Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today addressed both chambers of the New Mexico Legislature, saying that the long history of federal support for the state will remain strong.

Bingaman highlighted five areas that New Mexico has historically relied heavily upon the federal government for support: research and development at our two national laboratories, health care, infrastructure, education and military installations.

The Senator told members of the New Mexico Legislature that the state will continue to see significant federal funding in the years to come – even despite the fact that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is winding down.

On R&D at the labs, Bingaman said, "New Mexico has always been the recipient of federal funding for R&D through the national labs, Kirtland Air Force Base and our research universities.  This will continue."  Bingaman cited an expected dramatic increase in funding for modernization of our country's nuclear stockpile as one reason R&D will remain strong in the future.

When it comes to health care, Bingaman said New Mexico will receive more than $2 billion annually for Medicaid in the coming years.  But, as of 2014 when the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented, that level of support will rise to as much as $5 billion to accommodate newly insured New Mexicans.  Bingaman said New Mexico also will receive funds to expand the state's health care workforce.  "The Affordable Care Act Congress enacted is intended to help slow the growth in cost of insurance premiums.  And that is critical for New Mexican families and small businesses," he said.

In the area of infrastructure, Bingaman cited the more than $150 million made available to the state to implement the recently enacted Aamodt and Abeyta water settlements, and the $180 million to implement the Navajo water settlement.  "The funding will create hundreds of jobs and the projects will provide a sustainable water supply to tens of thousands of New Mexicans," Bingaman said.

On education, Bingaman pointed out that new federal funds will flow into New Mexico for higher education because of the reforms to the federal student loan system Congress enacted last year.  Over the next decade, New Mexico will receive about $240 million in new Pell Grant funding, about $95 million for Hispanic-Serving colleges and universities, and about $7.5 million for financially literacy programs and outreach to low-income students.

Finally, Bingaman said Cannon, Kirtland and Holloman Air Force Bases, and White Sands Missile Range are all expanding.  Cannon will grow to over 6,000 personnel over the next few years, from its current level of 5,000.  Kirtland will receive increased support for nuclear stockpile maintenance.  Holloman will receive a new UAV wing, and White Sands Missile Range is completing an expansion to accommodate the 2nd Engineering Battalion.

Fort Bliss, too, is undergoing a major expansion that will benefit the economy of southern New Mexico.

"So, with regard to federal funding for New Mexico, the news is good.  Federal funding streams strongly support our economy today, and in the future that federal funding and that economic support will be even greater.  The challenge is to leverage the federal funding that comes to our state and create the conditions that will allow that funding to spawn the creation of sustainable private sector jobs," Bingaman said.

"It is an important time in the history of our state and our nation.  I pledge my best efforts to work with Governor Martinez and with all of you in the Legislature to help our state meet its challenges," he concluded.