House prepares to advance cuts on public broadcasting and foreign aid - Associated Press
The House is expected to approve President Donald Trump’s request to claw back about $9 billion in already appropriated funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid Thursday evening.
The White House had described the rescissions package as a test case and said that if Congress went along, more would come. The House’s approval would mark the first time in decades that a president has successfully submitted a rescissions request to Congress.
Opponents voiced concerns not only about the programs targeted, but about Congress ceding its spending powers to the executive branch as investments approved on a bipartisan basis are being subsequently cancelled on a party-line basis. No Democrats supported the measure when it passed the Senate in the early morning hours Thursday, 51-48, and two Republicans also voted no.
The National Weather Service reported multiple people had to be rescued from floodwaters in Ruidoso on Thursday afternoon.
Officials report two water rescues in Ruidoso amid flash flood warning – Nakalya McClelland, Albuquerque Journal
A flash flood warning was issued as storms converged on the area.
NWS did not have any additional information about the water rescues, which were posted to the agency's X account.
National Guard and two swift water teams responded on foot to one of the water rescues, according to Bay Hirshfeld, public information officer with the village of Ruidoso. Another rescue was reported near the Ruidoso Downs, but Hirshfeld said it was out of their district and she didn't have any other information.
She said there is a shelter in place for residents of the Cherokee Mobile Home Park, and crews are en route to clear debris in the area. The mobile park is still accessible.
The rescues come more than a week after flooding in Ruidoso left three people dead and hundreds of homes damaged.
The agency issued a flash flood warning that includes Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs and Hollywood — a neighborhood in the village. The flash flood warning is expected to last until 3:30 p.m.
An evacuation shelter has been established at the Ruidoso Community Center.
"The set today is we basically have got a good surge of monsoon moisture that's basically acting as a funnel to push moisture from the south to the north through the state," said NWS meteorologist Carter Greulich.
"That is allowing for a little bit of faster storm motions, comparatively to what we've seen earlier in the week. However, this is a more widespread thunderstorm activity, and that's what we've been seeing across much of the higher terrain."
The area is expected to see between 1 and 1½ inches of rainfall. Greulich said any rainfall, especially when the rain gets above 2 inches per hour, can lead to major concerns.
Greulich said that precipitation chances may come down slightly, but the chance of a similar forecast tomorrow is likely. He said the biggest threat was flash flooding over burn scars in the area.
What's in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid - By Kevin Freking, Associated Press
The Republican-led Congress is testing the popularity of Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts this week by aiming to pass President Donald Trump's request to claw back about $9 billion in public broadcasting and foreign aid spending.
Trump's Republican administration is employing a rarely used tool that allows the president to transmit a request to cancel previously approved funding authority. Democrats are trying to kill the measure but need some Republicans uncomfortable with the president's effort to join them.
The Senate approved the vast majority of Trump's request in the early morning hours Thursday, 51-48. Another House vote is needed because senators changed the legislation. The House passed an earlier version of the bill on a mostly party line vote.
Here's a closer look at what's in the bill:
Public media on the chopping block
Trump has asked lawmakers to rescind nearly $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which represents the full amount it's due to receive during the next two budget years.
The White House says the public media system is politically biased and an unnecessary expense.
The corporation distributes more than 70% of the money to more than 1,500 locally operated public television and radio stations, with much of the remainder assigned to National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service to support national programming.
The potential fallout from the cuts for local public media stations has generated concerns on both sides of the political aisle.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said he secured a deal from the White House that some funding administered by the Interior Department would be repurposed to subsidize Native American public radio stations in about a dozen states.
But many lawmakers say that won't help a large number of local broadcasting stations. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., unsuccessfully sought to take out the public broadcasting cuts.
"If we don't adopt this amendment, local television and radio stations will shut down and it will be rural stations that will be the first to close," Baldwin said.
To justify the spending cuts, the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers have cited certain activities they disagree with to portray a wide range of a program's funding as wasteful.
In recent testimony, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought criticized programming aimed at fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. He said NPR aired a 2022 program entitled "What 'Queer Ducks' can teach teenagers about sexuality in the animal kingdom." He also cited a special town hall that CNN held in 2020 with "Sesame Street" about combatting racism.
