U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Heinrich, Democrats on ENR Demand Answers on Failed Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Rehabilitation Project

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Heinrich, colleagues: “Taxpayers deserve a full explanation of how these failures occurred and who will be held accountable for correcting them”

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, leads a letter in demanding answers from U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum regarding the Department's rushed rehabilitation project of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

In the letter, Heinrich and lawmakers note that the issues facing the reflecting pool are not simply maintenance concerns, but failures in project execution and government oversight.

Following the award of a no-bid contract and a drastic increase in project costs — from an initial cost estimate of $1.8 million to reportedly $14 million — the administration assured the public that the rehabilitation project would restore one of the nation's most visible landmarks. Instead, days after the reflecting pool was refilled, large algae blooms turned the water green, and sections of the newly applied blue coating separated from the bottom and surfaced to the top of the pool, despite the project having been completed only days earlier.

"The American people deserve to know why the rehabilitation project has failed and the corrective actions the Department is taking to address this ongoing issue," Heinrich and his colleagues wrote.

"Perhaps, most troubling, is that the reflecting pool now will have to be drained again for additional repairs only weeks after its completion," the senators continued. "If a project this costly and of this magnitude cannot remain functional for an entire month after its completion, serious questions must be raised regarding the planning, execution, inspection process, and the Department's acceptance of the completed work."

"Taxpayers deserve a full explanation of how these failures occurred and who will be held accountable for correcting them," the senators added.

The lawmakers concluding the letter by requesting information on why costs rose from $1.8 million to more than $14 million, what funds were used for the project, who will pay for future repairs, the Department's justification for awarding a no-bid contract, whether the contractor will be held accountable for the defects and failures, and what investigations have been conducted into the coating failures and algae bloom.

The letter is led by Heinrich and signed by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.).

Read the full letter here and below:

Secretary Burgum:

We write to express deep concerns regarding the Department of the Interior’s (DOI or Department) rushed rehabilitation project of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The American people deserve to know why the rehabilitation project has failed and the corrective actions the Department is taking to address this ongoing issue.

For generations, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has served as a historical landmark and one of the most powerful symbols of American democracy. The reflecting pool has been the backdrop to some of our nation’s most significant and iconic historical moments—from civil rights demonstrations to presidential commemorations to national celebrations. In April, President Trump announced renovations to the reflecting pool. Since announcing the renovations, the project has been plagued with a number of issues—raising serious questions about project management, contracting practices, quality control, and fiscal responsibility.

Initially, the President said that the project would cost $1.8 million. However, those costs have significantly ballooned and reportedly now exceed $14 million. The issues now facing the reflecting pool are not simply maintenance concerns, but failures in project execution and government oversight. Following the award of a no-bid contract and a drastic increase in project costs, the public was assured that the rehabilitation project would restore one of the nation's most visible landmarks. Sadly, that has not happened. Days after the reflecting pool was refilled, large algae blooms have turned the water green, undermining the very purpose of the renovation. Shortly after, sections of the newly applied blue coating separated from the bottom and surfacing to the top of the pool. The reflecting pool experienced peeling, cracking, tearing, and delamination of the coating despite the project having been completed only days earlier.

Perhaps, most troubling, is that the reflecting pool now will have to be drained again for additional repairs only weeks after its completion. If a project this costly and of this magnitude cannot remain functional for an entire month after its completion, serious questions must be raised regarding the planning, execution, inspection process, and the Department’s acceptance of the completed work. Taxpayers deserve a full explanation of how these failures occurred and who will be held accountable for correcting them.

In light of these questions and concerns, we request responses to the following questions by July 9, 2026:

Please provide the expected cost of the rehabilitation project. In responding to this question, please explain why the cost of the project has risen from $1.8 million to the new amount.
Please provide an accounting of what funds were used for the rehabilitation project (e.g., Legacy Restoration Fund, Federal Land Recreation Enhancement Act fees, annual appropriations, etc.).
Please provide a list of all future repairs and who will be responsible for the cost of those repairs.
When selecting the project contractor, what factors did the Department consider (e.g., technical expertise, past performance, etc.) and what legal authority did the Department rely on to award a no-bid contract? Will the Department hold the contractor accountable for the defects and failures?
Has the Department conducted an independent engineering, architectural, or construction quality review regarding the reported peeling, cracking, and failure of the coating system? If so, please describe in detail those findings.
What investigation has the Department conducted into the causes of the severe algae bloom and subsequent water treatment measures?

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

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Heinrich Questions Trump Nominees on Screwworm Mitigation Efforts, Funding International Conservation Programs, and Administrative Budget Cuts and Expenses

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider pending Trump nominees, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee’s Ranking Member, questioned Kevin Lilly, President Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks and William Hague, President Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior nominee for Insular and International Affairs on the Trump administration’s plans to mitigate infectious diseases on public lands, funding international conservation efforts, budget cuts to National Park Service, the Department of the Interior’s deep sea mining efforts, and administrative expenses.

VIDEO: Ranking Member Heinrich (D-N.M.) questions Kevin Lilly, Trump’s Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks and William Hague, Trump’s Assistant Secretary of the Interior nominee before U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, June 23, 2026

On U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Plans to Monitor New World Screwworm Outbreak

Ranking Member Heinrich began his questioning by asking Kevin Lilly, President Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, about the agency’s plans to monitor infectious diseases and its impacts on wildlife and public lands, “Mr. Lilly, we now have 12 reported new world screwworm infestations in the continental United States. I frankly worry that there could be many more infestations in the wildlife populations as opposed to livestock that have not been detected, and that the federal government is not adequately focusing on, in part due to the lack of staff on the ground in our public lands, parks, and wildlife refuges. What resources does Fish and Wildlife Service have to monitor for New World screwworm cases?”

Mr. Lilly answered, “Thank you, Senator. And I think we may have touched on this earlier. The New World screwworm phenomenon is not a new one. It has existed in this country for many years, and it was eradicated, I believe, in the 1960s through technology involving sterilized breeding. We basically thought that this was eradicated. However, most recently it came to my attention, I think earlier in the year, that some cases had been found in Mexico, approximately 300 miles, that has now, from various means, entered into the United States. So, as this is a primarily Department of Agriculture issue, your mention of wildlife is one in which our job and our mission, sir, is to collaborate and utilize the technology that we have within the Fish and Wildlife, whether that be technological advancements, drones, algorithms trying to determine particular locations of vulnerable species and work closely with the Department of Agriculture to try to identify hotspots locations which will better enable us to use, I think, proactive mitigation efforts through science.”

Ranking Member Heinrich answered, “There are a number of national wildlife refuges in South Texas, and I understand it's important that we make sure that we're using those lands to be part of the detection infrastructure for New World screwworm.”

On Department of Interior Allocating International Conservation Funding

Ranking Member Heinrich asked, “I want to shift real quickly to international conservation funding, those accounts have been stalled. Secretary Burgum recently promised Senator Merkley during an interior appropriations hearing that international funding would move. I've raised this issue with you a number of times now. I understand that you have the authority to approve those accounts. What's the realistic timeline to get those funds?”

Mr. Lilly asked, “Yes, sir. And thank you for our discussions last week. And my commitment to you then is the same is that we are moving in a positive direction, and we will have a solution that you will be pleased with, I hope by the end of the week, if not the end of next week.”

Ranking Member Heinrich responded, “Fantastic. And feel free to reach out to me directly when you reach a conclusion on those.”

Mr. Lilly responded, “Yes sir.”

On Department of Interior’s Authorities and Grants for International Conservation Efforts

Ranking Member Heinrich continued his questioning by asking William Hague, President Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular and International Affairs on DOI’s efforts to allocate funding for international conservation efforts again, “Mr. Hague, I also wanted to ask you a little bit about the Department of Interior's authorities and grants related to international conservation. What can you tell me about the implementation of CITES ESA multinational species conservation funds, and the importance of that work to our international partners?”

Mr. Hague answered, “Thank you for the questions. I do manage the international part of DOI, which is making sure that the Department stays consistent across its desires, across the Secretary's strategies. We're more procedural than substantive, and to that end, we do a lot of work, like when they hold the massive CITES meetings that was held in Uzbekistan this year, getting the people there and getting them back. Consequently, again, in that role, I find myself consultative and supportive of getting the people over there and helping them accomplish what they're doing.”

Ranking Member Heinrich followed, “I appreciate that. You know, one of the things we've realized, a number of the members who work in particular on the African continent, have realized that natural resource management is actually national security, is what provides the infrastructure that pushes back on many of the influences that we're concerned about on the continent, and so it's important that we meet our obligations, because when we don't, we suffer in terms of national security.”

On Reduction of Staffing at National Park Service

Ranking Member Heinrich asked, “Mr. Lilly, I'm concerned about the level of park service staffing with the recent reductions. We've seen another proposal to reduce staffing by as much as 25% in the current FY 27 budget. How do those reductions align with your stated support of the National Park Service and its mission?”

