WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today paid tribute to N.M. House Speaker Ben Luján in speeches before the U.S. Senate.  Luján, who served New Mexico for more than four decades, announced he had lung cancer last month and would retire from the N.M. House of Representatives after this year's legislative session.

"Throughout his long career, he's fought fiercely to ensure that the needs of his fellow New Mexicans were being addressed.  He's worked hard to improve the quality of New Mexico's school system.  He's fought for the rights of our workers. And he's worked hard to strengthen our economy.  I know I speak for all of his colleagues in our state legislature when I say that his service and strength throughout his recent personal difficulties have been an inspiration to all, and his fighting spirit will be missed once he leaves our legislature. His exemplary work ethic is something which we should all aspire to," Bingaman said.

Click here to watch Bingaman's full remarks.

"He has always called attention to the needs of others and not to himself. Ben is an inspiration, not just to those who aspire to a life of public service, but also to a life of personal integrity. His word is his bond. To his family. To the people of New Mexico. His principles have illuminated his life, and brightened the lives of all who know him. I countmyself among that number. I am proud to call Ben Luján my friend," Udall said.

Click here to watch Udall's full remarks.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is pleased that the Obama administration is making water projects and public lands initiatives in New Mexico a priority in his 2013 budget proposal.  Congress will use this budget proposal as a blueprint when it develops the spending bills that will fund the federal government next year. 

The 2013 budget unveiled today includes $98.8 million for the Navajo water settlement Bingaman helped authorize.  Of that amount, $32.8 million would be used for Navajo-Gallup pipeline design; $6 million would be put in the Navajo trust fund that will help pay for water-related projects.  An additional $60 million for pipeline construction will come from mandatory funding that Bingaman helped secure in the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. 

The budget also includes $4 million for the Taos Indian Water Rights Settlement and $5 million for the Aamodt Water Settlement in the Pojoaque Valley.  Both of those settlements were authorized through the Claims Resolution Act of 2010 which included $ 147.8 million in funding Bingaman helped to secure. 

“The Navajo-Gallup pipeline and the Aamodt and Taos settlements will help bring a reliable and clean water supply to thousands of New Mexicans, while creating hundreds of jobs in the process.  I’m pleased the President’s budget makes a strong commitment to these New Mexico water settlements and is making an investment to help move these projects forward,” Bingaman said. 

The budget proposal includes $1.5 million to acquire the former Price’s Dairy in Albuquerque’s South Valley in order to establish the Middle Río Grande National Wildlife Refuge; $1 million was also recently announced for the acquisition of senior water rights associated with the establishment of this urban wildlife refuge. The Bureau of Reclamation also plans to invest $22.5 million in the Middle Rio Grande for efforts focused on the protection and recovery of the Rio Grande silvery minnow and southwestern willow flycatcher. 

Additionally, the Bureau of Reclamation’s budget request includes $1.978 million for a water project in eastern New Mexico authorized in a 2009 law that Bingaman authored. This funding will supplement the $1 million allocated to the project in FY2012 to construct an intake structure that will bring water from Ute Reservoir to eastern New Mexico communities. 

“TheEastern New Mexico Water Supply Project will do more than bring water to communities in the eastern part of the state.  It will also bring new business and job opportunities that would not be possible without a dependable water source,” Bingaman said.  “The funding in the President’s budget will help get this project off the ground.”

           Bingaman said he is also pleased the Obama administration‘s proposal invests in the following New Mexico public land and water initiatives:

• Full funding the for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program at $398.3 million (an increase of $11.6 million from FY12);
• $495.3 million in mineral revenue payments to New Mexico (an increase of $24.8 million from FY12);
• $40 million for the nationwide Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program that Bingaman authored in 2009.  Funding will go to two projects in New Mexico in the Jemez Mountains and Cibola National Forest;
• $3.426 million for operations at the Valles Caldera National Preserve;
• $2.65 million to complete the purchase of the 5,000-acre Miranda Canyon property adjacent to the Carson National Forest in Taos County;
• $8.4 million for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basin Endangered Fish Recovery Program;
• $500,000 to complete final design and construction of the Jicarilla Apache Reservation Rural Water System;
• $2.4 million for replacement and consolidation of the Forest Service’s Jemez Ranger District office and warehouse; and
• $500,000 for rehabilitation of the Forest Service’s El Rito Recreation Complex.

The Obama budget request contains funding for the following Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Army Corps of Engineer projects:

EPA

• $5.5 million in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to provide low interest loans to help finance wastewater treatment facilities and other water quality projects. 
• $8 million in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to provide low-interest loans to municipalities to build, improve, and prevent pollution in drinking water systems. 

USDA

• $13 million set aside in the U.S. Department of Agriculture budget for tribal water and wastewater projects;
• $800,000 for technical assistance for rural water systems that serve tribal communities.

Army Corps of Engineers - Projects:

• $5.709 million for the Southwest Valley Flood Damage Reduction in Albuquerque:Funding would be used to complete the construction for the Southwest Valley project thereby protecting over hundreds of families and businesses from flooding in the Southwest Valley of Albuquerque.
• $10 million for the Rio Grande Floodway, San Acacia to Bosque del Apache:Funding would be used to continue reconstruction of approximately 43 miles of existing west side spoil bank levee located along the Rio Grande, extending from the upper end of the Rio Grande Low-Flow Conveyance Channel at the San Acacia diversion works to the San Marcial railroad bridge. The primary benefit is the protection of the Rio Grande Low-flow Conveyance Channel from Rio Grande flooding.  
• $300,000 for the Rio Grande Basin (NM, CO, and TX):The Rio Grande Basin is located in the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, and encompasses an area over 160,000 square miles, from the Rio Grande’s headwaters in central Colorado to its mouth on the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville, Texas.  The study will identify ways to integrate the programs, policies, and resources of all concerned agencies into a multi-objective water resources plan.

Army Corps of Engineers - Operations and Maintenance

• $3.358 million -Abiquiu Dam
• $5.256 million - Cochiti Lake
• $2.864 million - Conchas Lake
• $1.519 million Santa Rosa Dam and Lake
• $1.299 million - Jemez Canyon Dam
• $916,000 for Two Rivers Damin Chavez County, 14 miles SW of Roswell
• $882,000 - Galisteo Dam
• $2.5 million - Rio Grande Endangered species Collaborative Program
• $1.580 million - Upper Rio Grande Water Operations Model Study
• $759,000 - Inspection of completed work
• $547,000 - Scheduling reservoir operations

Air

• $4.2 million in Air Pollution Control Program grants to assist in attaining new air quality standards.

Hazardous Waste

• $1 million in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act funding to manage the generation, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said President Obama’s budget blueprint for next year prioritizes education – a move that will help New Mexico and the nation build a strong economy for decades into the future. 

            The president today unveiled his budget proposal, which is used by Congress as a starting point for the 13 spending bills it must write to fund federal initiatives.            

               Overall, the White House proposal requests a 2.5 percent increase ($1.7 billion) in education spending to a level of $69.8 billion. The increase reflects support for some new initiatives including a heightened investment in supporting post-secondary education while consolidating or eliminating funding for several existing, smaller programs.

Funding remains even for several major education initiatives that provide funding to states, such as Title I that distributes funding by formula to high-poverty areas to support the education of disadvantaged children, special education, and school improvement grants that support the implementation of school intervention models for the lowest performing schools.

Similarly, funding levels that support Aid for Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities would not be changed.

“President Obama is doing the right thing by increasing our investment in education,” Bingaman said.  “Rebuilding our economy now and keeping it strong for the future requires us to make a major investment in our nation’s students.  I am very glad the president is giving priority to both elementary education and college affordability.” 

The president’s proposal also focuses heavily on helping Americans earn a college degree.  To help students pay for college, the president’s proposal sets aside $36.5 billion in Pell Grant awards to assist nearly 9.7 million low-income students pay for college.  The request increases the maximum Pell award to $5,635 in the 2013-2014 award year, up from $5,550 for the 2012-2013 award year.

Bingaman is also pleased that the president took steps to maintain the 3.4 percent interest rate for subsidized loans for undergraduates.  Without Congressional action, rates will increase to 6.8 percent on July 1, 2012.

The president also proposes an extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC).  Extending this tax credit provides a partially refundable tax credit of up to $10,000 over 4 years, helping an estimated 47,000 New Mexicans in tax year 2011. 

Additionally, the proposed budget increased Work-Study funds by $150 million. This increase will provide approximately 100,000 more students the opportunity to participate in the Work-Study program. 

            Bingaman said he was disappointed that the president proposes zeroing out federal funding specifically for Advanced Placement, an initiative Bingaman strongly supports because it gives economically disadvantaged students access to high-quality, rigorous classes.  But he will work to see that the Department of Education continues to fund AP exam fees and professional development.

            In addition to making investments in education, the president’s budget blueprint allows us to continue to focus on expanding health care access in New Mexico. 

            The president’s plan strongly supports the health care provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – the new health insurance reform law that will greatly benefit our state.  In preparation for the millions of additional Americans who will become insured, the budget contains $677 million to expand the primary care, dental and pediatric health care workforce and improve distribution to parts of the country that are currently underserved.  Specifically, investments will help train more than 2.800 primary care doctors over the next five years. 

            “New Mexico has one of the highest rates of uninsured residents in the country.  The Affordable Care Act will give health care access to thousands of New Mexicans.  This budget proposal does a very good job funding these major health care priorities,” Bingaman said. 

The budget plan supports fixing the Medicare physician payment, or Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), formula.  Such a fix would ensure that doctors who treat Medicare patients will not receive pay cuts this year.  And it continues to close the “donut hole” – the gap many seniors enrolled in Medicare’s prescription drug plan experience during which their medications are not paid for, even though they are required to pay premiums.  Under the president’s FY 2013 proposal, Medicare beneficiaries are expected to save $632 annually.  By 2020, this will grow to $1,540.  Last year, 18,755 New Mexicans receive the gap discount and saved a combined total of more than $9.2 million. 

At Bingaman’s urging, the budget also includes a request for $3 million to fund the National Workforce Commission – an independent, nonpartisan panel that will provide recommendations to Congress and the President on how to address workforce shortages in much of New Mexico and other underserved communities. 

The proposal continues critical funding for health centers by providing $7.3 billion over the 2013-2015 period for comprehensive, high quality, primary and preventative health care services to all Americans regardless of ability to pay.  In 2013, health centers are estimated to serve 21 million patients.   In addition, the budget promotes a policy of steady and sustainable health center growth. 

The budget proposal provides $4.9 billion (an increase of $107 million) for the Indian Health Service, including an increase of to $$898 million (an increase of $52 million) for the Contract Health Service Program.

The president’s proposal strengthens the safety net for Americans who are suffering during these difficult economic times:

• $82 billion for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamps Program).
• $20 billion for Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Milk Program, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. This includes $45 million to provide competitive grants to state agencies for subgrants to local educational agencies and schools to purchase the equipment needed to serve healthier meals, improve food safety, and to help support the establishment, maintenance, or expansion of the school breakfast program.
• $7 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
• The budget proposal provides $254 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which supports programs such as the Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs and the distribution of commodities to rural areas.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said President Obama's budget for fiscal year 2013 contains support for necessary construction projects at New Mexico Air Force Bases. 

Overall, the budget invests more than $125 million in construction initiatives that will help our bases have everything they need to carry out their national security missions.

"Under this proposal, we will be making important investments in each of New Mexico's Air Forces bases," Bingaman said. 

Congress uses the president's budget proposal as a blueprint for writing the 13 spending bills that fund the government.  That process will get underway in the coming months. 

The Obama plan for 2013 includes the following:

HOLLOMAN AFB

$25 million for MQ-9 Maintenance Hangar

 

KIRTLAND AFB

$8.5 million Alter Target Intelligence Facility

 

CANNON AFB

$22 million for SOF AC-130J Combat Parking Apron 22,062

$71 million Medical/Dental Clinic Replacement

WASHINGTON -- President Obama's new budget blueprint request for the Department of Energy sustains its pivotal role in energy and national security policy – a trend that is reflected in expected DOE's investment in New Mexico. 

While the overall federal budget is slated for significant deficit reductions in the president's new budget request for fiscal year 2013, the DOE portion of the budget would grow by 3.4 percent over FY 2012.  U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman said DOE investments in New Mexico would remain at their approximate current levels of $4.4 billion.

Bingaman is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which has principal responsibility for the DOE.  Bingaman will call the Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, to testify on DOE's budget before the Committee on Thursday, February 16.

"This budget blueprint maintains a strong commitment to energy security, to U.S. technological competitiveness in the energy markets of the future, and to leading the effort on global nuclear nonproliferation, despite the tough fiscal environment we find ourselves in," Bingaman said. 

"I believe it lays out a solid plan for sustaining our nation's energy future, boosting our economic growth and competitiveness in the world, and addressing the worldwide threats posed by dangerous nuclear and radiological materials," he said. 

The president's budget request would result in about $4.4 billion of spending from all DOE programs in New Mexico in FY 2013, roughly the same amount voted by Congress for DOE in New Mexico in FY 2012. 

In the defense area, the two New Mexico laboratories will share a budget for Nuclear Weapons Activities that is roughly even with the current fiscal year overall.  Within this budget category, there are increases and decreases, including:

• a 20 percent jump in funding for Directed Stockpile Work, which is proposed to increase to a combined total of $1.196 billion from the FY 2012 level of $998 million; and
• a 13 percent increase in the Engineering Campaign within Weapons Activities, which increases to a New Mexico total of $111.4 million from the FY 2012 level of $98.7 million).

The new budget request also contains a 19 percent increase over FY 2012 levels for Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development activities at the two New Mexico laboratories.  Funding for this R&D will increase by 18 percent, to a combined total of nearly $217 million, offsetting a decline in activity at the labs related specifically to nonproliferation programs with Russia, due to the planned completion and transition of these programs to Russia in FY 2012.

Bingaman pointed out that the budget plan contains no funding for LANL's proposed, new Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Lab.  The administration said it can continue to rely on the existing building, possibly with some modifications.

"For years we have been told the CMRR nuclear facility was necessary.  Now we're being told there may be alternatives.  I look forward to hearing more from the administration about this change in plans," Bingaman said.  

The president's plan also contains funding for the following:

Waste Isolation Pilot Project

The overall request in FY 2013 for WIPP is $198 million, which is below the fy12 level of $213 million; however, the funds to operate the WIPP are slated to increase $18 million from $135 million to $153 million

LANL cleanup

The request is up $51 million from $188 million to $239 million, and will allow LANL to aggressively pursue cleanup in accordance with the consent order with the state.  The increase includes an extra $36 million to expedite the removal of above ground TRU waste and an extra $13 million to meet milestones on soil and water remediation.

Construction projects:

LANL:

• Continue TRU waste facility construction $24 million

• TA-55 Reinvestment Project phase II $8.9 million

Sandia:

• Test Capabilities Revitalization $11.3 million

Beyond the traditional nuclear security missions of the New Mexico laboratories, the FY 2013 DOE Budget Request has flat or slightly declining budget levels for non-defense DOE work at the laboratories, which is a matter of concern for Bingaman. 

"The long-term health of the national laboratories in New Mexico is dependent on maintaining broad-based excellence in energy as well as defense areas.  There seems to be a continuing trend by DOE civilian programs to look to other DOE laboratories as they increase their programs.  I plan to encourage Secretary Chu to see if there are institutional barriers between the NNSA and the rest of the DOE that are contributing to this trend, and I will encourage him to keep the crucial balance between civilian and defense missions at these laboratories in mind as plans for the current and next fiscal year go forward."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked about the bill currently before the Senate that funds the country's highway, transit, and safety programs. Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about a bill currently before the Senate that funds the country's highway, transit, and safety programs.

01:58 – Bingaman comments on reports that the President's FY 2013 budget, which will be unveiled today, will contain new recommendations for a project at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

03:47 – Bingaman talks about his efforts to extend the life of the Secure Rural Schools program and his proposal to also fully-fund the payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for an additional five years.

07:32 – Bingaman talks about how the surface transportation authorization bill before the Senate will affect New Mexico.

09:19 – Bingaman talks about Carlsbad hosting the National Nuclear Fuel Cycle Summit in April.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a total of over $6 million to four flood control and watershed projects in New Mexico.

"The Army Corps of Engineers has been instrumental in helping New Mexico community's address water and flood control projects.  The funding being awarded today will help Alamogordo, Las Cruces, Questa and Hatch with their projects," Bingaman said.

"I am pleased to see the Army Corps of Engineers is funding these important flood management and environmental restoration projects in 2012 in Alamogordo, Las Cruces, Questa and Hatch," Udall said.  "New Mexicans know that when the rains come, flooding and erosion is a major threat, so we will continue to work with the Corps to implement flood protections."

The following projects will receive funding:

• $4.2 million for a Alamogordo Flood Risk Management Project: Funding would be used to continue construction to mitigated frequent flooding.  Two floods in 2006 caused $7 million damage.  The project received $1.6 million in fiscal year 2011.
• $1.65 million - Las Cruces Dam Environmental Restoration Project: Proposed improvements include construction of two seasonal wetlands using reclaimed grey water, restoration of riparian vegetation and native Chihuahuan desert vegetation, designated scenic overlooks, wildlife observation areas, trails with interpretive features, and a parking facility for visitors and users of the open space. Funds are needed to initiate the design and implementation phase and award the construction project.  The project received $128,870 in fiscal year 2011.
• $146,172 for Steambank Erosion Control along Cabresto Creek in Questa: Funding will be used to help address streambank erosion along Cabresto Creek. Summer "monsoon" rains have caused Cabresto Creek to overflow resulting in substantial bank erosion and damage to the adjacent roadway and drainage infrastructure.   Funds are needed to complete the ongoing feasibility phase, execute Project Partnership Agreement and initiate design and implementation phase.  The project received $83,828 in fiscal year 2011.
• $50,000 for a Hatch Flood Risk Management Project: Funding will be used for an ongoing feasibility study for a flood reduction plan.  The most recent flood occurred in July 2006 from Placitas Arroyo. The project received $193,303 in fiscal year 2011.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the federal government is releasing a total of $2.2 million to fund three New Mexico water infrastructure projects.

The Eastern New Mexico Water Supply Project will receive $1 million to support the construction of an intake structure at Ute Reservoir that will supply water to eight municipalities and three counties in eastern New Mexico. Bingaman wrote the legislation that authorizes the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to spend up to $327 million to assist the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority in the construction of the pipeline.

"Access to clean, reliable drinking water can have a big impact on a communities economy and its ability to attract business and jobs.  The funding released today will help begin the task of delivering drinking water to parts of eastern New Mexico," Bingaman said.

The following New Mexico projects will also receive funding:

• $1 million for Price's Dairy (Middle Rio Grande Project): This project will allow the acquisition of senior water rights as an accompaniment to the purchase of Price's Dairy, which will be established as an urban National Wildlife Refuge.
• $200,000 for the Jicarilla Apache Rural Water System: This project will assist the Jicarilla Apache Nation in continuing its on-going work related to the Jicarilla-Apache Water System. This rural water grant will allow construction of new water and waste water facilities in the town of Dulce.

Read Senator Bingaman's February newsletter, supporting and detailing some of the ways we can strengthen the economy through education and training programs, clean energy, and more.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today participated in the writing of legislation that will invest in public transit and help finance highway infrastructure improvements in New Mexico and across the country.

The Senate Finance Committee today approved the Highway Investment, Job Creation and Economic Growth Act of 2012, a bill that raises the revenue needed to invest in the country's transportation infrastructure needs while creating good-paying jobs.

"This bill creates jobs by investing in basic infrastructure improvement projects across the country.  But it also invests in our future by supporting transit and ensuring our highway, road and bridge systems are in good shape," Bingaman said.

Bingaman was able to add a provision to the bill that will allow small and municipal governments raise the capital they need to finance local infrastructure projects – including school and road construction, and to meet other ongoing needs.

Under current law, banks are incentivized to purchase municipal bonds only from municipalities that issue $10 million or less in debt each year.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which passed in 2009, incorporated a provision pushed by Bingaman to raise that limit to $30 million, but that measure was allowed to expire at the end of 2010.   The bill that cleared the Senate Finance Committee today includes a Bingaman provision that reinstates the $30 million limit until Jan. 1, 2013.

When the limit was $30 million, many municipalities across the country were able to place bonds directly at financial institutions, including community banks.  When municipal governments work directly with community banks, they achieve considerable savings on interest and transaction costs.

The cities of Gallup and Artesia, and the school districts of Hobbs, Los Alamos, Las Cruces, Roswell, Bloomfield and Eunice all benefited from the increased bonding levels.

"New Mexico communities and school districts benefitted tremendously under the $30 million limit.  We were able to make necessary infrastructure improvements while creating good jobs," Bingaman said.  "I'm glad we're reinstating the $30 million limit, if only temporarily."

A second Bingaman provision was incorporated into the bill.  This one would eliminate an expensive federal subsidy for public roads that are privatized through a long-term lease of many decades.

Currently, the tax code allows a private highway operator to depreciate, or write off, the portion of a highway lease attributable to infrastructure if the lease is sufficiently long – generally, longer than the 45 years highway infrastructure is expected to last.  Once a lease beats that hurdle, the depreciation write-off occurs over 15 years – that is, the lessor's entire investment is recovered over only one-third of the highway's expected life.  And regardless of the lease's actual length, the lessor can write off the right to collect tolls over 15 years write-off schedules amount to a generous tax subsidy and are driving exceptionally long leases.

The Bingaman amendment would revise the tax code's cost-recovery schedules so that private lessors can write off their investments on a schedule that is consistent with what the Bureau of Economic Analysis says economic reality would dictate.  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman reported today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released over $14 million in grant funding to help provide housing assistance to New Mexico Native American communities.

Funds were awarded through HUD's Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) Indian Housing Block Grant Program. The pueblos can use funding to implement a number of affordable housing activities. Those activities may include: new construction, acquisition, modernization or rehabilitation of rental or owner-occupied housing.

"This funding will be used to help ensure that these New Mexico tribal communities can provide safe and affordable housing to more residents," Bingaman said.

The following organizations have been awarded funding:

• Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority: $1.004 million
• Jicarilla Apache Housing Authority: $1.356 million
• Laguna Housing Development and Management Enterprises: $1.48 million
• Nambe Pueblo Housing Authority : $612,500
• Northern Pueblos Housing Authority: $670,996
• Okhay Owingeh Housing Authority: $710,563
• Pueblo of Acoma Housing Authority: $1.085 million
• Pueblo of Cochiti Housing Authority: $307,017
• Pueblo of Jemez: $555,986
• Pueblo of Pojoaque Housing Corporation: $203,990
• Pueblo of Sandia: $285,710
• Pueblo of Zia: $236,670
• San Felipe Housing Authority: $582,351
• Santa Clara Housing Authority: $884,633
• Santo Domingo Tribal Housing Authority: $984,831
• Tamaya Housing Incorporated: $204,157
• Taos Pueblo Housing: $487,904
• Zuni Housing Authority : $3.04 million

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to approve legislation aimed at improving safety and security at our nation's airports. The bill passed 75-20 and can now be sent to President Obama for his signature.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act sets aside $3.35 billion annually through fiscal year 2015 to invest in airports across the country. Some of the funding will be used to upgrade the nation's air-traffic control system.

Other funds will be dedicated to Essential Air Service in rural communities. Three New Mexico communities – Silver City/Grant County, Clovis and Carlsbad – receive funding to support commercial air service.

"Last year alone our state received $31 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants. This bill would allow us to continue to invest in New Mexico's airports, to ensure they are equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems," Bingaman said. "I'm also glad the legislation will continue to invest in rural communities that rely on Essential Air Service funding to support commercial air service."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked about a bill currently before the Senate to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about the FAA reauthorization bill before the Senate.

02:31 – Bingaman talks about the future of nuclear power in the United States.

04:22 – Bingaman talks about the effects of natural gas prices on renewable energy development.

06:20 – Bingaman comments on the state's ongoing debate on allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.

07:40 - Bingaman talks about other issues on the Senate agenda, including a bill to extend the payroll tax cut.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today expressed his optimism over the U.S. Labor Department's announcement that the private sector added 257,000 jobs in January – exceeding the 150,000 estimate projected by economists.

"The job numbers released today show an encouraging trend that our country is on a slow but steady path towards economic recovery.  Still, too many New Mexicans are out of work and struggling to make ends meet.  Job creation needs to be the top priority of Congress and I hope we will be able to work across party lines in the coming months to help Americans get back to work," Bingaman said.

According to the Labor Department, the economy has added private sector jobs for 23 straight months, for a total of 3.7 million payroll jobs over that period. In the last 12 months, 2.2 million private sector jobs were added.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico will receive a $400,000 grant as the first installment of a 10-year forest and watershed restoration project in the northern part of the state.

Funding was awarded through the Bingaman-authored Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program and will benefit the Zuni Mountain Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration project located in the Cibola National Forest.  The initiative aims to reduce the risk of wildfires and improve watershed and habitat conditions in the area.  Approximately, 56,000 acres will be treated with the $400,000 grant announced today, which is part of the total $6.75 million the project is planned for over 10 years.  The project was selected from among 26 finalists from around the country who competed for the funding.

"The selection of this project for this funding will provide significant benefits in terms of wildfire risk reduction and the health of the Rio Puerco and Rio Nutria watersheds," Bingaman said.  "These investments will create good, long-term jobs for local communities and benefits for local businesses."

Last year, the Southwest Jemez Mountains Restoration Initiative was selected and received $2.4 million through the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program for a 10-year project in and around the Valles Caldera.

Bingaman's 2009 law authorizes funding for landscape-scale forest restoration projects that cover 50,000 acres or more of National Forest and other lands.  Competitive funding is awarded through the program to restoration projects that are developed collaboratively in local communities.  In 2010, the first year of the program, the 10 projects selected through a national competition reduced forest fuels and wildfire risk on nearly 155,000 acres, created an estimated 1,550 jobs, generated approximately $59.5 million in labor income, and produced more than 535,000 tons of woody biomass for bio-energy production.

The Cibola National Forest is also set to be one of the first national forests to take advantage of a more efficient, collaborative approach to planning for its management.  The U.S. Forest Service recently announced a new planning regulation for the management of national forests that will provide for sustainable public access, protection, use of watersheds, habitat and resources.  The Forest Service selected the Cibola as one of the first in the country to take advantage of the new rule.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the fire departments in three New Mexico communities have been awarded federal grants to support their efforts. The funding comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and will be used for operations and safety functions.

The funding will be awarded as follows:

• San Juan County Fire Department: $800,000
• Carlsbad Fire Department : $48,870
• Santa Fe Fire Department: $6,512

"This grant funding invests in New Mexico fire departments, helping them protect the people they serve," Bingaman said. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that 22 New Mexico counties will share more than $11 million this year to fund schools, roads, National Forest restoration projects, search and rescue, and other eligible county programs.

The funding comes through the Department of Agriculture's Secure Rural Schools Program, which provides assistance to rural counties that rely economically on national forest lands.

"This federal funding has been essential in supporting New Mexico communities, particularly during the past few years of our country's economic downturn," Bingaman said.

Bingaman led the congressional effort to reauthorize the program in 2008, including a change to the distribution of program funds that dramatically increased the benefits of the program to New Mexico counties.  Bingaman is once again leading the effort to extend the life of the Secure Rural Schools program.  Bingaman's proposal would also fully-fund the payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for an additional five years.  PILT compensates counties for federal land that cannot be a source of property taxes.

Counties received the following payments through the Secure Rural Schools initiative:

• Bernalillo: $60,274.21
• Catron: $3,442,578.53
• Chaves: $48,584.25
• Cibola: $469,940.75
• Colfax: $69,596.39
• Eddy: $96,886.04
• Grant: $975,325.92
• Hidalgo: $99,441.11
• Lincoln: $456,137.25
• Los Alamos: $9,430.99
• McKinley: $355,714.33
• Mora: $178,541.91
• Otero: $785,969.12
• Rio Arriba: $1,910,888.28
• Sandoval: $343,023.09
• San Miguel: $375,762.62
• Santa Fe : $150,620.00
• Sierra: $461,578.25
• Socorro: $795,694.60
• Taos: $529,980.63
• Torrance: $187,468.04
• Valencia: $20,154.76
• NM Total: $11,823,591.07

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman issued this statement following President Obama’s State of the Union address: 

“I thought President Obama laid out a very good blueprint for how we can accelerate economic growth in our country – to create jobs now and to lay the foundation for a strong economy for the next several decades. 

“I think it’s important for us to focus on rebuilding manufacturing jobs in our country, and to develop a labor force that can do the work that needs to be done.  I also agree with the president that we need to focus on our own energy sources to meet our economic needs.  All of that, I think, is very positive and would be good for the country. 

 

AUDIO of Bingaman's reaction
VIDEO of Bingaman's reaction

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked about some of the issues on the agenda for the second session of the 112th Congress.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about tomorrow's State of the Union Address and about some of the issues on the agenda for the second session of the 112th Congress.

02:18 – Bingaman comments on the Obama Administrations decision regarding the Keystone XL pipeline.

04:28 – Bingaman talks about issues, he believes, can be address in the second session of the 112th Congress.

06:08 – Bingaman comments on the Protect IP Act that is being talked about in the Senate.

07:30 - Bingaman comments on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

09:11 – Bingaman says he hopes to get some energy bills passed before the end of the Congress.

10:18 - Bingaman comments on a provision in the defense authorization bill that deals with the detention of U.S. citizens and terror suspects on U.S. soil

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the McKinley County Fire Department has been awarded a $291,200 federal grant.

Funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters grant program and can be used for operations and safety programs, including training, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness, and health and safety modifications to stations and facilities.

"This grant will help the McKinley County Fire Department ensure it is adequately prepared to handle all emergency situations," Bingaman said. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the New Mexico Department of Transportation has been awarded a $738,776 federal grant to support highway safety programs in the state.

"This grant will help promote and implement programs in our state to help improve highway safety," Bingaman said.   

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today issued the following statement on the occasion of New Mexico's 100th anniversary as a state:

"New Mexico is like no other place in the world.  We are steeped in ancient cultures, yet we are at home in the modern world.  Over the last century of growth and change, we have managed to retain the wonderful feeling of a small town.

The question may be 'Red or green?' but the answer is that it doesn't matter because we're all New Mexicans.  With the observance of our 100th anniversary during the first week of 2012, we have the remainder of the year to engage in activities and projects that will lay the groundwork for an even better state in our second century."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today issued the following statement about the final passage of a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded 28 New Mexico organizations grant funding to help meet the needs of homeless populations.

“This federal grant funding will help provide shelter and safety to many homelessness New Mexicans,” Bingaman said.

Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

• Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless, Inc.: $135,267
• Barrett Foundation, Inc.: $121,227
• Bernalillo County: $92,329
• Casa Milagro, Inc.: $82,250
• Catholic Charities: $718,271
• Catholic Charities of Gallup: $26,727
• City of Albuquerque: $2.44 million
• City of Las Cruces: $200,588
• City of Santa Fe: $680,820
• Sandoval County: $197,592
• Crossroads for Women(formerly Human Rights Advocacy): $304,774
• Curry County: $129,864
• Dream Tree Project, Inc.: $78,136
• El Refugio, Inc.: $66,150
• Esperanza Shelter For Battered Families, Inc.: $94,500
• Goodwill Industries of New Mexico: $114,866
• Haven House, Inc.: $50,000
• S.A.F.E. House: $42,096
• Saint Elizabeth Shelter Corporation: $135,912
• Samaritan House Inc.: $96,164
• San Juan County Partnership: $66,713
• Santa Fe Community Services, Inc.: $54,747
• Socorro County Housing Authority: $99,936
• St. Martin’s Hospitality Center: $115,500
• Supportive Housing Coalition of New Mexico: $253,976
• Transitional Living Services, Inc.: $381,300
• Valencia Shelter Services for Victims of Domestic Violence: $106,666
• Village of Los Lunas: $158,496

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that several New Mexico communities will share more than $774,796 in federal transit grants.  The funds come through the U.S. Department of Transportation and will be used to support bus and other transit services throughout the state.

"This federal grant funding will allow our state to invest in the transit systems that so many New Mexicans have come to rely upon," Bingaman said.

The funding will be awarded as follows:                           

$26,480 City or Carlsbad for bus bike racks, benches, bus shelters and equipment.             

$1,120 for Golden Spread Coalition (Union County)                                    

$2,400 City of Hobbs for mobile radios                                            

$278,000 for Los Alamos County for software, benches and bus shelters

$102,400 for Navajo Nation for service truck, transit software, computers, equipment                            

$9,294 to Na'Nizhoozhi, Inc., (serving the Navajo Nation) for equipment                          

$64,000 to North Central Regional Transit District (serving Espanola/Rio Arriba/Los Alamos) to replace a bus

$36,000 to Ohhay Owingeh for a minivan

$4,800 to Rio Metro Regional Transit District (serving Sandoval, Bernalillo & Valencia counties) for computers and other equipment

$138.960 to Roswell for one bus and one van, and for computers

$2,800 to Ruidoso Downs for equipment

$26,542 to Southwest Regional Transit District (serving Luna, Hidalgo & Grant Counties) for minivan and radios

$50,000 to Zia Therapy (serving Alamogordo / Otero County) for equipment, computers, and mobile radios        

$32,000 to ZEE, Inc. (serving Pueblo of Zuni/McKinley County) to replace a minivan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today congratulated Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque on being selected to participate in an initiative made possible by the new health insurance reform law aimed at providing Medicare recipients with higher quality care while lowering health care costs through enhanced care coordination.

Presbyterian was one of 32 organizations across the country to be selected to participate in the Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) initiative administered through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center. The new initiative provides support for organizations with recognized experience operating as ACOs – a network of primary care doctors, specialists, other healthcare provider, and hospitals that shares responsibility for providing care.

"Providing quality health care, while lowering costs, is a primary goal of the new health insurance reform law. Through this new initiative Presbyterian will participate with other health care leaders to test the effectiveness of new ways of paying for health care in this country to achieve that goal," Bingaman said.

The initiative will test the effectiveness of several innovative payment models and how they can help organizations improve health care services, work in coordination with private payers, and reduce Medicare cost growth. These payment models will allow organizations that are successful in achieving better care and lower cost growth to move away from a payment system based primarily on a fee-for-service model, towards one where payments are based on the quality of care. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency that enforces immigration and drug laws along the border, recently released data about its Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11) apprehensions—and the data indicates that illegal traffic on the southwest border is continuing to significantly decrease.

Last year's southwest border apprehensions dropped 27% from the previous year, falling 72% over the last five years. In terms of New Mexico specifically, apprehensions fell 16% last year, representing a drop of 91% since 2005.  Arizona, which has recently seen the highest level of illegal traffic, reached a 17-year low in apprehensions.

While there is no way of knowing the exact number of people successfully crossing the border, apprehensions are typically a good indicator of illegal traffic.  With historic levels of personnel, technology, and resources deployed along the southwest border, including over 20,000 Border Patrol agents, we are making progress in securing our border and I commend CBP for their good work.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today joined 88 of his Senate colleagues if voting to approve a temporary extension of the payroll tax cut.  But Bingaman in a statement after the vote, he said the bill fell short in many ways. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall voted for final approval of a spending measure that funds important public lands initiatives in New Mexico. 

The Senate today approved the fiscal year 2012 Omnibus Spending Bill and will now send it to the President to be signed into law.

“By improving the health of our national forests and protecting our state’s public lands, the funding in this bill is an important investment in New Mexico and its people,” Bingaman said.

“New Mexico's public lands are an essential part of our heritage and provide a livelihood for folks across the state,” said Udall.  “This bill provides critical funding to help sustain New Mexico's enchanting landscapes and special places.”

The bill included funding for the following New Mexico initiatives:

·         $3.432 million for operations at the Valles Caldera National Preserve

·         $3.4 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to acquire the Miranda Canyon property in Taos County by the Carson National Forest.

·         $8.533 million for the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts in Santa Fe.

·         $40 million for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund – a program that Senator Bingaman authored in 2009.  Two New Mexico projects will benefit from this level of funding: the ongoing Southwest Jemez Project and a highly-ranked project in the Zuni Mountains within the Cibola National Forest will have a better chance at getting selected during the second round of national selections.

·         $1 million for the Livestock Loss Demonstration Program. A portion of the funds will go to New Mexico to compensate ranchers for livestock depredations by Mexican wolves and other means of reducing conflicts between cattle and wolves.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the Senate has given final passage to a spending bill that funds key New Mexico-based national security and border security initiatives.  The bill will be sent to President Obama for signature. 

