Udall talks political reforms, green energy economy in Las Cruces
The senator talked to students and community at NMSU before heading into a closed-door discussion on a greener energy economy.
Udall talks political reforms, green energy economy in Las Cruces The senator talked to students and community at NMSU before heading into a closed-door discussion on a greener energy economy. Check out this story on CurrentArgus.com: https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2019/03/22/sen-tom-udall-talks-reforms-for-the-people-act-green-energy-economy-las-cruces/3239726002/
Algernon D'Ammassa, Las Cruces Sun-News Published 9:29 a.m. MT March 22, 2019
U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., left, talks to students and community members at New Mexico State University on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. At right is NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu. (Photo: Algernon D'Ammassa/Sun-News)
LAS CRUCES - U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., talked to New Mexico State University students and local leaders during a Wednesday visit to Las Cruces.
During an afternoon event that drew about 40 students and community members to the university's performing arts center, the senator joined NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu in taking questions about election integrity, leadership and government ethics.
Udall promoted the For the People Act, a bill addressing voter access, election integrity, campaign finance and ethics that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and is awaiting action the U.S. Senate.
During the hour-long forum, which was mostly devoted to answering questions, Udall affirmed his support for the bill's proposal to lower the voting age to 16. In response, the next student called on asked, "How do we get more 18-year-olds to vote?"
Next, Udall hosted a roundtable discussion about energy with local leaders, educators, and small business owners. The event was not open to the public.
Arvizu, a former director of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory Lab, once again joined Udall for the meeting along with former Colorado governor Bill Ritter, currently heading the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, and representatives from NMSU, the city of Las Cruces, the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Electric Company, and more.
In a statement, Miyagishima said Udall "is trying to prepare all New Mexicans, either those in the workforce or those about to be in the workforce, to realize the possibilities of employment in a green economy. We're blessed with abundant sunshine and great weather. Why not capitalize on it?"
On Thursday morning, Udall appeared at the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument for an event hailing the designation of a quarter-million acres of wilderness within the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. The wilderness legislation was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 12.
More than 100 people attended the event, held at La Cueva Recreation Site at the base of the Organ Mountains. Several speakers thanked Udall and other supporters of creating wilderness for their work toward the initiative.
Udall, in addition to highlighting the new wilderness, touted another aspect of the new law, the permanent establishment of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which pays for conservation projects across the country.
"It's for you young people," Udall said, referring to a group of high school students who attended. "It's permanent. Our next big challenge you need to help us with is full funding — full funding — for the Land and Water Conservation Act."
Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonActor on Twitter.
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