Mr. Lilly answered, “That's a great question, Senator. Thank you. I think that, as in all processes involving human relations, humancapital, and proper staffing, there are multiple approaches that can be used to reach optimal levels of coverage, and also different sources of employment that we have entered into. I think one of the areas that I think will greatly benefit the National Park Service, as well as the communities that surround them, as well as our tribal partners, is local hiring, which you all authorized, and I am pleased to say that we are moving forward in this way to allow gateway communities, Tribal partners, to be part of the ecosystem around the national parks. I was recently at one of our parks, and I asked the superintendent, ‘how many employees in this park live in the Gateway community that is just outside the gate?’ And they said zero, and I thought that was unacceptable as an answer. Certainly, it was not their intent, but it is the cumbersome nature often found in some of the more arcane methods of seeking federal employment that we hope to minimize through local hiring. In addition, sir, we have increased our number of seasonal hirings, not only in numbers from 5,000 to 6,000 but also we've increased the duration from six months to nine months, so therefore parks that have a longer seasonal cycle will not be burdened by losing these very valuable seasonal employees.”

On the Department of Interior’s Deep Sea Mining Efforts

Ranking Member Heinrich asked Mr. Hague about the Department of Interior’s deep sea mining processes, “How important is territorial support before any deep sea mining actually proceeds?”

Mr. Hague answered, “I visited all the territories and had some meetings on this. For example, I was in Samoa and met with the head of the Senate and the head of the House, as well as the governor of Samoa, and people who work for me, CNMI and Guam, and then I've met with both governors. I think you have to find a balance right now in most of those places. There are concerns about what deep sea mining might do to the oceans. You have to balance that with the economic benefit of going into the oceans. Deep sea mining is not very well known at this point, so there’s a lot to learn both about the economic benefit and what disturbance, if any, itcould have.”

Ranking Member Heinrich asked, “We had a hearing last week where we heard from a number of territories that is serious concern about this. I would just caution that local support is critical if you're going to actually be successful. That's something this Committee has learned time and time again, is that if you're going to successfully develop a resource, local support is key, and I don't think we should lose sight of that.”

On Oversight of Administrative Expenses

Ranking Member Heinrich asked Mr. Hague, “In fiscal year 2026 Congress provided $1.6 million in funding to the Office of Insular Affairs, in part just to strengthen the Department's presence in the territories and COFA countries. We understand that some of this funding may have been instead directed towards travel and other administrative expenses, and I'd like to better understand how those expenditures align with the priorities that Congress set. Mr. Hague, can you provide an accounting of how the additional funding has been spent, including how much has gone towards personnel, grants, travel, and other administrative expenses?”

Mr. Hague answered, “Senator, I can get back with you on that. I could not provide anything on it now. I’m not fully versed on the topic your discussing.”

Ranking Member Heinrich responded, “Do you understand why the funding was not used to fill positions in the territories in the COFA countries?”

Mr. Hague answered, “No sir, we are filling positions in the territories, it’s just taken a long time with government shutdowns, hiring freezes, and moving through those things. We’ve got positions listed, some of them are posted now, not yet the specific ones in the islands. I personally would like to start with some of the senior leaders, and then get their input on who they hire, and work my way down. That’s why I said earlier to the senator that I hope by end of the year to fill that.”

Ranking Member Heinrich asked, “So listed, but not filled?”

Mr. Hague answered, “Working through the PDs, the description of the job.”

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Full Committee Hearing to Consider Pending Nominations

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:30:00 +0000

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 9:30 a.m., in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider pending nominations.

The nomination hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s website, and an archived video will be available shortly after the nomination hearing concludes. Witness testimony will be available on the website at the start of the nomination hearing.

Nominees

William Hague, of Washington, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior, vice Carmen G. Cantor, resigned.

Kevin Lilly, of Texas, to be Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, vice Shannon Aneal Estenoz, resigned.

Kaveh Farzad, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (International Affairs), vice Andrew Eilperin Light, resigned.

Lee, Cotton Sound Alarm on Chinese Thieves in American Labs

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) today sent a letter to alert Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright of Chinese nationals’ access to American National Labs, where they are infiltrating sensitive research facilities to steal American intellectual property and technology to benefit Communist China.

In January 2026, the Senators, along with nine of their colleagues, sent a letter to Secretary Wright urging him to address this issue. In March 2025, they introduced the Guarding American Technology from Exploitation (GATE) Act as a legislative solution. The bill is currently being blocked by Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

In part, the Senators wrote:

“We write expressing serious concern regarding the Department of Energy’s (DOE) continued practice of permitting foreign nationals from China to access facilities across the National Laboratory complex and work alongside American scientists. Recent DOE data underscores that this practice puts the nation’s research enterprise at risk of foreign intelligence collection and technology transfers that will benefit our adversaries.”

The letter reads as follows:

Dear Secretary Wright:

We write expressing serious concern regarding the Department of Energy’s (DOE) continued practice of permitting foreign nationals from China to access facilities across the National Laboratory complex and work alongside American scientists. Recent DOE data underscores that this practice puts the nation’s research enterprise at risk of foreign intelligence collection and technology transfers that will benefit our adversaries.

According to DOE’s own data, Chinese nationals continue to occupy substantial roles across a variety of access types, including short term visits (approximately 1,900 in FY 2025), long term research assignments (approximately 1,300 in FY 2025), and even formal employment (approximately 2,100 in FY 2025). The Department further reports in FY 2025, on-site user facilities at the National Labs were accessed physically and remotely more than 5,000 times by Chinese nationals. These facts reflect severe vulnerabilities at our nation’s premier and most sensitive scientific environments.

China is our main competitor in research and development and the race for emerging tech, where it seeks to surpass the United States by stealing American intellectual property and technologies. This is widely known and well-documented, and yet for decades we continue to give Chinese national scientists access to our National Laboratories.

These numbers are not small, nor are they incidental. They represent a systemic exposure of our National Labs, including the American scientists who work there and topics they are working on, to an adversary determined to defeat the United States. Given that DOE has not substantially reduced this exposure, we respectfully request answers to the following:

How does DOE's risk framework account for China's National Intelligence Law, which legally obligates every Chinese citizen—including those working in our National Laboratories—to cooperate with Chinese intelligence services upon demand, regardless of where they reside?
Why does the Department permit Chinese nationals to work inside the National Labs, side by side with American scientists?
Are Chinese nationals given access to controlled technologies, export controlled technologies, or any other sensitive research environments within the National Laboratories? If so, how many?
What steps is DOE taking to reduce remote access by Chinese nationals, given the Department’s own finding that thousands of users operate remotely with limited oversight?
Does DOE intend to reduce or cap Chinese nationals’ participation in unclassified research areas, and if not, why not?
What counterintelligence assessments has DOE conducted regarding the concentration of Chinese nationals in specific labs, programs, or user facilities?

The Department’s mission is to advance American scientific leadership, protect national security, and safeguard critical technologies. This mission can’t be achieved when it’s undermined by thousands of Chinese nationals infiltrating the National Labs each year. We look forward to your thoughts on these systemic vulnerabilities affecting our labs.

Read exclusive coverage by the New York Post here.

Read the full text of the letter here.

Heinrich Criticizes Trump for Delaying Nominating Officials to Key Roles at DOI and DOE, Selecting Underqualified Candidates to Lead Agencies

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider pending Trump nominations, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee’s Ranking Member, delivered opening remarks, criticizing the Trump administration for delaying nominating officials to top roles at the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Energy (DOE), violating the Vacancies Reform Act by having William Hague, Trump’s Assistant Secretary of the Interior nominee and Kevin Lilly, Trump’s Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, for working in their roles without being confirmed by the Senate, and selecting under qualified nominees to lead agencies and bureaus.

“This hearing is long overdue. Each of the three offices the individuals before us today have been nominated to hold have been vacant since the beginning of the President’s second term, a year and a half ago,” began Heinrich. “Meanwhile, these important offices have not been filled by someone confirmed by the Senate. That is a serious problem.”

“Since the nation’s founding, Congress has given Presidents limited authority to appoint acting officials to perform the functions of vacant offices on a temporary basis. But that authority, which is provided by the Vacancies Reform Act, is narrowly limited and frankly, is being abused... Both Mr. Hague and Mr. Lilly appear to be serving in the jobs for which they have been nominated, prior to Senate confirmation, in violation of the Vacancies Reform Act,” continued Heinrich.

“And while I appreciate that Mr. Lilly has been accessible and responsive to me, I'm also concerned that neither he nor Mr. Hague appear to have background, training, or experience in the issue areas that they have been nominated to manage. They have both had very successful careers—but Mr. Hague does not seem to have had any experience with our insular areas or international affairs, and Mr. Lilly does not seem to have had any experience with wildlife management or the national parks, prior to Secretary Burgum delegating these portfolios to them... Mr. Farzad has at least worked for the State Department for two years and for the Department of Energy’s Office of International Affairs for a year and a half. However, this is still far less experience than previous DOE Assistant Secretaries for International Affairs have had before assuming the role,” concluded Heinrich.

