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://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=3DE01CDD-69C8-2FFE-24E4-307D7AE55664,Bennet Announces Recommendations from Advisory Committee to Fill Federal Court Vacancies,2015-12-31,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet announced that the bipartisan advisory committee he convened to recommend applicants to fill an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court of Colorado has selected three nominees. After interviewing 11 candidates the committee chose Magistrate Judge Kristin Mix, Regina Rodriguez, and Sam Walker. ""We are very grateful to the committee for all of their work to select the most highly qualified candidates to serve,"" Bennet said. ""We look forward to having the opportunity to review their applications and speak with each candidate in person."" The upcoming vacancy is created by Judge Robert Blackburn's taking senior status in April of 2016. Given the overwhelming dockets currently faced by the courts, the advisory committee was formed in October in advance of Judge Blackburn's departure, to ensure the seat was filled in a timely manner. The committee was co-chaired by Hal Haddon, former co-chair of previous advisory panels and a Denver lawyer, and Candy Figa, a prominent attorney in the Denver metro area, who has also been active in civic affairs, including serving as a City Councilmember and Mayor Pro tem of Greenwood Village and on the 18th Judicial Nominating Commission. The bipartisan nature of the committee reflects Senator Bennet's interest in a nonpartisan, merit selection system that is consistent with the University of Denver's Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System's (IAALS) recommended process. ""The entire applicant pool was exceptional. Each candidate had solid credentials and a unique set of experiences that would make them strong additions to Colorado's Federal Bench,"" said committee co-chair Candy Figa. ""While it was difficult to make final selections, we feel very confident in our recommendations and are eager to see the process move forward."" # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-statement-usfs-ski-area-water-rights-directive,Tipton Statement on USFS Ski Area Water Rights Directive,2015-12-30,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONToday, Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) issued this statement in response to the U.S. Forest Services publication of the final directive for the Ski Area Water Clause in the federal record. The Forest Services conditional use of permit for ski areas has been one of the Administrations most onerous attempts to hijack private water rights. While the latest version of the directive is improved from the original that sought to outright force the transfer of private water rights to the federal government, there still is room for improvement. The latest rendition of this ill-fated directive places unnecessary restrictions on private water rights holders, in an attempt to solve a problem that doesnt exist. By the Forest Service Chiefs own admission, there has not been an instance of ski area water rights being sold off for other uses. Furthermore, there is still ongoing concern that while the Forest Service may not require the outright transfer of private water rights in this directive, it is still enforcing manuals that do. Western water users are right to be wary of any action on water rights by this Administration, which has been dead set on slowly expanding federal control over water in the Western U.S. We continue to work on getting legislative protections in place to codify state water law and defend private water rights users from federal taking and interference as our Water Rights Protection Act seeks to do. Despite the Forest Services insistence that under the new ski area permit condition it will no longer require the transfer of water rights, Forest Service manual 2441.32 (Possessory Interests), which is currently being enforced, instructs the agency to continue to claim water rights of permittees. It is unclear if or how the Forest Service plans to reconcile the conflicting instructions. Section 2541.32 of the 2007 Forest Service Water Uses and Development Manual directs: Claim possessory interest in water rights in the name of the United States for water uses on National Forest System lands as follows: Claim water rights for water used directly by the Forest Service and by the general public on the National Forest System. Claim water rights for water used by permittees, contractors, and other authorized users of the National Forest System, to carry out activities related to multiple use objectives. Make these claims if both water use and water development are on the National Forest System and one or more of the following situations exists: a. National Forest management alternatives or efficiency will be limited if another party holds the water right. b. Forest Service programs or activities will continue after the current permittee, contractors or other authorized user discontinues operations. See the full manual HERE. Tipton has led the charge in Congress to protect private water rights users from federal takings and interference. He is the sponsor of the Water Rights Protection Act, H.R. 1830, which would provide water users with a line of defense from federal attempts, such as the Forest Service Groundwater Management Directive and ski area permit clause, to take private water rights without compensation or restrict user access to them. H.R. 1830 has passed the House in the 113th and 114th Congresses, and has wide support from local, state and national stakeholders including the National Ski Areas Association.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=93C34490-DECB-4AF5-F958-620DD10290E9,Bennet Statement on Water Clause in Ski Area Permits,2015-12-30,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Denver, CO - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement in response to today's announcement from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on water in ski area permits: ""Water is a precious resource on which Colorado's ski areas rely for economic sustainability and growth. We are lucky to live in a state with world class skiing right in our back yard and we want to keep it that way. The final directive, published today, seems more balanced than the Forest Service's original directive. We are hopeful that it will be workable for all sides by protecting private water rights and keeping Colorado's ski resorts sustainable long into the future."" According to recent study by Colorado Ski Country USA and Vail Resorts, Inc., Colorado's ski industry generates $4.8 billion each year for our economy and supports more than 46,000 year-round equivalent jobs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/3rd-district-students-receive-us-service-academy-nominations,3rd District Students Receive U.S. Service Academy Nominations,2015-12-29,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) announced that 24 students from Colorados 3rd Congressional District have received a nomination from his office to attend U.S. Service Academies in 2016. The students were selected based on meeting or exceeding the stringent requirements of the respective academy and of Tiptons office, which uses a merit-based, competitive nomination process. Students who applied were required to submit an essay, test scores, an application, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and complete a panel interview in order to be considered. It takes hard work, intelligence and determination to meet the high entrance standards of our nations Service Academies, traits that are critical for success as a leader in the Armed Forces. To earn a nomination, these students have met or exceeded these high standards and demonstrated a true passion to serve our country, said Tipton. On behalf of the 3rd Congressional District I commend these exceptional students for their selflessness and dedication, and wish them well in what will no doubt be a very bright future. Tipton called to personally notify each student of the nomination(s) last week. Congressman Tiptons Academy Nominations for Colorados 3rd Congressional District: U.S. Air Force Academy *Alexandre Basagoita, Monte Vista, Sargent HS, currently attending Adams State University Kobi Betts, Pueblo, Pueblo Central HS *Kyle Cox, Montrose, Montrose HS Jonathan Hints, Pueblo, Pueblo West HS, graduated 2012, currently active duty AF Lydia Knutson, Cedaredge, Cedaredge HS Jessica Tuttle, Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Springs HS Natasha Weimer, Grand Junction, currently attending Northwestern Prep School Noah Smith, Pueblo, Pueblo South HS *Kamren McKee, Fruita, Fruita Monument HS Mary Hood, Alamosa, Sargent HS U.S. Naval Academy *Connor Frasier, Steamboat Springs, Steamboat Springs HS Samuel Samberson, Pueblo West, Pueblo West HS Jacob Crouch, Steamboat Springs, Steamboat Springs HS Nolan Butcher, Grand Junction, Hill School (boarding school in Pennsylvania) *Kyle Cox, Montrose, Montrose HS Michael Tucker, Silt, Coal Ridge HS *Aileen Ojeda, Pueblo, Centennial HS Joshua Hardin, Grand Junction, Hotchkiss HS Grad 2013, currently attending Colorado Mesa University Morgan Wright, Silverton, Ouray HS *Frankie Turner, Durango, Bayfield HS West Point *Alexandre Basagoita, Monte Vista, Sargent HS, currently attending Adams State University Allyson Ludewig, Gypsum, Eagle Valley HS *Aileen Ojeda, Pueblo, Centennial HS Carter Ortiz, Pueblo, Pueblo West HS *Kamren McKee, Fruita, Fruita Monument HS *Connor Frasier, Steamboat Springs, Steamboat Springs HS *Frankie Turner, Durango, Bayfield HS Silas Luke Stobbe, Grand Junction, Mesa Valley Community School U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Nathaniel Todd, Lewis, Life Independent School Kaleb Todd, Lewis, Life Independent School *Received nominations to multiple Service Academies Students who are residents of Colorados 3rd Congressional District and are considering applying to a U.S. Service Academy can find more information on the nomination process at: https://tipton.house.gov/serving-you/military-academy-nominations Nominations from previous years can be found here: 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-wishes-coloradans-a-merry-christmas,Gardner Wishes Coloradans a Merry Christmas,2015-12-24,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement marking Christmas: Jaime and Iwish all Coloradans andAmericans across the countrya Merry Christmas on this joyous day. We are so blessed to live in thegreatest nation on Earth,and it is important to take this time toreflect on all that we have to be thankful for andto spend time with family and friends. Iwant to recognize the men and women in uniformwhohave made enormous sacrifices to keep our country safe. Many of our servicemembers areaway from their families this Christmas, and it is important to remember theirdedication to this great nation. I thank them for their service and pray for their safety. Merry Christmas and happy New Year. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1454,Christmas 2015 Statement,2015-12-23,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Christmas 2015 Statement f t # e Colorado Springs, December 23, 2015 Christmas is a blessed time of year. During this marvelous season, we celebrate the birth of Christ and spend time with friends, family, and loved ones gathered around hearth and home. As we reflect on the year gone by and the days to come, let us be thankful for our blessings, mindful of the needs of the less fortunate, and conscious of the challenges ahead. I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=E47FCB30-A060-CB05-5314-FD7625D7DFAC,Bennets Service Bill Offers New Opportunity to Make College More Affordable,2015-12-23,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Denver, CO Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet has introduced a bill to help put college back in reach for middle class families by giving students the opportunity to earn grant money or loan forgiveness by completing community or national service. A higher education is becoming a prerequisite to success in today's rapidly changing economy, Bennet said. Unfortunately, college is becoming increasingly unaffordable for many families. This bill can help by offering an earned benefit to students who commit to working hard, giving back to their community, and the betterment of their country. Along with steps we must take to drive down the costs of school, it puts a higher education and the chance at financial security and economic mobility back in reach. Bennet's Service for School bill builds upon the AmeriCorps program. Under Bennet's bill, students who complete 2,000 hours of service would become eligible for $10,000 in funding for college, roughly the average in-state tuition for four-year schools in the country. Each additional 2,000 hours would earn that student an additional $10,000, up to $40,000 maximum, or roughly four years of tuition. Students would have to complete their hours of service at an eligible organization certified by the Corporation for National Community Service (CNCS). Types of service could include: teaching, tutoring and mentoring in high-need communities, building affordable housing, helping communities respond to disasters, and environmental stewardship. CNCS would determine if a given service opportunity meets the eligibility definition. The Service for School bill is one of Bennet's proposals to make college more affordable and accessible as Congress prepares to reauthorize the Higher Education Act in 2016. They include simplifying the FAFSA, creating incentives to help create higher quality and lower cost options through competency based education and accreditation reforms as well as measures to help families save and pay for school before, during, and after college. This announcement comes on the heels of the recent bill-signing ceremony at the White House where the President signed into law a bill to rewrite No Child Left Behind. The bill, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the chief federal law addressing K-12 education, reforms many of the broken policies from No Child Left Behind, the previous version of the bill, while maintaining several key provisions that have proved successful. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/column-solutions-nation%E2%80%99s-challenges-2016,Column: Solutions to the nations challenges in 2016,2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Congressman Scott Tipton As we enter President Obamas final year in office, our nation faces many complex challenges with tangible impacts on every Americans ability to live a prosperous and peaceful life. America is less secure and free than we were seven years ago. Thats the result of an indecisive foreign policy that did little as ISIS gained power in the Middle East, a suffocating economic policy that forced countless small businesses to close their doors and discouraged entrepreneurship with endless regulations, and a massive expansion of government that drove up the cost of healthcare and restricted access to care for many Americans, especially those living in rural communities. Looking into 2016 and beyond, I believe we can switch course, strengthen our national security and make the American Dream possible once more for this and future generations. In the House of Representatives we are making headway on solutions that reverse and unravel the Presidents big-government policies, and return power and prosperity to the hardworking American people. America is suffering the lowest labor participation rate since Jimmy Carter was president; nearly 95 million Americans have given up on finding fulltime employment. The reported unemployment rates are artificially low and dont take these tens of millions of people into consideration. This stark reality is apparent in communities throughout the 3rd Congressional District where the Presidents hollow economic promises have left rural Coloradans with their hands full and pockets empty. Jumpstarting growth on Main Street begins with getting government out of the way of job creation. Overregulation has precipitated the closure of community banks and led to the decline of small business, costing millions of good paying jobs. For the first time in American history, more small businesses are closing than starting up. Im not saying get rid of all regulation, there is sensible regulation that keeps people safe and ensures a free and fair marketplace. However, what we are seeing now is regulation for its own sake that serves to increase federal control over our communities and concentrate power in the hands of Washington bureaucrats. There needs to be accountability in the regulatory process. Regulations with significant economic impacts are put on the books by bureaucrats who take it upon themselves to interpret the intent of legislation passed by Congress. They get it wrong much of the time, which is why I have been working to insert Congress into the regulatory oversight process so we can stop this rule-making industry and make the bureaucracy accountable to the American people (H.R. 427). This would stop many ill-conceived, duplicative and economically destructive regulations in their tracks. The Presidents failed healthcare law has also had a severe economic impact, without the benefit of increasing healthcare affordability and accessibility for Americans. A recent New York Times article discredited the Administrations foundational premise under Obamacare that overall healthcare costs would go down with the consolidation of care providers and services. The reality is that in areas like Grand Junction, which the Administration sought to universally emulate, private insurance rates are amongst the highest in the nation due to a lack of competition in the market among care providers and insurers, enabling them to charge whatever they wish without the risk of losing business to alternative providers in the community. As a result of this policy, healthcare costs have gone up across the board, premiums have sky-rocketed and the availability of care has decreased. This has put the cost of healthcare out of reach for many families, who then suffer a tax penalty to make matters worse. Small businesses have been forced to lay off employees or close their doors altogether because of unaffordable mandates under the law. Americans regardless of income or pre-existing conditions should be able to receive the healthcare they need, make decisions with their doctors to determine what that care looks like, and access it at a price they can afford. The existing law fails on all counts, which is why the House has taken many votes to dismantle, defund and outright repeal it. I suggest an alternative market-based policy approach that empowers patients and doctors, enacts tort reform, allows for greater flexibility, portability and cost savings through competition, while continuing to provide coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. I am a cosponsor of such legislation in the House (H.R. 2300), and firmly believe it is a replacement solution we can all get behind to fix our nations broken healthcare system and give all Americans access to affordable, quality healthcare. By passing a solution like this, we can lower the costs of care, improve access to it and strengthen our economy. Strengthening our national security is as important as reviving economic security at home. First and foremost, America must have a plan to defeat ISIS, the biggest threat currently facing global stability. Such a course has yet to be charted by the Commander in Chief. To remedy this, Congress passed into law, as part of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, a provision requiring the President to present a plan to defeat ISIS. Once we are able to see his plan, Congress can debate and discuss its merits, and then take action where appropriate or necessary to move it forward, or go back to the drawing board. We must also take action to fix vulnerabilities within our domestic national security such as the Visa Waiver Program that could allow terrorists to enter into the U.S. under relaxed screening procedures reserved for travelers from allied nations. Additionally, it is sensible to pause the admission of refugees from Syria and Iraq until we are capable of stringently verifying the identities of those coming over; that capacity does not currently exist. To be clear, those who are calling for our country to ban refugees who practice the Muslim faith couldnt be more wrong and have no place in the discussion. I will remind them that we are a nation founded on the principle of religious liberty for all, and that is sacred. The House has passed legislation to address both of these pressing national security issues, and I am hopeful that the Senate will take similar action early in the new year (H.R. 158 and H.R. 4038). All of these solutions are commonsense and based on the exact ideas discussed on Main Street and in town hall meetings and across the 3rd District. As we go into 2016, I am focused on continuing to work to advance these policies to get our country back on the right track and to hold Washington accountable to Coloradans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-celebrates-60-years-of-norad-tracks-santa,Gardner Celebrates 60 Years of NORAD Tracks Santa,2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released a statement today commemorating the 60th year of NORAD Tracks Santa, the North American Aerospace Defense Command's yearly tradition of tracking the movements of Santa Claus as he traverses the globe on Christmas Eve. The tradition began in 1955, when a misprinted Sears advertisement inadvertently instructed children to call Santa at the phone number of NORAD's predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), in Colorado Springs. CONAD's Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, instructed his staff to check radar for Santa's movements down from the North Pole and relay the information to the children calling in. Since that first year, NORAD staff and friends have volunteered their time every Christmas to respond to phone calls from children around the world asking about Santa's whereabouts at Christmastime. NORAD's Santa-tracking has brought 60 years of joy to thousands of children worldwide on Christmas Eve. From their headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, NORAD staff and friends volunteer their time to help kids keep track of Santa's movement around the globe. The Santa tracker also brings important attention to the dedicated service of the men and women of NORAD, who work so hard to keep us safe every day of the year. I'm grateful for their service, and for all those who this year are dedicating part of their holiday to brightening someone else's. I look forward to hearing updates on Santa's whereabouts from my own kids after they call into the hotline, and I hope that all Coloradans keep the men and women who serve this country in uniform in their prayers this Christmas season. Santa can be tracked online at www.noradsanta.org/, or via telephone on December 24th at 1-877-HI-NORAD. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://degette.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/degette-statement-on-passage-of-omnibus-appropriations-bill,DeGette Statement on Passage of Omnibus Appropriations Bill,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Diana DeGette,D000197,degette.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus appropriations bill, which passed the House 316-113: ""Last-minute rushes to pass omnibus bills are a flawed way to run our government and to make policy choices on behalf of the American people. Federal spending essentially defines our priorities as a nation, be they education, defense, health, or anything else. When we fail to give each of these priorities the individual attention they deserve, we inevitably make choices and funding decisions that are not as carefully thought out as they should be. ""In addition, this bill carries dozens of policy provisions that should be considered on their own merit and not latched onto a funding bill. Doing so inevitably leads to passage of undeserving policy choices that would not stand on their own, and many of these policies will undermine the programs and efforts that this bill funds. This cheapens the investments the American people want us to make on behalf of virtually every priority the country has. ""Both in its general approach and in many specific provisions, I find much to object to in this omnibus funding bill, but it is the only realistic option available to keep the federal government operating through the coming year. It also includes additional investments that will greatly benefit people in Colorado and across the country. Among the provisions worth highlighting are investments in biomedical research and development at the NIH and FDA, investments in clean energy at the National Renewable Energy Lab, and transportation investments that will help build Colorado infrastructure and continue our flood recovery efforts. I supported this omnibus to avoid greater damage to the country and in hope that the Congress, in particular its Republican leadership, will do better going forward."" ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1452,Religious Freedom Applies to Everyone,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, Congressman Doug Lamborn was joined by Congressmen Randy Forbes (VA-04), John Fleming (LA-04), Trent Franks (AZ-08), Tim Huelskamp (KS-01), and Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) in sending a letter to the United States Air Force Academy pointing out the importance of religious freedom and the vital freedom of religious expression. ""Public religious expression is an essential pillar of our country's freedom and strength. All American citizens, including those who commit their lives to defending us, are bestowed with equal rights to religious freedom and expression. These rights should be upheld without discrimination."" - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) Text of the Letter We are writing regarding your informal inquiry into a third-party complaint concerning members of the football team voluntarily kneeling in prayer at their games.We would like to express our strong continued support for the constitutionally-held rights to religious expression for all Americans, including Air Force cadets and other members of the U.S. Armed Forces. As you know, public religious expression has historically been an essential pillar of our countrys freedom and strength, ever since our Founding Fathers fought to secure these freedoms. The First Amendment ensures both that the government does not show preference to a certain religion, and that the government does not take away an individuals ability to exercise religion, including in public view. All American citizens, including those who commit their lives to defending us and our way of life, are bestowed with these rights to religious freedom and expression. These rights should be upheld without discrimination.Air Force Academy cadets maintain the same free exercise rights as all Americans, and thus have the right to publicly and voluntarily express their religious beliefs on the athletic field or anywhere else. We appreciate how the Air Force has recently worked with Congress to prioritize protections for free exercise of religion, including responding to recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provisions which helped clarify and strengthen religious freedom protections for servicemen and women. Since its inception, the Air Force Academy has done a truly remarkable job producing our nations future leaders. The Air Force Academys commitment to religious tolerance remains of utmost importance, given that these leaders come from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. We look forward to continuing to work with you to preserve the Constitutional rights of the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting our cherished freedoms. We trust that this complaint will be dealt with expeditiously and that in no way will the Air Force Academy cadets have their First Amendment rights infringed.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1453,Voting NO on the Omnibus Spending Bill,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Voting NO on the Omnibus Spending Bill f t # e Washington, December 18, 2015 Congressman Doug Lamborn issued the following statement after his vote against the 2016 Omnibus Spending Bill:""In a year-end omnibus spending bill, there are always a variety of good and bad provisions crammed into a multi-thousand page bill. In this instance, the bad outweighs the good.The bill does very little to advance the efforts to defund Obamacare and Planned Parenthood, to rein in the Environmental Protection Agency, to stop the Presidentsunconstitutional executive amnesty, or to reform ourflawed refugee resettlement program. I worked hard throughout the year to make real and impactful change on these vital issues. I have pushed for numerous conservative pieces of legislation designed to change the way we do business in Washington DC. Because we serve in a divided government, the other side gets a say in the final result. We must find a way to overcome allobstacles to turn our government around."" - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-votes-against-omnibus,Tipton Votes Against Omnibus,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) issued the following statement after voting against the Omnibus Appropriations Act for FY 2016: The House sent six appropriations bills to the Senate this year that included strategic and needed spending reforms. Yet the Senate did not hold a single vote on this appropriations legislation because of a self-imposed parliamentary rule that essentially nullifies the majority Republicans hold in that chamber. The result of this dysfunction is the omnibus. I voted against the underlying budget agreement in October that set the guidelines for this massive spending bill because it busts the budget caps, taking away our greatest tool to rein in spending. This omnibus reflects the results of that budget agreement. While some good provisions such as lifting the oil export ban are included, overall the omnibus doesnt do nearly enough to get Washingtons spending under control, and it fails to take action to block the implementation of overreaching Administrative policies that are disastrous for western statesincluding sage grouse designations and the Waters of the U.S. rule. To get Washingtons spending in check and rein in Administrative and bureaucratic overreach, we must have a functional appropriations process that allows for robust debate and negotiation so a fair deal is reached. I commend Speaker Ryan for his leadership and commitment to restoring regular order in the appropriations process next year so that we can better address the serious issues facing our nation, and I look forward to working with him to advance our shared conservative goals.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://perlmutter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1274,Perlmutter Statement on Passage of Omnibus Appropriations Bill,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Ed Perlmutter,P000593,perlmutter.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) issued the following statement after voting to support the government funding bill, H.R. 2029, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016: I voted to support the government funding bill because it is good for Colorado and good for the 7th Congressional District. While not a perfect deal, the legislation reflects a true bipartisan compromise. The bill is largely free of dangerous policy provisions that would have undermined both economic and environmental progress made under the last several years. With this spending bill, Congress ensures economic certainty for businesses and families by averting a government shutdown and avoids creating needless chaos before the holidays. We secured funding for major Colorado priorities including education, national security, the National Renewable Energy Lab, and the aerospace industry. This legislation also includes achievements supporting Colorado's diverse energy economy. In return for lifting the outdated 40 year old crude export ban, we were able to extend the Wind Energy Production Tax Credit and the Solar Investment Tax Credit. The crude export ban was originally passed in the 1970's at a time when the world was facing an energy supply shortage and prices soared. Nothing could be further from the truth today which is why I believe Colorado stands to benefit from lifting the ban. That's why I've led the effort to repeal the crude oil export ban by cosponsoring legislation earlier this year to lift the ban. Technology and innovation have enabled vast energy production and the U.S. is no longer dependent on foreign sources of energy. I look forward to continuing to advocate for Colorado priorities in the year ahead. See below for several specific items included in the Omnibus that will have a positive impact for Colorado and our country: Orion Spacecraft Includes $1.27 billion to accelerate development of the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle as well as requires NASA's future budget submissions to adequately assess the resources needed to maintain the first manned mission launch in 2021. Space Launches Includes a provision ensuring United Launch Alliance (ULA) can compete for national security space launches. Visa Waiver Program - Adopts visa waiver program changes, including a visa requirement for travelers who have recently visited Iraq or Syria. Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) A three-year reauthorization of the Fund. 9/11 First Responders Health Program - Reauthorizes a health program for police, firefighters and others who worked at the site of the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Military Pay Raise Provides a 1.3% pay raise for all military personnel. Climate Change Contributes $49.9 Million to the Strategic Climate Fund, which helps fund programs aimed at climate change mitigation and adaption. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Includes $32.1 billion for the nation's medical research agency. Head Start Includes $9.2 billion for Head Start, a program that promotes school readiness of children under 5 years old and from low-income families. Mortgage Servicing Asset Capital Treatment Study - Requires banking agencies to conduct a study of the appropriate capital requirements for mortgage servicing assets. This is a modified version of my bipartisan bill (H.R. 1408) which passed the House in July 2015. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=441A0F98-FD64-AA95-203B-61C36498DE1B,"Bennet, Congress Pass Year-End Bill with Colorado Priorities",2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today helped pass a year-end bill to fund the government and extend tax provisions crucial to Colorado's economy. The bill includes numerous Colorado priorities Bennet helped secure in the bill. ""Our office fought to include many important priorities for Colorado that will help families and businesses across the state and boost our economy, but Washington must get out of the bad habit of last minute bills and manufactured crises,"" Bennet said. ""This is no way to govern. Congress must stop allowing politics to block progress for our country."" Bennet secured funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, PILT, crucial infrastructure projects like Eagle P3 and the Southeast Rail extension, and Colorado's schools, among other priorities for Colorado. The bill also includes extensions of important tax provisions like the wind PTC and solar ITC for our diverse energy industry, the teacher tax deduction, and the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit for Colorado's hardworking families. Colorado Priorities Included in the Bill: INFRASTRUCTURE Eagle P3 Project: The bill includes $150 million for the light rail project from Union Station to Denver International Airport. This is the full amount requested per RTD's Full Funding Grant Agreement. Southeast Rail Extension: The bill has full funding at $92 million for the light rail project from I-25/Broadway to Lone Tree. TAXES Wind Production Tax Credit (""PTC""): Bennet helped secure a five-year extension of the wind PTC. Earlier this year, Bennet secured a two-year extension of the PTC in a bill considered by the Senate Finance Committee. The bill passed today slowly phases down the credit over those five years. Solar Investment Tax Credit (""ITC""): Bennet also helped secure a five-year extension of the solar ITC, which will now be granted when projects ""commence construction."" The ""commence construction"" language is based on a bipartisan bill Bennet introduced with Senator Dean Heller (R-NV). Any project that starts construction before January 1, 2022 and is completed before January 1, 2024 will receive the credit. The five-year extension begins after the credit expires at the end of 2016 and phases down the credit. Educator Deduction: The bill permanently extends the $250 teacher tax deduction. It also includes Bennet's improvements to index the deduction to inflation and to cover professional development expenses. Child Tax Credit (""CTC"") and Earned Income Tax Credit (""EITC""): The bill makes permanent the 2009 improvements to the child tax credit, making it more refundable. It also makes permanent the 2009 improvements to the EITC, which provide additional support for larger families. Without these extensions, 264,000 Coloradans-including 129,000 children-would have been pushed into poverty or deeper into poverty. Bennet introduced a bill earlier this year to index the credit to inflation, increase the value of the credit for families with young children, and allow families to receive a larger refund from the credit on their tax returns. Bennet has also cosponsored a bill to improve the EITC for workers without children. NATIONAL SECURITY/DEFENSE/CYBERSECURITY Visa Waiver Program: The bill includes several provisions from the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) bill Bennet introduced with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ). The bill requires all travelers using the VWP to have an electronic passport, which are more secure and harder to tamper with, and works to prevent foreign fighters from using the program by requiring individuals who have traveled to Iraq, Syria, and other high-risk countries in the last five years to acquire a traditional visa. The traditional visa process includes an in-person interview with an American consular official and the submission of biometric information like photographs and fingerprints. The bill also requires improved information sharing between VWP countries and the United States. Federal Workforce Assessment Act: The bill includes language based on the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) approved by the Senate in October. Included in that bill is a bipartisan provision authored by Bennet with Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio to strengthen the cybersecurity workforce at federal agencies. VETERANS Suicide Rates: The bill includes a modified version of an amendment Bennet previously passed that will require the VA to consult with the Department of Defense to conduct a study on the effect of combat service on suicide rates and other mental health issues among veterans. It also directs the VA to compare the rate and method of suicides among those veterans who have sought and received VA care and those who have not. Major Construction Projects: The bill requires the VA to certify that an agreement is in place with a non-VA entity, like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, before major construction projects over $100 million can proceed. Bennet passed an amendment with Senator Cory Gardner to the National Defense Authorization Act earlier this year to give the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authority to manage major construction projects for the VA following the agency's mismanagement of the replacement VA medical center being constructed in Aurora. JOBS/ECONOMY EB-5 Visa: The bill includes a10-month extension on the investor visa program, which is an important priority for the National Western Stockshow redevelopment project. SPACE Orion Space Capsule: The bill contains $1.27 billion for the Colorado-based project that is building a space capsule to bring humans to Mars. Space Launch Systems: It includes $2 billion for the NASA vehicle that will launch the Orion capsule into space. 120 Colorado companies are involved in the project. EDUCATION Title I and IDEA Funding: The bill provides an overall increase in Title I funding of $500 million and an overall increase in IDEA funding of $415 million. Pell Grants: The maximum Pell grant will increase from $5,775 to $5,915. Child Care & Head Start: The bill includes a $326 million increase in child care funding and a $570 million increase in Head Start funding. Charter schools: The bill increases charter school funding by $80 million. The program is now funded at $333 million. i3 (Education Innovation Funding): The bill provides $120 million for i3 innovation funding. Bennet led efforts advocating for additional funding for the i3 program and worked to include a similar program in the recently-passed ESEA reauthorization. LANDS AND AGRICULTURE Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): It contains a three-year reauthorization through September 30, 2018 for the LWCF. The bill funds LWCF for FY2016 at $450 million. Bennet has authored multiple bipartisan bills to permanently reauthorize and fully fund LWCF. Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT): The bill contains full funding for FY2016: $452 million. Since coming to the Senate, Bennet has worked to ensure Colorado counties are fully reimbursed by PILT. Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP): The bill contains $157 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection program. Following natural disasters like wildfires and floods in Colorado, Bennet has worked with the Colorado delegation to secure EWP funding. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): The bill contains $62 million for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory located in Golden. Conservation Easements: The bill permanently extends the increased contribution limits and carry-forward period for contributions of real property for conservation purposes. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=A8400259-944A-D9EB-EB9F-1848A2080C68,"Bennet: High-Speed Internet Will Provide New Opportunities for Silverton Kids, Community",2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bennet Worked with Community to Ensure Fiber Connection Came to Silverton Silverton is Last County Seat to Connect to Fiber-Optic Network Silverton, CO - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauded news that Silverton School is now able to access high-speed Internet following the successful completion of a project to run a fiber-optic connection to the school. Following an Internet speed test this morning, they reported an extremely quick connection of 96 mbps download speed. ""It's great to see this project finally come to fruition for the kids at Silverton School,"" Bennet said. ""This is a result of the hard work put in by school leaders and community officials to connect these kids to the Internet. This access will help open doors and give students new opportunities to learn about the world around them."" Silverton is the state's last county seat to connect to a fiber-optic network. Since 2011, Bennet has worked with federal, state, and local leaders to bring high-speed Internet to the school. He continued to raise the issue with federal officials and local stakeholders to ensure the project was completed and highlighted how improved broadband access in Silverton and along the Western Slope could benefit the entire region. ""We appreciate the support and work from Senator Bennet and the many, many people who have stood by us and helped us achieve our long-standing goal of a fiber connection to our community,"" said Pete McKay, San Juan County Commissioner. ""To have our public school connected to high-speed Internet is the best Christmas present our community could ever receive."" ""Senator Bennet's consistent support and direct advocacy efforts over the past two years have been a critical component in helping to bring a long needed fiber connection to the Silverton School District and the Silverton community at large,"" said Kim White, superintendent of Silverton Public Schools. ""We are deeply grateful to Senator Bennet and his staff for the hours of conversation and intervention with various entities at both the state and federal levels aimed at keeping this project on track. Thanks to these critical interventions, the Silverton School will finally be able to access high speed bandwidths which will serve to create so many new opportunities for learning for our students."" # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=C72D33BB-59E9-4AA0-B3AD-065E24FC6A0D,Bennet Improvements to Teacher Tax Deduction Included in Tax Extenders,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet secured improvements to the teacher tax deduction in a bill to fund the government and extend several tax provisions. The improvements stem from an amendment Bennet introduced and passed in the Senate Finance Committee earlier this year. ""Teachers across the country are too often underpaid, and many of them even pay out of their own pockets to provide kids in their classrooms with supplies like pencils and paper,"" Bennet said. ""This tax deduction is a modest tool to help provide a little relief. Increasing its value and making new expenses eligible for the deduction will help alleviate some of this burden that teachers should not bear in the first place."" The $250 deduction will now be indexed to inflation and will allow teachers to use the deduction for professional development expenses, which is often costly for teachers. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1451,Protecting You From Tax Hikes,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Protecting You From Tax Hikes f t # e Washington, December 17, 2015 Congressman Doug Lamborn issued the following statement after his vote in support of H.R. 2029, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act:'There are six very straightforward ways that this bill is good for the American taxpayer. First, it provides certainty to citizens because it makes a variety of tax reduction and relief provisions permanent. Second, by make this tax relief permanent, it prevents an end-of-year tax increase on millions of Americans. Third, it will help grow our economy by providing clarity and predictability and tax relief to job creators and entrepreneurs. Fourth, the stabilization puts us on sounder footing for fixing and reforming our broken tax code. Fifth, the bill helps reduce waste, fraud, and abuse by strengthening the language surrounding these tax credit programs. Last, and certainly not least, reforms placed in this bill will help curtail the politically motivated and inappropriate behavior of the IRS."" - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-votes-provide-permanent-tax-relief-families-and-businesses,Tipton Votes to Provide Permanent Tax Relief for Families and Businesses,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) issued the following statement after voting in the House to pass H.R. 2029, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act (Tax Extenders), which makes permanent tax relief provisions amounting to $550 billion in relief for American families and businesses over the next ten years. Living under a looming threat that taxes might spike if Congress fails to pass short-term extensions at the end of each year has created uncertainty for families and businesses across the nation. Ending the dysfunction of annual short-term extensions of tax code provisions on which families and businesses rely will restore certainty, create greater economic opportunity, and encourage sustainable growth. Washington doesnt have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. This legislation acknowledges that reality by including conservative policies that implement reforms to reduce fraud and abuse, and provide families and businesses with permanent tax relief amounting to over $550 billion in savings over the next decade, said Tipton. The ultimate goal remains broad tax reform to create a simpler, flatter and fairer tax code. To get there, we need to remove the politically-charged environment that is pervasive in these annual short-term patches and often results in undesirable policies being forced through because of an artificially imposed deadline, further convoluting the tax code. By making many of these annually-enacted tax relief provisions permanent for families and businesses, this bill sets the stage for broader tax reform. A section by section breakdown of H.R. 2029 can be viewed HERE. Summary of the H.R. 2029 courtesy of the House Ways and Means Committee: Delivers Certainty to American Taxpayers By making a number of temporary taxprovisions permanent, this legislation delivers predictability, clarity, and certainty for individuals, families and job creators. Americans will no longer have to worry each December if Congress will take action to extend certain tax relief policies. Prevents Tax Increases The provisions in this bill will prevent a significant immediate tax increase on millions of Americans. And in years to come, individual Americans and U.S. businesses will no longer have to worry if Congress will take action to extend important tax relief policies like: Allowing State sales tax deductions; Providing small business tax relief, including increasedsmall business expensing; and Offering incentives for innovation, including the research and development tax credit. Grows our Economy By delivering permanent tax relief to Americas job creators, this legislation will make it easier for employers to plan ahead,hire new workers, grow their businesses, and invest in their communities. Serves as a Bridge to Comprehensive Tax Reform This bill lays the groundwork for historic reforms that will fix our broken tax code. Instead of spending months each year debating temporary tax extensions, Congress will be able to focus on the comprehensive tax reform we all agree our country needs. Americans deserve a simpler, fairer andflatter tax code thats built for growth, and this bill will help make that possible. Prevents Fraud and Abuse This legislation includes a number of provisions designed to strengthen the integrity of tax credit programs that today have high rates of improper payments, fraud, and abuse.While these provisions are significant, they are only a small down payment on Republican efforts to make these tax credit programs more accountable. In the new year, Congress will take more actions to ensure the right amount of tax credits are paid out and that people cant take advantage of the current broken tax system. Reins in the IRS This bill includes a series of reforms that have previously passed the House designed to rein in the power of the IRS and better protect taxpayers, such as: Firing IRS employees who take politically motivated actions against taxpayers; Requiring IRS employees to respect the taxpayer bill of rights; and Prohibiting IRS employees from using personal e-mail accounts for official business.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/just-show-news,Just for Show In the News,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Ken Buck,B001297,buck.house.gov,,,legacy,"GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4)– Colorado Congressman Ken Buck wants to make assaulting a police officer a federal hate crime. “There are more officers being targeted because of the fact that they’re police officers,” said Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican representing Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=352D39FC-2836-7E17-B34E-8550AC1B75E4,Twenty-One Senators Express Profound Concern over Second Iranian Ballistic Missile Test in Letter to President Obama,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined U.S. Senators Ben Cardin, Chuck Schumer, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons, Gary Peters, Ron Wyden, Jeanne Shaheen, Debbie Stabenow, Heidi Heitkamp, Tim Kaine, Bill Nelson, Ed Markey, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bob Casey, Mark Warner, Cory Booker, Maria Cantwell, Martin Heinrich, Barbara Mikulski, and Jeff Merkley in expressing profound concern in a letter to President Obama regarding a second ballistic missile test conducted by Iran on November 21st. In the letter, the Senators write: ""We are deeply concerned by Iran's continued violations of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1929 by testing a second ballistic missile on November 21, 2015...If there are no consequences for this violation, Iran's leaders will certainly also question the willingness of the international community to respond to violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231."" The letter sent to President Obama today by the 21 U.S. Senators appears below. Dear Mr. President: We are deeply concerned by Iran's continued violations of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1929 by testing a second ballistic missile on November 21, 2015. Once again, the international community has an opportunity to demonstrate its resolve in the face of Iranian violations of its international obligations. On December 15, a panel of expert monitors working on behalf of the United Nations Security Council reported that, ""On the basis of its analysis and findings the Panel concludes that the Emad launch on October 10th is a violation by Iran of paragraph 9 of Security Council Resolution 1929."" Unfortunately, some members of the UN Security Council failed to condemn this violation and failed to take steps collectively to enforce Resolution 1929. If there are no consequences for this violation, Iran's leaders will certainly also question the willingness of the international community to respond to violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The November test is Iran's second recent violation of UNSCR 1929, which clearly states ""Iran shall not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using ballistic missile technology."" Clearly, the Security Council should take appropriate enforcement action against Iran in the face of this violation. On this matter, we recognize and appreciate United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power's ongoing efforts to build support to enforce consequences for the October 10 ballistic missile test by referring the issue to the Iran Sanctions Committee and advocating for a forceful response by the UN Security Council. However, in the time it took the Panel of Experts to make a determination on the first violation, Iran tested another ballistic missile. In the absence of a UN Security Council commitment to enforcing UNSCR 1929, we request that you take action unilaterally, or in coordination with our European allies. Such action is essential to make clear to Iran's leaders that there will be consequences for future violations of UN Security Council Resolutions and that the United States reserves the right under the JCPOA to take unilateral action in response to this and other significant actions by Iran in the areas of ballistic missile development, terrorism and human rights. Sincerely, Senator Benjamin L. Cardin Senator Charles E. Schumer Senator Richard Blumenthal Senator Christopher Coons Senator Gary Peters Senator Michael F. Bennet Senator Ron Wyden Senator Jeanne Shaheen Senator Debbie Stabenow Senator Heidi Heitkamp Senator Tim Kaine Senator Bill Nelson Senator Edward J. Markey Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. Senator Mark R. Warner Senator Cory A. Booker Senator Maria Cantwell Senator Martin Heinrich Senator Barbara A. Mikulski Senator Jeff Merkley # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=3CCD28B9-B17D-D21D-3F36-D89087937AF0,"Bennet Ensures LWCF, PILT Included in Year-End Bill",2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bill Fully Funds PILT for FY 2016 Bennet Pledges to Continue Fight for Permanent Reauthorization, Full Funding for LWCF Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet secured funding for both the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program - both of which are top Colorado priorities - in a bill to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2016. ""We've heard from Coloradans about how important both LWCF and PILT are to their communities,"" Bennet said. ""PILT ensures that rural communities throughout our state have the resources they need to provide crucial services like road maintenance, emergency response, and law enforcement to their residents. ""LWCF is one of our country's most successful conservation programs. It has benefitted both urban and rural communities alike, helping to preserve parks, rivers and forests and increasing the public's access and recreational opportunities in these places. We're glad it received a three-year extension, but we will continue to fight for its permanent reauthorization and full funding in the years to come,"" Bennet added. Since coming to the Senate, Bennet has fought to secure funding for both LWCF and PILT. Earlier this year, he introduced a bill to permanently fund both programs. He also introduced a bipartisan bill with Republican Senators Richard Burr of North Carolina and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire to permanently reauthorize the LWCF. PILT, which is fully funded at $452 million for FY 2016, provides federal payments to local governments to help offset losses in property taxes because of nontaxable federal land within their boundaries. The formula used to calculate PILT payments is based on population, receipt sharing payments, and the amount of federal land within an affected county. In late November, Senator Bennet led a bipartisan coalition of 37 Senators urging Senate leaders to fully fund PILT in the bill. Authorization for LWCF expired on September 30, 2015. This bill extends the Fund for three years and provides $450 million for FY 2016. Many national parks, forests, state parks, and urban parks across Colorado have received LWCF funding. This bill provides nearly $20 million in designated funding for projects in Colorado at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Sangre de Cristo Conservation Area, Blanca Wetlands Special Recreation Management Area, the Rio Grande National Forest and the Toll Properties in Roosevelt National Forest. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=6708A757-FC86-668A-ECD6-2C286085DF2D,"Bennet Secures Extensions of Wind PTC, Solar ITC",2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet secured extensions for the wind production tax credit (PTC) and the solar investment tax credit (ITC) in a bill Congress is considering to fund the government and extend several tax-related provisions. The long-term extensions finally give certainty to renewable energy manufacturers and producers in Colorado and around the country. ""Renewable energy like wind and solar are major parts of Colorado's diverse energy industry and support thousands of real, brick and mortar jobs up and down the supply chain,"" Bennet said. ""We're still reviewing the full bill, but these extensions would provide more certainty than we've had in some time for the wind and solar industries and the Coloradans who depend on them. This can help support thousands of jobs across the state. That being said, we need to keep working to extend the ITC for small wind projects."" The bill extends the wind PTC for five years, while phasing it down over that same period. In 2015 and 2016, wind energy producers are eligible to receive the full credit of 2.3 cents per kilowatt-hour of energy produced. In 2017, producers can take 80 percent of the credit, followed by a phase down to 60 percent of the credit in 2018 and 40 percent of the credit in 2019. Earlier this year, Bennet secured a two-year extension of the PTC in a bill considered by the Senate Finance Committee. The solar ITC is also extended for five years beyond 2016 when it is currently set to expire, and it has been modified to include language from a bipartisan bill Bennet introduced to allow projects to take the credit as soon as they have ""commenced construction."" Any project that starts construction before January 1, 2022 and is completed before January 1, 2024 will be eligible to receive the credit. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/foreign-relations-committee-hearing-reveals-obama-administrations-permissive-attitude-towards-iran,Foreign Relations Committee Hearing Reveals Obama Administrations Permissive Attitude Towards Iran,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Click here to watch. Washington, DC In a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) asked witnesses from the State Department to lay out the Administration's plan for dealing with two critical developments regarding with Iran; the Iranian regime's recent illegal ballistic missile tests, and the impending transfer of 25,000 pounds of nuclear material from Iran to Russia. State Department officials were unable to articulate a plan to deal with either event. In response to the transfer of material to Russia, a State Department official could only state that we are in the midst of negotiating such a plan, but that today we don't have one (exchange begins at 1:41 in above video). In response to Iran's illegal ballistic missile tests, officials stated only that we are considering active measures, active consequences (4:15) and we are actively considering what steps to take in response to the October 10th test. (5:11). Senator Gardner responded to the Administration's lack of action at the end of his questioning (beginning at 6:35): This permissive environment that we have created, in which we acknowledge that Iran is going to continue a program of ballistic missile development regardless of the consequences, that we've referred these violations to a committee, that we've talked about it, that we've sternly reprimanded them, we've wagged our finger, has done nothing to protect the American people. This committee has, I think, done an incredible job of making sure that we understand the facts. But the fact is, we don't have the response and the actions to back it up when Iran has clearly violated. In fact, we haven't taken any of the steps necessary to prevent them from growing their ballistic missile program, which they will and has been admitted here. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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-hickenlooper-tipton-send-letter-to-secretary-jewell-in-support-of-trapper-mine,"Gardner, Bennet, Hickenlooper, Tipton Send Letter To Secretary Jewell in Support of Trapper Mine",2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO)and Michael Bennet (D-CO),along with Governor John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) today sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Sally Jewell urging DOI to complete the court-orderedEnvironmentalAssessment (EA) for Trapper Mine in Craig, Colorado prior to April 30, 2016. Trapper Mine's permit was covered under the sameenvironmentalreview that the U.S. District Court in Colorado deemed deficient for Coloywo Mine, but Trapper Mine was initially believed to be unaffected. Further review led to a negotiation with the Office of SurfaceMiningReclamation andEnforcement(OSMRE) that requires a new environmental assessment in order to keep Trapper Mine operational. Trapper employs more than 180 employees with wages and benefits totaling $22 million annually, making it one of the largest employers in Northwest Colorado and a strong component of the local economy,the letter says. ""The mine generated in excess of $10 million in tax and royalty revenues in 2014; funds which are vital for community infrastructure and education. Further, the Trapper Mine contributes approximately 50% of the total fuel for the Craig Power Generating Station, which is another significant employer in the area, and a critical facility for regional electricity production and transmission. The mine also has a track record of developing its resources in a safe and environmentally sound manner,the lawmakers wrote. ""We are confident that your Department fully understands the importance of completing the environmental review in a timely manner, and we commend OSMRE efforts thus far on the Environmental Assessment."" The letter reads in full: We write to support the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's (OSMRE) work regarding the court-ordered Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Trapper Mine in Craig, Colorado, and urge you to complete the assessment as quickly as possible. Trapper Mine's permit was covered under the same EA that the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado deemed deficient for the Colowyo Mine. Trapper Mine's permit was mistakenly believed to be unaffected as it was thought that the coal resources in question had already been mined. A subsequent review determined that the decision affected significant coal resources. Trapper Mine has since negotiated a remedy with OSMRE and the plaintiffs, under which a new EA must be completed by April 30, 2016. We appreciate OSMRE for their previous efforts regarding the Colowyo Mine. The negotiated agreement represents an opportunity to resolve this litigation without creating further uncertainty for the Trapper Mine. Trapper employs more than 180 employees with wages and benefits totaling $22 million annually, making it one of the largest employers in Northwest Colorado and a strong component of the local economy. The mine generated in excess of $10 million in tax and royalty revenues in 2014; funds which are vital for community infrastructure and education. Further, the Trapper Mine contributes approximately 50% of the total fuel for the Craig Power Generating Station, which is another significant employer in the area, and a critical facility for regional electricity production and transmission. The mine also has a track record of developing its resources in a safe and environmentally sound manner. We are confident that your Department fully understands the importance of completing the environmental review in a timely manner, and we commend OSMRE efforts thus far on the Environmental Assessment. We ask that you provide OSMRE with the necessary resources to meet the deadline and keep our offices informed as the process moves 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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-responds-to-president-obamas-statements-on-national-security,Gardner Responds to President Obamas Statements on National Security,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement today following President Obama's remarks at the National Counterterrorism Center: Today, we heard more rhetoric from President Obama about his record on national security. The same President who called ISIS a 'jayvee team', who declared that ISIS was 'contained', and whose Administration just months ago was bragging about their 'strategic patience' in Syria is now seeking to reassure the American people that he has the situation under control. Coloradans and Americans are not buying it. Administration policy on both terrorism and national security seems aimless. At a hearing today, I was told that the State Department has no plan in place to respond to Iranian ballistic missile tests, nor to inspect 25,000 pounds of nuclear material being transferred from Iran to Russia. Last week, I joined with a group of Senators to urge the President to more aggressively pursue the fight against ISIS. Why these plans are not already in place and being executed is a mystery. I'm glad the President visited the Pentagon last week and the National Counterterrorism Center this week. But we need more than lofty rhetoric, weneed concrete action. The world is waiting. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/cfpb-information-collection-creates-data-security-risk-millions-americans,CFPB Information Collection Creates Data Security Risk for Millions of Americans,2015-12-16,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONToday, Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) raised concerns about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus (CFPB) mass collection of consumer data and overall lack of accountability at CFPB during a hearing in the House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Watch Tiptons exchange with the witnesses HERE. The CFPB is collecting massive amounts of consumer data, including sensitive personal identifiers, on millions of Americans without their knowledge, and to make matters worse, CFPB does not have the infrastructure or capability to properly secure that data, Tipton said. This speaks to the larger problem that CFPB is an institution without accountability to Congress or any other entity that is run by a single director who presumes to have all of the answers. Title X of the Dodd-Frank Act authorizes the CFPB to collect data for its supervisory and monitoring efforts, although their needs can be addressed almost entirely with data already publicly available. However, the CFPB has collected much more than publicly available data, with one example being the National Mortgage Database (NMDB). The CFPB is compiling the type, term and sales price of the mortgage as well as the borrowers income and credit history for the NMDB. Disturbingly, the NMDB even specifies a borrowers gender, age, and ethnicity. A 2014 Government Accountability Office report warned that the CFPB had two key deficiencies, including the CFPBs lack of written procedures for a number of processes and a failure by the CFPB to implement a number of privacy control steps and information security practices. Unfortunately, after assurances that the CFPB would rectify these mistakes, a 2015 CFPB Office of Inspector General report found that the CFPBs data security program still has several notable weaknesses. The CFPB is once more overstepping its authority and in doing so, jeopardizing the security of Americans sensitive personal data, said Tipton. This committee is committed to providing oversight of this out of control entity in every way that we can, and will continue to fight to advance legislation to implement needed reforms at CFPB and make the entity accountable to the American people and their Representatives. Tipton is the co-sponsor of several pieces of legislation to reform CFPB, including the TABS Act (H.R. 1486) which would require that CFPB be funded through the regular Congressional appropriations process instead of through earnings transferred within the Federal Reserve Systemthereby making the entity more accountable to Congress.