            “This legislation invests in efforts that will strengthen security along our border with Mexico, and supports other New Mexico-based national security efforts,” Bingaman said. 

“This bill matches New Mexico’s priorities for strengthened border security.  By supporting our officers at Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, we are ensuring they have the tools they need to get the job done.  The funding for FLETC in Artesia is crucial for the local economy and provides a world class training facility for Border Patrol agents, Bureau of Indian Affairs police officers, and other agencies that use the center,” Udall said.

            The bill funds the following initiatives in New Mexico:

·         $4.5 million for the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Roswell.

·         $239 million for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), which funds four training facilities, including one in Artesia.

·         $93 million for the National Defense Preparedness Consortium.  New Mexico Tech is part of the consortium.

·         $50 million for the National Guard Counterdrug Program.  The New Mexico National Guard provides border security assistance with these funds.

·         Funds an additional 300 Customs and Border Protection agents at land ports of entry to better facilitate trade and border traffic.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today reported that the Senate has given final approval to a major spending bill that funds the labs and various important New Mexico water projects.  The measure can now be sent to the president for signature.

            The bill increases the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) stockpile budget to $7.23 billion – a 5 percent increase over last year’s budget.  Overall, the NNSA’s budget grew by 5 percent to $11 billion. 

            Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory will share the funding increase in the following two key areas:

·         $1.9 billion for Directed Stockpile Work, about half of this is for Sandia and LANL. 

·         $2 billion for Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities, an increase of $200 million over FY 2011.

“Our state fared very well in this important piece of legislation.  This bill funds helps our labs meet its extremely important missions, and makes several key water projects in our state a top priority in the federal budget,” Bingaman said.   

“This bill contains significant funding for initiatives that benefit New Mexico like algae development, nuclear waste clean-up and water infrastructure,” Udall said.  “Passing this bill means our agencies can get started moving forward on innovative projects that promote renewable energy and ensure that we are responsible stewards of our environment and resources.”

Other details:

Los Alamos National Laboratory

$318 million for operations that support Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities

$9.88 million for the new TRU waste facility

$10 million for the TA-55 Reinvestment project to ensure the safety of existing facilities

$200 million for the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement Facility

$188 million for environmental cleanup

 

Sandia National Laboratories

$121 million for operations that support Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities

$25 million for the test capability revitalization program to ensure our stockpile can operate safely in a wide range of environments

$3 million for environmental cleanup

 

            The 2011 budget request also contains $2.3 billion for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation activities throughout the Department of Energy. 

           

            Other highlights for New Mexico:

• Waste Isolation Pilot Plan- $215 million

 

The spending bill also funds major water projects in New Mexico, including setting aside $34.887 million for planning, design, and construction of the Navajo – Gallup pipeline.

The bill also funds the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers, which fund significant water projects throughout the state.  Funding is as follows:

 

Bureau of Reclamation projects:

Aamodt Water Settlement - $9.29 million to plan, design, and construct a regional water system in accordance with the settlement agreement.

Carlsbad Project -- $3.956 million for ongoing operations of the Carlsbad Project which benefits the Carlsbad Irrigation District.

Eastern New Mexico Investigations Program - $46,000 for planning associated with improved water management in the Pecos and Canadian River basins in Colfax, Mora, Harding, San Miguel, Quay, Guadalupe and DeBaca counties.

Jicarilla Apache Rural Water Project - $490,000 to continue to repair and replace the drinking water delivery and wastewater system on the Jicarilla Reservation. 

Middle Rio Grande Project - $23.289 million to continue work on project operations relating to water delivery and continued participation in the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Act Collaborative Program. 

Navajo Nation Investigations Program - $227,000 to support water supply planning efforts within the Navajo Nation in cooperation with other agencies.

Rio Grande Project - $4.977 million for the ongoing operations of the Rio Grande Project which benefits the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico. 

Río Grande Pueblos Project - $247,000 to assess the condition of the irrigation infrastructure of the Rio Grande Pueblos as directed by Bingaman’s Río Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Act (P.L. 111-11)

San Juan River Basin Investigations Program - $179,000 to support investigations involving the San Juan river basin water supplies.

Southern New Mexico/West Texas Inv. Program - $190,000 to analyze water supply options for irrigation and municipal uses in the Las Cruces, El Paso and Juarez areas. 

Taos Pueblo Water Settlement - $3.952 million to provide grants for design and construction of mutual-benefit projects to both move future non-Indian ground water pumping away from

the pueblo’s buffalo pasture and to implement the resolution of a dispute over the allocation of surface water flows between Pueblo and non-Indian irrigation water rights owners.

Tucumcari Project - $71,000 for expenses associated with operation of Conchas Dam and Reservoir northwest of Tucumcari. 

Upper Rio Grande Basin Investigations - $77,000 to support investigations involving the Rio Grande water supplies in coordination with the States of Colorado and New Mexico and other water users.

Corps of Engineers projects

Abiquiu Dam - $3.7 million – for continued management activities at Abiquiu Dam and Reservoir.

Cochiti Lake - $3.2 million for continued management activities at Cochiti Lake.

Conchas Lake - $3.3 million for continued management activities at Conchas Lake.

Galisteo Dam - $919,000 to operate and maintain Galisteo Dam.

Jemez Canyon Dam - $1.1 million to operate and maintain Jemez Canyon Dam.

Middle Rio Grande ESA Collaborative Program -- $2.4 million

Rio Grande Basin, NM, CO & TX – $287,000 to improve water conveyance efficiencies and address ecosystem degradation and flooding throughout the Rio Grande Basin which includes over 160,000 square miles from Colorado, through New Mexico to Texas.

Rio Grande Floodway, San Acacia To Bosque Del Apache - $9.8 million for maintenance and restoration of the Rio Grande floodway.

Santa Rosa Dam and Lake - $1.8 million for operation and maintenance of Santa Rosa Dam and Lake.

Two Rivers Dam - $1 million for repairs and maintenance of the Two Rivers Dam in the Roswell area.

Upper Rio Grande Water Operations Model Study - $1.3 million to continue work developing and utilizing the model to assist with Rio Grande operations. 

Tribal Partnerships -- $957,000 for planning activities for water resource projects to benefit Indian tribes.  The types of studies include flood damage reduction, environmental restoration and protection, and preservation of cultural and natural resources.    In September, Santa Clara Pueblo signed the first agreement with the Corps to prepare a plan to mitigate damage from the Las Conchas fire.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said a final bill that supports the important work performed at our military installations and two defense laboratories has cleared the Senate (86-13). It will now be signed by President Obama.

"New Mexico's bases and Sandia and Los Alamos laboratories receive strong support in this important piece of legislation," Bingaman said.

The bill authorizes funding for the following:

Cannon Air Force Base

• $15 million for 96-Room Dormitory
• $7.598 million for ADAL Wastewater Treatment Plant
• $10.941 million for C-130 Squadron Operations Facility
• $10.856 million for C-130 Wash Rack Hanger
• $15 million for Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Facility
• $28.1 million for Apron and Taxiway
• $41.2 million for Hangar Aircraft Maintenance Unit
• $9.6 million for ADAL Simulator Facility
• $17.3 million for Squadron Operations Facility

Holloman Air Force Base

• $11.2 million for Child Development Center
• $8 million for Parallel Taxiway
• $5.8 million for F-16 Academic Facility
• $4.2 million for F-16 SEAD Training Facility

Kirtland Air Force

• $25 million for Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Sustainment Center

Army National Guard

• $5.2 million Readiness Center (Santa Fe)

The bill authorizes the following lab funding:

• Nuclear Weapons Activities and Stockpile Stewardship: $7.3 billion
• Non Proliferation: $2.3 billion
• Clean up of nuclear weapons sites: $5 billion, which includes $215 million for WIPP and $189 million for LANL
• Authorized $9.9 million for a new Transuranic (TRU) Waste Facility for Los Alamos National Laboratory
• CMRR building design at $200 million

Bingaman said he voted for the bill because of its great importance to New Mexico and our troops, but he said he continues to have serious concerns about provisions in the bill that relate to the detention of individuals who are detained by the U.S. military.

In a statement he included in the Congressional Record, Bingaman cited several problems with the detainee provisions, including:

1. The U.S. military is given the authority to indefinitely detain, without trial, an individual suspected of involvement in hostilities against the United States.  The ability to detain the person without charges could last until the "end of hostilities"– a completely undefined period of time considering that we are confronting a long-term conflict with groups, such as al-Qaeda, who will never sign a peace treaty ending the hostilities.  But it does not make clear that Congress intends to exclude American citizens from such detention.
2. The measure also mandates that the military detain suspected members of al-Qaeda, including those captured within the United States, despite the fact that military and federal law enforcement officials have argued that this provision will hamper their ability to bring suspected terrorists to justice by limiting the flexibility of civilian law enforcement and creating a completely new and untested framework for dealing with suspected terrorists.

"When this bill was debated on the Senate floor, I supported an amendment offered by Senator Mark Udall to remove all of the detainee provisions from the bill. Unfortunately, the measure was not adopted.  It was my hope that these matters would be dealt with as the legislative process moved forward and I am disappointed that efforts to adequately address these concerns were unsuccessful.  I will continue to support efforts to revise these provisions as Congress discusses detainee matters in the future," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall welcomed news that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will adopt new guidelines outlined in a new scientific report that greatly limit the circumstances under which chimpanzees can be used for research. 

At the request of New Mexico's senators and Senator Tom Harkin, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies undertook a comprehensive study about whether chimpanzees are still necessary for health research. The expert report, released publicly today, concluded that testing on chimpanzees is largely no longer necessary, however, very limited circumstances exist where it may still be beneficial.

On the heels of being briefed about the report findings on Tuesday, Bingaman and Udall wrote to the National Institute of Health Director Francis Collins urging the prompt adoption of the IOM's new recommendations. The senators also told Dr. Collins they hoped that, in light of the new report, the chimpanzees in Alamogordo will be excluded from further testing.

The letter follows:

December 14, 2011
Dear Director Collins:

We are writing regarding the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, "Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral Research," which our offices were briefed on earlier this week. We appreciate the support you and the NIH staff have dedicated to this issue following our request for the study.

The IOM report recommends the National Institutes of Health adopt strict criteria for evaluating future proposals to use chimpanzees in biomedical, genomics, or behavioral research programs. These criteria would significantly reduce the need for chimpanzees in health research. We ask you to promptly adopt these recommendations.

In addition, we hope that you will find that the chimpanzees in Alamogordo Primate Facility (APF) should be excluded from research after you evaluate them in light of these new criteria. For example, the report notes that one of the few areas of biomedical research where chimpanzees may still be needed is to evaluate the effectiveness of prophylactic vaccines for the hepatitis C virus, the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States. However, many of the APF chimpanzees are already infected with the hepatitis C virus and therefore may not be suitable for evaluating the effectiveness of a prophylactic vaccine for this virus.

Although the report cautions against imposing an immediate ban on the use of chimpanzees in research, it clearly highlights that the need for using chimpanzees in testing has greatly diminished. Specifically the report states "[t]he present trajectory indicates a decreasing scientific need for chimpanzee studies due to the emergence of non-chimpanzee models and technologies." With that in mind, we ask that you support funding for these technologies that further diminish the need to use chimpanzees in biomedical research.

Thank you for consideration of these matters.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bingaman, United States Senator

Tom Udall, United States Senator

For information about the IOM report and for official NIH response, please contact the following:

NIH Public Affairs: Jenny Haliski, haliskij@od.nih.gov
Renate Myles, mylesr@od.nih.gov 301.496.5787

Institute of Medicine (National Academies of Science): Media Relations Specialist Christine Stencel, cstencel@nas.edu 202.334.2138

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today chaired a Senate Finance Committee hearing to discuss the importance of certain clean energy tax credits.

Bingaman, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, organized the hearing because several tax credits that incentivize energy efficiency and the use of clean energy are about to expire.

"At least ten important tax provisions will expire by the end of the year, and several more will end next year.  These incentives are extremely important to keep in place if we're going to make a shift to a greater reliance on renewable, homegrown energy," Bingaman said.

"I believe we need a long-term tax incentive strategy for alternative energy, just like we've had for years for the oil and gas industry.  It's the only way we can help grow the clean energy sector -- and the jobs that come with it," he added.

Bingaman is pushing to promptly extend incentives for residential energy efficiency, certain promising biofuels, and renewable energy generation.  He is also interested in building support for a long-term strategy, rather than simply extending the tax credits for one or two years at a time.  One concrete example is the production tax credit, which expires at the end of 2012 for wind.  That expiration, however, is far too late to avoid major disruptions in deployment, manufacturing and jobs.

Witnesses at the hearing, which included Martha Wyrsch, President of Vestas American Wind, and Paul Soanes, president and CEO of Renewable Biofuels in Houston, Texas, testified that renewable energy industries, while still young, have grown significantly and now support a number of jobs across the value chain, from manufacturing, research and development, sales, installation, and finance.  These industries have become an important domestic economic sector.

"One important take away from today's hearing is that Congress needs to develop a more holistic, forward looking incentive structure for renewable energy that can both aggressively help industry scale up while also not become a permanent fixture of the tax code," Bingaman said.

Bingaman also chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and has been instrumental is working to shift our country to a cleaner energy economy.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today joined in introducing legislation aimed at stimulating new affordable housing development in New Mexico, which in turn will help create hundreds of construction jobs across the state.

Under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program (LIHTC), affordable housing developments receive tax credits, which are used to attract private investment.  However, the actual annual amount of the credits fluctuates from month to month based, in part, on current interest rates.  This fluctuation makes LIHTC difficult to use and means that when market interest rates are low, the current-year value of the credit is reduced.

The bill Bingaman is cosponsoring would set a floor on these credits, which will eliminate the uncertainty and financial risk of the current "floating" system and would facilitate development of affordable housing around the country.

"The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program has been instrumental in driving the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing to help meet the needs of New Mexico's most vulnerable residents.  This is especially important in today's economic climate," Bingaman said.  "This bill will provide the program with some financial stability so it can continue to create housing and job opportunities in our state."

Bingaman is a strong supporter of the LIHTC program.  New Mexico received $8.6 million of LIHTC credit authority in 2009.  Between 1987 and 2009, New Mexico has received $80 million of credit authority over 1987-2009, which has helped support eight housing developments (792 units of housing).

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today gave an overview of what the Senate hopes to accomplish before Congress adjourns for the year.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and  followed:

00:00 – Bingaman gave an overview of what the Senate hopes to accomplish before the holiday recess.

05:17 – Bingaman comments on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to delay a decision on placing the Sand Dune Lizard on the endangered species list.

06:27 – Bingaman comments on the U.S. Postal Service's proposal to close over 50 post offices in New Mexico.

07:43 – Bingaman talks about funding in the defense authorization bill for WIPP.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said a bill that supports the important work performed at our military installations and two defense laboratories has cleared the Senate. It must now be conferenced with the bill passed by the House of Representatives before it can be sent to the president for signature.

"This bill strongly supports our state's military installations and national laboratories, ensuring they can meet their important missions," Bingaman said.

The bill authorizes funding for the following:

Cannon Air Force Base

• $15 million for 96-Room Dormitory
• $7.598 million for ADAL Wastewater Treatment Plant
• $10.941 million for C-130 Squadron Operations Facility
• $10.856 million for C-130 Wash Rack Hanger
• $15 million for Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Facility
• $28.1 million for Apron and Taxiway
• $41.2 million for Hangar Aircraft Maintenance Unit
• $9.6 million for ADAL Simulator Facility
• $17.3 million for Squadron Operations Facility

Holloman Air Force Base

• $11.2 million for Child Development Center
• $8 million for Parallel Taxiway
• $5.8 million for F-16 Academic Facility
• $4.2 million for F-16 SEAD Training Facility

Kirtland Air Force

• $25 million for Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Sustainment Center

Army National Guard

• $5.2 million Readiness Center (Santa Fe)

The bill authorizes the following lab funding:

• Nuclear Weapons Activities and Stockpile Stewardship: $7.6 billion, a 10% increase over FY11
• Non Proliferation: $2.38 billion, a 3% increase over FY11
• Clean up of nuclear weapons sites: $5.375 billion a 3% increase over FY 11, enabling the funding for the President's full request for WIPP ($229M).  Cleanup funding for LANL ($189M) is below the president's request of $383 million.
• Authorized funding for a new Transuranic (TRU) Waste Facility for Los Alamos National Laboratory, $13,481,000.
• Chemistry and metallurgy facility replacement project, Los Alamos National Laboratory, $300 million.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to approve an extension of an expiring tax cut that has helped thousands of New Mexicans this year.  The bill failed on a party-line vote.

The proposal would have expanded the payroll tax cut passed last December by cutting workers' payroll taxes in half next year. A typical household in New Mexico, with a median income of around $44,000, would receive a tax cut of around $1,360.

The proposal also would have cut the payroll tax in half to 3.1% for employers on the first $5 million in wages, providing broad tax relief to all businesses but targeting it to the 98 percent of firms with wages below this level. In New Mexico, 40,000 firms would have received a payroll tax cut.

"The payroll tax cut has benefited thousands of New Mexicans who have used it to buy groceries, pay utility bills and to boost our state's economy in many other ways.  Working New Mexicans cannot afford to have this tax cut expire, and I hope we find a way to extend it in the coming weeks," Bingaman said.

The bill would have been paid for with a 3.25 percent surcharge on incomes above $1 million, which would not affected 99.9 percent of New Mexicans. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman said he is pleased funding released today through a grant program he created will help increase transit services in Indian Country.

The Navajo Nation has been awarded a $475,000 grant to expand service to meet increasing ridership demands within the Navajo Nation; improve transportation to Flagstaff and Gallup and Farmington; and improve coordination with other transit providers.

The Pueblo of Santa Ana will receive a $194,529 grant to expand transit service to the reservation and surrounding areas including portions of Sandoval County. Currently, the pueblo provides transit services within the pueblo, connecting services to the New Mexico Rail Runner and connecting services to the villages of Rebahene, Ranchitos and Chicale.  Expanded service will include additional stops at major employers, retail, financial, legal and health-care services.

The Pueblo of San Felipe was awarded a $25,000 grant to assist with developing community-wide transit goals.  San Felipe Pueblo has more than 2,400 residents who are currently without transit services. The transit planning study will develop a vision for reservation-based transit services based on best practices, community needs, development goals and partnership opportunities.

"New Mexico's rural communities depend on bus and other transit services to get to where they need to be.  These grants will help expand these much-needed services to better serve those who rely on it," Bingaman said. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico has been awarded $34.2 million to help develop a health care marketplace– known as a health care "exchange."  The exchange is one of the key provisions of the health insurance reform law, which in 2014 will expand health care access to millions of Americans who currently do not have health insurance.

The Affordable Insurance Exchange grant comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and was awarded to the New Mexico Human Services Department.

"Our state's health care exchange will be a central location where New Mexicans can shop for the most affordable health insurance, and to find out whether they qualify for tax credits to help them pay for it," Bingaman said.  "It is one of the most important aspects of the new health insurance reform law."

Among other things, the grant will be used to implement a multi-year Exchange business and operational plan, including the activities, timelines, and benchmarks and the IT infrastructure and functionality necessary to fully operate in 2014.

Bingaman helped write the health insurance reform law.  As a state with one of the highest rates of uninsured residents, no state stands to benefit more than New Mexico. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked about the defense authorization bill being debated in the Senate and about funding in the bill to support New Mexico's military instillations.  Bingaman also answered questions relating to the 'super committee' announced last week that it could not reach an agreement on how to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about funding in the defense authorization bill to support New Mexico's military instillations.

02:15 – Bingaman talks about how the 'super committee's' announcement last week that it could not reach a deal would affect cuts to Medicare.

06:01 – Bingaman comments on proposed low-level flights by the U.S. Air Force over northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman issued the following statement after learning the Congressional debt reduction 'super committee' announced it could not reach an agreement on how to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion:

"It's unfortunate that the super committee was unable to agree on a plan to reduce our long-term debt.  Unfortunately, Republicans took a hard stance against revenue increases, even for the wealthiest Americans, and even went so far as to seek additional tax cuts for that group – a move that would have increased our debt even further.

"In the past few months, Congress cut federal spending by $917 billion, and further cuts of $1.2 trillion are set to occur.  But I believe we should develop a more balanced approach.  Congress should continue to work to find a solution that includes not only cuts, but requires a shared sacrifice from everyone, including millionaires."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (NM), David Vitter (LA), Sherrod Brown (OH) and Jeff Merkley (OR) today introduced bipartisan legislation that will help generic manufacturers bring high-quality, lower-priced prescription medications to market in a more timely fashion.   Enacting the bill is expected to save American consumers and the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars and level the playing field among generic manufacturers.

The legislation, called the Fair and Immediate Release of Generic Drugs Act (FAIR GENERxICS Act) of 2011, fixes an unintended problem in the Hatch-Waxman Act – a law that provides the framework to incentivize name brand companies to develop new medications and generic manufacturers to bring medications to market.  A provision in that law gives the first generic company to file for a patent the exclusive right to sell a generic version of the medication for 180 days after the original patent expires.

Unfortunately, in many instances, the "first-filer" is paid by or settles with the name brand company to delay selling their generic drug. This leaves only the expensive brand name drug on the market, while both the name-brand company and the generic company financially benefit. During this delay, the brand name company enjoys market exclusivity, reaping 100 percent of profits from drug sales. The generic company may enjoy a settlement payment, and blocks other generics from coming to market.  In the meantime, American consumers and the federal government (through Medicaid, Medicare, and other federal healthcare programs) are forced to purchase more expensive medications for longer periods of time.

The FAIR GENERxICS Act would modify the "first-filer" provision, while still maintaining the integrity of the goals of the original Hatch-Waxman legislation—innovation, competition, and affordability.  Specifically, FAIR GENERxICS would allow any generic company that wins a patent challenge in district court or is not sued by the brand name company to share most of the 180 day market exclusivity that was originally reserved for first filers only. This new incentive structure will end the "pay-for-delay" problem and bring less expensive generics to market sooner.

"At a time when Americans are struggling to make ends meet, the cost of prescription medications is outpacing inflation.  We need a federal law in place that encourages competition, not collusion," BINGAMAN said.  "This bill would bring lower-cost medications to market, and bring a level of fairness to the pharmaceutical industry."

"The purpose of the original law was to ensure quicker access to lower-cost generic drugs for Americans," said VITTER.  "This is a great opportunity to achieve cost savings by bringing lower-priced generics to the market faster and will greatly benefit many Americans on tight budgets, as well as significant savings to the federal government."

"The United States is the world's largest market for prescription drugs, but we pay the world's highest prices for medications. The FAIR GENERxICS Act would help consumers, as well as the federal government, save millions of dollars. Right now, Ohioans are taking bus trips into Canada or using the Internet to gain access to lower-priced prescription medications from other countries. They shouldn't have to. This bill will help Ohioans save money while ensuring access to safe and lower-priced generic drugs," BROWN said.

"Generic medications play a critical role in making treatments – sometimes life-saving treatments – available and affordable to Oregonians from all walks of life," said Merkley. "This is a common-sense fix that will help make sure that the reality of the market matches the intent of the original law, which is to simply to ensure that our seniors and patients get access to affordable generic drugs with no unnecessary delays," MERKLEY said.

FAIR GENERxICS would complement another Senate measure authored by Senators Herb Kohl and Chuck Grassley that creates that creates a presumption that payments between name-brand and generic companies are anti-competitive.

The bill will be sent to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.  Bingaman is a senior member of that committee.

My November newsletter highlights a bill recently passed into law intended to help our nation's veterans find work -- a meaningful way to honor them this Veterans Day.  I also detail some provisions within the bill that would update No Child Left Behind, a critical federal education law, including several key elements I wrote that are essential to New Mexico.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked about a bill he wrote that seeks to protect and enhance cultural, ecological, recreational, and scenic resources on public lands in Northern New Mexico.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed link:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about the Río Grande del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act that passed the Energy Committee last week.

03:10 – Bingaman comments on the announcement that the Supreme Court will consider the health insurance reform law that Congress passed last year.

04:20 – Bingaman comments on the work of the congressional 'super committee'.

07:50 – Bingaman comments on concerns over earthquake safety at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

WATCH SENATOR BINGAMAN DELIVER HIS STATEMENT ONLINE

"Each Veterans Day is an occasion when we, as a nation, reflect on and show gratitude to those who served or are currently serving in our military and their families, as well. On this Veterans Day, I'd especially like to thank New Mexico's veterans for their commitment to protect our country.

"New Mexicans have a long and proud history of military service, from the time of the Civil War to the modern conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the needs may be different, America's obligation to our veterans holds true regardless of whether one served in WWII, Vietnam or has only recently returned from a tour of duty. To honor this noble service, I am working with others in the Congress to ensure all our veterans continue to have access to quality and affordable health care, to receive full payment of their benefits, and that our veterans have the support they need to get a college education or other training to enter the nation's workforce.

"This Veterans Day, as American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan move to wind down their presence after a decade of war, it is especially important that we remember our obligation to them upon their return.  In October, the President announced that the remainder of our troops in Iraq will be coming home by the end of the year. Similarly, thousands of troops in Afghanistan will make the journey home to be reunited with their families and friends. In total, about 48,000 American soldiers will be returning home, many of whom will begin looking for employment.

"Like many Americans, New Mexican veterans continue to suffer from the challenging economic environment.  For example, twelve percent of veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are currently unemployed - a rate substantially higher than the rest of the public is experiencing. This is simply unacceptable. Part of the solution to creating good paying jobs is through higher education, and the Post 9/11 GI Bill has provided those benefits to hundreds of thousands of veterans so far, just as the original GI bill did for veterans returning from WWII. However, there is much more that we can do in the immediate future.

"I am glad that this week the Senate answered the President's call for helping veterans find jobs by approving legislation that provides special tax credits for companies that hire unemployed veterans and veterans with service-connected disabilities. The bill also provides job training to all outgoing service members and one year of additional Montgomery GI benefits for 100,000 unemployed veterans who served before September 11th, 2001.  In approving this bill the Senate has demonstrated it is capable of working together to ensure our veterans receive the support they have earned.

"Today we honor the service of all of our veterans, but let us not limit our appreciation of their sacrifice to one day each year. To this end, I pledge to continue working in the Senate on their behalf, and once again extend my sincere thanks to veterans and their families for all the sacrifices they have made."

VIEW STATEMENT

WASHINGTON – In honor of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today released the following statement:

"Each Veterans Day is an occasion when we, as a nation, reflect on and show gratitude to those who served or are currently serving in our military and their families, as well. On this Veterans Day, I'd especially like to thank New Mexico's veterans for their commitment to protect our country.

"New Mexicans have a long and proud history of military service, from the time of the Civil War to the modern conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the needs may be different, America's obligation to our veterans holds true regardless of whether one served in WWII, Vietnam or has only recently returned from a tour of duty. To honor this noble service, I am working with others in the Congress to ensure all our veterans continue to have access to quality and affordable health care, to receive full payment of their benefits, and that our veterans have the support they need to get a college education or other training to enter the nation's workforce.

"This Veterans Day, as American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan move to wind down their presence after a decade of war, it is especially important that we remember our obligation to them upon their return. In October, the President announced that the remainder of our troops in Iraq will be coming home by the end of the year. Similarly, thousands of troops in Afghanistan will make the journey home to be reunited with their families and friends. In total, about 48,000 American soldiers will be returning home, many of whom will begin looking for employment.

"Like many Americans, New Mexican veterans continue to suffer from the challenging economic environment. For example, twelve percent of veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are currently unemployed - a rate substantially higher than the rest of the public is experiencing. This is simply unacceptable. Part of the solution to creating good paying jobs is through higher education, and the Post 9/11 GI Bill has provided those benefits to hundreds of thousands of veterans so far, just as the original GI bill did for veterans returning from WWII. However, there is much more that we can do in the immediate future.

"I am glad that this week the Senate answered the President's call for helping veterans find jobs by approving legislation that provides special tax credits for companies that hire unemployed veterans and veterans with service-connected disabilities. The bill also provides job training to all outgoing service members and one year of additional Montgomery GI benefits for 100,000 unemployed veterans who served before September 11th, 2001. In approving this bill the Senate has demonstrated it is capable of working together to ensure our veterans receive the support they have earned.

"Today we honor the service of all of our veterans, but let us not limit our appreciation of their sacrifice to one day each year. To this end, I pledge to continue working in the Senate on their behalf, and once again extend my sincere thanks to veterans and their families for all the sacrifices they have made."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today reported that the Senate approved a proposal that encourages the hiring of veterans.  This is the first job creation measure offered by Senate Democrats that was not blocked by Senate Republicans.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 provides a tax credit of $5,600 for hiring veterans who have been looking for a job for more than six months, and a $2,400 credit for veterans who have been unemployed for more than four weeks.  It also offers a tax credit of up to $9,600 for hiring veterans with service-connected disabilities who have been looking for work for more than six months.  Finally, the bill provides veterans with additional educational and training opportunities.

"After weeks of being blocked from voting on jobs proposals, I am gratified that we were finally able to pass a bill that will help some Americans find work," Bingaman said.  "Many veterans returning from war are finding it very difficult to find a job during this economic downturn.  This bill will encourage employers to put these men and women back to work."

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act was attached to a larger bill that repeals a law requiring state and federal governments to hold back three percent of payments made to contractors providing property or services to the government.  That bill passed the Senate 95-0. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today won support from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for his bill to protect and enhance cultural, ecological, recreational, and scenic resources on public lands in Northern New Mexico.  The committee passed the bill with bipartisan support; it can now be considered by the full Senate.

The bill is cosponsored by Senator Tom Udall.  Representatives Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich have introduced a similar bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Bingaman's Río Grande del Norte National Conservation Area Establishment Act would protect approximately 236,000 acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Taos and Río Arriba counties by designating a combination of "conservation" and "wilderness" areas.

The vast majority of the land – 214,600 acres – would be managed as a conservation area.  Two other areas – the 13,400-acre Cerro del Yuta on the east-side and the 8,000-acre Río San Antonio in the west – will be managed as wilderness.

"Setting aside this beautiful landscape will protect its traditional uses while attracting new visitors to New Mexico and boosting the region's economy," said Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

"I'd like to thank Senator Bingaman for his leadership in guiding this bill out of the Energy Committee.  This legislation will ensure that the historic landscapes in Taos and Rio Arriba counties are preserved and accessible for future generations," Udall said.

The bill would designate as a conservation area the upper reaches of the Rio Grande Gorge previously designated as a Wild and Scenic River, protecting elk wintering grounds and migratory corridors along the plateau between Ute Mountain and San Antonio Mountain and habitat for other game species and birds of prey, including peregrine falcons and bald eagles.  The majority of the conservation area is composed of high mesa sagebrush-grasslands interspersed with piñon juniper woodlands.

The Cerro del Yuta Wilderness will protect Ute Mountain, a forested extinct volcano which rises to more than 10,000 feet from an elevation of about 7,600 feet at its base.  The Río San Antonio Wilderness Area lies northwest of San Antonio Mountain and is currently managed as a Wilderness Study Area by the Bureau of Land Management.  Its unique character is shaped by the 200-foot-deep canyon formed by the waters of the Río San Antonio that bisects the wilderness area. 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today reported that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has approved legislation he wrote to provide young people with job opportunities, while helping to repair and restore the country's public lands.  The legislation also includes a provision authored by U.S. Senator Tom Udall to establish the Indian Youth Service Corps.

The measure can now be considered by the full Senate.

Bingaman's Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2011 expands opportunities for young people to gain employment and job training through partnerships with public land managers.   The bill makes the existing Public Land Corps legislation more effective, efficient, and accessible for corps members and Federal land managers.  Additionally, the bill would add incentives to attract new participants, especially from underrepresented populations.

"Our nation's unemployment rate is high, but this recession has particularly taken a toll on young Americans," said Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  "This bill would put young people to work on our nation's public lands, helping them gain valuable experience while developing critical job skills and an interest in our environment."

"This bill's impact on New Mexico is two-fold.  The bill will not only allow more of our young people to learn valuable work skills, but it will help instill in them a love of the natural environment that makes New Mexico such a special place," Udall said.  "I am pleased this bill has passed this important hurdle."

Among other things, the bill would:

• Amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to expand the authority of the Interior and Agriculture Departments (including such agencies as the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service) to work with youth in projects designed benefit public lands.
• Establish an Indian Youth Service Corps so that Indian Tribes can start corps programs on Tribal lands to carry out priority projects determined by their communities. Authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to participate in the program, which would allow Corps members to work on restoring coastal and marine ecosystems.
• Expand the scope of eligible projects to include activities such as assisting with historical and cultural research, working with scientists in field research, and providing visitor services and interpretation.
• Authorize the Secretaries to provide transportation to and from project sites in project areas where Corps members can reasonably be expected to live at home.
• Allow agencies to provide noncompetitive hiring status for Corps participants for two years after completing service.  Current law allows such status for only 120 days.
• Expand the age range for the program to youth 15-25 years old, who could serve either in crews or as individuals.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today confirmed that New Mexico received $434.5 million in royalty payments in FY 2011 for energy production on federal lands in the state, an increase of $53.9 million from FY 2010.  Only Wyoming received more royalties than New Mexico.

"Under the Obama Administration, oil production and royalties are up in New Mexico.  These royalty payments will bolster New Mexico's budget during this very difficult economic time," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a bill the Senate is expected to take up a jobs bill aimed at boost employment opportunities for veterans.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about the veterans jobs bill that the Senate is expected to take up this week.

02:51 – Bingaman comments on a constitutional amendment introduced by Senator Tom Udall that would grant Congress the authority to regulate the campaign finance system.

04:38 – Bingaman talks about a bill he has introduced to expand to 75 miles the zone in which certain Mexican nationals can travel into New Mexico to shop, conduct business, and/or visit family.

06:58 – Bingaman comments on concerns over a proposed pipeline to carry crude oil from the tar sands of Canada to refineries in Texas.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that legislation he introduced to allow New Mexico to spend federal funds to cleanup abandoned uranium mines has passed the Senate. The bill now has to be passed by the House of Representatives before the president can sign it into law.

Under the existing Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program, the U.S. Department of Interior is authorized to collect revenue from coal companies for a fund that cleans up abandoned mines.  Each state receives a share of the AML fund, but the Interior Department currently restricts the ability of states to use some of that funding to clean up non-coal mines.  As a result, New Mexico has not been able to focus the funding on one of its priorities – to clean up uranium mines.

Bingaman's legislation, which is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Tom Udall, makes clear that those funds can be used for non-coal cleanup, paving the way for New Mexico to tap into its $21 million over the next few years to clean up abandoned uranium mines.

"Cleaning up abandoned mine lands is an important environmental issue and also a public health concern.  This bill would help New Mexico move forward with clean-up of non-coal abandoned mines," said Bingaman.

"This legislation is critical for the long-term health of New Mexico. Abandoned uranium mines continue to negatively impact the environmental health of the state and the physical health of its people.  Now that the Senate has overwhelmingly passed this bill, it's time for the House to do the same and ensure that New Mexico be able to use its fair share of the funds to address priority areas throughout our state," Udall said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today urged the Senate to approve legislation aimed at creating jobs by investing in our nation's roads and bridges.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Bingaman said it was disappointing that Republican-led filibusters killed President Obama's comprehensive jobs bill and a smaller version of it that would have supported teacher and public safety jobs. But, he said, the Senate has the opportunity tomorrow to pass another version of the jobs bill that invests in our nation's infrastructure.

The Rebuild America Jobs Act would provide $50 billion in infrastructure investments in highway, transit, and rail projects across the country while creating thousands of jobs. Passage of this legislation would mean at least $284 million in immediate investments for highways ($245 million) and public transit ($39 million) in New Mexico that would support a minimum of 3,700 local jobs. These resources are greatly needed in New Mexico to help stimulate economic development. According to the Federal Highway Administration, about 22 percent of New Mexico's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 19 percent of our bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.

"Among other things, this bill would put Americans to work in improving 150,000 miles of roads, 4,000 miles of train tracks, restoring 150 miles of runways, and in implementing air traffic modernization efforts to improve air safety and reduce delays," Bingaman said.

Additionally, the bill to be voted on tomorrow includes $10 billion to establish an independent National Infrastructure Bank to leverage private and public funds in advancing a broad range of infrastructure projects through loans and loan guarantees. Under this proposal, which is modeled off of a bipartisan proposal Senators Kerry and Hutchison introduced earlier this year, the bank would help finance large-scale transportation, water, and energy projects that are of national or regional significance.

