Large NM Group Visits Congressional Delegation in Washington D.C. on LANL

Albuquerque Journal - Sometimes it takes intensive, focused, grass-roots action to make something happen in Washington, where big-money special interests dominate the agenda and the legislative pace is glacial.

Los Alamos National Labs

That’s why a coalition of business and civic leaders from northern New Mexico, hoping to stave off budget cuts at Los Alamos National Laboratory, traveled to the nation’s capital last week. The group of nine – including representatives of the Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Albuquerque Chambers of Commerce, Gov. Susana Martinez’s chief of staff and others – met with all five members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation, as well as top officials at the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Their message? Please don’t let LANL wither on the vine. The nation’s national security – and northern New Mexico’s shaky economy – depend on it.

The coalition, operating without a formal name, is an outgrowth of a similar trip that the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities (comprised mostly of city and county officials) made to Washington in April to lobby for nuclear cleanup money at Los Alamos. Last week’s trip took a more business-centric approach. Read full story here: (subscription required) News New Mexico

Large NM Group Visits Congressional Delegation in Washington D.C. on LANL