On Friday, Rep. Ben Ray Luján released a statement announcing two grants for Early Head Start programs in New Mexico’s Third District. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act awarded $2,069,138 to Presbyterian Medical Services, which operates statewide, and $245,202 to Eastern [...]
From the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance: For the first time in southern New Mexico’s history, a conference is being held focused solely on the economic values of creating jobs from our protected public lands. “Wilderness Economics” is a joint collaboration between the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, [...]
From NM Coalition to End Homelessness:
Everyone is welcome at the 2009 Albuquerque Homeless Persons' Memorial Vigil on Thursday, December 10th, in Albuquerque. Join communities across the nation as we remember those who passed away in 2009 while experiencing homelessness. We will be accepting donations of new socks and gloves' [...]
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the release of a new report highlighting the benefits of health insurance reform for New Mexico. Click for a copy of Health Insurance Reform and New Mexico: The Case for Change.
“Families, seniors and businesses are all suffering under the health care status quo,” [...]
May 29, 1917 - November 22, 1963
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas 46 years ago today. He was 46 years old. The die was cast for a tumultuous decade of more assassinations, pain, consciousness raising, protest, counterculture high theater, violence, music, peace efforts and war. [...]
The legislative interim Land Grant Committee will meet in Santa Fe in Room 307 of the State Capitol on Wednesday, November 25th, beginning at 9:30 AM, according to a press release from the NM House.
“This very important final meeting of the Interim Committee serves as a venue for our [...]
Here's video of Sen. Tom Udall's speech on the Senate floor this morning about the health insurance reform bill in the debate leading up to a cloture vote to permit the bill to move forward. You can read his remarks here (pdf).
Senator Udall noted that the vast majority [...]
If we go by today's floor speeches by Dem Senators -- we now have the 60 votes needed to fend off a GOP filibuster and win the cloture vote on H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A total of 58 Dem Senators will join with [...]
Featured on the front page: the Colón family
Brian Colón, who's running to be the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor in New Mexico, today launched his new campaign website at [www.electcolon.com]. He previously had just a bare-bones page at that URL, primarily for fundraising. Now that' [...]
Ray Powell talks about the land swap practices of the current Land Commissioner at his campaign kickoff last weekend
Updates: Governor Bill Richardson issued a statement criticizing the land deal. Also, Alexa at SFReeper has more on the press conference and proposed land swap.
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New Mexico Land Commissioner Pat [...]
Update: The White House just released its Statement of Administrative Policy (pdf) on H.R. 3590 — Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
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Getting a bill passed in the U.S. Senate is tricky. Unlike the simple rules that govern the U.S. House, the rules in the Senate provide ample opportunity [...]
This is a post by contributing writer, Stephen Jones, who is a progressive political activist and a resident of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
I admit when I first arrived in New Mexico the romantic notion of a “Citizen Legislature” seemed quite attractive to me, particularly having spent so much time over [...]
Yesterday, Representatives Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Luján and Harry Teague remembered New Mexico Governor Bruce King in speeches on the House floor. Governor King, a former three term governor, passed away on November 13, 2009 at the age of 85.
To read Rep Heinrich’s remarks, click here. To read Rep Luján’s [...]
Rep. Ben Ray Luján (NM-03) will hold open office hours in Tucumcari and Clovis to meet with constituents, discuss important issues before Congress and listen to their concerns. During open office hours, Rep. Luján will meet with constituents for five minutes each on a first come, first served basis.
Clovis [...]
Senator Jeff Bingaman remembered the life of the late Bruce King in a speech on the Senate floor yesterday. You can watch the video above or read the text version below:
"This week New Mexicans of all political persuasions have been recalling the life of a legendary figure in" [...]
State District Court Judge Judith Herrera ruled yesterday that the State of New Mexico must pay $72,000 in attorney fees and costs to the Center for Civic Policy and the Southwest Organizing Project, according to a statement released today by the two organizations.
