Martin's Blog

PHOTO: New Mexico's U.S. Senator Clinton Anderson (right) holds up one of the first Medicare cards after President Lyndon Johnson signed his bill, the Medicare Act, into law, July 30, 1965, Social Security Administration History Archives. Dear Friend, On this date, 53 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare Act into law. As you may...

Dear Friend, In a shocking display of submissiveness this week, President Trump stood next to Vladimir Putin and made it clear that his allegiance is not with the American people, and even called the United States foolish. Instead of seizing the opportunity to strongly condemn an attack on our country, the president caved to Russia, putting our...

Dear Friend, Our national parks and monuments are not only beautiful places to visit and explore, but they are also economic engines for rural communities across the West. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the outdoor recreation economy in New Mexico generates 99,000 direct jobs, $9.9 billion in consumer spending, $2.8 billion in wages...

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich joins a Youth Conservation Corps crew working on a restoration project at Rio Fernando Park in Taos, July 6, 2018. Dear Friend, During my time working as an AmeriCorps member for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service years ago, I developed a deep connection to the incredible outdoor places in New Mexico. I believe...

Dear Friend, Over the last year and a half, as the leading Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, I've worked hard to make Congress do a better job of making our economy work for everyone. I'm especially focused on creating new job opportunities in our rural communities. I hope you can take a moment to read and share an op-ed I wrote in Roll...

Dear Friend, There is still no clear plan from the White House to ensure that families are reunited in the wake of President Trump's cruel and unnecessary policy of separating children from their parents. Last week, I joined Senators Tom Udall and Richard Blumenthal on a visit to the border to demand accountability and answers. I hope you can take...

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich addresses a community event in Las Cruces after visiting sites along the Southwest border that have been at the center of President Trump's family separation and "zero-tolerance" immigration policies, June 22, 2018. Dear Friend, President Trump's decision to take children as young as infants and toddlers away...

Dear Friend, I want to invite you to a United Against Family Separation Event I will be hosting with New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas on Saturday, June 23, at 3 p.m. MT, at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. WHAT:  United Against Family Separation EventWHEN: 3 p.m. MTWHERE: National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th...

Dear Friend, I want to invite you to a Keep Families Together Unity Event I will be hosting alongside Senator Tom Udall on Friday, June 22, at 6 p.m. MT, at Alma D'Arte Charter in Las Cruces. WHAT:  Keep Families Together Unity EventWHEN: 6 p.m. MTWHERE: Alma D'Arte Charter, 402 W Court Ave., Las Cruces, N.M. 87102 I stand with New Mexicans in...

Dear Friend, I hope you can take a moment to read and share a column I wrote in NMPolitics.net about the Trump Administration's immoral policy of intentionally separating immigrant families. Please know that I am doing everything within my power to hold this White House accountable for adhering to the laws that govern asylum for immigrants seeking...

Dear Friend, I just introduced new legislation called the Degrees Not Debt Act to modernize the Pell Grant and bring it up to a level where it should be so that our students can go to college without graduating with a mountain of debt. I hope you can take a moment to read and share my op-ed about my plan in this week's Alibi. Earning a college...

Dear Friend, The heated rhetoric about our border region coming from President Trump is wildly out of touch with the realities of our experiences in New Mexico. This week, I'm proud to help bring the "Continental Divide: Wildlife, People, and the Border Wall" photography exhibit to Congress so we can show a real picture of the vibrant life in our...

Dear Friend, I am proud to stand with New Mexico's LGBTQ community and recommit to the effort to advance equality for every single American, no matter who they are or who they love. While we have achieved many milestones in the last decade--from marriage equality to repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"--the Trump Administration has threatened to...

PHOTO: Andrew Weldin, owner of Cimarron Inn & RV Park which helped stage evacuees from the Ute Park Fire, and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich show their support for firefighters, June 4, 2018. Dear Friend, I've been closely following the Ute Park Fire in northeastern New Mexico since it started last week. The fire has burned more than 35,000...

Dear Friend,  One of my most important duties as a senator is to help New Mexico’s veterans and their families. We need to make sure our veterans receive both the recognition and the care that they earned through their service. I'm proud to work on behalf of veterans every day in the Senate. Please take a moment to read my new New Mexico Veterans...

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich presents a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to Josie Valdez, the sister of Navy Hospitalman Third Class, Phil I. Valdez, who was killed in action in Vietnam in 1967 at the age of 21, May 28, 2018. Dear Friend, Yesterday, I joined community members in Rio Rancho to commemorate Memorial Day. I am always moved by...

Dear Friend, Chaco Canyon is truly one of the most important cultural sites on Earth. It deserves to be protected from any harmful development that would threaten to damage its precious historical and cultural resources. That's why I joined Senator Tom Udall, New Mexico's Pueblos, and the Navajo Nation to introduce the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area...

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich visits with families and staff at the First Born Program in Farmington, a home visiting program for first-time parents, May 2, 2018. Dear Friend, Our state faces unique challenges, but we can all agree that in order to succeed we have to put our children first. Earlier this month, when I was in Farmington, I...

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich hikes in the Dripping Springs Natural Area in Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument with attendees of the New Mexico Outdoor Economics Conference, May 4, 2018. Dear Friend, Southern New Mexico has become a national model for how much public lands and specially designated areas can boost local economies....

Dear Friend, Today, I was proud to stand with the thousands of New Mexicans and millions of Americans who raised their voices in an unprecedented grassroots effort and public comment campaign to oppose the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) decision to dismantle net neutrality rules. In a bipartisan vote, the Senate passed a resolution to...