url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2532,Merry Christmas from Congressman Lamborn and Family,2018-12-25,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Merry Christmas from Congressman Lamborn and Family f t # e Colorado Springs , December 25, 2018 Colorado Springs, CO - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) issued the following statement: ""The Christmas season is a time of year that's particularly filled with joy, hope, and love. As we enjoy Christmas Day, I want to take a moment to wish you a happy and safe holiday. I'm grateful for the honor to represent Colorado's Fifth Congressional District. I'm blessed to enjoy Christmas with my family, and I hope are as well."" ""For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."" Isaiah 9:6 f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2517,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on Partial Shut Down of the Government,2018-12-22,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn's Statement on Partial Shut Down of the Government f t # e Washington, December 22, 2018 Washington D.C. Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) issued the following statement following the partial shutdown of the federal government: On Thursday, I voted to keep the government running and provide funding for our border security. On Friday, the Senate failed to act on that legislation. Securing our nation's borders should not be a partisan issue yet that's exactly what Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats have made it. Now, hundreds of thousands of Americans will be without pay until Congress can resolve this issue. That's at least one reason why I will not be receiving my salary until a solution is finalized. I'll continue fighting for what's right and working to protect the American people."" f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2515,Congressman Lamborn Sends Letter to Secretary Pompeo Regarding Golan Heights,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn Sends Letter to Secretary Pompeo Regarding Golan Heights f t # e Washington, December 21, 2018 Washington D.C. This afternoon, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) sent a letter with other Members of Congress urging Secretary Mike Pompeo to formally recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. He issued the following statement in response: Congressman Lamborn said:I am pleased to send this letter to Secretary Pompeo on the important recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. President Trump made history when he recognized the reality of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel and the Jewish people. It is time for us to continue this important work and recognize another reality that in 1981, Israel established sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Ambassador Nikki Haley corrected years of bad U.S. policy when she voted against the United Nations' annual resolution condemning Israeli presence in the region, and a statement from Congress about it is long overdue. With Iran's increasing influence in the region, it is more important than ever to ensure that Israel continues to defend the Golan from Iranian control. Thank you to Representative Scott Perry and my colleagues for working on this important letter with me. Congressman Perry, who co-led the letter, said: I commend the Trump Administration, Secretary Pompeo, and Ambassador Haley for their strong statement in the UN of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. I'm proud to send this letter to the Administration to continue the momentum on this important issue. At a time when Iran continues to expand its control in the region and has put its crosshairs on seizing the Golan Heights from Israel, it's a critical time for the US to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. I thank Congressman Doug Lamborn and my colleagues for their support and look forward to working with the Administration to formally recognize Israeli sovereignty. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2537,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on Secretary of Defense Mattis' Resignation Announcement,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn's Statement on Secretary of Defense Mattis' Resignation Announcement f t # e Washington, December 21, 2018 Washington D.C. - After Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced his upcoming resignation from his post, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement: ""I was saddened to learn that General Mattis will resign from his post as Secretary of Defense at the end of February, but I am deeply grateful for his unparalleled service to his nation. Secretary Mattis arrived at the Pentagon to a hollowed-out military. Thanks in large measure to his sage advice and hard work, we have stabilized geopolitical hotspots, reoriented our nation towards great power competition, and begun the process of rebuilding and modernizing our military. Through his life of public service and stoic sacrifice, he has served our country with excellence. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Fair winds and followings seas, Marine.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-backed-bipartisan-bill-allowing-families-to-answer-fafsa-questions-with-just-one-click-passes-senate,Gardner Backed Bipartisan Bill Allowing Families to Answer FAFSA Questions With Just One Click Passes Senate,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC The UnitedStatesSenate passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), LamarAlexander (R-TN),Patty Murray (D-WA),and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). This legislation will allowthenearly 20 million students that complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to answerat least 11 and up to 22questionson the formwithjustone click. The bill will allow students to have the IRS securely send the Department of Education their federal tax information with oneclick.The bill will also help simplify the process for getting through income-driven repayment applications and the student aid verification process.Now that the Senate has passed the legislation, it will head to the U.S. House of Representatives. Ensuring students are able to complete theirFAFSAforms each year is crucial to continuing their education,said SenatorGardner.This bipartisan legislation makes the complex process easier for students and their parents so that no student has to miss out on educational opportunities because completing their forms was made more difficult than it needed to be. Theformerpresident of Southwest Community College in Memphis once told me he believes that he loses 1,500 students each semester because of the complexity of theFAFSA,saidAlexander.Over and over families have asked me, I've already given most of this information to the federal government when I paid my taxes, why do I have to do it againonce is enough.' This legislation will make completing the complicatedFAFSAmuch easier for studentsand familiesallowing them to answer up to 22 questionson the formwith one simple click, while securing the applicant's data. It is my hope that the U.S. House of Representatives swiftly passes this legislation. Our nation's outdated and overly complicated financial aid system is forcing students and student loan borrowers to jump through too many hoops to access federal financial aid, verify the tax returns they've already filled out, or get help if they're struggling to pay their student loans,said Murray.I'm pleased to work with my colleagues on this needed fix to federal financial aid, and I urge the House to pass this quickly so students and borrowers are able navigate their financial aid through a streamlined and efficient process. Putting prospective college students and their families through endless paperwork is more than an annoyance. Needlessly complicated forms like theFAFSAare a real obstacle to Rhode Island students continuing their education,said Whitehouse. I'm happy to join Sen.Alexander to introduce this legislation. It's a smart way to reduce the burden of theFAFSAwith a simple, secure online process. The Faster Access to Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) ActwillmakeFAFSAcompletion easierand more securefor nearly 20 million studentsby: Improvingand securingthe way individuals' IRS tax information is sent to the Department of Education. Turning a 7-click process into a single click process that answersat least 11 andup to 22 questions to transfer IRS tax filling data to the Department of Education. Allowing8 to 9 million moreFAFSAfilers to use their existing IRS tax filing information. Reducingthe burdensome verification processes for students and parents filing for aid. Automatingthe annual process for 7 million borrowers in income driven repayment to recertify their income and remain in their repayment plan. Background onFAFSA: Currently 54% ofFAFSAs are filed with information received from the IRS by parents or students using the Data Retrieval Tool to request and transfer tax information from the IRS to the Department of Education. The current process for students or parents to transfer tax information to theFAFSArequires the applicant to give direct permission to the IRS to send tax information to ED. This requires the applicant to jump fromFAFSAwebsite to IRS website and back to ED website which takes a total of 7 clicks. For 37% ofFAFSAs, either the student or the parent does not file taxes. The new process will allow the IRS to confirm that those students or parents have not filed. Background on Income Driven Repayment: Almost a third of borrowers in repayment on federal student loans are in an income-driven repayment program. These programs require that borrowers certify their income on an annual basis. If borrowers fail to complete this process, they are automatically reentered into standard 10 year repayment. Each year 19 percent ofborrowers in IDR fail to recertify their income on-time,resulting in payment spikes and interest capitalization for approximately 1.3 million borrowers. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-leads-colleagues-in-condemning-the-anti-israel-anti-semitic-bds-movement,"Gardner Leads Colleagues in Condemning the Anti-Israel, Anti-Semitic BDS Movement",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC In the wake of comments made by several incoming Democratic members of Congress, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) sent a letter Thursday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) with 14 of his colleagues, urging them to take action against the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. We urge you to issue a joint statement publicly condemning BDS and to prioritize legislative efforts in the next session of Congress to counter this destructive trend, the Senators wrote. We note there were bipartisan legislative efforts, including the Combating BDS Act (S.170) and the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S.720), which were introduced in the 115th Congress. NOTE: View letter here. The letter reads in full: Dear Leaders McConnell and Schumer: We write today to bring to your attention a disturbing development concerning the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic movement known as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS). Regrettably, in recent days, future members of the U.S. House of Representatives have publicly expressed support for this extreme movement. We urge you to issue a joint statement publicly condemning BDS and to prioritize legislative efforts in the next session of Congress to counter this destructive trend. We note there were bipartisan legislative efforts, including the Combating BDS Act (S.170) and the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S.720), which were introduced in the 115th Congress. Israel is our country's most steadfast ally in a highly volatile region of the world. The State of Israel has proven itself to be a resilient beacon of democratic values, despite facing existential threats daily since its founding in 1948. Working closely together, our two countries have worked to fight terrorism, to stop the spread of radical Islamist ideologies, and to prevent nuclear and chemical weapons proliferation by rogue regimes, such as Syria and the Islamic Republic of Iran. As then-President Barack Obama stated in his speech in Jerusalem on March 21, 2013: Israel has established a thriving democracy with a spirited civil society, proud political parties, a tireless free press, and a lively public debate lively may even be an understatement. And Israel has achieved this even as it has overcome relentless threats to its security through the courage of the Israel Defense Forces, and a citizenry that is resilient in the face of terror. Simply put, the BDS movement seeks to de-legitimize the State of Israel and its people. Senator Schumer, as you so eloquently stated on March 6, 2018: We must continue to stand firm against the profoundly biased campaign to delegitimize the State of Israel through [BDS]While Iran publicly executes its citizens, Turkey jails its journalists, scores of Arab nations punish homosexuality with imprisonment and torture, why does BDS single Israel out alone for condemnation? It is disheartening to see future members of Congress take a position on BDS that is not only highly biased, but contrary to fundamental facts and detrimental to U.S. national security interests. We therefore respectfully urge you to immediately condemn these comments and to show bipartisan support for our ally Israel. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-markey-tout-successful-partnership-as-leaders-on-asia-policy-in-the-115th-congress,"Gardner, Markey Tout Successful Partnership as Leaders on Asia Policy in the 115th Congress",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Ed Markey (D-MA),Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity, today reflected on the Subcommittee's work in the 115thCongress and celebrated their success in being the most productive Foreign Relations subcommittee and sending to be signed into law one of the most consequential legislative initiatives on Asia policy for generations. I want to thank Senator Markey for being such an incredible partner on this subcommittee,said Gardner. Together, we held the most hearings of any Foreign Relations subcommittee in the 115th Congress quite an achievement for the American people who sent us here to conduct vigorous oversight over our nation's foreign affairs. Through our partnership we were able to pass ARIA, landmark legislation to guide United States foreign policy in Asia that will ensure that the United States remains the leading Pacific power for generations to come. I look forward to continuing our important work together in the 116thCongress. I am proud of the work of the East Asia subcommittee, including our numerous hearings and discussion on the evolving challenges that Chinese policies and influence pose to the United States, to our allies and partners, and to the international system we built together to ensure stability, prosperity, and equality for all, said Markey. Passage of the Gardner-Markey Asia Reassurance Act was a capstone to our work, and will serve as an important guide for U.S. foreign policy in Asia. Senator Gardner has been a tremendous partner and friend on the subcommittee, and I look forward to continuing our work together. The Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurityheld 11 hearings in 2017-2018, themost hearings of any Foreign Relations subcommittee in the 115th Congress. In conjunction with these hearings, Senators Gardner and Ed Markey (D-MA) authored the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA) -- landmark legislation that will strengthen our alliances and deter our adversaries in the Indo-Pacific for generations to come. To inform this legislation, the subcommittee conducted five hearings, examining a range of national security, economic, and rule of law challenges in the Indo-Pacific. The last hearing on May 15, 2018, featured State Department and Department of Defense officials. On June 21,2018, Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Mattis formally endorsed ARIA in a formal letter to the committee. ARIA passed both houses of Congress and is now on its way to the President's desk to be signed into law. The subcommittee held two specific hearings focused on North Korea, examining the shift from strategic patience policy of the Obama Administration to the maximum pressure and engagement policy of the Trump Administration. The subcommittee agreed that clearly much more work needs to be done to achieve complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearizing of the North Korean regime, as required by U.S. law. Additionally, Gardner and Markey held a hearing on cybersecurity policy, examining state-sponsored threats in cyberspace that represents a vital national security concern for the United States that needs to be seriously and immediately addressed. Finally, the subcommittee held a three-part series of hearings, titled The China Challenge that examined how the United States should respond to the challenge of a China that seeks to upend and supplant the U.S-led liberal world order. The first two hearings focused on security and economic aspects of China's authoritarian rise. The final hearing focused on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law -- values that have been fundamental to the conduct of U.S. foreign policy for generations. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2514,Congressman Lamborn Votes to Fund the Government and Secure Our Borders,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C. -Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) voted for the continued resolution on the House floor, averting a government shutdown. An amendment by the House added $5.7 billion for the border wall and $8.7 billion in disaster relief. It passed by a vote of 217-185 with all Democrats voting in opposition. Congressman Lamborn issued the following statement. ""The immigration system in our country is broken. We've seen time and time again the dangers our society has faced as a result of rampant illegal immigration. Tonight, I voted to stand with President Trump andfulfill our promise to the American people to fully fund the wall and secure the border. And now it is time for the Senate to do their job.Securing the border should not be a partisan issue.Our country deserves a secure border and immigration laws that put the safety, security and prosperity of Americans first.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-backs-bill-improve-quality-life-alzheimer-s-patients,Tipton Backs Bill to Improve Quality of Life for Alzheimers Patients,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) voted to pass legislation that would help provide better treatment and care for Americans living with Alzheimer's Disease. S. 2076, the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 361-3. Tipton is a cosponsor of H.R. 4256, the House version of the bill. Alzheimer's Disease is a public health crisis. In addition to the enormous amount of suffering that this disease causes, the costs associated with caring for Americans with Alzheimer's are in the billions and only projected to increase, said Tipton. More must be done to improve the quality of life for those living with Alzheimer's and their caregivers, as well as reduce the financial toll that this disease has had on our economy. S. 2076 would create infrastructure for the prevention, treatment and care of Americans with Alzheimer's and related dementias. The bill would direct the Centers of Disease and Prevention (CDC) to establish: Centers of Excellence in Public Health Practice, to educate the public on Alzheimer's disease, promote effective caregiving methods and support health professionals, families and communities. Core Capacity and Enhanced Cooperative Agreements, to go to state health departments for the purpose of helping those states carry out Alzheimer's-related public health initiatives. Data Analysis and Reporting Cooperative Agreements, to guarantee that data on Alzheimer's disease is analyzed and released to the public in a timely manner. Background According to the Alzheimer's Association, 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, and by 2050, that number is estimated to rise to nearly 14 million. In Colorado, 71,000 people are living with Alzheimer's. In 2017, the cost of care for Americans with Alzheimer's was $259 billion. Medicare and Medicaid paid approximately two thirds of the cost, or $175 billion. Nearly one in five Medicare dollars is currently goes towards health care costs associated with Alzheimer's or other dementias. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-announces-9-million-grant-for-southwest-chief-rail-line,Gardner Announces $9 Million Grant for Southwest Chief Rail Line,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC -Today,Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, announced the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $9 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant to help with the installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology on the Dodge City, Kansas to Las Animas, Colorado section of the Southwest Chief. I'm proud to be a strong advocate for the Southwest Chief, which is so important to rural communities in Southeastern Colorado,said Gardner. I appreciate the work of our local communities to continually advocate for the Southwest Chief and I will continue my efforts at the federal level to provide all of the necessary support for their efforts. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Gardner has strongly advocated for the Southwest Chief. In August, Gardner worked with a bipartisan group of his colleagues to successfully include anamendmentin appropriations legislation that would set aside resources for improvements on the Southwest Chief.Earlier this year, hequestionedAmtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Scot Naparstek regarding the decision to withhold $3 million in matching funds it previously promised to provide as part of the successful Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grantannouncedin March 2018. In July, Gardner joined a bipartisan group of Senators in sending aletterto Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson raising concerns with Amtrak's consideration of providing bus service in lieu of passenger rail service for a portion of the Southwest Chief line, including in Colorado.The letter also urged Amtrak to apply for CRISI grant funding. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-calls-on-trump-administration-to-cancel-north-korea-meetings-increase-pressure-on-kim-jong-un,"Gardner Calls on Trump Administration to Cancel North Korea Meetings, Increase Pressure on Kim Jong Un",2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC -Today, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the below statement followingreportsthat North Korea has no plans to denuclearize: Despite commitmentsKim Jong Unhas made and repeatedly violated, North Korea continues to defy the will of the international community,said Senator Gardner.Today, we are nowhere closer to the only goal we should have - the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the North Korean regime. Kim Jong Un continues to break his promises, and his actions suggest the potential summit is dead on arrival.Until Pyongyang takes concrete steps to denuclearizewe should further ramp up the sanctions and call for our global partners to join us in a maximum pressure campaign that will give Kim Jong Un two options:denuclearize or be further isolated from the world. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-thanks-colorado-law-enforcement-during-the-holidays,Gardner Thanks Colorado Law Enforcement During the Holidays,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) honored the sacrifices Colorado law enforcement officers make in order to keep Colorado communities safe. He also remembered the life of Sergeant Matthew Troy Moreno whose watch was ended on December 12th, 2018. Gardner spoke on the Senate floor Wednesday on the importance of taking the time to honor the heroism displayed by law enforcement officers across the state and the country to keep us all safe. NOTE: View Senator Gardner's floor remarkshereor by clicking on the photo above Remarks as delivered: Thank you, Mr. President. I come to the floor today to honor our men and women in law enforcement. As Members of Congress and their staffs head home this holiday season, we must remember the sacrifice of those who make our communities safe, those who make our safety possible. Across the United States this year 143 law enforcement officers have paid the ultimate price. In Colorado we honor 3 fallen officers. Deputy Sheriff Heath McDonald Gumm whose final act was to bravely pursue an armed suspect. We'll never forget the courage and bravery of his action. Deputy Sheriff MicahLee Flick who was killed in the line of duty in February of this year after serving in the El Paso County Sheriff's Office for 11 years. I'd also like to honor the memory of Sergeant Matthew Moreno who was killed in the line of duty in Los Animas County just last week. He was responding to reports of domestic violence when his cruiser, and that of another officer, crashed into a civilian vehicle headed in the opposite direction. Unfortunately the occupants of the other vehicle, including a one year old child, also lost their lives. The pain of losing loved ones this close to the holidays is unimaginable. Sergeant Moreno ends his watch after serving honorably for 5 years, survived by his loving family including his 3 beautiful children: Summer, Morgan, and Jared. He's been described as being a super hero to his kids, seems very fitting given the bravery that he showed throughout his career. He is also remembered for his sense of humor, his love for hunting and fishing, something almost all Coloradans can relate to. Our prayers are certainly with the family of Sergeant Moreno and with the families of those in the other vehicle. I'd also like to offer my sincere condolences to the entire Las Animas County Sheriff's department who have lost not just a fellow officer but a brother. Each one of the officers we lost this year was a neighbor, a loved family member, an extraordinary Coloradan who gave their life to protect their communities. Although the need is great, so few of us are blessed with the level of bravery and courage shown each and every day by the men and women in law enforcement. As we all enjoy the warmth of this holiday season, law enforcement officers around the country will stand guard in cold and uncertain streets, this includes the selfless men and women who serve right here in the U.S. Capitol who worked through the holiday to ensure every American visiting the nation's capital can do so safely. It's important that we keep them in our thoughts as we gather with family and friends this holiday season to celebrate. I would also like to take a moment to thank the families of these brave men and women whose sacrifices must not be forgotten. They endure time apart from their loved ones so that families, like millions across this country, will know peace and security during their holiday celebrations. When thinking about the brave men and women defending that thin blue line, I'm always reminded of the words of Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman who said, American law enforcement is the loyal and brave sheep dog always standing watch for the wolf that lurks in the dark. It's my hope that the thoughts and prayers we all offer to those wearing the blue uniform will offer them comfort as they carry out this solemn duty. I am thankful for their service and thankful to the families for their continued sacrifice. Also reminded of the words of Joe Rice, a former state legislator in Colorado that I served with, who during the holiday season, said this prayer, served in Iraq and Afghanistan and wrote how he prays for his fellow soldiers and their safety each and every day, this: For all those around the world in harm's way, we pray with you, please God, just not today. Each and every day, we echo that same prayer. Thank you to the men and women in blue. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-bennet-demand-immediate-action-be-taken-on-veterans-affairs-wait-times,"Gardner, Bennet Demand Immediate Action Be Taken on Veterans Affairs Wait Times",2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Colorado U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R) and Michael Bennet (D) today sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie demanding action be taken immediately to remedy wait times at Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS)facilities. The senators requested a report on how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will use existing and new authorities to address these unacceptable wait times. The troubling November 2018 numbers demonstrate that the VA needs to prioritize solutions for Colorado veterans,the Senators wrote.As such, as MISSION is implemented, we request a report on how the VA intends to use existing authorities, as well as the new flexibility and tools provided in the MISSION Act, to expeditiously fix issues with wait times across ECHCS. NOTE: View the letterhere. The letter reads in full Dear Secretary Wilkie, We write today to demand immediate action on unacceptable wait times at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System facilities. For the period ending on December 1, 2018, VA data show that 16.65 percent of medical appointments scheduled through the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) have a wait time of over 30 days. These wait times are the worst in the nation. This includes 7,374 belated appointments at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, 1,201 at the PFC James Dunn Clinic in Pueblo, and 7,014 at the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Outpatient Clinic at Colorado Springs. The latest numbers are even worse than the 13.5 percent of over 30-day appointments that the Denver Post cited in a July 2017 article on ECHCS wait times. Unacceptably high rates persist after years of congressional action, an alarming inspector general report, and a $1.73 billion new facility designed to improve access to care across the Rocky Mountain region. The wait time issue is a disservice to Colorado veterans. With the passage of the VA Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act in June 2018, Congress acted, with our support, to enhance the health care experience for our nation's veterans. This bipartisan legislation provides new capabilities to the VA with the goal of improving the timeliness of veterans' access to health care. The troubling November 2018 numbers demonstrate that the VA needs to prioritize solutions for Colorado veterans. As such, as MISSION is implemented, we request a report on how the VA intends to use existing authorities, as well as the new flexibility and tools provided in the MISSION Act, to expeditiously fix issues with wait times across ECHCS. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-releases-statement-on-chinas-human-rights-abuses,Gardner Releases Statement on Chinas Human Rights Abuses,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Calls for the Trump Administration to Take Action Washington, DC -Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity,released the below statement today followingreportsthat products sold in the United States were manufactured inChinese forcedlabor campsin the Xinjiang Autonomous Province. On December 4, 2018,Gardnerheld ahearingin his subcommittee specificallyfocused on China's human rights abuses.The hearing was the first public instance wheretheU.S.State Departmentpublicly revealedthat over 2 millionUighurs andotherMuslim minorities are being detained inmodern-day concentration camps in Xinjiang. On December 12, 2018, Gardner condemned China's human rights abuses in apersonal meetingwith China's Ambassador to the United States, Cu Tiankai. China's actions in Xinjiang are unacceptable, barbaric, and an affront to basic civilized norms and human rights,said Senator Gardner.Iurge the Administration to take urgent action to help the Uighurs, including imposing sanctions on the Chinese authorities responsible for these abuses, and imposing an immediate import ban to ensure any products manufactured by forced labor in China never reach the United States. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-votes-for-criminal-justice-reform,Gardner Votes for Criminal Justice Reform,2018-12-19,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Will Continue to Push for Marijuana Reform through the States Act Washington, DC -Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the below statement following the Senate's passage of sweeping criminal justice reform legislation, the First Step Act: ""After years of bipartisan work, the Senate took a monumental step forward to reform our nation's criminal justice system,""said Senator Gardner.""Although I thought my amendment that would have ensured each state has the right to determine for itself the best approach to marijuana within its borders should have been included in this criminal justice reform package, I still supported the final measure because it will have a real impact on how we helppeople reenter society after they have served their sentence. The Senate proved Tuesday night that we can accomplish big goals if we work together on behalf of the American people,and I hope we can continue this bipartisan spirit of cooperation. I will continue to push for my bipartisan STATES Act to receive a vote in the Senate,but I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish on Tuesday."" Gardnerintroducedan amendment earlier this week toprotectstate decisions across the country with respect to regulating marijuana. You can watch his speech on the Senate floor about the amendmenthere. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2508,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on the Creation of U.S. Space Command,2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C.- Today,the Trump Administration announced it willcreatean 11thCombatant Command, U.S. Space Command. President Trump signed a one-page memorandum authorizing the Department of Defense to create the new command. This new command will oversee and organize space operations, accelerate technical advances, and find more effective ways to defend U.S. assets in space to include the constellations of satellites the U.S. military relies upon on for navigation, communications, and surveillance. Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) issued the following statement regarding the announcement: ""I am very pleased to see thepresident moving forward with the decision to reestablish a U.S. Space Command.Like theadministration, we in Colorado Springs understand the seriousness and immediacy of the growing threats to our space assets.Establishing U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs is the only serious option for providing the desired capability on the shortest, most cost-effective timeline, and is a natural long-term home for this exciting new organization.Colorado is the epicenter of the national security space enterprise and was home to the original Space Command for 17 years.Today, Colorado Springs is home to Air Force Space Command and the Joint Functional Component Command for Space, the two primary organizations from which a Space Command will be molded - including the expansive infrastructure on Peterson and Schriever Air Force Bases. Our state ranks first in the nation for its concentration of aerospace jobs and is the nation's largest aerospace economy on a per capita basis.I look forward to working closely with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to ensure a quick and efficient transition."" Text of President Trump's memorandumHERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-sends-bipartisan-letter-calling-for-response-to-allegations-of-chinese-government-election-interference,Gardner Sends Bipartisan Letter Calling for Response to Allegations of Chinese Government Election Interference,2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and the International Cybersecurity Policy,sent a letter with a group of bipartisan Senators to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other national security leaders in the Trump Administration expressing concern about continued attempts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to undermine democracy.Specifically, the letterencouragesthe Administration to work closely with Taiwan to investigate the allegations of interference and respond if deemed necessary. CCP attempts to erode democratic processes and norms around the world threaten U.S. partnerships and prosperity,theSenators wrote. Allegations such as those surrounding Taiwan's recent elections must therefore be pursued with seriousness and urgency.We write to express our support for efforts to counter interference of this nature and to state unequivocally that we stand shoulder to shoulder with democracies fighting attempts to undermine their sovereignty and freedom. We encourage your departments to do all you can to support Taiwan in investigating these allegations and taking necessary action in response. It is not our intent, nor our role, to question the veracity or fairness of the electoral outcome. Rather, in an era of growing authoritarian interference, we believe such allegations must be taken seriously if free societies are to continue to thrive. If true, CCP interference in Taiwan's elections would be deeply concerning not only for Taiwan's future, but also for fellow democracies around the world where the CCP may choose to interfere. Gardner has prioritized the U.S.-Taiwan relationship during this time in the Senate, including enacting legislation into law, conducting three official visits to Taiwan, and frequent high-level meetings with Taiwan's leadership, including most recentlymeeting President Tsai Ing-Wenduring her transit through the United States in August 2018. In the 114thCongress, Gardner authored legislationto require theDepartment of State to develop a strategy to include Taiwan as an observer in INTERPOL,whichwas signed into lawby President Obama in March 2016. In the 115thCongress, heintroduced theTaiwan Security Actwith Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) in July 2017, a bill that would enhance the security relationshipbetween our two nations.In 2018, he worked with his Subcommittee rankingmember Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) to introduce theTaiwan International Participation Act of 2018 (TIPA), a bill aiming to ensure Taiwan's participation in appropriate international organizations,as well astheTaiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative (TAIPEI) ACTlegislationrequiring the U.S. government to engage with nations around the world to maintain and grow ties with Taiwan. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) also joined the letter. NOTE: View the letterhere. The letter reads in full Dear Secretaries Pompeo and Mnuchin, Directors Coats and Wray: We write with concern about allegations that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) interfered in Taiwan's recent elections. CCP attempts to erode democratic processes and norms around the world threaten U.S. partnerships and prosperity. Allegations such as those surrounding Taiwan's recent elections must therefore be pursued with seriousness and urgency. We appreciate the actions your departments are already taking to address CCP foreign interference. We encourage you to work closely with Taiwan authorities to thoroughly investigate these allegations and, if necessary, take swift action to deter future CCP interference in elections in Taiwan or elsewhere across the globe. In the lead-up to Taiwan's local elections on November 24, 2018, Taiwan authorities and independent observers alleged that the CCP used illegal funds and disinformation to influence the election results in favor of the CCP's strategic interests. It is not our intent, nor our role, to question the veracity or fairness of the electoral outcome. Rather, in an era of growing authoritarian interference, we believe such allegations must be taken seriously if free societies are to continue to thrive. If true, CCP interference in Taiwan's elections would be deeply concerning not only for Taiwan's future, but also for fellow democracies around the world where the CCP may choose to interfere. Taiwan authorities' statements suggest that illegal campaign contributions to pro-Beijing political candidates were one of the primary tools of alleged CCP interference. In October, Taiwan authorities announced that they were investigating 33 cases of alleged funding from China to political campaigns in Taiwan. If true, the donations would be in violation of Taiwan's Political Donations Act and the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. Indeed, Taiwan investigators reportedly conducted raids on two illicit money exchanges funneling money to pro-Beijing election activities in Taiwan. Authorities are also investigating allegations that CCP-linked individuals tried to bribe or coerce voters. Taiwan authorities have also accused the CCP of using disinformation to shape public opinion of political candidates deemed unsympathetic to Beijing's interests. They allege the CCP spread false information through social media and messaging platforms, including Facebook, Line, and the online bulletin board, PTT. Some candidates have even claimed to possess evidence showing that these disinformation campaigns originated from mainland Chinese IP addresses. As Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) of State Scott Busby said last month in Taiwan, At a time of democratic backsliding and human rights abuses elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan serves as an invaluable model to others. And given the challenges we all face, it is especially important that democracies like Taiwan and the United States stand together in promoting a brighter future, free of repression, censorship, and exploitation. In the spirit of DAS Busby's remarks, we write to express our support for efforts to counter interference of this nature and to state unequivocally that we stand shoulder to shoulder with democracies fighting attempts to undermine their sovereignty and freedom. We encourage your departments to do all you can to support Taiwan in investigating these allegations and taking necessary action in response. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-takes-to-senate-floor-to-fight-for-states-rights-and-protect-states-legal-marijuana-operations,Gardner Takes to Senate Floor to Fight for States Rights and Protect States Legal Marijuana Operations,2018-12-18,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Mr. President, I yield my time and will not give up this fight Washington, DC -Today, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) spoke on the Senator floor after his legislation to protect the marijuana industry in states across the country was blocked from being voted on as an amendment to the First Step Act. NOTE: Clickhereor on the image above to view Gardner's remarks. Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Iowa, Chairman Grassley. After much debate, disagreement, and compromise, the Senate this week is taking up a criminal justice reform package. The package shows the American people thatbipartisanship is alive. Leaders on both sides of the aisle as well as the White House should be commended for their admirable and persistent cooperation and determination. The package's goals are noble: it is right to help those that have paid their debt re-enter society with the best possible chance to be productive contributors; it is right to take steps to ensure that sentences are fair and appropriately tailored to the defendant; and it is right to calibrate the way we treat those in custody based on the risk they pose to society. But being from Colorado, it is hard to think about federal criminal justice reform without thinking about the biggest problem the federal criminal law creates for Colorado: the refusal to respect the will of Coloradans when it comes to marijuana. Every day, Coloradans of good faith follow Colorado law to a T, yet they are still criminals in the eyes of the federal government. Cancer patients using medical marijuana to control their pain and veterans who are using marijuana to alleviate the PTSD they suffer because they served their country federal law says they are criminals. The People do not think that. So the federal law should change. This disconnect doesn't just effect the industry's patrons, or even just its growers and retailers for that matter. It also makes criminals of those outside the industry. Plumbers, electricians, bankers, landlords and real estate service providers, employment and advertising agencies, insurance companies, HR services, and all of the everyday businesses that interact with the marijuana industry (like they do any other part of our economy) are affected by the federal law, too. That's because when they take money from a marijuana business federal law considers them money launderers putting them at risk for both criminal liability and civil asset forfeiture. The disconnect forces Colorado's $1.5 billion market into the pseudo-shadows, where business is in hard-to-track cash, inviting dangerous robberies and hindering law enforcement efforts to ensure that legal marijuana sales benefits legitimate businesses rather than illicit cartels. It also means that researchers can't test marijuana for medical efficacy or to help better understand impairment because those researchers fear of losing federal funding. All of this flies in the face of what the Colorado people have chosen for themselves. Indeed, it flies in the face of the 33 states that now have some form of legalized marijuana, including 10 that allow regulated adult use. This year alone, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Utah have passed laws establishing medical marijuana programs and Michigan and Vermont have passed laws permitting regulated adult use. And Wisconsin voters in 16 counties overwhelming passed advisory referenda supporting legalization. This isn't fluke. Recent polling from Quinnipiac shows more than 60% of the American people support legalized marijuana and 93% support medical marijuana. The American people have made up their minds: this is happening. Let's be clear: this isn't just happening in blue state California and Massachusetts or purple states like Colorado. It's happening in red states like Utah, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. And it's happening in swing states like Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Missouri. The bedrock principle of our government expressed in the Declaration of Independence is that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. As the federal government continues to ignore the will of the People, the People lose respect for the law. The Congress must respond because one way or the other the People will have their say. That is why Sen. Warren and I are offering the STATES Act as an amendment to the criminal justice package before the Senate. The Act is simple and straight-forward. Within certain basic federal guardrails, conduct in compliance with state marijuana law will not violate the Controlled Substances Act. This legislation is the embodiment of the federalism our Founders envisioned. It allows each state to move if at all at its own pace. It lets states like Colorado be the laboratory of democracy the American people have come to expect. But most importantly, it lets Colorado be Colorado, South Carolina be South Carolina, and Florida be Florida and they all will have federal prosecutors backing up whatever decision they make with respect to marijuana. The people of Colorado have made their decision. I didn't vote for legalization in 2012, but I respect my state's decision. Its people know that what is right for the Colorado might not be what's right for the people of South Carolina or Florida. But their decision should be respected and supported by the federal government, just like the decisions in every other state. I am all for helping those that have paid their debt to society, but there are many for whom there should be no debt. That is why the STATES Act should be included in federal criminal justice reform. Let's close with this map, over 95% of the population of the United States lives in a state where they have legalized some form of marijuana. Every state in green is a state that has legalized some form of marijuana. By the year 2022, this industry will be over $20 billion, all of which can't be in the banking system because it's against federal law, and what happens when you force a $20 billion all cash economy I guess that's what we ought to be dealing with here today. This isn't just about banking, that's a side effect of the STATES Act, the STATES Act recognizes that federalist principle that a state can decide this issue for itself. This amendment at this time recognizes that you shouldn't go to federal prison for following state law. That in its essence is sentencing reform. If we had a chance to vote on this amendment today the amendment would be germane, it would be a 50 vote threshold, simple majority up or down, and I know that this bill - this amendment has the support from this body on both sides of the aisle to fix this conflict and allow the states to make their own decisions without the heavy hand of Washington telling them what to do. Mr. President, I yield my time and will not give up this fight. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2507,Supporting the Symbols and Traditions of Christmas,2018-12-17,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. This year, Congressman Doug Lamborn's (CO-05) resolution to protect the symbols and traditions of Christmas in the name of religious liberty gained more support in the U.S. House of Representatives. The resolution is now supported by 56 cosponsors. It also disapproves of efforts to ban references to Christmas in the public arena. Congressman Lamborn issued the following statement regarding the resolution: For many Americans, Christmas is a time for remembrance and celebration. We reflect on Jesus' message of sacrificial love and ultimate peace.It is a season filled with gratitude and joy. Yet a vocal minority have made a concerted effort to ban any and all Christmas traditions and references from the public square. This is an attack on the religious expression rights given to us in the Constitution. That's why I introduced this resolution to defend the religious liberty of all Americans. It would protect the public expression of Christmas traditions like nativities, trees, and saying 'Merry Christmas.' I urge its passage.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-introduces-states-rights-amendment-to-protect-marijuana-industry,Gardner Introduces States Rights Amendment to Protect Marijuana Industry,2018-12-17,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC -Today, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced an amendment to the First Step Act that, if adopted, would ensure that each state has the right to determine for itself the best approach to marijuana within its borders. The bill also extends these protections to Washington D.C, U.S. territories, and federally recognized tribes, and contains common-sense guardrails to ensure that states, territories, and tribes regulating marijuana do so safely. Saturday marked the 227thanniversary of the ratification of the 10thAmendment to the Constitution. It says that [t]he powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.' I can think of no better way to honor that milestone than to pass the bipartisan STATES Act, andI can think of no better legislation to attachtheSTATES Act to than the First Step Act,said Senator Gardner.While we are debatingcriminal justice reform,we need to address the threat of prosecution by the federal government for people in Colorado that are operating legal businesses under state law.And it's not just Colorado: 47 states now allow some form of legalized cannabis. This year Oklahoma, Utah, and Missouri changed their laws to join 30 other states that allow medical marijuana.Recent polls show around 65% of the country support legalization and 93% support medical marijuana. The people are speaking. The states are leading.It's timeforCongress toact toprotect states' rights. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take up and pass this important amendment today. The Amendment mirrors the language of the bipartisanSTATES ActGardnerintroducedwith Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)in June and would: Amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) so that - as long as states and tribescomply with a few basic protections - its provisions no longer apply to any person acting in compliance with State or tribal laws relating to marijuanaactivities. Clearly states that compliant transactions are not trafficking and do not result in proceeds of an unlawful transaction. The following federal criminal provisions under the CSA continue to apply: Prohibitsendangering human life while manufacturingmarijuana. Prohibitsemployment of persons under age 18 in drug operations. Prohibits the distribution of marijuana at transportation safety facilities such as rest areas and truck stops. Prohibitsthe distribution or sale of marijuana to persons under the age of 21 other than for medical purposes. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2506,Congressman Lamborn Views Evidence of Iranian Weapon Proliferation,2018-12-14,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. -Today, Congressman Lamborn led a Congressional Delegation to the Iranian Material Display at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling with Congressman Joe Wilson and Congressman Doug LaMalfa. The Iranian Material Display is a collection of Iranian-made weapons found in battlefields across the region, supplied to terrorist groups by the Iranian regime in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231. ""TheIranian Material Display at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is vital proof of Iran's ongoing malicious and destabilizing strategy in the Middle East. Despite the fact that President Obama and his administration bent over backwards to accommodate the regime in Tehran, access to international markets only increased their support for terrorism abroad. Rather than spending new revenue on the Iranian people, the Ayatollahs squandered the wealth on fueling war throughout the region, leading to death and human misery from Syria to Afghanistan. The Iranian people know this, which is why protests have been continuing for a year now. They feature chants such as 'Not Gaza, Not Lebanon, I Give My Life for Iran.' This collection of weapons is incontrovertible proof of what many of us have been warning for years. I will continue doing everything I can to counter Iranian aggression, whether its financial sanctions, providing our troops with the best equipment, or helping to strengthen our allies."" Photographs HERE. Joint Chiefs of Staff article HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-backed-legislation-to-combat-sexual-harassment-in-congress-passes-senate,Gardner-backed Legislation to Combat Sexual Harassment in Congress Passes Senate,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC -Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released a statement following the Senate's passage of the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act, sweeping legislation that will overhaul the way Congress deals with sexual harassment. In December 2017, Gardner, along with a bipartisan group of his colleagues,introducedthe Congressional Harassment Reform Act to begin the process of reforming how sexual harassment is dealt with in Congress. The final legislation that passed this week was a result of those negotiations that began more than a year ago. It is about time Congress acted to reform the way sexual harassment is handled,said Senator Gardner.As I said last year when I first began working on this issue, sexual harassment and workplace misconduct have no place in America, and certainly have no place in the United States Congress. Taxpayers should never be on the hook for misconduct and every Member must be held personally liable for their own actions. I'm proud I was able to play a role in reforming this process and bringing more transparency and accountability to Congress. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-votes-send-farm-bill-president-s-desk,Tipton Votes to Send Farm Bill to Presidents Desk,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) voted today in favor of H.R. 2, the House-Senate Conference Report to the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, otherwise known as the Farm Bill. The House agreed to the report with a bipartisan vote of 369-47. The final 2018 Farm Bill maintains and strengthens critical safety nets for U.S. farmers who work to provide healthy, affordable food for families across the country and the world, said Tipton. The bill also includes important provisions to protect and restore threatened habitats, help prevent catastrophic wildfires across the West and create more economic opportunities for the Third Congressional District through the production of industrial hemp. The final 2018 Farm Bill contains a Tipton-backed provision (H.R. 3543) that will streamline the approval process for vegetation management projects to protect and restore the habitat of sage-grouse and mule deer. The current vegetation management process has not allowed Western states to effectively keep up with the rapid growth of invasive species in sagebrush habitat, which has had a detrimental effect on both the sage grouse and mule deer populations, said Tipton. The 2018 Farm Bill will remove the bureaucratic red-tape that has prevented land managers from acting quickly in the past. The Farm Bill also contains several provisions to help the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) proactively manage National Forests and prevent catastrophic wildfires. The bill will allow the USFS to establish a pilot program for clearing overgrown vegetation around power lines and other utility infrastructure, as well as allow for the removal of trees that have become hazardous fuel due to disease and insect infestation. Additionally, the bill removes industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, a provision Tipton has fought for as a cosponsor of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act (H.R. 3530). Industrial hemp has become an economic driver in the Third District but concerns over the Controlled Substances Act have prevented the crop from reaching its full potential, Tipton added. The 2018 Farm Bill will provide hemp farmers with the certainty they need to invest in the crop well into the future. The final report also includes Tipton's bill, the West Fork Fires Station Act (H.R. 4609), which will permit the USFS to transfer 3.61 acres of land to Dolores County, Colorado for the purposes of building a fire station. Additional information on the 2018 Farm Bill: Maintains existing crop insurance program; Provides $100 million per year for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative; Expands high-speed internet in rural communities by providing new grants that will go to areas in most need; Expands eligible land for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); Prioritizes opioid response in rural loan and grant programs # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-meets-with-chinas-ambassador-to-the-united-states,Gardner Meets with Chinas Ambassador to the United States,2018-12-12,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Reiterates U.S. Concerns with China's Economic, Security, and Human Rights Violations Washington, DC- Today, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity, released the below statement following his meeting withthe Ambassador of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the United States, Cui Tiankai: I held a meeting today with Ambassador Cui to have an open andfrank exchangeon how to move forward in bilateral relations between our nations,said Senator Gardner.I explained to Ambassador Cui that while it has always been the preference of the United States to have cordial and constructive ties with China, a range of Chinese behavior in recent years has fallen outside of international norms and now threatens to upend the US-led liberal world order that resulted in decades of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.We discussed actions such asChina'sillegalmilitarization of the South China Sea,China's worseninghuman rights record, anddiscriminatory trade practices that have disadvantaged American companies and displaced American workers. I reiterated theneed to resolve our two country's economic differences in a timely manner, consistent with the principlesand timeframeslaid out by President Trump and President Xi at therecentG20 Summitin Argentina,which would includeChinatakingconcrete steps to addressthebilateraltrade imbalanceand ceasing discriminatory behaviors against American companies, such asforced technology transfer, intellectual property violations, and other market access restrictions. I alsoexpressed toAmbassador Cui that the United Statesexpects China to take additional steps toachieve complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of North Korea, including more rigorous enforcement of multilateral sanctions against Pyongyang.I reiterated to Ambassador Cui that I welcome additional dialogue between our nations to peacefully resolve all outstanding disagreements, but Beijing must take the initiative and urgently change course. Iwill continue to use my position as Chairman of the Senate Foreign RelationsEast Asia and PacificSubcommittee to hold China accountablefor its behavior. In 2018,Gardner haschaireda series of hearingsin his subcommitteefocused on China, titledThe China Challenge, which discussedeconomic,security,andhuman rights concerns.Gardner traveled toChina in Augustof2015and metwith a range of PRC officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi.In September 2015, Gardnermet withPresident Xi Jinping in the Senate, during President Xi's visit to the United States. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2505,Federal Funding for Alternatives to Fetal Tissue Research,2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- Yesterday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated that the National Institute of Health (NIH) would seek ethical alternatives to fetal tissue research. According to HHS, NIH is seeking models that ""closely mimic and can be used to accurately model human embryonic development or other aspects of human biology and that do not rely on the use of human fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions."" This comes from NIH after Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) and 75 Members of Congress sent a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar asking to immediately stop approving research applications that require aborted fetal tissue. It also asked HHS to create a timeline for reviewing all currently-funded research to ensure that ethical research methods are used. Congressman Doug Lamborn issued the following statement regarding the announcement: ""Buying aborted babies' body parts in order to further scientific research raises serious legal and ethical concerns. Funding this research should have no place at the highest levels of government. I stand with those who cannot speak out for themselves in opposing this practice. I'm encouraged that the NIH is taking a step in the right direction to completely stop funding fetal tissue research by encouraging research that is innovative and ethical.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/bipartisan-farm-bill-passes-senate-with-gardners-support,Bipartisan Farm Bill Passes Senate with Gardners Support,2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Several Gardner-led Provisions Included in Final Legislation NOTE: View Senator Gardner's video remarkshere. Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) today voted in favor of the bipartisan Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill). This legislation renews the federal government's agricultural programs, including crop insurance, farm credit, and conservation policies. The legislation also expands trade assistance and promotion efforts, provides assistance to rural communities to expand rural broadband and addiction treatment for opioids, and renews the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). As a fifth generation Coloradan from a small town on the Eastern Plains where agriculture is a way of life, I know how important it is that Congress has reached a bipartisan agreement on the Farm Bill,said Gardner. As a result of low commodity prices, our agriculture community has been struggling for the past few years and this has had a profound impact on my own community and rural communities across the state and country. The Farm Bill provides long-term certainty to farmers and ranchers throughout Colorado and even includes provisions that will specifically help Colorado farmers and ranchers. Several provisions I worked on include providing farmers and ranchers relief from drought, using technology to better implement dryland farming practices, providing resources to combat deadly diseases that wipe out hop fields, and making industrial hemp legal to make sure Colorado farmers are free to use their land how they see fit. All of these initiatives will help Colorado's agriculture community and this is another example of how Congress can work together in a bipartisan manner to help the American people. Gardner was able to secure several important provisions in the Farm Bill that will help Colorado's agriculture community: Gardner-Bennet Amendment to strengthen drought and water conservation policy that will provide additional resources for Colorado producers having to deal with drought. Gardner amendment that authorizes research and extension grants in order to utilize data and technology for more precise management of dryland farming agriculture systems. Gardner-Bennet Amendment that combats diseasesharming hop plants. HEMP Farming provision removes industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, which will create jobs and get the government out of the way for Colorado's farmers. NOTE: View Senator Gardner's video remarkshere. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/cory-gardner-scott-tipton-bring-new-good-samaritan-bill-address-abandoned-mines,"Cory Gardner, Scott Tipton bring new good Samaritan bill to address abandoned mines and stoke solution for $50B problem",2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Colorado's U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton on Thursday introduced the latest version of a so-called good Samaritan bill to address abandoned, leaking mines in the U.S. with hopes of breaking roughly two decades of congressional gridlock on the topic. With just weeks left before the end of the year, the legislation offered by the two Republicans has a near-impossible path toward passage, but is meant to set the table for broader conversations in 2019. The bill would let environmental and conservation groups prove the good Samaritan concept by working with the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up 15 abandoned mines, most of which are leaking toxic waste. The measure is called good Samaritan legislation because those good-will groups would be exempt from strict clean-water standards that typically come with addressing historic mining sites, Those rules currently keep do-gooder groups from completing remediation work. Across Colorado and the West we have needed a permanent solution to the dangerous problem of abandoned mines, Gardner said in a written statement. The opportunity to clean up the environment around these sites is crucial and this pilot program will finally allow for the long overdue process to begin. Gardner said he understands changes to the bill might be necessary and that he looks forward to working with my colleagues and stakeholders to evaluate their feedback. A sign of likely future holdup is lack of a Democratic sponsor on the legislation namely Colorado's Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, who has also been pushing for a good Samaritan bill. Bennet and Gardner worked on a draft version of a similar bill in 2016. Abandoned mines across Colorado and the West need to be cleaned up, Bennet told The Colorado Sun in a statement. We are willing to work with anyone to pass good Samaritan legislation with appropriate environmental safeguards. We have a strong history of working together in our delegation and have made a lot of progress on a bipartisan and comprehensive solution to address this issue. We should restart the conversation in that spirit. Also, environmental groups are leery of this type of legislation because they worry it could create more pollution and would not do enough to solve the enormously complex issue of abandoned mines. There are estimated to be hundreds of thousands of abandoned mines across the U.S.,23,000 of which are in Colorado alone. The American West is littered with approximately 500,000 abandoned mines that shackle taxpayers with an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated $50 billion in costs, Lauren Pagel, policy director for the environmental group Earthworks, said in a statement Thursday. Good Samaritans, no matter their intentions, lack the resources to dent a problem of this scale. And this bill does nothing to address disasters like Gold King. The 2015 Gold King mine spill in southwest Colorado rekindled interest in good Samaritan legislation. However, Congress has been unable to reach an agreement on how to clean up abandoned mines without sacrificing environmental protections. Groups like Earthworks want to see changes made to the nation's 1872 Mining Law, specifically some kind of mechanism where current mining companies can pay into a fund dedicated toward abandoned mine cleanup. Gardner and Tipton's bill would bar any mining companies from working on sites they previously owned or operated. It would, however, allow those companies to clean up other abandoned mines. The legislation bars so-called re-mining or resuming mining activity at a site that's being cleaned up though it would allow groups to reprocess waste at a site to defray the cost of cleanup and help the EPA pay for overseeing the program. Environmental groups also fear that good Samaritan legislation would allow companies to mine for profit without facing environmental regulations. The re-mining and cleanup-cost offset provisions in the new bill aim to address those anxieties. There are many Good Samaritan groups that have the technical expertise, financial ability and desire to conduct successful remediation at abandoned mines, but they are discouraged from taking on projects due to current regulations, Tipton said in a statement. Conservation group Trout Unlimited, which has been working with Gardner on the bill, has endorsed the legislation, as has the mining industry. The bill's formal name is the Good Samaritan Remediation of Orphaned Hardrock Mines Act of 2018.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-and-gardner-introduce-crucial-orphan-hardrock-mine-cleanup-legislation,Tipton and Gardner Introduce Crucial Orphan Hardrock Mine Cleanup Legislation,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) and Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced today the Good Samaritan Remediation of Orphan Hardrock Mines Act of 2018, legislation that will authorize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a pilot program that promotes the cleanup of orphan hardrock mines. Abandoned mines are environmental hazards and also present danger to unaware recreationist on federal land all across the United States, especially the western part of the country. With the number of abandoned mines estimated to be as high as 500,000, Good Samaritans are needed to take necessary actions to clean up some of these sites. The assumption of long-term liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (CWA) has hindered prior cleanup of these sites. Tipton and Gardner's legislation creates a pilot program that will allow qualifying Good Samaritans to clean up the sites without the assumption of long-term liability. The Gold King Mine spill was a reminder felt across the Third Congressional District and State of Colorado that when it comes to cleaning up abandoned mine sites, the status quo is unacceptable. There are many Good Samaritan groups that have the technical expertise, financial ability, and desire to conduct successful remediation at abandoned mines, but they are discouraged from taking on projects due to current regulations,said Tipton. The Good Samaritan Remediation of Orphan Hardrock Mines Act of 2018 will set up a pilot project to allow Good Samaritans to clean up abandoned mine sites, improving water quality and providing our communities with a valuable service, all while maintaining strong permitting and environmental controls. For years I have been working on legislation to allow for the cleanup of orphan mine sites by Good Samaritans,said Gardner.Across Colorado and the West we have needed a permanent solution to the dangerous problem of abandoned mines. The opportunity to clean up the environment around these sites is crucial and this pilot program with finally allow for the long overdue process to begin. I understand changes may be necessary to get this bill across the finish line, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and stakeholders to evaluate their feedback. I want to thank Senator Gardnerand Congressman Tiptonfortheirleadership. Abandoned mines represent the single greatest and least addressed threat to our nation's waters. We look forward to working with anyone who wants to make our waters cleaner and our lands healthier and build strong, bipartisan support to pass Good Samaritan legislation,said Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. Today's thorough federal and state regulations require that land reclamation and restoration be a key component of every mining project - but that wasn't always the case. As a result, legacy mine sites have remained abandoned for decades or centuries,said Hal Quinn, NMA's President and CEO.While our industry, environmental groups and others have the expertise and desire to rehabilitate these lands, current laws are preventing environmental progress. Senator Gardner and Congressman Tipton's legislation would change that. These bills are vital to clearing the obstacles that are impeding remediation efforts at abandoned legacy mine sites that continue to impact land and water resources. Good Samaritans should be supported in their efforts to clean up these sites without fear of incurring additional legal liability. This is common sense legislation that Congress has discussed for years. Now is the time for action. AEMA applauds Senator Gardnerand Congressman Tiptonfor introducing the Good Samaritan Remediation of Orphan Hardrock Mines Act of 2018 providing the mining industry, NGOs and others the necessary liability protection to act as true Good Samaritans to remediate historic pre-regulation abandoned mine lands,said Executive Director Laura Skaer.Our members are hopeful that their congressional colleagues will join themin supporting this pragmatic approach. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-awarded-by-major-science-organization-for-record-of-advancing-science-policy,Gardner Awarded by Major Science Organization for Record of Advancing Science Policy,2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-SenatorCoryGardner (R-CO) has been awardedby the American Geophysical Union(AGU)theirprestigious honor, the Presidential Citation, for his work on science policy.TheAGU is an international non-profitwith membership stemming across the globe with 60,000 members in 137 countries working on an array of geophysical endeavors from climate change and natural hazards to space and planetary systems. It is a true honor to receive the American Geophysical Union's Presidential Citation for my bipartisan work on science policy,said Gardner.Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance important science-related policy initiatives, including landmark legislation with Senator Peters The American Innovation and Competitiveness Act. Solutions for our most serious issues, such as climate change, will require bipartisan action and resolve, and I look forward to continuing to work with the American Geophysical Union to tackle and promote research on issues like climate change, natural hazards, and space.I thank the leadership and their 60,000 members across the globe for this great honor. Senators Gary Peters and Cory Gardner were selected for their bipartisan efforts to pass the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017,said the AGU.The legislation strengthens our nation's STEM education pipeline, increases the number of women and underrepresented minorities within STEM fields, andsets robust authorization levels for the National Science Foundation, while avoiding congressional interference in the allocation to NSF's directorates, including Geosciences. During such politically contentious times as these, when progress is dead-locked by deep divisions, the bipartisan approach taken to pass this important legislation is notable. This year, The American Geophysical Union's Presidential Citation was awarded to both SenatorsGardnerand Gary Peters (D-MI) for their bipartisan work together on science policy. Past award winnersinclude, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and several world renowned scientists.Thisawardwasalsoacknowledged by theUniversity Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)which is headquartered in Colorado,who congratulated both Senator's for winning the AGU award for their bipartisan work in support of science. Gardner's record on science: Gardnerhas long been recognized a leader in his party on science and federal research policy. Hehas fought for legislation reducing emissions through clean energy policies and technologies. Gardnerreceivedthe Consortium of Social Science Associations' Distinguished Service Award. He provided thekeynote addressat the annual ARPA-E convention, where he emphasized the importance of bipartisanship and common ground in science policy. NOTE: View Gardner's remarks on receiving the AGU awardhere. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-bennet-announce-major-infrastructure-grants-for-colorado-including-20-million-for-north-i-25,"Gardner, Bennet Announce Major Infrastructure Grants for Colorado, Including $20 million for North I-25",2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC -Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) today announced that the North Front Range Transportation & Air Quality Council has been awarded a $20 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for its North I-25 Segment 6 improvement project. Additionally, the Senators announced that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will be receiving a $20 million BUILD grant for its vehicle-to-everything (V2X) project, which seeks to bolster the connectivity of transportation infrastructure through the deployment of fiber across highways in Colorado, and the City of Glenwood Springs will be receiving a $7 million BUILD grant for its project to modernize infrastructure along the City's South Midland Avenue, including a new waterline and broadband infrastructure. We strongly advocated to the Department of Transportation how important this infrastructure funding would be for Colorado and I-25,and I'm thrilled to announce it will be coming soon to help support these important projects,said Senator Gardner.As Colorado continues to grow we need to ensure our infrastructure is prepared to handle it. Going forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues and the Administration to help address infrastructure needs across our state. Colorado's roads require significant investment to keep pace with our state's continuous growth,said Senator Bennet.This $47 million will assist with state and local efforts to modernize our state's infrastructure. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Northern Colorado communities, this $20 million for North I-25 will build on past TIGER grants to decrease congestion in one of the state's busiest corridors. With its $20 million grant, CDOT will be able to invest in new connectivity infrastructure as Colorado prepares for emerging vehicle technologies. Finally, this well-deserved $7 million grant will allow the City of Glenwood Springs to make significant improvements to the road and broadband infrastructure along the Roaring Fork River, enhancing the safety and quality of life for its residents. I-25 Grant The $20 million BUILD grant will help with widening a segment of North I-25 between SH 402 and SH 56/Little Thompson Bridge through the addition of an express tolled lane in each direction. CDOT has estimated that in 2040, the I-25 Corridor will see a 60 percent increase in daily vehicle traffic. Work on the issue ViewhereGardner/Bennet letter to DOTregardingNorth I-25 ViewhereGardner/Bennet letter to DOTregardingV2X ViewhereGardner letter to DOTregardingthe Sound Midland reconstruction and rural broadband project ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-tipton-introduce-crucial-orphan-hardrock-mine-cleanup-legislation,"Gardner, Tipton Introduce Crucial Orphan Hardrock Mine Cleanup Legislation",2018-12-06,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO)and Representative Scott Tipton (CO-3)introduced today the Good Samaritan Remediation of Orphan Hardrock Mines Act of 2018, legislation that will authorize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a pilot program that promotes the cleanup of orphan hardrock mines. Abandoned mines are environmental hazards and also present danger to unaware recreationists on federal land all across the United States, especially the western part of the country. With the number of abandoned mines estimated to be as high as 500,000, Good Samaritans are needed to take necessary actions to clean up some of these sites. The assumption of long-term liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (CWA) has hindered prior cleanup of these sites. Gardner and Tipton's legislation creates a pilot program that will allow qualifying Good Samaritans to clean up the sites without the assumption of long-term liability. For years I have been working on legislation to allow for the cleanup of orphan mine sites by Good Samaritans,said Senator Gardner.Across Colorado and the West we have needed a permanent solution to the dangerous problem of abandoned mines. The opportunity to clean up the environment around these sites is crucial and this pilot program will finally allow for the long overdue process to begin. I understand changes may be necessary to get this bill across the finish line, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and stakeholders to evaluate their feedback. The Gold King Mine spill was a reminder felt across the Third Congressional District and State of Colorado that when it comes to cleaning up abandoned mine sites, the status quo is unacceptable. There are many Good Samaritan groups that have the technical expertise, financial ability, and desire to conduct successful remediation at abandoned mines, but they are discouraged from taking on projects due to current regulations,said Tipton. The Good Samaritan Remediation of Orphan Hardrock Mines Act of 2018 will set up a pilot project to allow Good Samaritans to clean up abandoned mine sites, improving water quality and providing our communities with a valuable service, all while maintaining strong permitting and environmental controls. I want to thank Senator Gardnerand Congressman Tiptonfortheirleadership. Abandoned mines represent the single greatest and least addressed threat to our nation's waters. We look forward to working with anyone who wants to make our waters cleaner and our lands healthier and build strong, bipartisan support to pass Good Samaritan legislation,said Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. Today's thorough federal and state regulations require that land reclamation and restoration be a key component of every mining project - but that wasn't always the case. As a result, legacy mine sites have remained abandoned for decades or centuries,said Hal Quinn, NMA's President and CEO.While our industry, environmental groups and others have the expertise and desire to rehabilitate these lands, current laws are preventing environmental progress. Senator Gardner and Congressman Tipton's legislation would change that. These bills are vital to clearing the obstacles that are impeding remediation efforts at abandoned legacy mine sites that continue to impact land and water resources. Good Samaritans should be supported in their efforts to clean up these sites without fear of incurring additional legal liability. This is common sense legislation that Congress has discussed for years. Now is the time for action. AEMA applauds Senator Gardnerand Congressman Tiptonfor introducing the Good Samaritan Remediation of Orphaned Hardrock Mines Act of 2018 providing the mining industry, NGOs and others the necessary liability protection to act as true Good Samaritans to remediate historic pre-regulation abandoned mine lands,said Executive Director Laura Skaer.Our members are hopeful that their congressional colleagues will join themin supporting this pragmatic approach. NOTE: Read Senator Gardner's letters of support below Trout Unlimited National Mining Association (NMA) American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA) Utah Mining Association (UMA) Nevada Mining Association Colorado Mining Association ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-markey-comprehensive-asia-policy-measure-passes-senate,"Gardner, Markey Comprehensive Asia Policy Measure Passes Senate",2018-12-05,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-The Senate passed S.2736, the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (ARIA) on Tuesday. This legislation, authored by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy along with Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), serves as a generational policy framework to enhance U.S. leadership in the Indo-Pacific region and to demonstrate a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific andtherules-based international order. In the 115th Congress, Gardner and Markey heldfivehearings in their Subcommittee to inform ARIA. The hearing series, titled, American Leadership in the Asia-Pacific, included hearings onsecurity challenges,economic opportunities,promoting human rights and the rule oflaw,U.S.-China relations,andAdministration views. We've been working on ARIA, major bipartisan legislation, for nearly three years and it passed the Senateon Tuesday,said Senator Gardner.I urge swift action in the House of Representatives to send this legislation to the President's desk to be signed into law. ARIA provides the US a whole-of-government, long-term strategy in Asia that advances American national security interests, promotes American businesses and creates jobs through trade opportunities, and projects American values of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United States has always been, and will always remain, a Pacific power, and this legislation ensures that the United States government will speak in one voice to reassure our allies and to deter our adversaries in the Indo-Pacific region. The rules-based international order is absolutely fundamental to global peace and security,said Senator Markey.But Asia, arguably the most consequential region for the United States, faces critical challenges such as nonproliferation, human rights, and respect for democratic values and needs the resources to match that importance. This legislation would do important work to address challenges in the Indo-Pacific by authorizing much-needed funds for the Department of State and USAID, including to promote democracy, and to strengthen civil society, the rule of law, transparency, and accountability. It would strengthen alliances and partnerships, promote resource conservation, pursue effective arms control and nonproliferation policies, commit the U.S. government to the full implementation of sanctions on North Korea and its enablers, and help ensure U.S. leadership in the region continues. I thank Senator Gardner for his partnership on this timely and important legislation. Read more on ARIA legislationhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-jones-introduce-legislation-to-ensure-veterans-are-repaid-their-full-gi-benefits,"Gardner, Jones Introduce Legislation to Ensure Veterans are Repaid their Full GI Benefits",2018-12-04,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Today,Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Doug Jones (D-AL)willintroduce theFix Immediately Outstanding Underpayments (IOUs) for Student VeteransAct, legislation that will force the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to pay student veterans money they are entitled to, but did not receive because of the VA's own error. When the VA failed to implement the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, many student veterans did not receive the full benefits they are entitled to. Gardnersent a letterto VA Secretary Wilkie regarding the issue on October 29, 2018 demanding the VA fix the situation, but since that time the VA has sent mixed signals about their actual plan to provide retroactive payments to underpaid students. The Gardner-Jones legislation will set up a commission at the VA to ensure all monthly stipends are audited, and force the VA to pay back students who were underpaid. Additionally this legislation will ensure the VA does not take back money from students they overpaid through their error. The VA let these veterans down and this cannot be tolerated,said Gardner.First, the VA made a mistake and did not properly pay student veterans the money they are entitled to; and nowthe VA is failing in their responsibility again by not providing a plan to pay those students back quickly. Most problems Congress addresses are complicated anddo nothave one right' answer. This is not one of those issues. To me, it's pretty clear what the right thing to do is: Congress must act to ensure our student veterans receive every penny they are entitled to. When young men and women step up to serve our country in uniform, we make a solemn promise to have their backs when they come home,said Jones.We commit to provide them the tools needed to re-enter civilian life and to earn an education that will enable them to serve our communities in new ways. When I heard that thousands of veterans in Alabama and across the country were being underpaid or not paid at all for their GI Bill benefits and that the VA might not make them whole, I was appalled. While I'm glad the VA has since begun to reverse course, action from Congress is needed to make sure that these veterans receive what they're owed. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/matthew-paris-eaton-high-school-student-wins-congressional-app-challenge,"Matthew Paris, Eaton High School Student, Wins Congressional App Challenge",2018-12-03,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Ken Buck,B001297,buck.house.gov,,,legacy,"For Immediate Release Contact:KyleHuwa, 202-225-4676 Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Ken Buck (CO-04) announced the winner of the Congressional App Challenge for the 4thCongressional District. Matthew Paris, a student at Eaton High School, received top honors for his app, Home Safe. This application allows individuals to receive a call on their mobile phone when they need to exit a potentially problematic situation (learn more about the app here). I'm proud of Matthew's work on this app and I'm excited to see him use his coding skills in the future to contribute to our communities and our country, stated Congressman Ken Buck. Thank you to all the students who participated in the Congressional App Challenge this year. Congress conducts the Congressional App Challenge every year to encourage students around the country to develop their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills. Students compete within their congressional districts, and then the winner from each district has the opportunity to showcase their app in the nation's capital. In the 4th District, entries were judged by professional programmers from the community. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/big-step-continued-fight-against-opioid-addiction,COLUMN: A Big Step in the Continued Fight Against Opioid Addiction,2018-12-03,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"In 2016 and 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services estimated that more than 130 Americans died each day from an opioid-related drug overdose. Today, opioid overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. The fight against the opioid epidemic has received strong bipartisan support in Washington. In 2016, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and 21st Century Cures Act, both of which helped provide states with resources to expand opioid abuse and treatment efforts. In fact, since the 21st Century Cures Act became law, Colorado has received over $15 million in grant money to help meet the needs of our impacted communities. After CARA and the 21st Century Cures Act were signed into law, I continued to travel across Colorado's Third District to meet with the healthcare officials, law enforcement officers and first responders who are on the front lines of this fight and listen to their feedback. During these meetings it became apparent that while both bills were certainly a step in the right direction, there was more work to be done. The opioid crisis is a multifaceted issue, and no one approach will bring it to an end. We must advance policies that facilitate prevention education and effective treatment, ensure law enforcement has the tools it needs to respond to bad actors trying to bring dangerous opioids across U.S. borders, and support health care professionals in their work to decrease prescribed addiction. During the 115th Congress, we worked together to introduce a series of proposals to address opioid abuse from every angle. This past month, Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law a sweeping bipartisan package that includes more than 70 of the proposals that we introduced this Congress. The proposals included in the law, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, range from arming first responders with the overdose-reversing drug naloxone and providing law enforcement with more tools to help intercept deadly synthetic opioids at the border, to expanding Medicare coverage of substance abuse disorder treatments and services. Included in this groundbreaking package was a proposal that I helped introduce called the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act, which specifically addresses the complex issue of prescribed addiction. While there are many different reasons why an individual may become addicted to opioids, all too often, addiction begins with an injury and a prescription to treat the pain. The ALTO Act will help remedy this issue by providing hospitals across the country with the resources to promote non-opioid pain treatments in emergency rooms. The ALTO Act is based on a successful pilot program that was started by the Colorado Hospital Association and took place in 10 hospital emergency departments across our state. The program was so effective that the 10 participating sites were able to reduce the distribution of prescribed opioids by 36 percent over a six-month period. Now that this program will be replicated in hospital emergency departments across the nation, the impact will be profound. I am proud of the work that has been accomplished thus far to confront opioid addiction. The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act is a big step and I have no doubt that this package of bills will help save countless lives. However, the opioid crisis cannot be solved overnight, and the work is still far from done. In the 116th Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike must continue to listen to the impacted families, healthcare providers and law enforcement officials back home and work together to address this national crisis. I plan to continue these conversations back in Colorado's Third District and I encourage you to share any ideas, background or knowledge that you may have on this issue with us by calling my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-4761 or writing to me atwww.tipton.house.gov.