Martin Heinrich facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martin Heinrich
Official portrait, 2019
Ranking Member of the Senate Energy Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Preceded by	John Barrasso
Chair of the Joint Economic Committee
In office April 26, 2023 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Don Beyer
Succeeded by	David Schweikert
Vice Chair of the Joint Economic Committee
In office February 3, 2021 – April 26, 2023
Preceded by	Don Beyer
Succeeded by	David Schweikert
United States Senator from New Mexico
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013 Serving with Ben Ray Luján
Preceded by	Jeff Bingaman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico's 1st district
In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Heather Wilson
Succeeded by	Michelle Lujan Grisham
Member of the Albuquerque City Council from the 6th district
In office January 3, 2004 – January 3, 2008
Preceded by	Hess Yntema
Succeeded by	Rey Garduno
Personal details
Born	Martin Trevor Heinrich (1971-10-17) October 17, 1971 (age 53) Fallon, Nevada, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Julie Hicks ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	2
Education	University of Missouri (BS) University of New Mexico
Signature

Martin Trevor Heinrich (born October 17, 1971) is an American businessman and politician. He is currently the senior U.S. Senator for New Mexico. He has held this important job since 2013. Before becoming a senator, Heinrich was a U.S. Representative for New Mexico from 2009 to 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Born in Fallon, Nevada, Heinrich spent most of his adult life in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From 2004 to 2008, he served on the Albuquerque City Council. He was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. Instead of running for a third term in the House, he decided to run for the Senate in 2012 and won. He was reelected in 2018 and 2024. Since 2023, Senator Heinrich has led the Joint Economic Committee.

Early Life and Education

Martin Trevor Heinrich was born in Fallon, Nevada. His mother, Shirley A. Bybee, was a seamstress, and his father, Pete C. Heinrich, worked for a utility company. His father was born in Germany and later became an American citizen. Martin Heinrich grew up in Cole Camp, Missouri.

He went to public schools in Cole Camp. In 1989, he moved to Columbia, Missouri, to attend the University of Missouri. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 1995. After that, he moved to Albuquerque to take graduate classes at the University of New Mexico.

Early Career and Public Service

After college, Heinrich worked for a short time doing mechanical drawings. He then joined AmeriCorps, a program where people serve their communities. He worked as an AmeriCorps fellow in New Mexico.

From 1996 to 2001, Heinrich was the leader of the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation. This New Mexico group teaches young people about natural science and the environment. In 2002, he started his own company that advised on public policy.

Heinrich served on the Albuquerque City Council from 2004 to 2008. He was even the president of the city council in 2006. As a councilman, he worked to lower crime, increase the minimum wage, and create new jobs. He also supported using wind and solar power. In 2006, the Governor of New Mexico appointed him as the state's Natural Resources Trustee. This role meant he helped protect New Mexico's natural resources.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Representative Martin Heinrich during the 111th Congress

In 2008, Martin Heinrich decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives for New Mexico's 1st district. The person who held the seat, Heather Wilson, decided to run for the U.S. Senate instead. Heinrich won the Democratic primary election.

In the main election, Heinrich ran against Darren White. Heinrich's campaign focused on connecting White to President George W. Bush. Heinrich also talked about making the U.S. more energy independent and ending the Iraq War. He won the election, becoming the first Democrat to represent that district since 1969.

He was reelected for a second term in 2010, winning against Jon Barela.

Key Issues in the House

As a U.S. Representative, Heinrich worked on several important issues.

Health Care

In 2010, Heinrich voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare. This law aimed to make health insurance more available and affordable. Later, in 2017, he supported a plan called Medicare-For-All, which would create a single government-run health insurance system.

Environment

Heinrich has always been a strong supporter of environmental protection. He led the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation, which teaches about nature. He also supported wind and solar energy when he was on the Albuquerque City Council. He was appointed as the state's Natural Resources Trustee.

He has opposed the construction of the Keystone Pipeline, which would carry oil across the country. He also supports "cap-and-trade" laws, which aim to reduce pollution by setting limits on how much companies can pollute. In 2019, he was one of a few Democratic senators who voted to confirm David Bernhardt, a former oil executive, as Secretary of the Interior. In late 2019, Heinrich supported the Green New Deal, a plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Same-Sex Marriage

Martin Heinrich has supported same-sex marriage for a long time. In 2009, he supported a law to get rid of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Gun Laws

Heinrich is an outdoorsman, hunter, and gun owner. He used to be a member of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA supported him in his 2010 election. However, the NRA did not support him in his 2012 Senate campaign, and he has since given their 2010 donation to charity.

He was against a law that would have brought back the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. He also supported laws that would make it easier for people to carry concealed firearms across state lines. He believes in banning bump stocks (devices that make guns fire faster) and stopping gun sales to anyone on the federal no fly list.

