Senator Tom Udall Joins the Stay In and Speak Out for Climate Action

This year, we aren’t playing around. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we aren’t holding our happy, crowded, buzzing, and bubbling annual Play-In for Climate Action in Washington, DC. Instead, we’re asking legislators across the country to join us for virtual events and conversations with their constituents to talk about air pollution, climate action, and what we can do to fight the climate crisis where we live. Please join Senator Tom Udall (NM) for a conversation with our New Mexico field organizer Celerah Hewes and a few of our littlest activists from New Mexico.

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About Senator Udall:
Senator Tom Udall has earned a reputation as a principled leader who has the integrity to do what is right for New Mexico and our nation. Tom began serving as United States Senator in 2009, after two decades of public service as U.S. Representative and New Mexico’s State Attorney General. He was re-elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014, and is now New Mexico’s senior senator.

Born to Stewart and Lee Udall in Tucson, Arizona, on May 18, 1948, Tom’s roots in New Mexico are deep. His grandmother Louise Lee was born in Luna, New Mexico, during territorial days and was part of a ranching family in what is now Catron County. Her family used to drive cattle down the White Mountains to the railroad in Magdalena.

Tom earned his undergraduate degree at Prescott College and obtained a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Cambridge University in 1975. He graduated from the University of New Mexico Law School in 1977. Tom then served as a Law Clerk to Chief Justice Oliver Seth of the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and became a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s criminal division. As Chief Counsel to the New Mexico Department of Health and Environment, he also fought for stronger environmental and health protections.

These experiences helped Tom realize he could personally make a difference for the people of New Mexico through elected office. In 1990, Tom was elected New Mexico Attorney General. He made fighting DWI and domestic violence a priority. Working with the Legislature on both sides of the aisle, he pushed for tougher laws against offenders. Tom also fought to protect consumers, especially senior citizens, from rampant telemarketing and other forms of fraud. Additionally, he made ethics a trademark issue, increasing transparency in government and prosecuting corrupt politicians, even members of his own party. In 1994, Tom was elected to a second term as Attorney General.

In 1998, Tom was elected to represent the 3rd Congressional District of New Mexico in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the House, he wrote and passed legislation to establish a national renewable electricity standard, which would spur the creation of good jobs, reinvigorate our economy, and reduce global warming emissions. While in the House, Tom co-founded the Congressional International Conservation Caucus, which is now the second largest caucus in the U.S. Congress. He serves as the co-chair of the caucus in the Senate.