Congress & Federal Gov.

A fallen aspen tree that downed a power line sparked New Mexico’s largest wildfire in state history in 2011, burning 156,000 acres in the Las Conchas Fire. Now, U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández wants to give utilities better tools to prevent the next power line disaster. Leger Fernández and three other U.S. House members introduced […]

New Mexico drivers stopped by police during the state’s brief marijuana decriminalization period could still have their vehicles searched without a warrant based on the smell of cannabis alone, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a unanimous decision that clarifies police powers during a unique period in the state’s drug policy history. The ruling […]

New Mexico families preparing for the school year can save money this weekend while supporting local businesses during the state’s annual back-to-school tax holiday. The gross receipts tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 25, and runs through midnight Sunday, July 27. During this period, qualifying back-to-school items are sold tax-free, potentially saving families […]

President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Lincoln County on Wednesday, unlocking federal funding to help residents recover from severe storms and flooding that killed three people and damaged up to 200 homes earlier this month. The declaration makes financial assistance available to individuals, households, and businesses in Lincoln County affected by flooding […]

Nearly 112,000 New Mexicans could lose health insurance under President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” according to a new Democratic Party analysis that warns the federal law will disproportionately impact the state’s rural communities and low-income families. The Democratic National Committee launched a website (https://democrats.org/trump-tax/) on Tuesday highlighting state-by-state impacts of Trump’s budget […]

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich announced that nine New Mexico law enforcement agencies will receive federal funding totaling $6,521,000 for forensic equipment, crime scene processing tools and safety improvements through the bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The funding comes as New Mexico grapples […]

U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján secured nearly $190 million in federal funding for New Mexico communities through two major appropriations bills passed by Senate committees, with the bulk targeting major construction projects at military bases alongside public safety improvements across the state. The funding comes as New Mexico grapples with persistent crime challenges, with Albuquerque […]

The Trump Administration’s proposed fiscal year 2026 federal budget has sparked fierce opposition from Native American advocacy groups, who warn that planned cuts could effectively eliminate critical workforce development programs serving Indigenous communities nationwide. At the center of the controversy is the proposed elimination of the Native American Employment and Training Program under the Workforce […]