Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01) announced legislation Thursday aimed at protecting the Social Security Administration from proposed federal cuts and policy changes under the Trump administration. The “Hands Off Our Social Security Act” seeks to prevent reductions in Social Security Administration staffing, block the closure of field offices, and restrict access to beneficiaries’ personal data. The […]
Author Archives: Kevin Hendricks, nm.news
Kevin Hendricks is a local news editor with nm.news. He is a two-decade veteran of local news as a sportswriter and assistant editor with the ABQ Journal and Rio Rancho Observer.
Posted inNM State Gov., Opinion
Op-Ed: Why Responsible Economic Development Deserves State Investment
Submitted by Raymundo Lara, State Representative – House District 34 In New Mexico, we talk often about how economic development is key to creating good jobs, thriving communities, and long-term opportunities for our families. But how we get there matters just as much as the outcome. Responsible economic development is done with purpose, transparency, and […]
Posted inHealthcare, New Mexico
Federal judge protects New Mexico Planned Parenthood clinics from Medicaid funding cuts
A federal judge’s nationwide ruling has temporarily shielded New Mexico’s five Planned Parenthood health centers from losing Medicaid funding, protecting healthcare access for residents who rely on the program in a state where nearly 885,000 people are enrolled in Medicaid. The preliminary injunction issued July 28 by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts blocks […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov.
Heinrich, Luján warn public broadcasting cuts could cost lives in New Mexico
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján convened a roundtable discussion Thursday with New Mexico public broadcasting leaders to address the devastating impact of federal funding cuts that will eliminate $5.8 million in annual support for stations across the state. Speaking at KANW-FM in Albuquerque, Heinrich warned that the cuts pose serious risks to […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Rep. Vasquez warns of rural health crisis in Carlsbad visit, Slams GOP Medicaid cuts
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez this week visited Carlsbad Medical Center and hosted a roundtable with disability service provider CARC, Inc., highlighting what he called the devastating impact of Medicaid cuts tied to the new Republican tax law. The tax law, passed in July, slashes Medicaid funding and threatens health care coverage for more than 110,000 […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Sen. Heinrich leads fight to halt federal job cuts threatening New Mexico’s $9 billion lab economy
New Mexico’s senior senator is leading national legislation to halt federal workforce cuts that threaten thousands of jobs at Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, which pump nearly $9 billion into the state’s economy annually and employ about 30,000 New Mexicans. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, […]
Posted inNew Mexico, NM State Gov.
Protecting New Mexico’s water supply and farming communities
Submitted by Representative Kathleen Cates (D-Rio Rancho) New Mexico’s arid climate means we naturally receive limited annual precipitation, but the effects of climate change have exacerbated these challenges. Rising temperatures have led to prolonged droughts, decreased snowpack, early melting, and reduced river flows, while higher evaporation rates have diminished our water storage in reservoirs. To […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Bernalillo County Commission defends Constitution, challenges federal administration policies
Bernalillo County commissioners passed a resolution defending the U.S. Constitution and challenging current federal administration policies they say threaten county residents’ rights and access to essential services. The Aug. 4 resolution, sponsored by Commission Chair Eric Olivas and Vice-Chair Adriann Barboa, directly addresses how federal policy changes could affect the county’s 676,000 residents — particularly […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
New Mexico senators secure nearly $400 million for military bases, rural communities
New Mexico’s U.S. senators have secured nearly $400 million in federal funding for projects spanning from military base construction to rural fire departments, as the Senate passed its first fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills before the August recess. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján announced a combined total of approximately $395 million for New […]
Posted inCongress & Federal Gov., New Mexico
Heinrich bill targets New Mexico’s wildfire insurance crisis
New Mexico homeowners facing skyrocketing insurance premiums and policy cancellations could benefit from federal legislation aimed at understanding how wildfires drive the insurance crisis affecting one in eight properties in the state. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., introduced the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act on July 25, legislation requiring the […]