The Court ordered the state to [...]
From Campaign to Re-elect Hector Balderas as State Auditor: Come to Cafe Green, have some wine, watch some vampires and sign some petitions for Hector:
Cafe Green, SM Cubed Consulting,
Veronica Martinez, Helen Anderson,
Meridith Griego and Denise Balderas
present
Vino, Vampires and
State Auditor Hector Balderas
for an evening of
Twilight
Thursday, November 19th, 8:00 - 10:30 PM
Cafe [...]
Rep. Heinrich with Second Lady Jill Biden at the first
“USO Care Package for Women” party,
at Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill.
Yesterday, Rep. Martin Heinrich joined Second Lady Jill Biden and the United Service Organizations (USO) for a care package stuffing event to honor [...]
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid tonight unveiled the Senate version of health care reform legislation as an amendment to H.R. 3590, and named it the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (pdf). According to the CBO score (pdf), the bill would spend $849 billion over 10 years to [...]
This is a guest blog by Tyler Taylor, M.D., who has a solo, patient-focused medical practice in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The piece was written in response to Sunday's op-ed in the Albuquerque Journal North by Carol Miller.
As a member of Physicians for a [...]
Senator Tom Udall took to the Senate floor today to honor former Governor Bruce King, who died last week at the age of 85. The following is the text of Udall’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
“I rise today to celebrate the life – and mourn the passing – of one [...]
The interim committee on Courts, Corrections and Justice will hold its next meeting in Room 307 of the State Capitol in Santa Fe on Monday, November 23rd, and Tuesday, November 24th. The Committee will convene at 9:00 AM on both days, according to a press release from the New [...]
This is a guest blog by Democratic State Rep. Brian Egolf, who represents House District 47 in Santa Fe.
I am running for reelection to the New Mexico State House, and I’m writing to ask for your help. I would be honored to have your [...]
Graduation day arrives this Friday, November 20, for five participants in Valencia Magistrate Court Judge Danny H. Hawkes’ DWI Drug Court program. Each graduate received a year of intensive monitoring, supervision and treatment for drug or alcohol abuse. Graduation ceremonies will take place during a full DWI Drug Court [...]
From Emerge New Mexico:
Have you ever thought of running for office? Apply now to the Emerge New Mexico Training Program. The deadline will soon be upon us -- Dec. 1, 2009.
Do you know a woman who you think would make an excellent candidate? Encourage her to Emerge! Pass the [...]
The U.S. Senate has designated this coming Thursday, November 19 -- exactly one week before Thanksgiving Day -- as “Feed America Day.”
Senator Tom Udall, a sponsor of the bipartisan “Feed America Day” initiative, said that in the spirit of Thanksgiving, the bill encourages Americans to skip two meals this [...]
Update: I've added the video above of Rep. Heinrich's statement at the committee meeting.
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Rep. Martin Heinrich (NM-01) announced that the House Subcommittee On National Parks, Forests And Public Lands will hold a legislative hearing at Noon MST today on H.R. 3339, a bill to permanently reauthorize the [...]
A new national poll of AARP members released yesterday finds strong support across party and ideological lines for key provisions in HB 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and its companion bill, H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009.
The telephone survey, fielded [...]
This is a guest blog from New Mexico PIRG.
The nation has 73,000 crumbling bridges, but year after year startlingly few federal transportation dollars go to fixing them.
In 2008, for example, just a few months after the tragic Minneapolis bridge collapse which killed 13 and sparked alarm and outrage across [...]
This is a guest editorial by Terry Brunner, who's the State Director of USDA Rural Development in New Mexico.
2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Housing Act of 1949. The Act was the result of a bi-partisan effort led by [...]
Vice President Joe Biden spoke for 35 minutes Monday at a fundraiser luncheon for first-term Democratic Congressmen Martin Heinrich and Harry Teague at the Hotel Albuquerque, according to a print pool account distributed by the White House.
