Tom Udall

The work of the IRS is critically important, though often thankless, to the functioning of our Government.

As a member of this subcommittee and the Senate, I will continue my efforts to do all I can to be a part of the approach to balance the budget and rein in spending.

We must work to promote sustainable economic growth.

We do need to repeal costly mandates, lower taxes, increase regulatory transparency and accountability.

I think that spending to grow the economy is something that would leave us stronger and leave our economy stronger.

In every community across New Mexico, I hear the same concerns: Jobs are hard to come by and businesses are struggling to stay open.

Thank you for your very nice comments about Senator Lautenberg. We all hope that he returns very, very soon.

The relationship between our two countries is going to need continued work in the challenging years ahead, and I believe Ambassador Brewster will be the right person for that job.

These are three very well-qualified nominees, and these are three countries that are very important to the United States of America.

I have worked over the years to try to help that poor nation of Haiti with many, many issues, including poverty and water and the devastating deforestation.

I would continue to support those efforts.

Democratic transitions are notoriously difficult, and political progress is organic, not linear.

Two years on, the euphoria that accompanied the uprising of the Libyan people and the fall of Colonel Qadafi and his brutal dictatorship has been replaced by a sober recognition of the enormity and the depth of the challenges facing…

Political progress is organic, not linear.

I am grateful to the President and the Secretary for their confidence and their trust in nominating me to serve as Ambassador to Libya.

These groups have attempted to use coercion and intimidation to exact legislative changes, such as the recently passed political isolation law.

The President has wisely chosen an individual of great experience, expertise, and commitment.

A peaceful and democratic Libya is important for regional stability.

The Libyan people are still struggling to remake their country after years of despotic leadership.

I'm very concerned, however, that the President's fiscal year 2014 budget request for hazardous fuels reduction for the Office of Wildland Fire is reduced by $88.9 million.

I applaud the President and your Department for making full funding of the 10-year suppression average a priority.

I'm working with Senators from other mineral revenue-generating States to formulate legislation that would address this issue.

These State royalties are part of the bargain between Western States and the Federal Government, which owns so much land within our States.

There's no question that the sequester, where we run the risk of removing the fuels removal budget to go into suppression, is not the best way to operate our public lands.

We're going to look at making sure you don't even get your hands on them at all so that we don't get in this kind of situation.