Bingaman pointed out that the bill is paid for a by a .7 percent surtax on income exceeding $1 million.

"In New Mexico, less than .1% of taxpayers would be affected by this modest surtax – that means that 99.9% of New Mexicans wouldn't be impacted at all and the handful of filers who would be impacted would only have to pay this surtax on the portion of their income that exceeds one million dollars. I strongly believe the Rebuild America Jobs Act is an important step in turning our economy around and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman placed an official statement in the Congressional Record honoring Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Salomon Ramirez, who died on October 22.  Bingaman recommended Ramirez for the U.S. Department of Agriculture post; President Obama appointed him to it in 2009.

The statement follows:

Salomon E. Ramirez, New Mexico State Executive Director of USDA's Farm Service Agency, died October 22nd at his family's ranch in Rociada, New Mexico.  He was fifty-six years old.  Salomon came from a ranching family in San Miguel County and devoted his life to serving agriculture in New Mexico and the nation.

He was born in Las Vegas, N.M., attended Robertson High School, and graduated with a degree in Agriculture from New Mexico State University.  His passion for agriculture and a desire to help farmers and ranchers in New Mexico led him to a career at the US Department of Agriculture, including positions at both the Farm Service Agency and the U.S. Forest Service.  Because of his knowledge and experience, he spent time at USDA's headquarters in Washington helping to write a new Farm Bill and implement national farm policy.

Salomon Ramirez was a model public servant.  He worked at USDA for over 30 years and was a tireless advocate for my state's farmers and ranchers.  No one knew more about farm programs or understood how they could best be implemented to support the producers in my state.  My staff and I frequently sought his counsel and valued his always astute advice.   I was honored to recommend him to be the State Executive Director of the New Mexico Farm Service Agency and was pleased when President Obama appointed him to the position in 2009.

No state had a more capable or caring manager for its farm programs than New Mexico.   He was a true friend of agriculture and everyone who depends on agriculture from producers to consumers—in fact, all of us.  He and will be greatly missed.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a variety of issues including the spending bills the Senate is currently working to get done.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman says the Senate is expected to complete work on the Agriculture-CJS-THUD appropriations bill.

02:35 – Bingaman talks about some of the consequences of the Congressional "super committee" inability to reach common ground.

05:01 – Bingaman says he has written to Senate Appropriations urging them to increase funding levels for operations at WIPP.

06:58 – Bingaman talks about his meeting with the Postmaster General regarding post office closures in New Mexico.  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today released the following statement in reaction to President Obama's announcement that all U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of this year:

"I applaud the president's announcement that our troops will be coming home in a few months.  I do not think our military involvement was ever justified by a threat to our own security.  I think it is very good to see an end to this conflict, which has cost us much in lives and resources."

Bingaman was one of 23 senators who, in October 2002, voted against an authorization to go to war in Iraq. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted in favor of bill to create and save jobs in two key areas – education and public safety.  Unfortunately only Democrats voted for the measure, so it lacked the 60 votes needed to end a Republican-led filibuster.  The legislation was fully paid for with a 5.6 percent surtax on millionaires.‬

The bill set aside $30 billion in grant funding to prevent further layoffs and allow school districts to hire additional teachers and staff, including some of the thousands who have lost their jobs during the past three years.  New Mexico would receive enough funding through this program to save and/or create 3,100 educator jobs.
‪       
The bill also includes $5 billion for a grant program to protect first responder jobs.  In New Mexico, it is estimated that the program could keep 470 police officers and firefighters on the job.‬

“Congress must make job creation a priority.  Too many Americans continue to struggle to find employment and many others face the possibility of losing their jobs,” Bingaman said.  “This bill is a step in the right direction and would invest in creating jobs in two important fields.  Unfortunately, partisan politics continue to take priority over fixing our economy.”‬

‪The bill is part of the American Jobs Act – a measure put forward by President Obama to create more than 2 million new jobs through a combination of infrastructure investments and tax incentives. ‬

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to approve legislation that updates and improves upon No Child Left Behind – the decade-old federal education law that governs most federal spending in  K-12 education.  The bill, which today received bipartisan approval from members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, is now ready for full Senate consideration.

            As a senior member of the HELP Committee, Bingaman played a leading role in writing the bill.  For instance, the legislation contains key provisions from Bingaman’s Graduation Promise Act – a stand-alone bill he wrote to focus on low-performing high schools.  The committee-passed bill contains provisions Bingaman wrote to target “dropout factories,” high schools with graduation rates below 60 percent.  It includes funding to turn these schools around.

“For too long, high schools across the country have looked the other way when their students dropped out.  This bill, for the first time, shines a spotlight on these ‘dropout factories’ and requires them to make substantial improvements to better serve students who are at risk of dropping out,” Bingaman said. 

At Bingaman’s urging, the measure also reauthorizes a program Bingaman first wrote into law 2002 that pays test fees and provides incentives to increase the number of low income students taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and  tests.

            “AP courses raise the quality of education offered at a school, and students who take them can earn college credits even before the finish high school,” Bingaman said.  “This bill will help ensure that students are not shut out of the many benefits AP has to offer simply because they cannot afford the fees.” 

            During consideration today, Bingaman won bipartisan approval of an amendment he wrote to ensure schools have the funding needed to adopt technology in the classroom.  Specifically, the amendment reauthorizes a grant program that provides funds to schools for computers, software and teacher training that aid in the education process.

            “Having up-to-date technology in the classroom is increasingly important to ensuring students are prepared for the 21st Century workforce,” Bingaman said.  “This grant funding will give financially-strapped schools access to this essential technology.

            The debate on the Senate floor has not yet been scheduled.  A summary of the legislation follows:

The Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act of 2011

To compete in the global economy, ensure America’s long-term prosperity, and protect our middle class, America needs to provide every child with a world-class education.  The Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act will set high expectations for all children to graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills needed for success in college and careers, support teachers and principals to help them provide high-quality instruction, ensure disadvantaged students get their fair share of resources, focus federal attention on turning around low-performing schools and closing achievement gaps, and remove federal barriers to give states and communities the flexibility they need to innovate.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act will:

Fix the one-size-fits-all approach created by the No Child Left Behind Act. 

• Eliminate policies like the “adequate yearly progress” requirements and mandated federal sanctions for all schools that create pressure to “teach to the test.”
• Support state-designed accountability systems consistent with principles established by the national organization of State superintendents. 
• Make schools accountable to the communities they serve by ensuring that all parents, families, and community members have access to disaggregated information about how effectively their schools are educating all students. 
• Help ensure that every student graduates from high school ready for college and a career.
• Support states as they develop and implement college and career ready academic standards with high-quality assessments that will help make our young people the most skilled citizens in the world.
• Fix America’s dropout factories, the 12 percent of high schools that produce 50 percent of our dropouts.
• Help more children access high quality preschool and foster collaboration between early childhood programs and school systems to ensure that children start school ready to  succeed. 
• Support great teachers and principals, and ensure that all children receive the best instruction. 
• Help ensure there are great teachers and principals in every school through improved support and evaluation systems.
• Recruit and train teachers in high-need subjects like math and science.
• Help more schools provide a well-rounded education with time for the arts and physical activity.
• Support student success by promoting safe and healthy schools.
• Prepare more teachers to teach the diverse learners in America’s schools including students with disabilities and English learners.
• Focus the federal government’s role on the things it does best, while giving states and communities the flexibility they need to address the unique needs of their students and schools. 
• Direct federal resources to turn around chronically struggling schools and those with significant achievement gaps and allow states to take student progress into consideration while rating schools.
• Break down barriers and promote alignment from early learning to K-12 to higher education, and across federal education programs.
• Consolidate and streamline programs in the current law and eliminate those that are duplicative or unnecessary.
  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today welcomed news that millions of the country's Social Security recipients will see a boost in their monthly benefits.

The Social Security Administration has announced that retirement benefits will increase by 3.6 percent beginning in 2012.  The increase was determined by an inflation measure that determines the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

"This increase in benefits will provide a boost to thousands of New Mexico seniors who - like many Americans – have been feeling the terrible effects of the country's current economic downturn," Bingaman said.  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today introduced legislation to expand to 75 miles the zone in which certain Mexican nationals can travel into New Mexico to shop, conduct business, and/or visit family.

Currently, Mexican nationals holding Border Crossing Cards, also known as Laser Visas, are permitted to travel 25 miles into the United States for a period of 30 days without obtaining additional permits. The initiative was created with the purpose of enhancing the ability of frequent, low-risk visitors to visit border communities and engage in economic activity. While this has had a positive impact on many border cities and towns in other states, in New Mexico the 25-mile limit keeps the state's three largest border cities -- Las Cruces, Lordsburg and Deming -- from receiving the same economic benefits.

In 1999 the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) issued a rule that allowed individuals to travel up to 75 miles into the state of Arizona to visit Tucson. The Senators' legislation, the Southern New Mexico Economic Development Act of 2011, would expand the geographical limit for Border Crossing Cards for Mexican nationals traveling within the State of New Mexico to 75 miles – the same as in Arizona.

"This legislation would encourage lawful border commerce, boosting economic activity in New Mexico border communities hit hard by the economic downturn and in a manner consistent with our border security needs," Bingaman said.

"In these tough economic times, it is critical that we do all we can to help New Mexico businesses in our border communities. Currently, Border Crossing Card holders can travel to cities like El Paso, but not nearby Las Cruces, Deming or Lordsburg. This legislation makes a simple modification to boost commerce in important New Mexico communities with respect to our border security," Udall said.

Bingaman and Udall have also written to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asking that the Department revise its regulations to extend the geographical zone in New Mexico.

Biometric Border Crossing Cards are only issued to those individuals who have undergone background, fingerprint and security checks. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the two New Mexico transit project have been awarded grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Mid Region Council of Governments has been awarded a $400,000 grant for a project to identify transit and land use solutions to transportation problems in Albuquerque's education and health care corridor. This three square-mile area, bisected by Route 66, is one mile east of downtown Albuquerque and bounded by I-40 to the north and I-25 to the west.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation has also been awarded a $200,000 grant to develop an asset management system in order to more effectively track the condition of the fleets, facilities, and equipment of communities around the state.

"These grants will support the transit infrastructure that many New Mexicans have come to rely upon for their daily transportation," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a variety of issues.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman says the Senate this week will take up a spending bill that funds the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice and Science, and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.

01:23 – Bingaman comments on the "Occupy Wall Street" protests.

03:20 – Bingaman comments on threats to the Antiquities Act, a law that giving the President of the United States authority to restrict the use of particular public land owned by the federal government in order to protect "historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific significance."

06:15 – Bingaman says there is still no word on whether WIPP will receive the increase funding levels for operations that he and Senator Udall have been advocating for.

07:00 - Bingaman says he will be out in New Mexico next week during the Senate's state work period.

07:35 - Bingaman talks about legislation he introduced last week to extend the life of the PILT and Secure Rural Schools programs.

WASHINGTON – In an effort to bolster job creation in the United States, U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today will vote to approve U.S. trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

Of the three trade agreements, the pact with South Korea holds the most potential for creating jobs in New Mexico.  That agreement ends South Korea's tariffs on most U.S. agricultural products and phases out its 40 percent tariff on beef over the next 15 years.

"One way to create jobs is to export American goods to other countries.  These trade agreements open up new opportunities for American businesses in general, and for New Mexico farmers and ranchers in particular," Bingaman said.

In anticipation of the passage of the three trade agreements, the Senate last month approved the extension of an initiative that aids workers who are hurt by international trade.  That program, called Trade Adjustment Assistance or TAA, provides job training and other benefits to American workers who have lost their jobs because of international trade.   The House of Representatives approved that same measure today.

Bingaman is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over U.S. trade policy and TAA.

Bingaman also expressed disappointment that a measure put forward by President Obama to create more than 2 million new jobs through a combination of infrastructure investments and tax incentives was defeated late Tuesday.  Unfortunately only Democrats voted for the measure, so it lacked the 60 votes needed to end a Republican-led filibuster.

Among other things, the American Jobs Act cuts payroll taxes in half for working Americans and for employers. The job creation legislation was fully paid for with a 5.6 percent surtax on millionaires.

"Our economy needs help right now.  Americans have a right to be angry that critical jobs legislation is being blocked," Bingaman said. "President Obama's plan would have put at least 2 million Americans back to work.  I am disappointed that we could not get bipartisan support for it."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Navajo Nation and the state of New Mexico have been awarded million in federal grants to support bus and other transit project.

The Navajo Nation will receive $5 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace old buses in its fleet with electric buses.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation will receive $1.75 million for new transit vehicles and equipment across the rural transit agencies in the state.

"These grants will help maintain essential transit initiatives at a time when funding is tight," Bingaman said.

Watch Bingaman's floor speech. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today introduced bipartisan legislation that will extend the life of two initiatives that direct millions of dollars in payments to New Mexico counties to support local employment in schools, county maintenance programs, forest management, and other critical county programs. 

          The County Payments Reauthorization Act of 2011 (S.1692) would extend for five years the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act – a program that supports counties that rely economically on national forest lands.  New Mexico counties would receive as much as $58 million over the next five years under the plan. 

The bill would fully-fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for an additional five years.  PILT compensates counties for federal land that cannot be a source of property taxes.  On average, New Mexico counties share about $35 million in PILT payments annually. 

            "The Secure Rural Schools and PILT programs make it possible for New Mexico communities to hire public school teachers, fund countless miles of county road projects, and support collaborative forest and watershed restoration projects that reduce the risk of wildfire.  The legislation introduced today would make it possible to continue these important services in our state," said Bingaman, who as chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

"Both Secure Rural Schools and PILT have helped New Mexico's rural counties through these trying economic times.  The legislation introduced today would ensure these key programs continue to help fund everything from education to construction and maintenance projects that benefit residents and employees alike," Udall said.

           The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act supports local public schools, funds county road improvement and maintenance projects, creates jobs conducting forest restoration and improvement projects in and around National Forests, and supports local initiatives to reduce the risk from wildfires.  The Act was designed to provide more predictable levels of funding than what would be provided under a 1908 law that gives 25 percent of revenues from National Forest lands to local counties to support their schools and roads.  Bingaman led a successful bipartisan effort in 2008 to fund the program through fiscal year 2011, which expired last month.  The 2008 reauthorization provided more than $1.75 billion to counties across the country, including more than $250 million in collaborative forest and watershed restoration, wildfire risk reduction, and other community forestry programs. 

Under the 2008 law, payments to New Mexico counties were initially increased dramatically and then—like all other counties under the program—were moderately decreased at a rate of 10 percent each year.  Under the new plan announced today, the annual reduction would be eased to 5 percent each year.

            The bill would also ensure that PILT does not have to be subjected to the annual appropriations process – a process that for years underfunded the program and shortchanged New Mexico counties.  As part of the 2008 effort, PILT was guaranteed full-funding through the current fiscal year.  Under the new plan, PILT would remain automatically fully-funded until 2017.  New Mexico is typically the number one or number two beneficiary of PILT payments.

            The bipartisan group leading the effort has agreed to work to find "offsets" to ensure that the plan will not increase the Federal deficit.

           In addition to Bingaman and Udall, Senators Murkowski, Baucus, Crapo, Wyden, Risch, Reid, Tester, Feinstein, Bennet, Boxer, Cantwell, and Murray are cosponsoring the legislation.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a bill he has introduced that would extend the life of two initiatives that direct millions of dollars in payments to New Mexico counties to support local employment in schools, county maintenance programs, forest management, and other critical county programs.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about legislation he has introduced to extend the life of the PILT and Secure Rural Schools programs.

02:17 – Bingaman comments on the "Occupy Wall Street" protests.

04:37 – Bingaman talks about the country's move to rely more on clean energy sources.

07:43 – Bingaman comments on a failed gun sting along the US-Mexican border.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today applauded the Obama administration's plan to accelerate the now cumbersome process for permitting energy transmission lines.

Building electric transmission lines involves coordination among multiple federal, state, and tribal agencies subject to permitting, review, and consultation.  With the involvement of so many entities, the process for granting permits can take years.

To address this long-standing problem, the administration today announced that it has formed a Rapid Response Team for Transmission comprised of various federal agencies tasked with accelerating the process for granting permission to construct transmission lines.

The Rapid Response Team for Transmission – which includes the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission, among others – will coordinate permitting, review and consultation schedules. The team also will expeditiously resolve interagency conflicts and ensure that all involved agencies are fully engaged and meeting schedules.

A transmission line known as SunZia Transmission project in southern New Mexico was selected as one of seven nationwide that will undergo the new streamlined process. SunZia is a proposed 500 kV transmission line that would originate at a new substation in Lincoln County in the vicinity of Ancho, New Mexico, and terminate at the Pinal Central Substation in Pinal County near Coolidge, Arizona.  According to the developer estimated job creation will be about 3,408 direct jobs during the construction period.

"Additional transmission projects will be necessary to help meet our nation's future energy needs. I'm glad to see the Federal agencies are coordinating to build on the efforts of this diverse and inclusive group, and I'm confident that this coordinated effort will strengthen and improve America's high-voltage transmission infrastructure," said Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The other six projects are Boardman-Hemingway Line powering Oregon and Idaho; Gateway West Project to bring new transmission across Wyoming and Idaho; Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse Line to power to Minnesota and Wisconsin; Oregon to get additional transmission from Cascade Crossing Line; Susquehanna to Roseland Line brings new transmission to Pennsylvania and New Jersey; and Transwest Express to stand-up transmission from Wyoming to Utah and Nevada.

In making the announcement today, the Obama administration pointed out that "improving the overall quality and timeliness of these procedures enables the federal government to help expedite new transmission lines. Adding necessary transmission infrastructure will integrate renewable electricity sources into the grid, accommodate the growing number of electric vehicles on America's roads, help avoid blackouts, restore power more quickly when outages occur, and reduce the need for new power plants."   

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the New Mexico Environment Department has been awarded a $1 million grant through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The grant will help the state fund the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) at the Eagle Picher Carefree Batteries Superfund Site in Socorro County.

"This grant will make it possible for the New Mexico Environment Department to move forward with the cleanup of this area," Bingaman said. 

Bingaman also announced the following grants released by EPA for three New Mexico communities:

Pueblo of Picuris $115,000: The objectives of this project are to develop the capability to manage specific programs and establish a core program for environmental protection.

Pueblo of Acoma $105,000: The objectives of this project are to develop the capability to manage specific programs and establish a core program for environmental protection.

Pueblo of Pojoaque $10,000: Funding will provide support for a National Training Conference that will support program investigations, demonstrations, studies and training related to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution on tribal lands.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe has been awarded a $215,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Agency to help make improvements to their facilities.

Funding will be used to help construct administration offices, a conference center and classrooms at the IAIA, which is the only four-year fine arts degree institution in the nation devoted to contemporary Native American and Alaska Native arts.

"This grant will not only help to support American Indian Arts through improving the Institute's facilities, but create jobs and boost the local economy," Bingaman said.

Funding was provided through a Bingaman-created grant program that supports community development projects in Native American Communities.  Every year, Bingaman requests funding to be set aside for projects to involving tribal colleges, promoting business in Indian country, and improving facilities and infrastructure.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program has awarded $458,542.31 to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture.

"This funding will ensure that New Mexico's unique agriculture industry continues to thrive," Bingaman said. "With this grant, New Mexico will be able to make its crops more competitive and marketable, as well as more widely available."

The funding supports the following initiatives, among other:

• Increase market share for New Mexico green chile in the national market by providing technical training seminars, webinars, as well as demographic analysis and innovative taste and preference.
• Partner with New Mexico State University to explore the possibility of implementing a certification program in an effort to increase the value of New Mexico Chile peppers.
• Partner with New Mexico State University to determine the feasibility for establishing a regional wholesale/retail market facility to supply the greater Albuquerque metro area with locally grown specialty crops.
• Enhance the marketing, development, and competitiveness of value-added specialty crop food and beverage products for the food service industry.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today unveiled a bipartisan plan that will extend the life of two initiatives that direct millions of dollars in payments to New Mexico counties to support local employment in schools, county maintenance programs, forest management, and other critical county programs.

The plan would extend for five years the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act – a program that supports counties that rely economically on national forest lands.  New Mexico counties would receive as much as $58 million over the next five years under the plan.

The proposal also would fully-fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for an additional five years.  PILT compensates counties for federal land that cannot be a source of property taxes.  On average, New Mexico counties share about $35 million in PILT payments annually. 

"Over the past few years, Secure Rural Schools and PILT have been lifelines for financially-strapped New Mexico counties and the thousands of New Mexicans they employ and contract with.  PILT and SRS have always enjoyed broad community and political support, and I am glad we have been successful in achieving this bipartisan agreement," said Bingaman, who as chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee worked with the Committee's Ranking Member, Lisa Murkowski, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and others to negotiate the proposal.

"Both Secure Rural Schools and PILT have helped New Mexico's rural counties through these trying economic times.  These programs help fund everything from education to construction and maintenance projects that benefit residents and employees alike," Udall said.

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act supports local public schools, funds county road improvement and maintenance projects, creates jobs conducting forest restoration and improvement projects in and around National Forests, and supports local initiatives to reduce the risk from wildfires.  The Act was designed to provide more predictable levels of funding than what would be provided under a 1908 law that gives 25 percent of revenues from National Forest lands to local counties to support their schools and roads.  Bingaman led a successful bipartisan effort in 2008 to fund the program through fiscal year 2011, which expired last month.  The 2008 reauthorization provided more than $1.75 billion to counties across the country, including more than $250 million in collaborative forest and watershed restoration, wildfire risk reduction, and other community forestry programs.

Under the 2008 law, payments to New Mexico counties were initially increased dramatically and then—like all other counties under the program—were moderately decreased at a rate of 10 percent each year.  Under the new plan announced today, the annual reduction would be eased to 5 percent each year.

The plan announced today also would ensure that PILT does not have to be subjected to the annual appropriations process – a process that for years underfunded the program and shortchanged New Mexico counties.  As part of the 2008 effort, PILT was guaranteed full-funding through the current fiscal year.  Under the new plan, PILT would remain automatically fully-funded until 2017.  New Mexico is typically the number one or number two beneficiary of PILT payments.

The bipartisan group leading the effort has agreed to work to find "offsets" to ensure that the plan will not increase the Federal deficit.

Next week, Senators will officially introduce this proposal in the form of legislation.  In addition to Bingaman and Udall, Senators Murkowski, Baucus, Crapo, Wyden, Risch, Reid, Tester, Feinstein, Bennet, Boxer, Cantwell, and Murray are backing the proposal.

Even as we make the necessary investments in our country to spur job creation, we must be looking at ways to solve the nation's serious deficit problem.

Last year, President Obama created the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to address the nation's budget challenges; at the same time, the Bipartisan Policy Center convened their Debt Reduction Task Force, led by my former Senate colleague Pete Domenici. Both commissions recognized the need to increase revenue and cut spending in order to solve the nation's serious deficit problem. The challenge is doing so equitably, in a way that will encourage growth in promising sectors while maintaining crucial safety nets like unemployment insurance.

This approach has worked before. In 1990, Congress passed and President George H.W. Bush signed a bill which both restrained spending and raised taxes. Again, in 1993 and 1997 Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed budget plans which did even more—both to restrain spending and to raise revenue. As a result, we enjoyed both a strong economy and an unprecedented surplus—we were taking in more money than we were spending.

I believe Congress must do everything it can do help stimulate economic recovery now, must address our national deficit by making spending cuts that are equitable, and must find additional ways to raise revenue.  We are all in this economic downfall together, and we will never recover if we expect recovery to come completely on the backs of those Americans struggling the most.

In my most recent newsletter, I outline several proposals I strongly support in President Obama's American Jobs Act.  Congress will likely write its own version of the president's plan to create jobs and spur our nation's struggling economy, but I am eager for Congress to finally get to work on a jobs bill that will encourage businesses to hire while continuing to provide assistance to Americans who cannot find work.

Read my monthly update, A Plan to Put Americans Back to Work, online.  You can also read my response to the question, 'Can we lower the national deficit by only cutting spending or increasing taxes?' in a recent What You're Asking post.

WASHINGTON -- New Mexico Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall and Congressmen Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján are urging the Obama administration to open a regional Patent and Trademark Office in central New Mexico.  Such a move could bring with it as many as 100 highly-skilled professional jobs.   

Last month, President Obama signed a bill into law that streamlines the process for granting patents.  As part of that law, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is required to open at least two regional offices to help address the backlog of 680,000 pending patents. 

The Senators and Representatives sent a letter today to the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office pointing to the many reasons central New Mexico is an ideal location for a regional office.     

For example, they point out the area possesses a highly-educated workforce, including a high density of patent attorneys and employees with science and engineering Ph.D.'s.  They also cite central New Mexico's inexpensive office space and low cost-of-living, which would make the region an economical choice.

To bolster New Mexico's chances for selection, Luján successfully inserted into the new patent law a provision requiring the Patent and Trademark Office to open satellite offices in areas where they would have a high economic impact and where scientific and technically knowledgeable personnel are available.  

The only other regional Patent and Trademark Office opened earlier this year in Detroit, Michigan.  That office will hire about 100 engineers and patent lawyers.  

The text of the letter follows:

October 4, 2011 

Mr. David Kappos
Under Secretary for Intellectual Property
Director for the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Department of Commerce
445 12^th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554

Dear Under Secretary Kappos: 

We are writing to urge the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to select the central New Mexico region as the location of the next Regional Patent Office.

This region, centered around Albuquerque, possesses a highly-educated workforce in the backgrounds pertinent for successful patent development and processing, which makes the area a strong choice for a Regional Patent Office. According to the Department of Labor and Statistics, this region's workforce demographics demonstrate a high density of patent attorneys and employees with science and engineering Ph.D.'s. More specifically, as compared to Detroit, the city most recently selected for a Regional Patent Office, central New Mexico's workforce has a higher density of employed science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) subject Ph.D.'s and over double the number of licensed patent attorneys. Furthermore, the region's inexpensive office space and low cost-of-living provides an affordable choice for the USPTO while also providing a comfortable living environment for employees.  

Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Air Force Research Lab, along with New Mexico Tech, New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico, generate a vibrant local R&D ecosystem that is unique in the southwest. Not only would this ecosystem provide a stimulating environment for a Regional Patent Office, it would also provide a resource of technical professionals from which to draw in hiring new patent examiners. The important relationship between patents and our national labs is demonstrated by a new initiative from the Department of Energy which willreduce barriers for start-up companies to obtain "option agreements" to license some of the 15,000 patents and patent applications held by the national labs.

All of these features of the central New Mexico region would contribute toward attaining the goals of the satellite offices, which include:

(1) increasing outreach activities to better connect patent filers and innovators with the Office;

(2) enhancing patent examiner retention;

(3) improving recruitment of patent examiners.

Furthermore, this region would more than satisfy the criteria required for choosing a location of a Regional Patent Office, namely:  

(a) the availability of scientific and technically knowledgeable personnel in the region from which to draw new patent examiners at minimal recruitment cost; and

(b) the economic impact to the region.

With so many federal labs and research universities in the area, there is a wealth of technically knowledgeable personnel in central New Mexico. In addition, because of New Mexico's tough economic challenges, a Regional Patent Office in central New Mexico would have a much larger positive economic impact in this region than almost any other region that would offer a similar abundance of technical personnel.  

We urge you to carefully consider the central New Mexico region for the location of the next Regional Patent Office.

Sincerely,  

Jeff Bingaman                                     Tom Udall
United States Senator                           United States Senator

 

Ben Ray Luján                                     Martin Heinrich
United States Congressman                  United States Congressman

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that the threat of bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been eradicated from the entire state of New Mexico.

In September 2008 USDA placed ranches and dairies across the state of New Mexico under tough mandatory movement restrictions and testing requirements after a single positive bovine TB case was identified in the state earlier that year.  Such regulations are not only enormously costly to New Mexico's livestock industry, but they place undue burdens on producers far from the site of the one bovine TB case.

Two years ago, those restrictions were lifted for all counties except Curry and Roosevelt.  But on Tuesday, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will officially lift the restrictions on those two counties.

"The drought is having a devastating impact on ranchers throughout New Mexico, with many having to sell of their herds," Bingaman said.  "This is a bit of good news for ranchers at what is otherwise a very difficult time."

"This is a welcome reassessment that will allow all of New Mexico's cattle growers to more easily do business, and it is a reflection of the diligent care that New Mexico dairy and beef producers give to their herds," said Udall. "Dairy and beef production are central to New Mexico's agricultural sector.  This restored accredited-free status is testimony to the quality products distributed by New Mexico's producers."

There are over 1.5 million cattle and calves in New Mexico, including 330,000 dairy cows.  Total annual sales of milk and beef cattle in 2010 were over $2.4 billion.   

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall are appealing to Senate appropriators to increase funding levels for operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad and for the cleanup of transuranic (TRU) waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the FY 2012 budget.

In a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Bingaman and Udall acknowledge the constraints of the current budget climate, but emphasize the need for "the consideration of two high-priority environmental initiatives" for New Mexico.

For the operations of the WIPP facility in Carlsbad, the senators are asking the subcommittee to raise the funding level over the FY11 amount by $30 million. The facility has recently undergone layoffs and the increase is important to maintain a stable workforce and meet all safety requirements and for nuclear waste storage at the site. This increase to the WIPP facility operations account would bring the entire funding for WIPP to $220 million, which includes waste processing and transportation that takes place in other states. 

"To ensure the continued safe and compliant operation of this important facility we believe staffing and operation levels must be maintained, and a funding increase to $167 million to operate WIPP is appropriate," they wrote.  

The senators also say that in order for the Department of Energy to comply with "Fence-to-Fence" cleanup of LANL, as stipulated in a signed Consent Order with the State of New Mexico,

funding must be elevated to the "highest level possible" – especially in light of the recent Las Conchas fire, which threatened some waste stored above ground that is destined for WIPP. 

"Cleanup at Los Alamos allows for the transfer of lands to the county and other property owners, reduces risks, and protects ground and surface water," they wrote. "The importance of removing TRU waste from the site was clearly highlighted this summer when the massive Las Conchas forest fire threatened various laboratory facilities."

The Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee reported legislation earlier this month, and the Senate and House will need to reach agreement on full FY 2012 appropriations levels.

Below is the full text of the senators' letter:

September 27, 2011

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, Chairman

The Honorable Lamar Alexander, Ranking Member

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on 

Energy and Water Development

184 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC  20510

Dear Madam Chairman and Senator Alexander:

We want to thank you for your fine work on the FY 2012 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill.  We especially want to express our appreciation for the support you have shown in the bill for the people of New Mexico.  We realize the great budget pressure you are operating under this year, and you and your staff should be complimented for the fair way you have handled this difficult task.

As your Subcommittee prepares to complete work on the FY12 bill, we respectfully request your consideration of two high-priority environmental initiatives for our state.  

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Carlsbad, NM

President's Request: $228,926,000

Senate bill: $200 million; House bill: $220 million

            We strongly urge you to accept the House's higher funding level of $220 million for WIPP with the Senate's report language.  Though the House's bill would cut funding specifically for WIPP Operations (CB-0080), we believe the higher level of funding in FY12 is critical for completion of all required activities, including storage of TRU waste, compliance with safety requirements, maintenance, capital equipment, mining and closure efforts.  WIPP has suffered from the loss of 116 staff positions this year.  To ensure the continued safe and compliant operation of this important facility we believe staffing and operation levels must be maintained, and a funding increase to $167 million to operate WIPP is appropriate.  In addition, we support the Senate's proposed FY12 funding levels for both the Central Characterization Project and for WIPP Transportation. 

Los Alamos National Laboratory/Defense Environmental Cleanup

President's Request: $358 million

Senate and House Bills: $185 million

            We are concerned that the proposed FY12 funding for cleanup at LANL is substantially below the president's request.  The Department of Energy (DOE) signed a Consent Order with the State of New Mexico, effective on March 1, 2005, that requires DOE to complete a "Fence-to-Fence" cleanup of LANL by December 29, 2015.  We believe the expedited cleanup is an important commitment that Congress and DOE have made to the community and the State of New Mexico.  Cleanup at Los Alamos allows for the transfer of lands to the county and other property owners, reduces risks, and protects ground and surface water.  The importance of removing TRU waste from the site was clearly highlighted this summer when the massive Las Conchas forest fire threatened various laboratory facilities.   To comply with the consent agreement, the president's budget for FY12 proposed increasing efforts to stabilize and dispose of solid waste, for soil and water remediation, and for facility D&D.  We hope you will make every effort to fund the cleanup effort at LANL in FY12 at the highest level possible.

We are very sensitive to the budgetary constraints under which your subcommittee will be operating as you complete the FY12 bill and sincerely appreciate your continuing attention to the needs of the citizens of New Mexico.

Sincerely, 

Jeff Bingaman                                                                        Tom Udall

United States Senator                                                             United States Senator

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs and the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence will receive a combined $211,181 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice.

"This funding represents a significant commitment to assisting the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and an effort to strengthen the abilities of our communities to respond to it," Bingaman said.

The Department of Justice today awarded the following grants:

New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs - $117,621:  The New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs will help to ensure that sexual violence is appropriately addressed in rural, reservation, border and urban areas of New Mexico by coordinating victim services among the state's 7 rape crisis centers and 32 mental health facilities providing rape crisis services, as well as other federal, state, and local entities.  The funding will assist in providing intervention, advocacy, accompaniment, support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, family and household members of victims, and those collaterally affected by the sexual assault.

New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence - $93,560:  The New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence will be able to strengthen the capacity of communities and service providers in assisting victims of domestic violence, especially those from underserved populations, by advocating for positive social change, providing training, building alliances, securing resources and developing public policy to eliminate domestic violence.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho),  Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) today announced Senate passage of S. Res. 275, a Senate resolution designating October 30, 2011, as a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers. The Day of Remembrance honors the thousands of men and women who supported the nation's nuclear efforts during the Cold War.

BINGAMAN: "Since World War II, hundreds of thousands of men and women, including uranium miners, millers, and haulers, have served the United States by building our nuclear defense weapons. I'm glad we're setting aside time to remember our fellow Americans who have paid a high price for their service to develop the nuclear weapons program for United States."

UDALL (NM): "Our nation's Cold War veterans and their families made tremendous sacrifices in the name of security, and for that we will always owe them a debt of gratitude. We often hear about the scientists behind the Manhattan Project in New Mexico, but many others, like maintenance workers, miners, millers and janitors unknowingly compromised their health to develop our nuclear deterrent. It's important that we continue to recognize their contributions."

ALEXANDER: "There are thousands of Americans who defended our nation during the Cold War, who didn't serve in the heat of battle but in the laboratory, where they worked with hazardous materials that were little understood at that time. Many of those Americans are sick—more in Tennessee than in any other state—and we should take the time to recognize their quiet sacrifice for our safety and freedom."

REID: "Nevada's Cold War veterans and their families served their country at the Nevada National Security Site, where over one thousand nuclear weapons detonations took place over four decades of nuclear testing.  This work helped America win the Cold War, but it also left thousands of workers with debilitating illness that far too often led to their premature deaths.  It is appropriate for us to dedicate October 30th as a day to remember the tremendous contribution, service, and sacrifice of Nevada's Cold War veterans, and nuclear weapons workers across the country.  Given their immeasurable contributions to our nation's safety during the Cold War and the great personal sacrifices that they and their families have made, there is no doubt that they deserve this recognition."

CANTWELL: "This resolution honors Washington state's Hanford workers and nuclear weapons workers across the country for their service and sacrifice made building America's nuclear defense. Many of these workers had inadequate information on the long-term health risks posed by their work, risks that in many cases shortened their lives. I will continue fighting for the benefits and health care access our nuclear workers have earned and deserve. Hanford tells an important chapter in our nation's history, and I am fighting to pay tribute to those who labored at Hanford by preserving the historic B Reactor as part of a new National Historic Park."

CORKER: "Civilian workers and their families have made extraordinary sacrifices to keep our nation safe, particularly during the Cold War. A day of remembrance will allow all Americans to give thanks for the dedication of these patriotic citizens, whose quiet, often unheralded work helped preserve freedom at home and abroad."

