My recent visit to Los Alamos
June 15, 2017
Dear Friend,
I was proud to spend part of Memorial Day weekend in Los Alamos to meet with local veterans' organizations and recognize the significant historical contributions of the Los Alamos community to our nation. If you have a moment, I encourage you to read this story with photos of my visit in the Los Alamos Daily Post.
In Los Alamos, service to our nation is a community-wide effort. Los Alamos National Laboratory employs some of the best and brightest minds in the country and, for nearly 75 years, has been indispensable to our national security and global stability. The entire community is essential to the vital missions at LANL. And like other communities across New Mexico, Los Alamos is home to many men and women who have answered the call of duty to serve our nation in uniform.
While I was in the area, I convened a conversation hosted by American Legion Post 90 with VFW Post 8874 and the USS Los Alamos Committee. The USS Los Alamos Commissioning Committee has led an ongoing effort to name a submarine "USS Los Alamos" in honor of Los Alamos's contributions to the United States Navy. I brought the Committee together with senior Navy leadership last year, and I was proud to introduce a resolution with U.S. Senator Tom Udall to urge the Secretary of the Navy to dedicate the next nuclear-powered submarine to the longstanding relationship between the Navy and the entire Los Alamos community.
I am committed to ensuring our nation keeps its promises to those who served, which is why I make it a point to meet with veterans' organizations across the state. My office has helped hundreds of veterans navigate the VA and access their care and benefits. But there is no better way to learn the issues that need to be addressed than hearing directly from veterans and their families. If you or a family member are experiencing trouble filing a claim, receiving benefits, accessing health benefits or military records, replacing medals, or other veterans' issues, my office is here to help. Please contact my office by calling (505) 346-6601 or visit the Veterans Resources Center on my website.
During my visit, I also joined community leaders to announce the creation of the Los Alamos Friends of Manhattan Project National Historical Park. I was proud to pass legislation in 2015 to establish the new national park. The park will help conserve historic sites and artifacts that played a key role in the dawn of the nuclear era and tell the story of the creation of the world's first atomic bomb. This Friends group will be critical in the effort to engage the local community in building the park experience.
I want to make sure the work of our scientists, sacrifices of our service members, and all New Mexicans who have protected our national security throughout history and today. We owe them more than a debt of gratitude-we owe them action in both our words and deeds.
Sincerely,
MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator