Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

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.