WASHINGTON – Today, on a conference call with New Mexico reporters, U.S. Senator Tom Udall affirmed that he stands by the state of New Mexico's recent decision to fine the Department of Energy for the radiation leak at WIPP last February, and underscored that under no circumstances should penalties come out of DOE cleanup funds, or other programs in New Mexico.

Udall also discussed several items Congress is working on this week, including the need to pass both a budget and the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes several proposals Udall introduced related to public lands in New Mexico. These proposals would improve access at Valles Caldera and designate the Columbine Hondo wilderness near Wheeler Peak, streamline oil and gas permitting at the Bureau of Land Management's field offices in Carlsbad and Farmington, and create a national park dedicated to the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos.

Finally, Udall discussed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing taking place this afternoon on whether Congress should formally authorize military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Udall expressed his opposition to sending ground troops and his concerns about potentially entering a third Iraq war — this time including Syria — without a clear understanding of the length and extent of the U.S. commitment.

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Below are highlights from Udall's remarks:

0:00 – Udall thanks everyone for joining the call.

0:15 - "I stand by the state's decision to fine the department for hazardous waste violations. It's why I fought to ensure New Mexico has environmental authority over WIPP waste operations as part of the deal that allowed WIPP to open 15 years ago. I want to make it clear that under no circumstances should penalties come out of DOE cleanup activities or other programs in New Mexico."

0:49 - "As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will do everything I can to ensure DOE does not take the fines out of New Mexico lab funding. We're still waiting on the results of the investigation into what caused the radiation release at WIPP. I'm watching this very carefully. WIPP and LANL are critical to our state's economy and our national security and there is no room for error or denial."

1:24 - "First, we need to pass a budget to fund the government including the labs and bases and many other federal agencies like the VA, the Park Service, the Forest Service and the BLM. But Republicans are dragging their feet and threatening shutdowns."

2:01 - "I'll keep working as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to avoid a shutdown and pass a real appropriations bill that funds the government for next year."

2:11 - "Second, Congress also must pass the National Defense Authorization Act before the end of the year. That bill sets the policy for how much the government will spend on national defense needs – everything from military pay and benefits to the number of airplanes we purchase. That is critical to New Mexico's bases and the many men and women who serve us in the military."

2:36 - "But the bill also includes proposals I introduced dealing with public lands – to improve access at Valles Caldera and to create the Columbine Hondo wilderness near Wheeler Peak; to streamline oil and gas permitting at the BLM's field offices in Carlsbad and Farmington; and to create a national park dedicated to the Manhattan Project. Not only will these bills preserve these incredible sites for future generations, they will help fuel New Mexico's economy by increasing tourism and helping the energy economy."

3:26 - "The Constitution gives Congress the responsibility to declare war, and that is something I take very seriously. The last time Congress approved military force was over a decade ago – for a very different conflict. I'm very skeptical of the administration's plans. I'm concerned that we're headed into a third Iraq war – now including Syria – without a clear idea for how long we will be involved and what our commitment will be."

4:26 - "New Mexicans don't want us involved in another religious civil war in the Middle East. And I do not support sending in ground troops. These are issues that require serious consideration, and I feel we're rushing to action for political reasons."

5:00 – Udall answers questions from reporters on topics including LANL and WIPP contracts and fines, public lands provisions in the NDAA, and the Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA interrogation practices.