Ojito Wilderness

In 2008, some people criticized Heinrich for his work on creating the Ojito National Wilderness. They said he was lobbying without registering. Heinrich said his work was advocacy, which did not require special registration.

Armed Forces

Heinrich was a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He has always been against the war in Iraq and supported ending combat in Afghanistan quickly. In 2011, he voted against a defense bill because he disagreed with a rule that said suspected foreign terrorists had to be held by the military instead of by civilian police.

Committee Work in the House

While in the House, Heinrich served on important committees, including:

• Committee on Appropriations
• Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Select Committee on Intelligence

Serving in the U.S. Senate

Senate Elections

In 2012, Heinrich decided to run for the U.S. Senate seat that Jeff Bingaman was leaving. He won the Democratic primary election. In the general election, he defeated Heather Wilson, who he had replaced in the House.

Heinrich being sworn in as a U.S. Senator by vice president Joe Biden, January 3, 2013

He was reelected for his second term in 2018, winning against Mick Rich and Gary Johnson. In 2024, he was elected to his third Senate term, defeating Nella Domenici.

Key Issues in the Senate

U.S. Capitol Attack

In January 2021, Heinrich was at the U.S. Capitol when supporters of President Trump stormed the building. He saw the rioters trying to break in and warned others. He was evacuated from the Senate chamber for safety. He called the attack an "assault on democracy" and blamed Trump for it.

Gun Laws

In 2013, Heinrich voted to expand background checks for gun purchases. However, he voted against regulating assault weapons. After a mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, Heinrich said that Congress should pass laws to stop gun violence.

Health Care

In 2013, Heinrich voted to bring back funding for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Election Security

In 2017, Heinrich helped introduce the Secure Elections Act. This law would give money to states to update their voting technology and create guidelines to protect election systems from cyberattacks.

Energy

In 2021, Heinrich was one of seven Democratic senators who voted with Republicans to block a ban on hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.

Puerto Rico

In 2021, Heinrich introduced a bill to make Puerto Rico a U.S. state.

Foreign Policy

In 2024, Heinrich voted for a resolution to apply human rights rules to U.S. military aid to Israel. This proposal did not pass. Later in 2024, he was one of 19 senators who voted to block U.S. arms sales to Israel.

2024 Presidential Election

In July 2024, Heinrich publicly asked President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 United States presidential election.

Committee Work in the Senate

Senator Heinrich serves on several important committees in the Senate:

• Committee on Appropriations (which decides how government money is spent)
• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
• Select Committee on Intelligence (which oversees U.S. intelligence agencies)
• Joint Economic Committee (which he chairs)

In 2019, Heinrich and Senator Rob Portman started the Senate Artificial Intelligence Caucus. This group focuses on issues related to artificial intelligence. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Heinrich was asked to join a special task force to help reopen the economy.

Bipartisan Survival Trip

In 2014, Senator Heinrich and Senator Jeff Flake (a Republican) went on a survival trip to a small island in the Marshall Islands. The Discovery Channel filmed their trip for a show called Rival Survival. They had to survive for six days with very few resources, including no fresh water. After the trip, Heinrich said they did it to show that politicians from different parties can work together, even to survive.

Personal Life

Martin Heinrich lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with his wife, Julie, and their two children. He is a Lutheran.

Electoral History

Albuquerque City Council

U.S. House of Representatives

2008 New Mexico's 1st congressional district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Martin Heinrich	166,271	55.65	5.85
	Republican	Darren White	132,485	44.35	5.85
Total votes			298,756	100.00	N/A
Majority			33,786	11.31	10.90
	Democratic gain from Republican

2010 New Mexico's 1st congressional district election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Martin Heinrich (incumbent)	112,010	51.80	3.85
	Republican	Jon Barela	104,215	48.20	3.85
Total votes			216,225	100.00	N/A
Majority			7,795	3.61	7.70
	Democrat hold

U.S. Senate

2012 United States Senate election in New Mexico
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Martin Heinrich	395,717	51.01	19.60
	Republican	Heather Wilson	351,259	45.28	15.95
	Independent American	Jon Barrie	28,199	3.63	N/A
	Independent	Robert L. Anderson (write-in)	617	0.08	N/A
Total votes			775,792	100.00	N/A
Majority			44,458	5.73	35.54
	Democrat hold

2018 United States Senate election in New Mexico
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Martin Heinrich (incumbent)	376,998	54.09	3.08
	Republican	Mick Rich	212,813	30.53	14.75
	Libertarian	Gary Johnson	107,201	15.38	N/A
Total votes			697,012	100.00	N/A
Majority			164,185	23.56	17.83
	Democrat hold

See also

In Spanish: Martin Heinrich para niños