By Kevin Wilson: Freedom Newspapers Jeff Bingaman is serving his fifth term in Congress and is chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Following Tuesday’s Senate field hearing at Clovis-Carver Public Library, he answered a few questions for Freedom Newspapers. Q:You came to Clovis for the field hearing regarding the Ute Water Project. […]
Renewable aspect of House energy bill unrealistic
August 14, 2007
By Freedom Newspapers August is one of our favorite months. Congress is on annual recess. Washington’s sausage-making machinery is idle. No new laws are being cranked out. The republic is temporarily safe from congressional meddling. The problem with August is that September follows. Sooner or later, Congress will reconvene, and take up the legislation left […]
Elitist tendencies surface during Texas session
June 13, 2007
By Freedom Newspapers The 80th Texas Legislature, which ended earlier this month, might have seemed to many people to be one of the longest 140 days in recent memory. State leaders made their standard public appearances to pat themselves on the back and claim the session a success, but the general feeling was a relief […]
Congress licking chops over pork
May 2, 2007
By Freedom Newspapers Congressional Democrats did an admirable job of purging pork barrel projects — also called earmarks — from spending bills that were left unfinished when Republicans were ousted from power last fall. They had to do something, given all their campaign rhetoric about those fiscally feckless Republicans. But whether they can for long […]
Writer remembers past city cashier
March 30, 2007
By Don McAlavy: Local Columnist Back in 1989 a tribute by CNJ staff writer Todd S. Bergmann was printed in the Clovis News Journal about Bert Cabiness, who they called the city cashier. That tribute has been edited and follows. While most people do not enjoy parting with their money, they enjoyed meeting Bert Cabiness. […]
Representatives should proudly display stance
March 14, 2007
By Freedom Newspapers Should Texans know how their legislators vote on all major items? The answer should be obvious. How else would Texas residents know whether legislators are properly representing their interests? But some people surely will be surprised to find that Texas lawmakers don’t record all votes, and they like it that way. Six […]
Legislature passes halfway point
February 25, 2007
By Karl Terry: Freedom Newspapers With the 60-day session of the 2007 New Mexico Legislature just past the midway point, local legislators say the pot’s just beginning to boil at the Roundhouse. “Right now we’re in the middle of a lot of things,” Sen. Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, said. “This is where it really gets busy.” […]
Legislator: No surprises in session so far
January 24, 2007
By Karl Terry: Freedom Newspapers Editor’s note: As a check on the mood and focus of the 2007 New Mexico State Legislature after its first week, Freedom Newspapers conducted an interview with District 42 Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs. Kernan represents Roosevelt and Curry counties. Q. What has the overall mood of this Legislature been so […]
Bills slated for first 100 hours of House better left undone
January 6, 2007
By Freedom Newspapers Perhaps the worst aspect of new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s promise to pass a passel of poll-tested bills during the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress is that the exercise will not be over after 100 hours as ordinary mortals count them. The countdown doesn’t begin, as Democrats calculate matters, until […]
Killing unnecessary kilowatts a quality of life issue
July 28, 2006
Janet-Taylor Birkey One of the “bennies” of living in base housing is that Airmen don’t see utility bills in their mailbox or deduct them from their bank accounts. So why should Airmen care what it costs to cool, heat and light their homes? Why should Cannon’s annual $6.2 million utility bill even faze them? Simply […]
Bills would benefit ENMU
July 22, 2006
Freedom Newspapers A series of bills, including two proposed by U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) that will provide a total of $1.385 million in federal educational funding to Eastern New Mexico University, was approved by a U.S. Senate Committee on Thursday, according to a news release from Domenici’s office. The Senate Appropriations Committee, of which […]
GOP sinking in fiscal woes sends an SOS
June 29, 2006
Freedom Newspapers I t may be too late for Republicans to restore their lost luster as the party of fiscal responsibility, at least in time to prevent a drubbing in the coming elections. But at least some of them are trying. A few senators are pushing the SOS bill, the Stop Overspending Act of 2006, […]
Deployment readiness more than training, TDY paperwork
March 31, 2006
Master Sgt. Robert Sobush We talk all the time about military readiness and the ability to deploy. We talk of how we need to be ready at a moment’s notice. With Aerospace Expeditionary Force 3/4 ramp up beginning at Cannon I would like you to stop, think and ask yourself if you are ready. Readiness […]
Small steps may help, but won’t put stop to pork
March 8, 2006
Freedom Newspapers There’s a serious flaw in the thinking of reformers who believe congressional pork-barrel spending can be curbed by forcing members to attach their names to the pet projects (or “earmarks”) they slip into appropriations bills, in circumvention of the normal budget procedures. They hope bringing more transparency and accountability to the process will […]
Lawmakers approve funding for new 9th District judge
February 16, 2006
Staff and wire reports The 9th Judicial District may soon have a new judge and the District Attorney’s office may add a prosecutor. Lawmakers gave final approval to a bill Wednesday that would allocate $2.2 million for seven new district judges throughout the state, according to The Associated Press. The new 9th Judicial District judge […]
House, Senate pass bill to aid uninsured
February 8, 2006
The Associated Press SANTA FE — The state Human Services Department would set up a program to help buy health insurance for children of the working poor under legislation endorsed by both the House and the Senate on Tuesday. The bills are backed by the Richardson administration as one way to tackle the problem of […]
Water project could get boost from Legislature
January 30, 2006
By Tony Parra: Freedom Newspapers House bills beneficial to the Ute Water Pipeline Project are immersed in the many bills requesting money from the New Mexico legislative session. Both Portales Mayor Orlando Ortega and Scott Verhines, Ute Pipeline Project manager, have been giving testimony during the legislative session in support of bills affecting the project. […]
