I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Late last week, an amendment proposed by Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D), of New Mexico’s third district, attempting to alter a deal between the U.S. government and a major mining firm was voted down. Lujan had been seeking to tweak the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2009, legislation originally introduced by Senators John Kyl and John McCain allowing for an exchange of land between the federal government and the Resolution Copper Co. Lujan had hoped to protect this land,
Congressman Ben Ray Luján will face attacks from the National Republican Campaign Committee over his vote to raise the debt limit. Luján was one of 97 Democrats voting to raise the debt limit $2 trillion to avoid a default on the debt the United States government owes.
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján has told state Democratic party leaders that he will not run for Senate in 2012, according to a report from Politico on Monday. The strength of Senate candidate, and fellow member of Congress, Martin Heinrich’s candidacy was a factor in Luján’s decision.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted today to pass a budget on almost uniformly partisan lines. The budget created by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., with all but six Republicans voting yes and no Democratic votes. The New Mexico delegation, two Democrats and one Republican, split on the vote.
Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., announced today they are leading efforts to expand compensation for those exposed to radiation.
Rep. Ben Ray Luján was critical of the budget plan put forward by Republicans and unveiled by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., Tuesday, saying on the House floor that the budget “makes the wrong choices for hard-working families.”
Though Jeff Bingaman’s decision not to run for a sixth term in the United States Senate was just announced hours ago, already people are discussing who will run to replace New Mexico’s senior senator.
The Washington Post is reporting that Sen. Jeff Bingaman will announce his retirement today. Earlier this month, Public Policy Polling found the New Mexico Democrat to be a “near lock” for re-election, with an approval rating of 56 percent.
Reps. Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich, both Democrats, took to the floor of the House Wednesday to voice their opposition to the Republican spending bill. Both opposed cuts to the national labs that they say are key to the country’s defense.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who has not yet announced his decision on whether to run for re-election, leads major potential Republican candidates in a poll released by the Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling. PPP showed that Bingaman had an extremely high approval rating: 56 percent approved of his job performance while just 27 percent disapproved, the fourth highest among senators polled in the last year by PPP.
President Barack Obama repeatedly said in his State of the Union address that America must “win the future.” This came amid talk about jobs, ending tax breaks for the oil and gas industry and even a joke about smoked salmon.
Local politicians responded to the Saturday shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and others in Arizona. Giffords survived the shooting but at least six others died, including federal judge John Roll.
Two of New Mexico’s returning congressmen, Reps. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, voted against the tax-cut bill passed late last night by a 277-148 vote, while the congressman who lost in November’s elections, Rep. Harry Teague, voted in favor.
New Mexico’s congressmen are split on the tax cut-extension compromise that the White House brokered with Republicans. The compromise would extend tax cuts for those at all income levels, including those making $250,000 a year or more, and extend unemployment insurance for another 13 months.
Reps. Martin Heirnich and Ben Ray Luján both signed onto a letter opposing the deal while Rep. Harry Teague sent out a statement backing the proposal.
CANCÚN, MEXICO — During a two-week summit, which ends December 10, negotiators and world leaders will again try to hammer out agreements on climate change, carbon emission reductions, adaptation and mitigation. Tagged “COP 16,” the meetings are the 16th annual Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In welcoming participants to his country, President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa said, “Putting a stop to climate change is a true challenge, and there is only one power to rise to this challenge: The power of humanity itself.”
New Mexico Representatives Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján were in attendance as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sent the Pigford and Cobell settlements to President Barack Obama after the bills passed both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. The bill included a $3.4 billion settlement for Native American trust account holders and a $1.15 billion for black farmers.
Rep. Ben Ray Luján has signed onto a letter backing Steny Hoyer, D-Md., in his race against Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., for House Minority Whip in the next Congress. Hoyer, the current House Majority Whip, also got the backing of some…
Freshman Democrat Ben Ray Lujan easily defeated Farmington engineer Tom Mullins Tuesday. Unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s office showed Lujan with 56.9 percent of the vote and Mullins with 43.1 percent of the vote as of 12:12 a.m. Wednesday.
After a tougher-than-expected election, KRQE has called the 3rd Congressional District for incumbent Ben Ray Luján. As of this writing, Luján leads 53.5 percent to 46.5 percent over the political novice Tom Mullins.
The New Mexico State Police today distributed photos of a man tearing down campaign signs in Española, along with a reminder that destroying the signs is a misdemeanor offense that could result in as much as six months in jail.
The…
