Udall: Omnibus Appropriations Bill Includes Key Funding for NM

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and lead Democrat on the subcommittee overseeing funding for the Interior Department, environment and arts and culture programs, issued the following statement on the bipartisan agreement to fund the government through September 2017.

“At a time when Washington is more polarized than I’ve ever seen it, I’m pleased that we were able to reach this agreement for New Mexicans and the American people. This agreement keeps the government open and supports New Mexico families and communities without diverting one cent for President Trump’s plans to build an ineffective and offensive border wall, cut off funding for sanctuary cities, and mount a deportation force,” Udall said. “We also worked very hard to fight President Trump’s devastating proposal to slash critically important federal funding for New Mexico, and we rejected over 160 poison-pill provisions from the bill — including many anti-environment riders — while maintaining investments in families and our economy.

“This bill includes provisions that will directly benefit New Mexicans, including an additional $407 million in emergency funding to protect Western communities from the most devastating wildfires, $160 million to combat the prescription opioid addiction epidemic nationwide, and some of the strongest funding in years for the Land and Water Conservation Fund — including $2 million for acquisitions in Rio Grande del Norte and Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks national monuments. We will continue funding water quality monitoring and provide additional resources to help the Navajo Nation and Northwestern New Mexico communities recover from the Gold King Mine spill. And this bill includes a $9 million increase in funding for Los Alamos cleanup, and additional resources for Tribal health care and education, Pell Grants, Head Start, medical and energy research, national parks maintenance, and other repairs and improvements to water and sewer infrastructure, roads and bridges. All of these critical programs support jobs in New Mexico, help the next generation prepare for and afford college so they can go on to high-paying careers, and provide critically important grants that assist local communities in keeping their communities safe and healthy.

“Finally, despite President Trump’s plan to eliminate funding for the national academies for the arts and humanities, we successfully increased funding for these critical arts and culture programs, which help support hundreds of jobs across New Mexico. I’m very proud to have secured a $1.9 million increase for both the NEA and the NEH so these programs can continue to support arts education, and local artists, musicians, culture and tourism in New Mexico.”