Tom Udall

I have never seen the amount of momentum and progress that we have made in the last several years.

New Mexicans in the majority rejected S.1689 despite Bingaman and Udall's claims otherwise.

I think safety is the key here and I am going to want to hear from each of you as to how you believe we should move forward on the safety issue.

Yes, and I think that statement is very true, your last statement.

And so really what you are saying is that there are other avenues, though.

Shifting direction back to Mark Van Norman and Mr. Stevens on this issue of opening IGRA up...

I think the fact that you are going out in advance before doing regulations and consulting and spending the time with them and giving them notice, I think that really makes a difference.

How has that effort been going? Have you been successful? Where do you need to do more work?

I am encouraged to hear that Chairwoman Stevens' focus on conducting meaningful government-to-government consultation with Tribes has continued throughout the last year since her appointment.

It is important that Tribal sovereignty is respected and maintained while the existing laws and regulations are implemented.

The regulation of Indian Gaming is an important and difficult issue.

Every American should be protected under an all-offender interlock law.

We urge you to include the ROADS SAFE Act ... in the NHTSA Transportation Reauthorization bill.

Advocates supports legislation introduced by Senator Udall (D-NM), the Research of Alcohol Detection Systems for Stopping Alcohol-related Fatalities Everywhere (ROADS SAFE) Act, S. 510.

Well, we know they are very effective in New Mexico and I look forward to answering questions, and hope you answer questions from other states to see that they proliferate.

In New Mexico, we found that ignition interlocks have been key to reducing drunk driving on our roads.

I think that it is very promising what you say. And as we know, every new development and every step we make forward, we save lives.

Sometimes the worst is the flooding afterwards, especially when you get intense heat of these crown fires

As the Chairman knows, my state of New Mexico has experienced an unprecedented fire season this year, after months and months without rain.

I again urge you to lend immediate attention to the efforts proposed by the BAER Teams in New Mexico.

The largest fire in New Mexico's history, the Las Conchas fire, still burning and after almost a month is only 80 percent contained.

The U.S. Forest Service calls this the driest year in 117 years.

Now, as the New Mexico monsoon season begins, flooding, debris flows, and mud slides are threatening communities below the burn watersheds.

We may have something to learn from how the Europeans who are embracing this challenge.

Natural gas has not been given the attention, geopolitically frankly, in our Department of State as we form our foreign policy.