Targeting humanitarian aid
As part of the package, Trump asked lawmakers to rescind about $8.3 billion in foreign aid programs that aim to fight famine and disease and promote global stability.
A Senate amendment knocked the foreign aid cuts down to about $7.9 billion when Republicans agreed to remove what would have been a $400 million cut to PEPFAR, the politically popular program that began under President George W. Bush to combat HIV/AIDS. The program is credited with saving millions of lives.
Among the targets:
— $500 million of the $4 billion appropriated for global health programs funding actives to combat infectious diseases and promote maternal health
— $800 million for a program that provides emergency shelter, water and sanitation and family reunification for those forced to flee their own country.
— $4.15 billion for two programs designed to boost the economies and democratic institutions in developing and strategically important countries.
— $496 million to provide humanitarian assistance such as food, water and health care for countries hit by natural disasters and conflicts.
—$361 million for international peacekeeping efforts, which are designed to stabilize conflict zones and protect civilians.
The Trump administration also said some cuts, such as eliminating funding for UNICEF, would encourage international organizations to be more efficient and seek contributions from other nations, "putting American taxpayers first."
Attorneys file 8 lawsuits alleging Catholic clergy abuse in Southern New Mexico - by Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
This week, New Mexico attorneys filed eight lawsuits against Catholic leadership in Las Cruces and El Paso, alleging priests in Southern New Mexico parishes committed sexual abuse against young children ranging in ages from 3 to 15 between 1956 to 1990.
The law firms of Davis Kelin Law Firm and Huffman Wallace & Monagle filed the civil lawsuits in the Third Judicial District courts against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces and the Catholic Diocese of El Paso, seeking damages for the “intentional, malicious, wilful, deliberate, wanton and/or reckless disregard for the harmful consequences.”
New Mexico has been described as an “epicenter of Catholic sexual abuse in the United States,” recording dozens of instances of abuse of children, and also hosted Servants of the Paraclete Center in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, which was said to offer for treatment for priests who sexually abused dozens of children in other parishes.
Attorney Levi Monagle, an attorney who represents the current plaintiffs, said even though public perception of clergy abuse has increased, the nature of harm for sexual assault often prevents people from coming forward for years, if not decades.
“There’s a perception this is a closed chapter in the church’s history, that this is all the past,” Monagle said. “It’s certainly true that the vast majority of the abuse that occurred, occurred in decades past, but that doesn’t mean that the day-to-day lives of these victims have changed.”
The complaints allege abuse in parishes in Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Anthony, Doña Ana, Mesilla park and Ruidoso. The lawsuits name the following priests for alleged acts of sexual abuse: Monsignor Albert Chavez, Father David Holley, Father Emilio Roure, Father Wilfrid Diamond, Monsignor Gonzalo Morales, Father Bernard Bissonnette, Father Joaquin Resma and one visiting priest who was not identified.
Both Holley and Bissonnette were sent to Servants of the Paraclete Center in Jemez Springs for their previous assaults of dozens of children, according to the lawsuits, and faced prior, credible accusations, but were placed in parishes with no supervision or warning.
Law firms engaged in the litigation have set up a webpage with more information, including nonprofit sexual assault services, counseling and other support services.
The El Paso Diocese is aware of the lawsuits but declined to comment on allegations in pending litigation, said Fernie Ceniceros, the director of communications.
The Diocese of El Paso “works very diligently to cooperate with all parties involved when cases like this are brought forward,” Ceniceros said in a written statement.“The diocese takes all matters of abuse as grave and serious situations and will work to ensure that justice is served.”
Ceniceros’ statement also notes that the diocese “has worked to implement and train clergy, employees, and volunteers on best practices of Safe Environment” and that anyone who works as a member of the clergy, employee or volunteer within the diocese “must have undergone and passed a certification of training annually” as part of those “safe environment” protocols.