UDALL (CO): "After World War II, hundreds of thousands of Americans went to work to build our nation's nuclear arsenal and help us win the Cold War, and many were exposed to dangerous substances on the job, often without their knowledge.  Among them were thousands of Coloradans who worked at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site.  I'll continue fighting to get them the compensation they deserve, and I'm proud to recognize and thank them for their sacrifices."

CRAPO: "Individuals who have been adversely affected by our nation's nuclear weapons programs must be justly honored and remembered for their dedicated work and service to our country. Designating a national day of remembrance in their honor is just one way we can show our support and recognition for their sacrifice."

GILLIBRAND: "It is important that we always remember the efforts of our former nuclear workers from New York and across the country. These unsung heroes unknowingly sacrificed their health and well-being to advance our Cold War efforts during a critical time in our nation's history. We owe out Cold War heroes a lifetime of support."

The bipartisan resolution unanimously passed the Senate last night.

The text of the resolution is below:

RESOLUTION

Designating October 30, 2011, as a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers.

Whereas, since World War II, hundreds of thousands of men and women, including uranium miners, millers, and haulers, have served the United States by building the nuclear defense weapons of the United States;

Whereas these dedicated workers paid a high price for their service to develop a nuclear weapons program for the benefit of the United States, including having developed disabling or fatal illnesses;

Whereas the Senate recognized the contribution, service, and sacrifice these patriotic men and women made for the defense of the United States in Senate Resolution 151, 111th Congress, agreed to May 20, 2009, and Senate Resolution 653, 111th Congress, agreed to September 28, 2010;

Whereas a national day of remembrance time capsule has been crossing the United States, collecting artifacts and the stories of the nuclear workers relating to the nuclear defense era of the United States;

Whereas these stories and artifacts reinforce the importance of recognizing these nuclear workers; and

Whereas these patriotic men and women deserve to be recognized for the contribution, service, and sacrifice they have made for the defense of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) designates October 30, 2011, as a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers, including uranium miners, millers, and haulers, of the United States; and

(2) encourages the people of the United States to support and participate in appropriate ceremonies, programs, and other activities to commemorate October 30, 2011, as a national day of remembrance for past and present workers in the nuclear weapons program of the United States.

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of senators is urging Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and other top administration officials to act quickly to improve health care delivery to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

In a letter to Secretary Sebelius and Indian Health Service Director Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, the senators pointed to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report issued Friday, September 23, that highlights billing and other problems in the IHS system that make it difficult for American Indians and Alaska natives to receive care from health providers and makes it difficult for health care providers offering the services to get reimbursed.

The GAO report, called "Indian Health Service: Increased Oversight Needed to Ensure Accuracy of Data Used for Estimating Contract Health Service Need," states that due to inadequate and inconsistent data collection by IHS, it has been very difficult for health care providers who contract with IHS to quickly determine a patient's eligibility for services.  Poor data collection also makes it difficult for IHS to know what contractual services are needed by American Indians and Native Alaskans and whether it has adequate funds to pay for such services.

In their letter, Senators Jeff Bingaman (NM), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Tim Johnson (SD), John Thune (SD), Daniel Akaka (HI), John Barrasso (WY) and Tom Udall (NM) acknowledge that IHS is working to correct some of the problems that have long plagued its programs, but they press Secretary Sebelius and Director Roubideaux to immediately step-up oversight of IHS's contract health services program (CHS).  Excerpts of their letter follow:

"The CHS can be a critical life-line for Native Americans throughout the nation.  The CHS provides them with health services not available in IHS and tribal health facilities.  As a result, CHS may provide for the most complex and life-sustaining care needed by Native Americans."

"Given the important role of CHS and long standing problems with the program, we believe swift and comprehensive action by the IHS is required and insist that work to address the deficiencies identified by GAO begin immediately."

"Specifically, we are requesting, within the next 60 days, a clear and comprehensive corrective action plan from IHS that documents how the agency will address each of the problems and recommendations made by the GAO in this Report.  In addition, the plan should include a timeline for:  (1) specific corrective actions, (2) a date when each action will be commenced, (3) a date when each action is expected to be completed, and (4) identifiable goals that, when reached, will lead to the completion of each corrective action."

"We look forward to receiving the comprehensive corrective action plan and thank you for your continued dedication to providing high quality health care to Native Americans."

This is the first in a series of GAO reports requested by a bipartisan group of senators, as well as those mandated by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.  The reports have been requested because of the long standing problems with the CHS.  Forthcoming reports will examine other aspects of the Contract Health Service program including the allocation of funding, reimbursement issues, coordination of services, barriers to care, and claims administration.  The next report is expected early in 2012. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman reported today that three New Mexico school districts have been awarded a total of $926,408 in grant to establish and expand counseling programs in elementary and secondary schools.

"School counselors are key members of a child's educational team.  I am glad this funding will invest in school counseling programs in our state," Bingaman said.

The following school districts were awarded grants through the U.S. Department of Education:

• Peñasco Independent Schools: $352,628
• Northeast Regional Education Cooperative in Las Vegas: $322,784
• Fort Sumner Municipal Schools: $250,996

Bingaman also announced that the New Mexico State University was awarded $239,704 for a project that prepares teachers to work with students with disabilities.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to approve a bill that provides benefits to workers who are hurt by international trade. 

The measure, which passed 70-27, extends the life of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program – an initiative that provides job training and other benefits to American workers who have lost their jobs because of international trade.

            Bingaman strongly backed the Obama administration’s plan to extend TAA before turning to Congressional debate on our nation’s pending trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea and Panama. 

            “Trade agreements open new markets to American businesses.  But in some instances, they can have an unintended negative impact on American workers.  I am glad that the Senate voted to extend TAA, which has aided thousands of New Mexicans during the past few years alone,” Bingaman said. 

The bill, which will now be sent to the House of Representatives, does the following:
Invests in American Workers

·         Provides $575 million investment to train workers.  The measure authorizes $575 million for fiscal years 2012 and 2013, and prorates funds for the period beginning October 1, 2013 and ending December 31, 2013, thus ensuring states have ample funding to provide long-term job training.  

·         Gives more flexible training options and up to 130 weeks of training.  The bill provides training for up to 117 weeks, giving all workers the opportunity to receive long-term training, and provides an additional 13 weeks of training for workers if the training leads towards the completion of a degree or an industry-recognized credential.  The agreement includes various training options, including opportunities for part-time training and pre-layoff training.

·         Provides accessible wage insurance that works with other benefits.  For workers who seek quick re-employment, the amendment provides wage insurance – 50 percent of the wage differential between the old job and the new job, up to $10,000 – to workers 50 years of age or older.  The amendment allows workers to switch from trade readjustment allowances (TRAs) to wage insurance payments at any time during their training.  The amendment also provides for a worker who completes training and is reemployed to receive reemployment TAA benefits in lieu of TRA benefits for the remainder of the worker’s TRA eligibility.

Expands Program Eligibility and Opportunities to a Broad Class of American Workers 

·         Provides TAA benefits to services sector workers and firms.  The measure clarifies that workers and firms that supply services – including call centers, computer programmers, software designers – are eligible for TAA.  The amendment also makes secondary workers – those whose jobs are affected when a company they supply closes – in the services sector eligible to receive TAA.

·         Covers workers whose firms shift production to non-FTA partner countries.  The bill covers workers whose firms shift production to any country, including China or India, not just countries with which the United States has entered into a free trade agreement.  

·         Provides TAA coverage for U.S. suppliers of component parts. The proposal allows workers at firms supplying component parts to other firms to be eligible for TAA without requiring the firm that buys the component parts to be TAA certified.  It also allows firms that supply component parts to foreign customers to petition for TAA benefits if their customers switch to component parts made outside the United States.

·         Ensures automatic eligibility for workers suffering from unfair trade and import surges.  Unfair foreign subsidies, dumping of foreign goods, and unexpected import surges can injure U.S. industries and cause jobs in those industries to be affected.  The measure ensures that workers in such industries will be automatically eligible to receive TAA benefits if their layoffs occurred within one year before or after an affirmative injury determination by the International Trade Commission. 

Provides Affordable Health Coverage

·         Improving the affordability and availability of health coverage. The Health Coverage Tax Credit program provides health insurance benefits to TAA-eligible workers and retirees covered by pension plans taken over by Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation who have lost their employer-sponsored coverage.  The bill subsidizes 72.5 percent of the cost of the health care premium, provides workers with retroactive payments to help cover the up-front costs of obtaining health coverage, and provides coverage for the worker’s spouse and dependents.  It also provides $150 million in grant funding to help states improve the availability of health insurance options and to help TAA eligible workers and retirees cover their monthly health premium costs. 

Service and Outreach to Workers in Transition

·         Provides eligibility protections for Americans on active duty military service.The bill allows a worker called up for active duty military or full-time National Guard service to restart their TAA enrollment process after completing such service.

·         Clarifies enrollment deadlines and ensures fairness.The measure requires workers to enroll in training within 26 weeks after layoff or certification, whichever is later.  It allows the Secretary to grant TAA benefits to workers who are disqualified due to state error.  And the amendment ensures that workers who win administrative and judicial appeals are not penalized for missing important deadlines during such appeals.

·         Provides funding to help state caseworkers counsel TAA clients. The measure includes a requirement that not less than five percent of the training funds allocated to states be used for case management services, allowing states to provide proper assessment, career counseling, and other case management services.

Helps Small Businesses and Farmers

·         Provides assistance to small businesses.  The TAA for Firms program helps small businesses adjust to foreign competition and create new jobs by providing assistance to improve their competitiveness.  The measure authorizes $16 million for the program and expands the program’s reach by allowing firms to show a decline in sales or productionover one, two, or three years instead of the current one year allowed.

·         Provides benefits and technical assistance to farmers and fishermen. The measure provides targeted training to farmers and fishermen and clarifies that fishermen and aquaculture producers may receive TAA benefits whether they are competing against farmed or wild-caught fish or seafood imports.  Producers who complete the training phases become eligible for up to $12,000 in seed money to use their new skills and implement a business plan. The TAA for Farmers and Fisherman Program is authorized at $90 million.

Streamlines Programs and Improves Accountability

·         Consolidates and streamlines administrative program costs. The measure consolidates administration, case management, job search, and relocation funding under the $575 million cap on training funds.  The amendment eliminates separate funding streams, while allowing states more flexibility to use a portion of the training funds for administration and case management costs.  States must prioritize these funds for training and case management, but administrative costs are capped at 10 percent of the funds.  States can also use these funds to pay for 90 percent of the cost of job search and relocation, up to $1,250. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the State of New Mexico will receive a $1.1 million grant through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program.

The funding will be used to help at-risk families by providing services in fields like health, child protection, early education, and social services; it comes from a grant program created in the Affordable Care Act.

"This is just one of the many ways the Affordable Care Act will help improve health care access to many New Mexicans," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman announced today that two New Mexico organizations have been awarded grants through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to help combat violence against women.

The New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs was awarded a $998,735 grant through DOJ's Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Assistance Program that will allow it to continue to provide services to victims of sexual violence.

The National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence (Alianza) was awarded a $538,319 grant through DOJ's Office on Violence Against Women Technical Assistance Program. The non-profit will use the funding to provide training and technical assistance on culturally relevant and responsive services for communities - specifically those that serve Latina domestic violence victims.

"This federal funding will ensure that women who have been the victims of violence have access to the help they need," Bingaman said. 

WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about the a variety of issues, including the President's deficit reduction proposal and jobs package.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman comments on the President's economic growth and deficit reduction proposal.

02:00 – Bingaman talks about job creation.

05:35 – Bingaman comments on Palestinian statehood.

06:37 – Bingaman says he will visit PNM's new grid-tied solar storage facility this weekend.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Tewa Women United in Española has been awarded a $300,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

The funding will help the Native American non-profit organization provide culturally specific advocacy and crisis intervention services to Native American and Hispanic victims of sexual assault.

"This funding will help the community continue to provide support to victims of violence," Bingaman said.

Bingaman also announced that the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission was awarded a $162,364 DOJ grant to support services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that Northern New Mexico College will receive $1.18 million to increase enrollment and graduation rates in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Education – Hispanic Serving Institution's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program.  It will be shared by NNMC, Santa Fe Community College, and the University of New Mexico two-year branches at Los Alamos and Taos.

Funds will be used to reach out to middle and high school students in the region to encourage them to study math and science, to add key faculty and a system for sharing courses across the institutions, and to build new distance education capacity.

"A strong math and science foundation will help ensure that New Mexicans are prepared for the workforce of the future.  This funding will help build that foundation in north-central New Mexico," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that eight New Mexico colleges will receive a total of $5 million to increase enrollment and graduation rates in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Education – Hispanic Serving Institution's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program.

"Many of the best jobs of the future will be in the areas of math and science. To ensure that New Mexico's workforce is prepared for the future, we'll need to put a greater emphasis on math and science education, and that's exactly what this grant funding will allow us to do," Bingaman said.

The funding has been awarded as follows:

• $615,226 – Eastern New Mexico University
• $777,154 – Mesalands Community College
• $869,556 – New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
• $274,439 – New Mexico Highlands University
• $717,605 – University of New Mexico Valencia Campus
• $869,092 – New Mexico State University – Alamogordo
• $358,758 – University of New Mexico
• $548,186 – University of New Mexico-Taos

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology has been awarded a $999,999 Department of Justice (DOJ) grant to help train local law enforcement agencies to tackle drug trafficking.

The grant comes from the fiscal year 2011 spending bill that funds the Department of Justice.  Bingaman wrote a letter of support on behalf of N.M. Tech's application.

N.M. Tech will use the funding to continue to train tribal, state and local law enforcement personal on ways to reduce and prevent criminal drug activities.

"Drug-related criminal activity continues to be a burden on local law enforcement agencies located along the New Mexico-Mexico border.  This funding will provide important support and training to help ensure they are prepared to respond to any situation," Bingaman said.

In 2009, Bingaman helped secure $30 million in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help border-state law enforcement agencies handle border-related crime.

Bingaman also announced that the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs has been awarded a $399,987 DOJ grant to provide training opportunities to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, government agencies, and others in addressing instances of elder abuse.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that several New Mexico communities will benefit from over $1.8 million in grant funding provided through various U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs.

“This funding will help many of our state’s most vulnerable residents and I am sure it will be put to good use,” Bingaman said.

Mescalero Housing Authority was awarded a $655,783 grant through HUD’s Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program, which helps meet the housing needs of low-income Native American communities.

The following communities will receive funding through HUD’s Multi-Family Housing Service Coordinators Grant Program, which provides funding for the employment of a social service staff person in insured and assisted apartment housing that is designed for the elderly and persons with disabilities to help residents with specific supportive services they need to continue living independently in that housing development.

• Apple Ridge Apartments Limited Partnership in Farmington $223,227
• Casa del Rio LLC in Truth or Consequences $178,305
• Montana Meadows Apartment Limited Partnership in Las Cruces $223,227
• New Mexico-American Housing Foundation, Inc. in Albuquerque $192,078
• Socorro Village LLC $167,875

The following communities will receive funding through HUD’s Family Self Sufficiency Program, which helps individuals and families receiving public housing assistance achieve economic independence. Specifically, funding will be used to hire a program coordinator who assists families in developing a comprehensive program of education, training, and family support with the goal of obtaining employment that pays a living wage.

• Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority $57,585
• Santa Fe County Housing Authority $56,587
• Housing Authority of the City of Truth or Consequences $56,227
• Clovis Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Inc. $45,020

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman has introduced the Automatic IRA Act of 2011, which takes a common-sense approach to addressing the nation's retirement savings crisis.  When fully phased in, the bill will give nearly 42 million Americans an easy, effective way to take responsibility for their fiscal futures and plan for a secure retirement.

Senator John Kerry is a cosponsor.

According to a 2009 Boston College Center for Retirement Research report, nearly 50 percent of American households will retire without enough savings to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living.  A significant driver of America's inadequate retirement savings is a crisis of coverage.  About half of all American workers now have no opportunity to save for retirement at work; in New Mexico that percentage reaches nearly 60 percent.

The Automatic IRA Act of 2011 (S. 1557) enables nearly all employees who work for a private business with more than 10 workers and whose employer does not already offer a retirement plan to contribute to retirement savings through payroll deductions.  Worker contributions would be deposited into their own Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ultimately managed by the same banks, mutual funds, insurance carriers, and other institutions that currently provide IRAs. The approach builds on the use of automatic features in 401(k) plans that encourage employees toward sensible decisions (while allowing them to make alternative choices), which has proven highly successful in raising 401(k) contribution rates.

Employers will receive a tax credit to cover the administrative costs of setting up the IRA account, but they will not be allowed to make a contribution to it.

"Too few American workers are adequately preparing for their retirement years.  Our bill addresses that serious problem by ensuring that workers have a way to directly deposit some of their paychecks into a retirement accounts," Bingaman said.

"This is a common sense reform to make it easier for American workers to save for retirement without adding to the cost for their employers. In Massachusetts alone, over 800,000 workers would benefit from a greater chance to carve a path to a secure retirement," Kerry said.

The Obama administration has called on Congress to enact an automatic IRA measure, and included a proposal in its FY 2011 budget.

The concept of automatic IRAs was first developed several years ago by scholars at the Heritage Foundation and Brookings Institution. The idea enjoys the support of experts such as Martin Feldstein and Jane Bryant Quinn.

The automatic IRA concept has also been supported by a broad range of organizations, including AARP, Consumers Union, the Minority Business Roundtable, and the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce.

Bingaman and Kerry are members of the Senate Finance Committee, where this bill has been referred. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said New Mexico's 24.7 percent uninsured rate – the second highest in the country – once again underscores how important it was to pass a health insurance reform law.  Last year, New Mexico's uninsured rate was 23.7 percent – the third highest in the country.

Under the new law, by 2014 all states will be required to set up a marketplace where uninsured residents and businesses can purchase insurance plans and determine whether they qualify for tax credits to afford the coverage.  The marketplace will be required to offer core benefits and specific levels of coverage – even for those with pre-existing medical conditions.

Also in 2014, the state will begin receiving billions of dollars to expand Medicaid, covering more New Mexicans who currently do not qualify for the program but who still do not have a high enough income to afford insurance coverage.

"New Mexico stands to gain more from this law than almost any other state – primarily because our uninsured rate is so high," Bingaman said.  "We've had chronically high uninsured rates for years, and because of the law Congress passed last year we are finally going to be able to tackle that intractable problem."

Bingaman pointed out that while some of the most important aspects of the law don't kick in until 2014 a few provisions are already helping cover some New Mexicans.  For example, last year the law began to require insurance companies to offer health care coverage to children with pre-existing conditions and to cover young Americans up to age 26.

"When uninsured Americans need medical attention, they usually end up in emergency rooms.  Those of us fortunate enough to have insurance end up covering those costs, which is one main reason our health care costs have been rising so dramatically," Bingaman said.   "This health reform law is the most important step we've taken to reduce our uninsured rates and to finally get a handle on our nation's health care costs."

The uninsurance rates were released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.  The data includes individuals under 65 years of age and were reported for 2010. 

WASHINGTON – Today, the New Mexico Congressional Delegation welcomed Army Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry and his wife Ashley to Capitol Hill for a ceremony where they presented him with a resolution honoring his gallantry and valor beyond the call of duty.  For photos of the ceremony, click here. For video, click here.

On July 12, Petry became the second living, active-duty servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He received the award from President Obama in a White House ceremony attended by his family, friends, fellow soldiers and the New Mexico delegation.

Upon receiving the recognition at today's ceremony SFC Petry said, "I look forward to every day that I get up and talk about the greatness of our Armed Forces and what they're doing, both at home and abroad. So I thank you very much and thank you again for having me today. I'm almost in awe – I keep getting bestowed with such honors. And I have nothing to give back but what I can, in my job with the military and what I can do in my communities. So anything I can do, I'm humbled to do it for all of the honors that I have been given. And it's not all mine, it's everyone's in the service."

Sens. Bingaman and Udall reflected on Petry's remarkable service and character and in remarks made during today's ceremony.

"While the Medal of Honor recognizes Sergeant Petry for his actions above and beyond the call of duty, he should also be commended for his personal character of courage, loyalty, humility, and kindness.  Sergeant Petry's selflessness and dedication to the safety and well-being of his fellow soldiers is deserving of our highest praise and recognition. It is with the utmost gratitude that we honor Sergeant Petry today and thank him once again for his extraordinary service to our country," Bingaman said.

"During one of his eight — yes, eight — deployments overseas, Sergeant First Class Petry displayed the most rare and unimaginable courage. We've seen the re-enactments. We've heard the account from the Commander-In-Chief himself. Still, it's difficult to comprehend the love this man possesses for his country, and for his brothers-in-arms, to have lunged in the direction of mortal danger to shield his comrades. And what has impressed me the most about him is his persistent willingness to serve, even after all he has been through. We can all learn from his example of national service," Udall said.

Reps. Heinrich and Pearce read and presented Petry with the CongressionalResolution. Later they, along with Rep. Luján, added their praise for the New Mexico native.

"Sergeant First Class Petry is a true American hero, driving each of us to be better servants of our nation," said Heinrich. "It was an honor to recognize Sergeant First Class Petry's tremendous bravery and immeasurable service to our nation with a Congressional Resolution today."

Pearce added, "I commend SFC Petry for his incredible courage and gallantry. His selfless actions saved the lives of his comrades, and are an inspiration for all those in our armed forces.  I know I speak for my fellow New Mexicans when I say that I am proud of his service, and truly thankful for his sacrifice in defense of liberty."

Said Luján, "It was an honor to welcome Sgt. Petry to Washington to again thank him for his valor and bravery in the face of extreme danger. Sgt. Petry is a true American hero who has made the people of New Mexico proud. It was a privilege to join with my colleagues in the delegation to introduce a Congressional resolution recognizing the heroism of New Mexico's native son.  We are grateful for Sgt. Petry's dedication and love for our country and his fellow soldiers."

Petry, who was born in Santa Fe and attended the now-closed St. Catherine Indian School, was deployed with the 75th Ranger Regiment in May 2008 to capture a high value target near Paktya Province in Afghanistan. During their raid, they were engaged in a firefight with the enemy when several in their regiment were pinned down bysmall arms fire and grenades. Wounded in both legs by bullet fire and with no thought to his personal safety, Petry grabbed one of the grenades and attempted to toss it away from his fellow soldiers. He would lose his right hand when the grenade exploded, but continue to fight. It was this immense act of braverythat saved the lives of his brothers-in-arms – and illustrated once again to a grateful nation the immense courage and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform.

Following eight deployments overseas – two tours in Iraq, six in Afghanistan – SFC Petry is currently assigned to Headquarters for Company, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga. with duties as a liaison officer for the United States Special Operations Command Care Coalition – Northwest Region, providing oversight to wounded warriors, ill and injured servicemembers and their families. He plans to retire from the Army after many more years of service.

SFC Petry and Ashley have four children: Brittany, Austin, Reagan and Landon.

WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about the President's job proposal.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman comments on the President's address to Congress on Thursday.

01:47 – Bingaman addresses criticisms of passing another stimulus bill.

03:35 – Bingaman says the details of the President's jobs plan will be released later today.

06:37 – Bingaman talks about funding in a spending bill for Los Alamos Laboratory.

09:08 – Bingaman comments on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today issued the following statement:

"For those who lost a loved one on 9/11, the memory of that day will always be with them.  On this tenth anniversary of 9/11, all Americans must take the time to remember the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives in that heinous attack on our country.  And we should also take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the men and women who have served – and continue to serve – in our nation's Armed Forces.

"We experienced a tremendous amount of loss on 9/11 and in the decade since.  But we have also demonstrated amazing resilience.  As we reflect on the ten years since the 9/11 attacks, I hope that we will continue to learn from our experiences of that day, and in the years since that day, and use them to strengthen our country and our freedoms.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman released the following statement after President Obama’s outlined his plan to stimulate our nation’s economy:

“In his speech tonight, the president set forth a very good plan for the country.  As he pointed out, job creation needs to be our focus this fall.  Congress wasted too many months focusing on other issues this year, and Americans are anxious to have us turn our attention back to the economy.

“I agree with the president that we need to keep in place tax incentives that encourage businesses to hire workers, and that we can create jobs by investing in our nation’s roads and bridges.

“I also agree that one of the fastest ways to stimulate our weak economy is by extending unemployment benefits to those who cannot find work.  This will not only help keep food on the tables of American families, it will create demand in the economy and therefore support good jobs.

“I believe we will not be able to fix our long-term economic problems if we don’t act now to stimulate jobs creation.  Longer-term, we will need to put in place a deficit plan that gets us back to a balanced budget.  We had one at the end of the Clinton administration and we can get there again.

“I hope that in the coming weeks we will get the bipartisan cooperation we need – and that Americans deserve – to get our economy back on track.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today said a spending bill working its way through the Senate contains significant support for New Mexico’s two national laboratories.  The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, which funds the labs and various important New Mexico water projects; the measure is now ready for full Senate action.

The bill increases the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) stockpile budget to $7.19 billion – a 4 percent increase over this year’s budget.  Overall, the NNSA’s budget grew by 5 percent to $11 billion. 

Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory will share the funding increase in the following two key areas:

• $1.8 billion for Directed Stockpile Work, about half of this is for Sandia and LANL.
• $2.17 billion for Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities, an increase of $333 million over FY 2011.

“The federal budget is tightening, so it is significant that the labs’ budget is increased overall in the Senate bill,” Bingaman said.  “As the bill continues to work its way through Congress, we will be working hard to ensure our labs have the funding they need to fulfill their missions.”

“Overall, this bill bolsters the critical roles that LANL and Sandia play in our national security and in New Mexico's economy,”said Udall. “I'm satisfied with the budget growth for these institutions, however, there is also room for improvement in the area of nuclear waste clean up that will be important to address as the bill moves forward.”

 

Other details:

 

Los Alamos National Laboratory

$310 million for operations that support Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities

$9.88 million for the new TRU waste facility

$10 million for the TA-55 Reinvestment project to ensure the safety of existing facilities

$240 million for the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement Facility

$185 million for environmental cleanup

 

Sandia National Laboratories

$120 million for operations that support Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities

$25 million for the test capability revitalization program to ensure our stockpile can operate safely in a wide range of environments

 

            The 2011 budget request also contains $2.38 billion, a 5 percent increase or almost $110 million in new funding, for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation activities throughout the Department of Energy. 

           

            Other highlights for New Mexico:

• Waste Isolation Pilot Plan- $200 million

 

The spending bill also funds the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers, which fund significant water projects throughout the state.  Funding is as follows:

 

Bureau of Reclamation projects:

Aamodt Water Settlement - $9,400,000 to plan, design, and construct a regional water system in accordance with the settlement agreement.

Carlsbad Project -- $4,004,000 for ongoing operations of the Carlsbad Project which benefits the Carlsbad Irrigation District.

Eastern New Mexico Investigations Program - $47,000 for planning associated with improved water management in the Pecos and Canadian River basins in Colfax, Mora, Harding, San Miguel, Quay, Guadalupe and DeBaca counties.

Jicarilla Apache Rural Water Project - $496,000 to continue to repair and replace the drinking water delivery and wastewater system on the Jicarilla Reservation. 

Middle Rio Grande Project - $23,572,000 to continue work on project operations relating to water delivery and continued participation in the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Act Collaborative Program. 

Navajo-Gallup Water Supply - $23,754,000 for planning, design, and construction of the Navajo – Gallup pipeline.

Navajo Nation Investigations Program - $230,000 to support water supply planning efforts within the Navajo Nation in cooperation with other agencies.

Rio Grande Project - $5,037,000 for the ongoing operations of the Rio Grande Project which benefits the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico. 

Río Grande Pueblos Project - $250,000 to assess the condition of the irrigation infrastructure of the Rio Grande Pueblos as directed by Bingaman’s Río Grande Pueblos Irrigation Infrastructure Act (P.L. 111-11)

San Juan River Basin Investigations Program - $181,000 to support investigations involving the San Juan river basin water supplies.

Southern New Mexico/West Texas Inv. Program - $192,000 to analyze water supply options for irrigation and municipal uses in the Las Cruces, El Paso and Juarez areas. 

Taos Pueblo Water Settlement - $4,000,000 to provide grants for design and construction of mutual-benefit projects to both move future non-Indian ground water pumping away from

the pueblo’s buffalo pasture and to implement the resolution of a dispute over the allocation of surface water flows between Pueblo and non-Indian irrigation water rights owners.

Tucumcari Project - $72,000 for expenses associated with operation of Conchas Dam and Reservoir northwest of Tucumcari. 

Upper Rio Grande Basin Investigations - $78,000 to support investigations involving the Rio Grande water supplies in coordination with the States of Colorado and New Mexico and other water users.

 

 

Corps of Engineers projects

Abiquiu Dam - $3,738,000 – for continued management activities at Abiquiu Dam and Reservoir.

Cochiti Lake - $3,240,000 for continued management activities at Cochiti Lake.

Conchas Lake - $3,317,000 for continued management activities at Conchas Lake.

Galisteo Dam - $938,000 to operate and maintain Galisteo Dam.

Jemez Canyon Dam - $1,155,000to operate and maintain Jemez Canyon Dam.

Middle Rio Grande ESA Collaborative Program -- $2,425,000

Rio Grande Basin, NM, CO & TX – $300,000 to improve water conveyance efficiencies and address ecosystem degradation and flooding throughout the Rio Grande Basin which includes over 160,000 square miles from Colorado, through New Mexico to Texas.

Rio Grande Floodway, San Acacia To Bosque Del Apache - $10,000,000 for maintenance and restoration of the Rio Grande floodway.

Santa Rosa Dam and Lake - $1,814,000 for operation and maintenance of Santa Rosa Dam and Lake.

Two Rivers Dam - $1,053,000 for repairs and maintenance of the Two Rivers Dam in the Roswell area.

Upper Rio Grande Water Operations Model Study - $1,312,000 to continue work developing and utilizing the model to assist with Rio Grande operations. 

As you may have heard, a Congressional "super committee" will soon begin meeting to work on a plan to lower the national debt. The super committee was created in early August as part of the deal to raise the national debt ceiling. That deal became law, which directed Congress with a minimum amount of spending to cut from the federal budget.

The committee is mandated to present a plan to Congress that would reduce our nation's debt by at least $1.2 trillion by Thanksgiving. Reductions may be achieved through spending cuts, revenue increases, or a combination of both.

The super committee has been referred to as the "Gang of 12" after the 12 members of Congress named to the committee—six Democrats and six Republicans (three each from both chambers of Congress). The committee has two co-chairs, one from each party. The members are as follows:

• U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), co-chair
• U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
• U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-MA)
• U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
• U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
• U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA)
• Representative Jeb Hensarling, co-chair (R-TX)
• Representative Dave Camp (R-MI)
• Representative Fred Upton (R-MI)
• Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
• Representative Jim Clyburn (D-SC)
• Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Check my website for more information as negotiations progress and ultimately a deal is reached.

WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a variety of issues.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman comments on Obama's decision to delay EPA regulations on smog standards.

03:02 – Bingaman says the Congress is expected to extend the federal fuels tax, which expires at the end of this month.

04:06 – Bingaman says New Mexico benefits from approximately $330 million through the federal government through the Highway Trust Fund, which receives money from the federal fuel tax.

04:58 - Bingaman talks about the President's address to Congress on Thursday, which will focus on jobs and the economy.

06:39 – Bingaman talks about the need for Congress to focus on job creation and the economy.

09:19 - Bingaman talks about the important role the Los Alamos National Laboratory plays in helping the country maintain and manage its nuclear stockpile.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico will receive $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to support victims of domestic violence.

The grant will be given to the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission, and will be used to encourage the development and implementation of effective, victim-centered law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to address violent crimes against women.

"This grant will help give justice to victims of domestic violence, while also focusing on preventing violent crime against women," Bingaman said.   

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today said they hope the New Mexico ranchers will get answers to their questions regarding insurance policies they purchased to protect them from losses of grazing forage as a result of dry weather conditions in the state.

At Bingaman and Udall's urging, a top official with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency was in New Mexico today to talk to New Mexico producers about issues and concerns raised regarding the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage insurance program and the methods it uses to calculate losses in the state.  The Senators, in separate letters last month, had asked the USDA to look into the concerns raised by insurance policy holders.

"I hope that today's visit is a sign that USDA is taking New Mexico's and ranchers concerns seriously and is making an effort to work through this issue to find a solution.  I will continue to work closely with the agency to ensure that the insurance policies are properly designed to meet the needs of ranchers in my state," Bingaman said.

"I am pleased the USDA took time to visit New Mexico to listen to the concerns of our ranchers and producers in an effort to find a mutually agreeable decision," Udall said.  "As this process continues, I will keep a close eye on the USDA to see that New Mexico interests are addressed."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that several New Mexico communities have been awarded grants through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

"The funding awarded through these grants will help improve the safety of New Mexico residents," Bingaman said.

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety was awarded a $400,000 grant to enhance jurisdiction-wide implementation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which includes the development and implementation of training for law enforcement personnel responsible for sex offender activities as they relate to SORNA implementation.

Additionally, the following organization/communities were awarded funding through DOJ's Drug Free Communities Support Program, which helps facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts:

• Carlsbad Community Anti-drug/Gang Coalition : $125,000
• Pueblo of Laguna: $125,000
• Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (Las Cruces): $125,000
• San Juan County Partnership, Inc.: $125,000
• TeamBuilders Counseling Services, Inc. (Shiprock): $125,000
• Rio Arriba County: $122,723
• Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. (Bernalillo): $103,095
• Torrance County: $99,283

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico will benefit from $1.4 million in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The New Mexico Department of Children Youth and Families will receive $600,000 to reduce juvenile delinquency.  The New Mexico Department of Public Safety will receive $808,675 to reduce forensic DNA sample turnaround time and reduce DNA forensic casework backlogs.

"During these difficult economic times, it is extremely helpful to have federal funds coming to New Mexico to help both solve crimes and keep young people on the right track," Bingaman said.

"There will undoubtedly be much debate about whether Standard & Poor's used sound judgment in making this decision. But one thing is already clear to me: the process we just went through to raise the debt ceiling was disastrous.  Standard & Poor's rationale for the downgrade included the 'political brinksmanship of recent months' and the Republican opposition to a balanced plan that includes revenue. We cannot afford to have another showdown like that in the coming months.

"It's also clear to me that we need Democratic and Republican members of Congress appointed to the debt-reduction commission who are open to a responsible approach to solving our fiscal problems -- an approach that combines budget cuts with revenue increases, and creates good jobs."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today raised serious concerns they have about the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) plans to study the possible closure of up to 50 post offices in New Mexico.

In an effort to reduce costs, the U.S. Postal Service announced last week that it will undertake a study of 3,700 post offices nationwide to determine which to close.  The USPS identified 54 it may target in New Mexico.

In a letter, the Senators asked for a meeting with the Postmaster General and outlined some of their concerns, including what impact closures may have on rural New Mexico.  The letter is as follows:

August 5, 2011

The Honorable Patrick R. Donahoe
Postmaster General U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington, DC 20260

Dear Postmaster General Donahoe:

We write regarding the possible closure of over 50 post offices in New Mexico.  While we appreciate efforts to contain costs in this era of fiscal austerity, our constituents, especially those in rural communities, depend on regular and reliable mail service to carry out every day activities.  The United States Postal Service (USPS) provides an essential service to our constituents and we fear these closures would negatively impact the quality of mail delivery service they receive.  We respectfully request a meeting to discuss this issue, as well as USPS's long-term plan for operations in New Mexico.

The proposed studies include more than 15% of the post offices in our state.  The vast majority of the New Mexico post offices under consideration for closure serve rural areas without convenient alternatives.  While some residents impacted by postal closures may only be forced to drive an additional mile or two, others may need to drive over fifty miles to the next nearest location.  In reviewing the proposed list of offices selected for possible closure, we cannot help but note nearly half of them have no alternative within 10 miles.  Our familiarity with these communities also raises concerns that many of the possible closings are in communities that may not have a viable partner for the "village post office" alternative.  We ask that you share your plans for addressing service in such communities.

We are also concerned with the significant change to New Mexico regional postal operations.  In the past year alone, the Albuquerque Customer Service District has been relocated to Arizona and the USPS has proposed closing the Las Cruces Distribution Center.  Additionally, of the total 65 possible closings in the Arizona District, over 55 are located in New Mexico.   These potential reductions in New Mexico operations demonstrate a serious change in the USPS's commitment to New Mexico.