Biden told about 100 people who paid $1,000 apiece to attend the luncheon [...]
From Bernalillo County:
Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins will host a Public Meeting on Ethics Reform on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Vincent E. Griego Chamber, One Civic Plaza, NW (basement), in Albuquerque.
All members of the general public are invited [...]
KRQE talks to locals in Moriarty about King
The King family has announced funeral plans for former New Mexico Governor Bruce King, who passed away early Friday at age 85 in Stanley, New Mexico.
Bruce King will lie in state at the NM State Capitol in Santa Fe on Friday, November [...]
From Joanie Griffin:
Please join me for a good time to support a worthy cause. I am a board member for the New Mexico Jazz Workshop. I love this organization because we do so many great things in the community. Not only do we put on [...]
From the Campaign to Re-Elect Mary Herrera as Secretary of State:
You're invited to a Meet and Greet with Mary Herrera, who's running for a second term as Secretary of State. The event, hosted by Ted Garcia, takes place from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM' [...]
The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) decided to drop its appeal of the lawsuit it lost against Citizen Action New Mexico, an Albuquerque-based public interest group. NMED sued Citizen Action seeking to withhold a secret 2006 technical report written by TechLaw, Inc. The TechLaw report reviewed a computer [...]
From Ray Powell for Land Commissioner: Today marks the official launch of Ray Powell's campaign for Commissioner of Public Lands. As Commissioner, Ray will protect and manage our public lands. After eight years of controversies and distractions, it’s time to restore trust in the State [...]
New Mexico Lt. Governor Diane Denish released the following statement this afternoon in response to budget actions taken yesterday by Governor Bill Richardson on the legislation passed at last month's special session of the Legislature:
"The national recession has hit New Mexico hard and difficult times require difficult decisions to" [...]
Governor Bill Richardson today announced he has formed a task force to study a variety of proposals to help balance the State’s budget. The task force will thoroughly review and scrutinize new revenue options as well as seek public input on the options before the regular legislative session gets underway [...]
The organizers of Democratic Ward 47F invite all Eldorado Democrats for dessert and coffee at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, Novemver 17, at the home of Tom Mauter and Kris Sweden on 20 Casa del Oro Loop.
Santa Fe County Democratic Party Chairman Richard Ellenberg will speak about organizing locally, [...]
Update: I've added more responses to Bruce King's death as they come in. And here's a nice remembrance piece by Kate Nash at the New Mexican.
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Rancher, business man and politico supreme Bruce King passed away overnight at his ranch in Stanley, New Mexico at' [...]
Today, Environment New Mexico released a new analysis of government data entitled "Too Much Pollution," which documents the rise in carbon emissions in New Mexico from 1990 to 2007. Not only have carbon emissions risen 12% in this time period, but New Mexico is ranked 11th in the nation [...]
Today, Javier Gonzales, Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman, named Scott Forrester as the party's next Executive Director.
"I look forward to working with Scott and continuing the fight for change New Mexicans voted for last year,” Gonzales said. “As the Republicans continue to be the party of the past," [...]
The three U.S. House of Representatives from Mew Mexico, including Rep. Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (NM-03), and Rep. Harry Teague (NM-02), will be at the Hotel Albuquerque on November 14 as the keynote guests for a Labor Leaders Forum sponsored by the Laborers' International Union of North' [...]
Here's the material released today by the Governor's office on Governor Bill Richardson's actions related to the state budget, including a press release, a list of bills approved or vetoed in part or in full, an executive order and messages to the New Mexico House (HB 17) and [...]
Here are some of the points I gleaned by watching NMI's webcast of Governor Bill Richardson's press conference today about the budget bills passed by the New Mexico Legislature in its special session last month. They're from my spotty and rather disorganized notes.
State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino, who's a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor, issued a statement today in response to an article in the November 11th edition of the Albuquerque Journal entitled, "Gov. Ready for Double Dipping Bill."
“New Mexicans are rightly fed up with [...]