VIDEO: Ranking Member Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks on a hearing to consider pending Trump nominees before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, June 23, 2026.

A video of his opening remarks is here.

A transcript of Heinrich’s remarks as delivered is below:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

This hearing is long overdue. Each of the three offices the individuals before us today have been nominated to hold have been vacant since the beginning of the President’s second term, a year and a half ago.

Let me be clear that responsibility for most of the delay lies with the President. He waited until mid-February of this year, to nominate both Mr. Hague and Mr. Lilly, and until March to nominate Mr. Farzad.

Even after the President submitted their nominations, two of the nominees took an extended period of time to submit the questionnaire that the Committee requires of all nominees.

The Committee’s questionnaire is quite simple. It consists of only two dozen straightforward questions about the nominee’s background. It should not take nominees four months to provide us with the required information.

Meanwhile, these important offices have not been filled by someone confirmed by the Senate. That is a serious problem.

Under our Constitution, the President may nominate, but the Senate must confirm the appointment of officials to these offices.

The Supreme Court has said that Senate confirmation “is more than a matter of ‘etiquette or protocol’; it is among the significant structural safeguards of the constitutional scheme.”

The advice and consent of the Senate “serves both to curb executive abuses of the appointment power,” and to promote the appointment of qualified people to important offices.

The Supreme Court has also acknowledged that “Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation … can take time.”

Since the nation’s founding, Congress has given Presidents limited authority to appoint acting officials to perform the functions of vacant offices on a temporary basis. But that authority, which is provided by the Vacancies Reform Act, is narrowly limited and frankly, is being abused.

Both Mr. Hague and Mr. Lilly appear to be serving in the jobs for which they have been nominated, prior to Senate confirmation, in violation of the Vacancies Reform Act.

Mr. Hague has been performing the functions, duties, and responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs since May 2025.

Mr. Lilly has been performing the functions, duties, and responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks since August 2025.

I do not blame Mr. Hague or Mr. Lilly for doing the jobs that this administration gave them. But I do believe that this Administration has abused its authority by delegating authorities that require Senate confirmation in violation of the Vacancies Reform Act.

And while I appreciate that Mr. Lilly has been accessible and responsive to me, I'm also concerned that neither he nor Mr. Hague appear to have background, training, or experience in the issue areas that they have been nominated to manage.

They have both had very successful careers—but Mr. Hague does not seem to have had any experience with our insular areas or international affairs, and Mr. Lilly does not seem to have had any experience with wildlife management or the national parks, prior to Secretary Burgum delegating these portfolios to them.

The Vacancies Reform Act was not designed to provide a basis for on-the-job training for subsequent Senate confirmation.

Mr. Farzad has at least worked for the State Department for two years and for the Department of Energy’s Office of International Affairs for a year and a half.

However, this is still far less experience than previous DOE Assistant Secretaries for International Affairs have had before assuming the role.

All that said, we now have these nominations before us, and I look forward to hearing from each of the nominees today.

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Heinrich Grills Governor of Puerto Rico on Plans to Stabilize Island’s Electric Grid

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine the state of the U.S. Territories, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee’s Ranking Member, questioned Jenniffer González-Colón, Governor of Puerto Rico, on the island’s electric grid, and her plans to improve its reliability.

VIDEO: Ranking Member Heinrich (D-N.M.) questions Jenniffer González-Colón, Governor of Puerto Rico, on the state of Puerto Rico’s energy grid, June 17, 2026.

“As our nation prepares to mark 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, I recognize that more than 125 years ago, the United States established a governing framework for the territories that still shape these relationships today. These relationships are deeply important to our nation, but they have also created a reality where millions of Americans continue to experience a very different relationship with the federal government than those of us living on the mainland. That reality makes hearings like this one even more important,” said Heinrich in his opening remarks.

“One challenge facing every territory represented here today is the rising cost of energy. Families, small businesses, schools, hospitals, and local governments are all feeling the impact of high electricity and fuel prices. And while we are seeing energy costs skyrocket across the country, island communities often feel those impacts first and more severely because much of their energy supply depends on imported fuel,” continued Heinrich.

“Energy resilience is not a luxury for island communities; it is the foundation for everything else. When electricity prices run two or three, even four times higher than the national average, that is not simply an inconvenience; it is every part of daily life, in every corner of the economy... At a time when families are already paying more for electricity, for fuel, groceries, and other daily necessities, Congress has a responsibility to understand whether federal policies are helping communities build resilience or making those challenges harder to overcome,” Heinrich concluded.

On Grid Reliance in Puerto Rico

Heinrich began by asking Jenniffer González-Colón, Governor of Puerto Rico, about the island’s electric grid, “Governor Colón, Puerto Rico residents continue to face all too frequent outages and reliability concerns. That's despite billions of dollars in federal investments intended to modernize the grid, and I understand that you've raised concerns regarding LUMA’s performance, and in fact are actively moving to challenge their legal contract in court. If LUMA is out of the picture, who steps up to manage Puerto Rico's grid and generation assets?”

González answered, “Since last year, we've been trying to resolve the lack of commitment of LUMA with the government. I inherited that contract. So, what we've been doing is, first trying to coordinate those differences with the contract. The contract says that when you have a difference with the contractor, in this case, the operator, you manage those differences, negotiating with them and having that difference being resolved by the courts. We tried to do that, and that's the reason we filed a first motion to the courts, that's still pending. They tried to remand that to the federal case. Judge Swain at the federal level said that should be resolved at the local courts so that’s still at the court. [Then] we filed a second motion to cancel the contract. That is still pending review. One of the issues is that we're asking the court to make a transition process to allow...”

Heinrich interjected, “I understand that, but if you are successful, who steps in and manages the grid and the generation?”

González answered, “We want to have a private company as well, with experience in the United States. So we are not looking to get into public...”

Heinrich interjected, “That would require an immediate transition. It would require a commitment from some private entity. I want to understand that transition. I don't want there to be a gap. I mean, of course, people of Puerto Rico should not have any [less] reliability in their power than they have now. So who would fill that gap?”

González answered, “The question that we are asking to the court in that case is to allow a transition process, at least to a year, to allow the government of Puerto Rico to begin a formal process to ask companies that are interested to begin that process of formal request[s] for proposals and begin that transition process, but as we are...”

Heinrich asked, “Would LUMA still retain management through that year, or would someone else?”

González answered, “That will be part of the decision that the court needs to make, because as we are...”

Heinrich interjected, “What incentive would LUMA have to manage for a full year, if they're...”

González answered, “We need the court to decide how that transition process will go, because the government of Puerto Rico is not looking to go back to government operating the system, and I want to make that clear.”

Heinrich followed, “I appreciate that. PREPA had huge challenges.”

González answered, “We already got a bankruptcy in PREPA, so we are not looking at the government to take back that operation, so we want to have a private operator, like we do have LUMA right now, and a transition to another private operator. So to make that transition process, we should have companies with experience in the United States. So we want companies that have got experience in the United States in transmission and distribution to make that happen. In order to get that ready, we need the court to allow us that period of one year to make that open process. We cannot begin that process with[out] the proper instruction of the court.”

Heinrich asked, “You referenced 1,300 megawatts of restored generation capacity. Can you walk through what specific projects make up that 1,300 megawatt figure?”

González answered, “During last year, we saw many reports of what was going on. We’ve got a very old system, and many people know from the 70s and 60s. So we went with the Department of Energy and PREPA and even Genera, which is the other operator, to try to switch oil and bunker C oil installations to convert them to LNG, right, and most of them in those combined cycle. We're talking about plants like San Juan in Palo Seco that were transitioning. Even last week, we were transitioning old turbines that were invested more than $58 million from the Department of Energy, and they were revamped in a few months, and given more energy. New unit pickers that are being converted on the island that were using oil and now are using gas, they're going to be installed from FEMA money. Tesla units from batteries across the island as well, six units that are going to be installed by the end of this year. So what we've been doing is changing the complete use of oil to a diversified basket of energy, combined cycle, of course, LNG, and batteries as an opportunity to increase energy-based load.”

Heinrich interjected, “Chairman, I apologize for going over my time. As I wrap here. I just want to ask for unanimous consent to enter a letter from Governor Guerrero and Governor Apatang regarding deep-seabed mining into the record.”

Chairman of the Committee Mike Lee (R-Utah) responded, “It will be admitted without objection.”

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After Nearly Two Decades of Heinrich’s Advocacy, SunZia Transmission Project is Going Fully Online

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

SunZia is one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere and will generate affordable, American-made energy and invest billions of dollars across New Mexico

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that after nearly two decades of his advocacy to complete one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere, the SunZia Project has become fully operational.

