Heinrich Delivers Keynote Address at Veterans Business Summit

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered a keynote address at the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit highlighting how investments in veteran-owned businesses have grown New Mexico's economy and created jobs New Mexicans can build their families around.

Heinrich secured $50,000 through the Appropriations process for the New Mexico Veterans Business Advocates Expo to provide New Mexico's veteran-owned businesses an opportunity to interact with potential partners, customers, and employees, supporting their success and growth.

Heinrich also highlighted his work to expand veterans' benefits and access to the health care they've earned and deserve.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers a keynote address at the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit, October 30, 2024.

"Small, locally-owned businesses - including veteran-owned businesses - are the beating hearts of our communities and backbone of our economy," said Heinrich. "Our veterans leave their military service with unique skills and experience. I was proud to secure $50,000 in the 2024 Appropriations Bills to support the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit that is providing resources to help veteran-owned small businesses and military veterans looking for new career and entrepreneurial opportunities. I remain committed to supporting our state's veterans and small business owners, lowering costs, growing our economy, and connecting New Mexicans to high-quality careers they can build their families around."

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) at the New Mexico Veterans Business Summit, October 30, 2024.

Heinrich remains unwavering in his commitment to provide the care and benefits that veterans deserve and have earned.

This year, the VA has served more veterans than ever before and provided more care and benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time in the military because of the successful implementation of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, bipartisan legislation that Heinrich helped lead as then-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.

The PACT Act was signed into law in 2022 and has provided a record expansion of care and benefits for veterans. As a result, more veterans are filing claims and receiving their long overdue earned benefits, including disability compensation and GI Bill benefits.

Heinrich also recently passed legislation to protect veterans' earned benefits and ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is able to continue to pay disability compensation, surviving spouses and dependent compensation, pension, and education benefits to veterans, including nearly 70,000 New Mexicans.

Additionally, Heinrich recently announced the Senate Appropriations Committee's bipartisan, unanimous passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which included $3.2 billion to expand programs providing critical services and housing for veterans and their families. Heinrich also fought to include key language to protect access to abortion for veterans in cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk, but the Committee did not ultimately include the provision.

In the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, Heinrich successfully advocated for major increases in funding to programs that support veterans in New Mexico and throughout the United States. He also successfully included key language to protect access to health care for veterans in New Mexico and nationally. Specifically, Heinrich secured increased funding to provide access to care for rural and Tribal veterans, transportation for rural veterans, rural health care for veterans, assistance to homeless veterans, construct state extended care facilities, improve veteran access to Suicide Prevention Coordinators, increase research on prosthetics and limb loss, and build on the work of neurology-related Centers of Excellence.

Additionally, in the Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, Heinrich successfully ensured that funding was not cut from the Tribal HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program, which provides rental assistance and supportive services to Nativ

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