WASHINGTON -U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., today released the following statement marking 100 days since President Barack Obama took office.
"The Obama Administration and the 111th Congress have hit the ground running. We have begun making unprecedented investments in alternative sources of energy and conservation. On health care, we have begun the effort to cover every American man, woman and child. We have made significant progress to create or save millions of jobs across the country. And with today's budget resolution, we are on a path to reverse eight years of fiscal irresponsibility by cutting the federal deficit in half in four years.
"The problems created by the previous eight years of mismanagement and neglect cannot be solved in 100 days. But this president and this Congress are in it for the long haul. President Obama has laid out plans that are bold enough to address the massive challenges we face and turn them into the opportunities they represent. Our task now is to make those plans a reality."
IMPACT OF FIRST 100 DAYS ECONOMIC POLICIES ON NEW MEXICO
Working Families:
· The Making Work Pay Tax Cut - which covers more Americans than any in history - is putting more than $400 million back in the pockets of more than 700,000 hard-working New Mexico families.
· $17,816,534 to support child care for working families.
Energy:
· $20,608,300 in block grants to foster energy efficiency in building, transportation, and a wide range of other improvements.
· $26,855,604 to support the weatherization of homes, including adding more insulation, sealing leaks and modernizing heating and air conditioning equipment.
· $31,821,000 to the State Energy Program, available for rebates to consumers for energy saving improvements; development of renewable energy projects; promotion of Energy Star products; efficiency upgrades for state and local government buildings; and other innovative state efforts to help save families money on their energy bills.
Education:
· 537,047,803 dollars potentially available to New Mexico to lay the foundation for a generation of education reform and help save thousands of teaching jobs at risk due to state and local budget cuts.
Health Care:
· $4,945,441 to expand services at 15 existing Community Health Centers, which will expand service to an additional 25,058 patients and create or save a projected 81 jobs.
· $601,480 to provide meals to low-income seniors.
· $95,239,707 made available in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to protect health care for the families hit hard by the economic crisis and some of the nation's most vulnerable citizens.
· $1,089,701 in vaccines and grants to ensure more underserved Americans receive the vaccines they need.
Transportation:
· $252,644,377 in highway funds to help build and repair roads and bridges.
· $27,749,995 to repair and build public transportation infrastructure.
Law Enforcement:
· More than $18.3 million for state and local law enforcement assistance available through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives.