“We encourage individuals with any knowledge of any misconduct and or of any crime committed by any member of the clergy, employee, or volunteer within the diocese to please come forward to law enforcement,” the statement concluded, adding that such people can also reach out to El Paso’s victims’ assistance and “safe environment” offices.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces did not respond to emailed requests for comment Thursday.
Monagle said that while Catholic leadership has set a policy of zero tolerance for the last 20 years, he said there was still more transparency needed for what the church knew about the decades of abuse.
“It’s an ‘action to speak louder than the words’ situation, frankly,” Monagle said. “Until people see a meaningful difference in the way that the church approaches the history of this issue, they’re going to have a hard time believing that the church’s policy for the future is any different.”
AG calls across party lines to oppose federal K-12 funding freeze on heels of latest suit - Noah Alcala Bach, Albuquerque Journal
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez called for bipartisan upheaval over unreleased funds on the heels of his latest lawsuit against the Trump administration, this one over nearly $7 billion in federal funding frozen nationwide for an array of public school programs.
“I have a D next to my name, and because I have a D next to my name, there are certain folks who are going to say, ‘Well, I’m not going to listen to that,’” Torrez said at a news conference Wednesday. “What I need are people who supported the president, who voted for the president, who do not agree with this, to say, ‘This matters to us; this isn’t what we voted for.’”
Among the programs that could be affected by potential cuts are after-school programs, English language learner programs, immigrant support programs and professional development programs for public school staff.
The state’s Public Education Department estimates that the funding freeze will have an impact of around $40 million, and Torrez’s office forecasts around $45 million, according to respective news releases. The latest lawsuit marks the 21st the AG has joined since Trump took office in January.
“My goal is to do everything I can to protect the families and the working folks in this state, regardless of their party,” Torrez said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s only the Democratic attorneys general who are filing some of these actions, but it’s natural, I think, for people to look through this through a partisan lens.”
The White House’s Office of Management and Budget has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the Journal. Additionally, President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon have not commented publicly on the funding freeze, according to Education Week.
“The Republican Party of New Mexico stands with President Trump in his effort to end reckless federal spending that prioritizes radical agendas over the real needs of American children,” Amy Barela, chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico, said in a statement Wednesday. “This lawsuit from the AG is more about political theater than protecting our kids. The RPNM will always support policies that return power to parents, cut wasteful spending, and focus our limited resources where they belong — on our children’s success, not on federal mandates that dilute accountability and outcomes.”
The New Mexico AG joined the lawsuit over the unreleased funding on Monday, along with over 20 other Democratic-led states that also filed suit. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island, and Torrez, along with the other AGs, will be seeking a preliminary injunction in the short term, hoping that the funding will be available as the litigation process unfolds.
Like many school districts around the country, Santa Fe Public Schools received a day’s notice that federal funding would be withheld, according to Peter McWain, executive director of Curriculum and Instruction for the district.
“Districts had no preliminary notification of this funding freeze; there is negligible time to mitigate the impact to families, to employees and our children,” McWain said, joining the AG for his news conference. “The effects of this funding freeze will impact the core of our community.”
SFPS predicts it will lose out on nearly $2 million as a result of the frozen federal funds.
Bishop’s Lodge sues Tesuque nonprofit, asks judge to ban group’s protests by resort - Danielle Prokop, Source New Mexico
Residents in Tesuque Village and an area luxury resort are back in New Mexico courts, with both groups saying the other has gone too far in a clash over a sewage permit.
The dispute follows months of back and forth in court as well as administrative processes, which are poised to continue.
Last week, the conflict between the nonprofit Protect Tesuque and Bishop’s Lodge even landed at the New Mexico Supreme Court, where justices sided with Bishop’s Lodge, denied the emergency petition from residents and allowed the permitting process to proceed.
Now, Bishop’s Lodge wants a judge to bar Protect Tesuque members from weekly protests on the road outside the resort. The July 2 civil lawsuit follows a June 13 letter Bishop’s Lodge’s attorneys sent to the nonprofit expressing “concern over the safety of drivers, pedestrians, demonstrators and Bishop Lodge guests,” and warning of additional legal action if the protests continued.
The protests continued.
