My recent visit to Carlsbad and Hobbs

Dear Friend,

It is always a pleasure to visit with New Mexicans in every corner of our great state. Last week, I was in southeastern New Mexico visiting Hobbs and Carlsbad to learn more about how these communities are responding to the opportunities and challenges created by the current boom in the Permian Basin.

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich joins Hobbs Mayor Sam Cobb for a tour of the city's Center Of Recreational Excellence (CORE), April 23, 2019.

Hobbs is doing important work investing in improvements for its residents' quality of life. I joined Mayor Sam Cobb for a tour of the city's Center Of Recreational Excellence, or CORE. This is a state-of-the-art facility designed to help enhance the quality of life, provide economic development, and improve the health of area residents. CORE's swimming pools, indoor sports fields, and gyms provide a space for families to have fun and exercise.

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich tours an affordable housing complex in Hobbs, April 23, 2019.

I also toured a new affordable housing complex in Hobbs. In recent years, because of the rapid population growth stemming from booming oil and gas development, southeastern New Mexico has experienced serious shortages of affordable housing options. I am impressed by how Lea County and Hobbs have stepped up to address this challenge by encouraging construction of new developments like the one I visited. I am focused on replicating the successful practices in Hobbs throughout the entire region so that all families have an affordable place to call home.

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich delivers remarks at the 20th Anniversary of WIPP Celebration in Carlsbad, April 23, 2019.

Finally, I joined community leaders in Carlsbad to celebrate the first 20 years of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP. I am deeply grateful to WIPP's workers and the entire Carlsbad community for how they have stepped up to meet the immense challenge of cleaning up our nation's radioactive waste. You can read more about my support for WIPP in a column I wrote in the Carlsbad Current-Argus. I will continue to fight in the Senate for full federal funding for the Department of Energy's cleanup work and to maintain full and safe operations at WIPP.

I want to assure you that I remain committed to working hard to deliver results for all New Mexico communities. Please don't hesitate to tell me about issues important to you by writing me or calling my Roswell office at (575) 622-7113. It is an honor and privilege to serve you in the Senate.

Sincerely,

MARTIN HEINRICH

United States Senator