While we understand and sympathize with the significant challenges facing USPS, we believe that the negative impact these closures would have on New Mexicans should be carefully considered.  Closure and consolidation should not come at the expense of the quality of mail delivery services.

We thank you for your consideration of these concerns, and we look forward to meeting with you and discussing your long-term plan for New Mexico postal operations.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bingaman, United States Senator
Tom Udall, United States Senator

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico will receive $914,352 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The grants were awarded as follows:

• $300,000 for the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department to enforce underage drinking laws.
• $ 359,961 to the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department to reduce juvenile delinquency.
• $ 254,391 to the New Mexico Attorney General's office for personnel to investigate crimes against children, provide for training and increased forensic capacity, and increase efforts to work collaboratively with tribal law enforcement.

"These grants will be used to help keep New Mexico's children safe," Bingaman said. "It's an important investment in our state's young people."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is glad that a temporary agreement has been reached to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration – a move that allows more than two dozen construction projects in New Mexico to move ahead.

About $26 million worth of construction projects at airports in Albuquerque, Alamogordo, Clayton, Clovis, Farmington, Fort Sumner, Portales, Raton, Roswell, Ruidoso, Santa Fe, Santa Rosa, Socorro, Taos, Tucumcari, Vaughn – among others -- were put on hold when Congress could not come to an agreement to reauthorize the FAA. As a result, the FAA was not able to collect taxes that fund some of its operations.

"This is only a temporary agreement. But, for now, it allows important safety upgrades at airports across New Mexico to move forward," Bingaman said. "It also puts New Mexicans in the construction industry back to work."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to approve a compromise deficit reduction plan that will raise the nation's debt ceiling through 2012 and achieve $2.4 trillion in deficit reduction.  The measure has passed both chambers of Congress and can now be sent to the president for signature.

Although Bingaman believes the plan is far from perfect, he decided to vote for it to avoid a national economic crisis.

"There are reasons to vote for this package and reasons to vote against it.

"One of my main concerns about this proposal is that it does not raise additional revenue.  Every other deficit reduction package we've considered in my nearly 30 years in the Senate has contained both cuts and additional revenue, and that is the balanced approach I believe we should have taken in this case.

"The other major concern I have about this plan is the process by which it came together.  I believe approving this proposal could embolden Members of Congress in the future to hold our economy hostage to their demands, and that is a dangerous precedent for the country.

"I decided to vote for this compromise legislation, however, because it prevents our country from going into financial default, which would be a catastrophe for the economy of the United States and the world.

"Finally, the package does accomplish long-term deficit reduction, which I believe needs to be accomplished.

"Now Congress must turn its attention to what should be our No. 1 priority: job creation." 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked about the debt ceiling compromised that Congress is expected to vote on today.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed.

The first vote on the Reid plan in the Senate is expected to take place at 1 a.m. Sunday, August 1.

Bingaman has said he believes Congress should be taking a balanced approach to dealing with our debt by both making budget cuts and increasing revenue.  However, Bingaman said he will vote for the Reid proposal despite the fact it does not include a plan for raising additional revenue.

“This proposal is not the balanced approach I would prefer to take.  But to avoid default, I am willing to vote for it because I believe it is a credible first step,” Bingaman said.

At a Capitol Hill news conference this afternoon, Reid said he is open to working with Republicans today to make adjustments to his proposal to gain bipartisan support.

Bingaman has pointed out many times that Congress both passes the laws that determine how much revenue the federal government collects and how much the government spends.  He believes it is irresponsible for Congress to threaten the economy now by now dragging its feet on whether to allow the U.S. Treasury to borrow to meet spending Congress has already authorized.

Bingaman instead favors a longer-term solution that provides the economy with more certainty as Congress continues to negotiate an agreement for reducing the nation’s deficit.

The House proposal, which failed in the Senate, would have cut the deficit by about $1 trillion over 10 years in exchange for a six month increase in the debt limit.

Bingaman will vote for a separate proposal that cuts the deficit by more than $2 trillion over the next decade, while raising the debt limit for about 18 months.

In a speech he delivered on the Senate floor Wednesday, Bingaman pointed out that Congress both passes the laws that determine how much revenue the federal government collects and how much the government spends.  He believes it is irresponsible for Congress to threaten the economy now by now dragging its feet on whether to allow the U.S. Treasury to borrow to meet spending Congress has already authorized.

“We must act now to raise the debt limit so that we can meet our obligations.  I favor an 18-month solution that provides more certainty to our fragile economy and gives Congress more time to develop a responsible, long-term deficit reduction plan,” Bingaman said.  “I hope that Congress can come to an agreement in the coming days.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman delivered a speech on the Senate floor discussing the important issues facing the Congress today. The text of the speech follows:

Mr. President: We have three separate issues facing the Congress.

First, the authority of the Treasury Department to borrow to meet the nation's obligations will be reached on Tuesday. In order for borrowing to continue after Tuesday, Congress needs to raise the debt ceiling.

The second issue we face is the need to help our economy become prosperous again. Unfortunately the debate here in Congress has totally lost sight of this issue -- how can we grow the economy and create jobs?

The third issue is the need to put in place a long term plan to reduce the deficit and the debt.

Two other issues -- raising the debt ceiling and reducing the long term deficit and debt -- have come to be seen by many here in Congress as a single issue.

I want to urge all my colleagues to take a step back and recognize that, first, these issues are separate, and second, that failure to responsibly deal with the first of these issues now, i.e. failure to raise the debt limit, will greatly hamper our ability to deal with the other two issues.

Failure to raise the debt limit will not return our economy to prosperity—it will postpone the day when that prosperity returns.

Failure to raise the debt limit will not help reduce our debt and deficit, it will add to the debt and deficit by raising interest rates for the government and for all Americans.

Let's review how we got here.

Since the beginning of this Congress nearly seven months ago the Republican majority in the House has had a laser focus on cutting spending.

To achieve that objective, the first strategy adopted by the Republican leadership in the House was to threaten a shutdown of the government unless sufficient spending cuts were agreed to. Spending cuts were agreed to, and at the final hour Republicans agreed to pass the bill needed to fund the government for the balance of the fiscal year—September 30, 2011.

As soon as that crisis was averted, and the threat to close down the government was behind us, at least for a few months, the effort shifted to a new strategy.

This strategy was to threaten a first-in-history default by the government on its financial obligations if enough additional spending cuts were not agreed to.

The device for bringing about that default was refusal to extend the debt ceiling when the government's borrowing authority was reached.

We should remind ourselves of what an artificial device this is that is being used for leverage.

Congress passes the laws that determine how much revenue the federal government collects and Congress passes the laws that determine how much we obligate the government to spend.

And when the revenue we collect is less than the amount we are committed to spend the Secretary of Treasury has no alternative but to borrow money to meet the obligations Congress has taken on.

So, in a period like today when the government is receiving in revenues much less than it requires to meet its obligations there are two logical actions for Congress to take:

• Raise more revenue, and
• Reduce the obligations of the government

But in refusing to allow the Secretary of Treasury to borrow, we are taking neither of those logical steps.

Instead, we are telling him to default on the obligations which this, and previous Congresses, have already taken on on behalf of the American people.

We are told by the Treasury Secretary that unless Congress acts, he will be forced to default, or renege on our obligations beginning next week, August 2.

The refusal to raise the debt ceiling and the threatening of default on our obligations has achieved much of what Republicans set out to achieve in this Congress. It has precipitated a crisis and in order to avoid that crisis Democrats have acceded to the primary demands Republicans have made. What are those demands.

• The first of those demands was that all the deficit reduction be accomplished with cuts in spending.
• • No revenue could be raised from the wealthiest in our society to help close this gap between revenues and spending. No loopholes could be closed or subsidies eliminated in the tax code.
  • Democrats have agreed that the deficit reduction would not be accomplished with a balanced package of spending cuts and revenue increases as all previous deficit reduction packages have been under President Reagan, President George H. W. Bush, and President Clinton. This deficit reduction would be done with spending cuts only.
• A second demand of the Republican leadership was the totally arbitrary demand that the size of the increase in the debt ceiling not exceed the amount of spending cuts projected in the federal budget over the next ten years. That is a demand totally lacking any logical justification, but, again, Democrats have agreed in order to achieve a solution.

In order to avoid the threatened default on our obligations Senator Reid has put forward a proposal that would lock in $2.2 trillion of deficit reductions over ten years with cuts in both discretionary spending and mandatory spending. The Treasury Secretary would be given authority to borrow to meet the obligations Congress has undertaken for approximately another eighteen months.

The proposal also puts in place a bipartisan and bicameral committee with responsibility to present Congress with a bill to further reduce the deficit.

Unfortunately, it appears that this proposal will be opposed by many on the Republican side.

• Some say the cuts are not sufficiently deep and they would rather push the country into default than agree to a mere $2.2 trillion in spending cuts.
• Some say they want to extend the debt ceiling for a shorter period so we can have another showdown with another threatened government default six or seven months from now.
• Some say that causing the federal government to default will not have the adverse consequences the Secretary of Treasury has predicted—and that, in fact, it will have a real effect on both our economy and our politics.

I strongly disagree with all of those views.

I believe that a refusal to honor our obligations will have major adverse consequences for our economy.

I believe that Congress should act now to raise the debt limit in order to avoid those adverse consequences.

Although the proposal that Senator Reid has brought forward fails the test of balance between spending cuts and revenue increases, which I would prefer, it is a plan which I am willing to support in order to head off a default on the nation's obligations.

I understand that additional deficit reduction will be required in the months ahead, but clearly the responsible course is to do what can be done today—adopt the Reid plan.

Only by doing so can we once again be able to focus on the steps we can take to return our economy to prosperity. That is the first priority for most Americans today, and it should be our first priority as well.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman announced today that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded Goodwill Industries of New Mexico a $574,651 grant to help prevent homelessness among New Mexico veterans and their families.

"Transitioning back to civilian life can be difficult for many veterans.  I'm glad Goodwill Industries of New Mexico has been selected to help address the serious problem of homelessness among veterans and their families." Bingaman said.

"It is an honor and a privilege for Goodwill Industries of New Mexico to be selected by the VA to provide homeless and near homeless veterans and their families with housing assistance and supportive services in the following New Mexico counties: San Juan, Cibola, McKinley, Valencia, Bernalillo, Sandoval and Torrance.  This grant will allow us to provide much-needed services to our New Mexico veterans, and is a natural addition to the services we already provide statewide, such as Traumatic Brain Injury case management, job placement services and training opportunities.  Goodwill New Mexico is committed to providing a link for veterans to access short-term services such as child care, food and transportation, and long-term services such as VA medical benefits, Social Security insurance, Medicaid/Medicare, among others," said Mary Best, President/CEO, Goodwill Industries of New Mexico. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about raising the debt ceiling and other issues.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about the ongoing to raise the debt limit.

01:54 – Bingaman comments on the president's address last night.

05:09 – Bingaman talks about the need to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration.

07:58 - Bingaman comments on security concerns at the nation's airports.

08:53 – Bingaman talks about hearing from constituents about the ongoing debt negotiations.

09:57 - Bingaman talks about his visit with constituents from eastern New Mexico.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today voted 92-2 to approve a spending bill for 2012 that contains funding for military construction projects around New Mexico.  U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman supported the measure.

The bill invests $215 million in construction initiatives that ensure our state has the facilities it needs to carry out its national security mission.  All of these projects were identified as a priority in President Obama's 2012 budget blueprint.

"New Mexico's military installations are essential to protecting our national interests," Bingaman said.  "This bill funds construction projects that will keep our bases strong for years to come."

The bill contains the following:

KIRTLAND AFB

• $25 million for Nuclear Weapons Center Sustainment Center

CANNON AFB

• $7.5 million Upgrade Wastewater Treatment Plant
• $15 million for dormitory (96 rooms)
• $9.6 million for simulator facility
• $15 million for Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Facility
• $28 million for Apron and Taxiway
• $10.9 million for C-130 Squadron Operations Facility
• $10.8 million for C-130 Wash Rack Hangar
• $41 million for Hangar Aircraft Maintenance Unit
• $17 million Squadron Operations Facility

HOLLOMAN AFB

• $11.2 million Child Development Center
• $5.8 million for F-16 Academic Facility
• $4.2 million for F-16 Training Facility
• $8 million Parallel Taxiway

NEW MEXICO ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

• $5.2 million to upgrade Readiness Center Santa Fe

The bill passed the House of Representatives last month but additional Congressional action is needed before it can be sent to the president to be signed into law.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a $1.4 million grant to the Pueblo of San Felipe.

The grant will be used to fund the Pueblo of San Felipe's Youth Suicide Prevention Program.

"This grant will help San Felipe Pueblo provide resources to help young people cope with the struggles of adolescence and help them take charge of their future," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the New Mexico New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission received a $3.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.  Last week, the same commission received an $866,000 grant from DOJ.

"The New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission's mission is to assist New Mexicans who have incurred legal costs because they were victims of crimes," Bingaman said. "These two recent grants will help them carry out their important work."

More information about the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission can be found here.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Hatch Municipal Airport has been awarded a $221,835 grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Funding will be used to make improvements to the runway safety area.

"Ensuring airports are properly maintained can be costly.  This funding will help the Hatch Municipal Airport make the upgrades needed to continue to provide safe and reliable service to its customers," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman has joined in introducing legislation aimed at improving the way Americans are deemed eligible for health care coverage under the new health insurance reform law.

Under that new law, known as the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans will finally gain access to health care coverage.  Depending on their income level, some Americans will qualify for tax credits to help cover the cost of private health insurance premiums, while others will qualify for Medicaid for the first time.

Medicaid is a government initiative that provides health benefits to the lowest-income Americans.  Currently, only certain types of low-income Americans may qualify for coverage -- for example, children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Under the new health reform law, all low-income Americans will have access to Medicaid.

For the purpose of determining whether an individual qualifies for Medicaid or for the new tax credit, the law as it is currently written does not require Social Security Insurance benefits to be counted as income.  That position is consistent with determining Americans' eligibility for some other low-income tax credits.  But that method of determining eligibility may allow a small number of middle class Americans to get the same benefits as those with significantly lower incomes.

Bingaman believes that the greatest federal assistance should be reserved for those who truly cannot afford health insurance premiums therefore for the purpose of determining whether an individual qualifies for Medicaid or health insurance subsidies, Bingaman wants SSI to be counted as income.   To that end, Bingaman has cosponsored legislation written by Senator Ben Nelson that would require SSI to be counted in the definition of income.  Preliminary estimates indicate that bill would save up $13 billion over ten years, savings which the legislation requires be used to reduce the deficit.

"When writing this law, we relied on an existing practice in determining eligibility for tax credits.  It turns out, that practice does not work best in this situation.  It makes sense to fix this problem, and to apply the savings to reducing our deficit," Bingaman said.

The bill has been sent to the Senate Finance Committee.  Bingaman serves on that panel and helped negotiate the new health insurance law, which will greatly reduce New Mexico's very high uninsured rate.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that three New Mexico airports will receive funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to make improvements to their facilities and runways.

"Keeping our state's airports in top shape can be expensive, especially for rural communities.  This investment will allow these airports to make upgrades and to purchase equipment necessary to keep the airport up and running," Bingaman said.

Funding was awarded to the following:

• $775,000 - Roswell International Air Center: Finding will be used to purchase a new Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicle to replace a vehicle that is obsolete.
• $332,500 - Four Corners Regional Airport in Farmington: Funding will be used for the acquisition of snow removal equipment to enhance the airport's ability to clear the airfield during poor weather conditions.
• $87,754 - Taos Regional Airport: Funding will be used to replace the existing non-working rotating beacon at the airport.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about the ongoing debt negotiations and other issues.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about a proposal to establish a national historic park to commemorate the Manhattan Project.

03:50 – Bingaman comments on the troop drawdown plan for Afghanistan.

04:31 – Bingaman comments on ongoing budget negotiations between the White House and Congressional Republican leaders.

05:57 – Bingaman comments on suggestions to eliminate the debt ceiling.

President Obama is working very hard to make sure the debt ceiling is raised so that Social Security checks are disbursed on time.
The president recently said that, without raising the debt ceiling, he could not guarantee that Social Security checks would go out on August 3. Without an agreement in place by August 3 to raise the debt ceiling, the nation's financial obligations would outstrip the nation's incoming revenue, and we would not be able to meet our financial obligations.

In August alone, we would face a $134 billion shortfall. The president would have to choose which financial obligations to pay, deciding between paying the interest on U.S. Treasury bonds or benefits for our seniors, paying troops or providing veterans benefits, disbursing student loans or providing loans to small businesses to make payroll, and many other difficult choices among obligations. Not paying all of our bills could hurt the United States' credit rating, just like what would happen to a person's credit rating if he paid his mortgage but not his car payment. Not paying all of our bills could be equivalent to defaulting on our debts. Picking and choosing which bills to pay is not a realistic option.

Congressional leaders and President Obama have been in intense negotiations for many weeks, seeking an agreement to raise the debt ceiling. The president has made clear that spending cuts and revenue increases should accompany a raise in the debt ceiling so we begin to tackle the nation's long-term deficit problems, and I agree. I also agree with the president that the sacrifices required to bring our budget back into balance must be shared, including asking millionaires to carry a reasonable share of this burden, especially if we have to make cuts in nearly all federal spending, including programs that help our seniors, our children, and middle class families.

I believe we must pay all our bills, especially Social Security checks owed to seniors. Many seniors depend solely on Social Security to get by and we have an obligation to fulfill our promise to them. But if we fail to repay our creditors, the U.S. government would default on its loans, which would be catastrophic for the national—and world—economy. Interest rates on consumer and business borrowing would be higher, making it more expensive for all Americans to buy a home or car, or to get a student loan, or any purchases on credit. Small businesses would also struggle to access funds needed to make payroll.

Unfortunately, negotiations over raising the debt ceiling are at an impasse, with the president and Democrats in Congress proposing trillions in cuts, along with modest increases in revenues from closing tax loopholes and modest increases in taxes on America's wealthiest taxpayers. Congressional Republicans, on the other hand, have refused to consider any new revenues, even from closing loop holes that give tax breaks for corporate jets, off-shore bank accounts, and the like.

I support raising the debt limit, while making responsible spending cuts and modest increases in revenue that would begin to decrease the national deficit and get our nation's fiscal house in order. I am closely following the discussions between President Obama and Congressional leaders and I am hopeful that the parties will reach a resolution very soon.

I will continue defending Social Security as I have in the past, and I am optimistic that New Mexico's seniors will not experience any disruptions.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that legislation he introduced to allow New Mexico to spend federal funds to cleanup abandoned uranium mines has been approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. That move clears the bill for full Senate consideration.

Under the existing Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program, the U.S. Department of Interior is authorized to collect revenue from coal companies for a fund that cleans up abandoned mines. Each state receives a share of the AML fund, but the Interior Department currently restricts the ability of states to use some of that funding to clean up non-coal mines. As a result, New Mexico has not been able to focus the funding on one of its priorities – to clean up uranium mines.

Bingaman's legislation, which is co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Tom Udall, makes clear that those funds can be used for non-coal cleanup, paving the way for New Mexico to tap into its $21 million over the next few years to clean up abandoned uranium mines.

"This bill would make it possible for New Mexico to tap into federal funds to clean up abandoned uranium minds in our state. I'm glad this bill has cleared its first hurdle and is now ready for approval by the full Senate," said Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and scheduled today's vote.

"Many of these uranium mines were abandoned long ago but continue to have a big impact on the environmental health of our state and the physical health of its people. It is only right that New Mexico be able to use its share of funds from this program to address priority areas, and I am pleased to see this important bill gaining traction," Udall said.

Also today, the Energy Committee approved legislation that Bingaman introduced that reauthorizes a program that allows federal land management agencies to sell surplus public lands and to reinvest those funds to purchase environmentally-sensitive lands.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico's Crime Victims Reparations Commission has been awarded a $866,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

"This funding will be put to good use providing financial assistance to New Mexicans who have been victims of crime," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the Obama administration has declared 16 northern and central New Mexico counties disaster areas due to severe drought.

Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the following 16 counties are now eligible to apply for drought disaster assistance:  Bernalillo, Harding, Rio Arriba, Taos, Cibola, Lincoln, San Miguel, Torrance, Colfax, McKinley, Sandoval, Union, Guadalupe, Mora, Santa Fe, and Valencia.  Last month, USDA declared more than a dozen other counties drought disaster areas.  As a result, all New Mexico counties are eligible for assistance.

A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in both primary and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for assistance from the Farm Service Agency, provided eligibility requirements are met. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of a Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loan assistance.

FSA will consider each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses, security available, and repayment ability. SURE Program applications for 2011 crop losses will be accepted in 2012, when the 2011 farm revenue data required by statute becomes available.

"New Mexicans have been suffering from extraordinarily difficult drought conditions this year," Bingaman said.  "Farmers and ranchers have carried the brunt of this problem.  I'm glad the Agriculture Department is stepping in to assist our state."

"This summer has been a real struggle for New Mexico.  We have seen extreme drought, record high temperatures and rampant fires that destroyed land and crops.  I applaud the USDA for their continued efforts to ease some of the burden many people feel from these unfortunate disasters," Udall said.

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture also approved an emergency application that allows ranchers from Curry, Harding, Lea, Quay, Roosevelt, Union, De Baca, Torrance and Colfax counties to graze their livestock on lands not typically used for grazing.

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration today announced that it will ask Congress to establish a national historic park to commemorate the Manhattan Project.  The idea for the park stems from legislation U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman wrote into law in 2004; then-Rep. Tom Udall, now a U.S. senator, was a cosponsor of the measure in the House of Representatives.

Bingaman's "Manhattan Project National Historical Park Study Act," signed into law by President George W. Bush, directed the National Park Service to work with the Department of Energy to prepare a special study to assess the feasibility of designating historically significant Manhattan Project facilities as parts of a National Historical Park, including facilities at Los Alamos in New Mexico, the Hanford Site in Washington, and at Oak Ridge in Tennessee.  The study was a necessary first step toward the creation of a new National Historical Park.

The recently-completed study recommends establishing the national historic park – a conclusion endorsed by the Department of Energy.  In an announcing the proposal today, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar explained that DOE would continue managing and operating the facilities associated with the Manhattan Project that are within the Los Alamos National Laboratory, while the National Park Service would provide interpretation and education in connection with those resources.

The National Park Service also would work with the community and other stakeholders to identify appropriate ways to provide assistance and help preserve Manhattan Project sites in the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory National Historic Landmark District in the townsite, such as the Oppenheimer House on "Bathtub Row".

Operating from December, 1942, until September, 1945, the Manhattan Project was a $2.2 billion effort that employed 130,000 workers at its peak, but was kept largely secret and out of public view.

"The Manhattan Project was one of the most important events in our nation's history.  I believe it is important for us to acknowledge its legacy, and a National Historical Park is the best way to achieve that goal," Bingaman said.  "In the coming months, I will be working on legislation to make this park a reality."

"Telling the story of the Manhattan Project will serve as a useful educational tool - especially for those generations who didn't live through World War II or the Cold War. I commend Senator Bingaman's leadership in calling for this study in 2004, and am pleased that we are now taking the next important step toward preserving this history for future generations," Udall said.

In conducting the study, the National Park Service undertook an extensive public involvement process engaging state and local governments, private property owners, interested organizations, and others.  Through this process, strong public support emerged for preserving resources associated with the Manhattan Project and making the story of this remarkable effort more broadly known.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership a $567,001 grant.  The funding will be used to help small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses in the state create new jobs.

"Our economy continues to struggle, so we must continue to take steps that create good jobs.  This grant is an important investment in our state's manufacturing future," Bingaman said.

For more information on New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership, please visit: http://newmexicomep.org/.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman reported today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is releasing over $6 million to help New Mexico communities make upgrades to their public housing developments.

"These grants will be used to ensure that thousands of New Mexicans have access to safe and affordable housing," Bingaman said.

The grants were awarded through HUD's Capital Fund Program, which provides communities with funding to help manage, develop, finance and modernize public housing projects.  It can be used to build, repair, renovate and/or modernize public housing units, including energy-efficient upgrades to replace old plumbing and electrical systems.

The following communities have been awarded funding:

• Bernalillo County Housing Department: $27,281
• City of Albuquerque Housing Division: $1.22 million
• Clovis Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Inc.: $205,413
• Eastern Regional Housing Authority : $155,035
• Housing Authority of the City of Alamogordo: $303,530
• Housing Authority of the City of Artesia : $188,134
• Housing Authority of the City of Eunice: $26,860
• Housing Authority of the City of Gallup: $382,006
• Housing Authority of the City of Grants: $33,750
• Housing Authority of the City of Las Cruces: $290,986
• Housing Authority of the City of Las Vegas: $465,687
• Housing Authority of the City of Lordsburg: $154,341
• Housing Authority of the City of Lovington : $69,134
• Housing Authority of the City of Raton : $233,591
• Housing Authority of the City of Sunland Park: $57,385
• Housing Authority of the City of Truth or Consequences: $132,877
• Housing Authority of the City of Tucumcari : $120,968
• Housing Authority of the County of Doña Ana: $8,608
• Housing Authority of the County of Rio Arriba: $80,585
• Housing Authority of the County of Santa Fe: $262,158
• Housing Authority of the County of Taos: $249,863
• Housing Authority of the Town of Bayard: $105,964
• Housing Authority of the Town of Clayton: $66,489
• Housing Authority of the Town of Springer: $77,963
• Housing Authority of the Village of Chama: $54,284
• Housing Authority of the Village of Cimarron: $21,694
• Housing Authority of the Village of Cuba: $35,017
• Housing Authority of the Village of Fort Sumner: $60,456
• Housing Authority of the Village of Maxwell: $32,403
• Housing Authority of the Village of Pecos: $45,678
• Housing Authority of the Village of Wagon Mound: $26,043
• Santa Clara Housing Authority: $42,830
• Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority: $776,699
• Town of Bernalillo Department of Housing: $97,039
• Western Regional Housing Authority: $81,867

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today attended a White House ceremony at which Santa Fe native Leroy Petry, a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army, was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Sergeant First Class Petry received the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions during combat operations against an armed enemy in Paktya, Afghanistan in May, 2008.  He is the second living, active duty service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Sergeant First Class Petry represents the best New Mexico has to offer," Bingaman said.  "Every day, for nearly a decade, American men and woman in uniform have performed daily acts of heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan.  But Sergeant Petry went well beyond the call of duty.  His courage and decisive action under the most difficult circumstances saved the lives of his fellow soldiers."

"The Medal of Honor is a very special honor.  Only one other living soldier from these conflicts has received it. Sergeant Petry deserves this great honor, and I join with New Mexicans in thanking him for his service," Bingaman said.

Leroy Arthur Petry was born on July 29, 1979.  He is a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico and enlisted in the United States Army in September 1999.  He attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Benning, Georgia.  Sergeant First Class Petry is currently assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment and attached to Special Operations Command (SOCOM) with duty at Joint Base Lewis McChord as a liaison for the SOCOM Care Coalition where he tracks and monitors injured Rangers returning from the Theater of Operations to the initial place of care to home station care.

Sergeant First Class Petry has completed multiple combat tours to Afghanistan and Iraq totaling 28 months of deployment.  His military decorations include: two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, three Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, National Defense Service Medal, three Army Good Conduct Medals,  Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Combat Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with Combat Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, to name a few.

The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while:

• engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;
• engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or
• serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about the ongoing debt negotiations.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman gives a brief overview of the Energy Committee's scheduled for the week.

02:27 – Bingaman comments on ongoing budget negotiations between the White House and Congressional Republican leaders.

04:50 – Bingaman comments on the direction of the country.

05:26 – Bingaman talks about a bill before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week that would direct the Department of Energy to develop innovative, low-cost nuclear reactors.

My recent newsletter discusses Medicare and Medicaid, two federally-funded health insurance programs, and why I am committed to protecting them as we take the necessary steps to address our nation's budget deficit.  I also note some of the important changes that have already taken place because of the Affordable Care Act, including significant savings in Medicare.  You can read the full e-newsletter online.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico airports will share more than $2.4 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration.

"These federal grants will help ensure that New Mexico's airports are safe and highly maintained," Bingaman said.

• $277,575 for Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport to improve drainage
• $65,185 for Clayton Municipal Airport to construct a snow removal equipment building
• $250,985 for Clovis Municipal Airport to complete the relocation of navigational aids
• $308,145 for Fort Sumner Municipal Airport to rehabilitate a runway
• $120,000 for Portales Municipal Airport to rehabilitate the apron
• $186,532 for Santa Rosa Route 66 Airport to rehabilitate an existing runway
• $697,810 for the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport to rehabilitate the existing apron pavement, to purchase Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting proximity suits for firefighters and for runway rehabilitation;
• $125,000 for the Socorro Municipal Airport to rehabilitate the existing apron pavement and rehabilitate the airport beacon;
• $260,378 for the Tucumcari Municipal Airport for the rehabilitation of taxiways needed to maintain structural integrity of the pavement.  The airport will also receive $156,302 to fund an airport master plan to assist in planning and future growth.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico Tribal Business Initiative has been awarded a $733,232 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

The funding will support the Tribal Business Initiative (TBI), which is comprised of tribes in the Central and Northern New Mexico region. The TBI provides expert knowledge and training to support Native American tribes in creating culturally aligned, strategically-focused, and sustainable businesses. These tribally-owned businesses, in turn, create jobs and sustain long-term economic development.

"This funding is an investment in New Mexico's tribal communities and will help provide economic opportunities for their residents," Bingaman said.

Specifically, TBI provides one-on-one business development and leadership training to tribal enterprises, provides high-level business growth services to non-native enterprises that are willing to permanently locate on, or near a New Mexico reservation, and hire and train tribal citizens.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that FEMA has approved New Mexico's request for fire management assistance declaration for the Little Lewis Fire burning in Otero County.

Under the declaration, the state is now eligible for funding through the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (FMAGP), which provides for the "mitigation, management, and control" of fires burning on publicly or privately owned forest or grasslands which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

"New Mexico has its hands full battling multiple fires at once.  This FEMA designation will provide much-needed support to put these fires out," Bingaman said.

At the time of the request the fire was threatening 250 homes in and around the communities of Sacramento and Weed with a combined population of 400.  Seventy-five percent of the threatened homes are primary residences, and twenty-five percent are secondary residences.  The fire was also threatening numerous buildings, equipment, infrastructure, and utilities in the area.  Mandatory evacuations were issued for approximately 250 people.  The fire started on June 29, 2011, and had burned in excess of 1,200 acres of Federal, State, and private land.

Under the terms of the grant, the federal government picks up 75 percent of the share of firefighting costs associated with the following:

• Equipment and supplies;
• Emergency work and operations centers;
• Personal comfort and safety items for firefighter health and safety;
• Mobilization and demobilization costs;
• Temporary repair of damage caused by firefighting activities;
• Mitigation, management, and control of declared fires burning on co-mingled federal land, when such costs are not reimbursable by another federal agency.

[UPDATE] 07.08.2011, 12:20pm MST: The Las Conchas wildfire is over 139,000 acres and is 40% contained.  Please listen to local news sources or the U.S. Forest Service's incident website for accurate, up-to-date information.  This page will be updated but not over the course of the weekend and might not contain the most recent alerts and evacuation information.

Daily information meetings are held at 3:00pm at the La Cueva Fire Station #2 in Jemez Springs, NM.

Members of the public can call the New Mexico Department of Health with health questions or concerns related to the fire at 1.877.725.2552.

• Individuals concerned about structures within the burned area of Sandoval County can call the county office at 505.867.0245.

Please visit the New Mexico Department of Transportation's website for information on road closures.

Refer to the Forest Service incident site for more information.

There will be a community meeting tonight, Thursday, July 7, at 6:30pm at the Cañones Community Center in Cañones, NM. Daily information meetings are held at 3:00pm at the La Cueva Fire Station #2 in Jemez Springs, NM.

Members of the public can call the New Mexico Department of Health with health questions or concerns related to the fire at 1.877.725.2552.

• Individuals concerned about structures within the burned area of Sandoval County can call the county office at 505.867.0245.

Please visit the New Mexico Department of Transportation's website for information on road closures.

Many parks and recreational ground in the north have been close in full or in part:

• The Valles Caldera National Preserve is closed. Visitors can seek more information on their website.
• New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has closed sites within Pecos Canyon, including Bert Clancey, Terrero, Jamie Koch, Mora River, and Monastery Lake. See the Department's webpage for more information.
• The New Mexico State Parks Division has closed Hyde Memorial, Fenton Lake, Morphy Lake, Coyote Creek, and Cimarron Canyon State Parks. See the State Parks' website for more information.
• The Bureau of Land Management has closed the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. See the BLM's website for more information.
• The National Park Service has closed Bandelier National Monument indefinitely. See the NPS's website for more information.

Refer to the Forest Service incident site for more information. 

[Continue]

As of this afternoon, the fire was nearly 70,000 acres and was 3% contained.

• Currently, evacuation orders are in place for Los Alamos County, Cochiti Mesa, Las Conchas, Bandelier National Monument, and campgrounds near the fire.
• White Rock is under voluntary evacuation.
• Road closures: NM 4 is closed at the Jemez Falls Campground and at NM 510. NM502 westbound into Los Alamos is closed.

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has been closed due to the threat of fire and will remain closed Thursday, as well; all radioactive material has been appropriately accounted for and is protected. LANL employees should check local news, the LANL Update Hotline (505.677.6622), or the LANL website (www.lanl.gov) for updates. There are some radioactive materials, called legacy wastes, which are in the process of being moved off-site to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and other sites. The laboratory takes thorough measures to protect these materials from harm by the fire.  Other radioactive materials that are not wastes, and so are not in the process of being moved off-site, are in thick structures designed to withstand outside fires.

Smoke is heavy and has been visible in many areas in the state. The New Mexico Department of Health and the New Mexico Environment Department have advised people to take precautions to avoid adverse reactions to the smoke because of poor air quality.

• If you have questions about health-related issues due to smoke, please call the New Mexico Nurse Advice Line at 1.877.725.2552.

New Mexicans from all across our state have reported heavy smoke. Prolonged exposure to smoke can be dangerous for humans and for animals. Please take every precaution to avoid breathing smoky air; smoke particulate can have serious, long-term effects on your lungs. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has some basic tips on wildfire preparedness and response, highlights include:

• Pay attention to local air quality reports and visibility guides. If heavy smoke is visible or can be smelled, avoid outdoor activity and close windows and doors, and remain indoors.
• People with heart or lung disease, respiratory problems, older adults, and children should remain indoors.
• If conditions create a health emergency, call 911 or seek medical attention at the nearest medical facility.

This page will be updated regularly but may not contain the most recent information. Please tune in to local news stations or check the Forest Services's incident site for the most recent information on the Las Conchas fire.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked about the Border Health Security Act of 2011, which he introduced last week.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed on his website.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that four New Mexico pueblos will benefit from over $2.93 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

• Jicarilla Apache Housing Authority: $1.37 million
• Pueblo of Acoma Housing Authority: $1.08 million
• Pueblo de Cochiti Housing Authority: $282,883
• Tamaya Housing Authority: $204,046

Funds were awarded through HUD's Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) Indian Housing Block Grant Program. The pueblos can use the funds to implement a number of affordable housing activities. Those activities may include: new construction, acquisition, modernization or rehabilitation of rental or owner-occupied housing.

Bingaman also announced that HUD is awarding the Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint an Economic Development Initiative grant of $389,600 to help with the construction of a regional health center on the college campus.

"These federal grants are a major investment in Indian Country, and will help meet the needs of thousands of New Mexicans," Bingaman said. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman, Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Representative Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) have introduced legislation that allows border states to continue addressing public health challenges along the U.S.-Mexico border region by improving infections disease surveillance and strengthening the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission.

In 1994, Congress approved legislation led by Bingaman and Hutchison to address the unique health needs along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Under that law, the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission was established.  The commission, consisting of health officials from the United States and Mexico, has since then worked to promote public health and has established key initiatives to address bi-national health issues that strain the public health system along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"The Border Health Commission has been instrumental in bringing together experts from the United States and Mexico to help address important health issues that are unique to our border.  This bill will make it possible for the commission to continue its good work to help improve the quality of life in the U.S.-Mexico border region," Bingaman said.

"A 21st century Texas should not have to tolerate the high rates of infectious diseases we see on the border," said Hutchison.  "This legislation is extremely important for Texas – and especially Texans who live along the border, where these serious public health problems need to be addressed."

