Udall Advances Strong Investments for New Mexico in Major Interior & Environment Funding Bill

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, lead Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, advanced major funding for New Mexico's public lands, infrastructure, environmental protection and stewardship, and programs for Indian Country as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The full Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved Udall's bill in a committee business meeting today.

Udall successfully fought to keep the bill clean of any new anti-environmental bill provisions, and the bill represents the first Senate bill of its kind in years to exclude such poison pill policy riders. Udall's bill rejects the Trump administration's proposed cuts to the EPA, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service -- which would have had devastating consequences for New Mexico and Indian Country. The bill also rejects cuts to important land management agencies in New Mexico, including the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Udall fought to fund many priorities that are critical to New Mexico's economy and way of life: the bill provides $425 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund; a significant increase for wildfire suppression, which will bridge the gap before Udall's long-term wildfire fix takes effect next year; it fully funds the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program important to New Mexico counties; and it includes strong resources for Indian Country health care and education, for arts and humanities programs, and for our public lands and national parks.

"Put simply, today's bill is a major win for New Mexico and for Indian Country. I'm proud to have fought for strong resources that will strengthen New Mexico's economy and support our way of life, with robust investments in our public lands, in rural infrastructure, in our outdoor economy, in clean air and water, and in programs to benefit Indian Country," Udall said. "This bill represents a bipartisan commitment to the American people and New Mexicans to conserve our public lands and cultural institutions, to safeguard our environment for future generations, and to fulfill our trust and treaty responsibilities to American Indians and Alaska Natives."

"And thanks to bipartisan cooperation, we were able to keep this bill free of new anti-environment provisions -- and reject the shameful and inexcusable cuts proposed by the Trump administration to the Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Indian Education, and Indian Health Services and our land management agencies," Udall continued. "Those proposed cuts would have put our environment at risk and prevented us from providing quality health care and education to tribal communities -- and from fulfilling our trust obligation to Indian Country."

"New Mexicans value our public lands, clean air and water, and the arts and humanities -- all of which are vital to the health of our communities and our economy," Udall said. "As the lead Democrat on the committee overseeing funding of Interior and EPA, I am committed to fighting for adequate resources for the programs and professionals that provide New Mexicans and Americans with the services and protections they deserve."

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich welcomed the legislation: "This funding bill makes robust investments to improve our public lands and grow New Mexico's outdoor recreation economy, and supports our rural communities by fully funding PILT and the Land and Water Conservation Fund," said Heinrich, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "It also protects Indian Country from the Trump Administration's proposed cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Service. I will continue fighting to secure smart investments that strengthen New Mexico's economy, support our rural and Tribal communities, and protect our public lands for future generations."

In total, Udall's bill provides $35.9 billion in discretionary funding - $601 million above fiscal year 2018 and $7.6 billion above the president's budget request.

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