Today's the deadline for Governor Bill Richardson to act on legislation passed at the New Mexico Legislature's special session, which ended on October 23. Yesterday, his office sent out a press release announcing he'd be appearing at a Noon press conference today at the Roundhouse to reveal his' [...]
The office of Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) announced this week that 25 computers will be donated to five New Mexico elementary schools through the Senate’s Computers for Schools program. The computers are being directed to schools struggling to keep their computer labs and classrooms up to date with evolving [...]
From the Northern New Mexico Group of the Sierra Club:
Learn about how the petroleum economy will be converted to a green economy at a free public seminar at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, November 17, at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Santa Fe. The Church is located at 107 Barcelona [...]
Governor Bill Richardson today released a statement announcing proposed reforms to the state’s return to work rules for retirees that will eliminate the practice known as “double dipping.” Governor Richardson is calling on lawmakers to pass the reforms during the upcoming regular legislative session that begins in January.
“Earlier this [...]
From Health Action New Mexico: Hope you will mark your calendars and attend this year's Legislative Preview:
HEALTH ACTION NEW MEXICO’S
ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW
Wednesday, December 2nd, at 6:30 PM
First Unitarian Church
3701 Carlisle Boulevard NE, Albuquerque
Click for FLYER (pdf) and pass it on
The Legislative Preview will look at upcoming health [...]
L to R: Michelle Otero (Connecting Community Voices),
Ray Powell (former NM State Lands Commissioner),
Van Ann Moore (Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association),
Jerry Ortiz y Pino (NM State Senator, Albuquerque),
and Oscar Simpson (NM Wildlife Federation)
Public officials and community leaders gathered [...]
USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner expressed surprise today that only a few applications for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG) have been received from Ag producers in New Mexico. The VAPG program is designed to provide grant funding to assist agricultural producers increase their profits by [...]
Lt. Governor Diane Denish today hosted members of the Air Force Research Laboratory and the high technology business community to discuss the potential for developing the small satellite industry in New Mexico.
“We have a unique opportunity to bring a new high-tech industry to our state, which will create [...]
Click image for larger version
Yesterday, the White House issued a statement announcing the launch of an initiative designed to transform the federal government into the model employer of America’s veterans. Last night, President Obama was joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, Secretary of Labor [...]
From Ray Powell for Land Commissioner:
You're Invited to the Campaign Kickoff for
Ray Powell for Land Commissioner
Saturday, November 14 at 3:00 PM
Ezra's Place Restaurant
6132 4th Street NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque (map)
Hosted by
Hon. Debbie O’Malley, Hon. Danny Hernandez, Fred Harris,
Tomas Garduño, Juan Vigil, Olivia Ximenes, Bob Jenks,
Dale' [...]
It's always an adventure to retrieve the Albuquerque Journal from my driveway each morning, sit down at our round table in the den with a steaming cup of strong coffee, take the rubber band off the paper and check out the latest snowjobs the editors [...]
You're Invited to a
Fundraising Reception
In Honor of
Rep. Ben Ray Luján
Thursday, November 12, 2009
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro
3009 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM (map)
Suggested Donation $100
Hosted by
Buddy & Amado Abeyta, Vanessa Alarid, Erika Anderson,
Robert Apodaca, Yasine & Kyle Armstrong, Shannon Bacon,
Cristy Carbon-Gaul, Chris Catechis, Mark Chaiken,
Morris' [...]
State Auditor Hector Balderas just issued a statement praising the decision by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to veto the transfer of funds out of the audit department:
“I want to commend Governor Richardson’s veto of the $500,000 transfer from the Audit Fund. In these tough economic times, it’s critical [...]
Governor Bill Richardson signed House Bill 3 today, but executed some line-item vetoes. The Governor reluctantly agreed to cut $68 million from the College Affordability Endowment Fund -– a program he created to provide need-based scholarships to New Mexicans -- according to a statement released this afternoon.