"Improving the health and level of health care resources along the U.S.-Mexico border is one of the greatest challenges confronting America today," Reyes said. "This legislation will help address the mounting health disparities in the border region that endanger our nation's long term economic health."

The Border Health Security Act of 2011 will build on the ongoing work of the commission and continue to invest in key public health initiatives.  The commission's Healthy Border 2010 initiative has achieved notable progress in reducing breast cancer mortality, cervical cancer mortality, childhood injury, and reducing Hepatitis A incidence.  In the coming year the commission will focus on reducing the tuberculosis incidence at the border and improving detection and treatment outcomes. Additionally, the commission was particularly helpful in coordinating the response to the H1N1 pandemic in 2009.The Border Health Security Act of 2011 will do the following:

• Provide Infectious Disease Surveillance Grants for All Hazards Preparedness: Authorizes funding for the successful Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance (EWIDS) program in the U.S.-Mexico border region.  The bill also establishes a health alert network to identify and communicate information quickly to health providers about emerging health care threats and coordination of the system between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
• Improve Border Health Services: Provides authorization for needed grant funding to states, local governments, tribal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit health organizations, or community health centers along the U.S.-Mexico border to improve infrastructure, access, and the delivery of health care services, including: maternal and child health, primary care and preventative health, behavioral and mental health, substance abuse, community health workers or promotoras, among others.
• Strengthen the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission: Undertakes key organizational reforms of the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission and authorizes $31 million annually for its operations, the border health and EWIDS grant programs, and facilitates key studies conducted by the Institute of Medicine.
• Coordinate Recommendations, and Study:  The legislation affirms the need for coordinated efforts to address border health issues.  It specifies that recommendations and advice on how to improve border health will be communicated to Congress from the Commission.  And finally, the legislation authorizes a GAO evaluation of the Commission's execution of its strategic plan and two key studies conducted by the Institute of Medicine on bi-national health infrastructure and health insurance coverage for border residents.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today issued the following statement, after President Obama's speech to the nation about U.S. troop withdrawal in Afghanistan:

"The president said tonight he will stick to his plan and begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July. The 10,000 troops that will be withdrawn this year is a good start. I am glad the president announced the pace will accelerate next year when more than 20,000 additional troops will come home.

"The U.S. and NATO will complete the handover of responsibility for security to Afghan forces in 2014. The handover has already begun in several cities and provinces. This would have been impossible when President Obama took office in 2009, and it is evidence that progress that has been made. There will be ups and downs ahead, but I hope this progress continues so that U.S. troops can be withdrawn as quickly as possible." 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that two New Mexico organizations have been awarded separate grants to assist homeless youths in Santa Fe and create new economic opportunities in Southwest New Mexico.

The Department of Labor has awarded $560,000 to the Youth Shelters and Family Services in Santa Fe to help the organization continue to provide educational and community service work to homeless, runaway and street youth.

Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments (SWNMCOG) will receive a $120,000 investment from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration.  Funding will help the COG, which is comprised of Luna, Hidalgo, Grant, and Catron counties, develop and implement a comprehensive economic development strategy to help bring together the public and private sectors to plan an economic development agenda aimed at diversifying and strengthening the local economy.

"At a time when needs are great but budgets are tight, this federal funding is an important investment in our state," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked to New Mexico radio reporters about a bill he is cosponsoring that would require prescription drug manufacturers to offer discounts to low-income patients receiving their medications through Medicare.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about a bill he is cosponsoring that would require prescription drug manufacturers to offer discounts to low-income patients receiving their medications through Medicare.

02:06 – Bingaman comments on an Associated Press report regarding the country's nuclear reactors.

03:38 – Bingaman comments on ongoing negotiations on increasing the debt limit.

04:49 – Bingaman comments on the New Mexico Rail Runner's decision to end weekend service.

05:43 – Bingaman says broadband services are important in helping small communities attract businesses and jobs.

06:43 - Bingaman comments on pending applications before the NRC for nuclear power plants.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman has joined Senator Jay Rockefeller in introducing legislation that would require prescription drug manufacturers to offer discounts to low-income patients receiving their medications through Medicare.  It is estimated that the bill would save Medicare $112 billion over the next ten years.

Under current law, drug manufacturers provide rebates for medications offered to Medicaid beneficiaries.  The same prescription medications offered through Medicare Part D, however, are not subject to these discounts.

The Medicare Drug Savings Act of 2011 seeks to save billions of dollars in Medicare Part D by requiring drug manufacturers to offer a discount to so-called "dual eligibles" -- patients who are simultaneously enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare -- or for beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part D "extra help."

"There is a lot of talk in Washington about how to cut Medicare costs without harming health care.  This is one obvious way," Bingaman said.  "The Medicare Drug Savings Act would save $112 billion over the next decade, which will help to strengthen Medicare."

The amount of the rebate that manufacturers offer to Medicaid beneficiaries is tied to the average price wholesalers pay manufacturers for drugs that are sold to retail pharmacies.   For brand-name drugs, the discount is 23.1 percent of the average wholesalers pay; for generic drugs it is 13 percent.

Under the Rockefeller-Bingaman proposal, drug companies would be required to pay the Medicaid rebate to the Medicare program to ensure that the federal government received the best price possible for these drugs.  Prior to the creation of the Medicare drug benefit in 2003, all of the drugs purchased for "dual eligibles" received this rebate.  The Rockefeller-Bingaman amendment returns to this policy and expands it to include Medicare recipients who receive "extra-help."

The bill has been sent to the Senate Finance Committee; Bingaman is a senior member of that panel. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman voiced his support for the end of a subsidy of ethanol – an additive to gasoline aimed at reducing pollution.

Today, Bingaman voted in favor of an amendment introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Tom Coburn that would immediately end the subsidy, which is set to expire at the end of the year.  The amendment passed 73-27.

Bingaman has said he would prefer to allow the subsidy to expire rather than to surprise businesses with a mid-year elimination.  But he voted in favor of the amendment to make it clear he wants the ethanol subsidy to end.

"Many people are viewing this vote as a test for whether senators support the subsidy or want it to end.  For the sake of allowing businesses to adequately plan, my preference is to have the subsidy expire at the end of the year, as intended.  I do not expect this amendment to end tax subsidies for ethanol to become law.  Consequently, my vote for the Feinstein-Coburn proposal reflects not my desire to immediately remove the subsidies, but instead my general belief that this subsidy should end," Bingaman said.

The subsidy, known as the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, is an excise tax credit of 45 cents for every gallon of ethanol blended into the domestic gasoline supply.  Created in 2004, it is one of the most recent in a line of tax preferences for ethanol fuel production dating back to 1978.

The credit is claimed by refiners who blend ethanol into gasoline, not by ethanol producers.  In its current form, the credit is estimated to cost the federal government between $5 and $6 billion per year in foregone revenue.

The goal of the subsidy was to promote the production of non-petroleum-based, domestic fuel sources.  However, many people believe that the Renewable Fuel Standard, created in 2005 and increased in 2007, is now a more significant driver of increased ethanol production.

On Tuesday, Bingaman voted against a similar amendment, in part, on procedural grounds; the amendment was forced to a vote under highly unusual circumstances. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today reported that New Mexico counties will share nearly $33 million in payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) funds.

PILT, which is a program administered through the Department of the Interior, compensates counties for federal property such as military bases and national parks, which cannot be taxed by local governments.

Because PILT was shortchanged each year in the annual appropriations process, Bingaman forcefully advocated for automatic full funding for the program – which many New Mexico counties rely heavily upon.  In 2008, Bingaman played a key role in negotiations that guaranteed full funding through fiscal year 2012, while also improving a separate initiative called the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.  That effort resulted in significant funding for New Mexico in each of the last few years.

"PILT is always a very important part of local budgets in New Mexico.  But it has been increasingly important during the past few years, as county budgets have become tighter," Bingaman said.  "The $33 million being sent to New Mexico counties will help local governments deliver important services to all New Mexicans."

Funds will be distributed as follows:

BERNALILLO COUNTY: $187,461
CATRON COUNTY: $564,789
CHAVES COUNTY: $2,865,630
CIBOLA COUNTY: $1,567,088
COLFAX COUNTY: $111,857
DE BACA COUNTY: $101,145
DONA ANA COUNTY: $2,853,799
EDDY COUNTYL: $3,151,774
GRANT COUNTY: $1,707,636
GUADALUPE COUNTY: $147,605 
HARDING COUNTY: $106,690
HIDALGO COUNTY: $676,985
LEA COUNTY: $1,013,901
LINCOLN COUNTY: $1,475,786
LOS ALAMOS COUNTY: $82,450
LUNA COUNTY: $1,785,586
MCKINLEY COUNTY: $745,885
MORA COUNTY: $107,706
OTERO COUNTY COMMISSION: $2,658,915
QUAY COUNTY: $4,328
RIO ARRIBA COUNTY: $1,548,824
ROOSEVELT COUNTY: $25,817
SAN JUAN COUNTY: $2,070,333
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY: $643,509
SANDOVAL COUNTY: $2,115,153
SANTA FE COUNTY: $670,806
SIERRA COUNTY: $946,513
SOCORRO COUNTY: $1,052,793
TAOS COUNTY: $1,471,222
TORRANCE COUNTY: $242,089
UNION COUNTY: $140,810
VALENCIA COUNTY: $71,511

N.M. TOTAL: $32,916,396                           

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that Santa Fe Airport will receive a $2.6 million grant to rehabilitate taxiways A and C.

The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration, which typically contributes additional maintenance funds to help the airport operate safely.

"The Santa Fe Municipal Airport has grown with the additional of commercial airline service in recent years.  This grant will ensure that the airport is in top shape," Bingaman said.

The federal government is expected to contribute an additional $620,000 toward this project, for a total of $3.2 million. 

Medicare and Medicaid are critical sources of health insurance for many Americans. Both are health programs.

• Medicare is a health insurance program providing care for Americans age 65 and older, and the disabled.  Medicare hospital coverage is paid for by a payroll tax on every worker, and in turn, every worker is eligible to receive Medicare after age 65. Other seniors and those with disabilities may choose to purchase this hospital coverage. Medicare coverage for outpatient services and prescription drugs is financed by a combination of taxes and premiums. Beneficiaries voluntarily choose to enroll in this coverage program.
• Medicaid is a health program for certain categories of low income Americans like children and some seniors. Two-thirds of Medicaid funds go toward low-income seniors and the disabled, particularly on health expenses like long-term care, such as nursing homes. One-third of American children are insured through Medicaid (or SCHIP).

Recently, the Senate rejected a House-passed budget proposal written by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan that proposed sweeping changes to the way Medicare and Medicaid are financed, including a provision that would have converted Medicare to a voucher program and a provision that would have converted Medicaid funding into a block grant.

This measure would have restricted future Medicare beneficiaries' options and more than doubled their health care expenses, and would devastate Medicaid for many states. According to a recent analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the New Mexico Medicaid program would have been cut in half by 2021 because of the Ryan proposal, and the state would have lost $15.1 billion—more than a third of the program's federal support—over the next ten years.

Senator Bingaman voted against the proposal.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the State of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque will benefit from over $27 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

"This funding will help New Mexico meet the housing needs of some of its most vulnerable citizens," Bingaman said.

The State of New Mexico will benefit from HUD funds for the following programs:

• $13.1 million - Community Development Block Grants (CDBG): The program provides grant to States and local units of government to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
• $7.15 million – HOME: The HOME program provides grants to fund housing programs that meet local needs and priorities.
• $731,214 - Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG): The Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program helps improve the quality and the number of emergency homeless shelters.
• $280,246 - Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) supports efforts that aim to help low-income individuals with AIDS maintain housing.

The City of Albuquerque will receive funding under the following programs:

• $3.99 million – CDBG
• $2.18 million – HOME
• $193,783 – ESG
• $324,634 – HOPWA

Also, Tierra del Sol Housing Corporation in Las Cruces has been awarded a $866,898 Self-Help Home Ownership Opportunity Program grant from the HUD.  The New Mexico nonprofit can use the funding to purchase home sites and develop or improve the infrastructure needs as part of its homeownership program, which makes it possible for low-income residents to purchase a home while remaining on solid financial ground. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today chaired a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing about this year's already difficult wildfire season. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told Bingaman he believes his agency will have enough federal funds, firefighters, and other resources to fight wildfires on federal public lands this year.

"We're already having a very bad fire season this year New Mexico. As we speak, fire crews are working hard to contain the Wallow, Track and Loop fires," Bingaman said. "Unfortunately, the fire season will be with us for at least two more months, so I am encouraged to hear that the Forest Service believes it has enough firefighting resources at its disposal."

Tidwell also praised Bingaman for writing into law an initiative, called Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, which funds landscape-scale forest restoration projects that cover 50,000 acres or more of National Forest and other lands. Just last week, New Mexico was awarded $2.4 million in funding from this initiative, which was enacted in 2009. The funding will be used to improve forest and watershed health in the Santa Fe National Forest and the Valles Caldera National Preserve, with an eye toward reducing the risk of severe wildfires.

"The more we do now to restore our public lands and watersheds, the more we will avoid severe fires down the road," Bingaman said. "I'm very glad that New Mexico already has received funding for extensive restoration work, and look forward to future investments like this in our state."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration is making low-interest loans available to New Mexico small businesses affected by two separate weather related occurrences that took place earlier this year.

"The Small Business Administration fills a very important role of assisting businesses that have suffered from circumstances beyond their control.  I'm very glad the SBA is making loans available to New Mexico small businesses," Bingaman said.

The primary counties of Bernalillo, Lincoln, Taos and the neighboring counties of Chavez, Cibola, Colfax, De Baca, Guadalupe, Mora, Otero, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance and Valencia are now eligible to apply for low-interest federal loans to help small businesses with the economic impacts of the freezing temperatures and natural gas shortage that occurred February 1-11, 2011.

A second designation for the primary counties of Catron, Chaves, De Baca, Doña Ana, Eddy, Hidalgo, Lea, Luna, Otero, Quay, Roosevelt, Sierra and Socorro and the neighboring counties of Cibola, Guadalupe, Harding, Lincoln, San Miguel, Torrance, Union and Valencia was also announced.  Businesses in these counties are now eligible to apply for low-interest loans to offset economic losses relating to drought, high winds and wildfires that occurred beginning January 1, 2011.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked to New Mexico radio reporters several bills he has introduced aimed at reforming America's public schools by both raising academic standards and helping students achieve them.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about several education bills he introduced las week.

02:25 – Bingaman talks about a hearing in the Energy Committee last week on a bill he introduced to direct the Department of Energy to develop innovative, low-cost nuclear reactors.

04:40 – Bingaman talks about the shortcomings of the No Child Left Behind law and about how it can be improved.

09:00 – Bingaman comments on different methods of regulating green house gases.

10:10 – Bingaman comments on President Obama's troop drawdown plan for Afghanistan.  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that FEMA has approved New Mexico's request for fire management assistance declaration for the Track Fire burning in Colfax County.

Under the declaration, the state is now eligible for funding through the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (FMAGP), which provides for the "mitigation, management, and control" of fires burning on publicly or privately owned forest or grasslands which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

"Dry conditions in the state add to the already urgent need to quickly contain and extinguish this fire.  I am pleased FEMA was quick to respond the state's request for fire assistance," Bingaman said.

At the time of the request, the fire was threatening approximately 220 homes in Raton.  The fire started on June 12, 2011 and has burned in excess of 2,700 acres and is zero percent contained.  A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been requested and should arrive later today.  Evacuations are currently taking place in Raton for approximately 600 residents in homes and businesses in the vicinity of I-25 north, north of County Road 72 and Sugarite State Park.

Under the terms of the grant, the federal government picks up 75 percent of the share of firefighting costs associated with the following:

• Equipment and supplies;
• Emergency work and operations centers;
• Personal comfort and safety items for firefighter health and safety;
• Mobilization and demobilization costs;
• Temporary repair of damage caused by firefighting activities;
• Mitigation, management, and control of declared fires burning on co-mingled federal land, when such costs are not reimbursable by another federal agency.  

Due to severe drought and wildfires, there is little forage available for livestock grazing. As a result, Bingaman and Udall wrote to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to quickly approve a request to allow ranchers from the following counties to graze their livestock on Conservation Reserve Lands: Colfax, Union, Harding, Quay, Guadalupe, De Baca, Curry, Roosevelt, Lea, Torrance and Santa Fe. In total, USDA has granted emergency grazing on 432,947 acres in nine counties – Colfax, Harding, Lea, Quay, Roosevelt, Union, Curry, Torrance and De Baca.

“Ranchers need all the help they can get during this terrible drought. I’m glad that the USDA is being responsive to their needs,” Bingaman said.

“New Mexico ranchers continue to struggle with drought and extreme temperatures. I applaud the USDA for continuing to address this issue and give some relief to the ranchers in Torrance and Colfax counties,” Udall said.

The senators’ letter to Vilsack is as follows:

May 23, 2011

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

We are writing respectfully to urge you to give immediate consideration of approving CRP emergency grazing in the eleven counties in the State of New Mexico with General CRP acreage. Roosevelt, through a catastrophic drought, with most of these counties currently listed on the U.S. Drought Monitor in extreme (D3) or exceptional (D4) drought conditions.

As a result of the severe drought and continuing high winds, there is virtually no forage available for grazing.  Producers are running out of reserve hay and are purchasing supplemental feed for their livestock.  There have been a number of wildfires in the eastern part of the state resulting in the loss of several thousand acres of grazing land.  In addition, many of the available CRP acres have a large fuel load of old grass cover and there is concern of additional grazing on CRP land would help ranchers manage their herds through the ongoing drought and sustain this vital industry in our state.

In light of the ongoing losses and the possible long-term impacts of the drought, we urge you.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of our request.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman has introduced a package of bills aimed at reforming America's public schools by both raising academic standards and helping students achieve them.

Bingaman is a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and one of the main authors of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law.  NCLB has expired and Congress is due to write new legislation governing federal education policy.

"No Child Left Behind was important because it demanded more from schools and students.  But the law was flawed and we must take action to fix the problems with it," Bingaman said.  "The legislation I have introduced seeks to reform schools in New Mexico and across the country by raising standards and helping students achieve them."

The first of the bills Bingaman introduced is the Graduation Promise Act, or GPA.  This measure directs much-needed funding to help turn around underperforming high schools, allowing them to increase their graduation rates and student achievement.  While approximately 25 percent of low-income students in the United States currently attend high schools, less than 10 percent of federal funding for disadvantaged students goes to high schools.  GPA would help to correct this imbalance.

The second bill, called the Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Act of 2011 (ATTAIN), recognizes the importance of technology in the classroom.  The measure provides federal funds to train teachers, purchase education technology hardware and software, and to support student technological literacy.  The bill authorizes up to $1 billion in annual funding for education technology and teacher training nationwide.

The third piece of legislation, called the Advanced Programs Act of 2011, would reauthorize a program Bingaman first wrote into law more than a decade ago to help low-income students cover the costs of Advanced Placement exam fees, while helping schools expand the professional development of teachers instructing AP courses.  Before Bingaman first created the program more than a decade ago, the number of AP exams taken by low-income students was 82,000.  By 2010 that number had grown to 500,000, thanks in large part to the federal investment in these students and teachers.  The program is funded this year at $43.25 million.

"I believe if we are going to remain competitive in the global economy, we must improve the quality of public education in our country.  Taken together, I believe these bills will have a very important impact on our nation's schools," Bingaman said.

In addition to his own three bills, Bingaman is the cosponsor of a fourth bill, called the Time for Innovation Matters in Education (TIME) Act.  The TIME Act authorizes federal funding to support expanded learning times.  American students spend about 30 percent less time in school than students in other leading nations, which hinders our students' ability to succeed and compete.

Bingaman is considered a leader on education policy and has been taking part in negotiations over the reauthorization of federal education laws. 

[UPDATE] 06.23.2011, 2:25pm MST: The Wallow Fire is now 61% contained but has grown to over 532,000 acres.

The public may call the following numbers for area-specific fire information:

• Luna and Reserve, New Mexico: 575.533.6928
• Spanish language information line: 877.632.6678

A Crisis Intervention Line has been established for residents suffering from the stress of living with fire danger; the number for the hotline is 928.333.2683.

Parts of the Gila National Forest are still closed; see the Forest Service's website for more details.

The pre-evacuation order for Luna, New Mexico, still stands.

The public may call the following numbers for area-specific fire information:

• Luna and Reserve, New Mexico: 575.533.6928
• Spanish language information line: 877.632.6678

New Mexicans can monitor air quality alerts in their area on the New Mexico Environment Department's website. Remember that if you see or smell smoke, try to remain indoors and close all windows and doors to minimize the amount of smoke you inhale.

Those who need help evacuating livestock should call the Catron County Sheriff's Office at 575.533.6222.

Parts of the Gila National Forest are still closed; see the Forest Service's website for more details.

Please stay tuned to your local news or radio for specific information relative to your community. You can also monitor the fire on InciWeb.org.

The pre-evacuation order for Luna, New Mexico, still stands.

A closure is in effect for the western portion of the Gila National Forest. Please see the Forest Service's website for more details.

Winds are expected to peak this afternoon; the wind, combined with dry fuels and low relative humidity, is expected to increase fire activity.

There is a public meeting scheduled for 7:00pm at the Community Center in Reserve, New Mexico, tonight.

Senator Bingaman commends all the firefighters, New Mexico National Guardsmen, and others working on this emergency.

Please stay tuned to your local news or radio for specific information relative to your community. You can also monitor the fire on InciWeb.org.

Residents of Luna, New Mexico are on pre-evacuation orders and are asked to be prepared for an evacuation order to be issued.

Residents may call the Catron County Sheriff's Office at 575.533.6222 if they need help evacuating their livestock. Designated livestock holding sites are located in Reserve, Quemado, Magdalena, and Glenwood.

Air quality alerts for parts of New Mexico have been reissued or sustained through today. Those who are experiencing breathing difficulties due to the smoke are encouraged to call their doctor or 911. If you can see or smell smoke, it is recommended that you stay inside and close all windows and doors.

For more information, tune into your local news or radio station, or check the InciWeb Wallow Fire site or the Forest Sevice's Apache and Sitgreaves National Forests site (or follow them on twitter).

The fire is in eastern Arizona near Alpine, Nutrioso, and Greer, all of which have been evacuated. Tune into your local news channel or radio station to monitor the situation; this site will also be updated to reflect changes of that nature.

New Mexicans from all across our state have reported heavy smoke. Prolonged exposure to smoke can be dangerous for humans and for animals. Please take every precaution to avoid breathing smoky air; smoke particulate can have serious, long-term effects on your lungs. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has some basic tips on wildfire preparedness and response, highlights include:

• Pay attention to local air quality reports and visibility guides. If heavy smoke is visible or can be smelled, avoid outdoor activity and close windows and doors, and remain indoors.
• People with heart or lung disease, respiratory problems, older adults, and children should remain indoors.
• If conditions create a health emergency, call 911 or seek medical attention at the nearest medical facility.

The U.S. Forest Service is coordinating the response between federal, state, and local response teams; already, over 2,500 interagency firefighters, 119 engines, 26 watertenders, 14 helicopters, and 9 dozers have been deployed. This information is updated on the Incident Information System's Wallow Fire page. You can also get updates on the White Mountain Joint Information System's website.

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is working with related organizations to evacuate livestock near the border of the fire.

The New Mexico Congressional delegation is working closely with state, federal, and local response teams in an effort to protect New Mexicans and their property from the fire.

Advanced Programs Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Education to allot grants to states, based on their share of low-income elementary and secondary school students, to cover part or all of the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) examination fee low-income students incur.

Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2011 - Amends title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to rename part D (Achievement through Technology and Innovation) and reauthorize it through FY2017.

Requires states to use a portion of their allotted funds under subpart 1 (State and Local Grants) of part D to develop challenging academic content and achievement standards to ensure that students are technologically literate before the end of grade eight. Specifies that such standards are only for tracking technological literacy and not for assessing adequate yearly progress (AYP) under title I. Permits technological literacy testing to be embedded in other state tests or performance-based assessments portfolios, or made through other valid and reliable means.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that New Mexico will receive a $2.4 million grant for a forest restoration project in the northern part of the state.

Funding was awarded through the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, which Bingaman authored, and will benefit the Southwest Jemez Mountains Restoration Initiative. The Southwest Jemez Mountains area is 210,000 acres, most of which is divided between the Santa Fe National Forest and the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The project is focused on improving forest and watershed health and reducing the risk of severe wildfires.

"Forest restoration is an important investment in our state's public lands and is a critical tool to protect and improve our water supply and reduce the risks from wildfires," Bingaman said. "This funding will help improve the health of the Jemez Mountains area, while also creating jobs for New Mexicans."

Bingaman's 2009 law authorizes funding for landscape-scale forest restoration projects that cover 50,000 acres or more of National Forest and other lands. Competitive funding is awarded through the program to restoration projects that are developed collaboratively in local communities. In 2010, the first year of the program, the 10 projects selected through a national competition reduced forest fuels and wildfire risk on nearly 155,000 acres, created an estimated 1,550 jobs, generated approximately $59.5 million in labor income, and produced more than 535,000 tons of woody biomass for bio-energy production.

Graduation Promise Act of 2011 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for differentiated high school improvement systems targeting support to schools with low student achievement and graduation rates after such schools fail for two consecutive years to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) pursuant to state academic performance standards. Allots grant funds to states pursuant to a formula that favors states with low graduation rates and a high percentage of students attending low-income LEAs.

A bill to improve the administration of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared 23 New Mexico counties eligible for disaster assistance due to severe drought conditions.  The Senators wrote a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to take this action.

The following 15 counties were made eligible for USDA assistance due to severe drought conditions: Chaves, Catron, Curry, DeBaca, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lea, Luna, Otero, Quay, Roosevelt, Sierra, and Socorro.  The counties of Cibola, Guadalupe, Harding, Lincoln, San Miguel, Torrance, Union and Valencia were made eligible for assistance due to their proximity to the other counties.

A USDA disaster declaration, like the one granted today to these 23 counties, allows farm operators to apply to the Farm Service Agency for emergency loans and supplemental revenue assistance payments.  Farmers in these counties have eight months from today to apply for emergency loan assistance.

Additionally, at the Senators' urging, the USDA today approved an emergency application that allows ranchers to graze their livestock on lands in DeBaca County not typically used for grazing. Over the past two weeks, the Senators have also announced approval of emergency grazing on land in Harding, Lea, Quay, Roosevelt and Union, and Curry counties, for a total of seven counties.

"The USDA continues to respond quickly to the needs of farmers and ranchers in our state, whose livelihoods are being threatened during this terrible drought," Bingaman said.

"New Mexico has been ravaged by drought and extreme temperatures.  Our farmers and ranchers are struggling to provide water for their crops and grass for their livestock to graze.  I applaud the USDA for addressing the issue and giving some relief to the farmers and ranchers who rely on their land, crops and animals to provide for themselves, their families, and our state," Udall said. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the New Mexico Department of Transportation has been awarded a $142,192 grant to support highway safety programs in the state.

Funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation and will be used to help New Mexico adopt and implement effective programs to reduce highway deaths and injuries through the enforcement of safety belt laws.

"Seatbelts protect the lives drivers and passengers, and help make New Mexico's roads safer for all travelers.  This grant will help promote safety in our state," Bingaman said.   

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked to New Mexico radio reporters about a variety of issues.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman gives a brief overview of the Senate calendar for the next month.

01:20 – Bingaman says the U.S. should provide greater leadership when it comes to climate change.

03:00 – Bingaman comments on Germany's decision to shut down its nuclear power plants by 2022.

04:40 – Bingaman says he supports President Obama's troop drawdown plan for Iraq.

05:57 – Bingaman says forest thinning is an important method of preventing wildfires.

06:54 – Bingaman talks about the next steps for drafting a budget for fiscal year 2012.

Due to severe drought and wildfires, there is little forage available for livestock grazing.  As a result, Bingaman and Udall wrote to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to quickly approve a request to allow ranchers from the following counties to graze their livestock on Conservation Reserve Lands: Colfax, Union, Harding, Quay, Guadalupe, De Baca, Curry, Roosevelt, Lea, Torrance and Santa Fe.  Last week, the Senators announced approval of emergency grazing of 154,685 acres in Curry County for a total of 422,738 acres in a total of six counties.

“This is good news for ranchers whose livelihoods have been hurt by this devastating drought.  I applaud the USDA for moving quickly to assist our state’s agriculture industry during this difficult time,” Bingaman said.

"With increased drought and rising temperatures, New Mexico’s agriculture industry is suffering. I am pleased that the USDA has listened to our concerns and is offering some relief to our ranchers,” Udall said.

The senators’ letter to Vilsack is as follows:

May 23, 2011

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

We are writing respectfully to urge you to give immediate consideration of approving CRP emergency grazing in the eleven counties in the State of New Mexico with General CRP acreage.  The eleven counties are Colfax, Union, Harding, Quay, Guadalupe, De Baca, Curry, Roosevelt, Lea, Torrance, and Santa Fe.  The entire State of New Mexico continues to suffer through a catastrophic drought, with most of these counties currently listed on the U.S. Drought Monitor in extreme (D3) or exceptional (D4) drought conditions.

As a result of the severe drought and continuing high winds, there is virtually no forage available for grazing.  Producers are running out of reserve hay and are purchasing supplemental feed for their livestock.  There have been a number of wildfires in the eastern part of the state resulting in the loss of several thousand acres of grazing land.  In addition, many of the available CRP acres have a large fuel load of old grass cover and there is concern of additional fires.  As a result, some producers are starting to liquidate their herds.  Emergency grazing on CRP land would help ranchers manage their herds through the ongoing drought and sustain this vital industry in our state.

In light of the ongoing losses and the possible long-term impacts of the drought, we urge you to approve emergency CRP grazing in New Mexico.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of our request.

Funding was awarded to the following New Mexico health care centers:

• La Clinica de Familia Inc. in Las Cruces: $3.95 million
• La Familia Medical Center in Santa Fe: $3.19 million

“Many New Mexicans depend on community health centers for their primary care services.  This funding will help these two centers continue to provide vital services to their patients,” Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the City of Rio Rancho has been awarded a $286,000 grant to improve the community's drinking water.

Funding was provided through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and will be used to help the city make infrastructure upgrades to its water wells, including the construction of two surge tanks, duplex model air compressors and controls that will help alleviate problems with pipe failures due to surges from existing equipment.

"I am pleased that the federal government has made these funds available to help Rio Rancho provide safe, affordable drinking water to its residents," Bingaman said. 

New Mexico has a long and proud tradition of supporting the United States military, with New Mexicans having fought for the Union in the Civil War at Glorieta Pass, the National Guardsmen who were captured at Bataan, the Navajo Code Talkers who baffled the opposition, the soldiers who fought on the frozen steppes of Korea and patrolled the jungles of Vietnam, and the nearly 30,000 New Mexicans who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hostile zones around the world since 2001. The United States has long benefited from the bravery of Americans and our state is made rich with the virtues of military service. Our citizens’ willingness to serve and the honor with which our veterans have done so is shown time and again through consistent loyalty, integrity, and self-sacrifice.

Today, let us take a moment to pay particular tribute to the men and women who are serving or have served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since October 7, 2001, nearly 6,000 of those brave men and women never returned home to their friends and families they so selflessly left behind. And we shall never forget the heroism displayed by the 75 sons and daughters of New Mexico who have died while answering our nation’s call to service in these wars. Let us take a moment of silence to honor these men and women.

While we can never adequately repay the debt owed to those who sacrifice their lives for our freedoms, it is nevertheless incumbent upon every American to do all we can for our veterans young and old. As we speak, nearly 180,000 veterans live in New Mexico and that number is constantly growing. In Congress, we will continue to work to provide our veterans with the best services and opportunities to help them lead productive lives. We are working to increase funding and access to quality health care, to guarantee that all military personnel -- active and retired -- receive increased pay and benefits, and to recognize the contributions of the veterans of New Mexico to the nation.

I am proud of recent actions by Congress to increase funding which will go toward speeding up the benefits claims process, assisting homeless veterans, and expanding health care to veterans living in rural areas. And in the coming years, I will continue to support the President’s call for expanded funding for specialized care needed by veterans with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological and cognitive health needs.

I also remain convinced that receiving a good education is essential to achieve a better life for oneself and one’s family. To this end, I encourage all veterans, including National Guardsmen and Reservists, returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to take advantage of the opportunity to get a college degree through the expanded benefits established by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

I hope that every New Mexican will take the time this Memorial Day to remember those who sacrificed their own lives for the greater good and reflect on how each and every one of us can serve those who so selflessly served us all. Their contributions are the cornerstone of our nation. We shall never forget them.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted against the House of Representatives-passed budget saying it would make deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare – two health care initiatives that New Mexicans rely heavily upon.  The proposal failed when it received only 40 votes.

"This is a very one-sided budget.  It is not a credible attempt to address our nation's fiscal difficulties.  Instead, this budget proposes deep cuts in federal spending to some of our nation's most vulnerable citizens, such as elderly Medicare recipients, pregnant women, children, and the disabled," Bingaman said.

"In total, this budget proposal includes an astounding reduction of almost one and a half trillion dollars from federal healthcare programs over the next ten years.  And, as a result, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the burden on Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries will grow enormously," he added.

According to projections from the Kaiser Family Foundation and Urban Institute, by 2021, the New Mexico Medicaid program would be reduced by 340,000 people, basically cut in half from the projected enrollment.  The House-passed budget proposal, also called the Ryan budget, would have unprecedented impacts on the New Mexico state budget.  In total over the next ten years, the state would lose $15.1 billion -- more than a third of the projected federal support for the Medicaid program.

"I am a very strong supporter of efforts to address the long-term budget problems facing our nation.  These efforts are critical to our nation's future.  However, I cannot support a budget proposal that would leave hundreds of thousand New Mexican families without health insurance and that could cripple our state budget," Bingaman said after he voted against the budget. "Now that this proposal has been defeated in the Senate, I look forward to finding solutions that are thoughtful and balanced and not crafted at the expense of America's most vulnerable populations."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that seven New Mexico organizations have been awarded over $1.6 million in AmeriCorps grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service.

"This funding will help New Mexico AmeriCorps members continue to provide essential services in various communities," Bingaman said.

AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet critical needs by working in non-profits and other community organizations across the country.   Activities include tutoring and mentoring youth, providing health services, building affordable housing, running after-school programs, supporting veterans, helping communities respond to disasters, and recruiting and training volunteers.

The following AmeriCorps members have been awarded grants:

• $405,869 – Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (Rancho de Taos): AmeriCorps members provide various types of community service in rural communities throughout northern New Mexico while receiving job training and developing related skills to prepare them for employment and/or post secondary education or GED completion after their service is complete.
• $403,350 - The Wellness Coalition (Silver City): AmeriCorps members are recruited from economically disadvantaged rural communities in southwestern New Mexico to receive financial literacy and job training as a means of increasing their employability in the health, social services, and forestry industries.
• $253,326 - Teach for America (Gallup): AmeriCorps members teach pre K-12 grade students in under-resourced schools in low income communities throughout northern New Mexico.
• $243,960 – Pueblo of Isleta: AmeriCorps members will support youth development programming in out of school time programs that target Native youth in the tribal communities of Bernalillo and Sandoval counties in New Mexico.
• $198,775 – Families and Youth (Las Cruces): AmeriCorps members provide in-school support services and out of school programming to high-risk K-5th and 9th - 12th grade students in Doña Ana County.
• $132,990 – Mescalero Apache Tribe: AmeriCorps members will explore academic options and develop pathways to a natural resource management career while serving the community; earning scholarship money to obtain advanced training, as well as establishing academic contacts, and building a positive relationship in the community, by protecting and enhancing the community's natural resource assets.
• $39,900 – National Indian Youth Leadership Project Inc. (Gallup): AmeriCorps members will assist in providing experiential and service-learning activities, in line with positive youth development principles, for at-risk Native American youth in McKinley and Cibola counties in New Mexico.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today wrote to President Obama to convey their support for his decision to insist on having a deal in hand to extend Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) before going forward with the pending trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama.

In a letter to the President, Bingaman and Udall joined 40 other Senate colleagues to express their support for the TAA provisions that were enacted in 2009 and said they look forward to helping secure bipartisan support to extend that version of the program. The 2009 legislation made significant improvements to TAA, such as broadening eligibility to include workers in service industries, as well as workers who lose their jobs to countries such as China that have not signed free trade agreements with the United States. This version of TAA increases the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) that helps beneficiaries pay for private health insurance.