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/post-offices-be-named-after-two-fallen-law-officers,Post offices to be named after two fallen law officers,2018-12-03,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. House of Representatives passed two measures this week honoring two fallen law enforcement officers Mesa County Deputy Derek Geer and Montrose Police Sgt. David Kinterknecht by naming two area post offices after them. The measures were introduced by U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, who represents Colorado's 3rd Congressional District. The Grand Junction post office located at 241 N. Fourth St. will be named the ""Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer Post Office Building,"" while the Montrose office at 3025 Woodgate Road will be named the ""Sergeant David Kinterknecht Post Office."" Geer was killed Feb. 8, 2016, while trying to arrest then 17-year-old Austin Holzer, who was sentenced to 70 years in prison for murder earlier this year. Kinterknecht was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call. The suspect in that shooting, who also wounded two other officers, committed suicide. Kinterknecht, 41 when he was killed, had worked in the Montrose department for 10 years. In the nine years prior to that, he worked for the Telluride Marshal's Office, the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office and the Montrose County Sheriff's Office. He left behind a wife, two daughters, three stepsons and a sister. Geer, 40 at the time of his death, was a 16-year veteran of the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, though he spent 30 years in law enforcement. In that office, the U.S. Navy veteran also worked as a victim's advocate. He was a 1994 graduate of Central High School. He left behind a wife and two children. ""They put their lives on the line every day for their communities,"" Tipton said in a statement. ""Tragically, they were both taken far too soon, giving all in the line of duty. While we will never be able to repay either of these men for their selfless acts or fill the void left by their loss, naming post offices in their respective communities will honor their lives and ensure that their memories live on."" Both measures cleared the House on unanimous consent. They head to the Senate for final action.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2500,Statement on the Passing of Former President George H.W. Bush,2018-12-01,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Statement on the Passing of Former President George H.W. Bush f t # e Washington, December 1, 2018 Colorado Springs, Colorado - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement mourning the loss of former President George H.W. Bush: We will remember President George H.W. Bush for his commitment to truth and service to our country not only in his time with the Navy, CIA, and as Vice President but also as Commander in Chief. He was extremely accomplished, dedicated to his family, and an inspiration for us all. My prayers are with the Bush family at this time. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2501,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on the USMCA,2018-11-30,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C. -Today in Buenos Aires, President Trump, President Nieto of Mexico, and Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada signed the U.S-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA), the trilateral trade agreement replacing NAFTA. For the first time, an American trade agreement is including sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) language. Congressman Lamborn (CO-05) issued the following statement: ""I am deeply disappointed that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative bowed to Canada's wishes in including SOGI language for the first time in a trade deal. While the language has been modified to try to limit the force of the language, the fact that it included at all is unacceptable. This step is entirely out of sync with President Trump's good work in undoing troubling Obama-era regulations and policies. Congress should decide social policy, including issues of civil rights, protected classes, and workplace rights. Instead, unelected bureaucrats and foreign leaders are forcing SOGI policy on us. This is an assault on United States sovereignty and a dangerous precedent for future trade agreements."" Read Congressman Lamborn's op-ed on the trade agreementHERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-bills-rename-post-offices-after-fallen-western-colorado-law,House Passes Bills to Rename Post Offices After Fallen Western Colorado Law Enforcement Officers,2018-11-30,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The House passed two of Congressman Scott Tipton's (CO-03) bills which would rename post offices after fallen law enforcement officers from Colorado's Third District. H.R. 6216, to rename a Montrose post office as the Sergeant David Kinterknecht Post Office and H.R. 6217, to rename a Grand Junction post office as the Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer Post Office Building passed the House by unanimous consent. Sergeant David Kinterknecht and Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer embodied heroism and service. They put their lives on the line every day for their communities. Tragically, they were both taken far too soon, giving all in the line of duty, said Tipton. While we will never be able to repay either of these men for their selfless acts or fill the void left by their loss, naming post offices in their respective communities will honor their lives and ensure that their memories live on. Click HERE to watch Tipton honor Sergeant David Kinterknecht and Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer on the House Floor. Sergeant David Kinterknecht of the Montrose Police Department was killed in the line of duty in 2009. Sergeant Kinterknecht served with the Montrose Police Department for ten years. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and three stepsons. Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer of the Mesa County Sheriff's Office was killed in the line of duty in 2016. Deputy Geer was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and two children. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-bennet-introduce-cybersecurity-legislation-to-protect-energy-grid,"Gardner, Bennet Introduce Cybersecurity Legislation to Protect Energy Grid",2018-11-29,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and MichaelBennet (D-CO) this week introduced two pieces of legislation to protect the country's energy grid from cyber-attacks. TheEnhancing State Energy Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Actreceived a hearingtodayin theSenate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Senator Gardner spokeaboutitsimportance. You can watch his remarkshere. Colorado and states across the country need to secure our energy grids and be better prepared against cyber-attacks that threaten our critical infrastructure,said Gardner. I've worked with Senator Bennet on these bipartisan pieces of legislation because we both know the risk cyber-attacks pose to our country and the need for leadership on these issues. This legislation will help shore up our electric grid's vulnerabilities. I look forward to working with my colleagues to gather more bipartisan support and see these bills signed into law. We have our work cut out for us to protect the electric grid across rural and urban America, and these bills are a good starting point,said Bennet.We've worked with Coloradans and national energy organizations to ensure the legislation provides the technical assistance they need to safeguard their communities from cyberattacks. Enhancing State Energy Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act This bill authorizes the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide financial assistance tostatesto develop or revise a State Energy Security Plan. The bill outlines the contents of a State Security Plan, including the need for coordination and joint exercises with industry and federal stakeholders. It authorizes DOE $90 million annually for Fiscal Years 2018 2022 to offer financial and technical assistance tostatesas they develop and update their plans. A State Energy Security Plan will assessastate's existing circumstances and propose methods to strengthen the ability of astate to: Secure the energy infrastructure of the State against all physical and cybersecurity threats; Mitigate the risk of energy supply disruptions to thestate and enhance response to, and recovery from energy disruptions; and Ensure thestate has a reliable, secure, and resilient energy infrastructure. Enhancing Grid Security through Public-Private Partnerships Act This legislation would authorize the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide physical and cyber security assistance to electric utilities where the Secretary has substantial concerns and electric utilities with fewer available resourcesdue to size or region, and submit a report addressing physical and cyber security vulnerabilities in electricity distribution systems. Supportfrom DOE would include providing tools for self-assessment, assisting with threat assessment and training, and increasing the sharing of best practices and data collection. Building on Cybersecurity Progress this Year In June, Bennet led an amendment with Gardner and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)theEnergy Jobs for Our Heroes Actto help veterans prepare for careers in cybersecurity and clean energyand secured it in the energy and water spending bill that was signed into law. In Bennet's capacity as a member of the SenateAgriculture Committee, he secured acyber and grid security bill, also supported by Gardner, in the 2018 Senate Farm Bill, to ensure cybersecurity and grid improvement projects are eligible for USDA Rural Utility Service loans. Stakeholder Support Colorado By making it easierfor public utilities and private sector organizations to work together to secure our nation's grid, and providing funding to use the latest technology in the space, these bills will not only enhance the security of information technology (IT) networks supporting the electrical grid, but also the security of Industrial Control Systems, also referred to as Operational Technology (OT) networks,said Jim Orahood, Vice President of Ampex.These bills are necessary to allow for a strong electric utility infrastructure, while building a desperately needed partnership between government and industry. All critical infrastructure segmentsfinancial, healthcare, transportation, etc.are dependent on the electrical grid,said Vance Brown, CEO of National Cybersecurity Center.Considering the facts that the US electrical grid is vulnerable and has already been attacked, and it is owned and operated by multiple entities, it therefore makes sense that coordinated efforts be established to safeguard our way of life. We are thankful for Senators Bennet and Gardner for putting forth legislation to address this critical issue and help fund initiatives which we believe will make a difference. Senate Bill 5240 provides much needed assistance to electrical utilities that lack the tools, capabilities and training resources for conducting their own self-assessments to properly mitigate cybersecurity threats,said Taylor Vance of the Cyber Institute.Sharing of industry proven best practices, while collectively advancing the cybersecurity capabilities of all sizes of electric utilities, will especially unify and align the industry towards a more resilient infrastructure. National The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), representing all the state energy offices in the United States supports the Enhancing State Energy Security Planning Bill. We applaud Senator Gardner and Senator Bennet for introducing the bill and we encourage the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to approve the bill.Rapid Senate action and final passage of a bill after differences are resolved with HR 3050 would strengthen our country's energy security, enhance cyber security and improve energy emergency preparedness and response. Statement from the National Association of State EnergyOfficials ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-holds-bipartisan-press-conference-to-rally-support-for-the-land-and-water-conservation-fund,Gardner Holds Bipartisan Press Conference to Rally Support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund,2018-11-29,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) held a press conference today with other Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) champions in the House and Senate to call for the reauthorization and full funding of America's most important conservation program before the end of the year. Gardner has been a leader on the bipartisan effort in Congress to fully fund and permanently reauthorize the LWCF and will continue to fight to save this vital conservation program. To view Gardner's remarks, click on the photo above orhere. Remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you, thanks to all of you for being out here today and I will note the westerners are not wearing coats right here. This is a warm day so thank you very much for the opportunity to be here and our effort today is simply this. We are trying to make the lame duck a little less lame and to make sure that we get some productivity on LWCF, moving it forward. If you look at the great bipartisan support that we have for LWCF, the House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Republicans and Democrats coming together to reauthorize, fully fund the Land and Water Conservation program. One of the most important programs, the most important in my mind, conservation program this country has. The crown jewel of our conservation program efforts, at no cost to the taxpayer. We are proud of our forests, we are proud of our National Parks, we are proud of our National Monuments, we are proud of our public lands, and we are proud of the opportunity this Congress has to prove to the American people that we will stand up and fight for LWCF. We will stand up and fight for our public lands, we will stand up and fight for the people of Colorado, and Montana, and Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, and Washington, and across this country to make sure that we are doing everything we can to fight for the best of our public ideas, which is our public lands. It was 1893 when Katharine Lee Bates climbed up Pikes Peak. Katharine Lee Bates climbed up Pikes Peak and looked around, and she wrote that famous line, purple mountain majesties. It's because of funds and programs like the Land and Water Conservation Fund that we have been able to preserve those incredible purple mountain majesties, the peaks that we love, the forest lands that we publicly own together. The opportunities to keep them together for public use, public enjoyment, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. There was a great story in the Denver Post, just a couple of days ago, that talked about the thousands and thousands of acres are inaccessible, held by the public, but inaccessible to the public, and programs like the Land and Water Conservation fund can be used to make sure that we have access to those great programs. So it's an honor to be here, in the bipartisan delegation of Republicans, Senators, Democrats, House Members. The opportunities to make sure that we get this program done before the end of the year. This is what we are going to do, we are going to make this happen, and together, we can all be proud of the fact that we stood up for, we fought for, we saved the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-bennet-bipartisan-group-of-senators-press-for-extension-of-secure-rural-schools-program,"Gardner, Bennet, Bipartisan Group of Senators Press for Extension of Secure Rural Schools Program",2018-11-28,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and a group of bipartisan Senators today sent a letter to Senate leadership calling for the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program in any end-of-year legislation. Congress has an obligation to ensure counties with swaths of tax-exempt forestlands can adequately provide essential services for their residents. Without the certainty of these critical safety-net payments, schools, libraries, and jails are closing,wrote the Senators. Schools that remain open will see a reduction of teachers. Roads go unpaved and become unsafe. Mental and physical health services are scaled back or even ended. Fewer and fewer law enforcement officers are forced to patrol larger and larger areas. NOTE: View letterhere. The full text of the letter is below: Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Minority Leader Schumer: We strongly urge the inclusion of at least a one-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS), which enjoys tremendous bipartisan support, in any end-of-the-year legislation. Historically, the federal government shared with county governments 25 percent of timber harvest revenues from federal Forest Service lands and 50 percent of timber harvest revenues from federal Oregon and California Grant Lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These payments constituted a significant source of funding for rural, forested counties. However, due to declining timber sales, Congress first passed SRS in 2000 to provide a measure of compensation for counties containing tracts of federally owned forestlands that is tax-exempt. Over the last nearly two decades, SRS has been a critical lifeline for over 775 counties in over 40 states across the country by helping fund more than 4,400 schools, road maintenance, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations. However, the most recent SRS reauthorization expired at the end of the last fiscal year, which means the last authorized payments to counties will go to participating states and counties in early calendar year 2019. Congress has an obligation to ensure counties with swaths of tax-exempt forestlands can adequately provide essential services for their residents. Without the certainty of these critical safety-net payments, schools, libraries, and jails are closing. Schools that remain open will see a reduction of teachers. Roads go unpaved and become unsafe. Mental and physical health services are scaled back or even ended. Fewer and fewer law enforcement officers are forced to patrol larger and larger areas. As we work to establish a permanent county payments solution, diversify rural economies, improve forest management and forest health, strengthen historic forest revenue sharing with local governments, and ensure that our forests provide a range of values such as clean water, jobs, and wood fiber for local economies, a short-term reauthorization of at least one year is critical to provide fiscal certainty for forested counties. In the interest of working together in a bipartisan way to support local rural communities, we ask that you include a reauthorization of Secure Rural schools in any end-of-the-year package. We appreciate your assistance with this matter. Sincerely, ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2499,Congressman Lamborn Tapped as a Co-Chair of the Values Action Team,2018-11-27,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C.-Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) will co-chair the House Values Action Team (VAT) for the 116th Congress. He has served as a member of the VAT during his entire tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives. He will formally assume the role in January at the start of the 116th Congress. Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler will continue to chair the VAT along with Congressmen Robert Aderholt and Jody Hice serving as two of the co-chairs. Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement: ""I'm humbled to co-chair such an important group that is dedicated to protecting and fighting for faith and values through the legislative process here in Congress. It is an honor to join the VAT leadership team as we continue to promote pro-life values, family issues, and freedom of religion."" Rep. Hartzler said:""I am pleased to welcome my friend and colleague, Doug Lamborn, to the VAT leadership team. Doug is a stalwart advocate for the unborn and a courageous champion for the men and women facing religious persecution and mistreatment. His experience serving the people of Colorado, both in the Colorado General Assembly and now as a skilled federal legislator, will reinforce VAT's advancement of faith, family, and freedom priorities."" VAT is a registered Congressional Member Organization with a membership of over 100 Members of the House. VAT Members of Congress partner with like-minded citizen groups to achieve common legislative and administrative goals safeguarding women and children, supporting the institution of marriage, and ensuring First Amendment freedoms for all Americans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-bipartisan-group-of-senators-introduced-legislation-to-help-improve-veterans-health-care,"Gardner, Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduced Legislation to Help Improve Veterans Health Care",2018-11-27,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Angus King (I-ME), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced legislation Monday to help improve veterans' health care by increasing collaboration among federal agencies and authorizing the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop technologies that solve complex data challenges. This legislation will help provide world class care to our veterans by leveraging cutting-edge technologies at our National Labs,said Senator Gardner. The Department of Veterans Affairs and our National Labs are already collaborating successfully to benefit our veterans and I'm proud to lead this bipartisan effort with my colleagues to make sure this work continues. The VA and DOE have a good partnership when it comes to research and development; and, with the bipartisan Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act, we will see greater collaboration between the two agencies to solve complex data challenges and advance veterans' health care,said Senator Ernst. America's veterans have made immense sacrifices for our nation. Through their service they have earned not only our eternal gratitude, but also the best support that we can possibly provide,said Senator King. In order to live up to our duty, we must strive to improve the care they receive, taking steps like utilizing cutting-edge technology and increasing communication between government agencies. By improving our overall knowledge of the healthcare challenges facing our veterans, we can improve the quality of care they receive. We need to do everything we can to improve health care for our veterans,said Senator Heinrich. This is a great example of how our Department of Energy national laboratories like Los Alamos and Sandia can put their high performing computing capabilities to practical use solving complex, big data challenges. I'm hopeful that by using the national labs' advanced data analytics, this innovative program will identify patterns in the VA's data and help improve outcomes for significant veterans' health care challenges like suicide prevention. Background: The Department of Energy Veterans' Health Initiative Act is a companion bill to H.R. 6398 which passed the House unanimously on September 25, 2018. This legislation will build on the current interagency collaborative effortslike the Million Veterans Program Computational Health Analytics of Medical Precision to Improve Outcomes initiativeby authorizing a program within the DOE to develop technologies to help solve complex data challenges by analyzing data sets from federal agencies, higher education institutions, non-profits and the private industry.In addition, this bill authorizes a DOE research program to spur development to accommodate for large data sets. NOTE:The full legislation is availablehere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/tipton-looks-tackle-disaster-assistance-opioid-crisis-fourth-term,"Tipton looks to tackle disaster assistance, opioid crisis in fourth term",2018-11-26,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Five days before Election Day, election forecast blogFiveThirtyEightpredicted incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton had a nearly 90 percent chance of winning the election and keeping his seat. Sure enough, the Republican was elected to represent Colorado's 3rd Congressional District for his fourth term by an 8 percent margin over his Democrat challenger Diane Mitsch Bush. Now, Tipton may faces a new challenge: He's returning to a Democrat-led House after a wave of districts nationwide went blue. Tipton, however, toldThe Durango Heraldhe is not concerned about the Democrats' leadership because he has been able to garner bipartisan support for the bills he has authored and passed, including his May 2018 Education and Energy Act. The act relocated new federal mineral and geothermal lease royalties back to the states to fund public education. These are good, common sense bills for not only our communities but for the West, and we hope to be able to continue to garner that support and work with our colleagues, Tipton said. These issues, many of them, they shouldn't be political. These are important for our communities, our families and our jobs. Tipton promised during his campaign to address key issues with taxes, jobs, public lands, benefits for veterans and more. He said he plans to focus on those issues during his two-year term as well as federal assistance for natural disasters. One big issue, obviously for our district, and we're now continuing to see in California, are wildfires, Tipton said. We see some opportunities to not only be able to create forest health to be able to prevent the catastrophic nature of wildfires going forward but to be able to create some jobs as well. And to make sure we're having provisions in place so that this natural disaster for the West is recognized by the federal government to be able to provide assistance. Tipton said he will work to pass legislation introduced in early September that will create a federal designation for areas affected by wildfires on federal land, ensuring disaster assistance in the form of aids and grants. Tipton said the flood damage he witnessed at the Durango North/Riverside KOA campground from the 416 Fire partly inspired the bill. Tipton also reinforced his support for several other environmental policy bills that would address the prevention and aftermath of wildfires, including the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017, which passed the House last year and aims to remove restrictive regulations that prevent the U.S. Forest Service from allocating more time and money to wildfire prevention. The Farm Bill also includes reauthorization of the Landscape Scale Restoration Program, which Tipton said will allow the Forest Service to clean areas near public lands to prevent wildfires from breaking out. Other issues Tipton plans to tackle include legislation on opioid addiction prevention and treatment; legislation to improve benefits for veterans; small business deregulation; water rights and expansion of broadband into rural areas. Tipton previously included a provision he cosponsored with Colorado U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner, a Republican, and Michael Bennet, a Democrat, in the sweeping opioid bill signed into law by President Donald Trump in late October. Their ALTO Act established a permanent version of the Colorado Opioid Safety Collaborative Pilot, in which alternative painkillers were used and encouraged instead of opioids in hospitals. There's still a long road in front of everybody in our communities impacted by the opioid and heroin crisis, Tipton said. We're seeing some real movement now in that we're creating public awareness. To be able to get resources back to our community for mental health and for treatment, this will be a long-term initiative, one that will not be solely solved by the federal government. Tipton will continue to host roundtables with families affected by opioid addiction and with veterans in Colorado to get input from constituents. He will also continue to work on issues he addressed in his last term. He said he is grateful for the support he received during the election cycle throughout the district, especially from Pueblo and Huerfano counties. We're really appreciative of the support that we've received and look forward to continuing to work on priorities for the folks in our district, he said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-statement-on-russian-aggression-toward-ukraine,Gardner Statement on Russian Aggression Toward Ukraine,2018-11-26,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Today, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the below statement in response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian naval ships in the Sea of Azov. Russia's illegal and unprovoked aggression toward Ukraine cannot be tolerated and demands a serious response by the United States andacommunityof nations,said Senator Gardner.I urge the Administration to urgently outline a series of diplomatic, economic,and defense posture measures to deter the Kremlin, such as additional deployments of US and NATO assets in the European theater, sanctions against senior Russian officials and their families, and deep cuts to Russian diplomatic presence in the United States. I also renew my call on the State Department to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S.law. Putin's global campaign to test our resolve and undermine the United States and our allies cannot go unanswered. Senator Gardner has been an outspoken critic of Russia and President Putin. He is theauthorof S. 2780, a bill to require a determination on designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Senator Gardner is amember of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission. The Helsinki Commission consists of 21 Commissioners, 18 from the United States Congress and one each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce. Senator Gardner is also amember of the Senate NATO Observer Group, which has an expanded mission to closely monitor and inform Senators outside of national security committees about defense spending commitments of Alliance members, the process of upgrading military capabilities, theAlliance's counter-terrorism capability, NATO enlargement and the ability of NATO member states to address non-conventional warfare. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-gardner-gives-thanks,Senator Gardner Gives Thanks,2018-11-21,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) today released the following statement celebrating Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the many blessings bestowed upon our great nation and with a grateful heart give thanks to God,said Senator Gardner.Aswe spend time with family and friends it is important to honor the men and women in uniform who defend our freedoms and sacrifice so much for this country who will not be home with their families this Thanksgiving. We are all fortunate to live in a democratic nation where we are free and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I am grateful to serve the incredible people of Colorado andmy family and Iwish everyone across the state and the country a happy Thanksgiving. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-encourages-coloradans-support-small-business-saturday,Tipton Encourages Coloradans to Support Small Business this Saturday,2018-11-20,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) is encouraging communities across Colorado's Third Congressional District to participate in Small Business Saturday, which falls on November 24th this year. As a former small business owner and Co-Chairman of the Congressional Small Business Caucus, Tipton is dedicated to working on issues that strengthen the economy and allow small businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed. Small businesses are the driving force behind the American economy as they create the majority of new jobs and generate billions of dollars annually in revenue. Small Business Saturday is a good opportunity to show support for local businesses while getting a jump on holiday shopping, said Tipton. Much of what is done in Congress directly impacts the ability of small businesses to operate. We have been successful in implementing many important reforms to empower Main Street job creators, such as cutting bureaucratic red-tape and lowering taxes, and I will continue to work to strengthen local small business opportunities in the next Congress. Tipton is a cosponsor of a Congressional Resolution (H.Res. 1144) recognizing Saturday, November 24, 2018, as Small Business Saturday. For more information about Small Business Saturday, visit: https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-initiatives/small-business-saturday",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-cardin-firmly-against-russian-leadership-of-interpol,"Gardner, Cardin Firmly Against Russian Leadership of Interpol",2018-11-20,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-SenatorsCoryGardner(R-CO)and Ben Cardin (D-MD),bothmembersof the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Commissionersfor the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today released the following statement firmly opposing the candidacy of Russian national Alexander Prokopchuk to serve as the President of International Criminal Police Organization, or Interpol. It is unconscionable that a representative of the Russian state would be named as the next President of the world's international police organization,the Senators said. The Kremlin has ordered and executed extrajudicial killings abroad and has used chemical weapons on the soil of a NATO ally. To allow a tool of Vladimir Putin to run Interpol would undermine international law and invite further Russian abuses.We call on the Administration to take every appropriate step to prevent the Kremlin from taking over this important organization and renewourcall for the State Department to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S.law. Senator Gardner has been an outspoken critic of Russia and President Putin. He is theauthorof S. 2780, a bill to require a determination on designation of the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Senator Gardner is amember of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission. The Helsinki Commission consists of 21 Commissioners, 18 from the United States Congress and one each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce. Senator Gardner is also amember of the Senate NATO Observer Group, which has an expanded mission to closely monitor and inform Senators outside of national security committees about defense spending commitments of Alliance members, the process of upgrading military capabilities, the Alliance's counter-terrorism capability, NATO enlargement and the ability of NATO member states to address non-conventional warfare. Senator Cardin has been a longstanding critic of Russia's malign influence in Europe and U.S. elections. He authored theSergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act, which imposes landmark sanctions against human rights violators within the Russian government, as well as theCountering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA),which imposes sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Senator Cardin commissioned aSenate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic staff report in January 2018detailing Russian president Vladimir Putin's nearly two decades-long assault on democratic institutions, universal values, and the rule of law across Europe and in his own country. As co-chair of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe,Senator Cardin continues to raise the alarm surrounding Russia interference in U.S. elections and Russia's tactics of imprisoning journalists, whistleblowers, and human rights activists as a means of suppressing media freedom and political opposition. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2491,Congressman Lamborn Sends Letter to President Trump on Troubling Language in Trade Deal,2018-11-16,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.-Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), along with 45 other cosigners, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to remove the sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) language that Canada insisted on adding to the upcoming US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Although Congressman Lamborn applauds the president's hard work to negotiate a new trilateral free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, a trade agreement is no place for the adoption of social policy. As a sovereign nation, the United States has the right to decide when, whether and how to tackle issues of civil rights, protected classes, and workplace rights. At the same time the Trump Administration is carrying out a cohesive agenda regarding policies surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity, in the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services specifically, it is deeply troubling that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has included contradictory language in the U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement. This is the first time SOGI language has been included in a free trade agreement. For that reason, Congressman Lamborn strongly urges President Trump to remove SOGI language from USMCA. Congressman Lamborn released the following statement regarding the letter: ""It is insulting to our sovereignty to submit to social policies in a trade agreement which the United States Congress has so far refused to accept.President Trump has a stellar recordwith social conservatives, butallowing USTR to includeCanada'sSOGI language inafree trade agreement would be an unnecessary black eye. My concern is the precedent thiscouldset foractivist courtsto cite as Congressional support for SOGI language once the USMCAis adopted. I strongly urge him toremovethetroubling language in the deal that adopted behind the scenes.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-votes-empower-states-manage-gray-wolf-population,Tipton Votes to Empower States to Manage Gray Wolf Population,2018-11-16,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) voted to pass legislation to return the management of the gray wolf to states in response to the determination by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Obama Administration that the species is no longer endangered. H.R. 6784, the Manage Our Wolves Act passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 196-180. Under the Obama Administration, the Fish and Wildlife Service determined the gray wolf no longer warranted an endangered species designation, but despite the evident recovery, the gray wolf remains listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), said Tipton. Without an effective method of managing the species in place, the gray wolf poses a threat to livestock as well as other native species habitats. It is long past time that the gray wolf be officially de-listed, so state agencies can responsibly manage the population, better tailor management plans to meet the unique circumstances and conditions in each state, and ensure they continue to thrive in a healthy and balanced ecosystem. Bonnie Brown, the Executive Director of the Colorado Wool Growers Association, highlighted the importance of H.R. 6784: H.R. 6784 is long overdue; wolf populations have been fully recovered for years.H.R. 6784 halts the abuse of the Endangered Species Act, and the tactic of using the judicial system to manipulate a process that is supposed to be grounded in and guided by scientific facts.The ability of state wildlife agencies to appropriately manage wolf populations will remain severely restricted as long as healthy, recovered wolf populations are allowed to remain listed under the Endangered Species Act.We look forward to the implementation of H.R. 6784 which will enable our states to appropriately manage wolf populations while mitigating the impacts of wolves on livestock and big game herds. Background: The ESA was passed in 1973 to preserve and recover species that are on the brink of extinction. In 1974, the gray wolf was listed endangered under the ESA. On June 13, 2013, the Department on the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a proposed rule that would remove the gray wolf from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This determination was made after the USFWS evaluated the classification status of gray wolves currently listed in the contiguous U.S. and found the best available science and commercial information indicates that the currently listed entity is not a valid species under the ESA. The gray wolf is found in nearly 50 countries around the world and has been placed in the classification of least concern globally for risk of extinction by the Species Survival Commission Wolf Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation Nature (IUCN). # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-bennet-announce-45-million-in-energy-innovation-grants-for-colorado-universities,"Gardner, Bennet Announce $4.5 Million in Energy Innovation Grants for Colorado Universities",2018-11-16,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) today announced the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) awarded Colorado School of Mines a $2,047,676 grant and University of Colorado Boulder a $2,500,000 grant to fund potentially disruptive technology in the energy sector. According to the Department of Energy, ARPA-E advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too high-risk for private-sector investment. ARPA-E awardees are unique because they are developing entirely new ways for Americans to get, store, and use energy. The Colorado School ofMinesand the University of Colorado Boulder are leading the way in innovative energy technologies and I'm thrilled they will each receive over $2 million to continue their cutting-edge research,said Senator Gardner. I have always advocated for continued funding of our research and development programs and will continue to do so because of the enormous benefit these programs bring to Colorado. Congratulations to the Colorado School of Mines and University of Colorado Boulder on receiving ARPA-E funding for their innovative research,said Senator Bennet. As we continue to unlock the promise of clean energy, I'll work to ensure Colorado remains a leader in the development of new cost-effective technologies. Gardner has continually fought for funding for ARPA-E. In May of 2017, Gardnersent a letterto President Trump urging him to continue to fund the Department of Energy's research programs, including ARPA-E. Earlier this year, Bennetdelivered remarksat the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Energy Innovation Summit, opposing President Trump's budget proposal to eliminate ARPA-E, and outlining key efforts to develop the United Statesand Coloradoas a global energy leader. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2490,Congressman Lamborn's Geological Mapping Bill Passes House,2018-11-14,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C. -As a member of the Committee on Natural Resources, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) welcomed the passage of his bill,the National Geologic Mapping Act Reauthorization Act(H.R. 4033). This legislation would reauthorize funding for advanced digital geologic maps and three-dimensional models through 2023. An identical, companion bill, S.1787, was introduced in the Senate by Senator Murkowski and has been favorably reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Congressman Lamborn released the following statement: ""Geologic maps provide valuable information needed for identifying energy, mineral, and water resources, geologic and environmental hazards, unstable ground subject to landslides, swelling soils, floodplains, and abandoned mine lands. With this knowledge, communities and citizens are able to plan for septic systems in rural areas, water treatment facilities, and road construction and maintenance, home construction and other infrastructure. This common-sense legislation will benefit the entire country. In my home state of Colorado, the geological mapping program resulted in the production of an advanced geologic map and companion report that showcased recreational and historic mining, leading to efficiency opportunities from Leadville to Salida. I look forward to seeing the fruits of economic and developmental benefits throughout the nation.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2489,Honoring Our Nation's Veterans,2018-11-12,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Honoring Our Nation's Veterans f t # e Washington, November 12, 2018 Washington D.C. -In honor of Veterans Day, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement: ""On Veterans Day, we as a nation set aside time to recognize our gratitude to the men and women who have served our county in uniform. I am tremendously grateful for our veterans. We know that America enjoys many unparalleled freedoms because of the noble service of our veterans. From the Greatest Generation who liberated Europe and the Pacific from the clutches of fascism and Nazism, to the Cold Warriors who fought the spread of communism in Asia and around the world, to those young Americans of our all-volunteer force fighting around the world today, those who have served our nation are the epitome of honor, strength, and valor. Service in the armed forces demands much of a person and their families, and when they finally take off the uniform and return to civilian life they enrich their communities with their experiences and virtues."" ""It is an honor for me to serve those who have served our country. Thank you for all you've done-enjoy your special day!"" f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-applauds-jobs-growth-and-wage-increase-for-month-of-october,Gardner Applauds Jobs Growth and Wage Increase for Month of October,2018-11-02,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics' announcement that wages are rising the highest in nearly a decade and that the economy added over 250,000 jobs the last month. Wages are rising in Colorado and new jobs are being created because of sustained, strong economic growth,said Senator Gardner.This great news proves that when we advance policies that reduce taxes on hard working families and make it easier for businesses to hire new employees our state will keep moving in the right direction. Stats on Growing Economy -Wages have increased by nearly 3.1 percent, the highest in nearly a decade, beating expectations -The economy added 250,000 jobs in October, also beating expectations -The unemployment rate of 3.7 percent is the lowest since December 1969 -The labor force participation rate ticked up to 62.9% from 62.7% ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-bennet-call-for-additional-funding-to-ensure-effective-responses-to-massive-wildfires,"Gardner, Bennet Call for Additional Funding to Ensure Effective Responses to Massive Wildfires",2018-11-02,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Colorado U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R) and Michael Bennet (D) today joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in requesting funding to modernize firefighting assets so the U.S. Forest Service can respond in a more efficient and cost-effective manner to devastating wildfires. The fire season in Colorado this past year, which stretched resources thin, demonstrates the need to invest further in these firefighting assets. The senators, in letters to Senate Committee on Appropriations leadership and the U.S. Forest Service, highlighted the need for a modern, highly-capable large air tanker and water-scooper fleetproven to be one of the most effective immediate responses to limit the expansion of wildfires into uncontrollable mega-fires. The available aircraft currently flying this mission are retired ex-military/ex-civil aircraft, repurposed for air tanker operations and flown by small private contract firms; therefore they are outdated and limited in number. The intensity and duration of the past successive fire seasons confirm the reality that the wildfire suppression workload has grown in severity and complexity due to hotter, longer burning seasons and the expanding wildland-urban interface,the lawmakers wrote.These factors will only worsen future wildfire disasters so it is time that Congress and the executive branch proactively upgrade firefighting assets in order to protect the lives and property in communities facing these massive wildfires. In March, Gardner and Bennet helpedlead the effortto pass into law a long-term, bipartisan funding solution to stabilize the Forest Service budget. The fire fix, taking effect in 2020, ends the backwards practice of fire borrowing, allowing the agency to restart many of the fire prevention projects delayed by uncertain funding from longer, hotter fire years. To ensure the Forest Service can most effectively fight wildfires, the senators noted that Congress must also immediately invest in modern firefighting assets. The letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen is availableHERE. The letter to Senate Committee on Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy and Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Chairman Lisa Murkowski and Ranking Member Tom Udall is availableHERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/pilot-program-curb-opioid-addiction-be-expanded,Pilot program to curb opioid addiction to be expanded,2018-11-01,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"A pilot program that encouraged the use of alternatives to opioids at Colorado hospitals will soon be implemented at hospitals across the country as a result of President Donald Trump signing an opioid bill into law last week. The Alternatives to Opioids in the Emergency Department Act (ALTO Act), included in the opioid legislation that garnered bipartisan support in the U.S. House and Senate, established a permanent version of the Colorado Opioid Safety Collaborative Pilot, in which alternative painkillers were used and encouraged instead of opioids in hospitals. The program was launched in 2017 by the Colorado Hospital Association, which has endorsed the act. In an interview withThe Durango Herald, Rep. Scott Tipton said 10 Colorado hospital emergency departments, including San Luis Valley Health, decreased the use of narcotics by up to 46 percent. We've had a lot of people lose their lives because of this, Tipton said when referring to opioid addiction. If we can make sure that opioids are appropriately used within the medical community and partnering with our patients, that means our families as well, it's going to be really important. Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, along with Tipton, worked on the ALTO Act. In an interview with theHerald, Gardner said he visited some of the hospitals in the pilot program, like San Luis Valley Health, with Tipton and Bennet for roundtable events. Gardner recalled a leading nurse at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood who told him about her son who died. The nurse said her son was a golfer who had surgery for an injury, and later died from an overdose after becoming addicted to the Vicodin prescribed to him. Tipton and Gardner both recalled stories about the effect of addiction on children; Gardner saw Narcan offered as a nasal spray so that little children could administer it to their overdosing parents, and Tipton saw babies suffering through withdrawal right after birth. If you want something that will tear your heart out, that is something that will impact you greatly, Tipton said. We heard from all different angles, from the medical community, from individuals, from law enforcement that's having to deal with it. Gardner said after the three-year pilot program, there will be better protocols in the emergency room, better understanding of alternative pain medication and more innovation on ways to combat opioid addiction. He said the opioid bill adds to other substance abuse acts Congress has passed, including the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act 2.0, which imposed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention limits on prescriptions and appropriated money to recovery programs and first responder training. Gardner called the bill a robust bipartisan effort and said he was grateful for Bennet's work on the Senate committees on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and Finance in helping the bill pass. Bennet lauded Congress for passing the bill, which included four of his backed provisions, but said there is more work to be done. Our work on opioids in Washington should reflect the magnitude of the crisis ravaging communities across our country, Bennet said in a statement last week. The measures signed into law today are a step in the right direction, but they are not enough. ... We must keep working on meaningful policies to limit the flow of opioids while investing resources to treat those struggling with substance-use disorders. Tipton echoed those sentiments. This is something we're certainly looking at, as far as the problem is that we do get illicit drugs coming in illegally into the country, Tipton said. We are getting resources to be able to try and clamp down on that. It's something that will be a moving target, I'm sure. Mary Dengler Frey, the regional health connector at the Southwestern Area Health Education Center, a center whose mission is to improve the quality and accessibility of health-related education, was unavailable for comment Tuesday. The Colorado General Assembly also addressed the opioid prescription issue by passing legislation in May that restricts the amount of opioids medical officials can prescribe in a seven-day supply, according to the assembly's website. Both Gardner and Tipton said the state bill did not inspire their act, but Gardner said the Colorado perspective of how to treat parents and their children influenced their legislation more. Tipton said he was glad to see the state Legislature recognizing the opioid issue. This has got to be a collaborative effort in terms of long-term treatment because this isn't something that, you know, you're going to go through an afternoon program and everything's solved, if you have an addiction, Tipton said. (We) give resources back from federal and state back to our communities to be able to deal with the issue ... for support.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2488,Federal Court Permanently Ends Law Requiring Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers to Promote Abortion,2018-10-31,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Federal Court Permanently Ends Law Requiring Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers to Promote Abortion f t # e Alexandria, October 31, 2018 | Savannah Frasier (202-225-4422) Washington, D.C. On Friday, a federal district court ordered a permanent end to a California law which, among other things, attempted to force pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise abortion services. According to California's Reproductive FACT Act, AB 775, the disclosure must include a direct phone number for the county office that refers women to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the law in NIFLA v. Becerra earlier this year. Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement: The Supreme Court ruled in June that it is a violation of the First Amendment for any government to force an entity to have to advertise for its competition, or in this case, to force pregnancy centers to advertise abortion services. Now a federal district court put a final end to this law which so clearly and blatantly violated the First Amendment. It was a clear case of compelled speech. The state of California had singled out a particular kind of organization and tried to force on them speech that violates who they are and the reason they exist. It was a violation of the Constitution and a threat to free speech for all Americans. The right to free speech restricts the government from being able to force Americans to speak or relay a message that violates their conscience. I am pleased to hear of this further protection of free speech within our courts, and as a result, the continued ability of pregnancy centers to provide quality care to women and families. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-urges-suspension-of-talks-for-us_saudi-civil-nuclear-pact-after-jamal-khashoggis-murder,Gardner Urges Suspension of Talks for U.S.- Saudi Civil Nuclear Pact After Jamal Khashoggis Murder,2018-10-31,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Todd Young (R-IN), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Dean Heller (R-NV) sent a letter today urging President Trump to suspend negotiations for a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist andWashington Postcolumnist. Earlier this month, Senator GardnerjoinedSenate colleagues inurging President Trump to launch an investigation and sanctions determination regarding Khashoggi's disappearance pursuant to theGlobal Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. NOTE: View letterhere. The full text of the letter is below: Dear Mr. President: We write to request that your Administration suspend talks related to a potential civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Prior to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, we already held serious reservations about negotiations for such an agreement. In particular, we remain concerned that the Saudi Government has refused, for many years, to consider any agreement that includes so-called Gold Standard requirements against pursuing technologies to enrich uranium and reprocess plutonium-laden spent nuclear fuel. As you know, the 2009 civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and the United Arab Emirates created this Gold Standard when the Emirates committed not to pursue uranium enrichment, plutonium reprocessing, and other nuclear fuel-making activities that can bring a nation within weeks of producing a nuclear weapon. Given your Administration's ongoing efforts to press the Iranian regimein the words of Secretary of State Mike Pompeoto stop enrichment and never pursue plutonium reprocessing, we have long believed that it is therefore critical and necessary for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to accept and uphold this Gold Standard for responsible nuclear behavior. The ongoing revelations about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as certain Saudi actions related to Yemen and Lebanon, have raised further serious concerns about the transparency, accountability, and judgment of current decisionmakers in Saudi Arabia. In turn, these serious questions have solidified our reservations about pursuing a potential U.S. civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, and increased our willingness to advance, consistent with procedures in theAtomic Energy Act of 1954, a joint resolution of disapproval to block any such agreement at this time. We therefore request that you suspend any related negotiations for a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your attention, and stand ready to engage with your Administration on this matter. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2485,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on the Shooting in Pittsburgh,2018-10-27,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn's Statement on the Shooting in Pittsburgh f t # e Washington, October 27, 2018 Washington D.C.-Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement: ""I am saddened and heartbroken by what happened in Pittsburgh today. I will continue to pray for those who lost loved ones at Tree of Life Synagogue. These were innocent American lives lost, not only people of faith participating in a religious ceremony but also local law enforcement who were called to the scene. There is no place for violence and anti-Semitism in America. We have to protect the ability for everyone to practice their religion without fear. Religious liberty is the bedrock of our society. Together, we must stand strong. May God bless those mourning and the first responders who are helping. Our hearts and prayers are with the Jewish people."" f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2486,International Religious Freedom Day,2018-10-27,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"International Religious Freedom Day f t # e Washington, October 27, 2018 Washington, D.C. -Today is the 20thanniversary of the signing of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRF Act) into law. The IRF Act enabled the U.S. to promote religious freedom around the world through foreign policy. The Constitution makes clear that the freedom of each person to live out their beliefs as they see fit is a God-given right.This IRF Act underscores the fact that this right extends to all of humanity and is not reserved for Americans only. On the anniversary of this important legislation, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement: ""Today and every day our country must affirm that religious freedom is a human right. In the United States, we've been blessed with the ability to freely live out our beliefs. That's not an accident.In the Constitution, the founding fathers clearly outlinedthe role of government in protectingreligious freedomandrightlybelieved it to be central to the success of the nation."" ""The IRF Act provided a strong frameworkfrom which to promote religious freedom around the world,and now with the Trump Administration we've seen even more progress. Ambassador Sam Brownback has led extremely well in this area as well, and I was pleased to lead a townhall on this topic with him earlier this year. Too many people around the world are not free to worshipor exercise their religion,and the United States remainscommitted to fighting such oppression."" f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2487,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on INF Withdrawal,2018-10-26,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn's Statement on INF Withdrawal f t # e Washington, October 26, 2018 Washington D.C. -The Trump Administration has made moves indicating the intent to withdrawal from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, both citing ongoing Russian violations of the treaty and signaling an acknowledgment of China's growing number of modern missile systems. Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) issued the following statement: ""It is against the interests of the United States to bind ourselves to a treaty the other party continues to shamelessly violate. As Russia continues to ignore their obligations under the treaty, China-unconstrained by the INF-has exploited this U.S. capability gap as we unilaterally uphold this defunct treaty. Withdrawing from the INF will strengthen America's strategic posture and show agressive regimes and potential adversaries that we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of."" Russia has been found in violation of the INF Treaty as far back as 2008, while China, unconstrained by the INF, has exploited the United States' compliance with the treaty to foster a growing disparity between U.S. and PLA ballistic missile force structure in the Indo-Pacific region. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-provision-help-combat-opioid-epidemic-signed-law,Tipton Provision to Help Combat the Opioid Epidemic Signed into Law,2018-10-24,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) made the following statement after President Trump signed into law H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. The SUPPORT Act is a bipartisan legislative package to help combat opioid abuse and includes H.R. 5197, the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act, a bill Tipton helped introduce. For an overwhelming number of Americans, addiction to opioids begins with a prescription. The ALTO Act would address this specific issue by giving hospitals resources to promote non-opioid pain treatments in emergency rooms, helping to ensure people who do not need opioids are never exposed to them in the first place,said Tipton.The signing of this bipartisan package of bills into law will implement a variety of innovative solutions to help stem this epidemic and save countless lives. Background: The ALTO Act would establish a demonstration program to test alternative pain management protocols to limit the use of opioids in hospital emergency departments. It would also provide grant funding to implement these programs. The ColoradoHospital Association has endorsed the ALTO Act. In 2017, the Association launched an ALTO pilot program in the state. Ten hospital emergency departments across Colorado took part and were able to decrease the use of narcotics by31-46 percentacross the program. Colorado has the12th highest rateof abuse of prescription opioids in the United States. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-backed-opioid-legislation-signed-into-law,Gardner Backed Opioid Legislation Signed Into Law,2018-10-24,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DCSenator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement regarding President Trump signing the bipartisan opioid package into law on Wednesday. The opioid epidemic has hurt so many communities, individuals, and families across Colorado,said Senator Gardner.The bipartisan legislation signed into law by the president is an important step in our continued work to combat this crisis. One piece of legislation isn't going to stop the epidemic, but it's going to make a positive difference in the lives being harmed. We must remain focused on advancing policies that prevent drug abuse, expand treatment, and support families. Included in the package was Senator Gardner's legislation, the Alternatives to Opioids in the Emergency Department Act.This legislation establishes a three yeardemonstration program to test alternative pain management tools to reduce the amount of opioids being used in an emergency setting, and other acute care settings. Following the demonstration program, this legislation requires a report to congress with recommendations to establish pain management protocols to be spread across the country. Additional Background:Reduce Use and Supply Includes the STOP Act to help stop illegal drugs at the border, including stopping the shipment of synthetic opioids Improves sharing of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs data between states Encourage Recovery Supports states with competitive grants to address substance use disorders Improves access to health professionals,long-distance care,and recovery housing services Support Caregivers and Families Improves plans of safe care and support for substance-exposedbabiesand their mothers Increasesfamily-focused treatment and recovery Helpsyouth with substance use disordersenter recovery Provides supports in schools and early childhood education programs Drive Innovation and Long-Term Solutions Spursdevelopment of new non-addictive painkillers Addresses economic and workforce impacts of the opioid crisis Ensures parity in mental health and substance use disorder benefits ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/colorado-farm-bureau-recognizes-representative-scott-tipton-friend-farm-bureau,Colorado Farm Bureau recognizes Representative Scott Tipton with Friend of Farm Bureau Award,2018-10-23,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Colorado Farm Bureau presented Representative Scott Tipton with its Friend of Farm Bureau Award, recognizing him for his contributions to Colorado agriculture. The Colorado Farm Bureau presented him with the award on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Mitchell Farms near Monte Vista. The Friend of Farm Bureau award is given at the end of each Congress to members actively working to support agriculture and rural Colorado. We are proud to award the Friend of Farm Bureau Award to Congressman Tipton for representing Colorado farm and ranch families in Congress, said Chad Vorthmann, Colorado Farm Bureau executive vice president. Colorado farmers and ranchers have struggled with low commodity prices, severe drought and natural disasters such as wildfires. The Friend of Farm Bureau award goes to policy leaders who understand how difficult it has been to grow food and fiber in this environment yet they continue fighting for the success of the industry, continued Vorthmann. The Colorado Farm Bureau is very thankful for Congressman Tipton's work and the work of all our elected officials that support agriculture and Colorado's farm and ranch families. Other recipients of 2018 Friend of Farm Bureau Award include: The Honorable Cory Gardner, U.S. Senate The Honorable Ken Buck, U.S. House of Representatives The Honorable Doug Lamborn, U.S. House of Representatives The Friend of Farm Bureau award is given every Congress to members who support Farm Bureau policy, and agriculture interests as a whole. Colorado Farm Bureau and its member families are very proud to work with each award recipient and are extremely pleased to award them this honor for their continued support of one of ours states oldest and largest industries.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2473,Congressman Lamborn Cosponsors Legislation to Secure Our Border,2018-10-18,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C. -Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) issued the following statement after cosponsoring theBuild the Wall, Enforce the LawAct of 2018 (H.R. 7059): ""This legislation is what many in our country have requested and it delivers on the promise to secure our border permanently,"" said Lamborn. ""It's necessary for our national security, and it will enforce existing immigration laws. Too many illegal immigrants have entered our country without regard for the rule of law. President Trump has indicated many times that protecting our borders and ultimately the legal citizens of our country is a top priority for his administration. I'm pleased Congress has the opportunity to partner with him on this issue and build the wall."" Full legislative text can be foundhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-introduces-bill-provide-dental-benefits-low-income-veterans,Tipton Introduces Bill to Provide Dental Benefits for Low-Income Veterans,2018-10-17,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) introduced legislation to provide critical dental benefits for low-income veterans. The Dental Care for Low-Income Veterans Act (H.R. 6963) would create an exemption within the current eligibility requirements for veterans who meet certain income thresholds to receive Veterans Affairs (VA) dental benefits. While medical benefits are available to all veterans through the VA, dental benefits are not. This can create a variety of problems for veterans who may not have insurance coverage and cannot afford to pay for a trip to the dentist's office out of pocket, said Tipton. Going without routine dental care can have severe impacts on health and wellbeing, including impacting appearance, decreasing chances of securing employment, impacting mental health and increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease. My bill will provide critical dental benefits to veterans who need them most and better ensure our nation is living up to the promises made to veterans. Under current law, eligibility for VA dental care is limited to veterans who have a service-connected disability rated 100%, veterans with a service-connected dental disability or condition, former prisoners of war and homeless veterans. H.R. 6963 would create an exemption within the current eligibility requirements, providing VA dental benefits to veterans who meet a certain income threshold. Annually, the VA would verify the veteran's gross household income based on Federal Tax Information obtained by the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration to determine continued eligibility. The President of Pueblo Community College Veterans Service Group, Jeremy Peterson, highlighted the importance of H.R. 6963: A harsh reality for many veterans upon separating from service is the fact that most of us only have the six months separation dental coverage, said Peterson. Many veterans leave service and go on to college and only work part-time jobs at best that are not eligible for any sort of employer benefits. This bill if passed would go a long way to bridge this gap that many veterans feel needs to be addressed. Imagine serving your country and leaving service, many of us after multiple combat tours and finding out that if you have a cavity or need a tooth pulled and having to tolerate the pain because you simply can't afford to address the issue because of more pressing bills to pay. It is my profound hope that this bill will pass and gain support from both parties simply because it is the right thing to do to help those who have already given so much. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-authors-bill-to-allow-employers-to-contribute-tax-free-to-employees-student-loans,Gardner Authors Bill to Allow Employers to Contribute Tax Free to Employees Student Loans,2018-10-15,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-In a legislative effort to assist individuals with student loans, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) recently introduced the Student Loan Repayment Acceleration Act. This legislation allows employers to make tax-free contributions of up to $10,000 toward employees' student loans per year. It is based off of the current format many employers use to contribute to employees' 401k plans. Student loan debt makes it harder and harder for graduates to get ahead,said Senator Gardner.I'm hopeful my legislation can make it a easier to pay off loans by allowing employers to contribute to their employees' student loans like many do for 401k plans. Every little bit helps and this can be a model for further policies to deal with the growing problem of student loan debt. According to the National Association of Realtors, about 45 million Americans have student loans to repay. The average student has around $30,000 in debt, with a fifth owing more than $100,000. Summary of Student Loan Repayment Acceleration Act -Allows employers to make contributions to an employee's existing student loan debt up to $10,000 per year free from payroll, income, and federal unemployment tax. -Allows employers to choose from a variety of ways to structure such payments; for instance, the employer could simply make a payment or it could require the employee make a payment that the employer matches (similar to 401k matches). -Would amend the Internal Revenue Code to exclude an employee's contributions toward their existing student loan debt from taxable wages payments so long as the contributions do not exceed the $10,000 cap. -Allows sole-proprietors, employed and self-employed individuals to claim student loan debt as an above the line deduction up to $10,000 per year. Denies sole-proprietors, employed and self-employed individuals from claiming double benefits of the student loan interest deduction. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2472,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on Pastor Andrew Brunson,2018-10-12,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- Today, a Turkish court ruled that American pastor Andrew Brunson will be released from prison. He was imprisoned for approximately two years on charges of terrorism, which were false and unfounded accusations. Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement after the announcement: ""For years, Turkish authorities wrongfully detained Pastor Andrew Brunson. The Turkish government slandered the good name of this law-abiding American citizen, accusing him of terrorism with zero evidence to back up their claim. As time went on, it became clear that Turkey's behavior was an attack on Pastor Brunson for his active Christian faith. This blatant denial of religious freedom and human rights was an affront to this innocent man and highly inappropriate behavior by a U.S. ally. I've been praying for Pastor Brunson and his family. I'm thankful they will be reunited after years apart. I want to thank my colleagues in Congress for lobbying for Pastor Brunson's release and the Trump Administration for making this a priority. Let's continue praying for the Brunson family as they recover from this painful ordeal.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-gillibrand-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-permanently-reauthorize-and-fund-victim-compensation-fund-for-9/11-heroes-and-their-families,"Gardner, Gillibrand Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Permanently Reauthorize and Fund Victim Compensation Fund for 9/11 Heroes and Their Families",2018-10-12,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Following the recent announcement that the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) could run out of funding before its expiration date in 2020, and with cancer rates among 9/11 first responders starting to increase 17 years after the 9/11 attacks, U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), and U.S. Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY-12), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10), and Peter T. King (R-NY-2) today announced bipartisan legislation to permanently reauthorize and fund the VCF. The bipartisan legislation would ensure that 9/11 first responders who become sick with certified 9/11 illnesses in the future would be covered by the VCF program. I'll never forget the images and video of brave women and men running into danger to help save thousands of people,said Senator Gardner.These heroes now live across the country, including in Colorado, and have sacrificed so much. After all they have done for us, our nation cannot and will not turn its back on them. This bipartisan group will work relentlessly to advance our legislation to provide them the care they deserve. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, federal and local law enforcement officers, medical workers, construction workers, and other heroes risked their lives for us after we were attacked on 9/11. They didn't back down when we needed them, and now, as cancer rates in the 9/11 first responder community are higher than ever and the 9/11 death tollcontinues to rise 17 years after the attacks, Congress needs to stand up for them,said Senator Gillibrand.We simply cannot turn our backs on our 9/11 heroes and let the Victim Compensation Fund expire. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing, protect our heroes and their families, and pass this bipartisan bill to permanently reauthorize the VCF now. Anything less would send a cruel message to our heroes and their families that Congress is shrugging their shoulders at their suffering. We can and must pass this vitally important bipartisan bill now. The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 killed 2,997 and injured thousands in New York City, Shanksville, PA and the Pentagon. In the years since, tens of thousands more men and women, including first responders, relief workers, and local residents, have lost their lives or gotten sickas a result of exposure to a toxic cocktail of burning chemicals, pulverized drywall and powdered cement. Scientists have found numerous cancers can lie dormant for more than 20 years before turning deadly. This year alone, the number of cancer certifications by the World Trade Center Health Program reached over 10,000 cases. The 20 year milestone issoon approaching and these latent diseases are continuing to manifest. New claims will continue to rise as we reach the expiration of the current Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) in 2020. Already, the VCF has approved over 19,204 claims. S. 3591, led in the Senate by Senators Gardner, Gillibrand, and Chuck Schumer has 15 additional cosponsors: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Robert Casey (D-PA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Edward Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). H.R. 7062, is led in the House of Representatives by Representatives Maloney,Nadler,and King,and has 36 additional cosponsors, including: Thomas Suozzi (D-NY-03), Ted Poe (R-TX-02), Kathleen Rice (D-NY-04), Chris Smith (R-NJ-04), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Leonard Lance (R-NJ-07), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Tom MacArthur (R-NJ-03), Nydia Velzquez (D-NY-07), Daniel Donovan (R-NY-11), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-22), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Barbara Comstock (R-VA-10), Joseph Crowley (D-NY-14), Jos Serrano (D-NY-15), Eliot Engel (D-NY-16), Nita Lowey (D-NY-17), Paul Tonko (D-NY-20), Brian Higgins (D-NY-26), Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06), Albio Sires (D-NJ-08), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-09), Greg Meeks (D-NY-5), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-9), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), David Price (D-NC-04), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT-05), Brendan Boyle (D-PA-13), Kristen Sinema (D-AZ-09), Grace Napolitano (D-CA-32), David Cicilline (D-RI-01), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-08), Karen Bass (D-CA-37), and Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24). ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-signs-letter-triggering-global-magnitsky-investigation-into-disappearance-of-jamal-khashoggi,Gardner Signs Letter Triggering Global Magnitsky Investigation Into Disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi,2018-10-11,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DCSenator Cory Gardner (R-CO) signed on to a bipartisan letter sent to President Donald TrumpWednesdayby U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-TN), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) that triggered an investigation and Global Magnitsky sanctions determination regardingthe disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post. Khashoggi has not been heard from since he entered a Saudi consulate in Istanbul last Tuesday afternoon. The letter was also signed by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Barrasso (R-WY), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Todd Young (R-IN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Tom Udall (D-NM). The letter reads in full Dear Mr. President: The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act requires the President, upon receipt of a request from the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, to determine whether a foreign person is responsible for an extrajudicial killing, torture, or other gross violation of internationally recognized human rights against an individual exercising freedom of expression, and report to the Committee within 120 days with a determination and a decision on the imposition of sanctions on that foreign person or persons. The recent disappearance of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi suggests that he could be a victim of a gross violation of internationally recognized human rights, which includes torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, prolonged detention without charges and trial, causing the disappearance of persons by the abduction and clandestine detention of those persons, and other flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of person. Therefore, we request that you make a determination on the imposition of sanctions pursuant to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act with respect to any foreign person responsible for such a violation related to Mr. Khashoggi. Our expectation is that in making your determination you will consider any relevant information, including with respect to the highest ranking officials in the Government of Saudi Arabia. Background Under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the president, upon receipt of a letter from the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, must make a determination and is authorized to impose sanctions with respect to a foreign person responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other gross violations of internationally recognized human rights violations against individuals who seek to obtain, exercise, defend, or promote human rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-addresses-lack-of-civility-threats-against-his-family-at-weekly-gop-press-conference,"Gardner Addresses Lack of Civility, Threats Against his Family at Weekly GOP Press Conference",2018-10-10,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) calls for a return to civility in the United States at the Republican Leadership Press Conference today. NOTE: Watch videohereor by clicking on the photo above Remarks as delivered: In the United States we cherish our First Amendment rights. We cherish our right to petition. We cherish our right to assemble. We cherish our right to protest and free speech. But over the past several days we've seen calls to kill the Supreme Court nominee. We've seen white powder sent to the Pentagon, to the President, and to our colleagues.We've seen people say that Steve Scalise was complicit in his own attempted assassination. My wife received a text message of a graphic beheading. We now have people, public officials, saying you have the right, and should be, uncivil to each other. It's a call for incivility. You have others saying, ""Michelle Obama may have said when they go low we go high, but I'm saying when they go low we kick back."" This is not who we are as a country. We have our political disagreements and we should cherish the rights to express our disagreements. But when it comes to calls for violence, attempted murder, and assassinations this country has gone too far and it's time we step back from that brink. My colleague Michael Bennet and I were sent here to work together.We have our disagreements, but we have always fought for the best of our state and I hope that every colleague here will do the same.I hope the American people can be proud of the fact that while we may disagree, we will not let incivility prevail. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-statement-on-un-ambassador-nikki-haley,Gardner Statement on UN Ambassador Nikki Haley,2018-10-09,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement regarding United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley's announcement that shewillbe stepping down at the end of the year: Because of Nikki Haley's leadership, the United States has a powerful voice again at the United Nations,said Senator Gardner.She's been an incredible partner to work closely with on carrying out the Administration's maximum pressure doctrine on North Korea, and I'm confident that we will be able to continue to build on the strong foundation she solidified in her role as UN Ambassador. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2471,Congressman Lamborn's Statement on the Confirmation Vote of Judge Kavanaugh,2018-10-07,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- Following the Senate's final vote confirmation on Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme court yesterday, Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) released the following statement: ""I'm extremely pleased my colleagues in the Senate voted to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. Since President Trump's announcement, I've supported Judge Kavanaugh because of his overwhelming qualifications and clear record of upholding the Constitution. Unfortunately, Democrats opposed his nomination from the beginning simply because he was President Trump's nominee. Judge Kavanaugh never lost my support despite the left's best attempt to smear his good name. I look forward to the work he will do as a Justice.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-statement-on-judge-kavanaugh-nomination,Gardner Statement on Judge Kavanaugh Nomination,2018-10-05,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC -Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) announced on Friday that he will be voting yes on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Friday's vote was a procedural vote to end debate. The final confirmation vote will likely come later this weekend. I announced my support for Judge Kavanaugh in July, and I will be voting to approve his nomination to the Supreme Court,said Senator Gardner.During this confirmation process, I have supported every opportunity to ensure we have all available information before us. This included listening to hours of testimony, reading and re-reading transcripts and statements, and studying interviews of over 150 people spanning 25 years in seven FBI background investigations.No evidence was found by the FBI to corroborate the allegations made against him or to make me change the support I announced for him in July. We live in a country where both sides should always be heard. Victimized women that come forward are brave and courageous. Every victim of abuse, assault, and violence has been through an unspeakable tragedy and we need to do a better job listening to them, ensuring support is available, and fighting to end abuse of any kind. I hope that the partisan divide we all feel today does not hinder the people that have bravely come forward. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardners-wildfire-drone-legislation-included-in-federal-aviation-administration-reauthorization,Gardners Wildfire Drone Legislation Included in Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization,2018-10-03,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Will Deter Unauthorized Drone Use over Colorado Wildfires NOTE: View Senator Gardner's remarkshereor by clicking on the photo above. Washington, DC-Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, voted today in favor of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The bill, which passed 93 to 6, aims to reauthorize federal aviation programs with airport infrastructure, improvements in safety and service for the flying public, and improves innovation in the aviation industry. This bipartisan five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration represents the first long-term bill since 2012. It contains several Gardner-backed provisions, including his effort to make unauthorized drone use that interferes with wildfire suppression a federal felony. This bipartisan legislation is good for Colorado's airports and the thousands of people who fly in our state each day,said Senator Gardner.As wildfires hit Colorado this year, I heard directly from the men and women fighting fires and was pleased to work to include a provision to deter the idiotic behavior of unauthorized drone use over wildfires. Going forward, I will continue my efforts to support Colorado's airports and protect our airspace. Gardner Wildfire Provision Included in FAA BillEarlier this year, Senators Gardner and Bennet introduced the Securing Airspace for Emergency Responders (SAFER) Act of 2018, to make it a felony to fly unauthorized drones over wildfires. Congressman Tipton introduced companion legislation in the House. The measure was in response to Senator Gardner hearing firsthand from men and women fighting wildfires in Colorado about the problems drones are creating for their efforts.(Watch Senator Gardner talk about the issue at a press conference earlier this year.) Background on drone wildfire legislation Additional Gardner Provisions in FAA Bill An amendment is included cosponsored by Senator Gardner to allow Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds to be used for the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) equipment. This provision is aimed at providing additional options for airport security needs. An amendment included by Senator Gardner encourages FAA to continue its feasibility assessment into providing access to the 1300-1350MHz band for non-federal use. This band provides great opportunity for commercial services and considering whether it can be appropriately cleared will advance the more efficient use of federal spectrum. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-backed-lwcf-and-national-parks-legislation-advance-out-of-energy-and-natural-resources-committee,Gardner Backed LWCF and National Parks Legislation Advance out of Energy and Natural Resources Committee,2018-10-02,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Several Other Gardner Initiatives Also Advance Clickhereor on photo above to view remarks from hearing. Washington, DC On Tuesday the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) serves on, advanced out of committee several pieces of legislation important to Colorado. Included in the hearing was S. 569, the Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act. This legislation, of which Senator Gardner is a cosponsor, aims to fully fund and permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Authorization for LWCF expired on September 30th, and Senator Gardner has been working with a bipartisan group, including Senator Bennet, to reauthorize the conservation program. I've been fighting to protect the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and today was an important step for the Senate to move out of committee a bipartisan measure that permanently reauthorizes this critical program for Colorado's public lands,said Senator Gardner.There is no excuse on why we can't get this done as there is a clear bipartisan consensus in both the House and Senate on the immense benefits of this crown jewel of conservation programs. Also passing out of committee in today's hearing was S.3172, the Restore our Parks Act. This legislation, of which Senator Gardner is also a cosponsor, addresses the $12 billion park maintenance backlog that is preventing new investments and infrastructure improvements to parks in Colorado and across the country. This measure would establish the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund and reduce the maintenance backlog by allocating half of the existing unobligated revenues the government receives from on and offshore energy development - up to $1.3 billion per year - for the next five years. We have to provide Colorado's parksthe funding necessary to help address the billions of dollars in deferred maintenance that the park system is currently facing,said Senator Gardner.The Restore our Parks Act will protect these lands by allowing for needed investments for park infrastructure and preservation projects. Click here to view Senator Gardner speaking aboutthe legislation on the Senate floor earlier this year and to view a list of more than $238 million in maintenance backlog at Colorado parks. Additional Gardner Backed Measures Advancing out of committee on Tuesday: S. 2870 Amache Study Act-Authored by Senator Gardner and cosponsored by Senator Bennet, this legislationwould assess the historical significance of Amache, a former Japanese American relocation center in Granada, and determine the feasibility of the site becoming part of the National Park System. S.2290 Wildfire Management Technology Advancement Act of 2017- This legislation authored by Senator Gardner is a bill designed to bring firefighting agencies into the 21st century. It increases firefighter safety by requiring the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to begin providing GPS locations for crews on wildfires and to begin using Unmanned Aircraft Systems to scout out and map wildfires in real-time. S.2876 Pike National Historic Trail Study Act-This legislation authored by Senator Bennet and cosponsored by Senator Gardner could result in the designation of explorer Zebulon Pike's route through the American Southwest including significant stretches in Colorado. It would direct the National Park Service to conduct a feasibility study on making it a National Historic Trail. S. 2166, Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Extension Act of 2017- This legislation authored by Senator Gardner and cosponsored by Senator Bennet maintains annual base funding for the Upper Colorado and San Juan fish recovery programs through fiscal year 2023. Requiresareport on the implementation of those programs. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/fulfilling-mission,COLUMN: Fulfilling the Mission,2018-10-01,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Over the years, I have heard too many stories of veterans in my district who experienced delays, cancellations or a lack of response from the Veterans Administration. This has been made worse by the fact that in a rural district like Colorado's Third Congressional District, so many veterans have been forced to drive hundreds of miles just to get to appointments. Initially, Congress took action to address the longstanding challenges with veterans' access to care by passing the Veterans Choice Act. Through this program, if a veteran lived 40 miles away from a VA facility or was unable to obtain care at a VA facility within 30 days, he or she could seek care at a non-VA facility and then those facilities would be reimbursed by the VA. While the Veterans Choice Program was a step in the right direction, many issues still arose after its implementation. Earlier this year, a General Accounting Office report found that the VA was unable to fulfill its mission of providing veterans with timely medical appointments, despite the billions of dollars in funding that have been funneled into the choice program. Most notably, the report found that veterans still had to wait between 51 and 64 days for appointments with private doctors under the program. Additionally, reports in 2016 indicated that many non-VA providers were not receiving reimbursements from the VA in a timely manner, which resulted in these non-VA providers either refusing to treat veterans or forcing the veterans to foot bills that they were not equipped to pay. Our veterans have sacrificed in service to this country and everyone can agree that these heroes deserve better. In response to this urgent problem, I supported, Congress passed, and the president subsequently signed into law a bill that will greatly improve veterans' access to health care. The VA MISSION Act, will replace the choice program and expand veterans' access to private sector health care, drastically reducing their wait times. One of the major provisions included in the VA MISSION Act originally was included in a bill that I authored called the Veterans Improved Access and Care Act of 2017. The provision that was included eliminates the arbitrary 30-day, 40-mile eligibility rule, allowing veterans full access to private and local medical care regardless of their situations or locations. My provision will ensure that no veteran is made to wait, or even worse, go without the health care that they have earned. This important legislation also addressed the issue of non-VA providers not receiving reimbursements from the VA. The VA MISSION Act creates a standard for timely payment to community care providers to ensure that veterans continue to have the option of receiving care at non-VA facilities and keeps the cost of that care in line with the cost of VA health care to ensure that veterans are not forced to pay bills that were higher than expected. The VA MISSION Act will also work to improve the health care provided in rural areas by providing additional resources for hiring and retaining VA health professionals, removing barriers to tele-medicine and sending mobile deployment teams to provide specialized and routine health care. Nothing is more disheartening to me than hearing about veterans not receiving quality or timely care. Every veteran deserves the best health care possible and it is my priority to provide that care. In implementing the VA MISSION Act, we are in a better position to fulfill that mission and I will continue to work to ensure that veterans have access to the care they have earned.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/tipton-seeks-assistance-landowners-businesses-hurt-wildfires,"Tipton seeks assistance for landowners, businesses hurt by wildfires",2018-10-01,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton introduced new legislation earlier this month that would ensure disaster assistance in the form of aid and grants to communities and businesses affected by wildfires. Tipton introduced the Federal Lands Fire-Related Incidents Recovery and Economic Stimulus (Federal Lands FIRES) Act on Sept. 13 to the House Committees on Financial Services, Natural Resources and Small Business after the 416 Fire, which burned almost 55,000 acres. The bill will create a new disaster designation for wildfires that burn on federal lands, thus making communities affected by the fires eligible for federal support to aid with damages. Tipton said he introduced the bill after speaking with constituents in La Plata County about the effects of the 416 Fire that started June 1, including business owners on Main Avenue. He said landowners near the burn area were not going to have a lot of opportunities for aid or assistance because they are private landowners while the fire was mostly on public lands. These natural disasters, we have to be able to deal with, Tipton said. We have to make sure that those resources are going to be available because in our community, every small business counts. They play a very small, critical role in our economy with jobs. Tipton said that because the fire burned mostly on federal land, and the limitations of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which is the current legislation that authorizes states and local governments to aid citizens after natural disasters, most people affected by the fire are not eligible for aid. Jack Llewellyn, the executive director of the Durango Chamber of Commerce, said he thinks Tipton's legislation will make getting federal assistance easier for businesses. This would definitely help businesses, because before, you couldn't get access to some of the funds and grants if it was on federal land, and that would help open that up and change that for a lot of communities that have been impacted, Llewellyn said. It will help the businesses gain access to the capital to get through the lean times. Llewellyn said he talked about the legislation with Roger Zalneraitis, executive director at La Plata Economic Development Alliance, and met with Tipton about a month ago. Zalneraitis was not available for comment. Tipton referenced the Durango North/Riverside KOA campground as one of the local businesses that was affected by floods and mudslides after the fire. He said the campground is emblematic of the area that relies on outdoor activity and tourism. The director of the campground could not be reached Friday for comment, but Llewellyn said he visited the campground after the flooding and found the entire campground decimated by mud and flood waters. The campground was closed during the fire and has remained closed for the 2018 season as a result of a July 17 mudslide, according to its website. Llewellyn estimated 4 to 7 feet of mud covered the ground. He called the campground's cleanup an uphill battle. Tipton said he aims to pass the bill with the current sitting Congress before the upcoming midterm elections in November. He is up for re-election as the state's District 3 congressional representative. He was first elected in 2010. Tipton said if tourism-based businesses are affected and have adjacent land to the lands affected by the wildfire, then they will have the opportunity for assistance. Any business that fits the parameters can apply for a low-cost loan after this legislation opens the door, Tipton said. Frank Lockwood, executive director of the Durango Area Tourism Office, said the bill will not only help the tourism industry in the area but also non-tourism businesses because tourists and the tourism-based businesses support local businesses. He said when the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad closed and canceled reservations in June, Durango and Silverton businesses lost thousands of customers who normally would have visited. It's one of those kind of ripple effects, Lockwood said. So when something like the train closes down, it just goes everywhere. Lockwood said tourism is responsible for one in four jobs in La Plata County, which led to layoffs in Durango and Silverton around the time of the 416 Fire. He said that once those people lost their income, they were no longer frequenting restaurants or grocery stores, which led to more lost business for the non-tourism industry. The 416 (Fire) hurt businesses in Durango, and even tourism-based businesses, differently, Lockwood said. Some were hurt very badly, some were not hurt at all. (But the bill) seems like it's opened up new avenues, which certainly can't hurt.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2469,Congressman Lamborn Votes for Permanent Tax Cuts,2018-09-28,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn Votes for Permanent Tax Cuts f t # e Washington, September 28, 2018 Washington, D.C. This week, Congressman Lamborn voted to make tax cuts permanent, less than one year after House Republicans first passed historic tax reform. The Tax Reform 2.0 package is a collection of three bills, two of which passed the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday and the third and final which passes today. After several years of sluggish growth, tax reform has jumpstarted our economy. We've seen bigger paychecks and many new jobs created. That's we should keep up that momentum and make middle-class and small business tax cuts permanent. These three pieces of legislation will make a significant different for families and communities across the country. For Colorado's Fifth Congressional District in particular, I am looking forward to the many benefits our region will reap for years to come. The American people deserve nothing less than more money in their pocket as a result of all their hard work. Tax Reform 2.0 Legislation: H.R. 6760, the Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2018. H.R. 6757, the Family Savings Act of 2018. H.R. 6756, the American Innovation Act of 2018. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-statement-critical-opioid-abuse-legislation-moving-president-s-desk,Tipton Statement on Critical Opioid Abuse Legislation Moving to Presidents Desk,2018-09-28,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. Today, Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) praised the passage of important legislation to combat opioid abuse. H.R. 5197, the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) in the Emergency Department Act, a bill Tipton helped introduced, passed out of the House as a part of the final House-Senate conference agreement on H.R. 6 (The SUPPORT Act). The SUPPORT Act, which passed with strong bipartisan support, is expected to be approved by the Senate and sent to the President's desk. Too often the path to addiction begins in a place most people would not expect: a doctor's office or hospital emergency room. The ALTO Act would address this specific issue by giving hospitals resources to promote non-opioid pain treatments in emergency rooms, helping to ensure people who do not need opioids are never exposed to them in the first place, said Tipton. Opioid abuse is a multifaceted issue and no one solution will fully solve the problem. We must implement a variety of solutions, and I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for passing a package of bills, including the ALTO Act, that offers multiple innovative solutions to stem the worst drug epidemic our nation has ever experienced. Background: The ALTO Act would establish a demonstration program to test alternative pain management protocols to limit the use of opioids in hospital emergency departments. It would also provide grant funding to implement these programs. The ColoradoHospital Association has endorsed the ALTO Act. In 2017, the Association launched an ALTO pilot program in the state. Ten hospital emergency departments across Colorado took part and were able to decrease the use of narcotics by31-46 percent across the program. Colorado has the12th highest rateof abuse of prescription opioids in the United States. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ken-buck-introduces-legislation-ensure-fair-aluminum-pricing,Ken Buck Introduces Legislation to Ensure Fair Aluminum Pricing,2018-09-27,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Ken Buck,B001297,buck.house.gov,,,legacy,"For Immediate Release Contact:Kyle Huwa, 202-225-4676 Washington, D.C. Today, Reps. Ken Buck (CO-04) and Jim Costa (CA-16) introduced bipartisan legislation (H.R. 6927) to ensure a fair and free market for the pricing of aluminum in the United States. The Aluminum Pricing Examination (APEX) Act grants the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) the statutory authority to conduct oversight of the aluminum market and to investigate price setting, benchmarking, and reporting entities. At the same time, the bill enables the Department of Justice to consult with the CFTC to be sure that all regulatory and oversight actions align with anti-trust statutes. Our beverage and beer industry, along with so many other job-creating industries, rely on a fair and free market for aluminum purchases, stated Congressman Ken Buck. To avoid perversions of the free market, like monopoly pricing, we need to fully equip the CFTC, alongside the Justice Department, to investigate pricing irregularities that have been plaguing the aluminum market for months now. The APEX Act comes at a time when the price of sheet aluminum has faced troubling irregularities. There is a sole reference price that operates like a shipping and handling fee added to the cost of sheet aluminum in the U.S., called the Midwest Premium (MWP). This price, set by S&P Global Platts, the solecompany responsible for thepricing methodologies and benchmarking of the aluminum markets, has more than doubled (137%) since early 2018. This unforeseen price variation doesn't reflect the fundamentals of the market. Part of this price increase may be attributed to a reliance on duty-paid prices. End-users of aluminum in Colorado have noted that producers are selling 100% of their aluminum at a price that factors in the duty, or tariff, the producer paid to the government, even though around only 30% of the aluminum these producers are selling was originally subject to a duty when they purchased it from the original supplier.Much of the other 70% comes from recycled aluminum that does not have a duty assessed. The sharp increases in price have negatively impacted both end users of aluminum and consumers who buy water, soda, beer, and other household goods made from aluminum. With the APEX Act, the government will be able to play its proper oversight role in the aluminum market, ensuring with the Department of Justice that price-setting entities in the market are acting fairly and transparently, complying with all anti-trust statutes. This summer, Rep. Buck sent abi-partisan letterto the Attorney General, along with 31 of his colleagues, asking the Department of Justice to examine possible antitrust violations in the pricing of aluminum. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-tipton-s-bill-prevent-illicit-financing-nuclear-chemical-and,"House Passes Tiptons Bill to Prevent the Illicit Financing of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Weapons",2018-09-27,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. This week, Congressman Scott Tipton's (CO-03) Improving Strategies to Counter Weapons Proliferation Act (H.R. 6332) passed the House. This bill would help financial institutions and law enforcement better recognize and prevent the illicit financing of transfers and exports of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons is a severe global threat, said Tipton. In helping financial institutions and law enforcement work together to better identify the signs of illegal weapons financing, this bill will close existing loopholes that allow bad actors to abuse the U.S. financial system for weapons proliferation. Watch Tipton speak in support of H.R. 6332, HERE. As required by the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), when financial institutions encounter suspicious activity, they file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) at the Department of Treasury. Even though FinCEN has reported that some SARs have been helpful in individual cases, FinCEN has also determined that more can be done to study these filings and provide financial institutions with guidance on how to proactively prevent illicit weapons financing. H.R. 6332 would require FinCEN to submit a report to Congress within one year and annually on the following: How the BSA data collected from financial institutions is being used to combat the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; How FinCEN collaborates with law enforcement, the intelligence community, and foreign financial intelligence units to maximize the use of BSA data collected from financial institutions; Advisory notices issued to financial institutions on financial activity related to the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-bill-encourage-proactive-localized-conservation-efforts-receives-hearing,"Tipton Bill to Encourage Proactive, Localized Conservation Efforts Receives Hearing in Natural Resources Committee",2018-09-27,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. This week, during a full hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee, Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) spoke in support of his bill, the Land Ownership Collaboration Accelerates Life Act, known as the LOCAL Act (H.R. 6344). The LOCAL Act would encourage localized, proactive conservation efforts to help prevent listings under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It is critical that we empower landowners who have boots on the ground to lead critical conservation and recovery efforts, said Tipton. We have seen firsthand how local efforts that considered the unique conditions of an area benefited Sage-Grouse recovery in Colorado, and this legislation would continue to implement this successful strategy by incentivizing landowners to take proactive measures that protect threatened and endangered species. During the hearing, Tipton asked Mr. Gregg Renkes, Director of the Office of Policy Analysis at the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), if the DOI has used voluntary conservation practices in the past and if we should be incentivizing these practices in the future. Mr. Renkes testified that voluntary practices are one of the most important strategies that the Department of Interior utilizes and used the recovery of the Louisiana Black Bear as an example, stating that the species was saved thanks to the voluntary conservation efforts of private forest owners, farmers and landowners. He then agreed that the DOI should incentive local landowners to participate in conservation efforts. Watch Tipton's full line of questioning HERE. Background: The ESA was passed in 1973 to preserve and recover species that are on the brink of extinction. The LOCAL Act would amend the ESA to give the federal government the opportunity to engage non-federal landowners in voluntary conservation efforts through Species Recovery Agreements (SRA), Habitat Reserve Agreements (HRA), Private Party Conservation Grants and a Conservation Planning Loan Program. Through a SRA or HRA, the Secretary of the Interior could enter into an agreement with a non-federal landowner who agrees to carry our activities that protect or restore habitat and contribute to the recovery of an endangered or threatened species. The landowner would receive payments to cover the costs of the agreements. Through Private Party Conservation Grants, a private property owner could receive financial conservation aid to alleviate the burden of ESA compliance and states, counties and municipalities could receive assistance for conservation planning through the Conservation Planning Loan Program. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/buck-language-makes-final-bicameral-bipartisan-opioid-agreement,"Buck Language Makes Final Bicameral, Bipartisan Opioid Agreement",2018-09-26,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Ken Buck,B001297,buck.house.gov,,,legacy,"For Immediate Release Contact:Kyle Huwa, 202-225-4676 Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Ken Buck commended the inclusion of his opioid data-sharing language in a bicameral, bipartisan agreement to fight opioids in the United States. His provisions, which were included in H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, specifically enhance data sharing between wholesale registrants and law enforcement. I'm thankful that the agreement text includes language to enhance data-sharing among opioid wholesalers and law enforcement, stated Congressman Ken Buck. If we're going to stand up to this opioid epidemic in America, then we need everyone on the same page, sharing information to catch the bad actors while still providing good people with the pharmaceuticals they need. The provisions require reporting of anonymized industry sales data to the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) ARCOS system (Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System). By sharing this information with each other through the ARCOS system, wholesalers of opioid pharmaceuticals can better track and prevent future suspicious sales of controlled substances to pharmacies or practitioner registrants. Rep. Buck's provisions also require the U.S. Attorney General to publish a report every six months detailing opioid distribution patterns for use by local law enforcement and state attorneys general. Additionally, the provisions from Rep. Buck's bill will hold registrants responsible for tracking suspicious orders and reporting those to the DEA. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2468,Congressman Lamborn Votes Against the Cromnibus,2018-09-26,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn Votes Against the Cromnibus f t # e Washington, September 26, 2018 Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn voted against an$855 billion spending package. The bill, H.R. 6157, combines Department of Defense and Labor-Healthand Human Services-Education appropriations with a continuing resolution lasting untilDecember7th. This bill does not fund the southern border wall, which blatantly ignores the specific request of President Trump to do so. Additionally, Congressman Lamborn advocated for other conservative measures to be included which were not. Congressman Lamborn issued the following statement: Although the appropriations bill boosts defense spending, it is combined with the spending priorities of Democrats. Defense spending should be a separate vote from the Labor-HHS-Education funding for this reason. Democrats continue to demand their own priorities are met while holding defense spending hostage. It's not enough to say that Congress has passed the bill on time when conservative priorities were largely ignored. Even more, the president requested that Congress provide funding for the border wall and that we stay below budget. This bill does not accomplish those things. We cannot continue touting maintaining status quo as a success. We must fight for a better deal and conservative policies. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-bill-protect-private-property-rights-clears-committee,Tipton Bill to Protect Private Property Rights Clears Committee,2018-09-26,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. Today, the House Natural Resources Committee passed Congressman Scott Tipton's (CO-03) Protection and Transparency for Adjacent Landowners Act (H.R. 6682). This bill would increase transparency and certainty for private landowners during a federal land acquisition, reclassification or resurvey process. I have heard accounts from Coloradans who have had their property values decrease because a federal agency purchased land adjacent to theirs or have lost property altogether because of a survey mistake made by the federal government, said Tipton. This legislation would increase notification and transparency and protect private property rights, ensuring private property owners don't suffer because of the mistakes and actions of the federal government. Often, a landowner is not notified when a parcel adjacent to theirs will be acquired by the federal government. In a situation where several tracts of land are acquired around a private parcel, the private land has the potential to be devalued. Without knowledge of the acquisitions, the private landowner is unable to take action to protect their assets. Additionally, federal resurveys can create problems for private landowners with property next to the parcel to be resurveyed. Private landowners may not know that the resurvey is happening or be notified of the results. Therefore, a property owner may unwittingly continue to use land they believe to be theirs after it is reclassified as public land following a resurvey. In some cases, the private landowner has made improvements to or investments in the now-public land. In a statement before the Natural Resources Committee, Tipton gave examples where each of these scenarios negatively impacted private landowners. Watch Tipton speak in support of H.R. 6682, HERE. H.R. 6682 would better protect private property rights by mandating the following: The BLM and USFS must provide advance written notice to each owner of land that is located adjacent to a parcel of land that is to be acquired by the agency; If the BLM or USFS determines that property previously believed to be private property should be reclassified as federal land, the private landowner must have the first right of refusal to purchase the land at fair market value, or be reimbursed for the fair market value of any significant improvements they made to the land; If the BLM or USFS determines that property previously believed to be private property should be reclassified as federal land, the private landowner cannot be charged with trespassing unless they access the land after they had knowledge that the land was owned by the federal government. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/-framework-for-new-united-states-policy-toward-asia-advances-out-of-senate-foreign-relations-committee,Framework for New United States Policy Toward Asia Advances out of Senate Foreign Relations Committee,2018-09-26,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-On Wednesday, September 26th, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimouslyadvanced S. 2736, the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018 (ARIA). This legislation, authored by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy along with Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), serves as a generational policy framework to enhance U.S. leadership in the Indo-Pacific region and to demonstrate a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and the rules-based international order. In the 115th Congress, Gardner and Markey held five hearings in their Subcommittee to inform ARIA. The hearing series, titled, American Leadership in the Asia-Pacific, included hearings onsecurity challenges,economic opportunities,promoting human rights and the rule oflaw,U.S.-China relations, andAdministration views. Today's action is an important step in getting this criticallegislation signed into law,said Senator Gardner.ARIAprovides the United States a whole-of-government, long-term strategy in Asia that advances American national security interests, promotes American businesses and creates jobs through trade opportunities, and projects American values of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United States has always been -- and will always remain -- a Pacific power, and today's action proves that the U.S. government can speak with one voice to reassure our allies and to deter our adversaries in the Indo-Pacific region. The rules-based international order is absolutely fundamental to global peace and security,said Senator Markey.But Asia, arguably the most consequential region for the United States, faces critical challenges such as nonproliferation, human rights, and respect for democratic values. This legislation would do important work to address challenges in the Indo-Pacific by authorizing much-needed funds for the Department of State and USAID, including to promote democracy, and to strengthen civil society, the rule of law, transparency, and accountability. It would strengthen alliances and partnerships, promote resource conservation, pursue effective arms control and nonproliferation policies, and commit the U.S. government to the full implementation of sanctions on North Korea and its enablers. I thank Senator Gardner for his partnership on this timely and important legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with him and our partners for full Senate passage. I applaud the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's passage of this important bill to create a framework for stronger U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific region in terms of diplomacy, trade, promotion of human rights, counterterrorism programs, and other important issues,said Senator Rubio.With China's increasingly aggressive rise, it is critical that the United States reaffirm our commitment to securing a free and open Indo-Pacific region through enhanced cooperation with our democratic partners. U.S. relations with our Asian allies, partners, and adversaries will dominate the 21st century, and we need a clear set of strategic policies to bolster our national security and economic interests, framed in the values that define who we are democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law. I'm pleased this legislation places such a high premium on those priorities, and also expresses support for the economic and societal rights of women and girls in the region, said Senator Cardin.U.S. foreign policy is always best conducted in a bipartisan fashion, and this legislation and today's process exemplifies that spirit. I thank my Foreign Relations Committee colleagues frothier support and look forward to the bill's debate and passage in the Senate. Read more on ARIA legislationhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-schatz-introduce-legislation-to-improve-federal-governments-use-of-artificial-intelligence,"Gardner, Schatz Introduce Legislation to Improve Federal Governments Use of Artificial Intelligence",2018-09-26,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Today, U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO),Brian Schatz (D-HI), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Kamala Harris (D-CA)introduced the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Government Act, legislation that would improve the use of AI across the federal government by providing resources and directing federal agencies to include AI in data-related planning. While C-3PO isn't yet a reality in today's world, artificial intelligence certainly is,said Senator Gardner.Our bill will bring agencies, industry, and others to the table to discuss government adoption of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. We need a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges these technologies present for federal government use and this legislation would put us on the path to achieve that goal. The United States won't have the global competitive edge in AI if our own government isn't making the most of these technologies,said Senator Schatz.This bill will give the federal government the resources it needs to hire experts, do research, and work across federal agencies to use AI technologies in smart and effective ways. Artificial intelligence will have significant impacts for our country, economy, and society,said Senator Portman.Ensuring that our government has the capabilities and expertise to help navigate those impacts will be important in the coming years and decades. I'm pleased to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure our government understands the benefits and pitfalls of this technology as it engages in a responsible, accountable rollout of AI. Artificial intelligence has the potential to benefit society in ways we cannot imagine today,said Senator Harris.We already see its immense value in applications as diverse as diagnosing cancer to routing vehicles. The AI in Government Act gives the federal government the tools and resources it needs to build its expertise and in partnership with industry and academia. The bill will help develop the policies to ensure that society reaps the benefits of these emerging technologies,while protecting people from potential risks, such as biases in AI. The Artificial Intelligencein Government Actdoes the following: expand an office within the General Services Administration to provide technical expertise to relevant government agencies; conduct forward-looking, original research on federal AI policy; and promote U.S. competitiveness through agency and industry cooperation; establish an advisory board to address AI policy opportunities and challenges for executive agencies; direct the Office of Management and Budget to establish a strategy for investing and using AI as part of the federal data strategy; and direct the Office of Personnel Management to identify skills and competencies for AI and establish a new or update an existing occupational series. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-s-western-co-uranium-tailings-disposal-bill-passes-house,Tiptons Western CO Uranium Tailings Disposal Bill Passes House,2018-09-25,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. This week, Congressman Scott Tipton's (CO-03) legislation to reauthorize the Department of Energy's (DOE) Cheney Disposal Cell in Mesa County, which receives radioactive waste materials that were produced decades ago during the uranium milling process, passed off the House Floor with a bipartisan vote. The Responsible Disposal Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 2278), would extend the Cheney Disposal Cell's authorization until 2030. The Department of Energy's Cheney Disposal Cell in Mesa County is a vital component of the Office of Legacy Management's mission to protect public health and the environment, said Tipton. Uranium waste materials continue to be discovered during road construction, bridge replacement, home foundation excavation and other activities across Western Colorado and need a place to be disposed of. This legislation will see to it that there continues to be a safe disposal site for the tailings and I am optimistic we will see it advance through the Senate. Under current law, the Department of Energy Secretary may operate the Cheney Disposal Cell until 2023 or until the site has fulfilled its capacity. Currently, the remaining capacity in the cell is approximately 234,000 cubic yards. The cell receives approximately 2,700 cubic yards of waste annually from the City of Grand Junction and Durango, CO, Monticello, UT and Tuba City, AZ and therefore an extended reauthorization is necessary. Watch Tipton speak in support of H.R. 2278, HERE. Background: Uranium mill tailings were used as fill and construction material in the mid 1900's. Most of the sites that contained tailings have already been cleaned up by DOE, but from time to time mill tailings are uncovered during road construction and redevelopment programs. The Cheney Disposal Cell is the only DOE facility authorized to accept the mill tailings once they are discovered. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/tipton-bill-would-help-those-harmed-wildfires,Tipton bill would help those harmed by wildfires,2018-09-21,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo., has introduced a bill seeking to ensure that communities and businesses impacted by wildfires on public lands receive necessary disaster-related economic assistance. Tipton's office said in a news release that H.R. 6799, the Federal Lands Fire-Related Incidents Recovery and Economic Stimulus (Federal Lands FIRES) Act, ""would create a new disaster designation for wildfires, of which 40 percent or more burned on federal lands, ensuring that the surrounding communities qualify for federal economic disaster relief."" The assistance would be available for direct impacts from the fire and nondirect damages up to 100 miles from burn areas. Currently, his office said, fires burning primarily on federal lands don't qualify for disaster declarations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance (Stafford) Act. That means that communities and businesses operating on federal land and in surrounding areas aren't eligible for federal disaster-related economic assistance, including through the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and the Community Development Block Grants Disaster Relief program. Tipton cited this year's 416 Fire, which burned more than 50,000 acres in southwest Colorado, as a case in which surrounding communities weren't able to qualify for federal disaster assistance despite experiencing secondary impacts. That fire resulted in mudslides impacting private businesses. The bill also would assist businesses operating on federal land, such as camps, resorts and recreational businesses. Tipton's measure would automatically trigger eligibility for disaster assistance loans from the SBA for small businesses within disaster areas designated under the bill's provisions. Business assistance under the bill would be limited to companies with revenues of less than $3 million per year.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-discusses-cybersecurity-at-colorados-coalfire,Gardner Discusses Cybersecurity at Colorado's Coalfire,2018-09-21,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DCSenator Cory Gardner (R-CO) visited Coalfire headquarters, one of Colorado's cybersecurity advisory providers, on Wednesday in Westminster. Senator Gardner and the Coalfire team discussed severalkeyissues in cybersecurityincluding: Insights from Coalfire's testing of voting systems/networksacross 10 states, and recommended enhancements to voting processes moving forward. The Internet of Things (IoT): deploying safe IoT devices across the federal government and how public/private sector partnerships can effectively work together toward enhanced global cyber security in an IoT connected world. Coalfire shared their perspective onhow best to enable consumer transparency around the security of IT products and services Having a whole of government approach to cybersecurity has never been more important, and visits with companies like these play an important role in helping to craft cybersecurity policy in Washington,SenatorGardnersaid. I will continue to work with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the federal government is doing everything it can as it faces an ever-evolving threat. The entire Coalfire team was pleased to welcome Senator Gardner to our offices,Coalfire CEO Tom McAndrewsaid.We are very appreciative of his diligent legislative efforts around cybersecurity, among other critical initiatives, and we were pleased that he took the time to hear our thoughts on improving the end-to-end voting security process as well as secure government cloud migration strategies. We appreciated the Senator's time and clear willingness to listen to our real-world experiences in working to mitigate these challenges. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-presents-congressional-badge-of-bravery-to-douglas-county-detective-daniel-brite,"Gardner Presents Congressional Badge of Bravery to Douglas County Detective, Daniel Brite",2018-09-21,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC-Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) presented the Congressional Badge of Bravery on Friday to Detective Daniel Brite from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. The Congressional Badge of Bravery is awarded to individuals who, without regard for their own safety, act extraordinarily to protect the lives of others. Detective Daniel Brite exemplified this bravery on September 2nd, 2016, when he engaged an armed and highly dangerous man threatening himself and others. With the subject's residence being located in close proximity to a nearby middle school and elementary school, Detective Brite and his fellow officers had to act fast to protect the lives of the students preparing to discharge for the school day. Despite being severely wounded, Detective Brite continued to fight back putting the lives and well-being of others above his own. I'm honored to have the opportunity to present Detective Brite with the Congressional Badge of Bravery today,said Senator Gardner.Detective Brite is a hero who acted fearlessly in the face of danger. His actions while under fire and severely injured will not be forgotten by our community and the lives he saved. I have spent some time thinking about what this award means to me,saidDetective Brite.I am very grateful to be the recipient of this award. To me, it represents the fact that in this great nation, there are far more first responder supporters than naysayers. When a brother and sister fall down in this profession, there are thousands of men and women ready and willing to step over the fallen officer and continue the mission. That mission is to fight for the innocent and repel the evil.I am forever grateful that I am still able to be a part of that mission because I have a lot of fight left in me. Read more about his braveryhere. Read more about the Congressional Badge of Braveryhere. ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2465,Army to Upgrade Brigade Combat Team at Fort Carson,2018-09-20,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C.-This afternoon, the U.S. Army announced that it will be making changes to the 4thInfantry Division at Fort Carson by converting the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), who has been working behind the scenes with senior Army leaders on this reorganization, was informed of the Army's decision with advance notice and released the following statement: ""I am very excited about the conversion of Ft. Carson's existing Infantry Brigade Combat Team to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team.This move helps solidify Ft. Carson's important role in our national defense.A Stryker Brigade is a full spectrum combat force that combines the lethality and survivability needed to succeed in a high-end fight with the rapid mobility required to immediately respond to threats anywhere in the world. This announcement really shows the commitment the Army is making to our area. Along with the new Security Force Assistance Brigade announced a few months ago, the Army has added nearly 1,000 extra soldiers and over 300 advanced combat vehicles to Fort Carson this summer alone. This is a testament to the quality of our community as the Colorado Springs area continues to be the Army's number one most-requested duty station and is consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the nation to live. Colorado Springs and the entire Pikes Peak region benefit greatly from the economic growth that accompanies decisions such as this. In return, we are proud to provide the support and assistance to our soldiers and their families as they sacrifice so much to serve our country. This is an exciting day for Colorado Springs.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/press-releases/tipton-introduces-legislation-ensure-communities-impacted-wildfires-federal,Tipton Introduces Legislation to Ensure that Communities Impacted by Wildfires on Federal Lands Receive Disaster Assistance,2018-09-20,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON D.C. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) has introduced legislation to ensure that communities and businesses impacted by wildfires that burn on federal lands receive necessary disaster assistance. H.R. 6799, The Federal Lands Fire-Related Incidents Recovery and Economic Stimulus (Federal Lands FIRES) Act would create a new disaster designation for wildfires, of which 40% or more burned on federal lands, ensuring that the surrounding communities qualify for federal economic disaster relief. Under current law, when a fire burns on federal land, the surrounding communities that experience secondary impacts from the fire often do not qualify for federal disaster assistance. This happened with the recent 416 Fire which burned on federal land, and resulting mudslides impacted private businesses, said Tipton. By creating a new disaster designation for fires that burn on federal lands, this bill will guarantee that communities in Colorado and throughout the West will be eligible for federal support to aid with damages following severe wildfires on federal public lands. Currently, fires that burn primarily on federal lands do not qualify for disaster declarations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance (Stafford) Act. As a result, the communities and businesses that operate on federal land and in the surrounding area do not meet the requirements for disaster-related economic assistance from the federal government, including access to the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and Community Development Block Grants Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) programs. H.R. 6799 would ensure that the communities and businesses affected by fires on federal lands would not be forced to go without federal support when recovering from a natural disaster. The bill includes provisions that would: Establish a new Presidential disaster designation, available to states and tribes, for wildfires of which 40% or more burned on federal lands; Extend the designation to cover the burn area as well as areas of secondary and tertiary damages, up to 100 miles from the burn area, allowing federal economic assistance from the SBA and CBDG-DR programs to support businesses impacted by mudslides, rockslides, falling trees, and other events causing damage that aren't direct impacts of the fire; Automatically trigger eligibility for disaster assistance loans from SBA for small businesses that are within the designated area; Authorize Congress to appropriate money to the designated area; Institute careful controls and oversight from the Department of Housing and Urban Development on dollars appropriated by CDBG-DR. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/colorado-senators-announce-army-to-stand-up-stryker-brigade-combat-team-at-fort-carson,Colorado Senators Announce Army to Stand up Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Carson,2018-09-20,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"VIDEO: Colorado Senators Congratulate Fort Carson on Stryker Brigade Combat Team COLORADO Colorado U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R) and Michael Bennet (D) today announced the Army will stand up a Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. Over the past year, the Senators met with Army leadership to emphasize the value of Fort Carson's assets to national missions. This announcement is good for Fort Carson and Colorado, and most importantly the right decision for our military,Gardner said.Senator Bennet and I made the case to the Army that Fort Carson's incredible infrastructure, manpower, and support will guarantee an effective increase in the Army's readiness and capabilities. This decision also reiterates the continued role Fort Carson will play in responding to conventional threats posed by other nations. This could not be a better decision for our national security, for our Army, and for Colorado,Bennet said.We are confident that Fort Carson's superior infrastructure, training opportunities, and personnel will deliver a strong and capable brigade ready to meet the security challenges of today and the threats of tomorrow. This decision reinforces Fort Carson's strategic value and recognizes Colorado as an unparalleled place for servicemembers to train, live, and work. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/bipartisan-opioid-package-passes-senate,Bipartisan Opioid Package Passes Senate,2018-09-19,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Comprehensive Legislation includes a Gardner Bill Washington, DC The Senate passed the Opioid Crisis Response Act on Monday evening. This comprehensive bipartisan legislation works to reduce opioid use, expand treatment and recovery efforts, support caregivers and families impacted by the opioid crisis, drive innovation of non-opioid treatment and support substance abuse prevention efforts. Included in the package was Senator Gardner's legislation, the Alternatives to Opioids in the Emergency Department Act. This legislation establishes a three year demonstration program to test alternative pain management tools to reduce the amount of opioids being used in an emergency setting. Following the demonstration program, this legislation requires a report to congress with recommendations to establish pain management protocols to be spread across the country. We all know individuals and families that have been hurt by the opioid crisis, said Senator Gardner. There's no one solution to stopping this epidemic that harms people of all backgrounds, but we can make sure that we are doing everything we can to fight it. This comprehensive bipartisan legislation has the potential to save lives, and I'll continue to work with Democrats and Republicans on the issue. I was also happy to see my legislation to establish non-opioid pain management protocols in hospital emergency departments included in the package. We have to work together to do more to promote non-opioid methods to manage pain. Additional Background on the Opioid Crisis Response ActReduce Use and Supply Includes the STOP Act to help stop illegal drugs at the border, including stopping the shipment of synthetic opioids Improves sharing of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs data between states Encourage Recovery Supports states with competitive grants to address substance use disorders Improves access to health professionals,long-distance care,and recovery housing services Support Caregivers and Families Improves plans of safe care and support for substance-exposedbabiesand their mothers Increasesfamily-focused treatment and recovery Helpsyouth with substance use disordersenter recovery Provides supports in schools and early childhood education programs Drive Innovation and Long-Term Solutions Spursdevelopment of new non-addictive painkillers Addresses economic and workforce impacts of the opioid crisis Ensures parity in mental health and substance use disorder benefits ### Cory Gardner is a member of the U.S. Senate serving Colorado. He sits on the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, the Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, and the Budget Committee, and is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tipton.house.gov/media/in-the-news/best-path-forward-healthcare,COLUMN: The best path forward on healthcare,2018-09-18,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"It has been eight years since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and in that time, those living in Colorado's Third District have seen their healthcare steadily become less affordable and less accessible than ever before. Since 2013, the year ACA exchanges opened in Colorado, individuals in the Third Congressional District have had health insurance premiums increase by an average of 42 percent. These high premiums have been compounded by skyrocketing deductibles, which under the cheapest plan, cost $6,000 on average nationally. As a direct result of the ACA's failures, in 2017, many insurers announced that they would depart the exchanges, leaving a large number of counties across the country with just one insurer on the exchanges in 2018. We have seen this firsthand in the Third District, as there are now 14 counties where families have only one insurance carrier to choose from in the individual market. This government-driven competition drought does not lead to decreased costs for consumers, but only to decreased options at higher costs. For many families, premiums have surpassed the cost of their home mortgage, and they cannot afford the limited options in their area. This has left too many with the difficult choice of choosing between which bills to pay. It was very telling when millions of Americans chose to pay a fine and go without health insurance, rather than enroll in a plan under the ACA. When the ACA was passed, I have no doubt that the goal of those involved was to improve access to affordable healthcare. Unfortunately, it failed miserably and had the opposite effect. The ACA is not working, so where do we go from here? There are two ideas we hear about often repealing and replacing the ACA with a market-based health insurance system to drive down costs and increase options, or completely handing healthcare over to the government by creating a single-payer system. The first option supports choice and competition, the second has the potential to be catastrophic for Americans. Last year, a bill to create a single-payer system and put the government in charge of the nation's entire healthcare system was introduced in the Senate. Following the introduction of this bill, an analysis placed a $32.6 trillion price tag on the implementation of a single-payer system over the first 10 years. This is a colossal cost, which would subsequently become a colossal burden for the American taxpayer as the same analysis found that even if the current federal, individual and corporate income tax collections were doubled, there would still not be a sufficient amount of funds to cover the cost of single-payer healthcare. If we are to learn anything from the failures of the ACA, it is that a one-size-fits-all healthcare system cannot adequately meet the needs of over 300 million Americans. Rather than a single-payer system, we must implement a patient-centered healthcare system that drives down healthcare costs, and puts individuals and families back in charge of their healthcare decisions. In the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we effectively repealed the ACA individual mandate so that those who could not afford the outrageous plans under the ACA would not then also be penalized by government because of it. This was a good first step. As we replace the ACA I believe that there are some critical elements that will help drive down healthcare costs and improve options for all Americans, while ensuring that those with pre-existing conditions have access to the care they need. Healthcare savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible savings accounts (FSAs) give people more flexibility in the way they spend their healthcare dollars. We should make it easier to use these tools by raising the caps on HSA and FSA contributions. We should also allow insurance carriers to customize plans that work for Coloradans this will require the state of Colorado, not the federal government, to set the essential health benefits that every insurer must offer when selling plans in the state. Increased flexibility will bring more insurers to the market, increasing competition and driving down premiums. Additionally, I believe that giving small businesses and associations the opportunity to band together to establish health plans will help provide consumers with more options. For example, there are many people in the West who are part of an organization like a rural electric co-op or an association like the U.S. Cattlemen's Association they could come together and establish an association health plan. Last year, I worked in the House to pass two bills that would help give Coloradans this option: The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (H.R. 372), and the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 1011). Both bills would help associations establish health plans that can be offered to members in multiple states. Ensuring individuals with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health insurance is something I have always fought for. At some point in our lives, we are all going to have a pre-existing condition. Prior to the ACA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prohibited insurance companies from denying insurance to any individual with a pre-existing condition who was transferring between group markets. I will continue to insist that these protections be extended to the individual market in any healthcare plan that comes before Congress. Giving states resources to establish tools like high-risk pools and reinsurance programs is also a priority. These resources are designed to ensure individuals with pre-existing conditions and high healthcare costs can get insurance, and they are critical as we address the challenges created by the ACA. I am also committed to ensuring that individuals who have disabilities have access to affordable home care so they can maintain their independence. Under current law, most insurance programs only cover long-term institutional placements, not home or community-based care. I have had the opportunity to speak with advocates across the State of Colorado about the benefits of long-term home and community-based care and am a cosponsor of the Disability Integration Act (H.R. 2472). The bill would give individuals with disabilities the right to receive long-term support services in their homes or a community setting, rather than an institution. I would like to see H.R. 2472 included in future efforts to strengthen the healthcare system. The failed government healthcare program must be replaced, and there are two paths before us: one that supports choice, drives down costs and increases competition, and one that puts the federal government in charge of everyone's healthcare decisions and adds $32 trillion in unfunded mandates over the next 10 years, requiring income tax collections to more than double as a result. The best path forward will give Coloradans the ability to purchase a plan that works for their needs, lower costs and improve accessibility.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-and-markey-condemn-russian-interference-with-a-key-united-nations-report,Gardner and Markey Condemn Russian Interference with a Key United Nations Report,2018-09-15,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DCSenators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, joined US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley todayin condemning Russian interference with a key UN Panel of Experts report concerning North Korea sanctionsand calling for the release of the original version of the report, which implicates Russian entities in sanctions violations. Russia is acting in bad faith, and we join Ambassador Haley's call for transparency and accountability on sanctions enforcement at the United Nations against North Korea,said Senators Gardner and Markey.""We urge the Panel not to cave to Russian pressure and to release the original version of the report. Countries not applying pressure are enabling North Korea's advancing nuclear weapons program. In the meantime, the Trump administration should immediately increase its diplomatic efforts to compel every entity Russian or otherwise to comply with international sanctions against North Korea. Without this pressure, North Korea will not denuclearize."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://coffman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2730,"Coffman, Krishnamoorthi, Introduce the ‘Immigration Innovation Act of 2018’",2018-09-13,2018,2018-09,Republican,House,CO,Mike Coffman,C001077,coffman.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Coffman (R-CO) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) introduced, H.R. 6794, the Immigration Innovation Act of 2018' which would reform and streamline the H-1B high-skilled worker visa program while increasing investment in American Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education for students in K-12, post-secondary, or college programs. In Colorado alone, there are approximately 6,500 H-1B visa holders, employed in various technical fields. Our immigration policies must fit with the economic needs of our country, said Coffman. One critical part of Congress' job is ensuring that immigration laws match our country's high-tech workforce requirements as well as meet the needs of H1-B visa applicants and their families. The bill would grant H-1B holders the flexibility to move to new jobs while allowing their spouses holding H-4 visas the right to continue their careers and contribute to the American economy. The legislation also reduces the green card backlog by expanding education-based exemptions from per-country caps for H-1B holders and reducing demand by allowing U.S. university-educated professionals to apply directly for conditional green cards. To develop the skills of our domestic workforce, our bill increases investments in our education system to guarantee that American workers are trained for high-tech jobs. It also reforms the visa system for highly-skilled workers which allows American businesses to compete in the global economy, added Krishnamoorthi. In addition to the Immigration Innovation Act's reforms to the H-1B and green card systems, the legislation would ban employers from hiring H-1B holders to replace American workers while increasing funding for STEM education at the K-12, post-secondary, and university levels. Under the bill, fees collected for H-1B visas and conditional green cards will go to state-administered funds to promoted domestic STEM education and worker training, including financial aid and research initiatives. These expanded investments in advanced training for the domestic workforce, thanks to the Immigration Innovation Act would ultimately reduce demand for foreign workers while helping the American economy grow. Other Key Elements of H.R. 6794 Include: Employment-Based Nonimmigrant (H-1B) Visa Workers: Removes existing annual exemption cap on H-1B visas for holders of U.S master's degrees or higher (currently exempting 20,000 per year) for individuals who are sponsored for a green card; Narrows education-based cap exemption to those with U.S. PhD Creates lottery prioritization for cap-subject petitions in the order of: U.S. masters or higher, foreign Ph.D.'s, and U.S. STEM bachelor's degrees Establishes a grace period to allow H-1B visa holders to change jobs without their losing legal status to permit mobility under qualifying circumstances Employers of H-1B Visa Workers: Subjects employers who have more than five H-1B employees to a penalty for each employee who worked less than 25% of the first work-authorization year Prohibits employers from hiring an H-1B visa worker to replace a U.S. worker Spouses and Dependent Children: Provides work authorization for spouses and dependent children of H-1B visa workers at the prevailing wage Green Cards Eliminates per-country limit for employment based green cards and adjusts per-country caps for family-based green cards; enables reassignment of unused visas from previous years Exempts spouses and children of employment-based green card holders, holders of U.S. STEM master's degrees or higher, and individuals with extraordinary skill in arts and sciences from caps Creates new conditional green card category to allow U.S. employers to sponsor university-educated foreign professionals through a separate path from H1B. Requires employers to: Attest that no U.S. worker has been displaced for the green card holder Undertake recruitment efforts to fill the position with a U.S. worker Offer prevailing wage not less than $100,000 per year (subject to inflation according to CPI after the 3rd year of employment); Pay application fee of $10,000 for each employee Student Visas Enables F-1 student visa holds to seek permanent resident status while a student or during Optional Practical Training STEM Program Funding Fees collected for H-1B visas and conditional Green Cards to be directed to state-administered grant fund in the Treasury to promote STEM education and worker training. 2%-national R&D, 5%-financial aid, 93% to states with 50% each for education and worker training. This bill will be referred to the Judiciary Committee. To read full bill text, click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z