SunZia is a milestone achievement for Heinrich, who has been working throughout his tenure in Congress toward this moment to help New Mexico generate affordable, American-made energy.

“SunZia becoming fully operational is a milestone more than 18 years in the making and one that I’ve been fighting for since I first came to Congress. Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it. Now, New Mexico is home to one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere.

“One of the reasons SunZia ultimately succeeded is that we brought people together. Local communities, private landowners, the Department of Defense, conservationists, labor unions, and developers all came to the table and worked through difficult challenges to make this project stronger. Along the way, we secured meaningful commitments to environmental stewardship and community benefits that will leave New Mexico better for generations.

“While today is a day to celebrate, it’s also a reminder that it should not take 18 years to build critical energy infrastructure in America. If we want more projects like SunZia that lower costs, strengthen our energy security, and create good-paying jobs people can build their families around, we need a permitting system that gets to yes—or no—faster while maintaining strong environmental standards and meaningful community engagement.”

SunZia includes a 550-mile transmission line spanning New Mexico’s Torrance, Lincoln, and San Miguel Counties. It will deliver up to 3,650 megawatts (MW) of energy and generate an estimated $20.5 billion in economic benefits for New Mexico and the Southwest. The project supported more than 2,000 construction jobs and will create more than 100 permanent jobs as it begins full operations.

For a detailed timeline of Heinrich’s actions to build and bring SunZia online, click here.

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Hearing to Examine the State of the U.S. Territories

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The hearing will be held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The purpose of the hearing is to examine the state of the U.S. Territories.

Witnesses

The Honorable Jenniffer González-Colón

Governor

Puerto Rico

The Honorable Albert Bryan, Jr.

Governor

U.S. Virgin Islands

Mr. Henry Hofschneider

Chief of Staff to Governor David Apatang

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

The Honorable Lourdes “Lou” Aflague Leon Guerrero

Governor

Guam

The Honorable Pula’ali’i Nikolao Iuli Tuiteleleapaga Pula

Governor

American Samoa

The hearing will be webcast live on the Committee’s website, and an archived video will be available shortly after the hearing concludes. Witness testimony will be available on the website at the start of the hearing.

Business Meeting to Consider Pending Legislation

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:30:00 +0000

The business meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The purpose of the business meeting is to consider the legislation on the below agenda.

AGENDA

LEGISLATION

1.	S. 1547, to amend title 54, United States Code, to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, and for other purposes. (Mr. Daines).

The business meeting will be webcast live on the Committee’s website, and an archived video will be available shortly after the business meeting concludes.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Advances Bipartisan America the Beautiful Act

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – Today, during a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to consider pending legislation, the Committee advanced S. 1547, the America the Beautiful Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Angus King (I-Maine) to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. The Committee also adopted a bipartisan amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

“The bipartisan advancement of the America the Beautiful Act is a reminder that when we work together, we can deliver real results for the American people. Our public lands are where families make memories, support local economies, and connect with the outdoors — which is why reinvesting in them is so important,” said Heinrich. “I’m grateful to Chairman Lee, Senators Daines and King, and our bipartisan cosponsors for helping reach this agreement and moving this long-overdue legislation forward to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund and continue investing in the parks, forests, and refuges that people rely on every day, while helping address longstanding needs in Tribal communities.”

"America's national parks and public lands are a source of national pride, and Congress has a responsibility to ensure they are maintained for future generations," said Lee. "This legislation preserves the core mission of addressing deferred maintenance while incorporating meaningful reforms to improve transparency, accountability, and project execution. The substitute amendment demonstrates what can be accomplished when members work through legitimate concerns and engage in good-faith negotiations."

“As we near our nation’s 250th anniversary, reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund is a powerful opportunity to deliver lasting results for all Americans and our public lands,” said the Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “Grateful for the leadership of Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, Sen. Daines and Sen. King for crafting targeted reforms that will strengthen the Fund’s impact and improve how projects are delivered. We encourage broad support as this effort advances in the Senate and look forward to partnering with Chairman Westerman and the House to move a final bill to President Trump.”

The legislation reauthorizes the Legacy Restoration Fund through Fiscal Year 2031 (FY31) and includes a series of reforms aimed at improving project selection, increasing transparency, streamlining permitting and contracting, and ensuring funds are directed toward the highest-priority deferred maintenance projects across the National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Education.

The substitute amendment reflects months of negotiations among committee members and the Administration to strengthen the program's accountability while continuing investments in the maintenance of America's public lands and national parks.

Among other reforms, the legislation:

Establishes clearer definitions and reporting requirements for deferred maintenance projects;
Prioritizes projects that address public safety risks, prevent further asset deterioration, and maximize reductions in maintenance backlogs;
Expands transparency and accountability standards across participating agencies;
Streamlines environmental and historical review and contracting procedures to accelerate project completion;
Prohibits Legacy Restoration Fund dollars from being used for new land acquisition; and
Creates a surcharge on foreign visitors to national parks, directing the proceeds toward deferred maintenance projects.

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Committee Advances America the Beautiful Act

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON — Today, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources approved by voice vote S. 1547, the America the Beautiful Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Angus King (I-Maine) to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. The Committee also adopted a bipartisan amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

"America's national parks and public lands are a source of national pride, and Congress has a responsibility to ensure they are maintained for future generations," said Chairman Lee. "This legislation preserves the core mission of addressing deferred maintenance while incorporating meaningful reforms to improve transparency, accountability, and project execution. The substitute amendment demonstrates what can be accomplished when members work through legitimate concerns and engage in good-faith negotiations."

“The bipartisan advancement of the America the Beautiful Act is a reminder that when we work together, we can deliver real results for the American people. Our public lands are where families make memories, support local economies, and connect with the outdoors — which is why reinvesting in them is so important,” said Senator Heinrich. “I’m grateful to Chairman Lee, Senators Daines and King, and our bipartisan cosponsors for helping reach this agreement and moving this long-overdue legislation forward to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund and continue investing in the parks, forests, and refuges that people rely on every day, while helping address longstanding needs in Tribal communities.”

“As we near our nation’s 250th anniversary, reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund is a powerful opportunity to deliver lasting results for all Americans and our public lands,” said Secretary Burgum.“Grateful for the leadership of Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, Sen. Daines and Sen. King for crafting targeted reforms that will strengthen the Fund’s impact and improve how projects are delivered. We encourage broad support as this effort advances in the Senate and look forward to partnering with Chairman Westerman and the House to move a final bill to President Trump.”

The legislation reauthorizes the Legacy Restoration Fund through fiscal year 2031 and includes a series of reforms aimed at improving project selection, increasing transparency, streamlining permitting and contracting, and ensuring funds are directed toward the highest-priority deferred maintenance projects across the National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Education.

Among other reforms, the legislation:

• Establishes clearer definitions and reporting requirements for deferred maintenance projects;
• Prioritizes projects that address public safety risks, prevent further asset deterioration, and maximize reductions in maintenance backlogs;
• Expands transparency and accountability standards across participating agencies;
• Streamlines environmental and historical review and contracting procedures to accelerate project completion;
• Prohibits Legacy Restoration Fund dollars from being used for new land acquisition; and
• Creates a surcharge on foreign visitors to national parks, directing the proceeds toward deferred maintenance projects.

Bill text

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VIDEO: Heinrich, Kim, Senate Democrats Host Roundtable on How Trump’s War with Iran is Raising Gas Prices & Hurting Working Families

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) hosted a roundtable to discuss how the Trump administration’s policies, including the war with Iran, have driven up energy costs for families, consumers, communities, and small businesses.

The roundtable comes as President Trump’s war with Iran, which has resulted in the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, has caused gas prices to reach their highest level in four years. The national average for gas is $4.04. On average, American households have paid an additional $450 more in gas prices since the war began.

Heinrich and Kim’s roundtable was joined by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), energy experts, economic experts, a non-profit leader from New Mexico, and an agriculture leader from New Jersey.

VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-N.J.), host a roundtable on how Trump’s policies have driven up energy costs, June 16, 2026.

“Since the war in Iran began, gas prices have surged by more than 50 percent, and hardworking Americans are paying the price every time they pull up to the pump,” said Heinrich. “Most Americans are now paying well over $4 a gallon for gas, and since February, this has cost American households and businesses more than $54 billion. Today’s roundtable made clear that rising gasoline and diesel prices are driving up the cost of everything from transportation to packaging, forcing families to make tough choices about how they will afford groceries, make rent, and keep the lights on. I will keep calling attention to the real costs of these rising prices on working families and pushing for solutions that bring down costs and provide meaningful relief.”

“For over 100 days, the Trump administration has waged war in Iran in our name, without our say, and on our dime. As Trump and Republicans try to keep us in the dark about the damage done and what’s to come, I’m working with my Democratic colleagues to talk about the true cost of this war and how we can stand up for working families who have been footing the bill,” said Kim.

“From gas prices to groceries and everything in between, Oregonians are getting clobbered by high costs as a result of Trump’s illegal war and tariffs," said Wyden. "Trump's agenda of economic sabotage and suffering will have ripple effects on working families for years to come."

“Now that inflation is surging, purchasing power is taking a real hit, and those inflation-adjusted wages on a year-over-year basis have been falling in the past two months,” said Claudia Sahm, Chief Economist, New Century Advisors. “People's frustration with affordability is real. It's not just the vibes.”

“A small town in Oklahoma, single mother, no support, very poor family. That's how I grew up. Children who grow up in poverty never forget,” said Matt Randolph, Energy Expert, Forbes Contributor, and Host of The American Power Podcast. “When I think about energy policy, I think about people who are paying $1,000 to keep their lights on and who are paying $5 a gallon for gas. We are making it harder for people to achieve the American dream to further enrich those that are already experiencing it 1,000 times over. I believe a strong energy policy is one that is draped in humanity and not profits. That’s why I’m here today.”

“Meals on Wheels is not just a meal delivery service — we are a lifeline for homebound seniors who often have few people they can rely on,” said Shauna M. Frost, CEO of Meals on Wheels New Mexico. “When gas prices increase, it threatens services so many have come to depend on. Rising fuel costs affect nearly every part of our operations. It increases the cost of purchasing food, delivering meals, and retaining volunteers. As demand continues to rise, increasing gas and energy prices threaten our ability to keep pace. Without action, the gap between the need in our community and our ability to meet it will continue to widen. I urge Congress to ensure that older Americans continue to receive that dignity, independence, and connection for years to come.”

“Recent increases in the cost of inputs like fuel and fertilizer threaten the viability of our farms. A stable domestic food supply is central to food security, open space preservation and the strength of our rural economy. Food security is national security,” said Liz Thompson, Executive Director, New Jersey Farm Bureau (NJFB).

“Small Business Majority’s research found that 74% of small business owners say rising fuel and transportation costs have had an impact on their business. But unlike past challenges, such as the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, the problems caused for small business owners by high fuel prices resulted entirely from government policies. Fortunately, these harmful decisions can be reversed overnight – and even though that wouldn’t fix all the damage immediately, it’s a necessary start to restoring a level playing field for small businesses. But lawmakers must do more, because it’s simply not sustainable for entrepreneurs to get by only if they accept an ever shrinking bottom line or if they’re willing to raise prices on customers who are also stretched thin by high gas prices, inflation and other challenges. If federal policymakers don’t act soon to address broad cost of living challenges, it will be too late for Main Street,” said John Arensmeyer, President & CEO, Small Business Majority (SBM).

“It’s no secret that Americans are exhausted by rising prices, from gas to groceries to utilities to health care. It's far more than the rent that's too high. It's the cost of everything that makes a secure, fulfilling, middle-class life in America possible,” said Angela Hanks, Chief of Policy Programs at The Century Foundation. “Our research at The Century Foundation shows the extraordinary lengths to which working-class Americans are being squeezed. We did a recent poll that showed nearly a quarter of Americans had skipped a meal in the last year in order to make ends meet, and one in five have delayed or foregone medical care because it was too expensive. The thing about rising energy costs is that it makes everything else more expensive. No one is immune from the President's campaign to jack up energy prices on working families — he said it himself.”

As Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Heinrich has repeatedly pressed the Trump administration to reverse policies that raise energy costs for working families, including through hearings, oversight letters, roundtables, and direct engagement with Trump administration officials:

Last month, Heinrich hosted a roundtable with local small business owners, Roadrunner Food Bank, and Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, Corp. (WESST) to discuss how President Trump’s global tariffs and war with Iran are making gas, groceries, and everyday essentials more expensive for New Mexico families and businesses.

Heinrich also wrote to the CEOs of the six biggest U.S. airlines seeking information on the current economic conditions of the airline industry as President Trump’s war in Iran continues, requesting that the airlines detail their plan to address rising jet fuel costs, and whether companies will cap or reduce executive compensation to help offset rising costs.

For more information on Heinrich’s actions to hold President Trump accountable for his illegal, costly, and reckless war on Iran, click here.

For more information on Heinrich’s work to lower energy costs for New Mexico families, click here.

For more information on Heinrich’s work to combat President Trump’s tariffs and lower the cost of groceries and everyday essentials, click here.

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Lee Introduces Legislation to End Forced Administrative Litigation

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, alongside Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tom Cotton (R-AR), introduced the Free to Exit Administrative Tribunals Act (FEAT) Act, to give Americans and businesses the option to take certain disputes with the Department of the Interior directly to federal court.
The bill comes in response to the Supreme Court's 2024 decision in SEC v. Jarkesy, which held that many agency adjudications imposing civil penalties violate the Seventh Amendment's guarantee of a jury trial.

"Americans should not be forced to navigate administrative tribunals for years before they can have their day in court," said Chairman Lee. "The Supreme Court made clear in Jarkesy that the Constitution protects the right to a jury trial when the government seeks to impose penalties. This bill restores that right and gives citizens and businesses a faster path to justice."

“In Wyoming, decisions about grazing permits, mineral leases and energy projects can make or break a family operation, yet appeals are often stuck in agency tribunals for years," said Senator Lummis. "Our bill gives people the choice to bring their case before an independent federal judge from the start, rather than at the end of a long administrative road. Faster answers mean more certainty for the people who live and work on our public lands."

Under current law, many disputes before the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearings and Appeals must first proceed through administrative law judges and agency appeals boards before reaching federal court. That process can take years, even when judicial review is inevitable.

The FEAT Act allows parties involved in certain proceedings before the Department of the Interior to remove their cases directly to federal district court within 60 days of the action being initiated.

Background:

Allows applicants challenging Department of the Interior decisions regarding permits and approvals to remove their cases directly to federal district court.
Allows individuals and businesses facing Department-imposed sanctions or civil penalties to seek immediate review in federal court.
Provides access to a jury trial where constitutionally required.
Eliminates unnecessary delays and duplicative administrative proceedings by allowing parties to bypass agency tribunals and proceed directly to an independent court.

The legislation applies to proceedings adjudicated by the Departmental Cases Hearings Division and the Interior Board of Land Appeals within the Department of the Interior's Office of Hearings and Appeals.

One-pager | Bill text

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Heinrich on Colorado River Negotiations: “What We Cannot Afford is Delay. The Basin Needs Compromise, Shared Sacrifice, Investment, and Leadership, and it Needs Them Now”

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to conduct oversight of the Colorado River Basin, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), the Committee’s Ranking Member, questioned Andrea Travnicek, Assistant Secretary of Water and Science at the Department of the Interior (DOI), and Tom Kiernan, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Rivers, on the Trump administration's plan to address drought across the Colorado River Basin states, and solutions Congress can pass to help mitigate the West’s drought crisis.

VIDEO: Ranking Member Heinrich (D-N.M.) questions witnesses on the state of the Colorado River before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, June 10, 2026.

“The Colorado River is the backbone of water supply for millions of people, a cornerstone of Western agriculture and energy production, and a lifeline for tribal communities, fish, wildlife, and working landscapes across the basin in New Mexico. Every drop of water matters to our communities, our Tribes, our pueblos, our farms and ranches, and the rivers and wildlife that are important to us. To protect this resource, we need collaboration and solutions that benefit both people and ecosystems, and long-term investment grounded in today's hydrologic reality,” Heinrich began, emphasizing the importance the Colorado River has to New Mexico.

“Without a seven-state agreement, the consequences are clear: more litigation, unplanned water shortages, economic disruption, and heightened risk to communities least able to absorb it. Delay carries its own consequences, and the basin can no longer afford to wait. What we cannot afford is delay. The basin needs compromise, shared sacrifice, investment, and leadership, and it needs them now. And I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today.”

On Watershed Efforts in the Colorado River Basin

Heinrich asked Andrea Travnicek, Assistant Secretary of Water and Science at the DOI, about the Department’s watershed efforts in the management of the Colorado River Basin, “Talk to me a little bit in your remaining time about how the Department is incorporating watershed restoration, forest health, the wildfire resistance, [and] the productivity side of the equation, as you're looking at the overall water management in the basin?”

Travnicek answered, “Yeah, wildfire health, ecosystem health, all extremely important to the basin, and I think that's where you have seen, right, not only over the last several years, but just recently this year too, the importance of putting funding towards that. Also working collaboratively on that, we know what those impacts of wildfire might do to our reservoirs, so making sure that we are having those discussions, figuring out what those projects might look like on the ground will also be important moving forward. At the same time, looking for those opportunities on the hard infrastructure too. So, again, it's going to take that holistic approach.”

On Additional Funding to Combat Drought in the West

Heinrich continued his questioning, turning to Tom Kiernan, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Rivers, “Water users, Tribes, recreationists, agricultural producers, conservation groups don't always agree on Colorado River priorities, but I was struck by a letter that you sent the Chairman — that a number of groups sent the Chairman and myself and the Chair and Ranking Member over in the House — just because of how broad the signers on this are, we get a lot of these kind of letters, as you can imagine, in this Committee, but we don't usually get the diversity of interest calling on the Congress to fund roughly $2 billion a year in additional federal funding to address drought in the basin. I would ask unanimous consent to enter it into the record.”

U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chairman of the Committee, responded, “Without objection.”

Heinrich continued, “And to ask you [Kiernan] — how significant is this? And if we're able to produce this kind of funding in the Congress, how should we think about how to focus it, how to deal with the trade-offs, measure the efficiencies, and still recognize that Utah's approach to conservation, California's approach to conservation are going to be different?”

Kiernan answered, “Let me start with the letter. I think it's an exciting moment where the breadth of stakeholders throughout the basin, as you mentioned, whether it's from cattlemen to conservationists, water utility to ag, and everybody in between, came together, found common ground, built some trust, and is making to Congress and the administration a proposal. I think it's setting the stage for a coming together, and the proposal is for near-term drought mitigation of $2 billion. As you well know, and everybody has spoken to this, there is deep anxiety, uncertainty, stress in the watershed. $1.4 trillion economy, 40 million people counting on the Colorado River. That uncertainty is causing some of the challenge in reaching a durable long-term agreement that everybody says we need. So, the $2 billion for near-term drought mitigation is to help bridge across this uncertainty. Well, everybody's as anxious to be able to meet some of the near-term needs, so that we can create an environment to create a durable agreement. Now, this would go to a suite of activities, whether it's active forest management, forest restoration, floodplain connection, conservation, efficiency measures, a breadth of efforts, so that we can make some progress towards a more durable, resilient future.”

Heinrich followed, “I think historically it's been fairly intuitive for a lot of members, the investments in hard infrastructure and plumbing effectively in the basin, but talk a little bit about the importance and role of the forest, watersheds, flood plains in managing the current hydrology that we see.”

Kiernan answered, “First, let me say the built infrastructure, obviously extraordinarily important, but the natural infrastructure is also extraordinarily important. It is allowing, if you will, nature to work for us, and Mike alluded to this, when you've got wetlands or flood plains that are able to, I'll use a flood plain as example adjacent to river, the lowland that during higher water the water spreads out, slows down, sinks in, and is held there, and is then released throughout the summer in a very predictable way. So it's a natural storage system, so the natural systems work for us, help us in both retaining that water, releasing it in a measured way over time. They also, by being in the soil and obviously feeding some plant life, reduce just the straight-out evaporation. Some of the water also seeps down into the groundwater and comes back up lower in the basin, so again, this natural infrastructure is an extremely important tool in the toolbox, if you will. It's allowing nature to work for us, and so we would hope that the $2 billion part of it very much goes to this natural infrastructure that's so important, along with the built infrastructure, but the natural infrastructure is so important throughout the basin.”

Heinrich followed, “So I wrote down a few things that I heard several times today to try and come up with some, some principles, you know, we heard about the need for strong federal leadership and a willingness to make tough decisions, but for the basin states themselves: share of sacrifice, live within the actual hydrology of the basin today, and for us here, don't fund litigation, do fund conservation, and try to have some transparency, so we make good investments in that conservation. Is there anything in that sort of list that any of you disagree with? It's a good start.”

Mike Vickrey, a rancher from Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association, responded, “I think we need to really recognize that the upper basin, and even parts of the upper basin, are completely different than the lower basin, and they can't be managed the same. And when we try to put on a one size fits all, it is not going to work, and it will crush both systems fairly quickly. So, I would encourage you, as we look forward, and I think Andrea has done a great job of pushing that out there. Enjoy listening to her talk, and she's a strong leader there. So, I really would encourage that.”

Heinrich answered, “Point well taken.”

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VIDEO: Heinrich, Wyden Host Press Conference on Republicans’ Latest Effort to Repeal the Roadless Rule, Remove Protections for Millions of Acres of Public Lands

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Heinrich: “This is going to be one of the major conservation battles of this Congress”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), member of the U.S. Senate ENR Committee hosted a press conference on Republicans’ latest effort to repeal the Roadless Rule, which protects nearly 45 million acres of public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service. Heinrich and Wyden were joined by Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, and an architect of the Roadless Rule.

Yesterday, Republicans attached a last-minute amendment to U.S. Senator John Barrasso’s (R-Wyo.) previously bipartisan Wildfire Prevention Act to nullify the Roadless Rule. The amendment was approved on a party-line vote — 11-9 — sending the amended legislation to the full Senate.

VIDEO: U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate ENR Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), member of the U.S. Senate ENR Committee, host a press conference with Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited, on Republicans’ latest effort to repeal the Roadless Rule, June 11, 2026.

“This is probably the most flexible conservation tool that we have. The most responsive to being able to do vegetative and wildfire management. The most responsive in terms of protecting habitat. And yet we see this desire to just turn over our public lands to industry. And I think it's deeply concerning,” said Heinrich. “It should not be partisan. I think this is going to be one of the major conservation battles of this Congress. And I intend to be on the right side of history on this one.”

“Republicans have made it clear they will stop at nothing in their crusade to destroy Americans’ beloved public lands,” said Wyden. “This isn’t a red issue or a blue issue – no one is asking for the repeal of the roadless rule that protects 58 million acres of iconic national forests and outdoor spaces. Democrats are all in to ensure this Republican scheme is dead on arrival.”

“If you hunt and fish, roadless areas are the most valuable landscapes we have in America. One statistic that absolutely blew me away when we were developing the roadless rule: These lands represent 2 percent of the American landscape, and 25 percent of all of our threatened and endangered species find habitat in them. And don't forget that these landscapes are high elevation landscapes, very low timber values, very expensive to get up into, often with very erosive soils,” said Wood. “Records show that a lack of roads has not stopped fire prevention measures. Lack of roads in inventoried roadless areas has neither prevented fuel treatment nor led to substantially more fire. Today, 80 percent of all fires are started by people, and 80 percent of all fires are started within a half a mile of a road. The idea that we would overturn the roadless rule, it defies economic, ecological, and common sense.”

VIDEO: Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited and an architect of the Roadless Rule, on Republicans’ latest effort to repeal the Roadless Rule, June 11, 2026.

Last month, Heinrich joined a press conference opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to rescind the Roadless Rule and urging New Mexicans to speak out in defense of public lands. Highlighting the overwhelming public support for these protections, Heinrich noted that “99 percent of public comments supported protecting these areas.” Republicans on the Senate ENR Committee are comfortable ignoring those voices.

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Hearing to Conduct Oversight of the Colorado River Basin, including Post-2026 Operations Negotiations

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

The hearing will be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The purpose of the hearing is to conduct oversight of the Colorado River Basin, including its current hydrologic conditions and ongoing negotiations regarding post-2026 operations.

WITNESSES

Panel 1

The Honorable Andrea Travnicek

Assistant Secretary

Water and Science

United States Department of the Interior

Mr. David Palumbo

Deputy Commissioner of Operations

United States Bureau of Reclamation

Panel 2

Ms. Amy Haas

Executive Director

The Colorado River Authority of Utah

Mr. Mike Vickrey

Rancher

Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association

Mr. Tom Kiernan

President & Chief Executive Officer

American Rivers

Mr. Bill Hasencamp

Manager

Colorado River Resources

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Business Meeting to Consider Pending Legislation

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:30:00 +0000

The business meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., in Room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The purpose of the business meeting is to consider the legislation on the attached agenda.

The business meeting will be webcast live on the Committee’s website, and an archived video will be available shortly after the business meeting concludes.

