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The law is full of exceptions, and when it comes to conflicts of interest involving personal investments, Congress found a big one: It didn't write a law. While Congress prescribed a strict conflict-of-interest law for the judiciary, which prompted Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to remove himself from a punitive-damages case involving Exxon Mobil, it didn't apply the same test to lawmakers. That has allowed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to oppose bills that would hurt Irving-based Exxon, in which Ms. Hutchison owns stock valued between $100,000 and $250,000, according to disclosure reports. *snip* Some experts say different rules apply to...

Obama just picked up the support of Sen. Jeff Bingaman (NM), the campaign announced. Bingaman chairs the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Obama leads among senators 15-12 among senators, not including those from Michigan and Florida. But factoring in even the support Clinton has from Sens. Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Bill Nelson (FL) -- Carl Levin (MI) is uncommitted -- Bingaman gave Obama the lead, 15-14. Obama has now picked up five superdelegates to Clinton's two since her nearly double-digit win in Pennsylvania.

Sen. Barack Obama officially pulled ahead today in the scramble for endorsements from colleagues in the U.S. Senate, thanks to Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico. Never one of the Senate's most high-profile members, Bingaman now has a claim to political fame: He put Obama over the top after his long slog to catch Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who had a head start in winning the support of her peers. Obama now has 14 endorsements to Clinton's 13. Obama will also get the vote of Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), who has not officially endorsed him but said he will support...

Sen. Bingaman Endorses Obama New Mexico Senator and superdelegate throws his support behind (Obama)

EFF BINGAMAN, SENATOR, SENATE For Immediate Release Bingaman: Albuquerque Receives Funding to Combat Meth Contact: Jude McCartin (202) 224-5521 September 13, 2007 WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that the Albuquerque Police Department has been awarded a $446,454 federal grant from the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to help fight methamphetamine use. Funding will be used to help combat the manufacture, use, and distribution of meth, and to collaborate with other entities in the prevention and treatment of meth abuse. ``The funding awarded today will help the Albuquerque Police Department continue its efforts...

On April 4, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing to discuss a white paper that Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Pete Domenici (R-NM) released on a mandatory cap and trade program for carbon dioxide emissions. The majority of panelists that will provide testimony in the hearing are for a cap-and-trade program, suggesting the Committee views global warming to be a serious problem and that a cap-and-trade approach is the preferred mechanism for fighting it. The hearing's timing couldn't be better, as it coincides with an intense global warming propaganda campaign by the media that is...

WASHINGTON— Sen. Jeff Bingaman voted against the war in Iraq three years ago and after visiting the war-torn country late last week, he said he stands firmly behind his vote. The New Mexico Democrat— who traveled to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq with five other senators before returning to Washington on Saturday— said that Iraq is more dangerous than before the 2003 invasion. And there is no end in sight to U.S. involvement, he said. "I think it was the right (vote)," Bingaman said Monday in an interview. "Iraq was not related to terrorist threats. We were not justified in going...

AP) - Sen. Jeff Bingaman asked Veterans Affairs Secretary James Nicholson for a thorough inquiry of his agency's investigation into whether a VA nurse's letter criticizing the Bush administration amounted to "sedition." The agency's human resources office ultimately cleared her of any wrongdoing, but Bingaman, D-N.M., said Tuesday he was concerned the VA investigated Laura Berg of Albuquerque in the first place. Merely opposing government policies and expressing a desire to change course "does not provide reason to believe that a person is involved in illegal subversive activity," he said. Bingaman said such investigations raise "a very real possibility of...

A urologist and former chemical engineer, McCulloch seeks to be New Mexico's next U.S. Senator.

Tribal Clients And Associates Of Jack Abramoff Have Contributed Over $3.1 Million To Democrat Party Interests Between 1997 And 2004. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 2005) National Democrat Party Affiliated Committees Received Over $1.2 Million From Indian Tribe Clients And Lobbying Associates Of Jack Abramoff. (Campaign Finance Analysis Project Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Political Money Line Website, www.tray.com, Accessed December 7, 2005; Internal Revenue Service Website, www.irs.gov, Accessed April 21, 2005) The Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Received Over – $430,000 The Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)...

SANTA FE -- US Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico has stockpiled $1.4 million dollars in his re-election campaign account. The latest federal campaign finance reports show the Democrat has collected more than $450,000 in contributions during the third quarter of the year. That means Bingaman had more campaign cash at the end of September than any member of New Mexico's congressional delegation who is up for re-election next year. Bingaman also held a significant advantage over Republican challenger David Pfeffer of Santa Fe. Bingaman spent about $2.6 million on his 2000 re-election campaign. He won with 63 percent of...

All 55 Senate Republicans are expected to vote for John Roberts' confirmation as Supreme Court chief justice next week. The 44 Democrats are less unified. Democrats who have announced their support for Roberts (8): Bill Nelson of Florida, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Max Baucus of Montana, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Kent Conrad of North Dakota. Democrats who voted for Roberts on the Judiciary Committee (3): Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin.