“It pains me [...]
This is a post by contributing writer, Stephen Jones, who is a progressive political activist and a resident of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
For any of us who have been watching the health reform legislation creak along through the Congress, the old saying that watching legislation being passed is like watching [...]
The Economic and Rural Development Committee of the New Mexico Legislature is slated to meet in Room 322 of the State Capitol in Santa Fe on November 11th through 13th, 2009 according to a press release issued today by the New Mexico Senate. Click for details of the Committee's' [...]
I thought you might enjoy seeing a press release I got from the White House today. It's a transcript of President Barack Obama's remarks in the Rose Garden this afternoon about House passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, as well as something the President defines as [...]
Update: Here are statements released about tonight's vote by Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (pdf) and Rep. Martin Heinrich (pdf).
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In an historic vote that ended at 11:14 PM Eastern Time, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962 by a margin of 220-215. Every Republican except one' [...]
I've held back on discussing this week's wingnuttery attacks by James Scarantino -- who writes for a blog paid for by the right-wing Rio Grande Foundation -- on Lt. Governor Diane Denish. Scarantino asserted in a post this week that Denish had misused' [...]
As of the end of the public comment period this week, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar received input from 98,285 citizens supporting his proposal to protect the lands around Grand Canyon National Park from mining. The move would protect nearly one million acres from [...]
From Campaign to Retain Judge Briana Zamora:
You are Invited:
Fundraiser
For Judge Briana Zamora
At the home of Joe Conte
1501 Dartmouth NE, Albuquerque, NM
November 19th, 2009
5:30 to 7:30PM
Hosts:
Rep. Elias Barela ~ Rep. Bill O’Neill
Councilman Ken Sanchez ~ Caroline Buerkle
Martha Chicoski ~ Joe Conte
LaDonna L. Giron ~ Lori Martinez ~ Carolyn Ramos
Click for [...]
The Justices and staff of the New Mexico Supreme Court were saddened to learn of the passing of distinguished jurist and friend, former Chief Justice Gene E. Franchini. Justice Franchini served on the Supreme Court from November 30, 1990, until his retirement December 31, 2002, and as Chief Justice from [...]
The office of Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) released a statement today to report that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved S.1733, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Udall, a member of the committee, voted to pass the legislation so that broader, bipartisan cooperation and [...]
The monthly DFA-DFNM Meetup will take place tonight, Thursday, November 5th, at 7:00 PM at the Social Hall of the First Unitarian Church on the SW corner of Carlisle and Menaul in Albuquerque.
Come on down and meet RAY POWELL, who's running for the Democratic nomination for STATE LAND COMMISSIONER. Ray [...]
From Committee to Re-Elect Mary Herrera:
You are cordially invited to a
Party to meet the Secretary of State
Mary Herrera
On Friday November 6, 2009 at 6:00 PM
At the home of Andy Obst,
5 Timber Ridge, Los Alamos (Map)
Hosted by
Andy Obst, Lori Peterson,
Michael Segura, Letitia Montoya and Carlos Villanueva
For directions calll (505) [...]
The Santa Fe County Magistrate Court will offer warrant forgiveness to defendants with traffic cases in warrant status if they appear before the Court and address their outstanding obligations on November 21, 2009, from 8 AM to noon. Defendants who appear to address all unresolved traffic charges, fines and fees [...]
This is a post by contributing writer, Stephen Jones, who is a progressive political activist and a resident of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
On Tuesday, retired Air Force Captain Bill Owens became the first Democrat to represent the northern tier district of New York State, presently numbered 23, since the [...]
There is so much going on in Washington with New Mexico's Congressional delegation that it's hard to keep up. And that's a very good thing. This morning, U.S. Representatives Martin Heinrich (NM-01) and Ben Ray Luján (NM-03) joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other members [...]
