Bandelier

Dear Friend,

When I talk to people about what makes New Mexico unique, it always comes back to our breathtaking landscapes, our deep and complex history, and our rich cultures. Bandelier National Monument encapsulates each of these in unrivaled ways.

That's why I am so proud to work with communities in northern New Mexico to introduce legislation to make Bandelier our nation's newest national park. This legislation has garnered widespread support from local communities throughout northern New Mexico and tribes across Indian Country.

I announced the Bandelier National Park and Preserve Act yesterday, and was honored to have Santa Clara Pueblo Governor Michael Chavarria share his views on the legislation during a teleconference. I hope you can take a moment to listen to our comments on KSWV - Suave Radio.

PHOTO: Alcove House in Frijoles Canyon in Bandelier National Monument.

Bandelier's mesas and canyons have human history that dates back more than 10,000 years. The ancestral sites in Bandelier continue to hold deep cultural and religious significance to the pueblos. Creating this new national park is the best way to ensure Bandelier's cultural treasures and northern New Mexico's history and natural beauty receive the recognition and protection they have long deserved.

Only Congress can create a national park and provide the highest level of protection for cultural resources, and Congress can ensure that a current or future president can't undo those protections. Many of our best-known national parks, like the Grand Canyon and Carlsbad Caverns, started as national monuments and were later upgraded to national park status by Congress. I believe it's long past time that we recognize that Bandelier's historical and natural resources are more than worthy of this same treatment.

I encourage you to write to me about this and other issues important to you and your family.

Sincerely,

MARTIN HEINRICH

United States Senator