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1447,Partnering to Protect Christmas,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Partnering to Protect Christmas f t # e Washington, December 15, 2015 Congressman Doug Lamborn has joined with over three dozen House Republicans in supporting H.Res. 564. This resolution seeks to defend religious liberty and to protect the symbols and traditions of Christmas for use by those who celebrate the holiday. Furthermore, this resolution also disapproves of efforts to ban references to Christmas. Please click HERE for text of the resolution ""Seasonal religious expression must continue to be protected for all Americans. The efforts to remove religious aspects of Christmas from the public square are not only misguided, they are unconstitutional. Christmas is a wonderful time of year when a majority of Americans take time to remember the humble birth of Jesus Christ on a holy night more than 2,000 years ago. The message of Christmas is one of love, hope, and peace. It is a message that our country and this world needs more than ever in the midst of ever increasing conflict and chaos. Regrettably, there has been a troubling effort by some in America to ban any and all Christmas celebrations and traditions from the public arena. These attacks on Christmas clearly violate the rights of religious expression our Founding Fathers deliberately provided for us in the Constitution."" - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-epa%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98covert-propaganda%E2%80%99-campaign-wotus-despicable,Tipton: EPAs Covert Propaganda Campaign on WOTUS Despicable,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONToday, Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) underscored that even the Administrations illegal covert propaganda effort has failed to build support for the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) Waters of the U.S. rule (WOTUS), an attempt to expand federal control over private and state-governed surface water rights. A report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) this week concluded that the EPA broke the law by engaging in covert propaganda when rolling out its controversial WOTUS rule. Its despicable, but not surprising, that the EPA broke the law by engaging in a covert propaganda campaign in an attempt to desperately manufacture support for the Presidents widely opposed Waters of the U.S. rule. This type of dishonesty is exactly why there is such deep mistrust in government. Despite the illegal action and continued attempts by the Administration to force its massive federal water grab on the American people, WOTUS continues to face staunch opposition across the nation. While implementation of WOTUS has been put on hold by a court ruling, we continue to work in the House to implement legislative protections to ensure it never goes into effect, said Tipton. Furthermore, just like private citizens, those in government who are responsible for breaking the law need to face consequences. House and Senate oversight hearings and investigations are ongoing to hold Administrators accountable, and as part of that, this lawless action will be a topic on which we will focus. In May, the House passed the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act (H.R. 1732), which would prohibit WOTUS from going into effect. Tipton has reintroduced the Water Rights Protection Act (H.R. 1830) this Congress which seeks to protect private water rights holders from federal takings. Learn more about that bill HERE. The House also passed a rider as part of H.R. 2028, the FY 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations bill that would prohibit the implementation of the EPA rule. There is also speculation that end of the year funding legislation could include language to prohibit the implementation of WOTUS. In October, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the nationwide implementation of WOTUS. The controversial WOTUS rule would have drastically expanded the regulatory scope of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over surface water, raising concerns from farmers, ranchers and other water users over increased federal interference with privately held water rights. In August, the District Court for the District of North Dakota issued a preliminary injunction that blocked the rule from moving forward in 13 plaintiff-states, including Colorado. The October ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court blocked implementation of the rule nationwide.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=E3B48616-D29C-275F-B205-9A3D66088D4F,Bennet Calls for Social Media Background Checks in Visa Screening Process,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today joined 21 other senators in calling for the Department of Homeland Security to immediately require social media background checks as part of the screening process for all foreigners seeking an American visa. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, the senators also requested more information from the agency on the existing screening process, such as if the agency faces any resource barriers to implementing these background checks, to ensure the process is as rigorous and comprehensive as possible. The letter comes in the wake of reports that the female assailant involved in the San Bernardino terrorist attack may have expressed radical jihadist sentiments on social media platforms before her fianc -- the male attacker and a U.S. Citizen -- applied for a K-1 fianc visa on her behalf. The letter was led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and also signed by: Senators Charles E. Schumer of New York, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Gary Peters of Michigan, Dianne Feinstein of California, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Barbara Boxer of California, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Angus King of Maine, and Tom Carper of Delaware. The full text of the letter can be found below: December 15, 2015 The Honorable Jeh Johnson Secretary Department of Homeland Security 3801 Nebraska Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 We write to express our deep concern regarding reports that critical background information of individuals participating in American visa programs has been largely omitted from the visa security screening process. According to recent reports, the female assailant involved in the San Bernardino terrorist attack may have expressed radical jihadist sentiments on social media platforms before her U.S. citizen fianc, the male attacker, applied for a K-1 fianc visa on her behalf. Media reports have also indicated that Department of Homeland Security officials are able to conduct social media background checks as a part of certain immigration programs, but are doing so inconsistently. We believe these checks, focused on possible connections to terrorist activity, should be incorporated into DHS's vetting process for visa determinations, and that this policy should be implemented as soon as possible. Therefore, we request that you provide the following information so that we may work with you to implement a more rigorous screening process: Do you plan to integrate social media background checks into the screening process for all visas? Do you face resource and/or technical barriers to implementing these background checks? If so, please describe them. Does the Administration conduct social media background checks in any of the existing screening processes for visa programs? If so, please describe how they are conducted. Ensuring that the screening processes for our nation's visa programs are rigorous and comprehensive must be a top priority, as these programs are critical to our security, our economy, and for our bilateral relationships with nations around the world. We look forward to working with you to establish a more robust social media background check process for all visitors and immigrants to the United States. Sincerely, # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-commends-passage-of-tribal-energy-development-act,Gardner Commends Passage of Tribal Energy Development Act,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released a statement today following the Senate's passage last week of the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2015, of which he is a co-sponsor. This legislationwould amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to simplify the Tribal Energy Resource Agreement (TERA) process and allow for more energy development on tribal lands, including renewable energy: Tribal lands have the potential to make a significant contribution to America's energy independence. Unfortunately, unnecessary barriers to energy development on tribal lands are holding back that contribution and hindering job creation. Our bill breaks down many barriers to job growth and clears a path for tribes to more fully harness the resources available on their lands. Colorado has been home to tremendous advances in the new energy economy, and I'm proud to support this effort to ensure that tribes can play a vital role in the energy revolution. More information about this legislation, including a summary and full text, can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-statement-on-kerrys-syria-remarks,Gardner Statement on Kerrys Syria Remarks,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"404 We're sorry. The page you requested cannot be found. The address may have been typed incorrectly or the page may have been moved during the recent redesign of our site. Thank you.",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-holiday-season,Gardner Thanks Colorado Law Enforcement During Holiday Season,2015-12-15,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) sent a letter to Colorado law enforcement officers honoring the sacrifices they make to keep Colorado communities safe. In light of recent tragedies in Colorado Springs, Denver, and San Bernardino, California and the law enforcement's active role in each of them, Gardner expressed the importance of recognizingthe heroism that law enforcement officers display on a daily basis. Their commitment to protect and serve communities provides comfort to families across Colorado and the United States, and Gardner's letter thanks them for their heroic sacrifice. Driven by courage and the desire to serve, you fulfill a great need throughout our communities.Carrying these values with you as you begin your watch each daywhen you leave your family to protect mine and so many others, Gardner wrote. Your badge identifies you as a source of help in vulnerable times, and behind each badge of police officers, sheriff deputies, correctional officers, and patrol men and women is a heart that extends beyond its own bounds. The letter reads, in full: Dear Members of the Law Enforcement Community, As we prepare our hearts and homes for the holiday season, I want to take a few moments to express my sincere gratitude for the service and protection you provide the citizens of our wonderful state. In the best of times, patrolling the roadways, being present in our neighborhoods, and maintaining order can be a difficult and dangerous duty. I am proud of the work that the men and women who make up each law enforcement office carry outacross the state. On watch in precincts, correctional facilities, and along our highways, you diligently fight to protect our state. Colorado families, including mine, from the Eastern Plains to the Western Slope, remain safe in large part because of each of you. As the guardians of our communities, you prepare to respond to things that most of society simply hopes will not happen to them.Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman wrote that American law enforcement is the loyal and brave sheep dog, always standing watch for the wolf that lurks in the dark.With the recent events here at home and abroad, we are reminded of the threats that are hiding in the shadows and the dangers that police officers confront each and every day and yet, you remain steadfast in your commitment to stand up against evil. I am personally grateful for the sacrifices you make and the commitment you demonstrate to protect our state. Your courage and selfless service was exemplified in the recent tragedy in Colorado Springs. As first responders, you are first to encounter the fear, the calls for help, and the danger, but in that fear and danger you provide hope and safety. Driven by courage and the desire to serve, you fulfill a great need throughout our communities.Carrying these values with you as you begin your watch each daywhen you leave your family to protect mine and so many others. Your badge identifies you as a source of help in vulnerable times, and behind each badge of police officers, sheriff deputies, correctional officers, and patrol men and women is a heart that extends beyond its own bounds. Calling Colorado home rings truer when you also have the honor to safeguard it. I am thankful for your service, and thankful to your families for their continued sacrifice as you dedicate yourself to the people of Colorado. Please know that you are constantly in my family's thoughts and prayers and we wish you each a safe holiday season! Sincerely, Cory Gardner United States Senator",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://degette.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/at-planned-parenthood-shooting-commemoration-hope-for-a-new-chapter-at,"At Planned Parenthood shooting commemoration, hope for a new chapter at Colorado Capitol",2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Diana DeGette,D000197,degette.house.gov,,,legacy,"Looking to wrestle something positive from the Black Friday shooting attack at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, the organizations top regional executive said she wants to work with conservative lawmakers in Colorado to tame the escalating political rhetoric that has grown around the organization. One of the organizations top critics at the Capitol didnt reject the notion out of hand. Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, told The Colorado Statesman that she is dedicated to opening up the conversation at the Capitol in the coming months. We look forward to meeting with the legislators, she said. We will keep talking and we will keep listening. Cowart acknowledged that abortion and reproductive health are emotional topics, but that reproductive health is also an everyday practical matter that concerns everyone at one time or another in their lives. This fact, she argued, should help free the topic from ideological excess. One in five women in Colorado has received care at a Planned Parenthood, she said. Everyone at the Capitol knows someone who has visited a Planned Parenthood. They may not know they know someone, but I bet they do. Anti-abortion legislators told The Statesman theyre open to greater dialogue and, in fact, are counting on it. State Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt, R-Colorado Springs, lauded the sentiment of Cowarts remarks. Thats nice, he said slowly. But he was quick to point out that the Legislatures Republican Study Committee invited Planned Parenthood to appear at a hearing on the hot-button issue of fetal tissue sales and research at the beginning of November and that the organization refused to attend. The executives responded through their lawyer that they were too busy to come, he said. Have they changed their position? Klingenschmitt, a former Navy chaplain and online preacher who has made headlines for expressing his vehement opposition to abortion, often using the language of the Old Testament, said Planned Parenthood would have to commit to action, not just words, if it hopes for a significant change in political rhetoric. Is (Planned Parenthood) just trying to cover over an image problem or to genuinely engage? he said. Cowart was speaking on Saturday at a commemoration for the victims of the clinic shooting. The event drew an overflow crowd of more than 400 people to the First Plymouth Congregational Church in South Denver suburb Cherry Hills Village. In her remarks at the gathering, Cowart spoke about committing herself and her organization to working to change the status quo politics around Planned Parenthood in Colorado. Just days after the attack, politicians weighed in with ugly comments, she said. The comments that made the most press in Colorado came from state Rep. JoAnn Windholz, R-Commerce City, who said it is the violence of abortions that begets more violence. We will not accept this [political rhetoric] as normal, said Cowart. We can engage in the politics of our democratic process, but the hateful rhetoric weve seen creates a poisoned environment. Were here today to commit to bringing real change together as we go forward. Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, commended the bravery exhibited by the clinic staff in the hours of the attack and in the days since. It took a lot for you to be here today and I hope that you feel the love in this room, she said. People across the country and around the globe have been in awe of your courage and commitment to the patients you serve. She noted that the Cherry Hills gathering was one of 50 events taking place coast-to-coast as part of Planned Parenthoods National Day of Solidarity. What happened in Colorado Springs broke our hearts and steeled our spines, she said. State officials gathered together in small groups before the service; they included representatives from Gov. John Hickenloopers administration as well as Rep. Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, former Democratic Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Coal Creek Canyon, and former Colorado Senate Minority Leader Mike Feeley, D-Lakewood. Local police parked their dark SUVs around the church and officers stood in pairs on the front lawn surveying the crowd. Supporters dressed in pink streamed into the building. Before the event, Democratic U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette told The Statesman she has watched in dismay at the way the politics around Planned Parenthood have grown hotter and hotter every year over the last decade. Here we are, she said, casting her eyes over the crowd settling into seats set up all the way down the church nave. I counted how many times this fall the members of the [new U.S. House Select Investigative Panel] investigating Planned Parenthood said the words body parts. It was at least 33 times, she said. DeGette last week lamented in a Huffington Post article that, when he announced the formation of the panel, former House Speaker John Boehner referenced the ""baby parts business"" and that the Republican members of the panel repeatedly referenced ""baby body parts"" or ""body parts."" The Colorado Springs clinic shooter reportedly used similar language when he surrendered to authorities. The House panel was looking into allegations that Planned Parenthood was illegally profiting from fetal tissue sales. The panel uncovered no illegal activity on the part of the organization, but the hearing made countless headlines. Anti-abortion state lawmakers took up investigations around the country. In Colorado, the Republican Study Committee hearing went on for nearly eight hours, and the committee members have said they are determined to follow up on the topic in the legislative session that opens in January. In the days since the shooting, however, the focus of heated debate has centered less on abortion and fetal tissue sales and research and more on the political rhetoric around Planned Parenthood. In her prepared remarks, DeGette elaborated the point. When we have sincere but conflicting opinions, we have to be able to engage in debate, she said. As someone who has worked on these issues for a long time, I know that discussion can be more meaningful and illuminating and lead to better ends when we avoid vitriol. On Monday in Colorado Springs, residents organized around Ryan Barrys Spirituality for Justice Facebook page, delivered a petition with more than 5,800 signatures asking U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to investigate the shootings at the local Planned Parenthood clinic as an act of domestic terrorism. Supporters say that officially naming the act as terrorism would place suspect Robert Dear among a network of actors involved in an intentional campaign to scare people, as Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, told reporters last Wednesday on a press call.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1446,A Congressional First in Colorado,2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Information Courtesy of the House Natural Resources Committee Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative field hearing at the Colorado School of Mines' Edgar Experimental Minein Idaho Springs, Colorado on H.R. 3734, the Mining Schools Enhancement Act, introduced by Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-NV). This bill, in combination with H.R. 3843 (Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)), the Locatable Minerals Claim Location and Maintenance Fees Act, and H.R. 3844 (Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA)), the Energy and Minerals Reclamation Foundation Establishment Act, comprise a larger mining development and reclamation bipartisan reform package. While all three reforms offer a proactive and positive set of solutions, they are now even more critical, in light of the EPA-caused Animas River spill, which occurred last August some 325 miles from here at the Gold King Mine not far from Silverton, Committee Chairman Rob Bishop stated. Mr. Hardys common sense bill H.R. 3734 encourages and provides support to Americas mining schools that produce and help train the experts needed on the technical side to do this work in the future. The education component is particularly important given that the EPA does not employee any mining engineers and that a majority of the United States mining industrys technical leaders will reach retirement age within the next decade. Our nation needs more mining engineers, said Hardy. To ensure that more mining engineers are produced, our mining schools must be sustained. To sustain our mining schools, they need a strong faculty. To ensure a strong faculty, new professors need to make it through the tenure process. To make it through the tenure process, new professors need to conduct research. To conduct research, professors need funding. The Mining Schools Enhancement Act will attack the shortage of mining engineers in this country head-on by supporting key educational programs, and involving more students in critical research. The innovative three-pronged approach to mining reform legislation provides a path to clean up the more than 400,000 abandoned mines across the Western states. Today marks the second hearing on the comprehensive package as the Committee advances these long overdue reforms through the legislative process. Im excited to be chairing what is, to my understanding, a historical first for Congress: the first congressional hearing held underground in a mine. stated Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Lamborn. What better place to gather and discuss the need for future mining engineering experts, a need felt by industry, states and federal workforces, and nonprofits alike. Todays underground hearing was very exciting and a great opportunity to showcase the Colorado School of Mines, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) said. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure we can train and educate the next generation of mining scientists. Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn The Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee hears witness testimony Witness Leigh Freeman, Witness Dr. Hugh Miller, Congressman Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Congressman Cresent Hardy (NV-04), House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (UT-01), Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), and Witness Nancy Nuttbrock, PE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://perlmutter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1272,Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Bipartisan Mining Reform Legislation in an Underground Mining Classroom,2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Ed Perlmutter,P000593,perlmutter.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative field hearing in Idaho Springs, Colorado on H.R. 3734, the Mining Schools Enhancement Act, introduced by Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-NV). This bill, in combination with H.R. 3843 (Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)), the Locatable Minerals Claim Location and Maintenance Fees Act, and H.R. 3844 (Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA)), the Energy and Minerals Reclamation Foundation Establishment Act, comprise a larger mining development and reclamation bipartisan reform package. While all three reforms offer a proactive and positive set of solutions, they are now even more critical, in light of the EPA-caused Animas River spill, which occurred last August some 325 miles from here at the Gold King Mine not far from Silverton,CommitteeChairman Rob Bishop stated.Mr. Hardy's common sense bill H.R. 3734 encourages and provides support to America's mining schools that produce and help train the experts needed on the technical side to do this work in the future. The education component is particularly important given that the EPA does not employee any mining engineers and that a majority of the United States' mining industry's technical leaders will reach retirement age within the next decade. Our nation needs more mining engineers,said Hardy. To ensure that more mining engineers are produced, our mining schools must be sustained. To sustain our mining schools, they need a strong faculty. To ensure a strong faculty, new professors need to make it through the tenure process. To make it through the tenure process, new professors need to conduct research. To conduct research, professors need funding. The Mining Schools Enhancement Act will attack the shortage of mining engineers in this country head-on by supporting key educational programs, and involving more students in critical research. The innovative three-pronged approach to mining reform legislation provides a path to clean up the more than 400,000 abandoned mines across the Western states. Today marks the second hearing on the comprehensive package as the Committee advances these long overdue reforms through the legislative process. I'm excited to be chairing what is, to my understanding, a historical first for Congress: the first congressional hearing held underground in a mine. stated Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Lamborn. What better place to gather and discuss the need for future mining engineering experts, a need felt by industry, states and federal workforces, and nonprofits alike. Today's underground hearing was very exciting and a great opportunity to showcase the Colorado School of Mines,Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) said. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure we can train and educate the next generation of mining scientists. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=38B1AB00-5ADE-419D-AD97-E97D881611EA,Senate Passes Bennet-Backed Bill to Break Down Barriers to Energy Development in Indian Country,2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - The Senate last week passed a bipartisan bill introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, along with Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Jon Tester (D-MT), to give Indian tribes more tools to develop their energy resources and to remove unnecessary barriers to economic development in Indian Country. ""This commonsense bill gives tribes the autonomy they should have to develop their own energy resources,"" Bennet said. ""It will cut red tape and allow tribes to create jobs and boost economic development on their lands. The House should quickly take up and pass this bipartisan bill."" In addition to Senators Bennet, Barrasso, and Tester, the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2015 (S. 209) is cosponsored by Senators John McCain (R-AZ), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mike Enzi (R-WY), and Cory Gardner (R-CO). Background The Energy Policy Act of 2005 included an Indian Energy title - Title V. Title V was enacted to deal with the delays and uncertainties inherent in the Bureau of Indian Affairs' energy leasing process. Title V was intended to provide Indian tribes with an alternative way to develop their energy resources. The bipartisan bill includes a number of amendments to the process established in 2005. The legislation cuts red tape and makes it easier for Indian tribes to develop their own resources. It also improves the process for approving ""tribal energy resource agreements"" (TERAs) and makes the TERA approval process more predictable for Indian tribes. The bill addresses other aspects of Indian energy development, including a ""biomass demonstration project"" for biomass energy production from Indian forest lands, rangelands and other federal lands in accordance with program requirements developed by the secretaries of Interior and Agriculture after consultation with Indian tribes. It would facilitate the development of tribal biomass projects by providing Indian tribes with access to more reliable and potentially long-term supplies of woody biomass materials. Senator Barrasso originally introduced the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act in 2011. S. 209 passed out of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on February 4, 2015. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-colleagues-call-for-answers-on-homegrown-terror,"Gardner, Colleagues Call for Answers on Homegrown Terror",2015-12-14,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), along with ten Senate colleagues, announced today that they have sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, and Secretary of State John Kerry asking for answers on several questions related to domestic terror. Following a failure of the background check system which in 2013 allowed two terrorists affiliated with al Qaeda to settle in Bowling Green, Kentucky, numerous calls to reform the system emerged. The Senators' letter asks the recipients whether any recommendations for changes were made as a result of these events, what the results were of the FBI's subsequent investigation of related terrorists, and whether there are any former or current known terrorists who are currently part of the refugee program. The full letter, also signed by Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), John Cornyn (R-TX), David Vitter (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tim Scott (R-SC), is below: Dear Director Comey, Secretary Johnson, and Secretary Kerry: In 2013, a failure to screen Iraqi refugees allowed two al Qaeda-linked terrorists to settle in Bowling Green, KY. ABC News reported that these arrests led to a 6-month suspension of the refugee program and an FBI investigation of dozens of suspected terrorists.[1] An ABC News investigation in 2013 reported that a flawed system of U.S. background checks allowed Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, two al Qaeda in Iraq (now called ISIS) terrorists who were part of a bomb-making group responsible for dozens of roadside bombs, one of which killed four members of the Pennsylvania National Guard. After a tip led the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to begin investigating Alwan and Hammadi, the FBI's Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC) managed to match Alwan's fingerprints to those found on an unexploded roadside bomb discovered by U.S. troops in Iraq years earlier. Alwan and Hammadi were arrested two years later in an FBI sting operation attempting to send arms and explosives, including Stinger missiles, to insurgents in Iraq. Our law enforcement and intelligence communities deserve great praise for stopping these terrorists from killing more Americans. Yet the terrorists should have never been given the chance. 1) Were there recommendations made to the refugee program as a result of this incident? 2) What are the findings from the FBI investigation on the other dozens of suspected terrorists? 3) Are there former or current known terrorists in the U.S. as part of the refugee program? We look forward to a timely response that we can share with the American people. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=991A3B6C-457E-7BE5-77B3-DDA83FC31988,FRA Must Reopen Train Horn Rule Following Denial of Fort Collins Request,2015-12-11,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Fort Collins, CO - Following news today that the Federal Rail Administration (FRA) has initially denied the City of Fort Collins' application for a waiver from federal train horn noise regulations, Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner and Representative Jared Polis are calling on the FRA to immediately reopen the train horn noise rules. The lawmakers are urging FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg to include more flexibility for Colorado communities like Fort Collins to establish quiet zones through town centers where train horn noise is stifling economic development. ""We understand and agree that safety is a top priority for your agency. Fort Collins officials have made significant investments in grade crossing improvements that have resulted in a strong safety record. They have also demonstrated a willingness to do more,"" the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Administrator Feinberg. ""Although this is not a complete denial and an opportunity remains for the City to reapply, we believe that today's decision is proof that the regulations need to be re-examined. Yet, we've been waiting for years for the agency to act. In 2013, the FRA announced its intent to reevaluate the Train Horn Rule, which your predecessor pledged to reopen it by the spring of 2015. After that deadline passed, the agency pledged to reopen it by the end of this year. Yet, two weeks before the end of the year, the FRA has not taken steps to reopen the rule. This timeline is unacceptable."" Communities throughout Colorado, including Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont, Greeley, Commerce City, Arvada, Castle Rock, Westminster, and Windsor, have expressed concerns with the application of the FRA's train horn noise rules. At the request of Bennet, Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) asked former FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo if the agency was willing to work with communities to provide flexibility around train horn noise regulations. Szabo indicated a willingness to work with Congress to ensure its train-noise and quiet-zone rules protect public safety and work for Colorado communities trying to boost economic development near rail crossings. Full Text of the Letter: December 11, 2015 Ms. Sarah Feinberg Administrator Federal Railroad Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear Administrator Feinberg: We write to express our extreme frustration and disappointment with the Federal Rail Administration (FRA)'s denial of the quiet zone waiver for the City of Fort Collins. The denial of the City's request underscores the need for the agency to re-open the Train Horn Rule immediately. The rule's lack of flexibility fails to account for the unique character of communities like Fort Collins. We understand and agree that safety is a top priority for your agency. Fort Collins officials have made significant investments in grade crossing improvements that have resulted in a strong safety record. They have also demonstrated a willingness to do more. Although this is not a complete denial and an opportunity remains for the City to reapply, we believe that today's decision is proof that the regulations need to be re-examined. Yet, we've been waiting for years for the agency to act. In 2013, the FRA announced its intent to reevaluate the Train Horn Rule, which your predecessor pledged to reopen it by the spring of 2015. After that deadline passed, the agency pledged to reopen it by the end of this year. Yet, two weeks before the end of the year, the FRA has not taken steps to reopen the rule. This timeline is unacceptable. A more flexible rule would allow communities like Fort Collins to develop a system that reduces disruptive train horn noise while maintaining high safety standards within their budget. We appreciate your proposal to assemble an internal Fort Collins Working Group within the U.S. Department of Transportation to further assist the City with next steps. However, the working group will be meaningless without the involvement of community officials who are working every day to ensure the safety of their residents. We urge you to include city officials in your discussions from the outset to ensure the working group is as constructive as possible. Finally, we also reiterate our request that you and your staff visit Northern Colorado, to see first-hand the effect of train horns on these communities. You will also see how city officials and residents are working to manage rail traffic as it moves through the center of their towns. We believe a visit will demonstrate how the train horn rule is stifling economic development and why an improved safety regulation with greater flexibility is necessary. We look forward to your reply on when the rule will be re-opened, when the internal working group will convene and how it will include city officials, and when you and your staff will visit community leaders in Northern Colorado. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=F24909C1-3853-8E5F-6ED6-A23A95A9B78A,"Bennet, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Waterway LNG Parity Bill",2015-12-11,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Waterway LNG Parity Act of 2015. This bipartisan bill would ensure that excise taxes on liquefied natural gas (LNG) for marine transportation on the inland waterways are levied at a rate consistent with their energy output relative to diesel and gasoline, respectively. LNG is a cheaper, cleaner, domestic energy source and the current financing mechanism for the inland waterways system puts its use at a disadvantage. This legislation would change the inland waterways financing rate to provide equal treatment within the federal tax code. ""Natural gas is a growing part of Colorado's diverse energy industry, and this bill recognizes the shift to alternative fuels in across transportation technologies,"" Bennet said. ""Providing parity to LNG for marine transportation - just as we recently did for cars and trucks - creates an opportunity to grow this market and encourages the use of domestically produced natural gas as a cleaner burning transportation fuel."" ""It takes about 1.7 gallons of LNG to provide the same amount of energy as a gallon of diesel. Those who use LNG to power marine vessels would have to pay 50 cents in tax for the same amount of energy contained in a gallon of diesel fuel that is only taxed at 29 cents-that doesn't make sense,"" said Dr. Cassidy. ""By ensuring equal tax treatment for LNG, it encourages its use and its production-benefiting Louisiana's economy and workers."" This legislation is supported by many, including: ""The United States has the most efficient and robust natural gas transportation system in the world. We support this bill to create additional demand for natural gas, which has the potential to benefit producers nation-wide. Natural gas as a marine fuel has a dual benefit of cleaner air in our harbors and more drilling in western Colorado in the decades to come."" - David Ludlam, Executive Director of West Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association ""NGVAmerica commends Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) for introducing the Waterway LNG Parity Act of 2015. This common-sense legislation would remove another barrier to the greater utilization of clean-burning, low-cost domestic natural gas in the transportation sector by leveling the playing field for the taxation of LNG fuel used in marine vessels operating on inland waterways in the U.S.""- Matt Godlewski, President of NGVAmerica ""LNG has proven to be a viable fuel alternative in the over-the-road market. It's much cleaner, costs less and comes from the U.S. If given the chance to be on parity with diesel, it will prove to be the same in the marine application as well."" -Andrew J. Littlefair, President and CEO of Clean Energy Fuels Corp ""In Texas, there is strong interest and activity related to natural gas powered shipping, and we applaud Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) for introducing the Waterway LNG Parity Act of 2015."" - Lynn Lyon, President of Energy Connects ""The marine industry holds great promise for increased utilization of clean, affordable, and abundant natural gas. Eliminating the disparity that currently exists between LNG and diesel fuel for marine use on inland waterways will put the two fuels on a competitive level and be consistent with the equalized tax treatment of LNG and diesel for highway use,"" - Scott Salmon, Senior Advisor at the Shell Oil Company ""The U.S, is now the number 1 producer of natural gas in the world, and American businesses and consumers continue to take advantage of low-cost natural gas in the transportation sector. Blu LNG applaud Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) for introducing the Waterway LNG Parity Act of 2015."" - James Burns, President and CEO of Blu LNG ""Pivotal LNG supports equalizing the tax on liquefied natural gas for inland waterway use. The excise tax for highway use was recently changed to tax LNG at the same rate as diesel. That modification made a huge difference in the trucking industry. Pivotal LNG believes that fuels should compete based on commodity cost and not be disadvantaged by an outdated tax code. The Waterway LNG Parity Act of 2015 addresses this long-standing issue in the maritime industry.""- Steve Cittadine, President, Storage and Fuels, for AGL Resources ""Taxing LNG at a higher effective rate than diesel builds a barrier to using LNG in the marine industry. Tax policy should not penalize cleaner burning and lower carbon LNG. The Waterway LNG Parity Act of 2015 is a vital step to leveling the playing field for LNG."" - Greg Roche, VP Sales and Marketing for Applied LNG # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1442,Supporting the VA Committee's Accountability Check,2015-12-10,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"This week, the House Veterans Affairs Committee held an end-of-year review with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Representing the VA were Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson and Meghan Flanz, Deputy General Counsel of Legal Operations and Accountability. Chairman Miller opened the hearing with a call for the VA to accept responsibility for its misdeeds and proactively pursue widespread changes to stop corruption and abuse. During the hearing, committee members pressed VA officials on such topics as: - Whistleblower protection - Disciplinary actions for corrupt employees - The hiring and firing process - Training local offices on new practices - External healthcare providers The status quo at the VA should be a cause of concern for ethical people everywhere. As more individual cases come to light, thanks to whistleblowers, the media, and individual cases handled by Members of Congress, we must not lose sight of the fact that there remain massive, systemic issues within the VA that they have not addressed in any meaningful way. Our brave veterans should not have to fight for our country and then return home only to fight a government bureaucracy to receive the care they deserve. I stand with my colleagues on the Veterans Affairs Committee and demand more for our veterans. - Congressman Doug Lamborn, CO-05 To read a personal account of how Veterans are mistreated by the VA, read Jason Katzs article VAs lost sense of mission.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/freshman-class-president-ken-buck-announces-class-project,Freshman Class President Ken Buck Announces Class Project,2015-12-10,2015,2015-12,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, president of the Republican Freshman Class, announced that the class will pursue a project to reassert the Constitutional powers of Congress. In a time when Executive Branch overreach is at an all-time high, this project will encourage Congress to fulfil its purpose set out in Article I of the Constitution. We heard from the Speakers Chief of Staff, who told us that our continual reliance on big, bloated omnibus bills steals from Congress 90% of its Power of the Purse, Congressman Ken Buck stated. To reassert Congressional power, we need to return to a regular appropriations process with multiple, separate funding bills. The freshman class is eager to restore Constitutional order to our government, Congressman Buck stated. The people elected us to balance out Executive overreach. President Obama has issued hundreds of executive orders to date, including granting amnesty to 5 million illegal immigrants, increasing the minimum wage for federal contractors, disregarding welfare reform laws with broad waivers, unilateral land grabs under the guise of designating national monuments, and ignoring both the deadlines and clear language of the Affordable Care Act. Congress must hold the Executive Branch accountable for enforcing the laws it passes and must rein in abuses of power through executive orders. Rep. Ken Buck (CO-04) is the Freshman Class President. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He serves on the OGR Subcommittees on Government Operations and the Interior and is a member of the Judiciary Subcommittees on Immigration and Border Security and Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. Follow him onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://polis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397992,President signs K-12 education bill into law,2015-12-10,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Jared Polis,P000598,polis.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Obama today signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act, a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace the existing law known as No Child Left Behind. The rewrite which hasnt been done since 2001 will move states beyond the stringent, outdated policies of No Child Left Behind, help reduce the amount of testing in our nations schools, and give more decision-making power back to states and districts. Today is a triumphant day, Polis said. This morning, I joined President Obama as he signed the Every Student Succeeds Act into law and put the nearly 15-year era of No Child Left Behind officially in the past. Every student and every school in the country has been affected by the well-intentioned, but outdated policies of No Child Left Behind. Today, we finally replaced it with a law built on the principle that we should empower schools to help students achieve, not subject students and teachers to a one-size-fits-all system that bogs our education system down with endless red tape. As a senior member of the House Education Committee, Rep. Polis was chosen last month to serve on the conference committee that negotiated the final version of the bill after separate ones passed the House and Senate over the summer. The final bill includes several measures championed by Polis that reflect Colorado priorities, including: A dual-enrollment amendment Polis successfully offered in conference committee that allows federal funds currently devoted to English language learners to be used for dual or concurrent enrollment, a model that has been employed with widespread success across Colorado. A grant program for innovation and evidence-based learning modeled off a bill Polis re-introduced in February. This program has helped schools across the country, including St. Vrain Valley School District, which received a $3.6 million innovation grant in 2010 to expand programs for at-risk students in seven schools. Because of the innovation grant, St. Vrain was able to extend the school year at four elementary schools, target math students at risk of failing at two middle schools, and fully implement the STEM Academy at Skyline High School. Polis led opposition to the initial House bill on the floor in February and fought for several changes needed to help schools pursue innovative learning models and ensure school districts were accountable to all students, regardless of their race or background. Polis has spent his career in public service fighting for a strong education system. He is the founder and former superintendent of New America School, a network of charter schools in Colorado and New Mexico, and hes the former chair of the Colorado Board of Education. He also co-founded the Academy of Urban Learning, a charter school in Denver.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=9DAC13E2-7152-6D5D-90E0-64DC430D7A2F,President Signs K-12 Education Overhaul into Law,2015-12-10,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bennet Attends Signing Ceremony New Law Includes Bennet-Authored Provisions Secured during Committee, Floor Debate, Conference Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today attended a bill-signing ceremony at the White House where the President signed into law a bill to fix No Child Left Behind. The bill, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the chief federal law addressing K-12 education, reforms many of the broken policies from No Child Left Behind, the previous version of the bill, while maintaining several key provisions that have proved successful. Bennet is a member of the Senate's education committee and the conference committee that negotiated the final bill. The final language includes a number of provisions he secured during the initial drafting, the committee process, the Senate's debate, and the conference committee's final negotiations. ""For teachers and principals and for students and families in Colorado and all across the country, this new law will come as a great relief,"" Bennet said. ""Congress has finally done its job to pass a bipartisan bill that fixes No Child Left Behind. And it is proof that we can overcome our differences and come together and actually solve problems. We wrote this bill with help from people all across Colorado, and it brings us one step closer to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to receive a great education."" As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Bennet played a significant role in writing the Senate-passed bill. The final bill includes a number of provisions he secured based on input from Colorado, including: State-Driven Accountability Systems: Reducing the prescriptive, top-down approach of No Child Left Behind; re-empowering states to design accountability systems that maintain statewide annual testing requirements and break down data to identify achievement gaps; ensuring English learners are included in state accountability systems; and requiring states to identify at least the bottom five percent of low-performing schools and make necessary changes to improve achievement at these schools Improving Equity and Addressing Inequalities: Including provisions to promote equity, address inequities and help ensure high-need schools can attract and retain great teachers and leaders by improving their support systems; including a new reporting requirement to increase transparency on the resources schools receive and to identify inequities in funding; providing flexibility to spend federal funding on early childhood education and on dual and concurrent enrollment for high school students; and provisions encouraging teacher leadership, residency programs, and improvements to district human capital systems Encouraging Innovation to Meet Challenges in Schools: Securing incentives for educators on the ground to apply their own creative thinking to address our most persistent education challenges; including funding for innovative practices to improve student achievement; revamping the Charter School Program; and allowing pay-for-success initiatives Supporting Rural Schools: Securing a package of provisions to better support schools in rural communities; providing technical assistance to rural school districts when applying for competitive federal grants; and clarifying that rural school districts or education service agencies, like a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), can join together and submit a single consolidated application for funding under ESEA # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-roberts-scott-emphasize-dangers-of-closing-guantanamo-following-news-of-former-detainee-becoming-al-qaeda-leader,"Gardner, Roberts, Scott Emphasize Dangers of Closing Guantanamo Following News of Former Detainee Becoming al-Qaeda Leader",2015-12-10,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Tim Scott (R-SC) released the following statements regarding reports that a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay, Ibrahim al-Qosi, has become a senior leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Al-Qosi, transferred from Guantanamo to his native Sudan in 2012, appears in a video released this week by AQAP that encourages small cell terror attacks in the West. The President's rush to empty the cells at Guantanamo recklessly endangers our national interests abroad and our safety here at home, Gardner said. This news confirms what we've known all along: Guantanamo Bay houses some of the world's deadliest terrorists, and the secure facility at Guantanamo is exactly where they belong. They do not belong back on the battlefield fighting against us, nor do they belong on U.S. soil. It's time for the President to recognize that simple fact, which is already enshrined in U.S. law."" Just seven days after the terrorist attack in San Bernardino and at a time when our nation is vulnerable to both home grown threats and those from abroad, I see no reason to add to these security concerns by placing terrorists currently held at Guantanamo in American communities, Roberts said. As we were reminded with these attacks, we are still very much at war with terrorism. Guantanamo should remain open and we should not underestimate the zeal of these terrorists to return to the battlefield. Look no further than former Guantanamo detainee, Ibrahim al-Qosi. As the President rushes to transfer detainees out of Guantanamo Bay, we have been given a clear picture of exactly the type of terrorist he is talking about releasing, Scott said. These terrorists want another San Bernardino, another Paris, and by basing his national security policies on a political promise to close Guantanamo, I fear the President is only increasing the danger to our nation and our people. Guantanamo is the perfect place to hold some of the world's most dangerous terrorists, and any effort to close the facility and move the remaining detainees to domestic soil will be met with fierce opposition in Congress and among the American people. In November, 86 percent of the House and Senate voted for legislation that bars the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to domestic soil. The White House has repeatedly stated their desire for Congress to get out of the way and let them close Guantanamo, regardless of the 30 percent recidivism rate among released detainees, the hundreds of millions of dollars it will cost to construct a new facility, and the fact that opening domestic facility would place a bright red bulls eye on an American community. The Administration has already surveyed sites in South Carolina, Kansas, and Colorado as potential replacements for Guantanamo. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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 http://degette.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/degette-slaughter-lead-house-and-senate-colleagues-to-introduce,"DeGette, Slaughter lead House and Senate Colleagues to Introduce Resolutions Condemning Violence Against Womens Health Providers and Patients",2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Diana DeGette,D000197,degette.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Louise Slaughter (NY-25) along with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) announced resolutionsthey have introducedin the House and Senate, respectively,to condemn violence against womens health providers and patients across the United States following the horrific attack outside of a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood that left three dead and nine wounded. The resolutions recognize that violence, intimidation, and threats against womens health care providers and their patients has persisted for decades, with an increase in incidents of arson, vandalism, and threats over the past six months, further recognizing the serious impact that demonizing, extreme rhetoric has on creating a climate that is dangerous for those who would provide or seek access to comprehensive health care services. The members reiterated a womans constitutional right to make her own health care decisions and have access to health care services without fear of violence or harassment. No one should have to face intimidation or violence when going to the doctor, but for too many women, threats and attacks have been a reality simply because they have sought reproductive health care, said Rep. DeGette. This is simply unacceptable, and I am joining colleagues in both the House and Senate to say that such threats and attacks must stop. The recent attack in Colorado Springs and other incidents across the country underscore the urgency we all feel that this violence must stop right away. No American should feel intimidated or threatened because of where they choose to access health care, said Rep. Slaughter. The violence directed toward patients and doctors at a health clinic in Colorado Springs is unconscionable, as are the hateful rhetoric and lies that have been hurled against Planned Parenthood by those who seek to do away with Americans right to choose. These despicable acts are an attack on the one-in-five women who have received basic health care from Planned Parenthood and we wont stop fighting to defend the right of all Americans to make their own health care decisions. This measure recognizes the deeply insidious, perpetual threats and violence against providers of life-saving health care services to millions of women across the country, said Senator Blumenthal. I am proud to lead this resolution with my colleagues to condemn unacceptable intimidation and attacks that interfere with a womans right to safe health care. This resolution stands against the recent extremist, repugnant rhetoric that seeks to demonize the providers and their essential services to American women. The violence directed at health care providers and women seeking reproductive health care services is deplorable, said Senator Shaheen. Nobody should have to live in fear for either providing or receiving reproductive healthcare thats protected under the Constitution. This resolution is an opportunity for Congress to stand united against this senseless violence and incendiary rhetoric. No one should ever have to fear for their life when they walk into a clinic to receive health care, said Senator Michael Bennet. Last month in Colorado Springs, we lost three people because of one mans deranged actions. A brave police officer and two loyal individuals accompanying friends to doctors visits all young parents in their prime were killed. Planned Parenthood offers critical care to tens of thousands of women in Colorado every year. People should know they will be safe, whether they are accessing preventative care, cancer screenings, or their constitutionally protected right to reproductive services at Planned Parenthood or any health care facility. Co-sponsoring the House Resolution with DeGette and Slaughter are RepresentativesAlma Adams (D-N.C.), Brad Ashford (D-Neb.), Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Ami Bera (D-Calif.), Don Beyer (D-Va.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Lois Capps (D-Calif.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), John Conyers (D-Mich.), Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Donna Edwards (D-Md.), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.), Sam Farr (D-Calif.), Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), Bill Foster (D-Ill.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), Janice Hahn (D-Calif.), Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Michael Honda (D-Calif.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), William Keating (D-Mass.), Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.), Ann McLane Kuster (D-N.H.), Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif), John Lewis (D-Ga.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Eleanor Norton Holmes (D-District of Columbia), Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.), David Price (D-N.C.), Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), Cedric Richmond (D-La.), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Mark Takai (D-Hawaii), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Debbie Wasserman Schulz (D-Fla.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and John Yarmuth (D-Ky.). Co-sponsoring SenateResolution 327 with Blumenthal, Shaheen and Bennet are Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Timothy Kaine (D-Va.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tom Carper (D-Md.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). Full text of resolution follows: Resolution Condemning Violence Targeting Womens Health Condemningviolence against womens health care providers and patients accessing such health care Whereas, the constitutional right to make health care decisions about their own bodies has been an established right for over 43 years; Whereas Eisenstadt v. Baird, 405 U.S. 438 (1972) confirmed the constitutional right of all women to legally access birth control; Whereas Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), was decided 42 years ago and reaffirmed that women have a constitutional right to comprehensive reproductive health care; Whereas for decades, womens health care providers and people accessing the services they provide have been subjected to intimidation, threats, and violence; Whereas since 1993, there have been eleven murders and numerous attempted murders of individuals associated with care provided at womens health centers; Whereas nearly 7,000 violent acts have been reported against providers at womens health centers since 1977, including bombings, arsons, death threats, kidnappings, and assaults, as well as more than 190,000 reported acts of disruption, including bomb threats and harassing calls; Whereas, within the past six months, there have been an increase in arsons, vandalisms and threats at Planned Parenthood and other womens health centers, including in Aurora, Illinois; Pullman; Washington; Louisville, Kentucky; and Claremont, New Hampshire; and on November 27, 2015, three people were killed and nine people were injured when a gunman attacked a Planned Parenthood health center in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Whereas, demonizing, extreme rhetoric contributes to a climate that is dangerous for those who would provide or access comprehensive health care services; Whereas more than 40 percent of Planned Parenthoods patients are people of color, who are therefore disproportionately impacted by attacks on womens health centers; and Whereas one in five women will use Planned Parenthood for health care, which in 2013, provided over 1.4 million emergency contraception kits, nearly 4.5 million tests and treatment for sexually transmitted infection and nearly 900.000 cervical cancer screenings and breast exams and continues to be the nations leading reproductive health care provider and, along with many other reproductive health providers, continues to provide expert, quality reproductive health care in safe and supportive environments across the country. Be it resolved, that the United States Senate: 1. Denounces the attacks on womens health care centers, providers, and patients; 2. Affirms that all women have the right to access reproductive health care services without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=044A3DE7-6874-95F5-56E5-18C1D011C3AE,Bennets Bipartisan RAISE Family Caregivers Bill Passes Senate,2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate this week passed the bipartisan Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage, or RAISE Family Caregivers Act. The bill introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet along with Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and sustain a National Family Caregiving Strategy to support family caregivers. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. ""The reality is that most of us will act as a family caregiver or need care at some point in our lifetimes,"" Bennet said. ""Family caregivers are providing billions of hours of unpaid care, to ensure that loved ones can perform daily activities and continue living independently. As the population continues to age the need for family care will only increase, adding to the physical, emotional, and financial stress on caregivers. This bill will help promote policies that support these caregivers."" At present, there are about 40 million family caregivers in the United States, who, in 2013, provided an estimated $470 billion in uncompensated long-term care. This is more than the total Medicaid spending that year. In addition, Americans 85 and older are the fastest growing segment of the population. This population is most at risk of multiple and interacting health problems that can lead to disability and the need for round-the-clock care. Bennet is the co-chair of the bipartisan Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus that provides education about family caregivers and ways to support people living independently in addition to advocating for action in Congress on these issues. Learn more about the RAISE Family Caregivers Act here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=0FC148C1-722B-B2EA-E601-43AF57361DBD,Senate Gives Final Approval to K-12 Education Overhaul,2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined 84 of his colleagues today to give final approval to a bill to fix No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The bill, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the chief federal law addressing K-12 education, now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law. It reforms many of the broken policies from No Child Left Behind, the previous version of the bill, while maintaining several key provisions that have proved successful. Bennet is a member of the Senate's education committee and the conference committee that negotiated the final bill. The final language includes a number of provisions he secured during the initial drafting, the committee process, the Senate's debate, and the conference committee's final negotiations. ""Congress has finally done its job to pass a bill that fixes No Child Left Behind,"" Bennet said. ""This bill helps us end NCLB's top-down, one-size-fits-all approach and re-empowers those closest to our kids to make decisions about their education. This bipartisan bill makes meaningful progress to help our students, teachers, and schools across Colorado and the country, but it is just one step toward addressing the inequities in our education system. We must keep working to ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive a great education."" As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Bennet played a significant role in writing the Senate-passed bill. The final bill includes a number of provisions he secured based on input from Colorado, including: State-Driven Accountability Systems: Reducing the prescriptive, top-down approach of No Child Left Behind; re-empowering states to design accountability systems that maintain statewide annual testing requirements and break down data to identify achievement gaps; ensuring English learners are included in state accountability systems; and requiring states to identify at least the bottom five percent of low-performing schools and make necessary changes to improve achievement at these schools Improving Equity and Addressing Inequalities: Including provisions to promote equity, address inequities and help ensure high-need schools can attract and retain great teachers and leaders by improving their support systems; including a new reporting requirement to increase transparency on the resources schools receive and to identify inequities in funding; providing flexibility to spend federal funding on early childhood education and on dual and concurrent enrollment for high school students; and provisions encouraging teacher leadership, residency programs, and improvements to district human capital systems Encouraging Innovation to Meet Challenges in Schools: Securing incentives for educators on the ground to apply their own creative thinking to address our most persistent education challenges; including funding for innovative practices to improve student achievement; revamping the Charter School Program; and allowing pay-for-success initiatives Supporting Rural Schools: Securing a package of provisions to better support schools in rural communities; providing technical assistance to rural school districts when applying for competitive federal grants; and clarifying that rural school districts or education service agencies, like a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), can join together and submit a single consolidated application for funding under ESEA # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-praises-passage-of-education-reform-law,Gardner Praises Passage of Education Reform Law,2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement following the Senate's passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a bipartisan overhaul of the No Child Left Behind Act and federal education policy: The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act represents a stepforwardinfederal education policy, and I'm proud to have worked with members of both parties on its passage. While not perfect, this act makes progresstowards getting Congress out of the classroom, rolling backCommon Core, and returning more power tothestates and local communities where it belongs. I'm especially pleasedthat this legislation includesseveral amendmentsIauthored and co-sponsored which will make meaningful changes to federal policy, helping talented high schoolers earn college credit before graduation, giving charter schools a seat at the table in educational development planning, and promoting more transparency and better access to education data for lawmakers and researchers looking to improve the system.Also included is an amendment I co-sponsored protecting children from the practice of 'passing the trash', where problem employees, including sex offenders, are transferred from school to school without proper background checks being conducted. Along with last week's long-term Highway Bill, the passage of this major bipartisan education legislation is a sign that, after years of dysfunction, the Senate is starting to work again. We've made progress on education, transportation, energy policy, entitlement reform and more. While we still have much work to do, I'm excited to be a part of a Senate that is starting, once again, to do the real work we were sent here to do. In addition to his work on the ESSA, Senator Gardner alsosubmitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Courtthis month urging them to support the Douglas County School District's Choice Scholarship Program from an anti-school-choice lawsuit. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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 http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-votes-address-national-security-gaps-visa-waiver-program,Tipton Votes to Address National Security Gaps in Visa Waiver Program,2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Continues call for Sen. Bennet to lead WASHINGTON Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) voted to pass legislation in the House to address national security concerns in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Each year over 20 million people from 38 participating countries take advantage of the VWP, which allows participants to travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days without going through embassy or customs screening. With thousands of citizens from participating European countries estimated to have traveled to Iraq or Syria to fight for ISIS, there are numerous security challenges posed by the VWP that could potentially allow for these individuals to enter into the U.S. under the programs eased screening procedures for their countries of origin. The Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, which passed the House, would address those challenges. Following the Paris attacks, Tipton has been Colorados leading voice on addressing national security gaps that could be exploited by ISIS terrorists looking to come to the U.S. to inflict harm. ""There are vulnerabilities in the visa waiver program and in the Syrian refugee program that need to be addressed, and the House has taken action on both fronts. We have now passed legislation in the House to better ensure stringent verification of Syrian refugees takes place, and to address vulnerabilities in the Visa Waiver Program, said Tipton. These issues are not mutually exclusive, and the Senate needs to take up both of these important bills. While I welcome Senator Bennets commitment to address concerns with the Visa Waiver Program, I continue to call on Senator Bennet to give equal consideration to the serious challenges posed by the current inability to stringently vet refugees coming from Syria, and join me in prioritizing the safety and security of Coloradans and all Americans. This is a significant gap in our national security that shouldnt be ignored. The Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, H.R. 158, would ensure that citizens from other countries who have traveled to known terrorist hotspots in recent years are unable to participate in the program, require participating countries to share counterterrorism information, and mandate countries use fraud resistant e-passports in order to be eligible in the visa waiver program. The SAFE Act, H.R. 4038, would strengthen the national-security vetting process to better ensure terrorists are not able to enter the U.S. by exploiting humanitarian programs. The bill would require that the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence unanimously certify to Congress that a refugee does not pose a security threat before being allowed to enter into the country.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-gop-senators-urge-obama-to-pursue-additional-military-options-to-combat-isis,"Gardner, GOP Senators Urge Obama to Pursue Additional Military Options to Combat ISIS",2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) today joined a group of Senators in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to pursue additional military options to fight ISIS and protect Americans both at home and abroad. The American people are understandably concerned in the aftermath of the horrific attack in San Bernardino and increasingly apprehensive about the prospect of another terrorist attack on American soil,the Senators wrote. To safeguard our own national security, we must step up the military fight against ISIS as soon as possible, but it will require sustained, long-term American engagement to resolve the deeper problems that have allowed ISIS to incubate and gather strength in Syria and Iraq. The full text of the letter is below: The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Obama: In the wake of the recent wave of devastating terrorist attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on Paris, Beirut, and the Russian airliner flying over Egypt, as well as last week's attack in San Bernardino that appears to have been inspired by ISIS, we write today to both express support for your stated objective to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS and to urge you to employ more effective means to accomplish that worthy goal. ISIS poses a direct threat to our country, and the magnitude of thatthreat is growing as a result of this terrorist army's expanded operational reach. The recent attacks prove that ISIS now has the ability to carry out mass-casualty terrorist attacks well beyondits self-proclaimed caliphatein Syria and Iraq.The Director of theCentral Intelligence Agency recently warned that ISIS likely has additional attacks planned, and the group has publicly declared its intention to strike the mainland United States. We also know that ISIS is aggressively pursuinga more robust chemical weapons capability and, to that end, has recruitedscientists and other technical experts. The American people are understandably concerned in the aftermath of the horrific attack in San Bernardino and increasingly apprehensive about the prospect of another terrorist attack on American soil. Over the past couple of years, as ISIS has murdered and raped its way across the Syrian and Iraqi countryside, it has also succeeded in reenergizing the global jihadi movement, driven by its evil ideology and fueled by its hateful propaganda. The King of Jordan has described the struggle against ISIS in stark terms, calling it a third world war against humanity. Likewise, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter testified recently that We're at war against ISIS. The group's ranks in Syria and Iraq have swelled to as many as 30,000 jihadists, due in part to its leveraging of social media platforms and dark corners of the Internet to recruit from all over the world. Even more alarming is the threat that ISIS and its adherents now pose to us here at home, in the form of a jihadist already living on U.S. soil and planning the next deadly attack. As a nation, we have a clear and vital interest at stake in Syria and Iraq preventing terrorist attacks against America and our allies and that obligates us to intensify the effort to destroy ISIS. That vital interest can only be safeguarded through the elimination of the sanctuary that ISIS has carved out for itselfinIraq and Syria. We believe we are at a strategic inflection point in the fight against ISIS and that, without a well-informed strategy change to arrest this group's momentum,the task of defeating it will multiply in its difficulty and complexity.We listened carefully to your Oval Office address on Sunday but were disappointed to learn that the same ineffective approach will continue to be implemented. In September, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, characterized the fight against ISIS as tactically stalemated, an assessment that we believe still holds true. To break this stalemate, we ask you to formulate a comprehensive military strategy against ISIS and bring to bear additional military means. In the near term, our principal strategic goal must be to shatter the ISIS narrative of invincibility, in order to stem this group's ability to recruit or inspire additional jihadists, both those who would physically travel to Syria or Iraq to join ISIS and those who would remain outside its sanctuary and conduct attacks on their home nations or neighboring ones, including the United States. In order to effectively undermine the ISIS narrative, the coalition must inflict upon it highly visible territorial losses, starting with Iraq, including the recapture of Ramadi, Fallujah, and Mosul. To that end, we recommend that you pursue, at a minimum, several additional military options: U.S. military advisors. To bolster the Iraqi Security Forces, the Kurdish Peshmerga, and Sunni tribal forces, we should embed U.S. military advisors to serve alongside them in combat units down to the battalion level, including those on the front lines.We must work more closely with our local ground partners. Without effective ground forces, ISIS cannot be dislodged from the territory it now holds in Syria and Iraq. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers(JTACs). We should deploy and embed additional U.S. troops to serve as JTACs, embedded with our local ground partners, in order to make our airstrikes against ISIS more precise and more lethal. Close air support. We should deploy and utilize additional close air support platforms, including Apache attack helicopters, to provide more effective support to our ground partners who are in close contact with ISIS, in coordination with the embedded JTACs. Airstrike approval process. We should review the current approval process for coalition airstrikes, which we understand is unwieldy, and consider removing barriers that inhibit our pilots from attacking ISIS targets that are both timely and strategically significant. In addition, we ask you to consider two more far-reaching courses of action: Safe zones. We should establish one or more safe zones inside Syria, primarily for the protection of Syrian refugees. Creating and maintaining these so-called no-fly and no-drive zones would be a substantial military and humanitarian undertaking, but in so doing we would help safeguard innocent men, women, and children not just from Bashar al-Assad's aircraft and barrel bombs, but also from ground attacks by Assad's forces and ISIS. We would also help avert the mass exodus of Syrian refugees fleeing their own homeland for other countries in the region and in Europe. NATO role. In light of the continuing threat posed to multiple member-nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), we should consider pursuing a robust and central NATO role in combating ISIS, as recently proposed by former NATOSupreme Allied Commander,Admiral (Ret.) James Stavridis. Leading the planning, implementation, and command-and-control of a mission to establish safe zones in Syria may be an appropriate mission for NATO. This list of potential courses of action is not an exhaustive one, but we believe that pursuing even some of these would represent a needed boost in the fight against ISIS. Further, a number of these options or related ones have been proposed by two of your former Secretaries of Defense, Robert Gates and Leon Panetta, and we agree that they are worthy of serious consideration. A more robust U.S. military effort is also likely to attract greater contributions from both NATO allies and, more importantly, regional partners. We recognize that credible military action is necessarily only one element of any sound strategy to defeat ISIS. In addition, we know that the effort to dislodge ISIS from the territory it currently holds must be undergirded by a political framework that will sustain a lasting rejection of ISIS's bankrupt ideology, which will itself require significant Sunni participation in Iraqi national governance. We also recognize that the threat of ISIS cannot be divorced from the overall conflict in Syria, which continues to rage, fueled further by Russian and Iranian interference. To safeguard our own national security, we must step up the military fight against ISIS as soon as possible, but it will require sustained, long-term American engagement to resolve the deeper problems that have allowed ISIS to incubate and gather strength in Syria and Iraq. Success will not come easily or cheaply, but we urge you as our commander-in-chief to do whatever it takes to defeat ISIS and keep the American citizenry safe from harm. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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-on-iranian-belligerence-inaction-is-no-longer-an-option,Gardner on Iranian Belligerence: Inaction is no longer an option,2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement following reports of another ballistic missile test conducted by the Islamic Republic of Iran in violation of United Nations (U.N) Security Council resolutions: When the President was pursuing his misguided nuclear deal with Iran, many of us warned that Iran would cheat. We warned that Iran, the world's largest state sponsor of terror, would take billions in sanctions relief while continuing to build up their arsenal, prop up the Assad regime, and arm terror groups dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Iran has done exactly that. The Obama Administration has been stunningly indifferent. Iran has violated U.N. travel sanctions by sending General Qassem Soleimani, a man responsible for the death of American troops in Iraq, on a visit to Russia. They've repeatedly violated U.N. resolutions prohibiting the testing of ballistic missiles, which could be topped with a nuclear warhead. The American people were told to trust that the Obama Administration could hold Iran accountable for bad behavior. Iran's recent conduct, and the Administration's lack of response, prove that the current U.S. policy of engagement with this murderous and deceitful regime is a dangerous farce. I have no confidence that Iran will abide by the terms of the nuclear deal reached this past summer. It's time for the Administration to respond to Iranian belligerence. Inaction is no longer an option. Senator Gardner has been a vocal opponent of the President's deal with Iran. He warned before the deal was struck about the dangers of a nuclear Iran, and denounced the deal when it was announced as a bad deal with the murderous Iranian regime. After reports of Iranian violations of U.N. sanctions, Gardner sent a letter to President Obama asking for a response to those actions. On the floor of the Senate, Gardner spoke out about the troubling aspects of the deal and urged his colleagues to reject it. And in October, Gardner asked Secretary of State John Kerry whether the Administration believed Iranian Ballistic Missile Launches violated a U.N. ban. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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 http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1438,Denver Post Op-Ed: Gold King Mine Is Just Tip Of Iceberg,2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Congressman Doug Lamborn Imagine kayakers drifting through the neon waters of the Animas River. Or, think about toxic, heavy metals seeping into Crested Butte's drinking water and Indian reservation waters downstream. Unfortunately, these scenarios aren't figments of your imaginationthey're a reality. With the recent Gold King Mine and Standard Mine spills, Colorado has suffered more than its fair share of environmental disasters caused by abandoned mines. But the abandoned mine problem is bigger than just Colorado. It is estimated that there are as many as 400,000 abandoned mines in the western United States. Many of these mines contain heavy metals and other chemicals that could seriously damage the surrounding environment and jeopardize the health of nearby residents. To prevent future catastrophes not just for the next few years but well into the futurewe need to adopt a multifaceted solution. We need a plan that addresses the financial hardship of mine cleanup, incentivizes the private sector to do its part without fear of crushing liability or overregulation, and teaches the next generation of engineers the best environmental and engineering practices. To address these concerns, I have introduced new legislation as part of a larger package of bills that offers protection and incentives to well-intentioned private companies who can assist in the recovery of abandoned mine land. The Locatable Minerals Claim Location and Maintenance Fees Act, H.R. 3843, would require the EPA to create ""Good Samaritan"" permits to provide limited liability protections for industry and non-profit groups who have the technical expertise to responsibly remediate abandoned mine lands. Under my legislation, organizations that clean up abandoned mine lands would also find relief under the Clean Water Act and CERCLA. This step is critical to encourage volunteer clean-up of both coal and non-coal abandoned mine land sites provided that their actions are not grossly negligent and are performed in good faith. The bill also authorizes the Bureau of Land Management to collect claim location and maintenance fees, both of which have not been authorized in the past. Rather than trust our precious resources solely to an agency that has proven its own fallibility by actually causing the recent Colorado spills, H.R. 3843 increases our options by harnessing the skills of private industries and non-profit organizations for the benefit of the environment. And as we've seen with the recent mining disasters in our area, expertise is vital when dealing with complex mining situations. In the Gold King mine spill, it was discovered that out of more than 15,000 employees EPA had no 'mining engineers' and only 68 geologists. Of these geologists, only two were assigned to Region 8 where the Colorado spills occurred. To address the lack of expertise in our environmental agencies, the Mining Schools Enhancement Act invests in the next generation of engineers by providing additional funding to accredited mining schools. It also establishes research grants to rebuild a strong cohort between technical expertise and the public and private sectors. However, without adequate funding even well-intentioned organizations can't afford to use their expertise to help clean up abandoned mines in the West. That is why this package also includes the Energy and Minerals Reclamation Foundation Establishment Act. This legislation creates a foundation so that concerned individuals and organizations, like environmental groups that have been so vocal on this issue, can raise money to help fund the clean-ups through the private sector. Together, these three pieces of legislation collectively utilize all of our resources federal agencies, non-profits, the private sector, and educational institutions to ensure that we have all the tools necessary to clean up our nations abandoned mines and prevent any future Gold King Mine tragedies. Rep. Doug Lamborn represents Colorado's 5th Congressional District. He is chairman of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ken-buck-sends-letter-chairman-hal-rogers-calling-congress-reassert-its,Ken Buck Sends Letter to Chairman Hal Rogers Calling on Congress to Reassert its Constitutional Authority,2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Ken Buck,B001297,buck.house.gov,,,legacy,"For Immediate Release Contact: Kyle Huwa, 202-225-4676 Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Buck led a letter signed by 11 of his colleagues in Congress calling on Congressman Hal Rogers, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, to include several policy provisions in the Omnibus Appropriations Act. The letter explains that Article I of the Constitution should serve as the basis and structure for funding priorities in appropriations bills. Unfortunately, Congress rightful power to legislate has been sidelined by bureaucratic regulations and judicial activism. The letter suggests the inclusion of several of Congressman Bucks colleagues policy provisions as a way to reassert Congressional authority. The following Members of Congress joined Congressman Buck in signing the letter: Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03), Earl L. Buddy Carter (GA-01), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Sean Duffy (WI-07), Mark Meadows (NC-11), Gary Palmer (AL-06), Dave Brat (VA-07), Alex Mooney (WV-02), Matt Salmon (AZ-05), and Louie Gohmert (TX-01). Congressman Buck released the following statement regarding the letter: Congress must use the Omnibus Appropriations Act to reassert its Power of the Purse. The provisions wed like to include in the Act will rein in the overreach that has become all too commonplace in President Obamas administration. Below is the text of the letter: December 7, 2015 The Honorable Hal Rogers Chairman House Committee on Appropriations H-305, The Capitol Washington D.C. 20515 Dear Chairman Rogers: Article I is the Constitutional basis and structure for Congress to set funding priorities and policies in the pending Omnibus Appropriations Act. Decades of unchecked bureaucratic regulations and judicial activism has relegated Congress, particularly, the House of Representatives to the sidelines. With over $19 trillion in debt and job killing regulations routinely implemented by Administrations of both parties, the House of Representatives must lead and protect individual rights through the Power of the Purse. Delegating this authority away for political expediency or in the name of being a team player is a losing proposition for our constituents. Our Founding Fathers expected more from us and it is time we recommit to our constituents and our fellow members a resolve to use Article I as the core focus of our legislative responsibilities. Contrary to Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Senator Harry Reids recent statements, the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Act is and must be our opportunity to offer policy provisions restoring individual rights and freedoms while serving as a check on the federal bureaucracy. Many of our colleagues have worked very hard to garner support for their legislative initiatives. Many more colleagues were shut out by a Democratic majority intent on obstruction and deceit. This letter is not exhaustive of the concerns that need to be addressed in the upcoming FY 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Act but WE FEEL THE FOLLOWING POLICY PROVISIONS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2016 OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS ACT: Chairman Tom Cole included in the FY 2016 Labor/HHS Appropriations Act passed by the House Appropriations Committee a key provision commonly referred to as the OSHA Walk Around Rule barring individuals associated with third-party organizations, i.e., union officials, from joining OSHA inspectors on work site safety inspections; Chairman Cole also included provisions blocking the ambush election rule proposed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and a prohibition on issuing new joint-employer standards; Rep. Andy Harris included in the same bill a micro-union amendment prohibiting funding to implement or enforce a National Labor Relations Board ruling that allows certain groups of employees within a larger company to form separate unions; Rep. Peter Roskams extensive work as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee has uncovered the need for an amendment to defund a regulation allowing for the hiring of outside counsels to administer IRS responsibilities. Rep. John Katko has sponsored similar legislation; Rep. Sean Duffy has authored successful ICANN defund amendments included in the Fiscal Year 2015 CROmnibus Act and Fiscal Year 2016 Commerce Justice Appropriations Act prohibiting President Obama and the Department of Commerce from transferring control of the Internet to foreign control; Rep. Paul Gosar has successfully sponsored amendments the past two years to defund the HUDs Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Regulation in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act. As Rep. Gosar and other colleagues have previously written against it, the rule will result in increased local taxes, [and] will depress property values. Congress is on record opposing the use of taxpayer funds to transfer Gitmo detainees to U.S. soil. Transferring known terrorists to U.S. soil threatens the lives of our constituents. Maintaining this prohibition is the only way to prevent President Obama from acting unilaterally and unconstitutionally. Rep. Lynn Westmorelands Sue and Settle Amendment pending in the Interior Appropriations bill would prohibit the EPA and other agencies from engaging in this tactic. As Rep. Westmoreland has written to his constituents, The Sue and Settle tactic is a form of collusion between the EPA and radical environmental groups. These groups then sue the EPA over the scope of a specific law, but rather than go to court, back-room settlements are made that would expand the EPAs power.These tactics side step our Congress and the voice of our citizens, but businesses still have to adhere to these new, costly regulations. The House of Representatives is on record supporting Rep. Pat Meehans Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act. Rep. Meehan spoke on the floor. The bill before us today presents a different but related question: should Iran receive U.S. sanctions relief before it pays the victims of its terrorism all of what U.S. courts say those victims are owed?...Until they pay these victims what theyre owed, lets say no to Iran, not one cent. Rep. Yoder has successfully authored an amendment in the FY 2016 Homeland Security Appropriations Act passed by the Committee to prohibit certain state and local grants from going to Sanctuary Cities. Other proposals we support including in the final FY 2016 Omnibus is the REINS Act and defund amendment to the Waters of the United States rule as well as the Department of Labors Fiduciary Rule. The above are not all inclusive, but provide a baseline framework of some of the important policies and priorities that need to be included in the upcoming Omnibus funding bill. The runaway Executive Branch has been allowed to usurp Congress Constitutional authority for too long. We have a responsibility to begin to re-establish the pre-eminent role of the House of Representatives in determining how the peoples money should be spent. In historic remarks, you [Speaker Paul D. Ryan] said, ""the House is broken. We are not solving problems."" We concur. Going forward under new leadership, our constituents will hold us more accountable: no more talk and press release governance. We can only restore the trust of our constituents if we fully implement Article I priorities by successfully sponsoring legislation and amendments reining in the entire Executive Branch and bureaucracy. We respectfully urge each one of you to stand with us as we reassert the authorities granted to us by Article I of the United States Constitution, and the citizens who have elected us to office. Rep. Ken Buck (CO-04) is the Freshman Class President. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He serves on the OGR Subcommittees on Government Operations and the Interior and is a member of the Judiciary Subcommittees on Immigration and Border Security and Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. Follow him onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=94100CC1-E20E-A495-91D7-215D200093B6,Bennet Applauds Dedication of USS Arizona Relic on Behalf of Hugo Hero,2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Hugo, CO - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today applauded the dedication of a piece of the wall of the USS Arizona, which sunk in Pearl Harbor, on behalf of Lincoln County resident Joe Will who was killed in the tragic attack. Lincoln County Commissioner Greg King reached out to Bennet's office at a town hall meeting in 2014 asking for help in securing the relic. Bennet's office worked with the Department of the Navy for more than 9 months to bring a piece of the ship to Colorado, which was recognized in a dedication ceremony Monday afternoon in Hugo. ""Joe Will is a hometown hero, who bravely sacrificed his life in one of the most horrific attacks on U.S. soil in our history,"" Bennet said. ""Commissioner King and the local community did excellent work to bring a piece of this ship back to Hugo where it will serve as a memorial to Joe Will and his family. Today, on the 74th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor we also remember the service of Joe Will and all of the brave Coloradoans who have served."" Bennet's office was notified in the spring of this year that the relic would be making its way from Hawaii to Hugo. The ceremony took place at the local VFW named in Will's honor. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://degette.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/planned-parenthood-supporters-gather-for-day-of-solidarity,Planned Parenthood Supporters Gather For Day Of Solidarity,2015-12-05,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Diana DeGette,D000197,degette.house.gov,,,legacy,"DENVER (CBS4) Hundreds of Planned Parenthood supporters gathered for a day of solidarity. They remembered lives lost in the deadly Nov. 27 shootout at a Colorado Springs clinic. Leaders of the organization said they will not be deterred by the violence, and will continue providing all services. Planned Parenthoods remembrance at an Englewood church was one of nearly 50 rallies and vigils across the country Saturday. Supporters joined in song, and took a moment of silence to remember the victims. (Planned Parenthood) provides safe and compassionate care to women across this country, said Christine Breen, a longtime Planned Parenthood patient. Community leaders called for action. Lets work together to make sure that all patients can continue to have the wonderful care that those patients in Colorado Springs two Fridays ago were receiving, said Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat representing Colorado. To ensure that every person has the ability to make their own decision when it comes to pregnancy, parenting, and abortion, and to obtain the healthcare that we need without threats to our safety, added Cristina Aguilar of COLOR, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights. Garrett Swasey, a University of Colorado Colorado Springs police officer, was shot after rushing to the campus to help. The other two victims KeArre Stewart, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, and Jennifer Markovsky, 36, a mother of two originally from Hawaii were both accompanying friends to the clinic and its not clear where they were when they were killed. During the remembrance, pro-life activists gathered and prayed outside of a local Planned Parenthood. Abortion is not healthcare, said Aaron Hollst, a practicing Christian. When its called healthcare, I think thats insulting to people who are pro-life and to people who are not pro-life. Youre ending a life. Its as simple as that. In the wake of the Colorado Springs attack, security at the remembrance was tight. Increased police presence scared some next door vendors away. Its kind of freaking some of the customers out, some of the crafters out, said craft show vendor Tracy Kreiling. They were worried about safety. Despite threats and intimidation, officials say Planned Parenthood will remain dedicated to providing access to care. Weve seen thousands of patients since last Friday, and will see millions this year, said Cecile Richards, of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. As we say at Planned Parenthood, these doors stay open. We will not be intimidated, and we will not accept this as normal, said Vicki Cowart of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, of the attack. Planned Parenthood officials say clinics nationwide are redoubling their security efforts. Police say theyre adding patrols to guard against the possibility of violence.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://degette.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/degette-joins-members-of-house-and-senate-to-file-amicus-brief-in-us,DeGette Joins Members of House and Senate to File Amicus Brief in U.S. Supreme Court to Support Obama Administrations Immigration Executive Actions,2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Diana DeGette,D000197,degette.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) joined 184 House Democrats and 34 Senate Democrats to file an amicus brief last night in support of the petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court seeking review of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, which blocked the Secretary of Homeland Security from implementing the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program and expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. These programs were announced by President Obama last November as part of his Executive Actions on Immigration. President Obamas decision to review immigration enforcement priorities and re-focus our resources on national security threats and violent criminals is both in line with the Constitution and with the views of the majority of Americans, said Rep. DeGette. I am proud to file this amicus brief in support of the Presidents actions, and I look forward to working with my colleagues here in the House to finally address the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Too many aspiring Americans have been forced to live in limbo while Republicans in Congress drag their feet and ignore reality; the time to fix our broken immigration system is now. The brief makes the case, from the perspective of 218 Members of Congress, that DAPA and expanded DACA are consistent with Congressional intent and the Executives longstanding legal authority to establish national immigration enforcement priorities and exercise discretion in the enforcement of our immigration laws. As stated in the brief: Congress has granted the Secretary [of Homeland Security] broad discretion in determining how to carry out the immigration laws, and has explicitly directed the Secretary to establish policies and priorities for enforcement of those laws. Rep. DeGette and her congressional colleagues are deeply concerned that the Fifth Circuit Court decision interferes with Congresss ability to grant the Executive the flexibility and discretion as necessary to enforce the law in a rational, effective, and efficient manner. The ruling would instead force Congress to specifically prescribe every priority and power with detailed enforcement instructions, the practical effect of which if allowed to stand would strip the Executive of broad authority to make discretionary judgments on how best to enforce the nations immigration laws where Congress has not prescribed a specific action, and would devastate millions of individuals, families, and communities across the nation. Full text of the amicus brief can be found here. Additional Background: On November 20, 2014, the Obama Administration announced plans to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and to create a new Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program to offer temporary protection from removal to the parents of American citizens and lawful permanent residents. On February 16, 2015, a federal district court in Texas blocked the implementation of those programs, and on November 9th, a divided panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this ruling. The Administration is petitioning the Supreme Court to review this decision. The Democratic Members amicus curiae brief is in support of the governments petition. Summary of key points: Congress has entrusted the Secretary of Homeland Security with broad discretion in the enforcement of the nations immigration laws. For decades, Congress has recognized the executive branchs authority to exercise discretion in the enforcement of our immigration laws. When the Immigration and Nationality Act was first enacted in 1952, Congress authorized the Executive to adopt regulations, issue instructions, and take other acts necessary to implement the law. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2002, Congress explicitly directed the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish national immigration enforcement policies and priorities. The Fifth Circuit decision undermines Congresss ability to place critical responsibility in the hands of the agency with the relevant expertise and capabilities. The ruling would alarmingly curtail Congresss ability to delegate discretionary authority to the Executive, forcing Congress to specifically prescribe every priority and power delegated to the Secretary of Homeland Security with detailed enforcement instructions. The Fifth Circuit decision interferes with rational, effective, and efficient enforcement of federal law by removing the Secretarys broad authority to make discretionary judgments on how best to enforce the nations immigration laws where Congress has not prescribed a specific action. If allowed to stand, the ruling would drastically impair effective administration of our immigration laws, throwing well-established immigration practices into disarray and harming millions of individuals around the country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1427,Voting Against the FAST Act,2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Voting Against the FAST Act f t # e Washington, December 4, 2015 This week, Congressman Doug Lamborn voted against H.R. 22, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.""A bill designed to fix our roads should be limited to just that, providing money for asphalt and concrete. However, unfortunately, this bill is full of hundreds of billions of dollars of budget gimmicks that don't save money. Indeed, instead of focusing like a laser on pure infrastructure needs, the bill includes money for Amtrak and other mass transit programs. The bill includes language reauthorizing the expired Export-Import Bank also, which is not a transportation agency at all. I simply could not support a bill containing this many structural flaws."" - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://polis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397985,"President Signs Five-year Highway Bill, Includes Polis I-70 Amendment",2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Jared Polis,P000598,polis.house.gov,,,legacy,"An amendment authored by Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02) to designate I-70 from Denver to Utah as a Corridor of High Priority was signed into law today as part of a five-year highway transportation bill. Its the first long-term transportation bill to be signed into law in more than a decade. With this Congressional designation, I-70 will now be eligible for certain federal funding streams to help with maintenance and improvements on what is a notoriously congested highway, especially during peak ski travel times. High-priority corridors are given preferential consideration when applying for discretionary grant programs like the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) and newly established Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects, as well as financing opportunities like those established under the Transportation Infrastructure and Financing Act (TIFIA). We all know what its like to sit in miles of traffic heading up to, or back from, our world-class ski areas, Polis said. While this amendment doesnt fix that problem immediately, its an important first step in freeing up federal funds to help alleviate traffic and congestion, and hopefully make us all a little saner on our mountain getaways. In September, Polis wrote the leaders of the House Transportation Committee outlining Colorado priorities, such as maintenance and improvement projects along I-70, in this major highway bill.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://polis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397986,"Polis, Amash urge House leaders to stop warrantless surveillance in year-end spending legislation",2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Jared Polis,P000598,polis.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO) and Justin Amash (R-MI) senta letter to House leaders today calling for provisions restricting warrantless government surveillance in any upcoming government-funding legislation. Thirty-five of their House colleagues also signed the letter. The letter which is addressed to Speaker Paul Ryan, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers, and Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita M. Lowey specifically requests the inclusion of five privacy-focused amendments that passed the House earlier this year with bipartisan support. The amendments would stop taxpayer dollars from being used to fund activities including warrantless bulk data collection and backdoor searches by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Security Agency (NSA). Though there are many divergent views among Republicans and Democrats on a variety of spending matters, the need to safeguard the Constitutions Fourth Amendment and protect Americans rights is an issue on which there is far-reaching consensus,the representatives wrote.Republican and Democratic members of Congress and, more importantly, the constituents we all represent overwhelmingly agree that tax dollars should not be used to fund the warrantless surveillance of American citizens. The five privacy measures for which the letter advocates all passed the House of Representatives with far-reaching bipartisan support over the summer during consideration of H.R. 2578, the Commerce, Justice Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016, and H.R. 2685, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016. Three of the measures passed on voice vote, indicating that approval in the chamber was unanimous or near unanimous. The measures are as follows: An amendment to H.R. 2578 to prohibit the DOJ or Federal Bureau of Investigation from using federal funds to require technology companies to weaken the security of their products for the purpose of government surveillance. An amendment to H.R. 2578 to prohibit the DOJ from using federal funds to engage in warrantless bulk data collection (a practice the department says it is has suspended). An amendment to H.R. 2578 to prohibit the National Institute of Standards and Technology from using federal funds to consult with the NSA or Central Intelligence Agency for the purpose of setting deliberately weak cryptographic standards that can be used to enable data collection. An amendment to H.R. 2578 to prohibit federal funds from being used within the United States to warrantlessly operate or disseminate a cell site simulator or IMSI catcher, which can be used to collect information about individuals locations and telephone communications. An amendment to H.R. 2685 to limit the use of federal funds for warrantless searches for information pertaining to U.S. citizens collected pursuant to Sec. 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. In addition to Polis and Amash, the letter was signed by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Andy Harris (R-MD), Mike Honda (D-CA), Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), Darrell E. Issa (R-CA), Walter B. Jones, Jr. (R-NC), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), Beto ORourke (D-TX), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ted Poe (R-TX), Bill Posey (R-FL), Matt Salmon (R-AZ), Mark Sanford (R-SC), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Marlin A. Stutzman (R-IN), Mark Takano (D-CA), and Peter Welch (D-VT). The full text of the letter is available here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=23E65266-FC5F-E63E-791B-38F72B1D0D5D,Senate Passes Bennet-Backed National Bison Legacy Act,2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today applauded the Senate's passage of the National Bison Legacy Act. The bill, cosponsored by Bennet, establishes the North American bison as the national mammal of the United States. It passed the Senate unanimously. ""Colorado has a rich agricultural heritage that includes a strong bison ranching tradition,"" Bennet said. ""This bill helps commemorate the legacy of these creatures and their importance to our country's heritage and our state's agricultural economy. The North American bison is a vital part of our history and bison ranchers and conservationists in Colorado have played a significant role in their resurgence."" ""Senate passage of the Bison Legacy Act moves us one step closer to giving this majestic animal proper recognition as our National Mammal,"" said Dave Carter of the National Bison Association. ""Bison ranchers appreciate Senator Bennet's leadership in helping to navigate this legislation to final passage."" Colorado is home to more than 500 bison ranches raising more than 11,000 bison. The bison is North America's largest land mammal that once numbered 20-30 million across the continent. However, westward expansion almost reduced the bison population to extinction. Conservationists and bison ranchers have helped rejuvenate the species, bringing the current population to approximately 500,000 in North America. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=66F55CC1-1BAC-F8F4-9CDE-485C534DF4D6,Bennet Joins 217 Congress Members to Support Presidents Immigration Executive Actions,2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet signed an amicus brief Thursday in support of the President's executive actions on immigration. He joined 33 Senators and 184 members of the House of Representatives who filed an amicus brief in support of a petition for certiorari to the Supreme Court seeking to review the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, which blocked the Secretary of Homeland Security from implementing the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program and expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. These programs were announced by President Obama last November as part of his Executive Actions on Immigration. ""There's bipartisan agreement that our immigration system is broken,"" Bennet said. ""We believe that the Supreme Court will agree that it is most important to break up threats to our national security, rather than breaking up families. Fixing the flaws in our immigration system will strengthen our economy and our families. The creation of DAPA and expansion of DACA will give hard-working families the relief to come out of the shadows and financially contribute to our tax base."" The brief makes the case, from the perspective of 218 Members of Congress, that DAPA and expanded DACA are consistent with Congressional intent and the Executive's longstanding legal authority to establish national immigration enforcement priorities and exercise discretion in the enforcement of America's immigration laws. As stated in the brief: Congress has ""granted the Secretary [of Homeland Security] broad discretion in determining how to carry out the immigration laws, and has explicitly directed the Secretary to establish policies and priorities for enforcement of those laws."" Members of Congress are concerned that the Fifth Circuit Court decision interferes with Congress's ability to grant the Executive Branch the flexibility and discretion necessary to enforce the law in a rational, effective, and efficient manner. The ruling would instead ""force Congress to specifically prescribe every priority and power with detailed enforcement instructions,"" the practical effect of which - if allowed to stand - would strip the Executive of broad authority to make discretionary judgments on how best to enforce the nation's immigration laws where Congress has not prescribed a specific action, and would devastate millions of individuals, families, and communities across the nation. Full text of the amicus brief can be found here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=C87A1305-2C42-C402-6CAB-0382400F306D,Bennet Applauds Reauthorization of Export-Import Bank through 2019,2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Following yesterday's action to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank), Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet welcomed Congress's action to renew the bank's charter through 2019. The Ex-Im Bank is an economic engine that has helped Colorado businesses finance the export of domestically-made products to international markets for more than 80 years. The measure was included in the five-year highway and transit funding bill that passed through both houses of Congress yesterday. ""Today's victory is long overdue. For the past five months, Congress denied Colorado businesses the support and expertise they needed to help them compete globally and prosper locally,"" Bennet said. ""While today's outcome is positive, we still need to address the dysfunction and partisanship in Washington that is impeding progress. As we work to boost our economic competitiveness, we need more people to recognize that bipartisanship' is a good word, not a bad word."" Though the reauthorization is an important step, the bank will not be able to approve transactions valued at more than $10 million due to vacancies on the board of directors. Currently only two of the five director positions are filled, and at least three board members are required in order to approve large loans. President Obama has nominated a third board member, but the Senate has yet to schedule a confirmation hearing to consider the nomination. Bennet has led the fight to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank. In May, Bennet led a group of Colorado businesses in calling on Congressional leadership to extend the charter prior to its expiration. More than 100 Colorado businesses have used the Bank to facilitate the sale of their products overseas, generating exports of $815 million since 2007. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1425,Speaker Paul Ryan: Let's Make Fixing Our Mental Health System A Priority,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Speaker Paul Ryan: Let's Make Fixing Our Mental Health System A Priority f t # e Washington, December 3, 2015 At a press conference today, Speaker Ryan took a moment to express his condolences to the families of the victims of the recent shooting in Colorado Springs. Clearly we can do more, he added, calling for a renewed focus on fixing the nations mental health system. Here are his full comments: I also want to express my condolences to the families of the victims of Fridays shooting in Colorado Springs. What happened is appalling, and justice should be swift. Clearly we can do more. And one common denominator in these tragedies is mental illness. Thats why we need to look at fixing our nations mental health system. An exampleTim Murphy, congressman from Pennsylvania, has a bill that is working its way through the Energy and Commerce Committee. Im sure that members of both parties have lots of ideas in this area, but we should make this a priority to prevent violence and protect our citizens. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1426,Updating American Energy Laws,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn voted in favor of H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act. ""H.R. 8 is an important piece of legislation that will allow us to fully harness the positive impacts of the ongoing American energy revolution. It will also help create an environment for more American jobs and greater energy exports to our allies."" - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) More Information (Courtesy of the Energy and Commerce Committee) H.R. 8 is a broad energy bill that seeks to maximize Americas energy potential. The legislation seeks to update and modernize outdated policies rooted in an era of energy scarcity to reflect todays era of energy abundance, and make our energy infrastructure more resilient and create jobs. Modernizing Energy Infrastructure The United States has undergone an energy renaissance driven by newly discovered resources, technological innovation and our skilled workforce. The U.S. is now the worlds leading energy producer, but our pipelines and electric grid havent kept pace with the rapid transition. The private sector is eager to invest in new projects to put people to work, but there is simply too much government red tape slowing down the siting and permitting process. Likewise, our electricity sector is constantly evolving in the light of new challenges, such as changing markets, costly environmental regulations, and increasing grid security threats. H.R. 8 focuses on the transmission, distribution, and storage of energy to ensure we have the necessary infrastructure to meet todays modern energy challenges. Protecting the Electricity System Ensuring the electric grid is secure, resilient, and reliable is another top priority of H.R. 8. Changing market dynamics, a barrage of regulations, and external threats have created new energy security and reliability challenges. Disruptions in the delivery of electricity have far-reaching economic and public health impacts. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that power outages cost Americans at least $150 billion annually. The legislation seeks to meet todays energy reliability and security challenges through enhanced emergency preparedness and utilization of advanced technologies to address threats to the electricity system, including physical and cyber-attacks, electromagnetic pulse, geomagnetic disturbances, severe weather, and seismic events. Strengthening Energy Security and Diplomacy As the worlds leading producer of petroleum and natural gas, the U.S. is a world energy superpower. With this position comes new opportunities and diplomatic responsibilities. Americas energy abundance should be used to strengthen our energy security while also supporting our allies in their quest for affordable and reliable energy. H.R. 8 takes important steps by strengthening partnerships with our allies and reforming the approval process for energy exports. Improving Energy Efficiency and Government Accountability New technologies have the potential to save money and reduce energy use, yet government roadblocks stand in the way. H.R. 8 promotes simple and affordable methods to address energy demand and lower electric bills. It also seeks to reduce government waste and prioritize budget dollars in existing programs, as well as provide important regulatory relief for U.S. manufacturers from burdensome federal efficiency mandates.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/buck-votes-improve-energy-security,Buck Votes to Improve Energy Security,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Ken Buck,B001297,buck.house.gov,,,legacy,"For Immediate Release Contact: Kyle Huwa, 202-225-4676 Washington, D.C. Congressman Ken Buck voted today for the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015. This important legislation impacts energy accessibility and production in the United States, rolling back government regulation so that America can modernize its energy infrastructure and strengthen its energy security. The bill lifts the crude oil export ban, reforms the permitting process for energy projects, and improves the approval process for energy exports. After many months of calling for legislation to lift the crude oil export ban, Im thankful the House passed this bill, Congressman Ken Buck stated. In an increasingly volatile world, securing Americas energy infrastructure should be a top priority. The North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015 will now go to the U.S. Senate for consideration. Rep. Ken Buck (CO-04) is the Freshman Class President. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He serves on the OGR Subcommittees on Government Operations and the Interior and is a member of the Judiciary Subcommittees on Immigration and Border Security and Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. Follow him onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ken-buck-votes-return-transportation-decisions-states,Ken Buck Votes to Return Transportation Decisions to States,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,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 voted to support local transportation decisions in the conference report on H.R. 22, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 (FAST Act). This legislation increases surface transportation spending levels beyond the bills passed in both the House and Senate, blowing past Highway Trust Fund expected revenue by $70 billion. Further, Highway Trust Fund dollars are still used on non-highway projects. Funding for the bill is achieved through budget gimmicks, including another raiding of Americas Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Additionally, the legislation includes a reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, a crony-capitalist government financing program. With the FAST Act, Washington, D.C. voted to continue its tight-grip on transportation spending in America, Congressman Ken Buck stated. I trust the commissioners in the 4th Congressional District to build a better, cheaper road than bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Rep. Ken Buck (CO-04) is the Freshman Class President. He serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He serves on the OGR Subcommittees on Government Operations and the Interior and is a member of the Judiciary Subcommittees on Immigration and Border Security and Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations. Follow him onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://perlmutter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1266,Perlmutter Supports Long-Term Surface Transportation Bill,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Ed Perlmutter,P000593,perlmutter.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) voted to support the bipartisan conference report on H.R. 22, Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act which included reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. In addition, Rep. Perlmutter authored two provisions included in H.R. 22 to benefit the people of the 7th Congressional District. I'm pleased Congress worked together to achieve the first long-term surface transportation bill in ten years. This bipartisan legislation will provide $281 billion in guaranteed funding for highway, transit and transportation safety programs over the next five years, including more than $3.4 billion in direct highway and transit formula funds for Colorado. This will provide certainty to help create jobs, repair our aging infrastructure, improve public transit, and strengthen oureconomy. In addition, reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank will help promote exports by U.S. companies including at least 18 small businesses in my district and support more than 160,000 U.S. jobs. I'm also pleased that H.R. 22 includes two provisions I authored which will have tangible benefits for the people of the 7th Congressional District. One measure will help ease the regulatory requirements placed on housing authorities and their tenants while still ensuring accountability, while the other measure will work to update and modernize train horn requirements to provide communities flexibility and keep the public safe. H.R. 22 includes two provisions Rep. Perlmutter introduced to benefit the people of the 7th Congressional District: In March 2015, Rep. Perlmutter introduced H.R. 233, the Tenant Income Verification Relief Act to allow tenants on a fixed income have their income certified and/or verified once every three years rather than annually.The legislation helps streamline and reduce the burdens placed on tenants for purposes of determining their eligibility for certain Federal assistance housing programs, including seniors and other individuals and families who consistently maintain a fixed income. The legislation could also incentivize more privately-owned housing operators to accept vouchers, since the stock of public housing continues to face fiscal pressures providing tenants more flexibility and choice. In March 2015, Rep. Perlmutter introduced a measure to evaluate the effectiveness of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) 2005 rule on the use of locomotive horns at rail crossings. The measure requires the Government Accountability Office to study the train horn rule to improve public safety by providing communities flexibility to establish Quiet Zones, as well as modernize regulations to allow flexibility for new technologies and innovations. This is an important issue for constituents who feel train horn noise is a nuisance and stifles economic development and can help communities invest in additional safety measures at railway crossings. Last year, Rep. Perlmutter successfully advocated for the establishment of a new Quiet Zone in Commerce City.Earlier this year, the City of Arvada also recently announced four planned railway-crossing improvements to establish Quiet Zones. Lastly, the conference committee report included a requirement for states to study their automated traffic enforcement systems and report on their transparency, accountability and safety attributes.This provision is a result of increased scrutiny on the use of photo red light and photo radar systems after Rep. Perlmutter introduced H.R. 950, the Prohibiting Automated Traffic Enforcement Act. Rep. Perlmutter looks forward to these studies to better inform Congress and the states on the excessive use of these devices. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=01A08684-A1F4-1062-363F-F91CF16D2CC9,Bennet: Congress Should Quickly Pass Long-Term Transportation Bill that Finally Provides Certainty,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today called on Congress to quickly pass the five-year surface transportation bill agreed upon by House and Senate leaders this week. The bill increases funding to states for highway and transit projects over the five-year authorization. ""For more than a decade, Congress has been stuck in neutral when it comes to passing a long-term bill to fund our highways and transit systems, only managing to pass dozens of short-term extensions,"" Bennet said. ""This bill gives Colorado communities the benefit of five years of certainty to maintain our roads and bridges and begin construction on new projects to support our growing economy. It will help complete crucial projects around the state, including the expansion of I-25 through Fort Collins and the Southeast Rail Line extension. ""While this bill funds our transportation needs for five years, it does not address the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. Congress needs to use this time to come up with a realistic solution that will help us build and maintain the infrastructure needed to be competitive in the 21st century global economy,"" Bennet added. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=6A3FB1C8-AD65-769B-D9C2-9A819887D27C,Bennet Statement on DOD Announcement that All Combat Positions will be Open to Women,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement following Department of Defense Secretary Ash Carter's announcement that all combat positions will be open to women: ""The Pentagon's announcement is a welcome acknowledgment that women have earned the right to serve in any military role they are qualified to perform. It's encouraging the Pentagon has recognized both the contributions women in uniform have been making for years and their potential to make an even greater difference to our country's safety and security. Today's announcement will make both our military and nation stronger."" # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=8985C2E6-F584-CD6D-78D6-AD281BF55E72,Pentagon to Begin Investigation into Potential Wrongful Discharges of Servicemembers with Mental Health Diagnoses,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - The U.S. Army is responding to a request from Senator Michael Bennet to conduct an investigation into recent allegations that the Army wrongfully discharged soldiers for misconduct who had been diagnosed with mental health issues after returning from deployment. Army Secretary Erik K. Fanning announced that he has instructed senior Army leaders, including the Inspector General of the Army and the Auditor General of the Army, to thoroughly review the issues raised by Bennet and 11 other senators. ""We've heard serious concerns that soldiers have been wrongfully discharged for actions related to their behavioral health diagnoses,"" Bennet said. ""We're glad this investigation will move forward so we can learn more facts. Our brave men and women in uniform sacrifice so much in service to our country, and we need to ensure they are treated fairly and receive the quality care they need."" In November, Bennet urged the Army investigate allegations that since 2009, it has separated more than 22,000 soldiers who have been diagnosed with mental health problems or Traumatic Brain Injury. A joint investigation by National Public Radio and Colorado Public Radio reported that the U.S. Army has discharged tens of thousands of servicemembers previously diagnosed with mental health disorders or TBI. In December of 2014, Bennet passed a bill requiring the Government Accountability Office to study whether service members are being discharged for conduct related to Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), or other mental health diagnoses. The report also evaluates whether protocols, training, counseling, and treatments are in place relating to recognize and address mental health issues. The bill stemmed from concerns brought to him by Colorado veterans, including some members of his Veterans Working Group, who believed some service members may be receiving less than Honorable discharges due to behavior related to mental trauma, such as PTS. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=F866D9B4-89F7-7CC7-A86C-3FB6787D06F3,Bennet Introduces Amendment to Improve Veterans Access to Health Care,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today introduced an amendment to improve access to care for veterans across the United States. The amendment provides funding to hire more doctors, nurses, social workers, and mental health professionals for facilities that serve our veterans like the one being constructed in Aurora. It will also help improve VA medical facilities that need upgrades and minor construction improvements. ""In Colorado, our VA system has been plagued by long wait times. Across the state, we have a shortage of physicians, nurses, and mental health professionals, particularly in our most rural areas such as the San Luis Valley,"" Bennet said. ""We also know all too well in Colorado we need much more accountability within the VA and our office will continue to work to improve the horrendous bureaucracy that has plagued access to quality care. As we fight for that accountability, we owe it to the hundreds of thousands of veterans in Colorado and the 22 million across the country to provide the best care we can offer."" # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-ensures-highway-bill-reflects-colorado-priorities,Gardner Ensures Highway Bill Reflects Colorado Priorities,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement today following his vote in favor of the Highway Bill passed by the Senate: This Highway Bill is the result of hard work from members of both parties in the House and the Senate. It gives states and local communities five years of certainty in planning transportation projects, allowing them to save money through longer-term budgeting. I'm proud that I was able to secure several provisions in the Highway Bill that are especially relevant to Colorado and will help ensure that our priorities are a part of national transportation policy. Colorado is growing fast, and it's absolutely critical that our infrastructure keeps up with that growth. Among the provisions Senator Gardner secured in the Highway Bill were: Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Improvements Three major Colorado road projects were under threat of not moving forward with construction as the result of changes that were initially considered to the TIFIA program as the bill was being drafted. Senator Gardner worked with members in both parties to make changes improving the program, and ensure that the three Colorado road projects would be able to use the program and move forward with construction. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has plans for the construction of three major projects: C470 Express Lanes, Interstate 70 East of Denver, and, critically, North Interstate 25 expansion. TIFIA could be used as a financing mechanism for construction of these projects. Population Growth Consideration The bill included the creation of a new grant program: the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects (NSFHP) program. Senator Gardner included a change to the NSHFP program which would require the Department of Transportation to consider the impact of population growth when awarding the authorized grants. The language will assist Colorado, one of the fastest growing states in the nation, in getting funding to improve corridors that congested by rapid population growth, including Interstate 25 North of Denver. Surface Transportation Block Grant Program The bill converts the Surface Transportation Program (STP) into a new block grant program that will give more flexibility to localities to use transportation funds the way they see fit. During consideration of the House version of the bill, language was included that could have prohibited localities from using STP dollars for transit projects most notably Denver Regional Transportation District. Senator Gardner pressed the highway bill conferees to include language that lets localities use these funds in a way that will best serve their community, giving more flexibility to Colorado communities to manage their infrastructure. Intelligent Transportation Systems The base text of the bill included language establishing a new grant program for the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems. Senator Gardner worked with CDOT to improve the program by focusing on vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure technologies. CDOT would like to initiate a pilot program to test the feasibility of these technologies on both Interstate 70 and Interstate 25 to better manage traffic. Train Noise The bill includes language requested by Senator Gardner requiring the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the effectiveness of the 2006 Federal Railroad Administration's rule on train horns are highway-grade crossings. An independent study could help find potential ways to improve the rule for communities impacted by train noise. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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-highlights-obamacares-broken-promises-,Gardner Highlights Obamacares Broken Promises,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Click here to view Senator Gardner's Floor Speech Washington, DC In a speech this week on the Senate floor, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) laid out the broken promises of Obamacare and how the law is continuing to be a burden to Colorado families and businesses. When Obamacare was passed, Coloradans were made three major promises. First, that if they liked their plans, they could keep them. Second, that the new law would reduce healthcare costs for families, businesses, and government. And third, that Obamacare CO-OPs would create more competition in the marketplace. All three of these promises were broken. Coloradans have had to bear the consequences. A transcript of the Senator's remarks is below: Mr. President, I come to the Senate floor today to talk about the broken promises of ObamaCare and the negative impacts that this poorly written law have had on my State of Colorado. While there have been many broken promises of ObamaCare, there have been three major broken promises that are the center of focus for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans. I want to start with broken promise No. 1. If you liked your plan, you can keep it. The President said over 35 times that Americans shouldn't worry about ObamaCare because if you liked your plan, then you could keep it. And it wasn't just the President; time after time, supporters of ObamaCare came to the floor of the House or the Senate or before townhalls in their States or districts and repeated those words: If you liked your plan, you can keep it. In fact, these words were used to justify the reason they supported ObamaCare in the first place. But Coloradans quickly learned that this promise was far from the truth. In late 2013, roughly 335,000 insurance policies in Colorado were canceled because of ObamaCare. These cancellations also affected my family health care plan. Unfortunately, the cancellations in 2013 were just the very beginning. In January of 2014, the Colorado Division of Insurance canceled an additional 249,000 plans because these plans didn't meet the requirements of ObamaCare. The President said: If you liked your plan, you can keep it. Supporters in Congress said: If you liked your plan, you can keep it. But what he meant was, as long as the government approves of your plan, then you can keep it. Again in 2015, an additional 190,000 plans were canceled. In total, according to the Congressional Research Service, over 750,000 health insurance perhaps plans in Colorado were canceled between 2013 and 2015. The fact-checking organization PolitiFact said this promise was ``impossible to keep'' and went on to deem President Obama's promise that if you like your health care plan, you can keep it the ``Lie of the Year'' for 2013. Supporters of ObamaCare will tell you that well it's OK that this happened because these 750,000 individuals must have had inferior health insurance and that the government knows best. You see, that is the exact problem with government. That is the arrogance of government and the arrogance of ObamaCare--that people in the government, bureaucrats, others, believe they know better for the American consumers what the American consumer believes is best for themselves. They believe it's OK to cancel 750,000 policies because they must have been bad, and so go ahead and cancel it. They will also say that it is all right because there are additional plans they can choose from. But that wasn't the promise of ObamaCare. Broken promise No. 1: If you like your health care plan, you can keep it. Broken promise No. 2: ObamaCare will reduce the costs for families, businesses, and our government. Remember, when ObamaCare was passed, they said the additional family would save $2,500 a year relatively soon after its passage. Unfortunately, Coloradans have felt that broken promise as well. It's a broken promise that hit their pocketbooks and has broken the bank as well. Take for example, the Western Slope of Colorado, and I have a chart here. According to the Colorado Division of Insurance, individual insurance premiums for 2016 on the Western Slope of Colorado will rise by an additional average of 25.8 percent. There are people across America who are familiar with Colorado's Western Slope. These are our incredible mountain vistas, our forests, our national parks, our ski resorts. They received a 25.8-percent increase in their health care costs this year. That's far from the promise of lowering the health care costs that ObamaCare was passed with. No one can afford these high prices. In fact, in 2013 one of my Democratic colleagues in the Colorado delegation even tried to exempt one of the wealthiest counties in Colorado from ObamaCare, citing that health insurance premiums would be too expensive. Let me say that again. A Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a Democrat, tried to exempt portions of his district from ObamaCare because it was making his constituents pay too much for their insurance. Here's the quote: We will be encouraging a waiver. It will be difficult for Summit County residents to become insured. For the vast majority, it's too high a price to pay. ObamaCare has simply made it more costly whether you are living on the Eastern Plains, Fort Collins, or the Western Slope. Plans are getting more expensive, and promises are being broken. Broken promise No. 3: President Obama promised greater competition in the marketplace through consumer-run co-ops. Yet over 80,000 Coloradans are feeling the impacts of this broken promise. To date, 12 out of 23 co-ops created by ObamaCare have been shut down across the United States, including the co-op in Colorado, which failed in October of this year. Nationwide, the failed co-ops were loaned over $1 billion, $1 billion which came from the hard-working taxpayers of this country. That was supposed to help get these co-ops off the ground, but now with these failures, that taxpayer money is at risk of never being paid back to the people of this country, and has put the ObamaCare allowed policies to be offered that were never actuarially sound because they assumed that there would be a government bailout, a bailout by the government to help make them actuarially sound. So banking on a bailout, they sold the American people a bill of goods. But today we have a path forward, a path forward that is turning away from the failed health care law that has been built on broken promises. The first step of this path forward is to repeal ObamaCare, and I urge my colleagues to support the repeal of ObamaCare that we will be voting on this week. Repealing ObamaCare will clear the way for a replacement plan, putting our country's health care on the right track. First, we have to restore the ability for individuals to choose for themselves what's best instead of big government, what's best for themselves. Coloradans don't want Dr. Congress. They want to keep the doctor they were promised they could keep in the first place. The best way to do this is to ensure that people get to keep the health plans that they want, and that is why I am working with SenatorRon Johnsonfrom Wisconsin on his amendment that simply says that if you like your health care plan, you can keep it. In Colorado, I've heard from countless individuals who lost their plans, plans they liked and wanted to keep. They were certainly promised they could keep them, and just because ObamaCare can't fulfill the promise that it was sold under doesn't mean that we shouldn't do our jobs to make that promise a reality. The amendment that SenatorJohnsonand I have offered would allow individuals to continue receiving health coverage on plans that would otherwise be canceled because of ObamaCare. Second, we must ensure that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. I filed an amendment that will help recover taxpayer money that was loaned to the failed co-ops. More than $1 billion in Federal loans were awarded to these failed co-ops. Congress has a duty to spend taxpayer dollars responsibly, and this amendment will ensure just that. Lastly, we must make sure that individuals have certainty in the health coverage they choose. My final amendment will make certain that co-ops can't rely on bailouts when they are calculating insurance premiums, setting false expectations for consumers. Several co-ops counted on these bailout provisions to keep premiums artificially low. Because these premiums were artificially low and since many co-ops were planning on receiving the bailout, many could no longer cover their expenses. Allowing co-ops to rely on a bailout was irresponsible and has resulted in nearly 700,000 individuals nationwide whose health coverage is now uncertain. So it's time to act. It's time to take that path forward. It's time to repeal ObamaCare, which is simply one big broken promise after another. This path to repeal ObamaCare will allow us to replace ObamaCare with less health care regulation for businesses, individuals. And a path forward for individual freedoms and a more prosperous America. Mr. President,I yield back my time. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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-urges-supreme-court-to-allow-expanded-school-choice,Gardner Urges Supreme Court to Allow Expanded School Choice,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) announced today that he has submitted an amicus curiae brief to the United States Supreme Court in support of the Douglas County School District. The District is appealing a ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that would prevent parents in Douglas County from sending their child to a religious school through the Choice Scholarship Program (CSP), which empowers parents to choose the right school for their kids. The CSP gives scholarships worth up to 75% of the state per-pupil revenue received by the district to eligible families wishing to enroll their child in a private school, thereby offering parents more choice while saving taxpayer money. The CSP is designed to assist students, and does not favor any particular kind of school so long as those schools meet specific standards. Offering parents more control over where their children go to school is good for students, good for schools, and good for the State of Colorado, Gardner said. I've worked towards expanding school choice throughout my entire career in public service because it's the right thing to do for kids, and I'm proud to stand with the Douglas County School District as it takes its case to the United States Supreme Court. Parents deserve the choice to send their children to the school that's best for them. I hope that my briefmoves the Justices toward a decision that puts students first, allowing this innovative scholarship program to continue benefiting the students of Colorado and paving the way for more school choice nationwide. You can read Senator Gardner's full brief to the Supreme Court here. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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-to-repeal-obamacare,Gardner Votes To Repeal Obamacare,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement today after voting to repeal Obamacare in the United State Senate: As I travel throughout Colorado, I continue to hear about Obamacare's devastating impact. Whether it's a family on the Western Slope who saw their premiums shoot through the roof, or a business owner in the San Luis Valley who would like to hire and expand but can't afford to due to the law's mandates, Coloradans are suffering from Obamacare's broken promises. The Obama Administration promised Americans that this law would bring down costs, expand choices, and allow them to keep the plans and doctors they liked. Instead, more than five years after the law passed, thousands in our state have faced huge premium increases, reductions in benefits, and the cancellation of their plans. Obamacare added billions in government spending and raised taxes on millions of Americans, but we have precious little to show for it. Even the healthcare CO-OP established in Colorado by Obamacare has collapsed, taking millions in taxpayer loans with it and causing thousands to lose coverage. It's time for a new approach, one that is patient-centered and focuses on reducing costs and increasing choices. Coloradans have endured massive increases in health care costs. In October, the Denver Business Journal reported that individual health insurance costs are rising steeply, while KJCT8 in Grand Junction reported that rates for some people could increase by as much as 30%. The Durango Herald reported that the Western Slope was hit especially hard, with rates up by an average of 26% in the individual market. And Colorado Public Radio reported that 82% of business owners in Colorado cited health insurance rates as their top concern about 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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 http://degette.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/house-democrats-seek-to-disband-planned-parenthood-investigative-panel,House Democrats seek to disband Planned Parenthood investigative panel,2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Diana DeGette,D000197,degette.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Pointing to Friday's shooting in Colorado Springs, congressional Democrats on Tuesday urged Republican leaders to disband a panel created just weeks ago to investigate Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. In a press conference attended by the six U.S. House Democrats assigned to the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives, the lawmakers drew a line between the rhetoric used by anti-abortion legislators and Friday's attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, in which three people were killed and 12 injured. ""Since July, the phrase 'baby parts' or similar phrases have been used by the eight (Republican) member of this committee just those eight members 33 times,"" said Diana DeGette of Denver, one of the Democrats on the panel. ""And isn't it interesting that this lone shooter used that same phrase,"" DeGette said. DOCUMENT: Read the House Democrats letter to Speaker Ryan. Authorities have not said publicly that the issue of abortion was what motivated accused killer Robert Lewis Dear, but a law enforcement official has been widely quoted as saying the suspect said ""no more baby parts"" following his arrest. Republican lawmakers did not immediately respond to the Democratic calls to dissolve the committee, though the chair of the select panel U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., previously has defended its creation and criticized opponents for ""playing politics"" with the killings in Colorado Springs. ""We are focused on a fact-finding mission into abortion practices and fetal tissue procurement and the relationship between the two businesses,"" said Blackburn in a statement. The latest criticism builds on weeks of condemnation by Democrats. When Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi named the six Democrats to the panel last month she referred to it as the ""Select Committee to Attack Women's Health."" Its creation has its roots in several covert videos released this summer by the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group. The videos including one filmed in Colorado show Planned Parenthood officials talking about a controversial practice in which fetal tissue is collected for medical research. Abortion providers cannot profit from the exchange but they can receive compensation for the procedure. The videos rekindled the debate on abortion, with opponents calling it nothing more than the sale of baby parts and supporters defending the practice as useful for life-saving research. Afterward, the U.S. House held at least three hearings on the topic which included a focus on the roughly $500 million that Planned Parenthood receives annually in government funding. ""At my request, three House committees have been investigating the abortion business, but we still don't have the full truth,"" said then-House Speaker John Boehner when the panel was announced in late October. ""Chairman Blackburn and our members will have the resources and the subpoena power to get to the bottom of these horrific practices, and build on our work to protect the sanctity of all human life."" The reality, however, is this fight is almost certain to end in a legislative draw. With a Democrat in the White House and Republicans in control of Congress, there's little chance either party will advance their agenda, especially since the panel is stacked with stalwarts on both sides of the abortion debate. This circumstance, coupled with the fact that the House already has held hearings on Planned Parenthood, has led to questions as to why panel was created in the first place in part because Blackburn has said there is no guarantee the committee will either produce legislation or hold a public hearing. Yet one congressional expert said it's a set-up where both parties, as well as their allies, could benefit through cash, attention or both. ""These things are certainly used to attract money,"" said Worth Hester of the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. Less cynically, he added, is that lawmakers can use the panel to influence the abortion debate long-term, however incrementally. Given Congress' longstanding gridlock, work on Capitol Hill often is less about scoring and more about ""moving the ball down the field in the right direction from your perspective,"" he said. The very existence of the Planned Parenthood committee itself is an anomaly. Rarely has Congress gone the route of creating a select committee or panel. Previous examples include the Watergate committee that investigated former President Richard Nixon and the so-called Truman committee, headed by then U.S. Sen. Harry Truman, that looked at military spending during World War II. More recently, the House has used the procedure to take a look at climate change (2007) and the deadly attack on Americans in Benghazi (2014). ""Certainly all select committees are not created equal,"" said Steve Ellis, of the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense. ""If you are going to have a select committee, the bar has to be pretty high,"" said Ellis, who noted they can cost millions of dollars. The furor over Planned Parenthood came to a head this fall just as lawmakers were negotiating a major budget deal. With social conservatives threatening to block any budget that included federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which could have led to a government shutdown, Boehner created the panel, put Blackburn in charge and named seven Republicans to fill the remaining GOP seats. All the GOP members have received a 100 percent rating from National Right to Life in this session of Congress and like their Democratic colleagues the lawmakers collectively have benefited from the support of special-interest groups involved in the abortion debate. Asked about her goals for the panel, Blackburn said she would focus first on research. As for legislation, Blackburn said it was too early to think about that step. ""It would be inappropriate to predetermine what we're going to find or what we think needs to be done,"" she added. She was similarly circumspect about whether she planned to hold a public hearing. ""If we need one, we'll do it,"" Blackburn said. The panel has been given a budget of $300,000 to start; this use of taxpayer money is one place where Democrats and their allies have concentrated their fire. Already there is talk among Democrats of creating an online budget calculator to show how much it will cost a move similar to what they have done with the select committee on Benghazi, which they see as a political attack on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ""The purpose of that (committee) was just politics,"" DeGette said. ""And this committee is the same way."" The Benghazi committee so far has cost taxpayers more than $5 million, according Democrats involved with that panel. In a counterpoint, an aide to Blackburn noted the global warming committee created by Democrats cost nearly $8 million. In spite of Democratic protests over Benghazi, both parties have sought to raise money off that investigation. The National Republican Congressional Committee took heat last year for encouraging potential donors to become Benghazi watchdogs. Democrats have used the Benghazi committee to fire-up the base as well; a spokeswoman for the Clinton campaign said in October that the campaign had its best hour of fundraising within a day of her appearance before the panel. It remains to be seen what effect the Planned Parenthood committee has on fundraising though special-interest groups involved in the abortion debate tried to use it as a way to raise money before the Colorado Springs shooting; the lawmakers involved have a history of receiving financial support from these organizations as well. That includes Mia Love of Utah and Vicky Hartzler of Missouri, who were supported last year through independent expenditures by the Susan B. Anthony List, an anti-abortion group. These buys were for $16,490 and $12,180 respectively, according to the Center for Responsive Politics two small pieces of the nearly $746,000 in independent expenditures that the Susan B. Anthony List used for Republicans or against Democrats in the 2014 election cycle. In a Nov. 23 e-mail, officials with Susan B. Anthony List mentioned the panel as part of its fundraising pitch: ""Pro-life women like Reps. Marsha Blackburn and Diane Black (are) leading the charge to expose Planned Parenthood as a part of the new congressional Panel on Infant Lives."" For its part, Planned Parenthood spent more than $6 million on federal elections in 2014, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That includes a $4,000 in donations that year to DeGette and $3,830 for the panel's top Democrat, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois. Schakowsky's campaign recently highlighted her upcoming work in a fundraising e-mail. ""Can you contribute $5, $10, $25, $100 to help Jan stop the GOP from defunding Planned Parenthood?"" it noted. Asked how the Planned Parenthood committee might affect fundraising, DeGette instead pointed to Democratic opposition to its formation. ""Let's be really clear,"" said DeGette, who once served on the board of directors for Planned Parenthood in Colorado. ""My side opposed establishment of this select committee. This is not both sides saying we should have a select committee so we could cater to our base."" She said the potential lack of a public hearing was telling too, a sign perhaps that the only reason House leaders formed the committee was to ""mollify their far right so they could pass a budget."" Abortion rights groups are using the panel as a way to raise money as well. In a fundraising e-mail sent on Nov. 10, officials with NARAL Pro-Choice America made a comparison to the Benghazi committee as part of its appeal to donors. ""Anti-choice politicians are obsessed with restricting abortion access by any means necessary. That's why the House voted to create a special Benghazi-style committee to attack and investigate Planned Parenthood despite how totally redundant that is,"" wrote Sasha Bruce of NARAL Pro-Choice America. She promised to keep supporters ""in the loop"" of the proceedings; an orange icon at the end of the e-mail encouraged recipients to ""donate now.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://degette.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/degette-in-huffington-post-the-relationship-between-political-and-public,DeGette in Huffington Post: the Relationship Between Political and Public Debates and Violence in Our Communities,2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Diana DeGette,D000197,degette.house.gov,,,legacy,"In a column published today in the Huffington Post, Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01) called for anti-choice activists and politicians to cease the use of vitriol that may have inspired last Fridays shootings at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs. Statements by the alleged shooter to law enforcement bear close resemblance to incendiary phrases pushed by lawmakers since this summer. I certainly do not think that my colleagues intended to condone or encourage violence. Still, the connection between the words used by both public officials and the alleged shooter is chilling, and it demands that we examine the vitriol used in debates about womens reproductive health, particularly coming from anti-choice activists, said Rep. DeGette. You can read the full piece at the link here and pasted below. Words Matter: the Relationship Between Political and Public Debates and Violence in Our Communities By Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01) As last Fridays attack at a Planned Parenthood facility unfolded, news reports showed a dangerous and chaotic situationone that sadly took the lives of KeArre Stewart, Jennifer Markovsky, and Officer Garrett Swasey and injured nine others. As I watched the now all-too-familiar reports, I feared this attack was connected to the controversy around Planned Parenthood that anti-choice groups created and promoted since this summer. Reports suggest that this was indeed the case, as the alleged shooter apparently made a comment about no more baby parts to law enforcement officials. That this attack was carried out at a Planned Parenthood facility is sadly unsurprising. This past September, the FBI reported increased threats to reproductive health care facilities. At the same time, an FBI Intelligence Assessment warned that attacks were ""consistent with the actions of lone offenders using tactics of arsons and threats all of which are typical of the pro-life extremist movement."" The report went on to caution that ""likely criminal or suspicious incidents will continue to be directed against reproductive health care providers, their staff and facilities. Just as this attack fits the profile of incidents about which the FBI warned, the alleged shooters words to law enforcement share a chilling similarity with those used by prominent anti-choice figures, including many of my colleagues in Congress. When he created a select panel after deceptively-edited videos tried to implicate Planned Parenthood in wrongdoing, former House Speaker John Boehner referenced the baby parts business. In fact, all of the Republican members of the select panel have made multiple public references to baby body parts or body parts. Since July of this year, Republicans on the select panel have used the calculated and provocative phrase at least 33 times. I certainly do not think that my colleagues intended to condone or encourage violence. Still, the connection between the words used by both public officials and the alleged shooter is chilling, and it demands that we examine the vitriol used in debates about womens reproductive health, particularly coming from anti-choice activists. Words matter, and people with sincere but conflicting opinions must be willing to engage and debate in ways that do not lead to the kinds of threats and violence that we now see directed towards womens reproductive health facilities. As someone who has worked on these issues for quite some time, I know that debates and discussions can be more meaningful, illuminating, and productive when we avoid the vitriol that leaves us investigating a crime scene, caring for nine injured shooting victims, and mourning the lives of three. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://buck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ken-buck-supports-local-control-over-education,Ken Buck Supports Local Control Over Education,2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Ken Buck,B001297,buck.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington is broken. Donors and insiders have too much influence, and too often backroom deals trip up good legislation. Political party has nothing to do with good governance, which is why Im proud to be joined by my friend, Rep. Kathleen Rice, and a bipartisan group of colleagues who all want a Congress that works for the people.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://perlmutter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1265,"Science, Space & Technology Committee Holds Live Downlink with Astronauts from International Space Station",2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Ed Perlmutter,P000593,perlmutter.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hosted a showcase of NASA research exhibits and a live communications downlink with the two astronauts currently aboard the International Space Station, Capt. Scott Kelly and Dr.Kjell Lindgren. Members had the opportunity to speak with the astronauts for about twenty minutes. They covered a range of topics such as, the challenges of long duration space travel, including the limitations of remote medical capabilities; the strength and interdependencies of the international partnership; the goal of sending humans to Mars; and the inspirational value of human spaceflight. During the hearing, Rep. Perlmutter thanked the Astronauts for their service to the nation and to the future, and asked them about the probability of getting astronauts to Mars by 2033. Thank you to NASA Astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren for spending time with the Science, Space and Technology Committee this morning, said Rep. Perlmutter. I've been pushing our Committee to support getting American astronauts to Mars by 2033, and I'm pleased Commander Kelly agrees this is an achievable goal worthy of the investment and support of our nation. To view the full conversation with Capt. Scott Kelly and Dr.Kjell Lindgren from the International Space Station, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKsrWvFpnOg&feature=youtu.be&t=55m22s For more information about the Science, Space and Technology Committee, visit http://democrats.science.house.gov. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://polis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397987,Sweeping K-12 education bill passes House,2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Jared Polis,P000598,polis.house.gov,,,legacy,"On a vote of 359-64, the House of Representatives just passed a bill that would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace the existing law known as No Child Left Behind. The bill will move states beyond the stringent, outdated policies of No Child Left Behind, help reduce the amount of testing in our nations schools, and give more decision-making power back to states and districts. House passage is one of the final steps in the process to update the nations most sweeping K-12 law, which hasnt been done since 2001. The bill now goes to the Senate, where a vote is expected next week, and if it passes that chamber, will be sent to the President to be signed into law. ""Todays passage is a huge milestone for improving our countrys public schools"" Polis said. Education is the single most powerful tool for creating opportunity and lifting people out of poverty. But our countrys current education policy, No Child Left Behind, while well-intentioned, has been failing our students by imposing a one-size-fits-all flawed accountability system on states. The Every Student Succeeds Act while not perfect represents principled compromise that will move our education system forward. It reduces the emphasis on testing, provides greater flexibility for state accountability systems, and maintains ESEAs original intent as a civil rights law first and foremost. ""The Every StudentSucceeds Act gives schools the flexibility they need to innovate and improve, but not the flexibility to do nothing and allow failing schools to continue to leave kids behind."" Tackling big challenges like fixing No Child Left Behind is exactly what our constituents sent us to Washington to do and Im proud to work across the aisle with my colleagues in the House to finally get this done, Polis added. As a senior member of the House Education Committee, Rep. Polis was one of seven House Democrats chosen earlier this month to serve on the conference committee charged with crafting the bill. The conference committee negotiated the final version of the bill after separate ones passed the House and Senate over the summer. The final bill includes several measures championed by Polis that reflect Colorado priorities, including: A dual-enrollment amendment Polis successfully offered in conference committee that allows federal funds currently devoted to English language learners to be used for dual or concurrent enrollment, a model that has been employed with widespread success across Colorado. A grant program for innovation and evidence-based learning based off a bill Polis re-introduced in February. This program has helped schools across the country, including St. Vrain Valley School District, which received a $3.6 million innovation grant in 2010 to expand programs for at-risk students in seven schools. Because of the innovation grant, St. Vrain was able to extend the school year at four elementary schools, target math students at risk of failing at two middle schools, and fully implement the STEM Academy at Skyline High School. A measure that allows federal funds to be used for open education resources, based off an amendment Polis successfully included in the House version of the bill. Several schools in Colorados second Congressional district are transitioning to one-to-one classrooms where each student has his or her own iPad or Chromebook and this bill would encourage effective ed tech programs like these. Polis led opposition to the initial House bill on the floor in February and fought for several changes needed to help schools pursue innovative learning models and ensure school districts were accountable to all students, regardless of their race or background. Polis has spent his career in public service fighting for a strong education system. He is the founder and former superintendent of New America School, a network of charter schools in Colorado and New Mexico, and hes the former chair of the Colorado Board of Education. He also co-founded the Academy of Urban Learning, a charter school in Denver.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=294B1FE7-64CD-2F06-5029-86F499324B25,"Houses Passes Final Bill to Overhaul K-12 Education, Bill Heads to Senate",2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauded House passage of a compromise bill to fix No Child Left Behind. Bennet is a member of the Senate's education committee and the conference committee that negotiated the final bill. The final language includes a number of provisions he secured during the initial drafting, the committee process, the Senate's debate, and the conference committee's final negotiations. The Senate is expected to vote next week to send the bill to the president's desk to be signed into law. ""Today's vote in the House brings us one step closer to ending No Child Left Behind's top-down, one-size-fits-all approach and re-empowering those closest to our kids to make decisions about their education,"" Bennet said. ""This bill represents meaningful progress to help our students, our teachers, and schools across Colorado. Passing this bill has been a long time coming, and it's encouraging we've been able to do it with overwhelming bipartisan support."" As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Bennet played a significant role in writing the Senate-passed bill. The final bill includes a number of provisions he secured based on input from Colorado, including: State-Driven Accountability Systems: Reducing the prescriptive, top-down approach of No Child Left Behind; re-empowering states to design accountability systems that maintain statewide annual testing requirements and break down data to identify achievement gaps; ensuring English learners are included in state accountability systems; and requiring states to at least identify the bottom five percent of low-performing schools and make necessary changes to improve achievement at these schools Improving Equity and Addressing Inequalities: Including provisions to promote equity, address inequities and help ensure high-need schools can attract and retain great teachers and leaders by improving their support systems; including a new reporting requirement to increase transparency on the resources schools receive and to identify inequities in funding; providing flexibility to spend federal funding on early childhood education; and provisions encouraging teacher leadership, residency programs, and improvements to district human capital systems Encouraging Innovation to Meet Challenges in Schools: Securing incentives for educators on the ground to apply their own creative thinking to address our most persistent education challenges; including funding for innovative practices to improve student achievement; revamping the Charter School Program; and allowing pay-for-success initiatives Supporting Rural Schools: Securing a package of provisions to better support schools in rural communities; providing technical assistance to rural school districts when applying for competitive federal grants; and clarifying that rural school districts or education service agencies, like a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), can join together and submit a single consolidated application for funding under ESEA # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=3ED0FEB3-1F36-81A4-8009-EB980EFF861F,"Bennet, Markey Introduce Bill to Protect Alaskas Arctic National Wildlife Refuge",2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) today introduced a bill with 32 other senators to designate the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness and protect the land from future development. The Coastal Plain represents 1.56 million acres of the 19.6 million-acre wildlife refuge. The introduction of the bill comes just days ahead of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the Arctic National Wildlife Range by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. ""Coloradans and Westerners take seriously the need to protect our nation's pristine landscapes - like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the Yosemite Valley in California, and the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado. Among other benefits, these lands drive a $700 billion outdoor recreation economy, a sector that includes a many Colorado-based companies,"" Bennet said. ""The Arctic Refuge in Alaska is one of these pristine landscapes. Sportsmen, birders, and outdoor enthusiasts from across the political spectrum have long supported protections for this iconic area. With this bill, supported by more than one-third of the Senate, we continue the proud bipartisan conservation tradition started over 50 years ago by President Eisenhower."" ""The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the natural wonders of America, worthy of the highest level of protection as wilderness. Its pristine landscape, ecological integrity, wildlife, recreational opportunities, and Alaska Native cultural and subsistence values are unmatched,"" Markey said. ""Action is long overdue to fully realize President Eishenhower's visionary action in first protecting the Arctic Refuge in 1960. The Coastal Plain is the biological heart of the Refuge, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues to pass legislation that would ensure full wilderness protection for the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge forever."" The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the largest unit in the National Wildlife Refuge System. In 1960, President Eisenhower established the original refuge, which comprised 8.9 million acres, as the Arctic National Wildlife Range. It was later expanded in 1980 to its current 19.6 million acres and renamed the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. However, the 1.56 million acres that make up the Coastal Plain were not protected in the Refuge's expansion. Oil and gas leasing on the Coastal Plain was prohibited absent authorization by Congress, but the area was not given a wilderness designation. The bill would designate the Coastal Plain as a wilderness area. The 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain represents a small fraction of the total acreage in Alaska and the Arctic Ocean open oil and gas development. It is considered the biological heart of the refuge, supporting more than 250 species, including caribou, polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, muskoxen, wolverines, and migratory birds. ""The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the crown jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge System, something that benefits sportsmen in Colorado and across the country,"" said Bill Dvorak, Colorado fishing and rafting guide, hunter, and public lands organizer with the National Wildlife Federation. ""A number of birds, including snow geese and sand hill cranes, breed in the Arctic Refuge and fly to or through the Arapaho and Monte Vista wildlife refuges and other parts of Colorado. We applaud Senators Bennet, Markey and others for stepping forward to protect this iconic landscape for future generations."" ""Senators Bennet and Markey are setting the right course to permanently protect the wonder of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and essence of wild it represents. Americans from all walks of life have long supported protecting this pristine wilderness,"" said Emily Norton, Director of Sierra Club Massachusetts. ""The Gwich'in Nation has been working tirelessly to protect The Sacred Place Where Life Begins' - the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, for over 25 years now. We are so grateful to Senators Bennet and Markey for showing bold leadership by introducing the Arctic Refuge Wilderness Bill and we hope that other Senators will see that protection of the Refuge is truly a moral choice for the United States,"" stated Bernadette Demientieff of the Gwich'in Steering Committee. ""We applaud Senators Michael Bennet and Ed Markey for continuing the tradition of congressional support for the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This bill would ensure that one of the most imperiled pieces of our natural heritage will be protected now and for future generations of Americans,"" said Cindy Shogan, Executive Director of Alaska Wilderness League. ""The Arctic Refuge is one of our most iconic landscapes and one of the last truly wild places in America. It's time to move beyond drilling and provide the strongest protections possible for this natural wonder."" Additional cosponsors of the bill include: Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Harry Reid (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Udall (D-NM), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Al Franken (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Gary Peters (D-MI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI). # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-introduces-bill-to-expand-access-to-care-telehealth-services,"Gardner Introduces Bill To Expand Access To Care, Telehealth Services",2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI) today introduced the Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act, legislation that would expand access to health care in rural areas by paving the way for Medicare to cover additional telehealth services. Currently, Medicare covers limited telehealth services, setting a poor industry standard, discouraging innovation, and restricting access to specialized services. The Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to allow eligible hospitals to test telehealth services through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMI). Additionally, it directs CMI to review and independently evaluate telehealth models for cost, effectiveness, and improvement in quality of care without increasing the cost of delivery. If the telehealth model meets this criteria, then the model will be covered through the greater Medicare program. People living in rural Colorado should have access to the same health care services as those living in urban areas, said Senator Gardner. ""Telemedicine has the power to increase access to specialized services in underserved communities, and potentially lower costs and improve patient outcomes. The Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act would pave the way for Medicare to expand coverage to additional telehealth services, and potentially provide those living with life-threatening conditions in rural America with more opportunities and more options to receive the care they need. At the same time, this legislation would incentivize the industry to develop cutting edge technology that could revolutionize health care delivery. As we work toward a health care system that lowers costs and increases choices for consumers, it is important that we advance commonsense legislation like the Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act to achieve those goals."" Telehealth has revolutionized healthcare, helping more patients receive life-saving treatment, and we must ensure that people living in rural areas have equal access to the care they need,said Senator Peters.I'm proud to join Senator Gardner in introducing this bipartisan, commonsense legislation that takes important steps to modernize Medicare, expand access to quality care for all seniors and improve patient outcomes. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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 http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1424,Congressman Lamborn Leads a Moment of Silence on the House Floor,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Lamborn Leads a Moment of Silence on the House Floor f t # e Washington, December 1, 2015 Today, Congressman Doug Lamborn, joined by the other members of the Colorado Delegation, took to the Floor of the House to lead a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the 11/27/15 shooting in Colorado Springs. Please click HERE to watch Congressman Lamborn's remarks f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/event/silverton-listening-session-congressman-scott-tipton,Silverton Listening Session with Congressman Scott Tipton,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-03) will hold a meeting in Silverton on Saturday, December 5th, to gather input from members of the Silverton community on potential options to cleanup abandoned mine contamination. Those options include Good Samaritan legislation, funding a water treatment facility, and an EPA Superfund designation. The meeting will last approximately one hour.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://tipton.house.gov/press-release/tipton-house-colleagues-push-affordable-electricity-americans,"Tipton, House Colleagues Push for Affordable Electricity for Americans",2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Scott Tipton,T000470,tipton.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONToday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two resolutions (S.J. Res. 23 and S.J. Res. 24) disapproving of the Obama Administrations regulations to stunt the responsible production of affordable and reliable energy. The House is also expected to vote this week on the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act (H.R. 8) which seeks to update outdated energy policies to meet Americas energy needs and encourage economic growth. This week, Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) spoke on the House floor in support of responsible coal production, citing its critical importance to providing a source of affordable and reliable electricity for Americans, and underscoring the significant impact it has on Colorados economy. It is no secret that American coal production and coal-fired electric generation meet with regulatory and legal obstacles at every turn. In 2008, the President famously outlined an energy vision in which he stated, If someone wants to build a coal-fired power plant, they can. Its just that it will bankrupt them. There is no ambiguity in that statement the Administration is certainly not seeking to encourage coal production. Indeed the opposite. The Environmental Protection Agency just finalized its so-called Clean Power Plan, a carbon emissions rule that will force states to submit complex plans to meet federally mandated emissions goals. The EPA estimates the annual cost of this rule to be anywhere from $5.5 billion to $8.8 billion annually[1], but other estimates are much higher ranging from $366 billion to $479 billion from 2017 to 2031[2]. Now, why is this important? Oftentimes when were talking about fees and taxes that will be applied, we assume that someone else gets to pay. The reality is that these costs are shouldered by hardworking Americans who will see their energy bills increase. They impact the most vulnerable people in our society including senior citizens on fixed incomes and low income families who will have to make tough decisions in their already tight household budgets just to heat their homes. In my own district in rural western Colorado, upwards of 500 coal mining jobs in Delta County - with wages and benefits exceeding $66 million - have already been lost, and more are threatened due to anti-coal lawsuits. Another 220 are threatened in Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties for the same reason. There is no shortage of examples such as these in coal-producing states. We need to be clear, as Americans, we want blue skies and clear streams and we have an opportunity to demonstrate that we can create a win-win with the technology that is in place. To see blue skies and a coal-fired power plant, then come to with me to Moffat County to visit Craig, Colorado. The Department of the Interior has also laughably announced it will be reviewing whether the public is receiving a fair return on coal production when it is the federal governments own policies, and the actions of its lawsuit-happy allies, that are actively suppressing the production of coal and its associated revenues. Proposing to raise the royalty rate which cuts in to the profitability of coal production and makes it less attractive to mine - while simultaneously pushing other policies like the Clean Power Plan that make coal less attractive as a power source will mean the death of the industry. Let us also not forget that royalties are only a portion of the revenues and benefits generated by responsible coal mining. There are bonus payments received at the time of lease, as companies seek to outbid one another for the development rights (again, higher demand will result in higher bonus payments), and there are annual rentals and other fees. State and local governments also accrue revenues through their own assessed taxes and fees on equipment and production, and the high wages of employees are most definitely a boon to local communities. All told, coal production contributes some $2.8 billion dollars to Colorados economy and provides 64% of its electricity. So while it is true that our energy portfolio is made stronger through diversity, coal can, does and must continue to fill a vital role in that equation. Responsible coal production provides a reliable fuel for baseload electrical generation. Its low cost equates to savings for the average American on their monthly energy bill (an especially critical consideration as I mentioned for lower income families, seniors, and others on fixed incomes), and its abundance domestically contributes toward American energy security. I look forward to robust debate on the floor this week as we continue to push for policies that will secure all-of-the-above American energy independence. Thank you Mr. Speaker and I yield back the balance of my time. 1 Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, 79 Fed. Reg. 117 (June 18, 2014). 2 Harrison, Jr., Dr. David and Dr. Anne E. Smith, Potential Energy Impacts of the EPA Proposed Clean Power Plan, NERA Economic Consulting (October 2014).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://perlmutter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1264,Perlmutter Recaps 2015 Activities in End of the Year Video,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Ed Perlmutter,P000593,perlmutter.house.gov,,,legacy,"Perlmutter Recaps 2015 Activities in End of the Year Video f t # e Lakewood, CO, December 1, 2015 LAKEWOOD, CO Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) released a video recapping his activities throughout 2015. The 2015: Year in Review video showcases Rep. Perlmutter's work on behalf of the people of the 7th Congressional District, including securing $148,686 in owed benefits and savings and $33 million in grants supporting organizations, research and jobs in the 7th District. The video also highlights a variety of events hosted by Rep. Perlmutter's office which attracted more than 18,900 constituents over the course of the year. Click below to see the full video. Rep. Perlmutter was first elected to represent the 7th Congressional District in Congress in 2006 and is currently serving in his fifth term. In the 114th Congress, Rep. Perlmutter is proud to serve on both the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and the Financial Services Committee. ### f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://polis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397988,Polis responds to House Judiciary Committee Hearing on His Email Privacy Act,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Jared Polis,P000598,polis.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) released the following statement today following the House Judiciary Committees hearing on H.R. 699, the Email Privacy Act, which would require the government to obtain a warrant before searching Americans emails. With 304 cosponsors, the bipartisan bill, which is sponsored by Polis and Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS), is the most popular legislation in Congress not to receive a vote on the House floor. Todays hearing reinforced the overwhelming support the Email Privacy Act has gained across the technology sector, among civil liberties advocates, and from lawmakers on all sides of the political spectrum. It simply makes no sense that our homes, cars, and mailboxes are protected from unwarranted government searches but the government can sift through our email inboxes with impunity. This morning we also heard from federal officials who are asking for special carve-outs that would allow federal agencies to continue to subpoena Americans private emails without a warrant based on probable cause. The far-reaching support for the Email Privacy Act as written both inside and outside Congress suggests that, save for a handful of government bureaucrats, there is no support for undermining the reforms in the bill in this way. Moreover, there is simply no constitutional basis for exempting digital correspondence from our privacy laws. The Email Privacy Act is a simple, bipartisan, and broadly popular way to protect Americans from warrantless government intrusion when they go online. The Judiciary Committee should favorably report this bill so that it can finally receive a vote on the House floor, where it will pass with overwhelming support from both parties. Because of a loophole included in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, the government is not required to get a warrant in order to access emails stored on third-party servers if the emails are older than 180 days. The Email Privacy Act eliminates that loophole and brings the protections afforded to Americans digital correspondence into alignment with the protections afforded to paper mail. Polis submitted written testimony to the Judiciary Committee at todays hearing, which read in part: There are some federal officials calling for special carve-outs and lower burdens of evidence in order to access Americans old emails. I urge the committee to resist these efforts to undermine the bill for several reasons. First, the sheer volume of support for this bill suggests that Americans and their representatives in Congress overwhelmingly support the legislation as written and do not believe electronic correspondence should be subject to a lower standard of evidence than physical documents when it comes to government searches. Second, the authors of ECPA clearly did not anticipate a future in which Americans have access to nearly unlimited storage space that allows us to store our emails on the cloud in perpetuity. In asking for a special carve-out from warrant requirements, these federal agencies are asking for broad new search authorities that would go far beyond the intent of the 1986 legislation and significantly undercut the intended reforms of the Email Privacy Act. Third, the federal officials asking for these broad new authorities have not put forward compelling evidence that the 180-days loophole has served a legitimate law-enforcement purpose. And finally, it is impossible to square a lower standard of evidence for emails older than 180 days with the Constitutions 4th amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=23305CF2-DB0B-9151-D35D-6D9D8ABB82A8,Bennet Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Security of Visa Waiver Program,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today joined a bipartisan group of senators led by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to introduce a bill to strengthen the security of the Visa Waiver Program to help prevent terrorists from entering the United States. ""Our visa waiver program contains vulnerabilities that terrorists and our enemies could exploit to enter this country. This bill addresses those security gaps. The House-passed refugee bill is inadequate to solve the problem. If we are serious about protecting our borders and keeping the country safe, we should strengthen the process where it is weak. We can protect our national security and maintain our American values,"" Bennet said. ""We should also enact the 2013 Senate-passed immigration bill that would significantly enhance border security and internal enforcement so we can tell who is in this country and who means to do us harm. That legislation includes a $40 billion investment to double the number of border agents, expand fencing, implement new technology and resources, and provide for full monitoring of our southern border."" The Visa Waiver Program Security Enhancement Act would improve the security of the Visa Waiver Program. It would: Require individuals who have traveled to Syria or Iraq in the past five years to acquire a traditional tourist visa instead of traveling without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. This process requires an in-person interview with an American consular official and the submission of the traveler's biometric information. Require travelers using the Visa Waiver Program to submit biometric information, in the form of fingerprints and a photograph, before they travel to the United States. Require all visa waiver travelers to use an electronic passport, which are more secure and harder to tamper with. Require increased intelligence-sharing between Visa Waiver Program countries and the United States. Security enhancements in the bill would be paid for by increasing the Visa Waiver traveler fee, which is currently $14. Only $4 supports Visa Waiver Program security. In comparison, the fee for a traditional tourist visa is $160. The bill is cosponsored by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Dan Coats (R-IN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Angus King (I-ME), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Addressing security gaps The bill would strengthen the Visa Waiver Program in the following ways: 1. Preventing foreign fighters from using the Visa Waiver Program: An estimated 5,000 European citizens have traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight. More than 1,500 of them are from France. If they return to their home countries, these individuals may be able travel to the United States without a visa. Legislative solution: Require individuals who have traveled to Syria and Iraq in the past five years to go through the traditional visa process, which includes an in-person interview, to come to the United States. 2. Requiring additional biometric information: In cases where the foreign national has never been to the United States before, U.S. law enforcement cannot run biometric information from that visa waiver program traveler against key databases in advance of the person's first arrival in the United States. Legislative solution: Require biometric data to be provided by a foreign national prior to travel to the United States using the Visa Waiver Program. 3. Requiring electronic passports for participation in the Visa Waiver Program: Although electronic passports with built-in chips carrying biometric data are now required to be issued by Visa Waiver Program countries, some existing designated countries are effectively allowed to phase-in this requirement over several years because older passports can remain valid. Legislative solution: Require all Visa Waiver Program travelers have electronic passports within 90 days of enactment. Only individuals with machine-readable passports may travel using the Visa Waiver Program. 4. Requiring additional information sharing between countries: Information-sharing with the United States is a means of protecting national security while allowing individuals to travel without a visa. Information-sharing must be improved to ensure threats are detected. Legislative solution: Improve information sharing by participating countries in the following ways: Require participation in the Visa Waiver Program be contingent on countries' full implementation of information-sharing agreements, including agreements on foreign terrorists and those who have committed crimes. Increase contribution to, and screening against, INTERPOL's lost and stolen documents database. Require DHS to consider a country's ability to collect, analyze and share passenger data concerning dangerous individuals. Improve biometric information sharing about, and screening of, refugees and asylum seekers. Require DHS to consider a country's ability to share information about foreign fighters with multiple countries and multilateral organizations, like INTERPOL. 5. Increasing security in the air: All Visa Waiver Program countries should have signed federal air marshal agreements, which provide legal protection to air marshals in situations where they need to take action. Legislative solution: Require completion of a federal air marshal agreement. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=8B592E0F-53D2-38FB-0B81-471BEB1112FD,House Passes Bennet-Backed Rural Water Bill,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauded the passage of the Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill-passed unanimously by the Senate in June - will help small and rural communities comply with safe drinking water regulations. Bennet helped introduce the bill earlier this year with Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND). It now heads to the White House to be signed into law. ""In their efforts to provide clean drinking water to Coloradans, rural water providers often don't have access to the tools and resources needed to comply with drinking water regulations,"" Bennet said. ""This bill ensures that technical assistance and training is available to help these providers find the support they need and provide clean drinking water for Colorado families."" The bipartisan bill reauthorizes the Safe Drinking Water Act's technical assistance and training provisions for $15 million per year over the next six years - the same as was previously authorized - to assist small and rural public water systems in complying with drinking water standards. More than 50,000 small and rural communities, comprising more than 90 percent of the drinking water supplies in the country, are responsible for providing safe, clean water to their citizens. The Environmental Protection Agency's technical assistance and training programs assist these communities in securing the necessary technical expertise to improve and protect their water resources. Colorado has approximately 2,200 small rural water systems, and the Colorado Rural Water Association has provided technical assistance through this program to more than half of them. The last authorization of the bill expired in 2004. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=F6B3734A-9AF6-6B40-D397-70142D9E0B26,Bennet Remembers Victims of Colorado Springs Shooting,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bennet Remembers Victims of Colorado Springs Shooting December 01, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-amendments-included-in-conference-agreement-to-strengthen-childhood-education,Gardner Amendments Included in Conference Agreement to Strengthen Childhood Education,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) announced today that the House-Senate conference committee reached an agreement on legislation to overhaul the No Child Left Behind Act, andincluded amendments he introduced to strengthen and improve childhood education. The conference committee,which was tasked with reaching a compromise between the Senate-passed Every ChildAchievesAct and the House-passed Student Success Act,has referred its proposal to the House and the Senate to receive a vote before it is sent to President Obama to be signed into law. I'm pleased the House-Senate conference committee reached an agreement swiftly and included provisions I authored that will not only benefit students in Colorado, but throughout the country, said Gardner. A bipartisan compromise, the legislation represents a significant step forward toward removing Congress from the classroom and updating federal education policy to refocus on students, the very people it was designed to help succeed. I look forward to this legislation moving through the legislative process, and I applaud the conference committee for producing an agreement that members from both sides of the aisle can support. It's time we return responsibility to the states and empower those who know how to best ensure student's thrive in the classroom: school districts, parents, teachers, and students."" Language authored by Gardner and included in the House-Senate conference committee proposal include: -Expanding Concurrent and Dual Enrollment Amendment: Allows local educational agenciesto use funds for concurrent enrollment and dual enrollment programs at eligible schools, enabling high school students to simultaneously receive college credit from courses taught by college-approved teachers in secondary education. Additionally, it requires a partnership between the school district and college or university to promote teacher professional development to ensure quality standards are being met and provides flexibility funds to cover expenses for concurrent enrollment including but not limited to tuition, mandatory fees, books, and required instructional material. The text of the amendment isavailable here. -Recognizing Charter Schools Amendment:Requires state educational agencies andlocal educational agencies to consult with public charter school representatives in the development of their Title I plan. Although charter schools are some of the highest performing schools in the country, they are not currently consulted during the development process while several other groups are consulted. The text of the amendment isavailable here. Additionally, Senator Gardner co-sponsored: -Data Transparency Amendment:Ensures that states provide academic assessment and graduation rate data in a way that can be easily cross-tabulated on their state report card sites for each subgroup of students, further disaggregated by race, gender, English proficiency, and disability. The ECAA already requires State Report Cards to include academic assessment and graduation rate data on subgroups, however oftentimes greater issues can be masked without further disaggregation. This amendment would give states the flexibility to decide to cross-tabulate additional subgroups of their choice, depending on the unique demographics of their state, to provide transparent information about where greater problems lie within a community where subgroups collide. The text of the amendment isavailable here. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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 http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1422,Statement on Shooting at Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood.,2015-11-30,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"Statement on Shooting at Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood. f t # e Washington, November 30, 2015 Following the shooting that claimed the lives of UCCS Police Officer Garrett Swasey, Iraq War veteran Ke'Arre Stewart, and mother of two Jennifer Markovsky, Congressman Doug Lamborn issued the following statement:""As speculation swirls about a possible motive for the shooting, we must remember that senseless violence should never be used to settle differences of conscience or political opinion. Please join me in praying for the police officers and civilians who are the victims of this attack. I wish to extend a special thanks to our brave first responders and law enforcement officers for their heroic actions on this difficult day."" - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://polis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397989,"House, Senate Education Committees Release Text of No Child Left Behind Rewrite",2015-11-30,2015,2015-11,Democrat,House,CO,Jared Polis,P000598,polis.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, the House Education and Workforce Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee released final, legislative text for a bill that would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and replace the existing law known as No Child Left Behind. The release is the next step in a process to update the nations most sweeping K-12 law, which hasnt been done since 2001. As a senior member of the House Education Committee, Rep. Polis was one of seven House Democrats chosen earlier this month to serve on the conference committee for the bill. The conference committee negotiated the final version of the bill after separate ones passed the House and Senate over the summer. Im thrilled that were now one step closer to making an historic improvement to our nations most important education law, Polis said. This bill corrects the many flaws of No Child Left Behind while preparing our students for the demands of a 21st century global economy. It also successfully maintains the original intent of ESEA as a civil rights law first and foremost one that provides a world-class education to all students, no matter their zip code or economic background. The House plans to vote on the negotiated bill later this week while the Senate is expected to take up the bill next week. Polis has spent his career in public service fighting for a strong education system. He is the founder and former superintendent of the New America School, a network of charter schools in Colorado and New Mexico, and hes the former chair of the Colorado Board of Education. He also co-founded the Academy of Urban Learning, a charter school in Denver.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=0E923651-60DD-668B-0AD1-2079334395EC,Conference Committee Releases Final Language of Bill to Fix No Child Left Behind,2015-11-30,2015,2015-11,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - The conference committee charged with reconciling the House- and Senate-passed versions of legislation to fix No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has released the final bill to be approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives. Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the conference committee, secured several key Colorado priorities in the final bill. The conference report is expected to be approved by the conference committee, and a vote in the House of Representatives could occur later this week followed by final approval in the Senate. ""Reaching this long overdue bipartisan agreement to fix No Child Left Behind is a significant step toward helping teachers and schools ensure our kids are receiving a great education,"" Bennet said. ""The updates to this law roll back NCLB's massive federal overreach, while maintaining its core strengths. There are teachers and kids all over Colorado and the country working as hard as they can to teach and to learn. It's time Congress does its job to provide them with the support they need to succeed."" As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Bennet played a significant role in writing the Senate-passed bill. The final bill includes a number of provisions he secured based on input from Colorado, including: State-Driven Accountability Systems: Reducing the prescriptive, top-down approach of No Child Left Behind; re-empowering states to design accountability systems that maintain statewide annual testing requirements and break down data to identify achievement gaps; ensuring English learners are included in state accountability systems; and requiring states to at least identify the bottom five percent of low-performing schools and make necessary changes to improve achievement at these schools Improving Equity and Addressing Inequalities: Including provisions to promote equity, address inequities and help ensure high-need schools can attract and retain great teachers and leaders by improving their support systems; including a new reporting requirement to increase transparency on the resources schools receive and to identify inequities in funding; providing flexibility to spend federal funding on early childhood education; and provisions encouraging teacher leadership, residency programs, and improvements to district human capital systems Encouraging Innovation to Meet Challenges in Schools: Securing incentives for educators on the ground to apply their own creative thinking to address our most persistent education challenges; including funding for innovative practices to improve student achievement; revamping the Charter School Program; and allowing pay-for-success initiatives Supporting Rural Schools: Securing a package of provisions to better support schools in rural communities; providing technical assistance to rural school districts when applying for competitive federal grants; and clarifying that rural school districts or education service agencies, like a Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), can join together and submit a single consolidated application for funding under ESEA # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?id=42678376-10A5-2E8B-5EEF-9B0C1F311DEA,Bennet Statement on Tragic Colorado Springs Shooting,2015-11-27,2015,2015-11,Democrat,House,CO,Michael Bennet,B001267,www.bennet.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Denver, CO - Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement in response to the tragic shooting in Colorado Springs today: ""Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, Planned Parenthood, the Colorado Springs Police Department, and the City of Colorado Springs. We are grateful to the first responders who kept the situation from becoming worse and saved lives. Our office is in touch with local officials and has offered any assistance we can provide the community."" # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-statement-on-colorado-springs-tragedy,Gardner Statement on Colorado Springs Tragedy,2015-11-27,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DCSenator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the below statement following the tragic events in Colorado Springs today: ""Jaime and I are deeply saddened by the events that unfolded in Colorado Springs earlier today. This senseless act of violence is truly tragic and our hearts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time. ""The Colorado Springs Police Department, Colorado Springs Fire Department,El Paso County Sheriff's Office, State Patrol, and federal law enforcement agencies bravely responded to the initial call for help, and quickly worked to contain and stabilize the situation. Our first responders displayed tremendous bravery, and I am grateful for their service and ongoing sacrifice to keep our local community safe. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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 http://lamborn.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1421,2015 Thanksgiving Statement,2015-11-26,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,CO,Doug Lamborn,L000564,lamborn.house.gov,,,legacy,"2015 Thanksgiving Statement f t # e Washington, November 26, 2015 As we appreciate this time with friends, family, and loved ones, please take the time to reflect on everything we have to be thankful for. God has richly blessed our nation and the people who live here. Even as we face the challenges of a dangerous and difficult world, let us not lose sight of the gracious and the good in our lives. Please enjoy a safe, restful, and Happy Thanksgiving. - Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.gardner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/gardner-marks-celebration-of-thanksgiving,Gardner Marks Celebration of Thanksgiving,2015-11-26,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,CO,Cory Gardner,G000562,www.gardner.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) released the following statement marking the celebration of Thanksgiving: As Coloradans gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, we're reminded that we have much to be grateful for. We live in the greatest state in the freest, most prosperous country that has ever existed. We are a nation founded upon the first principles of opportunity, liberty, and freedom; a nation built upon the chance to succeed. Still, these are hard times for many. An uneven economic recovery has left too many unemployed or underemployed, struggling to pay bills and save for the future. I'm grateful for the millions of Americans who devote their time and energy to helping the less fortunate and lifting up their fellow citizens in a time of need. As we in this country sit down to dinner with loved ones, it's also important to remember the men and women of the United States military. Many of them are spending this holiday far from home, without the company of friends and relatives. The Americans who serve in our armed forces sacrifice so much for our country, all to ensure that we are kept safe and free. To all who serve, and have served our nation, we give our eternal thanks. ### 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 Small Business & Entrepreneurship 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