A Washington welcome

111th Congress: Swearing in ceremony marks first time since 1968 state's Congressional delegation fully Democratic

Kate Nash | The New Mexican

1/6/2009 - 1/7/09

A group of New Mexicans you might normally find around Santa Fe were in the nation's Capitol on Tuesday for the swearing in of the state's new members of Congress.

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and New Mexico House Speaker Ben Luján and his wife, Carmen, were among the crowd on Capitol Hill who saw the members of the 111th Congress take power.

Many of those who attended were family members of those being sworn in. Luján was there to see his son, Ben Ray, become the representative for the state's 3rd Congressional District, a post held by Tom Udall until he was sworn in Tuesday as the state's newest senator. Udall's father, former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, also attended.

"It was truly exciting to look up into the gallery and see Mom and Dad up there," said Luján, whose siblings also attended.

When he took the oath of office and signed in for the session, Ben Ray Luján said the experience was "hard to describe. It was just an incredible smile from cheek to cheek."

Ben Ray Luján's first day included the swearing-in ceremonies, an open house at his office and a phone interview with at least one reporter. One interview, however, was cut short when Ben Ray Luján was called to the floor for a vote — his second, after he earlier voted to re-elect Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the house.

"I need to get running to get down to the floor now," he said, apologizing.

Ben Ray Luján, a former member of the Public Regulation Commission, will serve on the House Committee on Homeland Security. He has yet to receive his second committee assignment.

"Cyber security, human rights and border issues are all areas that impact New Mexico," Ben Ray Luján said of his appointment to the security panel.

Rep. Martin Heinrich, D-Albuquerque, will sit on the Armed Services Committee, while U.S. Rep. Harry Teague of Hobbs will serve on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

The trio of freshmen are serving now because of the retirement of U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, a Republican, whose decision not to run for re-election last year touched off a political avalanche.

Many at the time feared the loss of seniority for the state could mean less clout and money for New Mexico.

University of New Mexico political science professor Lonna Atkeson said the lack of a House member on that chamber's energy committee is concerning. "No one is on energy, and we have two national labs and WIPP," she said. "That's a disadvantage to the state."

In the Senate, U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-Silver City, is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Domenici was its ranking member and is former chairman of the committee.

Not all committee assignments have been finalized, however, including Udall's, his office said.

Tom Udall told The Associated Press that replacing Domenici was humbling. "He is a real New Mexico giant," Udall said. "I'm just going to work as hard as I can to make sure New Mexico is protected and we move forward with our economy."

Tom Udall was escorted into the Senate chamber for the inauguration by Domenici and Bingaman, according to the AP. "That was a very nice bipartisan touch," Udall said. "I enjoyed that. Both of them were very welcoming."

The November election means the state's five-member Congressional delegation will consist only of Democrats for the first time since 1968.

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog at www.greenchilechatter.com.