Twice, New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich brought the proposition to the people of Donna Ana County and the people rejected the idea.

Thank you very much, Madam President, and I thank my colleague from the Foreign Relations Committee for a very good speech on a critical issue that our Nation faces right now. On July 16, 1945, the first atomic bomb was exploded at the…

We urge Congress to continue to fund the Native American CDFI Assistance Initiative program at the $15 million level.

We would like to recognize Senator Tom Udall from New Mexico for his strong support of Native CDFIs.

We encourage Congress to make the waiver for the loan Federal match requirement permit for the NACA financial institution assistance program.

We appreciate his efforts as well as the support from you, Chairman Tester, Senator Tim Johnson from South Dakota.

I continue to hear from young farmers and ranchers that it is not enough, that the application process for loans and support is arduous at best.

I can do a loan, and I can get prescreened at my bank.

We expect that 1/2 of those 65 and older farmers to retire over the next decade.

We have in New Mexico, which I am sure you are aware, the highest percentage of older farmers and ranchers who are age 65 and up, at 37 percent.

I have a deep appreciation for the national security implications of natural gas exports.

We've seen that movie before. It wasn't the first time Russia has held its natural gas supply over Ukraine's head.

To me, natural gas exports would be a form of a positive sanction that has real benefits to our economy.

I introduced a piece of legislation yesterday that I mentioned earlier along with the Chairwoman.

Mr. President, for the first time in our Nation's history the total amount of student loan debt has exceeded the total amount of credit card debt. This very real problem weighs heavily on families in my home State of New Mexico. Last year…

I have not received satisfactory, timely, timely responses. I need you to get back to me.

Do you think this severe, and let me just repeat that, the severe understaffing issues, like in Albuquerque, do you think they are acceptable?

I am very grateful and thank you for your attention to this particular problem.