valle De Oro is the first urban wildlife refuge in the Southwest. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has been a leader in bringing...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, successfully included an amendment to S. 1317, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Reauthorization Act of 2013, to expand the development and testing of new space technologies within NASA's Flight...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) continued his effort to create buffer zones for White Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss to preserve their critical missions. Senator Heinrich, along with Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and John Cornyn (R-TX), introduced...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján commend the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announcement today to build a new Community Based Outpatient Clinic for Santa Fe-area veterans, doubling the size of the current VA clinic at 2213 Brothers Road, Suite 600. The announcement comes just two...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich—the only sitting senator to have served in AmeriCorps—joined the National Service Congressional Caucus, which works to expand service opportunities for all Americans. Created in 2004, the National Service Congressional Caucus is made up of a bipartisan group of legislators...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) voted for the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013, a bill that lowers and caps interest rates on federal student loans, and protects borrowers from dramatic increases in the future. The proposal would cut rates on all new loans this year and save a typical undergraduate...

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) questioned an Interior Department official before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Tuesday about ways to strengthen the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which supports public access to federal lands and New Mexico's thriving outdoor recreation...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following a rare bipartisan meeting of the whole chamber this week, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Dean Heller (R-NV) asked Senate leadership to consider instituting similar joint bipartisanship activities on a regular basis. In a letter to Majority Leader Reid and Republican Leader McConnell, Heinrich and Heller...

When a fire's out the disaster's not over -- at least not for those living in the Southwest, where an annual threat of flooding may linger for years after a burn -- a concern that precipitated a visit from U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) on Saturday. "One of the things I wanted to do was make sure the local community understands that we get that...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich have called on federal officials to investigate allegations that so-called “debt relief” companies have been using deceptive practices to profit from students seeking assistance in repaying their college loans.   The federal government provides tools to help...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, participated in a hearing for the Subcommittee on Water and Power. The subcommittee received testimony on the Bureau of Reclamation's Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study. The study defines current...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján secured commitments from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Under Secretary for Health Dr. Robert Petzel to improve quality of care and address chronic infrastructure problems at clinics in northern New Mexico. During a meeting Thursday, Dr. Petzel assured...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) will travel to Otero and Lincoln Counties beginning Friday, July 12, to participate in several briefings and events in Alamogordo, Capitan, and Fort Stanton. On Friday, July 12, Senator Heinrich will be in Alamogordo to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy's 2012 Better Buildings...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) continued his fight to keep student loan interest rates low.  "Earning a college degree shouldn't be a luxury, but something that every American family can afford," said Sen. Heinrich after voting for the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013, a fiscally responsible bill he...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement to mark the celebration of the Fourth of July: "Today, we gather with family and friends to celebrate the birth of our nation and the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Indeed, July 4th is the day that marks not only our nation's fight for...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) announced that New Mexico will receive $1 million in new grant funding from Health and Human Services (HHS) for efforts to identify and enroll children eligible for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The award is part of the Affordable Care Act and the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) made the following statement on the tragic loss of 19 firefighters killed in Arizona on Sunday: "Our country mourns the loss of nineteen firefighters who were killed in the line of duty outside Yarnell, Arizona. These men were true American heroes—bravely battling the blazes that plague...

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The New Mexico Congressional Delegation has introduced legislation to expand needed research, treatment and education efforts related to Cerebral Cavernous Malformation (CCM), a relatively unknown disorder of the brain and spinal cord more common among New Mexico Hispanics than any other group.  The Cavernous Angioma...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement today after the Senate voted 68-32 in favor of S.744, the senate bipartisan immigration reform bill: "Today is a great day in the history of a great nation. We are a step closer to fixing our broken immigration system in a way that meets the needs of our...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivered a speech on the Senate floor to address the urgent need to fix our country's broken immigration system. "New Mexico's remarkable spirit is rooted in our diversity, our history, and our culture, which has always been enriched by our immigrant communities and family members," said...