Military & National Security

Our women and men in uniform make up the strongest, best-trained, most well-equipped military in the world. New Mexicans have long answered the call of duty to serve. This tradition runs deep in our state’s history, and at times New Mexico has had the highest rate of military volunteerism of any state in the country.

With military bases at Cannon, Holloman, Kirtland, and White Sands Missile Range, and two national laboratories, New Mexico plays a pivotal role in our national security and defense. Our state is also at the forefront of research and development that contribute to our country’s safety. I am proud to have championed initiatives to expand the roles of our labs and bases—from directed energy and small satellites to new flying missions.  Today, New Mexico is the nation’s Center of Excellence for researching, developing, and testing high energy laser and high powered microwave systems as well as researching and developing rapid space capabilities. I will continue fighting to ensure our state remains a leader in developing these next generation systems as well as transformative technologies like Artificial Intelligence. In the Senate, I founded a bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Caucus so that lawmakers can strike a careful balance between mitigating the risks of new technologies like AI and fostering its tremendous economic and national security benefits.

As a son and brother of service members, and in my role as a member of the Senate Armed Service Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I am firmly committed to ensuring that our military and intelligence communities have the tools they need to keep our nation safe, fight terrorism, and support our allies.

On the Senate Intelligence committee, I have helped lead efforts to investigate the extent of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and to combat foreign disinformation campaigns.  I am also a strong supporter of human and constitutional rights, and believe in the notion that America can be both safe and free. I was proud to help pass the USA FREEDOM Act, which ended the National Security Agency's (NSA) bulk metadata collection program that allowed the government to collect billions of Americans' private phone call records while suspecting them of no wrongdoing. 

I was also an active proponent of doing away with the discriminatory military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and I continue to stand up for reforms to reduce sexual assault in our military.

I am also strong supporter of human and constitutional rights, and believe in the notion that America can be both safe and free. I opposed the authorization of the PATRIOT Act and was an active proponent of doing away with the discriminatory military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Latest

  • NM Delegation Announces Albuquerque is Finalist to Host U.S. Space Command and Urges Air Force to Utilize New Mexico’s Unique Space Assets for New Headquarters

    WASHINGTON-Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) announced that the Department of the Air Force is naming Albuquerque as a finalist for the location of the new U.S. Space Command headquarters. The delegation continued their advocacy for New Mexico's growing space economy.  Read More

  • Udall, Heinrich, Democratic Senators Urge Armed Services Leaders To Retain Bipartisan, Bicameral Measure To Rename Military Bases And Other Assets Honoring The Confederacy

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have joined 35 Senate colleagues in a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees urging that they reconcile and retain the bicameral, bipartisan measure to require military installations and assets that honor the Confederacy and Confederate officers be renamed within the next three years. Senate and House Armed Services leaders begin the final stage of conference this week on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Read More

  • Heinrich Urges Inclusion Of PFAS Provisions In Final FY21 NDAA

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to Senate and House Armed Services Committee leadership urging the inclusion of several provisions in the final fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prevent and address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. The Senate and House passed FY2021 defense bills earlier this year and leadership from both committees are currently negotiating a final version of the bill to be considered by both chambers of Congress before going to the President to be signed into law. Read More

  • Sen. Heinrich calls for investigation into deaths of two Navajo soldiers at Fort Hood

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich wants answers after two soldiers from the Navajo Nation died while stationed at Fort Hood in Texas. "We should be deeply worried at the kind of numbers we've seen out of Fort Hood," Heinrich said. Altogether, 28 soldiers have died this year at Fort Hood including Pvt. Carlton Chee and Spec. Miguel Yazzie. Heinrich and Senator Martha McSally of Arizona sent a letter to Army Sec. Ryan McCarthy, asking him to launch an investigation into the two deaths. "Both families continue to seek answers as to why their otherwise healthy sons would have passed away during a routine training exercise or while on duty at Fort Hood. The lack of communication from military officials is disconcerting," the letter states. "The families of these soldiers deserve to know what happened," Heinrich said. "And all of us who care about the people we ask to serve our country should be concerned at what's going on there and I hope there will be a thorough investigation." There are several other investigations underway right now, looking into what's happening at Fort Hood.  KOB 4 reached out to the Army base to get a status update on the investigations, but did not hear back. Read More

  • Heinrich, McSally Call For Fort Hood Investigation After The Deaths Of Two Navajo Nation Members

    WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have sent a letter to U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy requesting a thorough investigation into the high number of deaths this year at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas. The letter comes in the wake of the tragic deaths of Private Carlton Chee and Army Specialist Miguel Yazzie, both members of the Navajo Nation. Read More

  • Udall, Heinrich Urge Trump to Reverse Federal Cuts to NM National Guard’s COVID-19 Response

    WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined 33 senators in a letter to President Donald J. Trump, urging his administration to restore full funding to states like New Mexico in order to maintain critical National Guard unit services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the president reduced Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement for National Guard units from 100 percent to 75 percent, with the exception of Florida and Texas, without sufficient explanation for the disparate treatment. Read More

  • Heinrich Provisions For N.M. Military Installations, National Labs, and Artificial Intelligence Clear The Senate

    WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Ranking Member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, and co-founder of the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus, voted for the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that supports New Mexico's men and women in uniform, military installations, national laboratories, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), Artificial Intelligence, and job-creating initiatives throughout the state. Read More