Since 2009, nearly 2,500 New Mexicans have relied on TAA benefits; more than 60 percent of them were covered under the eligibility provisions that have since expired.

For months, the minority party in the Senate has opposed extending TAA until the administration provided a path forward for the free trade agreement with Colombia.

"TAA has been a core pillar of U.S. trade policy. The program ensures that workers who lose their jobs and financial security as a result of globalization have an opportunity to transition to new jobs and emerging sectors of the economy. Important reforms were made to TAA in 2009, which have helped streamline the program and make it more efficient for beneficiaries. In 2009, Congress also expanded eligibility to all workers whose jobs have been moved offshore, regardless of whether the United States has a trade agreement with the particular country. It also recognized the important role of the service industry in the U.S. economy by bringing service workers into TAA.

"The program also improved and expanded access to TAA's Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) – an initiative that promotes private health insurance access for recipients, and makes health insurance coverage more affordable to workers who lose their jobs due to trade and offshoring.  In the absence of this program, more Americans would need public assistance and more individuals nearing retirement would be forced to use the emergency room as their sole source of health care," the letter states.

"These bipartisan reforms to the TAA program help hundreds of thousands of workers, in every state, by moving workers more quickly from government support to private sector jobs. Since new TAA began in May 2009, the program has assisted 185,000 Americans who may have otherwise been ineligible for services, with usage in some states increasing by more than 40 percent. Unfortunately, these critical TAA reforms expired on February 12, 2011.

"We share the goal of your National Export Initiative to double U.S. exports and are looking forward to working with you on implementing a strong trade and competitiveness strategy. We recognize, as you do, that such a deal will be challenging to secure because it requires significant bipartisan commitments in both chambers of Congress to vote in favor of a TAA extension. The challenge is worth it. We agree with you that strengthening the safety net for the middle class by extending TAA should be a prerequisite for the consideration of new trade agreements," the letter continues.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a bill he has introduced to increase New Mexico's District Court Judges.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about a bill he has introduced to authorize new District Court judgeships for the southwest border states.

02:00 – Bingaman comments on the War Powers Act in regards to U.S. involvement in Libya.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman released the following statement after President Obama's speech about the struggle to gain political and economic reforms in the Middle East and North Africa:

"President Obama was clear that the United States will support the efforts of the people in the Middle East and North Africa who are working to gain the rights that we as Americans have: basic freedoms, equality, and the right to self-governance. He reaffirmed that the United States will stand by those people who are willing to take the risks needed to undertake to win these reforms.

"And I agree with the President that even countries who are U.S. allies cannot use violence and mass arrests to stop their people from peacefully protesting."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman released the following statement after President Obama's speech about the struggle to gain political and economic reforms in the Middle East and North Africa:

"President Obama was clear that the United States will support the efforts of the people in the Middle East and North Africa who are working to gain the rights that we as Americans have: basic freedoms, equality, and the right to self-governance. He reaffirmed that the United States will stand by those people who are willing to take the risks needed to undertake to win these reforms..

"And I agree with the President that even countries who are U.S. allies cannot use violence and mass arrests to stop their people from peacefully protesting."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today introduced legislation to increase the number of District Court judgeship in New Mexico to help the state deal with its heavy caseload.  The bill is cosponsored by Senator Tom Udall.

The bill would authorize new District Court judgeships for the southwest border states based on recommendations made by the Judicial Conference of the Federal Courts, which makes policy decisions for the U.S. courts.

Under the bill, New Mexico would receive an additional permanent judgeship, allow for the conversion of an existing temporary judgeship to permanent and add a temporary judgeship.  There are currently seven authorized judgeships for the district of New Mexico.

"Over the last five years, we have significantly increased the number of Border Patrol agents, hired additional prosecutors, and enhanced the presence of DEA, FBI, and U.S. Marshal Agents throughout the border region.  While this has greatly improved security in the border region, it has also put enormous pressure on the federal courts in handling the influx of cases," Bingaman said.

"It is critical that the federal judiciary has the resources and manpower it needs to dispose of cases in a timely manner and this bill would help District Courts in the southwest border states deal with this burden," Bingaman said.

The breakdown for the three other south border states would be as follows:

"Additional resources for border patrol enforcement in New Mexico have increasingly meant higher case loads for our federal courts. This legislation would help ease that pressure by providing the manpower necessary to adjudicate cases in a timely manner that ensures justice for all involved," Udall said.

New Permanent Judgeship (P), New Temporary Judgeship (T), Conversion of Existing Temporary Judgeship to Permanent (T/P)

Arizona
(4P, 1T, T/P)

California
Northern (4P, 1T)
Eastern (6P, 1T)
Central (8P, 1T, T/P)
Southern (2P, 1T)

Texas
Eastern (1P, T/P)
Western (4P, 1T)
Southern (4P)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today renewed their push to protect the scenic landscape of the Organ Mountains in Doña Ana County.

The legislation, called the Organ Mountains – Doña Ana County Conservation and Protection Act (S. 1024), creates wilderness and conservation areas in the county that provide for continued public use while protecting the granite peaks of the Organ Mountains and the volcanic cinder cones of the Potrillo Mountains, among other public lands in the county.  A map of the proposal can be found here.

Much of the area has been managed as a "Wilderness Study Area" since the 1980s when the Reagan administration first set it aside for protected status.  It was later recommended by the George H.W. Bush administration and then-Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan to be elevated to full wilderness status.

The legislation would bring President Bush's recommendations to fruition by creating 241,000 acres of wilderness and 100,000 acres of National Conservation Area (NCA).  These areas would be managed in ways that protect the landscape from development while preserving current uses – such as hunting and grazing.

As before, the bill also contains the modifications developed with the Border Patrol to enhance the flexibility of Border Patrol and law enforcement to operate in the border area above and beyond existing law.  Because of the way the West Potrillos Wilderness Study Area boundary was originally drawn by the Reagan Administration, the Border Patrol has a buffer of only 1/3 of a mile from the international border and is currently limited in its ability to conduct routine vehicle patrols north of Highway 9.

The bill introduced today expands this buffer to a total of 5 miles - 3 miles of non-wilderness buffer area and an additional 2-mile "Restricted Use Area."  This area would prohibit motorized access by the general public, but it will permit the Border Patrol to conduct routine patrols and construct communication and surveillance infrastructure as it would on regular multiple-use land.  The bill proposes to un-designate over 30,000 acres of land currently designated as wilderness study area.  Here is a link to maps that show the current Wilderness Study Area as compared to the new proposal.

In addition to the nearly five mile buffer, the new proposal also provides an east-west route for Border Patrol to travel between the Potrillo Mountains Wilderness.  And it underscores current law by expressly stating that the wilderness designation does not affect Border Patrol's ability to conduct overflights above the wilderness areas or other border security activities in the wilderness areas, including the use of motorized vehicles while in pursuit of a suspect. The commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who oversees Border Patrol, wrote a letter last year in strong support of the strengthened proposal.  In the letter Commissioner Alan Bersin states that the bill, as modified, "would significantly enhance the flexibility of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to operate in this border area."

"While illegal activity is very low near the Potrillo Mountains because of the rough terrain, I remain convinced the 1/3-mile buffer is insufficient for the Border Patrol and law enforcement to adequately operate in this border area," Bingaman said.  "This bill not only enhances our border security flexibility in the area, it also benefits the quality of life in the region by protecting its iconic landscapes."

"This bill strikes the right balance between securing our border and protecting treasured landscapes like the Organ Mountains for generations to come," Udall said. "I'm proud to once again join with Senator Bingaman in introducing this important legislation."

In the 111th Congress, the bill received a hearing before Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee both in Washington D.C. as well as at a field hearing in Las Cruces.  The measure was then approved unanimously last year by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, but was not considered by the full Senate in the 111th Congress.

Introducing the bill today will begin the process anew in the 112th Congress. 

My May newsletter highlights some major points about our national deficit and touches on some of the ways I believe we can continue on the road to economic recovery.  I also address Congressman Paul Ryan's budget proposal.

 

To provide for additional Federal district judgeships.

WASHINGTON – Three bills written by Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall to benefit New Mexico were the subject of a Senate hearing today.  A hearing marks the first step toward Congressional passage.

One of the bills the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands considered today was the Río Grande del Norte Conservation Establishment Act, which would protect approximately 236,000 acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Taos and Río Arriba counties by designating a combination of “conservation” and “wilderness” areas.

The vast majority of the land – 214,600 acres – would be managed as a conservation area.  Two other areas – the 13,400-acre Cerro del Yuta on the east-side and the 8,000-acre Río San Antonio in the west – will be managed as wilderness.

The subcommittee also considered a bill Bingaman and Udall introduced to allow New Mexico to spend federal funds to cleanup abandoned uranium mines.

Under the Abandoned Mine Land AML program, the U.S. Department of the Interior is authorized to collect revenue from coal companies for a fund that cleans up abandoned mines.  Each state receives a share of the AML fund, but the Interior Department currently restricts the ability of states to use some of that funding to clean up non-coal mines.  As a result, New Mexico has not been able to focus the funding on one of its priorities – to clean up uranium mines.

The bill makes clear that those funds can be used for non-coal cleanup, paving the way for New Mexico to tap into its $21 million over the next few years to clean up abandoned uranium mines.

Finally, the hearing examined legislation authored by the New Mexico senators to expand a program that provides young people with job opportunities, while helping to repair and restore the country’s public lands.

The Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2011 expands on the existing Public Lands Corps by expanding the scope of corps projects to reflect new challenges such as climate change.  Additionally, the bill would add incentives to attract new participants, especially from underrepresented populations, and pave the way for increased funding.

“These bills have broad support in New Mexico and I will be pushing for their swift approval in the Senate,” Bingaman said.  “Today’s hearing was an important first step toward that end.”
      
“With today's hearing before Senator Bingaman's Energy Committee, we’ve made important progress in our work to pass three key pieces of legislation that will help protect New Mexico's people and culture,” Udall said. “Moving forward, we'll continue pushing for final passage by the full Senate.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) today reaffirmed his commitment to reinstate and permanently extend a provision that helps small and rural municipal governments raise capital to finance local infrastructure projects – including school and road construction – and meet other ongoing needs.

Before 2009, banks had incentives to purchase municipal bonds only from municipalities that issue $10 million or less in debt each year – a level that was unchanged since 1986. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed in 2009, incorporated a provision pushed by Bingaman to raise that limit to $30 million, but that measure was allowed to expire at the end of last year.

Bingaman today introduced the Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2011 – a bill that would make the $30 million level permanent, and index it for inflation. He was joined in introducing the bill by five of his colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee: Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID); Senator John Kerry (D-MA); Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME); Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD); and Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA).

When the limit was $30 million, many municipalities across the country were able to place bonds directly at financial institutions, including community banks. When municipal governments work directly with community banks, they achieve considerable savings on interest and transaction costs.

"This proposal would help small municipalities and school districts across New Mexico and the country finance critical infrastructure needs and create jobs. The higher bank-qualified limit was a great success and deserves to be made permanent," said Bingaman. "As the strong support from five of my Finance Committee colleagues demonstrates, this is an issue that crosses party lines and affects communities across the country. We must ensure that our small municipalities can raise capital," Bingaman said.

At least 15 national organizations have endorsed Bingaman's Municipal Bond Market Support Act of 2011. They are as follows:

• American Hospital Association
• American Public Power Association
• Council of Development Finance Agencies
• Government Finance Officers Association
• International City/County Management Association
• National Association of Bond Lawyers
• National Association of Counties
• National Association of College and University Business Officers
• National Association of Health and Educational Facilities Authorities
• National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers
• National Association of State Treasurers
• National League of Cities
• U.S. Conference of Mayors
• Bond Dealers of America
• Securities Industry and Financial Market Association

The bill has been sent to the Senate Finance Committee, where Bingaman is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a bill to transfer the management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about a hearing in the Energy Committee on a bill to transfer the management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service.

01:16 – Bingaman comments on President Obama's proposal to expand offshore oil and gas exploration.

04:03 – Bingaman talks about two bills he introduced last week: S. 916, the Oil and Gas Facilitation Act of 2011, and S. 917, the Outer Continental Shelf Reform Act of 2011.

05:42 – Bingaman talks about Congressional proposals to end certain tax breaks for some oil and gas companies.

07:31 – Bingaman says he continues to support funding for WIPP.

08:20 - Bingaman talks about hearings he is holding this week in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

10:32 - Bingaman talks about how legislation he introduced would benefit the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement ability to manage offshore drilling.

12:54 - Bingaman talks about the DREAM Act, which he is cosponsoring

There has been a lot of discussion the past few months about how to deal with our nation's rising deficit. There is no question that this is a problem we need to get our arms around. In order to better understand the deficit problem, here is a short explanation of the deficit and debt:

• A deficit occurs when the government spends more money than it raises in taxes that year. Then the government borrows money to make up the difference. This year—FY2011—the deficit will be about $1.4 trillion, so the federal government will have to borrow about $4,700 per person to pay for its operations and the services it provides. Over the last forty years, the federal government has had a deficit every year except for four years—1998 – 2001—when it had a surplus.
• The debt is the total amount of money the government has borrowed over all years, as well as the interest it owes on the borrowed money. The federal debt will top $15 trillion this year, or about $50,000 per person.
• About $10 trillion of the federal debt is publicly held debt—it is owed to people and foreign governments that have purchased U.S. Treasury Bonds.
• The remaining $5 trillion of the federal debt is owed mostly to the Medicare and Social Security trust funds. The Medicare and Social Security trust funds receive funds from payroll taxes which are intended to provide benefits for retirees in the future. The funds receive more money than they spend to fund the programs currently, so the funds are saved for the future. The trust funds currently contain about $2.7 trillion, which will keep Social Security solvent until 2035. However, the government borrows money from the funds to pay the nation's bills—and, in effect, owes money to itself.
• Most of the federal budget is spent on defense and programs like Social Security and Medicare.  See the graph below for a breakdown of government spending and revenues from last year, 2010:

A useful way to understand the size of the deficit and debt is to compare them to the size of the economy (GDP, or gross domestic product), because the bigger the economy, the bigger the debt it can support. This is similar to a home mortgage—the more money an individual or family has, the bigger the mortgage they can afford. Historically, the U.S. deficit has been about 3 percent of GDP; this year it will be about 9 percent, both because tax revenue has dropped to historic lows and spending has increased. Publicly held debt this year will be about 69 percent of GDP.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today joined in introducing legislation that would provide certain undocumented students a route to citizenship through education and/or military service.  The bill was introduced by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and 29 other Senators.

The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, would allow children who were brought illegally to the United States, at the age of 15 or younger, the opportunity to legalize their status if they work hard, stay out of trouble, graduate high school, and eventually go to college or enlist in the Armed Forces.

"I do not believe children should be punished for their parents' actions.  It doesn't make sense to deny children who grew up in our country an opportunity to earn a college degree, join the military and to contribute to our economy as productive members of society," Bingaman said.

In order to be eligible for the DREAM Act individuals must have:

• Come to the U.S. as children (15 or under);
• Be long-term U.S. residents (continuous physical presence for at least five years);
• Have good moral character;
• Graduate from high school or obtain a GED;
• Complete two years of college or military service in good standing.

The DREAM Act is supported by labor, business, education, civil rights and religious groups, including the AFL-CIO, the National PTA, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the CEOs of Fortune 100 companies like Microsoft and Pfizer, and dozens of colleges and universities.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he agrees with President Obama that the nation's immigration system is broken, and he said he hopes Congress finally takes action to fix it.

Following President Obama's speech today in El Paso about the need for comprehensive immigration reform, Bingaman released the following statement:

"Our immigration system has been broken for years.  Unfortunately, we have been unable to get the bipartisan cooperation needed to fix it.

"Over the past five years, we have made great progress in securing our borders – the number of individuals caught illegally entering through New Mexico has dropped by about 90 percent and our border security agencies are staffed at record levels.

"Obviously, we must make security a centerpiece of comprehensive immigration reform.  But I do believe Congress needs to finally find a way to create a more thoughtful immigration system that works for our economy."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he agrees with President Obama that the nation's immigration system is broken, and he said he hopes Congress finally takes action to fix it. Following President Obama's speech today in El Paso about the need for comprehensive immigration reform, Bingaman released the following statement:

"Our immigration system has been broken for years. Unfortunately, we have been unable to get the bipartisan cooperation needed to fix it.

"Over the past five years, we have made great progress in securing our borders – the number of individuals caught illegally entering through New Mexico has dropped by about 90 percent and our border security agencies are staffed at record levels.

"Obviously, we must make security a centerpiece of comprehensive immigration reform. But I do believe Congress needs to finally find a way to create a more thoughtful immigration system that works for our economy."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about two energy related bills he has introduced in the Senate. Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about two bills he has introduced to address important areas of the country's energy policy:  S. 916, the Oil and Gas Facilitation Act of 2011, and S. 917, the Outer Continental Shelf Reform Act of 2011.

01:45 – Bingaman comments on cost and safety concerns associated with the construction of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Replacement Nuclear Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

02:52 – Bingaman comments on a hearing this week in the Senate Finance Committee on oil and gas tax incentives and rising energy prices.

05:48 – Bingaman talks about the role oil and gas speculation plays in the price of gas.

07:40 – Bingaman talks about debating the House Republican budget proposal in the Senate.

 

To facilitate appropriate oil and gas development on Federal land and waters, to limit the dependence of the United States on foreign sources of oil and gas, and for other purposes.

WASHINGTON – Citing the creation of 268,000 private sector jobs in April and more than three quarters of a million jobs over the past three months, U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is increasingly optimistic that our economy is showing signs of significant growth.

"For the third consecutive month, our economy has added more than 200,000 private sector jobs.  Businesses have added more than 2 million jobs since March of last year.  This is clearly welcome news," Bingaman said.  "But even though our economy continues to gain strength, we should not be satisfied until millions more Americans are back to work.  Too many in Washington are focused entirely on the cutting the deficit.  I believe Congress must continue to focus on growing the economy."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today introduced legislation that would allow New Mexico to spend federal funds to clean up abandoned uranium mines.  U.S. Senator Tom Udall is a cosponsor.

Under the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program, the U.S. Department of the Interior is authorized to collect revenue from coal companies for a fund that cleans up abandoned mines.  Each state receives a share of the AML fund, but the Interior Department currently restricts the ability of states to use some of that funding to clean up non-coal mines.  As a result, New Mexico has not been able to focus the funding on one of its priorities – to clean up uranium mines.

Bingaman's legislation (S. 897) makes clear that those funds can be used for non-coal cleanup, paving the way for New Mexico to tap into its $21 million over the next few years to clean up abandoned uranium mines.

"New Mexico has thousands of remaining mine openings, with a vast majority of these being non-coal.  Uranium mine reclamation is a particular priority in our state, but right now the state cannot tap into all of these federal funds to clean up abandoned uranium mines," Bingaman said.  "That doesn't make sense.  This legislation would make it possible for New Mexico to use its share to clean up uranium mines and other priority non-coal mine sites."

"Although many of these uranium mines were abandoned long ago, they continue to have a big impact on the environmental health of our state and the physical health of New Mexicans. It is only right that New Mexico be able to use its share of funds from this program to address priority areas, and I am pleased to join Senator Bingaman in support of this important bill," Udall said.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which Bingaman chairs.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today introduced legislation that would expand a program that provides young people with job opportunities, while helping to repair and restore the country's public lands. The legislation also includes a provision authored by U.S. Senator Tom Udall to establish the Indian Youth Service Corps.

Bingaman's Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2011 (S.896) expands on the existing Public Lands Corps by expanding the scope of corps projects to reflect new challenges such as climate change. Additionally, the bill would add incentives to attract new participants, especially from underrepresented populations, and pave the way for increased funding.

"This bill would help us restore our public lands while providing young Americans with job opportunities that could spur a life-long interest in our environment," said Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

"Not only will this legislation allow more of our young people to learn valuable work skills, it also will help instill in them a love of our natural environment and a desire to protect our country's special places for the enjoyment of future generations," Udall said. "An important part of that is the creation of the Indian Youth Service Corps, which will give Native youth the opportunity to preserve the tribal lands that are so intertwined with their cultural heritage."

Among other things, the bill would:

• Amend the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to expand the authority of the Interior and Agriculture Departments (including such agencies as the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service) to work with youth in projects designed to benefit public lands.
• Establish an Indian Youth Service Corps so that Indian Tribes can start corps programs on Tribal lands to carry out priority projects determined by their communities.
• Authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to participate in the program, which would allow Corps members to work on restoring coastal and marine ecosystems.
• Expand the scope of eligible projects to include activities such as assisting with historical and cultural research, working with scientists in field research, and providing visitor services and interpretation.
• Authorize the Secretaries to provide transportation to and from project sites in project areas where Corps members can reasonably be expected to live at home.
• Allow agencies to provide noncompetitive hiring status for Corps participants for two years after completing service. Current law allows such status for only 120 days.
• Expand the age range for the program to youth 15-25 years old, who could serve either in crews or as individuals.

Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 to rename: (1) the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 as the Public Lands Service Corps Act of 1993, and (2) the Public Lands Corps as the Public Lands Service Corps (the Corps).

Permits Corps participants to work in the National Marine Sanctuary System, coral reefs, and other coastal, estuarine, and marine habitats, and other lands and facilities administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Requires the: (1) establishment of a department-level office within the Department of the Interior, Forest Service, and NOAA for the coordination of Corps activities; and (2) designation of a Corps coordinator for each agency within the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce that administers such activities. Establishes an Indian Youth Service Corps liaison.

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today highlighted concerns he has with a House of Representatives-passed budget plan that would make drastic changes to Medicaid – a federal/state partnership that provides health care to tens of thousands of New Mexicans.

Last month, the House approved a budget proposal put forth by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan that would change how the federal government would fund Medicaid.  Instead of a guaranteed source of federal funding to provide for the needs of Americans qualifying for Medicaid like it is today, the House proposal would block grant the funding beginning in 2013. As a result, states would be forced to either cut important medical services or shift Medicaid costs to their budgets.

"At its core, the Ryan proposal reduces the federal commitment to Medicaid and the poor residents the program serves at a time when many American families have lost their jobs and lost access to health insurance through their employers," Bingaman said.  "Under the Ryan proposal, the medical care of more than 450,000 New Mexican elderly, disabled, children and pregnant women would be jeopardized."

"I am a very strong supporter of efforts to address the long term budget problems facing our nation.  These efforts are critical to our nation's future and I look forward to continuing to work towards a solution.  But I strongly believe that such efforts must be thoughtful and balanced and not crafted at the expense of America's most vulnerable populations," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today introduced a measure to renew a program that aims to improve the safety of roads that serve the Navajo Nation that are used as school bus routes.  Senator Tom Udall is a cosponsor of the bill.

The condition of roads on the Navajo Nation has long been a problem.  According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), of the 9,700 miles of public roads that serve the Navajo Nation, only about one-third are paved. The remaining 6,500 miles are dirt roads. Nearly all of these roads are used to transport Navajo children to and from school.

Bingaman's "Indian School Bus Route Safety Reauthorization Act of 2011" would reauthorize the Indian School Bus Route program and provide $12 million to counties over six years.  That funding would continue to be split equally among the three states covered by portions of the Navajo Nation.  New Mexico would receive $4 million over the six years to be shared between McKinley and San Juan Counties.  From 1998-2011 these counties shared about $7 million through the program, which has been extended through 2011.

"I have seen the unpaved bus routes some Navajo children ride to school on each day.  This funding makes those roads much safer, giving the children a more comfortable ride to school," Bingaman said.

"The safety of our children is paramount, especially when potential accidents are preventable," said Udall, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. "This bill will help Native children reach their classrooms and return home safely by paving key roads on the Navajo Nation."

Counties are required to use the funding for improvement and maintenance of roads located within--or that lead to--the reservation, that are on a state or county maintenance system, and that serve as school bus routes.  

To amend the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to reauthorize a provision relating to additional contract authority for States with Indian reservations.

WASHINGTON – In a conference call with New Mexico reporters today, U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman reacted to news that Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Special Forces. Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman reacts to news that Osama Bin Laden was killed yesterday by U.S. Special Forces.

03:53 – Bingaman comments on plans to bring the Ryan budget proposal for a vote in the Senate.

04:47 – Bingaman talks about the health care proposal included in Congressman Ryan's budget proposal.

07:36 – Bingaman comments on environmental concerns regarding "fracking" – a practice used in the extraction of natural gas.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today released the following statement about the death of Osama bin Laden:

"This news has been a long time coming, and was made possible through the tireless efforts of our intelligence officials and armed forces. The fact that Osama bin Laden is no longer operating al Qaeda or pursuing terrorist acts against our country is a relief to all of us. I hope this news brings a measure of closure to the families whose lives were irrevocably changed by bin Laden." -

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to approve a bill that funds federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2011, which ends on September 31.  The measure was approved 81-19.

"With this vote, we finally have agreement on legislation to fund the federal government, and avoid a shutdown.  This measure contains some cuts that make sense, and funds areas of the federal government that I believe are important priorities.  While it's not a plan I like in all respects, I do believe it is an important step toward deficit reduction.

"It's time now to turn to the difficult negotiations over next year's budget.  The beginning of the next fiscal year will come up quickly, and I believe we need to have a budget in place by that time." 

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special depreciation and amortization rules for highway and related property subject to long-term leases, and for other purposes.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today applauded President Obama's plan for reducing the nation's deficit.  After the president's speech, Bingaman released the following statement:

"President Obama's proposal stands in sharp contrast to other deficit reduction plans that place too much of the burden on the middle class and seniors.  I applaud the president's leadership in acknowledging that we cannot fix our deficit problems with budget cuts alone.  And I agree with him that if we're going to get the deficit under control, we need to consider all options – both spending cuts and revenue increases.  I also agree that whatever steps we take must protect investments that we need to make in education and innovation so that our economy can continue to grow.

"Reducing our nation's deficit will require Congress to set aside partisan bickering and get down to work.  The sooner we do that, the sooner we can begin to address what I believe is one of the most important issues facing our country."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Pueblo of Laguna has been awarded $2 million in grant funding to help update the Pueblo's sewer infrastructure. The funding came from a special set aside Bingaman established for water and wastewater projects in Indian Country.

"I'm glad USDA is investing $2 million in Laguna Pueblo.  This funding will help ensure that residents have access to basic infrastructure," Bingaman said.

Funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development office.  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about the budget agreement that was reached Friday night. Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about the budget agreement that was reached Friday night.

04:11 – Bingaman talks about some of the effects a government shutdown would have on New Mexico.

06:25 – Bingaman comments on the President's upcoming speech on deficit reduction.

07:35 – Bingaman says long term deficit reduction will depend on spending cuts and revenue raising policies.

08:42 – Bingaman talks about some of the issues he hopes Congress will take up this year.

09:47 – Bingaman says nuclear energy will continue to be part of the country's energy portfolio.

As you may know, if Congress fails to pass a budget for the remainder of this fiscal year by this Friday at midnight, the federal government will shutdown.

While there are many unknowns in this situation, and Jeff is hopeful that we can still avoid a shutdown by passing a budget soon, we realize that many New Mexicans are concerned and confused about the situation.

If the federal government does close:

• IRS processing of tax refunds for paper-filed returns would be suspended. You would, however, still be required to file your taxes on time (postmarked April 18).
• The Small Business Association would cease approving loans. Businesses seeking capital, real estate investments, and job creation assistance would be affected.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture programs would be halted, including export credit and trade development assistance to local farmers, farm loans and payments, and loans and loan guarantees for rural businesses, utilities, and housing programs.
• Most Veterans Benefits Administration support services would cease.
• All national parks would close.  In Washington, D.C., all Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo, and many national monuments would be shuttered; all New Mexico's parks—including White Sands National Monument, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, Pecos National Park, and Carlsbad Caverns— would also close.

Some federal agencies and services would remain operational, such as:

• Military operations overseas, Border Patrol operations, and core federal law enforcement would continue operating.  These federal employees would accrue pay but their paychecks would be delayed until after the federal government reopens.
• The Federal Aviation Administration would keep air traffic control units open.
• Social Security checks would be distributed.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and other child nutrition programs would continue.
• Public schools in New Mexico would not be affected. State and local governments supply the majority of public school funding, but the funds that do come from the federal government are normally distributed in advance—grants were awarded last July and October. Jeff is committed to protecting federal education funding in the FY11 budget so that New Mexican students can continue receiving tuition assistance, subsidized lunches, and other programs heavily supplemented with federal funding, but a federal shutdown would not have immediate impacts on New Mexico's public school programs.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has an overview on the potential impact of a federal shutdown. The Washington Post recently posted a helpful article outlining some details (they have updated this FAQ article), as well.  You can learn information on individual agencies on the Washington Post's website.

This post will be updated as more information becomes available.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Farmington Fire Department has been awarded a $566,088 grant through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.

The grant can be used to implement operational and firefighter safety programs at fire stations.  Funds can be used for training, equipment, personal protective equipment, and modifications to fire stations and facilities.

"Fire departments provide a vital service to their communities.  This funding is an investment in the Farmington Fire Department and in the citizens that depend on it services," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted to repeal a tax provision that placed undue burden on the country's small businesses.

The Senate voted 87-12 to repeal a provision that would have required businesses beginning in 2012 to provide the IRS with a Form 1099 for any vendor from which the business bought goods valued at more than $600 in a year.

"I am pleased that the Senate took action to repeal the new 1099 reporting requirements, which would have imposed an new burden on New Mexico's small businesses," said Senator Jeff Bingaman.

President Obama is expected to sign the bill.  The measure does not change the existing requirement for services exceeding the $600 threshold.

H.R.4

A bill to repeal the expansion of information reporting requirements for payments of $600 or more to corporations, and for other purposes.

A bill to reauthorize the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act, and for other purposes.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about a variety of issues.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed.

00:00 – Bingaman comments on the growing list of New Mexico candidates running for Senate in 2012.

01:55 – Bingaman comments on FEMA's response to the various wildfires around the state.

03:35 – Bingaman talks about ongoing budget negotiations between Democrats and Republican in Washington.

04:50 – Bingaman comment on proposals to cut entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security from the federal budget.

06:58 – Bingaman comments on BP's announcement that it is seeking to resume drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

09:11 – Bingaman talks about the Energy and Natural Resources briefing last week on the country's nuclear power industry.

To authorize the Secretary of Energy to carry out a program to demonstrate the commercial application of integrated systems for long-term geological storage of carbon dioxide, and for other purposes.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that five New Mexico Indian communities will benefit from a total of $3.46 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing's Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program, which helps meet the housing needs of low-income Native American communities.

"The funding awarded today will help these New Mexico Indian communities meet the housing needs of their residents.  I am pleased the federal government is making this investment in our state," Bingaman said.

Funds were awarded to the following pueblos:

• Jicarilla Apache Housing Authority: $825,000
• San Felipe Pueblo Housing Authority: $825,000
• Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority: $605,000
• Pueblo de Cochiti Housing Authority: $605,000
• Tamaya Housing Authority: $605,000

The ICDBG program aims to help with the development of viable Native American communities, including decent housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities.

To establish the Rio Grande del Norte National Conservation Area in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman issued this statement following President Obama's speech on our military action in Libya:

"I think the president made a strong case for why he had committed U.S. military assets to this effort.   I was encouraged to hear that this is going to be a limited mission, and I believe he did a good job of defining that mission.  He was clear that we are not pursuing regime change through military action.  Finally, I am glad to hear that as of Wednesday, NATO will take on the lead role in enforcing the UN resolution, and that we will be playing a supporting role."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about FEMA disaster declaration for New Mexico counties that were affected by cold weather earlier this year.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved by going to his website or clicking on the following link:   http://bingaman.senate.gov/mediaasset/bingaman032811m.mp3

00:00 – Bingaman talks about the FEMA disaster declaration for New Mexico counties that were affected by cold weather earlier this year.

02:43 – Bingaman says Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a briefing with members of the Senate Energy Committee on lessons learned from the situation in Japan.

04:53 – Bingaman talks about nuclear safety at New Mexico's national laboratories.

07:00 – Bingaman talks about the work of the Blue Ribbon Commission in regards to WIPP.

08:28 – Bingaman comments on the rise of gas prices.

09:46 – Bingaman talks about the FEMA disaster declaration.

10:49 - Bingaman comments on Otero Mesa becoming a national monument.

11:23 - Bingaman talks about his time in New Mexico last week.

12:44 - Bingaman comments on New Mexico Gas Company seeking a rate hike.

14:01 – Bingaman talks about energy legislation he hopes to get done this year.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today reported that New Mexico will receive a $4.17 million grant to help improve failing schools.

"The goals of the No Child Left Behind Act are to both identify failing schools and help them improve.  A lot of attention has been given to schools that aren't making the grade.  This grant will help turn them around," Bingaman said.

School districts will apply to the state for the funds this spring. When a school district applies, it must indicate that it will implement one of four school intervention models in each of its persistently lowest-achieving schools:

• TURNAROUND MODEL: Replace the principal, screen existing school staff, and rehire no more than half the teachers; adopt a new governance structure; and improve the school through curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.
• RESTART MODEL: Convert a school or close it and re-open it as a charter school or under an education management organization.
• SCHOOL CLOSURE: Close the school and send the students to higher-achieving schools in the district.
• TRANSFORMATION MODEL: Replace the principal and improve the school through comprehensive curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman reported today that seven New Mexico housing agencies have been awarded a total of $524,949 in grant funding though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Funding was awarded under HUD's Family Self Sufficiency Program, which helps community housing agencies develop local strategies to help individuals and families receiving public housing assistance achieve economic independence.

"This funding will help housing agencies throughout New Mexico help meet the needs of their communities," Bingaman said.   The following organizations will receive funding:

• Bernalillo County Housing Department: $118,368
• Eastern Regional Housing Authority: $100,000
• Santa Fe County Housing Authority: $69,000
• Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority: $66,963
• Taos County Housing Authority: $59,243
• Doña Ana County Housing Authority: $44,743
• Clovis Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Inc.: $41,632
• Socorro County Housing Authority: $25,000

WASHINGTON – The New Mexico Congressional Delegation today confirmed that President Obama has signed a disaster declaration, making qualified New Mexico counties eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

In February, parts of New Mexico suffered from record-breaking cold weather that disrupted natural gas and water services.  Subsequently, Governor Susana Martinez sought a disaster declaration allowing FEMA to assist communities recovering from the damage.  The request, which was approved today, was strongly supported by the Congressional Delegation in a letter to President Obama.

As a result of the declaration, the following counties and communities can seek FEMA assistance: Lincoln, Otero, Rio Arriba, Sierra, Socorro, and Taos Counties and the Tribal jurisdictions of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Santa Ana Pueblo, Taos Pueblo, and the portions of Santa Clara Pueblo that lie entirely within Rio Arriba County.  FEMA continues to review Bernalillo, Doña Ana and Sandoval counties; the declaration can be amended to include them.

Communities can seek funds to defray the cost of debris removal, emergency protective measures, road systems and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and contents, public utilities and parks.   FEMA typically covers costs that are otherwise not covered by insurance.

"The record-breaking cold weather took its toll on a significant part of our state.  I'm glad President Obama has signed this disaster declaration, which enables New Mexico communities to enlist FEMA's help," Senator Jeff Bingaman said.

"Tens of thousands of residents and businesses lost heat and water, while state and local authorities were stretched to manage the crisis as a result of the cold conditions. The federal disaster declaration for public assistance by the president is welcome news that will enable FEMA to help the continued recovery of our communities," Senator Tom Udall said.

"I'm pleased that many communities in New Mexico will now receive some relief from this crisis. At the same time, FEMA must address the serious impacts to Bernalillo and Sandoval counties and provide them with the needed designation for assistance," Representative Martin Heinrich said.

"These federal funds will help local and tribal governments recoup some of the costs incurred from their efforts to help families and small businesses rebuild, repair, and recover from the natural gas outage.  After traveling throughout the affected region in Northern New Mexico – witnessing the dedication of first responders, local leaders, and families – I am pleased our communities will receive this much-needed federal assistance," Representative Ben Ray Luján said.

"I am pleased that FEMA has responded positively to the needs of the people of New Mexico, and will work with the Governor and the congressional delegation in the ongoing effort to make people whole.  FEMA still has to finish assessing the full request that includes the state's larger counties, but I commend the agency for moving forward today and not holding up critical action for these jurisdictions," Representative Steve Pearce said.