AGENDA

LEGISLATION

1.	S. 140, to address the forest health crisis on the National Forest System and public lands, and for other purposes. (Mr. Barrasso).
2.	S. 332, to require a study on Holocaust education efforts of States, local educational agencies, and public elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes. (Ms. Rosen).
3.	S. 365/H.R. 1729, to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to allow for additional entities to be eligible to complete the maintenance work on Bolts Ditch and the Bolts Ditch Headgate within the Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado. (Mr. Bennet/Rep. Neguse).
4.	S. 764, to provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes. (Mr. Bennet).
5.	S. 789, to require reports on critical mineral and rare earth element resources around the world and a strategy for the development of advanced mining, refining, separation, and processing technologies, and for other purposes. (Mr. Cornyn).
6.	S. 791, to establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site in the State of Maryland as an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other purposes. (Mr. Van Hollen).
7.	S. 888, to designate certain land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service in the State of Oregon as wilderness and national recreation areas, to withdraw certain land located in Curry County and Josephine County, Oregon, from all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws, location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws, and for other purposes. (Mr. Wyden).
8.	S. 945, to amend the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to include certain additions to the Smith River National Recreation Area, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain wild rivers in the State of Oregon, and for other purposes. (Mr. Merkley).
9.	S. 1088/H.R. 2290, to provide that the memorial to commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked on the home front to support the efforts of the United States military during World War II may be located on the National Mall, and for other purposes. (Ms. Shaheen/Rep. Dingell).
10.	S. 1288, to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to designate as a component of the National Heritage Area System the Finger Lakes National Heritage Area in the State of New York, and for other purposes. (Mrs. Gillibrand).
11.	S. 1341, to amend the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 to add certain land to the Sarvis Creek Wilderness, and for other purposes. (Mr. Hickenlooper).
12.	S. 1349, to withdraw the National Forest System land in the Ruby Mountains subdistrict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the National Wildlife Refuge System land in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada, from operation under the mineral leasing laws. (Ms. Cortez Masto).
13.	S. 1413, to authorize additional funding for the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. (Mr. Padilla).
14.	S. 1476, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of the Gila River system in the State of New Mexico as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, to provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain Federal land in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes. (Mr. Heinrich).
15.	S. 1547, to amend title 54, United States Code, to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, and for other purposes. (Mr. Daines).
16.	S. 1737, to designate and expand wilderness areas in Olympic National Forest in the State of Washington, and to designate certain rivers in Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park as wild and scenic rivers, and for other purposes. (Ms. Murray).
17.	S. 1870, to adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, and for other purposes. (Mr. Schiff).
18.	S. 2437/H.R. 3857, to amend the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act to reauthorize the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program, and for other purposes. (Mr. Hickenlooper/Rep. Hurd).
19.	S. 2753, to amend the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to authorize certain extraordinary operation and maintenance work for urban canals of concern. (Mr. Risch).
20.	S. 3500/H.R. 3657, to amend the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to Congress a report on the status of ongoing hydropower relicensing applications. (Ms. Cortez Masto/Rep. Schrier) .
21.	S. 3518, to amend the Federal Power Act to address certain alterations in, and the maintenance and repair of, project works, to provide for the licensing of micro hydrokinetic energy projects, and for other purposes. (Ms. Murkowski).
22.	S. 3526, to provide for the protection of and investment in certain Federal land in the State of California, and for other purposes. (Mr. Padilla).
23.	S. 3693, to extend the authorization for a large-scale water recycling and reuse grant program. (Ms. Cortez Masto).
24.	S. 3723, to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water from the Missouri River to the Western Dakota Regional Water System, and for other purposes. (Mr. Thune).
25.	S. 3732, to amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to authorize assistance under the storage program, and for other purposes. (Mr. Gallego).
26.	S. 3736, to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water to the Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System service area in the States of South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota, and for other purposes. (Mr. Rounds).
27.	S. 3743, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a feasibility study on a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam, and for other purposes. (Mr. Lee).
28.	S. 3792, to provide for the establishment of a Water Project Navigators Program, and for other purposes. (Mr. Hickenlooper).
29.	S. 3878, to establish the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and Jefferson College as affiliated areas of the National Park System, and for other purposes. (Mrs. Hyde-Smith).
30.	S. 4040, to amend Public Law 89–108 to modify the authorization of appropriations for State and Tribal, municipal, rural, and industrial water supplies, and for other purposes. (Mr. Hoeven).
31.	HR. 249, to redesignate certain facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Rep. Pallone).
32.	HR. 3872, to amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals. (Rep. Fallon).
33.	HR. 3937, to provide for the conveyance of certain Federal land in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, and for other purposes. (Rep. Tiffany).

Heinrich Calls for Consideration of Conservation Bills, Bipartisan Cooperation on ENR Legislation

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON — During a business meeting on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to consider pending legislation, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Committee, criticized Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) for continuing to advance Republican priorities while leaving bipartisan and Democratic conservation, public lands, and other bills off the Committee’s vote list.

VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks at a hearing to consider pending legislation before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, June 10, 2026.

“While I am always glad to see good legislation move through this committee, I am disappointed we have yet another business meeting where we are considering zero conservation bills,” Heinrich began. “My colleagues on the Democratic side of the dais have a long and growing list of priorities that continue to be left off the list of bills to be considered by the committee, many of which have received bipartisan support in this committee in the past.”

Heinrich highlighted several measures that have previously advanced through the Committee with bipartisan support but were once again denied votes, including the U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-Ore.) Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) Ruby Mountains Protection Act, and Heinrich’s own M.H Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. “For instance, the Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act has been reported three times, always with bipartisan support, but has been left off the final list of bills that will receive votes yet again. My own Gila River bill has been reported twice, with bipartisan support, but will not receive a vote today,” Heinrich continued, listing Democratic-led bills that are on the agenda, but won’t be voted on today.

“In fact, Senators Padilla and Hoeven each cosponsored the other’s bill in the pair to demonstrate the tie between the two. But today, we will only have a vote on Senator Hoeven’s bill, and Senator Padilla’s bill will be left behind,” Heinrich continued, referencing U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s (D-Calif.) San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act.

After highlighting U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen’s (D-Md.) Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site Establishment Act, Heinrich said, “In fact, we have another “affiliated area” bill that will be voted on today. It’s a bill to establish the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and Jefferson College as affiliated areas of the National Park System. I have no objection to Senator Hyde Smith’s legislation, and I plan to vote for it, but I am extremely disappointed we will not have an opportunity to vote on similar legislation from Senator Van Hollen.”

Heinrich concluded by emphasizing that the Committee has limited legislative time remaining this Congress and urged members to return to the bipartisan cooperation that has historically made the Energy and Natural Resources Committee one of the Senate’s most productive committees.

“We have very few weeks of legislative business left in this Congress. I know that Senators on my side of the aisle desperately want to see their priority bills move forward, and that’s the point... I hope that we will take the opportunity to seek collaboration and compromise, so that we can move some of these bills forward,” Heinrich concluded.

A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.

A transcript of Heinrich’s remarks as delivered is below:

While I am always glad to see good legislation move through this committee, I am disappointed we have yet another business meeting where we are considering zero conservation bills that are priorities for my members.

My colleagues on the Democratic side of the dais have a long and growing list of priorities that continue to be left off the list of bills to be voted on by the committee, many of which have received bipartisan support in this committee in the past.

For instance, the Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act has been reported three times, always with bipartisan support, but has been left off the list of final bills that will receive votes yet again.

My own Gila River bill has been reported twice, with bipartisan support, but will not receive a vote today.

The Ruby Mountains Protection Act from Senator Cortez Masto, also reported by this committee in three previous Congresses with bipartisan support and will not receive a vote today.

S. 1413, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act Funding Authorization, sponsored by Senator Padilla, moved last Congress as part of a bipartisan pair with S. 4040, the Dakota Water Resources Act Amendments, sponsored by Senator Hoeven.

In fact, Senators Padilla and Hoeven each cosponsored the other’s bill in the pair to demonstrate the tie between the two.

But today, we will only have a vote on Senator Hoeven’s bill, and Senator Padilla’s bill will be left behind.

I am also disappointed that some newer bills put forth by Democratic Senators will not receive consideration today.

S. 791, sponsored by Senator Van Hollen, would establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall School as an affiliated area of the National Park System.

The future Supreme Court Justice received his elementary education at this segregated school, and then grew up to argue the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case before the Supreme Court that required American schools to desegregate.

Senator Van Hollen’s bill would not make this site a new National Park System unit; it would simply allow the site to be named an “affiliated area” of the National Park System and to be eligible for technical assistance from the Park Service.

The non-profit organization that manages the site today would continue to own, operate, and manage it. This isn’t a question of adding new NPS units to the system; it’s simply a bill to allow for coordination and support for a site that commemorates one of the most significant civil rights leaders of the last hundred years.

In fact, we have another “affiliated area” bill that will be voted on today. It’s a bill to establish the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and Jefferson College as affiliated areas of the National Park System.

I have no objection to Senator Hyde Smith’s legislation, and I plan to vote for it, but I am extremely disappointed that we will not have an opportunity to vote on similar legislation from Senator Van Hollen.

We have very few weeks of legislative business left in this Congress.

I know that Senators on my side of the aisle desperately want to see their priority bills move forward, and that’s the point.

This is not about controversial or noncontroversial.

It's about being responsive to what members' priorities actually are.

I hope that we will take the opportunity to seek collaboration and compromise, so that we can move some of these bills forward.

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Heinrich Leads Letter Urging Secretary Wright to Reverse Course on Illegal Guidance for the Home Energy Rebate Program, Allow Working Families the Freedom to Purchase Energy Appliances That Lower Their Utility Bills

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, led ten Senate Democrats in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright opposing DOE’s new High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate (HEEHR) program guidance.

The home energy rebate program is based on Heinrich’s Zero-Emission Homes Act, which he authored in 2021 and fought for the inclusion of in the Inflation Reduction Act. The program, as Heinrich intended, would help families with the upfront costs of high-efficiency electric home appliances, delivering lower costs for New Mexico families, making homes healthier and more comfortable, and giving more people the freedom to choose the appliances that work for them.