What I have been doing is exploring the possibility of running," he said. "I've been traveling around the state, going to Republican functions to meet with county chairs and party activists."

Santa Fe City Councilman David Pfeffer, a decorated Vietnam veteran who recently switched from the Democratic to the Republican column, says he is “on the cusp” of challenging Sen. Jeff Bingaman.

Other possible candidates include ex-Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley, ex-state Rep. John Sanchez, and state Rep. Dan Finley.

Sen. Bingaman and Rep. Menendez to Deliver Spanish-Language Response to the State of the Union Tuesday February 1, 5:31 pm ET WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced today that Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Co-Chair of the Senate Hispanic Task Force, and Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, will deliver the Spanish- language response to the President's State of the Union. Sen. Bingaman represents New Mexico, the state with the largest proportion, 42 percent, of the Hispanic population. As Co-Chair of the Senate Hispanic Task Force,...

COLORADO SPRINGS - James C. Dobson, the nation's most influential evangelical leader, is threatening to put six potentially vulnerable Democratic senators "in the 'bull's-eye' " if they block conservative appointments to the Supreme Court. In a letter his aides say is being sent to more than one million of his supporters, Dr. Dobson, the child psychologist and founder of the evangelical organization Focus on the Family, promises "a battle of enormous proportions from sea to shining sea" if President Bush fails to appoint "strict constructionist" jurists or if Democrats filibuster to block conservative nominees. Dr. Dobson recalled the conservative efforts...

Hey there, GOP-activist Freepers - This is no time to rest on our laurels and take it easy! Let's start going for that filibuster-proof 60+ vote majority in the Senate in 2 years. (Who knows how many Soopreems might retire after the midterm elections?) Here are the Democrat Senators facing re-election in 2006: In states that Bush won: NM: Bingaman, Jeff WV: Byrd, Robert (are his longterm plans to die in office?) ND: Conrad, Kent NE: Nelson, Ben (is he a possible party switcher?) FL: Nelson, Bill In states that Bush lost: HI: Akaka, Daniel WA: Cantwell, Maria DE: Carper,...

...President Bush has won a clear mandate for his big second-term agenda, including the giants of Social Security reform and tax overhaul. Yet his ability to do anything still rests with the Senate.... Republicans [picked] up Democratic seats in both Carolinas and Georgia, as well as Louisiana and Florida. They weathered storms in Kentucky and Oklahoma, and even held Alaska. But the big daddy came with the overthrow of Mr. Daschle. That ouster... was as much a repudiation of obstructionism as it was Mr. Daschle's own record. [C]onsider not just the Republicans' numerical gains, but their ideological ones. With the...

Wife: Soldiers in Iraqi Abuse Case Are Scapegoats Tue May 4, 2004 10:45 AM ET By Sue Pleming WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners were following orders and are being used as scapegoats to protect their superiors, the wife of one of the soldiers and the lawyer for another said Tuesday. Martha Frederick defended her husband, a soldier who faces prosecution for the abuse of Iraqis at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad. " He was told to do these things and when he did them he thought that he was doing them in the sense...

(AP) – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman has asked Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman to declare all of New Mexico a disaster area because of the drought. A statewide declaration would make farmers and ranchers eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency. The agency is part of Veneman’s department. Bingaman has written a letter to Veneman saying that crop conditions around New Mexico have slowly worsened all summer. He says the New Mexico Agricultural Statistics Service estimates 80 percent of apples and cherries are in poor to very poor condition. And the New Mexico Democrat says crops such as...

<p>Anyone who thinks a single Senator doesn't matter should take a look at yesterday's failed attempt to limit runaway class-action lawsuits. Fifty-nine Senators voted in favor of going to a floor vote on the measure, one vote short of the 60 needed to break a filibuster.</p>

Statement of Purpose: To express the sense of Congress that the removal of the Government of Saddam Hussein has enhanced the security of Israel and other United States allies. Vote Counts: YEAs 95 NAYs 2 Not Voting 3 (see link above)

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 108th Congress - 1st Session as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate Vote Summary Question: On the Amendment (Graham (SC) Amdt. No. 1806 As Modified ) Vote Number: 384 Vote Date: October 15, 2003, 06:03 PM Required For Majority: 1/2 Vote Result: Amendment Agreed to Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 1806 to S. 1689 (Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan Security and Reconstruction Act, 2004 ) Statement of Purpose: To express the sense of Congress that the removal of the Government of Saddam Hussein...

<p>Where Would You Want Your $24 Billion in Taxes to Go? Speak up, it's your money, how many Americans have no "health care" or "medicine" they so desperately need?</p> <p>A bill sponsored by Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator John McCain.</p>

Federal Responsibility for Immigrant Health Act of 2002 (Introduced in Senate) S 2449 IS 107th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2449 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow Federal payments to be made to States under the medicaid program for providing pregnancy-related services or services for the testing or treatment for communicable diseases to aliens who are not lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 2, 2002 Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. TORRICELLI,...