Five-Year Plan Released To Protect Antibiotics
Courtesy imageNMPIRG News:
- Some Good, Some Bad in Obama Administration Plan to Protect Antibiotics … Plan fails to adequately address growing public health threat
The New Mexico Public Interest Research Group (NMPIRG) reports that the National Task Force for Combatting Resistant Bacteria released a five-year action plan today to tackle the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
While the plan takes several important steps necessary to control the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it misses the opportunity to call for critical reforms in the agricultural sector that Read More
Udall, Heinrich Announce $833,700 Grant To Improve N.M. Affordable Housing Options
U.S. SENATE News:- Homewise, Inc. will receive $591,450 to help New Mexicans in Santa Fe and Albuquerque buy homes and make home improvements to improve
Luján Votes To Protect Seniors’ Access To Doctors And Extend Health Care For Children
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján
CONGRESSIONAL News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District voted Thursday in support of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, bipartisan legislation to protect seniors’ access to doctors through Medicare.
“Year after year for more than a decade, Congress has passed short-term fixes to a flawed system in order to prevent seniors on Medicare from losing access to the doctors they trust. Time and again, rather than enacting a stable payment system for doctors, Congress has kicked the can down the road. Finally,
Rio Grande Trail Commission To Study Corridor For 500-Mile Rio Grande Trail
That rock that was in the middle of the Blue Dot Trail isn’t there anymore. In fact, the trail is in great shape from rim to river, and March and April are the best time to take a walk in White Rock Canyon. Photo/Text by Craig Martin
Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY OPEN SPACE News:
The 2015 Legislature passed a bill, HB 563, creating a Rio Grande Trail Commission to study a corridor for the proposed Rio Grande Trail. The 500-mile trail would extend from the Colorado to Texas borders using existing trails and creating new ones.
Never mentioned in the proposal is the existing Los Alamos County River Trail. The Read More
Carly Fiorina To Keynote New Mexico GOP Silver Elephant Event In Albuquerque May 30
Carly Fiorina
GOP News:
ALBUQUERQUE – Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina will be in Albuquerque Saturday, May 30 to keynote the Republican Party of New Mexico Silver Elephant Event.
“We are thrilled to have Ms. Fiorina come to our event and look forward to her keynote address,” RPNM Chairman Debbie Maestas said. “New Mexico has an exciting opportunity to hear from such a high-powered and well-respected business woman paired with her political background.”
Fiorina served as CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005 and was Read More
Udall To Question DOE Secretary On LANL Cleanup, WIPP Costs, Tech Transfer And Other N.M. Priorities
U.S. Sen. Tom UdallU.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., will discuss steps forward for cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and several other New Mexico priorities with U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz at a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.
Udall will press Moniz to work constructively with the state of New Mexico to safely reopen the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and discuss the Department of Energy’s plan to release a report on the radiological accident.
Udall also will discuss
Letter to the Editor: New Mexicans Should Stand Up
By JESSE GUILLENAs the United States and Iran work toward a historic nuclear draft accord on the status of Iran’s nuclear program, dozens of US senators have interfered in the negotiations.
Sen.r Tom Cotton and 46 others sent an ill-informed letter to Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, threatening to end any negotiated agreement regarding nuclear weapons once President Obama leaves office. This undermines the President’s ability now, and in the future, to achieve the national security goals of the United States.
It should be the long-term goal of our national Read More
Letter to the Editor: 2015 Session Was Not Fun
By RICHARD ELLENBERGCongratulations to our Legislators for coming together in our big tent to turn back efforts to hurt workers and children. The session was not fun, and was full of ‘my way or the highway’ tactics.
The Republicans at the last minute amended the bipartisan capital improvement bill, cutting programs for seniors, education and others, to create a highway slush fund for the Governor to dole out to her supporters. At the end, they gave the Senate 20 Read More
Udall, Heinrich Urge IRS To Make Paper Tax Forms Available To Rural New Mexicans
U.S. SENATE News:Udall, Rubio, Heinrich, Menendez And Grijalva Introduce Bill To Promote Historic Preservation Education
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Monday, U.S. Senators Tom Udall, D-N.M., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. and Bob Menendez, D-N.J. and U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz. introduced a bipartisan bill to give colleges and universities with a high enrollment of Hispanic students access to a grant program that encourages students to engage in historical and cultural projects.
The Preservation Research at Institutions Serving Minorities (PRISM) Act would amend the National Historic Preservation Act by expanding eligibility to include Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Read More
Anti-Conservation Bills Defeated In 2015 Legislature
CVNM News:
SANTA FE — Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) advocated for or against 89 bills at the Roundhouse during the 2015 New Mexico legislative session.
CVNM and our allies successfully defeated 100 percent of the anti-conservation bills that attacked common-sense laws that protect our families and communities for the 11th year in a row.