The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will be asked to brief eligible counties and communities about the benefits triggered by a disaster declaration.  Additionally, that department will receive the initial application from communities, which will have 30 days from their designation date to apply.  If approved, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the costs; the state will cover the rest.  

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that four New Mexico fire departments will receive a total of nearly $106,638 in federal grants through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"Fire season is upon us and it is important that New Mexico's fire Department have access to the resources they need to address emergency situations," Bingaman said.

• Santo Domingo Fire and EMS: $94,335
• Angel Fire Fire Department: $12,303

Funding will support operation and safety programs and can be used for training, equipment, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness, and health and safety modifications to stations and facilities. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the state of New Mexico had been awarded a $1.94 million grant through the Ryan White CARE Act to help provide care, services and prescription drugs for people with HIV/AIDS.

"I am pleased the grant awarded today will help our state provide treatment and services to New Mexicans with HIV/AIDS," Bingaman said.

The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act makes federal funds available to metropolitan areas and states to assist in health care costs and support services for individuals and families affected by acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman announced today that New Mexico schools will receive funding to provide students with locally-grown fruits and vegetables, under an initiative he first started several years ago.

New Mexico schools will receive $2.09 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program – an initiative Bingaman first funded in New Mexico in 2006 – to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables to be made available to the students at no charge.

"This initiative helps children learn healthy eating habits, and it has the added benefit of supporting local farmers," Bingaman said.  "This is a great investment in our state."

The 2008 Farm Bill that Congress passed into law expanded the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program and made it permanent. Through the program schools can teach children the importance of agriculture and support local farms.

New Mexico's Public Education Department will distribute the funds to schools around the state.

I have been hearing from many New Mexicans who are concerned about what the budget means for them, their communities, and the federal deficit, as well as many who feel strongly about government spending or taxes. Our current spending habits are unsustainable, and I believe we must all be prepared to make sacrifices in order to steer our country back to solid fiscal footing.  My March newsletter is in question-and-answer format in order to address some of the concerns I've been hearing from many New Mexicans in recent weeks.

[Below are Bingaman's prepared remarks; you can watch the speech on Bingaman's YouTube channel]

"I wanted to take these few minutes to discuss high oil and gasoline prices. I think when we get to our respective states this next week we're going to find that many of the people we represent are understandably concerned about the rising price of gasoline at the pump. And they have good reason to be concerned.

"Sen. Murkowski and I hosted a Senate-wide briefing on Tuesday afternoon, with three top oil industry analysts. We had Dr. Richard Newell, the head of the Energy Information Administration; we had Mr. Bob McNally, who was part of the Bush Administration's White House team on energy markets; and Mr. Frank Verrastro, who is the head of the Energy and National Security Program with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and they gave their insights and perspectives on what was causing the current rise in world oil markets.

"While they each highlighted different factors that are important in explaining how we've come to find oil prices at levels that we haven't seen since 2008, it struck me that there were a two factors in particular that none of them highlighted as important to current prices.

"The starting point for the discussion was one fundamental truth: the primary driver of the price for gasoline at the pump is the price of crude oil. This chart was one of the key ones used by EIA Administrator Newell. It shows the price trends since 2005 for gasoline (in yellow) and crude oil (in green). While some past gasoline price spikes can be attributed to phasing out the additive MTBE, for the last 3 years, gasoline price movements have exactly tracked global crude oil prices. The idea that our gasoline prices are high today because of some policy of the Obama Administration is just not supported by the facts.

"The reasons for the current crude oil price increase are equally straightforward. In listening to each of the analysts highlight the factors he thought was important in explaining why crude oil prices are up to levels that we haven't seen since 2008, I was struck by two explanations that have been advanced in many political speeches about oil and gas prices here that none of the expert analysts highlighted as important to current prices.

"First, none of these experts highlighted the Administration's permitting process in the Gulf of Mexico as being a significant factor in world oil markets. I asked the Dr. Newell whether the current pace of permitting had any implication for EIA's short term price forecast, and his answer was refreshingly direct: he said, "No." And I would point out that neither of his co-panelists disagreed with him.

"Second, any anticipated Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation of greenhouse gas emissions at refineries was not included in any of the presentations as a driver behind the current increased in prices. In fact, more broadly, neither the EPA nor any kind of U.S. regulatory actions were discussed as important to understanding world oil prices. I know some of my colleagues are concerned that we haven't built a new refinery in the United States since the 1970s. I would like to assure them that the data suggest that their concerns are not well-founded. Demand for refined products is believed to have peaked in the United States. At the moment, 17 percent of our existing refinery capacity in this country stands idle, and that's not because of environmental regulations, but it's because demand for refined products has come down. In my opinion, it does not make a lot of sense to be debating whether we need new refineries when we're not using all of the capacity that we have in existing refineries.

"So having explored those factors that are not influencing oil price movements, I'd like to spend a few minutes discussing the factors that are contributing to increased oil and gasoline prices.

"The bulk of the discussion at the briefing that we held on Tuesday about high oil prices was about what is going on in the Middle East and North Africa. It should be obvious that this is the major force driving oil prices, but there seems to be some question about it at the moment, so let me be clear about what we were told. When the world's key oil producing and exporting region, which is the Middle East and North Africa, is unstable, world oil markets are also unstable. When political unrest threatens major chokepoints in the world oil transit routes, world oil prices react, as they have. When a Member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) stops exporting oil, which has virtually occurred in the case of Libya, world oil markets react. When there are fears that a nearby neighbor and close ally of Saudi Arabia, home to the world's largest spare oil production capacity, might begin a series of political upheavals in the Persian Gulf region, world oil markets react as well.

"As you can see from this chart, oil prices are very sensitive to these kinds of developments. Oil prices went up as regime change was realized in Egypt, amid concern about access to the Suez Canal. Prices quickly came down again as it looked increasingly unlikely that traffic through the Canal would be disrupted.

"Then Libya became the first major oil exporting country to be affected by the wave of popular uprisings spreading throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and oil prices reacted immediately, indicating market concerns that the situation might get worse before it got better. Indeed, it has gotten worse, as now virtually all Libyan oil exports have stopped. Sanctions against Khaddafi's government, combined with chaos on the ground in Libya so far have driven Libyan oil exports to near zero, with little hope for improvement in the near future.

"We are just beginning to face a potential further escalation of tension in the region.  On Monday, Saudi Arabia sent some troops across the causeway onto its island neighbor Bahrain, and this has added to the tension. World oil markets have reacted to this tension, with expectations – I am avoiding using the more politically-loaded term "speculation," although I do believe that word is equally appropriate – that the situation is at risk of getting worse before it gets better.

"Into this uncertain environment, we now have a new source of even greater uncertainty, that is, the earthquake and the ensuing tsunami and nuclear disaster that have struck the island nation of Japan– all of that introduced the possibility that the world's second-largest economy might be consuming a lot less oil in the near term than we had assumed. And world oil markets are reacting again this time by falling back below $100 per barrel, as of this morning, as we try to better understand the size and scope of the disaster that our Japanese friends and allies are facing.

"But what can Congress do to help ease the burden of high prices for U.S. consumers, when oil prices are determined mostly outside our borders? I think a realistic, responsible answer has to be focused on becoming less vulnerable to oil price changes over the medium- and long-term. And we become less vulnerable by using less oil.

"I do believe that increased U.S. oil production can and will play a significant role in world oil markets. The United States does have fairly modest resources, compared to much of the world. Our base of proven reserves is small. Many people have observed over the years that the United States has less than 2 percent of the world's proven reserves.

"Despite our relatively modest resource base, the oil and gas industry in the United States has led the world in developing state of the art technology for oil exploration and production. Thus, our companies are continuing to get more oil out of the ground and into world oil markets than any of us would have believed possible. To use a boxing metaphor, we are "punching above our weight" in oil and gas production, thanks to the technology lead that our companies have developed. According to Energy Information Administration, oil production in North Dakota has risen by 150 percent since 2005, from the Bakken shale formation. This is due to the advent and application of new drilling technology. It is a success story that we all can celebrate.

"Let me now talk about this third chart. Indeed, oil production is up strongly across the United States in the last few years. This chart demonstrates that current increases in oil production are reversing decades of declines. We have not had to change any environmental laws or change protections that apply to public lands to get those increases.

"But, let us not forget that, even with U.S. production strongly increasing, oil prices have also increased. While domestic oil production plays an important role in ensuring the energy security of the country, its contribution to the world oil balance is just not sufficient to bring global oil prices down. It is therefore not a complete answer to the high oil and gasoline prices that tax our consumers and that threaten our country's economic health.

"This leads me to conclude that the key to reducing our vulnerability to world oil prices and volatility is for us to find ways to use less oil. We need to diversify our sources of transportation fuel. We need to set ourselves on the right path, as we did when we passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. That law required us to make our vehicles more efficient, and to shift toward relying more on renewable fuel.

"This final chart here shows the EIA's long-term forecast for U.S. dependence on imported oil: what they predicted our level of dependence would be just before the Energy Independence and Security Act was passed, and then again what they predicted this past December.

"There are two main features of this graph that I think are particularly noteworthy.

• First, prior to the enactment of the Energy Independence and Security Act, EIA had been predicting that U.S. reliance on imported oil would continue to increase. In large part, because of the biofuels and the fuel efficiency policies we included in the Act, the latest forecast shows that our reliance on imported oil probably peaked in 2005, in fact, and is now going down and will continue to go down for the rest of the forecast period, out to 2035.
• Second, the amount of oil that we now will not need to import, or will be able to save, because of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, amounts to about 26 billion barrels. The difference between the blue line and the red line – that is, the amount of imported oil before and after the Act –amounts to about 26 billion barrels, according to EIA. This is greater than total U.S. proven oil reserves, which stand at 23 billion barrels. I hope we can all agree that this is a significant success.

"How do we continue on this path toward reduced oil dependence? I'll conclude by highlighting three key goals that I hope we can focus on in the Senate in the coming weeks. First, we need to enable further expansion of our renewable fuel industry, which is currently facing infrastructure and financing constraints. Second, we need to move forward the timeline for market penetration of electric vehicles. Finally, we need to make sure we use natural gas vehicles in as many applications as make sense based on that technology.

"Every barrel of oil that we displace from the transportation sector, and that we therefore do not need to consume in the United States, makes our economy stronger, not to mention our personal pocketbooks, and less vulnerable to the volatility of the current marketplace.

"We need to keep drilling; we're good at it, and it is helpful to have more supplies on the world market, and I am not arguing against that. But at the same time, we need to recognize that the long-term solution to this challenge is to move away from such great dependence on oil. This is a strategic vision that President George W. Bush, who previously had worked in the oil industry, clearly articulated in his 2006 State of the Union Address. We subsequently proved in Congress in 2007, the year after that State of the Union, that we have the ability to make significant changes in our energy consumption, and that it is possible to mobilize a bipartisan consensus to do so.

"The bipartisan path that we laid out in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is the right approach. As part of whatever bipartisan approach we take to energy in the weeks and months ahead, we need to continue moving in that direction."

One of the main responsibilities of Congress is to pass annual spending bills that fund the federal government.  These 12 bills allow federal government agencies to provide for our national defense, health care for veterans, basic science research and development, certain education initiatives, border security, and management of our federal lands, among other things.

When Congress does not pass the 12 bills by October 1, when a new fiscal year begins, the federal government is funded by "continuing resolutions," also known as CRs.

Congress has not yet passed final spending bills for fiscal year 2011(FY11)—so government services have been funded for the past nearly five months by a series of short-term CRs. The most recent CR included $4 billion in federal spending cuts, and is set to expire on March 18.

(CRs should not to be confused with the president's budget proposal for FY 2012, which is released months in advance of an upcoming fiscal year; President Obama just released his requests for fiscal year 2012.)

Short-term spending bills can have a negative impact on the country.  Federal agencies need the stability and reliability of longer-term funding stream.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said if Congress continues to fund the government under CRs, the Department of Defense "cannot do its job" and that the uncertain spending stream "would damage procurement and research programs … all of which directly impacts readiness."   This is just one example of the potential long-term damage we will do if we force agencies to continue operating through short-term CRs.

If Congress fails to either pass another CR or fund the federal government for the next five months, there could be a government shutdown. That would mean all "non-essential" federal employees would be ordered to stay home from work, and not be paid for that period of time.

Each federal agency determines which employees are essential in order to maintain a skeleton operation, but the vast majority of individuals employed by the federal government will be furloughed, including Department of Defense and very likely national laboratory employees. Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as a minimum amount of Border Patrol agents are deemed essential and would work (and be paid) on a regular schedule.

The last time there was a government shutdown was in 1995, with unfortunate results. For example, Veterans Affairs hospitals were cut back, able to handle only acute cases; caseworkers who review eligibility for Social Security retirement benefits or Veterans disability benefits were sent home; and the Small Business Administration stopped providing loans to businesses. 

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed a spending bill, called H.R. 1, which made deep cuts to the federal government that I believe would have harmed New Mexico and endangered our efforts to keep the nation's economy moving. I did not support this measure, which was defeated in the Senate last week.

Of additional and particular concern to me was the devastating long-term impact H.R. 1 would have had on our economy, given the cuts to science and energy innovation. For example, the Department of Energy's Office of Science—recently reauthorized by Congress under the America COMPETES Act—would have experienced a budget cut of $1.1 billion, or 22%, costing taxpayers 4,500 full-time scientists and engineers working toward our country's energy independence, terminating the Early Career Research program for young faculty, and closing facilities used by 27,000 researchers. These are just the kinds of investments we should be making for our nation's future.

H.R.1 would have also made our state less safe.  The House proposal would have significantly decreased New Mexico's state and local law enforcement grants by 37% and would reduced funding that has kept police officers in communities across New Mexico by 25%.  H.R. 1 would have cut planned Department of Homeland Security (DHS) technological and security improvements along the southwest border, as well as cutting aviation security initiatives and explosive detection machines—all by 50%. H.R.1 also provided funding for fewer Border Patrol agents. At a time when border security is growing increasingly important, it would be a major setback to fire Border Patrol agents.

I believe that we must make strategic spending cuts to help us get our fiscal house in order. But we have to be careful not to cut much-needed initiatives that benefit the country. 

Last year, my former Senate colleague, Pete Domenici, co-chaired the Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force, which came up with a plan to reduce and stabilize the national debt and reform personal and corporate taxes.  The task force set forth measures such as freezing national discretionary spending (all spending that is not related to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid), reforming certain programs, and raising additional revenue.  While I did not endorse all of the proposals the panel advocated, I concur that a multi-faceted approach must be taken.

I also support many of the recommendations of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which put very similar recommendations forward as measures that would help balance the budget and improve the long-term fiscal outlook of our country.

I do believe we need to freeze federal spending levels for many federal agencies and even make cuts over the long term in areas such as agricultural subsidies and defense.  We need to take a long, hard look at all government programs.

In order for all these to occur, we need to have honest and rational discussions about our financial state.  We have a lot to do before we are back on solid fiscal footing, and I believe we must all be prepared to make sacrifices and accept solutions that we might not prefer to personally embrace.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today confirmed that the Federal Aviation Administration is releasing $2 million for continued installation of solar photovoltaic panels at the Albuquerque Sunport's parking structure.

The federal government has already contributed at least $2.4 million toward the cost of this ongoing project.

"This worthy project is helping the Sunport generate power and reduce its operating costs," Bingaman said.  "It's a great example of the many ways New Mexico can be a leader in harnessing the power of the sun and converting it to renewable, clean energy."

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today talked with New Mexico radio reporters about the situation in Japan.  Bingaman's remarks can be retrieving and following:

00:00 – Bingaman talks about Japan's nuclear emergency.

03:55 – Bingaman comments on Germany's decision to temporally halt nuclear extension plans.

05:58 – Bingaman says it is still unclear what kind of aid the US will provide to Japan.

06:58 – Bingaman talks about the nuclear situation in Japan.

09:26 – Bingaman comments on Senator Lieberman's call to halt the building of any new nuclear power plants.

11:18 – Bingaman says he believes nuclear power can be provided in a safe reliable way.

14:09 - Bingaman talks about funding included in a transportation bill to continue a program that helps maintain school bus roads on the Navajo Nation.  

To designate the Valles Caldera National Preserve as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.

Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act of 2011 - Directs the Attorney General to make grants to assist states with costs associated with the implementation of minimum or enhanced DNA collection processes. Defines such processes for the purpose of this Act. Awards bonus payments to states that have implemented and used an enhanced DNA collection process.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today voted against a bill that would have slashed spending in a variety of areas, including education, border security and energy innovation. That bill – called H.R. 1 – failed, as did the alternative measure offered by Senate Democrats.

"The question is not whether there should be cuts to our federal budget. Clearly there should be. The real issue is whether we should be smart about where we make those cuts. To me it is clear that H.R. 1 does not represent smart policy about where to make those cuts," Bingaman said. "Rather, it represents a plan to mindlessly cut funding in order to send some kind of message to the world that we are serious about deficit reduction. In my view H.R. 1 does send a message, but it's not the right message. The message it sends is we are not willing to look at serious deficit reduction, at this point."

In a speech on the Senate floor, Bingaman highlighted the cuts H.R. 1 would make to basic science research and education. He also pointed out that elected officials seem to give lip-service to protecting the border, but appear willing to slash funding for border security.

H.R. 1 called for a reduction in planned technological, fencing and security improvements along the southwest border. Specifically, the legislation would have reduced interoperable communication capabilities and cut tactical communications modernization efforts by 50 percent, making it more difficult for law enforcement to respond to emergencies in a timely, coordinated manner, and eliminate technology pilot programs and contingency funds aimed at confronting emerging threats, such as low-flying aircraft and tunnel detection efforts.

"H.R. 1 would be a major step back in the progress we are making to secure our border," Bingaman said.

Now that both versions of the spending bill have been defeated, Congress will work to negotiate a compromise bill to fund the federal government for the remainder of this fiscal year. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today introduced legislation that expands efforts to collect DNA from serious criminal offenders, with an eye toward solving crimes, saving lives and preventing future crime.

The Katie Sepich Enhanced DNA Collection Act of 2011, cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), incentivizes states to expand efforts to collect DNA from individuals arrested or charged with serious crimes.  The bill is named after Katie Sepich, a promising graduate student attending New Mexico State University who was tragically murdered in 2003.

"Unfortunately, no legislation will give Katie back to her family.  But this bill will help deliver justice to criminals, while preventing crimes from ever taking place," Bingaman said.  "I want to thank Katie's family for working with us to develop this bipartisan bill."

"With this legislation, we give law enforcement the tools they need to help solve hideous crimes, and keep Katie's memory alive by preventing heartbreaking tragedies like hers from happening in the future," Udall said. "As one of the first states to collect DNA from felony arrestees, New Mexico's program has proven effective in helping to catch dangerous criminals. This legislation will support states with collection programs already in place and provide grants to states that are implementing new programs."

The goal of the legislation – which was first introduced in the 111th Congress by then-Rep. Harry Teague – is to encourage states that don't have arrestee DNA collection processes to implement one, and to expand and improve DNA collection processes in states that do.  To that end, the legislation would authorize the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award two types of grants – one for a "minimum" DNA collection process and another for "enhanced" collection.

Grants could be awarded to help cover the first-year costs of implementing a "minimum" DNA collection process, under which states would compare DNA collected from adults who are arrested or charged with certain serious crimes against the FBI DNA database, known as CODIS.  Those crimes include murder/voluntary manslaughter, sex crimes punishable by imprisonment for more than five years and crimes involving kidnapping/abduction punishable by imprisonment for more than five years.

Grants to states that have implemented an "enhanced" collection process would encourage states to submit DNA collected for certain serious felonies to CODIS.  Those crimes include, murder/voluntary manslaughter, sex crimes, crimes involving kidnapping or abduction, burglary, and aggregated assault.

Arrestees who have their DNA included in the federal database may have their records expunged if their conviction is overturned, they are acquitted, or charges are dismissed or not filed within the applicable time period.  Furthermore, the bill provides that as a condition of receiving a grant states must notify individuals who submit DNA samples of the relevant expungement procedures and post the information on a public website.

The bill, which was also introduced today in the House of Representatives by Representatives Schiff (D-CA) and Reichert (R-WA), will be sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

[This is a copy of Bingaman's speech as prepared. For full remarks, please watch the speech online.]

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the devastating harm that will be done if HR 1 were to become law in a few areas that I have been paying particular attention to: science and technology, particularly in the energy area; border security and law enforcement; and education.

The first area of cuts I would like to talk about is one that will severely impact our nation for years to come and have the  effect of actually causing large job losses. That is in the area of science and energy innovation.

Last December, this Congress passed a reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act. Its purpose was to authorize funding for the Department of Energy's Office of Science, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology for the next 3 years so that by fiscal year 2016 we will have completed a 10 year doubling effort of these agencies. I would like to note that this effort was first started by the Bush administration and has been carried forward by this administration. This effort has enjoyed strong bipartisan support, garnering endorsements from leading industry groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and the Council on Competitiveness. These organizations recognize that the future of our nation depends on the strong scientific backbone of our work force to out-innovate our competitors around the world.

So it comes as a surprise to me to see large cuts being proposed by the House in their fiscal year 2011 funding bill to the very programs that will keep us competitive in the years ahead.

The Office of Science is the nation's largest supporter of the physical sciences, the very areas by which we supply a new stream of future scientists and engineers to companies like Intel or Ford Motor Company. The House bill proposes to cut the Office of Science by $1.1 billion or 22%. The result is an estimated reduction of 4,500 full time scientists and engineers working on basic endeavors in the area of energy science. It will terminate the Early Career Research program for young faculty and ongoing graduate programs in the energy sciences. National user facilities that the Office of Science runs for upwards of 27,000 researchers from industry and academia will be shuttered or drawn into stand-by status. This includes the 4 nanoscience centers across the United States which have had break through discoveries to propel our industries forward in the areas of solid state lighting, new drugs and microelectronics.

Let me talk about some of the other programs impacted in the Department. The Office of Nuclear Energy, which is leading the way to a new generation of smaller, less costly reactors at places like Oak Ridge and Idaho National Laboratories, will suffer,  and the ability to move this bipartisan program forward will cease.

In the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the House bill will result in over 31,000 homes that will not be weatherized, and by July 1 it is estimated upwards of 8,000 people who perform this work will be out of jobs. The program to mix coal with biomass, which shows great promise, will be eliminated as will programs to fund offshore wind.

Let me cite some other examples of the damage the House bill will have on the other agencies in the COMPETES Act.

The National Science Foundation will have reductions leading to the loss of 10,000 university researchers and graduate students.  Being so late in the year it will reduce the program to train teachers in math and science by 53 percent at a time when it is widely recognized other nation's are out-performing us in student test scores in this subject.

Mr. President, I would like to enter into the record two letters, the first by the Council on Competitiveness signed by Sam Allen Chairman and CEO of the Deere Company, Mike Splinter Chairman and CEO of Applied Materials, Chad Holliday Chairman of the Bank of America, William Hite, General President of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters and Deborah Wince – Smith the President and CEO of the Council, that letter succinctly states that "Scientific research and skilled workers are the basis for new ideas, new technologies, new products and services, new companies, even entirely new industries. The American economy cannot compete and grow if we neglect our capacity to innovate."

The other letter, Mr. President, from 175 universities, industries and laboratories, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, supports the goals outlined in the COMPETES Act and asking this chamber to reject the cuts adopted by the House funding bill. This letter states that "Congress took a very important step for our nation's future by reauthorizing the America COMPETES Act in 2010, reaffirming its commitment to the science and innovation essential to long-term economic growth. We urge you to continue implementation funding and to reject the cuts to research and STEM education adopted by the House in H.R. 1."

Homeland Security

Over the last several years, we have heard a lot from the Republican side about the need to bolster border security along our southern border and enhance homeland security capabilities. Unfortunately, their budget plan falls short in this respect.

The Continuing Resolution would severely impact the capabilities of the Department of Homeland Security and reduce essential assistance that is provided to organizations at the state and local level. This legislation would be a step back in terms of the progress we are making in securing our border and ensuring that communities and law enforcement agencies have the necessary resources to handle crime and respond to disasters.

With regard to border security, the House CR would reduce planned technological, fencing and security improvements along the southwest border. Specifically, the legislation would reduce interoperable communication capabilities and cut tactical communications modernization efforts by 50 percent, making it more difficult for law enforcement to respond to emergencies in a timely, coordinated manner, and eliminate technology pilot programs and contingency funds aimed at confronting emerging threats, such as low-flying aircraft and tunnel detection efforts.

The House bill also provides funding for 20,500 Border Patrol agents compared to the 21,370 funded in the Senate CR, which would maintain the force at the level funded in the border security emergency supplemental bill passed by Congress last August.

The measure would also severely impact aviation security initiatives – the number of Advanced Imaging Technology screening machines, canine teams, and explosive detection machines would all be slashed by over 50 percent.

FEMA grants that help state and local governments respond to and prepare for disasters would be reduced by about 20 percent.

The House bill would drastically cut back on DHS's cyber security plans – cyber security coverage of the federal civilian networks would be reduced from about 30 percent to 12 percent.

And with respect to the DHS science and technology directorate, the CR would reduce funding for research and development by about $600 million – which would mean the elimination of entire research areas, such as border security and cyber security, and the significant reduction in nuclear and explosives research and funding for projects at DOE national laboratories – including a potential reduction of $60 to 80 million for New Mexico's labs. It is critical that we make the investments in research and development now to ensure we stay ahead of emerging security threats.

Law Enforcement

The House CR also drastically cuts DOJ state and local law enforcement assistance programs that are critical in keeping our communities safe and preventing crime.

State and locals law enforcement grants are cut by 37 percent and juvenile justice programs are reduced by 45 percent. The bill also eliminates funding for the Weed & Seed program and reduces the COPS program by 25 percent – the Republican plan originally called for completely eliminating the COPS hiring program, which has been instrumental in keeping police officers in communities across New Mexico, but Democratic efforts in the House to restore the funding were successful. The proposed cuts to the Byrne law enforcement grant program would also result in a $1 million in drop in assistance coming to New Mexico.

Education

With respect to education, H.R. 1 contains draconian cuts that would limit opportunities for millions of Americans of all ages and educational levels. It would cut federal education spending by $11.55 billion, or 16.1%. This would be, if approved, the largest education cut in history.

H.R. 1 would cut Head Start by $1.1 billion (15%), resulting in about 2,000 fewer children in New Mexico receiving early childhood education services that prepare them for success in school.

It would cut Title I, which provides academic support to disadvantaged students in public schools, by $693 million. It would also cut the Pell grant maximum award by $845 (or 15.2%). 57,402 New Mexican students received Pell grants in the 2009-10 academic year, and more are expected to be eligible in coming years. Many low- and moderate-income students in New Mexico would find college less affordable and less accessible under H.R. 1.

These House-passed education cuts would devastate New Mexico's public education system, which is already facing severe state budget cuts. And they would limit our country's future economic competitiveness and security.

In contrast, the proposed Senate Democratic year-long continuing resolution proposal provides stability in federal education investments. It maintains the Pell grant maximum award while providing modest increases for Title I grants, Head Start, and other critical federal education programs. In today's fiscal climate, H.R. 1's drastic cuts to education investments are irresponsible and would have dire consequences for New Mexico and the country.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is pleased that a bill recently signed into law contains funding to continue to improve the safety of roads that serve the Navajo Nation that are used as school bus routes.

Congress last week approved a one year extension to a highway and surface transportation bill that includes a Bingaman-authored program to help counties maintain and improve roads that serve the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

"The counties that include the Navajo Nations rely on this funding to ensure the safe travel of students to and from school.  There is no doubt that this important program helps children on the reservation and I will continue to advocate for its continuation," Bingaman said.

Under the extension New Mexico will receive approximately $561,000 – about the same amount as fiscal year 2010 - to be shared between McKinley and San Juan Counties.  Funding cannot be released until Congress passes a spending bill to fund the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year.

Bingaman also said he plans to reintroduce legislation to reauthorize the Indian School Bus Route program for six more years.  Funding would continue to be split equally among the three states covered by portions of the Navajo Nation. 

To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Secretary of Energy to carry out programs to develop and demonstrate 2 small modular nuclear reactor designs, and for other purposes.

S. 23

America Invents Act - (Sec. 2) Amends federal patent law to define the "effective filing date" of a claimed invention as the actual filing date of the patent or the application for patent containing a claim to the invention (thus replacing the current first-to-invent system), except as specified. Requires the effective filing date for a claimed invention in an application for reissue or reissued patent to be determined by deeming the claim to the invention to have been contained in the patent for which reissue was sought.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the New Mexico Department of Transportation has been awarded a $104,929 grant to support highway safety programs in the state.

Funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation and will be used to help New Mexico adopt and implement effective programs to reduce highway deaths and injuries through the enforcement of safety belt laws.

"Seat belts save lives and this funding will help New Mexico continue to enforce these important safety laws," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman announced today that Honeywell International in Albuquerque has been awarded an $8.29 million contract from the U.S. Navy.

The funding announced today is in addition to a previously awarded contract for the development of 131 Advance Multipurpose Displays for lot 35 F/A-18F and EA-18G aircraft.

Additionally, Honeywell was awarded a $1.34 million contract from the U.S. Army for upgrades and enhancements to the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior aircraft's control display system.  All work for both contracts will be performed in Albuquerque.

"These contracts are an example of how important a role our state plays in helping meet the needs of our national defense.  I am pleased these contracts will support good jobs in New Mexico," Bingaman said.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today discussed a variety of issues with New Mexico radio reporters, including negotiations on a spending bill to fund the federal government for the rest of the year. Bingaman's remarks can be retrieved and followed:

0:00 Bingaman discusses two scheduled Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearings about the Department of Interior and Forest Service budgets for fiscal year 2012, and whether there will be a government shutdown this week.

1:30 Bingaman says it is difficult to know yet which federal programs may be cut under a plan to fund the government for the rest of this fiscal year.

2:30 Bingaman discusses the prospects for securing funds for the Ute Pipeline project for eastern New Mexico.

3:45 Bingaman reacts to language in a House of Representatives spending bill that would prevent the EPA from implementing rules related to climate change.

5:00 Bingaman discusses whether New Mexico power plants would be affected by new EPA rules regulating carbon emissions, and other issues related to climate change.

8:15 Bingaman discusses how deep cuts outlined in a House spending proposal could hurt border security.

9:35 Bingaman talks about the importance of the Tres Amigas superstation.

11:15 Bingaman answers questions about how he will approach legislating during the final 22 months of his Senate term. 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that two New Mexico organizations will receive federal grants to prepare young people for the workforce.

The grants, which come from the U.S. Department of Labor, will be awarded as follows:

• $935,454 -- YouthWorks in Santa Fe, NM
• $720,000 -- HELP – New Mexico, Inc. in Albuquerque, NM

"The young people of our state have a lot to contribute to our economy. This grant funding will invest in New Mexico by investing in its young people and preparing them for good jobs," Bingaman said.

The grant comes from DOL's YouthBuild program, which assists out-of-school youths in obtaining their diplomas or GED's, while preparing them for training in the construction industry. YouthBuild participants include individuals who have been in the juvenile justice system, youth aging out of foster care, high school dropouts and others. In addition to receiving academic and occupational skills training, young people develop leadership skills and participate in community service opportunities.

ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, a five-term incumbent, today announced that he will not seek re-election in 2012. You can listen to Bingaman deliver his remarks, or follow the prepared text below:

Today I am announcing that I will not run next year for election for a sixth term in the United States Senate.

Representing the people of New Mexico in the Senate is a great honor, and a great responsibility which I have enjoyed for over 28 years.

At the end of this Congress, I will have been in public service for thirty-four years—four as New Mexico's Attorney General, and thirty in the United States Senate.

The end of this Congress is the right time for me to step aside and allow someone else to serve.

It is not easy to get elected to the Senate, and it is not easy to decide to leave the Senate.

There is important work that remains to be done. That is true today, and it will be the case at the end of this Congress. It will be true at the end of every future Congress as well. The simple truth is, there is no ideal time to step aside.

I am proud of my service in the Senate, and the work of my staff in New Mexico and Washington who have shared in the trust given by the people of New Mexico. My family, and that fine staff, have made my service possible. We will continue to serve the people of New Mexico through the remainder of this Congress which has just begun.

When I started in the Senate in 1983, and Anne, John and I moved to Washington, we never considered it a permanent move. We have always considered New Mexico our home, and have cherished the time we have been able to spend here over the last three decades. At the end of this term, we will come home to New Mexico to live, and to pursue other challenges.

S. 223

FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act - Reduces the authorization of appropriations for FY2010 for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the federal government is providing over $5.9 million to help the New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority maintain health insurance coverage for public state retires.

"The continuing rise in health care cost has made it difficult for New Mexico employers to continue to provide quality, affordable health insurance for workers and retirees.  This funding, provided through the newly enacted health insurance reform law, will help the state cover some of the cost of providing health benefits to early retires," Bingaman said.

Alfredo Santistevan, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Authority, noted, "This is a significant award and will allow us to provide relief for our retirees this year from increases in health care costs.  The Authority appreciates the support of Senator Bingaman for the program and this important benefit for New Mexico's public retirees."

The recently enacted health care law created  the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP), which provides financial relief to businesses, schools and other educational institutions, unions, State and local governments, and non-profits, in order to help retirees and their families continue to have quality, affordable health coverage.

Businesses and other employers that have been accepted into the program will receive reimbursement for medical claims for retirees who are at least 55 but not yet eligible for Medicare and their families.  Savings can be used to reduce employer health care costs, provide premium relief to workers and families, or both. The program ends on January 1, 2014 for the claims of high-cost retirees and their families when State health insurance Exchanges are up and running.

The following New Mexico employers have been approved to participate in the program:

• Los Alamos National Security, LLC
• New Mexico Retiree Health Care Authority
• PNM Resources, Inc.
• Sandia Corporation
• University of New Mexico

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman went to the White House to meet with President Obama and three of his Senate colleagues to discuss plans to re-write the No Child Left Behind Act, which has expiree. Bingaman, a long time member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, was tapped by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) – the Committee's chairman – to help negotiate the legislation.

"I was glad to meet with the President today. He is clearly anxious to make improvements to this law and I look forward to making that happen," Bingaman said.

"I hope we will be able to give states and school districts more flexibility, but maintain focus on providing educational opportunities for all students - regardless of race, income level, language background, or disability," Bingaman continued.

Among the issues Bingaman hopes to focus on are:

• Support innovative grant programs, but ensure that New Mexican students benefit. In times of state fiscal challenges, federal appropriations are particularly critical;
• Improve teacher and principal preparation programs, professional development, and evaluation systems;
• Support education technology to provide students with skills for the 21st century economy;
• Focus on low-performing high schools, including "dropout factories" that graduate less than 60 percent of their students;
• Support parent involvement and participation in their child's education.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman said he is pleased a bill that clears the Senate today will invest in New Mexico's airport infrastructure and in the state's economy.

"The aviation industry, both commercial and private general aviation, is vital to promoting economic growth and development in our state," Bingaman said. "Last year, New Mexico's airports received over $31 million for airport improvement projects to upgrade facilities for both general aviation and commercial passenger service all across the state. These projects helped create hundreds of jobs in the construction industry in New Mexico," Bingaman said.

Bingaman voted against a measure that would have eliminated the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which helps 150 rural communities in 36 states retain commercial air service. Without EAS, many rural communities would have no commercial air service at all. New Mexico's has four EAS communities: Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Clovis and Silver City.

"New Mexico relies on commercial air service to help bring businesses and jobs to rural part of the state. I am pleased we were able to defeat a measure that would have terminated this crucial service," Bingaman said.

The bill also includes a provision introduced by Senator Tom Udall and Bingaman that authorizes a land exchange between Doña Ana County Airport and a private land owner. The land will is needed to allow the airport to build a new road.

The legislation will also accelerate the FAA's critical effort to modernize the nation's air traffic control system. Currently, the air traffic control system relies on a vast network of ground-based radars to monitor the position of each airplane. This system is universally recognized as being antiquated, inefficient, and increasingly unsafe.

The planned Next Generation Air Transportation System, known as "NextGen," will convert the air traffic control system from ground-based to one based on satellites and global positioning systems—similar to the GPS many of us have in cars. The GPS-based system will permit aircraft to be monitored far more precisely than currently and help eliminate congestion. When implemented, NextGen will improve safety, increase the efficiency of operations, reduce delays, save fuel, and help reduce emissions.