DELIVERING FOR NEW MEXICANS
Senator Ben Ray Luján’s record in the U.S. Senate
From lowering costs for families to strengthening public safety and investing in New Mexico’s future, Senator Ben Ray Luján puts New Mexicans at the center of everything he does. His work in the U.S. Senate delivers real results for working families, rural and Tribal communities, and local economies across our state.
Serving on the influential Senate Committees on Finance, Commerce, Indian Affairs, Agriculture, and Budget, Senator Luján’s positions ensure New Mexico has a seat at the table on the decisions that impact our communities. Through legislation that he’s successfully passed into law, Senator Luján has brought back billions of dollars to New Mexico.
In addition to his legislative work, Senator Luján operates a robust constituent services operation that assists New Mexicans in navigating federal agencies, resolving complex issues, and accessing the benefits and resources they have earned. Each year, his team assists thousands of constituents across all 33 counties, helping to return millions of dollars to New Mexico families, veterans, seniors, and small businesses.
Senator Luján delivered for New Mexicans by passing the following legislation and provisions into law:
LOWERING COSTS AND SUPPORTING NEW MEXICO FAMILIES
Affordable Connectivity Program
Secured funding for a $14.2 billion program to provide a $30-per-month broadband benefit for qualifying households, helping families stay connected to work, school, and health care.
Savvy Savers Act
Improved transparency and protections for retirement savers by studying how disclosures for IRAs and employer-sponsored plans can be simplified and strengthened.
STRENGTHENING HEALTH CARE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT
Pregnant and Postpartum Women Treatment Reauthorization
Reauthorized and expanded residential treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders, including recovery support, mental health care, and harm reduction services.
Strengthening Communities of Recovery Act
Expanded peer recovery support nationwide by reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Building Communities of Recovery grant program.
Improving Access to Addiction Medicine Providers Act
Expanded the Minority Fellowship Program to train more addiction medicine professionals, increasing access to treatment in underserved communities.
Peer Support Services Center of Excellence Act
Strengthened proven peer recovery systems to support individuals and families navigating recovery.
Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act 2.0
Enhanced substance use disorder treatment and recovery services for pregnant and postpartum women.
Securing Uninterrupted Pandemic Preparation of Resources and Therapies Act
Ensured continued access to mental health and substance use disorder services during public health emergencies.
Reducing Animal Testing Act
Eliminated unnecessary animal testing requirements for biosimilar drugs, helping speed lower-cost treatments to market.
PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING
Honoring the Abbas-Family Legacy to Terminate (HALT) Drunk Driving Act / Reduce Impaired Driving for Everyone (RIDE) Act
Required the Department of Transportation to advance impaired driving prevention technology in new vehicles, a lifesaving step expected to prevent thousands of deaths each year.
Hermit’s Peak / Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act
Secured $5.45 billion to fully compensate families, businesses, and landowners harmed by New Mexico’s largest wildfire and waived cost-share requirements for USDA recovery programs.
STANDING WITH NEW MEXICO COMMUNITIES AND WORKERS
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Expansion
Extended and expanded compensation for downwinders and uranium workers, including coverage for New Mexico and increased compensation amounts.
PAVA Program Inclusion Act
Expanded voting access for New Mexicans with disabilities, including Native Americans with disabilities, by securing funding for protection and advocacy systems.
SUPPORTING TRIBAL NATIONS
Native American Child Protection Act
Reauthorized Native American child abuse prevention and treatment programs at the Indian Health Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and reauthorized a national center on Native child abuse prevention and treatment at the Department of the Interior.
Indian Health Service Sanitation Facilities Construction Enhancement Act
Delivered billions in funding for clean water and sanitation projects for Tribal households.
Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act
Strengthened Tribal authority to protect children and law enforcement by allowing Tribes to prosecute non-Native offenders for violence-related crimes.
Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act
Directed the Federal Trade Commission to work with Tribal governments to combat scams targeting Tribal communities.
GROWING NEW MEXICO’S ECONOMY AND SUPPORTING INNOVATION AND SECURITY
CHIPS and Science Act Investments
Delivered historic investments in research, innovation, and manufacturing, including:
- Funding for advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum science, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, cybersecurity, and clean energy;
- $14.7 billion authorized for Department of Energy laboratory infrastructure, including major investments benefiting Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories;
- Support for lab-embedded entrepreneurship programs that help launch science and technology startups;
- Small business voucher programs to give New Mexico businesses access to National Lab facilities and expertise;
- New partnerships to study the safety and security of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
Laboratory Infrastructure and Modernization
Secured billions for deferred maintenance, equipment, and facility upgrades across the National Laboratory system.
Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act/IMPACT for Energy Act
Authorized $40.5 million to create a nonprofit Department of Energy foundation to bring philanthropic capital to DOE and National Lab initiatives.
LANL Workforce Development Programs
Authorized Los Alamos National Laboratory to partner with educational institutions and workforce programs to train and develop workers critical to national security missions.
Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act
Bolstered public-private partnerships by making spaceport facility bonds tax-exempt, treating spaceports the same as airports and seaports, and ensuring the United States remains competitive and at the forefront of space innovation and exploration.
Inclusion of Minority-Serving Institutions in the Minority Business Development Agency
Secured language to make the Minority Business Development Agency permanent and expand its reach by ensuring all Minority-Serving Institutions, including Tribal Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions, are eligible to participate in the Rural Minority Business Center Program.
Ports-to-Plains Highway Corridor Designation
Advanced critical transportation infrastructure in northeastern New Mexico to support economic growth and regional connectivity.
Rip and Replace Program Funding
Fully funded the replacement of insecure telecommunications equipment to protect national security and strengthen rural broadband networks.
BOLSTERING THE ECONOMY AND PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells (REGROW) Act
Delivered billions to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells, reducing methane emissions, protecting groundwater, improving public safety, and putting skilled energy workers back to work.
Biking on Long-Distance Trails (BOLT) Act
Passed legislation to expand outdoor recreation and biking on public lands by directing the Department of the Interior to identify long-distance bike trails and opportunities to develop or complete additional routes.
Coordinated Action to Capture Harmful Emissions (CATCH) Act
Strengthened incentives to deploy carbon capture technologies, supporting emissions reduction while creating good-paying energy jobs.
PROTECTING AGRICULTURE COMMUNITIES
Wolf and Livestock Fairness Act
Secured full reimbursement for livestock losses caused by federally protected species, supporting ranchers and rural economies.
A RECORD CENTERED ON NEW MEXICO
Every fight Senator Ben Ray Luján takes on in the Senate is about delivering real results for New Mexico. That focus has shaped his service from day one, including as one of only two Head Start graduates to ever serve in the U.S. Senate and as the first Hispanic to represent New Mexico in the chamber in more than 40 years.
Learn more about Senator Luján here.