CVNM and our allies in the Environmental Alliance of New Mexico joined together to successfully pass an eight-year extension of the solar development tax credit. SB 391, sponsored by Sen. Stewart is critical to advancing development of solar energy Read More
U.S. Rep. Lujan Grisham Highlights Positive Effects Of Medicaid Expansion
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., marked the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act by highlighting how hundreds of thousands of New Mexico families are benefiting from the expansion of Medicaid.
An additional 230,000 New Mexicans have gained health coverage through Medicaid and the federal children’s health insurance program – a 50-percent increase over 18 months.
“I am pushing Congress to make needed improvements to the Affordable Care Act so health care is more accessible to average families,” Lujan Read More
Heinrich, Udall Introduce Bill To Boost Funding For Laboratory Directed R&D Program
U.S. SENTATE News:
- LDRD program advances frontiers of science and engineering, invests in critical national security missions, helps recruit and retain staff for national laboratories
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. and Tom Udall, D-N.M. introduced S.830, the LDRD Enhancement Act of 2015, a bill to increase the maximum percentage each laboratory director may set aside for Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) from 6 to 10 percent of the lab’s budget.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s discretionary LDRD program advances the Read More
Udall On Fifth Anniversary Of Affordable Care Act
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall Udall Warns About Scam Targeting Taxpayers
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
STATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall warned consumers about a phone scam targeting thousands of taxpayers in New Mexico and throughout the country, and encouraged taxpayers to exercise caution when providing personal information solicited over the phone or online.
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), criminals are targeting taxpayers throughout the country with an aggressive and sophisticated impersonation scam. Callers claim to be IRS employees, often using fake names and caller ID that may make it appear as though their call Read More
Capital Outlay Bill Dies As Legislature Adjourns
House Floor on Saturday during debate of SB 159. Courtesy photo
Staff Report:
SANTA FE – At noon Saturday, the 2015 New Mexico legislative session came to an end as the constitutionally allotted 60 days expired.
Once legislators adjourned, all uncompleted legislation died. This year’s legislative session saw a Republican majority take control of the House of Representatives for the first time in six decades.
This change in party control meant little to most New Mexicans and there were signs of bipartisan cooperation as the Legislature passed a $6.2 billion budget for next year’s Read More
SFCIR: Dr. Nakhleh To Speak On ISIS And The Aftermath Of The Arab Spring – Threats And Challenges
Dr. Emile Nakhleh
SFCIR News:
The Santa Fe Council on International Relations presents a World Affairs Discussion Event “ISIS and the Aftermath of the Arab Spring: Threats and Challenges” by speaker Emile Nakhleh at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 11.
The event is hosted at the Santa Fe University of Art & Design, in the Forum, 1600 St. Michael’s Dr., and the cost is $15 for CIR members; $20 for non-members and guests, and qualified students with appropriate I.D. are welcome to attend this event for free.
Dr. Nakhlehretired is a Senior Intelligence Service Officer (SIS-3), Research Read More
NM REIA Enters PNM Rate Case To Protect ‘Rooftop’ Customer Sited Solar Projects And Jobs It Creates
REIA News:
ALBUQUERQUE – The Renewable Energy Industries Association – New Mexico (REIA) has filed with the Public Regulation Commission to intervene in the Public Service Company of New Mexico’s (PNM) rate case, in which the utility seeks to raise electricity rates approximately 12 percent.
REIA’s interest in the case is PNM’s request for approval to add a monthly interconnection fee (access fee) to the bills of owners of rooftop solar systems and to eliminate those customers’ ability to carry forward excess generation on their bills, or “bank” that energy for use in winter months. Read More
Rio Grande Trail Bill Goes To Governor’s Desk
Rep. Jeff Steinborn
STATE News:
- Legislation creates a commission to develop the Rio Grande Trail
SANTA FE – House Bill 563, “Rio Grande Trail Commission” sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces has passed in the Senate.
The bill now goes to the Governor for approval. Governor Martinez has already expressed support for creation of the Trail, stating in a news release that it would be a historic achievement for New Mexico.
HB 563 would create the Rio Grande Trail Commission to study and recommend the best paths for a new Rio Grande Trail. The Commission would coordinate with the many stakeholders Read More
Senate Breaks Impasse On Immigrants’ Drivers Licenses
STATE News:
- Strongly Bipartisan Compromise Bill Passes Senate On 35-5 Vote
SANTA Fe – With the broad support of both Democrats and Republican members, the New Mexico Senate today passed compromise legislation that successfully resolves the complex issue of undocumented immigrants drivers’ licenses and state compliance with the federal REAL ID law.
The compromise was hammered out by two of the Senate’s most respected leaders, Republican Floor Leader Sen. Stuart Ingle, R-Chaves, Curry, and Finance Committee Chairman, Democratic Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Luna. Senate Bill 653 (SB 653) Read More
