Press Releases

April 4th, 2024

Two years later, we still have a long way to go to recover from the worst fire in our state’s history

— by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich

This month, we mark two years since the worst fire in our state’s history. The Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. The fire, and the flooding that followed, displaced thousands of New Mexicans for weeks and months on end. In a matter of months, this catastrophe wiped away generations of history and uprooted...

August 31st, 2023

Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández Welcome $6 Million for Wildfire Recovery

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.) announced over $6,618,321 in federal funding to San Miguel County for reimbursement for county road repairs as a result of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire. The grant now awaits distribution by the New Mexico’s...

August 11th, 2023

Heinrich Welcomes White House Supplemental Request to Invest in Securing Southern Border, Repairing Broken Immigration System, Fighting Opioid Epidemic, Bolstering Wildland Firefighter Pay, & Supporting Ukraine

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) welcomed President Joe Biden’s FY24 supplemental funding request that includes substantial investments in New Mexicans’ health and safety by strengthening border security, repairing and expediting the nation’s immigration process, and combatting the flow of...

May 8th, 2023

Heinrich Joins Effort to Improve Wildfire, Disaster Response in New Mexico

WASHINGTON - As New Mexico continues to rebuild in the aftermath of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon, Cerro Pelado, McBride, and Black fires, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) cosponsored two bills aimed at improving the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) mitigation of disasters like flooding and wildfires."The wildfires...

March 29th, 2023

Heinrich Calls for Extension of Federal Programs to Support Local Fire Departments, Cosponsors Bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is cosponsoring the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act, legislation to extend federal programs that help support local fire departments in New Mexico and across the country. The bill would reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and...

March 21st, 2023

N.M. Delegation Announces Over $11 Million in Infrastructure Law Funding to Bolster Wildfire Resilience in Advance of 2023 Fire Season

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) announced a total of $11,482,174 in Infrastructure Law funding to make New Mexico communities more resilient to wildfires and strengthen the...

January 5th, 2023

N.M. Congressional Delegation Urges FEMA to Update Wildfire Claims Process

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives-Elect Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) filed a public comment letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell and...

December 20th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Democrats Announce Additional $1.45 Billion for New Mexicans Impacted by Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) announced an additional $1.45 billion to fund the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Claims Office. The funding is included as part of the...

November 15th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Democrats Announce Beginning Of FEMA Claims Process, Public Comment Period For Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) announced that New Mexicans impacted by the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire can now submit a Notice of Loss form to signal interest in beginning the claims process with the...

October 20th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Democrats Announce USDA Will Cover 100% Of Cost Share For Producers Impacted By Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is waiving cost-share program requirements for agricultural producers and landowners impacted by the Hermit’s...

September 30th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Democrats Secure $2.5 Billion In Aid For New Mexicans Impacted By Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fires

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) secured $2.5 billion to support New Mexico residents and business owners impacted by this year’s Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon fires. The aid for New Mexico was...

September 27th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Democrats Fight To Include $2.5 Billion For New Mexicans Impacted By Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fires In Government Spending Proposal

WASHINGTON – As Congress finalizes negotiations on a stopgap government funding bill, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are fighting for $2.5 billion to support New Mexico residents and business owners impacted by...

August 1st, 2022

N.M. Congressional Delegation Welcomes Extension, Expansion Of Wildfire Disaster Assistance

WASHINGTON – Today, in response to calls from U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.), and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted an...

July 25th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Delegation Calls On President Biden To Grant State Request To Expand, Extend Assistance Under Disaster Declaration

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) are calling on President Joe Biden to approve a request from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to direct the Federal Emergency Management...

June 21st, 2022

Heinrich Welcomes Biden-Harris Administration’s Action To Support Wildland Firefighter Workforce

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement welcoming an announcement by the Biden-Harris Administration to increase pay for wildland firefighters. The announcement today includes unprecedented actions Senator Heinrich has advocated for on behalf of the wildland firefighter workforce that is funded...

June 21st, 2022

Heinrich Statement On Forest Service Report On Las Dispensas Burn

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) issued the following statement on the U.S. Forest Service report on the Gallinas-Las Dispensas Prescribed Fire that led to the Hermit’s Peak Fire: “This report makes it clear that the U.S. Forest Service made a number of preventable errors in the lead up to and in the execution of...

June 15th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Democrats Announce Federal Government Will Fully Cover Emergency Watershed Program In Wake Of Historic Wildfires

WASHINGTON (June 15, 2022) – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) are welcoming an announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will cover 100% of the costs through the Emergency Watershed...

June 11th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Delegation Welcomes Biden Administration, FEMA Waiving Certain Non-Federal Cost-Shares For Wildfire Disaster Assistance

WASHINGTON (June 11, 2022) – Today, in response to calls from U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Yvette Herrell (D-N.M.), President Joe Biden announced that his administration will waive the 25% non-federal...

June 9th, 2022

N.M. Delegation Announces President's Approval Of State Request To Expand Federal Assistance Eligibilities For Colfax, Mora, San Miguel Counties

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) announced that President Joe Biden has approved a request to expand federal assistance eligibilities for Colfax, Mora, and San Miguel...

June 7th, 2022

N.M. Congressional Delegation Calls On President Biden To Grant State Request To Expand Federal Assistance Eligibilities For Colfax, Mora, San Miguel Counties

WASHINGTON (June 7, 2022) – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) are calling on President Joe Biden to approve a request from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham for expanded federal...