Heinrich: One Size Fits All Budget Cuts Would Jeopardize National Laboratories

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich (NM-1) voted against House Republicans' budget plan because of the dire consequences it could have for our National Laboratories in New Mexico.

H.Res. 38, is a one-page, numberless "Budgetless Resolution" that would reduce all non-security discretionary spending back to 2008 levels or lower. The Department of Veteran Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense are considered security discretionary spending and therefore would be exempt from budget reductions (The Pledge to America, p. 20). What's not exempt is the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which operates under the Department of Energy. NNSA isresponsible for the management and security of our nation's nuclear weapons and nuclear nonproliferation--housed at Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories.

Under the Republicans' budget plan, Sandia National Laboratories would receive an estimated 10.01% reduction in total funding and Los Alamos would receive an estimated 17.16% reduction in total funding (Based onthe Fiscal Year 2011 President's Budget Request compared to Fiscal Year 2008 levels).

"This is an example of why a one size fits all approach to reducing our deficit is not wise," said Rep. Heinrich. "While I'm in favor of reducing government spending, installations critical to our national security, which are also successful economic drivers, like Sandia National Labs shouldn't take the hit. The success of Sandia's mission has a tremendous impact on central New Mexico's local economy. Impeding the work being done at our national labs won't grow our economy and certainly won't create jobs."

According to Sandia National Laboratories' new economic impact report, SNL bought more than $500 million in goods and services from New Mexico companies in fiscal year 2010. That's up 40 percent from the previous year. Read the report, here.

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