“Defendants block the State Road 590/Bishop’s Lodge Road — a public road — harass Lodge guests and staff, sound car horns and drums and endanger unsuspecting motorists,” court documents state. “…Defendants escalating protests create such a perilous situation, that the Lodge feels it has no alternative but to seek judicial relief.”
The heart of the dispute centers over the renewal of a wastewater permit for Bishop’s Lodge and nearby housing. The new permit would allow the release of about 30,000 gallons per day of treated wastewater from a new wastewater treatment plant into a new low-dose disposal field using a treatment plant installed in 2024. The current permit allows Bishop’s Lodge to discharge about 14,700 gallons per day into two disposal fields on the property.Dozens of residents in the village of about 1,000 have opposed multiple proposals for sewage disposal by the resort. Recently, they coalesced around claims that the proposed disposal plan would threaten private drinking water wells.
Bishop’s Lodge and the New Mexico Environment Department maintain the treated wastewater quality exceeds state and federal standards.
In its newest complaint, Bishop’s Lodge asks for enforcement of a nearly 1-mile buffer zone, to prevent further obstruction of the road; to bar the nonprofit ‘s members from trespassing, harassing guests and staff; and from further unauthorized recording.
“Flying a drone low over the Lodge to video (among other things) guests in the pool and restaurant and subsequently posting that video online with inflammatory dialogue adds to the harassing atmosphere,” the memo attached to the complaint stated.
Bishop’s Lodge also requests Protect Tesuque pay attorneys fees in the complaint.
“While defendants may assert their activities are protected speech, the First Amendment does not protect harassment,” the complaint states.
The complaint includes testimony from resort staff, and an investigator hired by Bishop’s Lodge, saying that residents protesting — including people on crutches or in a wheelchair — blocked the road and, at one point, crossed into the property. Attached videos and photos were not available in the exhibits list online, according to a review of court documents.
In a statement, Protect Tesuque called the lawsuit a “clear and troubling attempt to intimidate,” the nonprofit and its board, and broadly denied the allegations, saying the protests have been peaceful.
“The accusations in the complaint are not only false, they are defamatory,” the statement said. “Protesters have not blocked roads, trespassed on private property, harassed guests or employees, or engaged in any of the hyperbolic behaviors” described in the complaint, they said.
The group further contends it’s being sued “for standing up for clean water and public health. The individuals named in this complaint have done nothing more than participate in peaceful protests, attend public hearings, and speak out about dangerous disposal practices that threaten Tesuque’s drinking water.”
Laguna Fire in Northern NM 40% contained - Santa Fe New Mexican
A wildfire in Santa Fe National Forest that has burned more than 15,000 acres is now about 40 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The Laguna Fire, named after Laguna Peak, began as a result of a lightning strike on June 25.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the Forest Service initially chose to manage the fire, but shifted to a full suppression strategy after a blaze jumped out of the containment area last Friday.
Crews are working to contain the fire’s northern perimeter in the foothills overlooking Gallina Canyon.
Elsewhere in New Mexico, in the state’s southwest, firefighters are battling several blazes in the Gila National Forest.
The Turkeyfeather Fire has burned more than 24,000 acres in southern Catron County and is reported about 20 percent contained yesterday.
Heinrich, Lujan announce advancement of bill authorizing food aid, other supports - Jeanette Dedios, KUNM News
New Mexico’s U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján have announced the advancement of a bill that would help provide food assistance and other help for New Mexico communities.
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill has been approved by the Senate’s Appropriations Committee.
It now heads to the full Senate for a floor vote.
If passed, it will provide $27 billion dollars in total funding. That’s an $821 million dollar increase over fiscal year 2024.
The measure authorizes funding for the federal SNAP and WIC programs for women, children, and people in need of food assistance.
Also, $12.5 million dollars of that money would go directly to New Mexico to pay for investments in firefighting equipment and technologies, community infrastructure, and early childhood education facilities.
Sen. Heinrich’s office said that even if this bill passes, it would not reverse the cuts made to SNAP included in President Trump’s budget reconciliation bill.
If approved by the Senate, the bill would then move to the U.S House of Representatives.