By prohibiting families from using the program to update their gas appliances with electric appliances, DOE’s guidance reflects the exact opposite of Congress’ intent in creating the program.

“We write to express strong opposition to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) new High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate (HEEHR) program guidance. Congress authorized and provided $4.28 billion to the HEEHR program to ensure that Americans could purchase more efficient appliances and install home upgrades. This voluntary program saves households around $1,000 annually on their energy bills. Because unlike one-time payments, efficiency upgrades provide relief for decades, locking in long-term, predictable savings for American families,” Heinrich and his colleagues began.

“The Department’s guidance released earlier this month prohibits families from using the program to update their gas appliances with electric appliances,” the senators noted. “The statute explicitly states that rebates can be used ‘to replace a nonelectric appliance.’ DOE does not have the authority to rewrite the statute through guidance. At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, this Administration should be focused on making energy affordable – not hamstringing one of the few programs that puts money directly in families’ pockets.”

“The Department’s recently released guidance will halt HEEHR programs already operating in 12 states as state energy offices race to comply, and delay approval for dozens of states that have been ready to launch since the beginning of this Administration,” the senators continued.

The lawmakers concluded the letter urging Secretary Wright to reverse course and “implement the program as Congress intended.”

The letter is led by Heinrich and signed by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mazie Hirono, (D- Hawaii), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

In 2024, Heinrich celebrated the launch of the home energy rebate program he authored and fought to secure in the Inflation Reduction Act. At the time, New Mexico was the third state in the nation to launch the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) portion of the rebate program – and the first to do so at the point-of-sale in retail stores. In New Mexico, the program offers eligible households up to $14,000 to help with the purchase of clean and efficient home appliances, including up to $8,000 for heat pumps, $1,750 for a heat pump water heater, and $4,000 for panel/service upgrades.

In July 2023, Heinrich welcomed the U.S. Department of Energy’s announced guidance for State and Territorial Energy Offices on the implementation of the Home Energy Rebates Programs. In December 2022, Heinrich announced that $87,742,040 will be available to the State of New Mexico and Tribes in the state to establish the Home Energy Rebates Program, which also includes the Home Efficiency Rebates Program that allows States, Territories, and Tribes to create rebates to help reduce the upfront cost of whole-home energy efficiency upgrades in both single-family and multi-family homes.

Read the full letter here and below:

Secretary Wright:

We write to express strong opposition to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) new High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate (HEEHR) program guidance. Congress authorized and provided $4.28 billion to the HEEHR program to ensure that Americans could purchase more efficient appliances and install home upgrades. This voluntary program saves households around $1,000 annually on their energy bills. Because unlike one-time payments, efficiency upgrades provide relief for decades, locking in long term, predicable savings for American families.

The Department’s guidance released earlier this month prohibits families from using the program to update their gas appliances with electric appliances. This not only eliminates consumer choice, but goes against Congressional intent and the letter of the law. The statute explicitly states that rebates can be used "to replace a nonelectric appliance.” DOE does not have the authority to rewrite the statute through guidance. At a time when energy prices are skyrocketing, this Administration should be focused on making energy affordable -- not hamstringing one of the few programs that puts money directly in families’ pockets.

The Department’s recently released guidance will halt HEEHR programs already operating in 12 states as state energy offices race to comply, and delay approval for dozens of states that have been ready to launch since the beginning of this Administration. Rather than clearing this backlog and getting funding out the door, DOE has issued illegal restrictions that will reduce consumer choice and delay much needed resources.

We urge you to immediately reverse course and implement the HEEHR program as Congress intended.

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Heinrich Raises Questions on Potential Ethics Violations by Senior Official at Department of the Interior

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Burgum requesting a briefing from the Department’s Designated Ethics Official (DAO) regarding actions of Karen Budd-Falen, the Department’s Associate Deputy Secretary, that raise serious concerns about her compliance with federal ethics laws and standards.

“I am writing to express deep concern regarding reports that a senior official at the Department of the Interior (DOI or Department) may be involved in matters that present a conflict of interest,” Heinrich began in a letter to Burgum. “On April 29, 2026, you testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources regarding the President’s 2027 Budget Request. Following the hearing, in questions for the record, I asked you about reports that Karen Budd-Falen, the Department’s Associate Deputy Secretary, failed to previously disclose critical information in her financial disclosure report and recently received a partial ethics waiver permitting her to work on matters that could benefit her family.”

According to The Washington Post, in an interview conducted with Senator Lummis in December 2025 as part of a Congressional Western Caucus event, Ms. Budd-Falen appears to suggest that she has been involved in working on policy matters related to grazing – benefiting her immediate family.

Ms. Budd-Falen statements appears to have come months before she received a waiver from the Department. In late March, Politico reported that the Department issued Ms. Budd-Falen a section 208 waiver on March 11, 2026. Under the limited waiver, Ms. Budd-Falen is permitted to work on “certain particular matters of general applicability, including, but not limited to, particular matters of general applicability involving grazing leases or permits pending at the Department.”

This recent news comes on the heels of earlier reporting that Ms. Budd-Falen previously omitted disclosing critical information in her financial disclosure reports while serving in the first Trump Administration. In January 2026, The New York Times reported that Ms. Budd-Falen omitted disclosing her family’s financial interest associated with a lithium mine approved by DOI. “Ms. Budd-Falen’s statement and actions raise significant questions about her compliance with federal ethics laws and standards. Public officials have an obligation to put the public’s interest ahead of their own. Allegations of conflicts of interest should be handled with the extreme care and seriousness they deserve,” Heinrich continued, further requesting a briefing to the Committee from the Department’s Designated Ethics Official (DAO) to address his serious concerns.

Read the full letter here and below.

Secretary Burgum:

I am writing to express deep concern regarding reports that a senior official at the Department of the Interior (DOI or Department) may be involved in matters that present a conflict of interest.

On April 29, 2026, you testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources regarding the President’s 2027 Budget Request.1 Following the hearing, in questions for the record, I asked you about reports that Karen Budd-Falen, the Department’s Associate Deputy Secretary, failed to previously disclose critical information in her financial disclosure report and recently received a partial ethics waiver permitting her to work on matters that could benefit her family. Since submitting these questions, The Washington Post has reported that Ms. Budd-Falen has been involved in changes to policies that may benefit ranching businesses like her own family’s business.

According to The Washington Post, in an interview conducted with Senator Lummis in December 20253 as part of a Congressional Western Caucus event, Ms. Budd-Falen appears to suggest that she has been involved in working on policy matters related to grazing – benefiting her immediate family. At the event, Ms. Budd-Falen stated:

“We added some categorical exclusions so that if you have places like in northern Nevada where my father-in-law's place is, I mean, it's lots of cheat grass and you got to graze that cheat grass at the right time of year. And so when we added categorical exclusion so you can move cattle in there temporarily, get some of this grass grazed off, that'll also really help the wildfire situation.”

Ms. Budd-Falen statements at the event suggesting she worked on matters involving grazing policy appears to have come months before she received a waiver from the Department. In late March, Politico reported that the Department issued Ms. Budd-Falen a section 208 waiver on March 11, 2026. Under the limited waiver, Ms. Budd-Falen is permitted to work on “certain particular matters of general applicability, including, but not limited to, particular matters of general applicability involving grazing leases or permits pending at the Department.”

This recent news comes on the heels of earlier reporting that Ms. Budd-Falen previously omitted disclosing critical information in her financial disclosure reports while serving in the first Trump Administration. In January 2026, The New York Times reported that Ms. Budd-Falen omitted disclosing her family’s financial interest associated with a lithium mine approved by DOI. In 2018, Ms. Budd-Falen’s husband signed an agreement to sell water rights from a family ranch to Lithium Nevada Corporation, a subsidiary of Lithium Americas, for $3.5 million. Weeks prior to the sale, Ms. Budd-Falen received a waiver that allowed her family to retain a financial interest in the ranch. In November 2019, a year after her husband signed the water rights agreement, Ms. Budd-Falen met with Lithium America executives at DOI. At the time of this meeting, Lithium Nevada Corporation had pending business before DOI. Ms. Budd-Falen reportedly omitted reporting the sale on four successive financial disclosure reporting forms.

Ms. Budd-Falen’s statement and actions raise significant questions about her compliance with federal ethics laws and standards. Public officials have an obligation to put the public’s interest ahead of their own. Allegations of conflicts of interest should be handled with the extreme care and seriousness they deserve. For these reasons and to better understand Ms. Budd-Falen’s compliance with federal ethics laws and standards, I request that you make the Department’s Designated Ethics Official (DAO) available to brief the Committee by June 22, 2026.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Should you have any questions about this request, please contact my staff at (202) 224-4971.

Sincerely,

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