ICYMI: Senator Luján in the News Standing Up for New Mexicans, Holding the Trump Administration Accountable for Chaos and Confusion

Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) has been actively engaging in critical Senate hearings, holding nominees accountable to protect essential services and programs for New Mexicans and every American. Throughout these hearings, Senator Luján has emphasized the importance of nominees serving the public interest, rather than furthering political agendas.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, Transportation, and the Senate Committee on the Budget, Senator Luján has been at the forefront of pressing key nominees on their positions on working for the American people and upholding the law.

RFK Jr. Confirmation Hearing

In the nomination hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, Senator Lujánquestioned Mr. Kennedy on his understanding of the importance of Medicaid and pressed Mr. Kennedy for his commitment to protect Medicaid from cuts. Mr. Kennedy did not commit to not cutting Medicaid if asked to by the President.

• NBC News – It’s ‘clear’ that RFK Jr. would be a ‘rubber stamp’ on Trump’s policy decisions: Democratic senator.

Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joins Meet the Press NOW after pressing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his Senate confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

• US News & World Report – 5 Key Takeaways From RFK Jr.’s First Senate Confirmation Hearing

Kennedy Struggles on Medicare and Medicaid Questions: “President Trump has asked me to make it work better,” Kennedy said. “Most Americans are not happy with it. The premiums are too high, the deductibles are too high, and everybody’s getting sick or too much money is going to the insurance industry.” Democratic Sen. Ben Luján of New Mexico responded by citing statistics from state polling showing high levels of satisfaction with Medicaid.

• Reuters – Kennedy says he will finalize rules that increase diversity in clinical trials

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the top U.S. health agency, told U.S. senators during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday that he would finalize regulations aimed at increasing the participation of diverse patient populations in clinical trials. Asked by Democratic Senator Ben Ray Lujan whether he would commit to finalizing the guidance on clinical trial diversity mandated by Congress, Kennedy replied, “Yes.”

• The Daily Beast – RFK Jr. Completely Fumbles Basic Facts in Confirmation Hearing

Kennedy also missed big when Sen. Ben Ray Lujánasked him to estimate how many babies are born in the U.S. each year on Medicaid. Kennedy, after conceding he had no clue, estimated 30 million. That is about eight times more than the overall number of births the U.S. had in total in 2023. About 1.4 million of those were on Medicaid, Luján informed Kennedy.

Howard Lutnick Confirmation Hearing

In the nomination hearing for Howard Lutnick to become Secretary of Commerce, Senator Luján questioned Mr. Lutnick on whether he would commit to not cutting funding that has been awarded to connect thousands of New Mexicans to the internet. Despite Mr. Lutnick’s acknowledgement of the importance of broadband buildout, he would not commit to maintaining crucial support for broadband.  

• NPR – Trump’s pick for Commerce Secretary is Howard Lutnick. Here’s what to know

Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., asked: “If President Trump asks you to cut infrastructure funding as passed by this Congress in a bipartisan way … will you oppose that?” “I work for the president,” Lutnick said.

• Roll Call – Commerce pick Lutnick defends tariffs, funding freeze

Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., tried to pin Lutnick down on whether he would withdraw funding allocated by law if Trump asked him to. “I work for the President of the United States, and I’m here to execute his policies,” Lutnick said. “I think he agrees that broadband internet to America is important and that, efficiently, we deliver.” “I’ll slow down — if the President asked you to cut an infrastructure program, would you cut the program?” Luján asked. “We have a responsibility to communicate to each other for the people that we work for, it’s not just that you work for Donald Trump, sir. You work for the American people if you get this position.”

• Politico – Frustration over Trump funding freeze dominates Lutnick confirmation hearing

Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) asked him if he’d stop infrastructure money passed by Congress if he was ordered to. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) pressed if he would heed an unconstitutional order from Trump.“We’re asking simple questions. We had an incredible conversation in the office … a very respectful one,” a visibly frustrated Luján said. “It’s not just that you work for Donald Trump. Sir, you work for the American people.”

Russel Vought’s Chaos and Confusion

Senator Luján was joined by Budget Committee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with Budget Committee Democrats, to call out the threat of Russell Vought’s nomination to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Russell Vought would add to the Trump administration’s unprecedented chaos and confusion. Reporting shows that he worked behind the scenes to orchestrate the halt to all federal funding including grants and loans, upending trillions of dollars and creating cruel and unnecessary chaos for childcare centers, firefighters, domestic violence shelters, law enforcement, health care providers, seniors and veterans, and American families.

• Roll Call – Vought nomination advances despite Democrats’ boycott

Senate Budget Committee Republicans approved Russ Vought’s nomination to serve as President Donald Trump’s budget director on Thursday, overcoming the absence of Democrats on the panel who boycotted the markup.

• Albuquerque Journal – Senate Democrats boycott Trump’s budget office director pick in wake of attempted funding freeze

After an attempt this week by President Donald Trump’s budget office to freeze federal funding to determine if it aligned ideologically with his priorities, Senate Democrats, including Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, boycotted a budget committee vote for the president’s budget office pick, Russell Vought. Although the OMB memo has been rescinded, White House officials have said Trump’s executive order related to the Monday memo is still in effect, causing “more confusion, more chaos,” Luján said.

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