You may recall that GOP Senators have been on a mission to delay or quash legislation to extend unemployment benefits to those suffering in a struggling economy characterized by continuing job losses. They've been stalling and trying to add unrelated amendments about things like ACORN, immigration and stimulus' [...]
Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) today delivered remarks on the impact of clean energy and climate change legislation on Indian Country during a gathering of representatives of the nation’s 564 federally-recognized tribes.
“Indian Country represents 5 percent of the nation’s land base and contains 10 percent [...]
Citing the national recession and the state’s current budget shortfall, Lt. Governor Diane Denish today announced a series of reforms that she claims, if adopted, could save the state millions of dollars. She's clearly taking a proactive stance in proposing measures she'd like to' [...]
This week, the Alliance for Climate Protection’s Repower New Mexico campaign unveiled a new initiative designed to demonstrate broad national consensus for action on clean energy and climate. An integrated multimedia effort supported by an online, field and advertising campaign, the new Repower effort centers around a virtual (and [...]
Last week, Congressman Harry Teague (NM-02) lead a group of 30 House members, including Rep. Martin Heinrich (NM-01) and Rep. Ben Ray Luján (NM-03), in sending a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lisa Jackson calling for more [...]
I know many people will be applauding this funding. A new federal law includes $1 million to acquire an additional 78 acres of land for Albuquerque's Petroglyph National Monument in the area known as the northern geologic window. See map (pdf).
Surprise! August polling on issues related to global warming, carbon reduction measures and green jobs was conducted by The Mellman Group with 400 likely voters in each of four swing districts, including New Mexico's Second Congressional District. Results show that a healthy majority of respondents in each of the [...]
Yesterday, there was a flurry of stories on local blogs, including this one, generated by remarks made by State Sen. Tim Eichenberg about the 2010 gubernatorial race to blogger-photographer Mark Bralley. In response, Eichenberg issued the following statement late yesterday afternoon:
I find it unfortunate that my comments were [...]
More than 200 New Mexico business and government leaders will meet this week at the first New Mexico Economic Summit on Early Childhood Investment. Convened by New Mexico Lt. Governor Diane Denish, the Summit is an invitation-only gathering of key New Mexico business leaders interested in improving New Mexico’s [...]
The U.S. House is expected to vote on their health insurance reform bill late this week. If you're wondering exactly what's in the legislation, there are resources available that can help. Open Congress provides links to the entire text of H.R. 3962, the 1,990-page House health insurance' [...]
According to a House press release, the interim Legislative Health and Human Services Committee will hold its November meeting on Wednesday, November 4th through Friday, November 6th in Room 322 of the State Capitol in Santa Fe. The Committee will convene at 8:30 AM on all three days, and [...]
The New Mexico Magistrate Judges Association, a non-profit organization of the Magistrate Judges of New Mexico, recently elected their Officers and Board of Directors for 2010. Judge Karen Mitchell, Harding County Magistrate Court, was elected President. Judge Warren G. Walton, Colfax County Magistrate Court, was elected Vice President, and Judge [...]
Governor Bill Richardson today signed the Feed Bill (HB 1) that pays for the costs of the recently wrapped special session of the Legislature. According to the Governor's office, Richardson is "currently conducting a thorough review of the remaining bills passed by the Legislature during the special session."
Another press release [...]
In a post on his blog yesterday, Mark Bralley described a purported conversation he had with Sen. Tim Eichenberg (D-Albuquerque) at a constituent event Saturday morning organized by Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones (R-Albuquerque), whose district overlaps Eichenberg's. Sen. Eichenberg had been publicly discussing his possible candidacy for' [...]
State Auditor Hector Balderas was recently elected to serve as the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund Treasurer. The NALEO Educational Fund is the nation's leading, non-partisan, non-profit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political [...]
Better Choices New Mexico (BCNM) announced in a statement released today that the group sent a letter to Governor Bill Richardson last week asking him to take swift yet strategic action as he addresses legislation passed during the recent special legislative session. Click to read a copy of the [...]
