U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks at a hearing to consider pending legislation before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, June 10, 2026. Courtesy photo

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a business meeting on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to consider pending legislation, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Committee, criticized Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) for continuing to advance Republican priorities while leaving bipartisan and Democratic conservation, public lands, and other bills off the Committee’s vote list.

“While I am always glad to see good legislation move through this committee, I am disappointed we have yet another business meeting where we are considering zero conservation bills,” Heinrich began. “My colleagues on the Democratic side of the dais have a long and growing list of priorities that continue to be left off the list of bills to be considered by the committee, many of which have received bipartisan support in this committee in the past.”

Heinrich highlighted several measures that have previously advanced through the Committee with bipartisan support but were once again denied votes, including the U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-Ore.) Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) Ruby Mountains Protection Act, and Heinrich’s own M.H Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. “For instance, the Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act has been reported three times, always with bipartisan support, but has been left off the final list of bills that will receive votes yet again. My own Gila River bill has been reported twice, with bipartisan support, but will not receive a vote today,” Heinrich continued, listing Democratic-led bills that are on the agenda, but won’t be voted on today.  

“In fact, Senators Padilla and Hoeven each cosponsored the other’s bill in the pair to demonstrate the tie between the two. But today, we will only have a vote on Senator Hoeven’s bill, and Senator Padilla’s bill will be left behind,” Heinrich continued, referencing U.S. Senator Alex Padilla’s (D-Calif.) San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. 

After highlighting U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen’s (D-Md.)  Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site Establishment Act, Heinrich said, “In fact, we have another “affiliated area” bill that will be voted on today. It’s a bill to establish the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians and Jefferson College as affiliated areas of the National Park System. I have no objection to Senator Hyde Smith’s legislation, and I plan to vote for it, but I am extremely disappointed we will not have an opportunity to vote on similar legislation from Senator Van Hollen.”

Heinrich concluded by emphasizing that the Committee has limited legislative time remaining this Congress and urged members to return to the bipartisan cooperation that has historically made the Energy and Natural Resources Committee one of the Senate’s most productive committees.

“We have very few weeks of legislative business left in this Congress. I know that Senators on my side of the aisle desperately want to see their priority bills move forward, and that’s the point… I hope that we will take the opportunity to seek collaboration and compromise, so that we can move some of these bills forward,” Heinrich concluded. 

A video of Heinrich’s opening remarks is here.