VIDEO
Heinrich on the Senate floor through the night to stand up for New Mexicans who will be harmed by Republicans’ billionaire handout
Republicans vote against Heinrich amendment to reinstate grants Trump has blocked for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence
WASHINGTON — Last night, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) stood up for New Mexico families by voting against Republicans’ budget resolution that paves the way for billionaire tax handouts at the expense of working people.
Heinrich repeatedly attempted to amend Republicans’ resolution by voting to protect police officers, veterans, wildland firefighters, survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, farmers, Tribal communities, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP, and to deliver tax cuts for working people, lower prescription drug costs, lower rent costs, and more. At every turn, Heinrich and Senate Democrats’ amendments were defeated by Senate Republicans.
Just after 3:00 a.m. ET, Heinrich took to the Senate floor to offer an amendment to reinstate blocked grants for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and ensure law enforcement can hold predators and abusers accountable. Republicans voted against his amendment. Watch Heinrich’s video here.
“Under the cloak of darkness last night, Republicans rammed through a $340 billion budget framework to clear the way for billionaires’ tax handouts at the expense of working Americans. Throughout the night and into the early morning, I fought for dozens of amendments to shield New Mexico families from this harmful legislation: protections for children, veterans, law enforcement, wildland firefighters, farmers, Tribal communities, and the programs they depend on, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP. Alongside my Democrat colleagues, we also put forward solutions to cut taxes for working people, lower food costs, and lower rent costs. Republicans rejected every single one – even blocking our amendment to say no tax cuts for people like Elon Musk making over $500,000,000,” said Heinrich “I’m especially outraged that Republicans opposed my amendment to support survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and ensure that law enforcement can hold abusers and predators accountable."
Heinrich continued, “When Republicans had the opportunity to go on the record and show the American people whose side they’re on, they chose billionaires and threw working people under the bus. I’ll always choose New Mexico families — that’s who I’m fighting for.”
Last night, Senate Republicans blocked Heinrich’s efforts to:
- Support survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and help law enforcement hold predators and abusers accountable.
- Help law enforcement agencies hire additional officers to keep our communities safe.
- Address the ongoing avian influenza (HPAI or H5N1) outbreak and lower the cost of eggs.
- Protect Americans' privacy from unauthorized access by Elon Musk’s “DOGE.”
- Stop tax cuts for billionaires while families struggle to put food on the table.
- Ensure billionaires pay their fair share in taxes.
- Lower energy costs for Americans.
- Lower housing costs and rent for working families.
- Prevent cuts to school lunch and breakfast programs for kids.
- Prevent cuts to programs critical to rural Americans and food assistance for working families.
- Protect access to fertility services and in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
- Prevent millions of Americans from being kicked off their health coverage.
- Protect Medicare and Medicaid benefits, including access to maternal and pediatric health care through Medicaid.
- Preserve and extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits to make health care more accessible and affordable.
- Ensure full and uninterrupted funding for veteran health care benefits under the PACT Act.
- Reinstate federal employees fired by Trump and Musk at the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management.
- Support federal wildland firefighter personnel.
- Prevent the indiscriminate termination of federal employees who protect the health and safety of Americans.
- Reverse the Trump Administration's indiscriminate cuts to biomedical research and the life saving work supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- Increase funding for research on Alzheimer's disease.
- Ensure continued support for Ukraine to stand firm against aggression by Russia.
Below is a total list of amendments that Heinrich filed to amend Republicans’ budget resolution to cut taxes for billionaires at the expense of working people:
- Amendment to lower the cost of groceries for working families, including eggs and milk.
- Amendment to lower the cost of consumer goods and services for working families.
- Amendment to protect access to Head Start and Early Head Start programs for working families.
- Amendment to lower residential electricity rates and protect home energy rebate programs for working families.
- Amendment to protect veteran-owned businesses access to Small Business Administration loan programs.
- Amendment to expand and modernize land ports of entry to better detect and intercept illicit fentanyl, firearms, and currency.
- Amendment to protect Tribal citizens from wrongful searches and interrogations by ICE and requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to issue guidance on what forms of identification are acceptable as valid proof of United States citizenship, including Tribal government-issued identification.
- Amendment to protect Tribal sovereignty.
- Amendment to strengthen America’s power grid.
- Amendment to protect Tribal energy projects.
- Amendment to improve food safety in the meat and poultry supply chain.
- Amendment to defend funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration, which ensures our nation maintains a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrence.
- Amendment to prevent the sell-off of American public lands.
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