For Immediate Release Tuesday, September 13, 2011 Contact: 505-986-4702
Senator Who Bleeds “Red, White and Blue” Voted with Unanimous Senate in Recognizing War Heroes- One in Particular
Senator Bill Burt (R-Alamogordo Dist. 40) greets Lorella Tapia of Bernalillo after Senate unanimously passes a Joint Memorial honoring her son SFC Leroy Petry who has recently earned the national Medal of Honor.
Santa Fe—New Mexico State Senator Bill Burt of Alamogordo who said on the Senate Floor today that he is so patriotic that he “ bleeds red, white and blue” voted with the unanimous Senate in passing a Senate Joint Memorial declaring Sunday, September 11, 2001 as “United States Army Ranger Sergeant First Class Leroy A. Petry Day at the Legislature.”
Sgt. 1st Class Petry who is native New Mexican and who is originally from Santa Fe, received the Medal of Honor from the President at the White House on July 9, 2011 for his heroic actions on May 26, 2008 when his unit was pinned down by heavy enemy fire during a rare Army Ranger daytime raid in Afghanistan. Sgt. 1st Class Petry was already shot and wounded in both legs when he tossed away from harming his unit an enemy grenade that detonated in his hand as he released it, blowing off his right hand.
While Sgt. 1st Class Petry was in Washington, D.C. today, members of his family including his mother Lorella Tapia of Bernalillo, New Mexico were present in the State Senate when the Senate Joint Memorial 2 passed 30 to 0.
Senator Burt acknowledge the sacrifice Petry’s family has made and he addressed the sacrifice the families of all U.S. military men and women. He also said on the Senate floor today that all fighting American men and women are heroes.
“I am proud to thank a true hero today and thank Sgt. Petry for his valor. I know that all the men and women who go off to war are also true heroes. They are the backbone of American and we are all grateful for their service,” Senator Burt said.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Senator Bill Sharer
For Immediate Release Friday, September 9, 2011 Contact: 505-986-4702
September 11th Declared US Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry Day in the State Senate
Santa Fe--The New Mexico State Senate today passed a Senate Memorial declaring Sunday, September 11, 2001 as “United States Army Ranger First Class Leroy A. Petry Day at the Senate.”
Sgt. 1st Class Petry, who is originally from Santa Fe, received the medal of honor from the President at the White House on July 9, 2011 for his heroic actions on May 26, 2008 when his unit was pinned down by heavy enemy fire during a rare Army Ranger daytime raid in Afghanistan. Sgt. 1st Class Petry was already shot and wounded in both legs when he tossed away from harming his unit an enemy grenade that detonated in his hand as he released it, blowing off his right hand.
Senator Bill Sharer of Farmington, who is a former U.S. Army Ranger - said on the Senate floor today that Sgt.1st Class Petry is living up to its motto.
‘The Army Ranger motto originated in World War II after a colonel ordered the 5th Ranger Battalion to get all soldiers off Normandy Beach and commanded “Rangers Lead the Way.” That became the motto and Sgt.1st Class Petry has lived up to the Ranger motto, “Rangers Lead the Way,” Senator Sharer said.
Senate Memorial 2 shows all 42 New Mexico State Senators and the Lt. Governor voting in favor of the memorial declaring September 11, 2011 as his day in the New Mexico State Senate.
The Senate is still waiting to hear if Sgt. 1st Class Petry is able to arrange his schedule to return to New Mexico to be honored by the Senate next week. Members of Sgt.1st Class Petry’s family have acknowledged they will be able to attend a Senate session next week.-END-
September 11th Declared US Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry Day in the State Senate
Santa Fe--The New Mexico State Senate today passed a Senate Memorial declaring Sunday, September 11, 2001 as “United States Army Ranger First Class Leroy A. Petry Day at the Senate.”
Sgt. 1st Class Petry, who is originally from Santa Fe, received the medal of honor from the President at the White House on July 9, 2011 for his heroic actions on May 26, 2008 when his unit was pinned down by heavy enemy fire during a rare Army Ranger daytime raid in Afghanistan. Sgt. 1st Class Petry was already shot and wounded in both legs when he tossed away from harming his unit an enemy grenade that detonated in his hand as he released it, blowing off his right hand.
Senator Bill Sharer of Farmington, who is a former U.S. Army Ranger - said on the Senate floor today that Sgt.1st Class Petry is living up to its motto.
‘The Army Ranger motto originated in World War II after a colonel ordered the 5th Ranger Battalion to get all soldiers off Normandy Beach and commanded “Rangers Lead the Way.” That became the motto and Sgt.1st Class Petry has lived up to the Ranger motto, “Rangers Lead the Way,” Senator Sharer said.
Senate Memorial 2 shows all 42 New Mexico State Senators and the Lt. Governor voting in favor of the memorial declaring September 11, 2011 as his day in the New Mexico State Senate.
The Senate is still waiting to hear if Sgt. 1st Class Petry is able to arrange his schedule to return to New Mexico to be honored by the Senate next week. Members of Sgt.1st Class Petry’s family have acknowledged they will be able to attend a Senate session next week.-END-
Senate Republican Caucus Chair Steve Neville
For Immediate Release Wednesday, June 01, 2011 Contact: Sen. Neville 505-320-0771
San Juan County Legislators Drive In Their Points About Critical Paving Needs with DOT Today
“San Juan County is deserving of additional repaving because of its large role
in driving the state’s economy.”
(Santa Fe) The deteriorating state highways in San Juan County that are angering motorist have driven two state legislators to take action. Those legislators told the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) today that San Juan County is deserving of more road funding because it contributes a lot to the state’s economy.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Steve Neville (R- San Juan) and House Representative Paul Bandy (R-San Juan) met with the Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and explained the critical need to improve state highway conditions in San Juan County and they discussed a possible plan to repave and repair the roads even though the state is facing tight budgets.
As an active advisory member of the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee (LFC), Senator Neville knows there is not enough money in the state road fund budget to better maintain the roads at this time. But he says that won’t deter him in his quest to have the roads repaved. “I know funding is tight and every entity in the state begs their case in front of the LFC for more money for their projects. Today, we went directly to the New Mexico Department of Transportation Cabinet Secretary to present our dire and deserving case in San Juan County. We discussed a plan to try and reroute money from other budgets into San Juan County roads,” Senator Neville said after the meeting with the New Mexico DOT Secretary Alvin Dominguez.
Representative Bandy said they made the valid point that San Juan deserves additional road funding because the industry that helps drive New Mexico’s economy is also hard on New Mexico roads. “The maintenance of San Juan County roads is critical for the state’s economic health,” Bandy said. “We figure more than a fifth of the state’s revenue is generated by the oil and gas industry in San Juan County. We recognize that the heavy oil field traffic is hard on the roads and that it deserves and needs its roads maintained so it can help to drive the state’s economy.”
Senator Neville said, “If conditions deteriorate to the point where trucks can’t roll down the roads, money won’t roll in to the state coffers and everyone will suffer.”
Representative Bandy said they were not given any guarantees other than the guarantee that the DOT will begin to look for a funding solution for San Juan.
Senator Neville said, “Secretary Dominguez told us he would evaluate the transportation needs in San Juan County and determine what efforts DOT can take to address the needs as they prepare for the Fiscal Year 2012 budget which takes affect July 1st.”
Senator Neville and Representative Bandy were told that due to the continuing instability of the national economy and to reduced state revenues, the NMDOT’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget for highway maintenance and paving projects had been reduced by nearly 50% and that has limited DOT’s ability to keep pace with the road maintenance in San Juan and in all other counties in the state. The NMDOT is responsible for maintaining over 400 miles of highways in San Juan County.
“We were told that the outlook for future State and Federal funding does not look very promising either. But we will continue to make our case and will follow up with Secretary Dominguez regarding San Juan Roads,” Rep. Bandy said.
Both Neville and Bandy reiterated to the NMDOT that the Aztec City Commission, the City of Bloomfield and the San Juan County Commission’s all have resolutions requesting that the NMDOT take immediate action to perform maintenance and repairs on the state highways within the Cities of Aztec and Bloomfield and throughout San Juan County.-END-
San Juan County Legislators Drive In Their Points About Critical Paving Needs with DOT Today
“San Juan County is deserving of additional repaving because of its large role
in driving the state’s economy.”
(Santa Fe) The deteriorating state highways in San Juan County that are angering motorist have driven two state legislators to take action. Those legislators told the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) today that San Juan County is deserving of more road funding because it contributes a lot to the state’s economy.
Senate Minority Caucus Chair Steve Neville (R- San Juan) and House Representative Paul Bandy (R-San Juan) met with the Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and explained the critical need to improve state highway conditions in San Juan County and they discussed a possible plan to repave and repair the roads even though the state is facing tight budgets.
As an active advisory member of the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee (LFC), Senator Neville knows there is not enough money in the state road fund budget to better maintain the roads at this time. But he says that won’t deter him in his quest to have the roads repaved. “I know funding is tight and every entity in the state begs their case in front of the LFC for more money for their projects. Today, we went directly to the New Mexico Department of Transportation Cabinet Secretary to present our dire and deserving case in San Juan County. We discussed a plan to try and reroute money from other budgets into San Juan County roads,” Senator Neville said after the meeting with the New Mexico DOT Secretary Alvin Dominguez.
Representative Bandy said they made the valid point that San Juan deserves additional road funding because the industry that helps drive New Mexico’s economy is also hard on New Mexico roads. “The maintenance of San Juan County roads is critical for the state’s economic health,” Bandy said. “We figure more than a fifth of the state’s revenue is generated by the oil and gas industry in San Juan County. We recognize that the heavy oil field traffic is hard on the roads and that it deserves and needs its roads maintained so it can help to drive the state’s economy.”
Senator Neville said, “If conditions deteriorate to the point where trucks can’t roll down the roads, money won’t roll in to the state coffers and everyone will suffer.”
Representative Bandy said they were not given any guarantees other than the guarantee that the DOT will begin to look for a funding solution for San Juan.
Senator Neville said, “Secretary Dominguez told us he would evaluate the transportation needs in San Juan County and determine what efforts DOT can take to address the needs as they prepare for the Fiscal Year 2012 budget which takes affect July 1st.”
Senator Neville and Representative Bandy were told that due to the continuing instability of the national economy and to reduced state revenues, the NMDOT’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget for highway maintenance and paving projects had been reduced by nearly 50% and that has limited DOT’s ability to keep pace with the road maintenance in San Juan and in all other counties in the state. The NMDOT is responsible for maintaining over 400 miles of highways in San Juan County.
“We were told that the outlook for future State and Federal funding does not look very promising either. But we will continue to make our case and will follow up with Secretary Dominguez regarding San Juan Roads,” Rep. Bandy said.
Both Neville and Bandy reiterated to the NMDOT that the Aztec City Commission, the City of Bloomfield and the San Juan County Commission’s all have resolutions requesting that the NMDOT take immediate action to perform maintenance and repairs on the state highways within the Cities of Aztec and Bloomfield and throughout San Juan County.-END-
Senator Asbill and A-F Grading
For Immediate Release Tuesday, March 29, 2011 Contact: 505-986-4702
New Mexico Senate Minority Office
SB 427a A-F School Rating System
Senator Vernon D. Asbill
Santa Fe- The Senate sponsor of the transparent A-F school grading system bill signed into law by the Governor today said all of the state will benefit from the bipartisan supported legislation that is now law. Senator Vernon Asbill (R- Carlsbad) said the grading system provides clarity. “With the A-F grading system, parents can easily understand whether their child is in a failing school. Once they learn that, they can become more involved in their children’s education and fight for improvements and excellence. Or, they could remove their child from that failing school,” Senator Asbill said.
New Mexico Senate Minority Office
SB 427a A-F School Rating System
Senator Vernon D. Asbill
Santa Fe- The Senate sponsor of the transparent A-F school grading system bill signed into law by the Governor today said all of the state will benefit from the bipartisan supported legislation that is now law. Senator Vernon Asbill (R- Carlsbad) said the grading system provides clarity. “With the A-F grading system, parents can easily understand whether their child is in a failing school. Once they learn that, they can become more involved in their children’s education and fight for improvements and excellence. Or, they could remove their child from that failing school,” Senator Asbill said.
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