Senators Land Key Committee Assignments

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hooked New Mexico up last week.

In case you haven’t heard, the Nevada Democrat awarded plum committee assignments to New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall and Sen.-elect Martin Heinrich, also both Democrats.

Udall, entering his fifth year of a six-year term, will now serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The appropriations panel is generally viewed as the most powerful committee in each chamber of Congress because it gives members unique power to secure money for their home states. Just ask former Sen. Pete Domenici, a Republican who spent many years on the committee and directed billions to New Mexico’s national laboratories and other federal projects.

Meanwhile, Heinrich landed a spot on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. It’s a good fit for energy-rich New Mexico and for Heinrich, an avid outdoorsman and green energy champion.

In interviews with me last week, both politicians sounded excited about the assignments and what they could mean for New Mexico. Udall recalled that he was on the House Appropriations Committee from 2006-2008. He actually struggled with his decision to run for Senate in 2008 in part because he didn’t want to give up his powerful appropriations perch.

But Reid and other Democrats wanted Udall to run, so Udall told Reid that if he won the Senate seat, he’d like an assurance of a shot at the Senate Appropriations Committee. Reid made good on his word last week.

“The New Mexico economy is very dependent on the federal government,” Udall said. “We have these great national laboratories, three first rate military bases … we have national parks and monuments and other federal lands. This means I’m able to support that federal presence.”

Udall conceded that the elimination of earmarks — line-item spending for pet, parochial projects lawmakers could previously insert in spending bills — has diminished appropriators’ power somewhat. However, he said he never found earmarks particularly objectionable because lawmakers know their states’ needs best. He seemed to suggest earmarks, or something like them, could make a comeback.

“I think there will be a lot of discussion about where we go from here on that,” Udall said. “There’s this tension within the federal government, how the executive branch wants to spend money in those areas and how the legislative branch wants to spend it.”

“I’m just going to use every tool I have at my disposal to do the best for New Mexico and the country,” Udall said.

Udall will also serve on the Foreign Relations, Environment and Public Works and Indian Affairs committees.

Heinrich, who snagged an Intelligence and Joint Economic Committee posts in addition to his perch on the energy committee, said he is continuing an 88-year tradition (a former staffer of Sen. Jeff Bingaman apparently did the math) of New Mexico lawmakers serving on the Senate energy committee.

“I’m really excited about the prospect of being able to continue in that tradition,” he said.

Heinrich said he met with Reid after the election and made a case for his appointment to either the Senate energy or Armed Services committees.

Heinrich served on the House Armed Services Committee and quickly realized how important that work was for New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Kirtland Air Force Base. He said he sees a “nexus” between energy, intelligence and New Mexico’s national laboratories. Some in the delegation, including Heinrich, contend that Sandia and Los Alamos need to broaden their missions. Intelligence and energy security fit that objective, Heinrich said.

“Given the combination of energy and intelligence and the nexus, particularly, with the national labs and intelligence, I’m really excited about what we’ll be able to do with these two committees,” Heinrich said. “My interest in armed services is going to continue and I think we’ll be very active in that even though we’re not on the staff. I think having intelligence (committee) helps do that in a way and certainly helps us continue to be active in lab policy.”

Heinrich, who grows more animated when talking about camping with his kids or hunting elk in northern New Mexico, also seems eager to tackle the “natural resources” portion of his new energy assignment. He is a darling of the conservation and environmental movement, evidenced by the millions those groups spent to help him win the Senate election.

Heinrich thinks New Mexico can become a bigger tourist draw for people who enjoy wild, open spaces like he does.

“I think there will be many, many different opportunities to work in ways that will directly benefit New Mexico,” Heinrich added.

E-mail: mcoleman@abqjournal.com. Go to ABQjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.