Our Warrior Workshop for veterans will be tomorrow from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana Boulevard Southeast. If you have questions about VA claims or disability, the GI Bill, and other veteran-related programs, you’ll want to attend to speak with one of our caseworkers. We hope to see you there!

The employees at WIPP have delivered steady, deliberate progress that led to today's re-op-opening of this critical project. I appreciate their commitment to the safe and secure storage of our nation's nuclear waste.

Happy Birthday New Mexico! Go to the #LibraryOfCongress to check out the great resources on New Mexico. http://cdn.loc.gov/project/lcnet/states/NewMexico.html

I'm proud to be part of an amazing group of women -- Democratic women serving in the 115th Congress.

I love that our entrepreneur community in New Mexico isn't limited by age. Alissa Chavez turned a great idea, which started as a science project, into a practical solution to a potentially deadly problem. Thank you, Alissa, for you ingenuity and hard work. https://www.abqjournal.com/…/young-inventor-creates-app-to-…

I hope you all enjoy your time with your family and loved ones today. Merry Christmas!

Just in case you need some good news today… Jeff Padilla is a mail carrier who works at the North Valley station in my neighborhood. Like other post offices, that station is particularly busy this time of year. On top of gifts and Christmas cards they process, the station receives many letters addressed to Santa Claus. While kids typically receive a generic letter in response, Jeff and his wife, Debbie, take the time each year to draft a personal response to every child that sends a letter through the North Valley station. Those responses from Santa include stickers, glitter and stamps – a personal touch that exemplifies the spirit of Christmas. Huge thanks to Jeff and Debbie Padilla. We have a lot of caring people in our community, and we should always be grateful for them.

I joined several colleagues in sending a letter to President-elect Trump expressing concern over reports that his transition team asked for personal information about DOE employees, including professional society memberships, affiliations, and the websites they maintain or contribute to. Those inquiries were on top of the transition team’s attempt to determine which DOE employees worked on the issue of climate change. These requests are outrageous and a dangerous sign that President-elect Trump is targeting the academic freedom of DOE lab staff, which is so critical to the effectiveness of the scientists and researchers working on national security issues at the 17 national labs, including Sandia. Read the letter here: https://lujangrisham.house.gov/…/Letter%20to%20Trump%20re%2…

On this day we remember the courage and commitment of the men and women who defended Pearl Harbor. I continue to draw inspiration from their selfless service. World War II veterans, and indeed all veterans, represent the best of America. I had the chance to meet with a group of World War II veterans who shared with me their sacrifices in defense of our democracy. I am very grateful for all of our state’s veterans, and I continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers.