Issues

The 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC was a victory for special interests at the expense of the American people. It said that corporations deserve the same free speech protections as people, enabling them to spend freely from their corporate treasuries on campaign ads. It also gave rise to Super PACs which spent more than $1 billion in the 2012 election, mostly on negative ads.

Conservation is a Udall family tradition. During his time in Congress, Tom has proudly carried on this legacy, fighting to protect New Mexico’s beautiful, unique landscapes for future generations. Tom has fought to enforce landmark environmental laws like the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Protection Act.

Tom’s view on energy policy can be summed up in six words — do it all, do it right. Doing it all will allow us to take control of our energy security and spur job growth through a clean energy economy. A sustainable American energy future requires a diverse portfolio, including more renewable sources like wind and solar, efficiency and conservation, along with traditional energy sources like natural gas, domestic oil, and nuclear power.

The American people are tired of gridlock. In order to change the way Washington works Tom has been leading the effort to reform the filibuster. Today, senators use the filibuster on a massive scale to obstruct legislation.

Ensuring that every American has a good paying job needs to be Congress’ top priority. We need to create and save jobs while investing in the long-term growth of our economy. Tom is working to help middle class families weather the storm of the economic downturn.

One in six New Mexico residents receive Social Security. Nearly 330,000 residents rely on Medicare. America made a promise to our seniors — if you work hard throughout your life, if you pay into the system, then you will be able to rely on Social Security benefits in retirement.

For Tom, protecting our military members, their families, and our veterans is personal. His father Stewart and Uncle Mo both served this country during World War II. When they came home, they were able to pursue a higher education thanks to the Montgomery GI Bill. Our soldiers returning from recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan deserve the same benefits.