Local Viewpoints

  Congressman Steve Pearce released the following statement in support of Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“I stand by our Israeli allies and their effort to permanently end terrorist attacks on civilians,” said Pearce. “Since the beginning of this military intervention into Gaza, the radical Islamic terrorist group Hamas fired over 1,000 rockets indiscriminately at Israeli civilians, while hiding behind women and children in mosques, hospitals and UN-administered schools. The moral case for Israel could not be clearer.”

  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Following an agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity to speed decisions for protection of 757imperiled species across the country, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today protected the Zuni bluehead sucker under the Endangered Species Act.

  Today, the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law issued a report on the economic impact of legalizing same-sex marriage in Texas, and the results are substantial. According to the report, over the next three years, same-sex marriages in Texas would:

·         Inject $181.6 million into our state's economy;

·         Generate $14.8 million in sales tax revenue; and

·         Create between 523 and 1,570 new jobs.

These economic benefits are primarily a result of wedding spending and out-of-state guest spending.

  Bishop Cantú,, Bishop of the Diocese of Las Cruces, would like to thank the many volunteers, and donors that came forward in support of our humanitarian outreach program, entitled Project Oak Tree. Today, we ask that all donations (monetary and goods) and volunteers cease until further notice.  We do not anticipate having any refugees this week, and the donations we have received have been sufficient for the time being.

 Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM 2) has introduced the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Corrections Act.

  Santa Fe - Today, the New Mexico Film Office released the final Phase 1 report of a study on the economic impact of the state's film incentive program.

  U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) met with Veterans Administration (VA) Secretary Nominee Robert McDonald in his Washington D.C. office yesterday where they discussed ways to improve veteran care and address systemic problems at the VA.

  WASHINGTON – Today, as the acting Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary visits New Mexico, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich urged the VA to move quickly to hire a qualified permanent director for New Mexico's VA hospital to help it immediately begin the work to regain the trust of veterans and address serious problems with scheduling, emergency response, care for rural veterans and other challenges.

U.S.

  Congressman Steve Pearce issued this statement today after the Department of Homeland Security's first flight of deported immigrants left the Roswell International Air Center. The undocumented women and children were being temporarily housed at the Federal Law Enforcement and Training Center (FLETC) in Artesia.

  For the past few months, our nation has been shocked by the tens of thousands of Central American women and children flooding across our border illegally. To date, it has been reported that more than 100,000 individuals have crossed the border, nearly half of them being unaccompanied minors. Yet after months of this problem continuing to grow, we are no closer to knowing root causes that lead individuals to risk their health and safety, and how to mitigate this humanitarian crisis.

  WASHINGTON – Today, all five members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation sent a letter to the acting director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to express their serious concerns about the New Mexico VA’s handling of the recent tragic death of a veteran at its Medical Center in Albuquerque, as well as its lack of transparency in response to requests for information from the public and their offices.

  U.S. Senator Tom Udall today introduced a bill to help small business federal government contractors in New Mexico and across the country access the tools, training and hands-on help necessary to diversify their businesses and create jobs.

  Las Cruces, NM - Congregations along with the faith-based group, NM CAFé, are expressing their disappointment with Representative Steve Pearce (R-NM) for his role today in a subcommittee hearing falsely implying that the new Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument will negatively impact border security.

  Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich joined their Senate colleagues in introducing the Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act to restore the contraceptive coverage requirement and other services guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act and prevent employers from imposing their beliefs on their employees by denying benefits. The bill was filed in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 split decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. 

  U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after voting to approve the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. The Committee passed the bill by a vote of 12-3.

  EL PASO, TX & LAS CRUCES, NM —Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico Regional Center for Border Rights and Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project along with community leaders and volunteers will join communities in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in a day of action to simultaneously deploy “Border Reality Checkpoints.”

  Albuquerque, NM – Today, the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry, the statewide business advocate, led a panel of business leaders and experts who testified on issues with the State’s procurement procedures, and raised concerns that major opportunities are being lost for local businesses when the state government spends tax dollars outside New Mexico.

  Governor Martinez' campaign sunk to a new low yesterday as they released a video from July, 2012 in a blatant effort to mislead and misinform New Mexicans while smearing Attorney General Gary King. This desperate attempt comes as Martinez seeks another four year term as Governor of New Mexico.

  Today, The Association of Commerce and Industry (ACI), New Mexico’s statewide chamber of commerce, submitted requests under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) for records pertaining to contract purchases by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, the New Mexico Department of Information Technology, and the New Mexico General Services Department.  The records requested will show what percentage of state taxpayer money in these departments is being spent outside of New Mexico, instead of in contracts with in-state businesses to promote local growth.

  Congressman Steve Pearce released this statement in response to President Obama’s announcement today that he would fix the immigration system on his own, without Congress.

  LAS CRUCES – The United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC), the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID), and Audubon New Mexico were joined today by local government, nonprofit organizations, farmers and members of the public to celebrate the first irrigation to benefit native plant restoration efforts along the Rio Grande in New Mexico.

  U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to protect corporate interests while rolling back women’s access to contraception:

  Congressman Steve Pearce met for the second time with administrators of the Albuquerque VA Medical Center Friday to discuss the ongoing concerns about the VA Health Care system and veterans services. He announced plans for a pilot program in Southeast New Mexico for veterans to see local doctors for specialty care. Congressman Pearce also again engaged with VA administrators, asking them for transparency in answers to patient lists.

  Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement calling on House Republicans to act on the Senate bipartisan immigration reform bill that passed the Senate one year ago.

"After a vigorous public debate last year, the Senate passed a common-sense proposal to reform our country's immigration policies. The bill would modernize our immigration system to meet the needs of our economy, provide an accountable pathway to earned citizenship for the undocumented workers currently living in the shadows, and dramatically strengthen security at our borders.

   On Monday, U.S. Senator Tom Udall and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler will visit the Pueblo of Acoma to discuss the importance of expanding broadband services on tribal lands for economic development and to expand education opportunities. Udall, chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the FCC, is a longtime champion of expanding broadband to all communities, rural and urban.

  U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) pressed the Obama administration today for additional transparency on U.S. drone policy, including its interpretations of when it can take lethal action outside of declared war zones and against Americans. The senators - all members of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - also said the American people have a right to know the "limits and boundaries" of the president's power to take lethal action against them.