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Happy Public Lands day, Colorado!
I believe Colorado is the most beautiful state in America – not only because of our beautiful public lands, but our shared commitment to pass them on to the next generation.
Colorado’s public lands define who we are as a state. They drive our economy, our heritage, and our way of life. For the last decade, I’ve worked with Coloradans to write the CORE Act, a bill that would grow our outdoor economy and protect over 400,000 acres of public land – from Camp Hale, where U.S. soldiers trained to become America’s first military climbers and skiers, to the iconic Thompson Divide.
Because of partisan dysfunction and gridlock in Washington, the bill -- which an overwhelming majority of Coloradans support -- has yet to receive a vote in the Senate. The CORE Act was written by Coloradans in every corner of our state, who came together to do something special for the next generation. And we have waited long enough.
That’s why I’m asking President Biden to use his authority to make Camp Hale and the Tenmile Range a national monument, and protect other landscapes in the CORE Act. This week, I delivered dozens of letters from Colorado veterans, state and local officials, conservation and outdoor recreation advocates, business owners, and descendants of 10th Mountain Division veterans to President Biden in support of this effort.
So on this Public Lands Day, I hope you’ll get outside and enjoy Colorado’s treasured landscapes – and also join me in supporting this effort.
Your voices make a difference in Washington.
Sincerely,
Michael
STRENGTHENING AMERICA’S GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS AND CLIMATE LEADERSHIP
This week, I joined my colleagues to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. A generation ago, the United States was instrumental in establishing the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty to limit pollutants tearing a hole in the ozone layer. Its resounding success proved that U.S. leadership is indispensable to uniting the world against common threats to our environment in a way that creates jobs and saves lives here at home.
The bipartisan ratification of the Kigali Amendment strengthens America’s global competitiveness and climate leadership. It will reduce our dependence on foreign imports from nations like China, create jobs, and protect access to key global markets for U.S. businesses. Combined with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, this vote further positions America to lead the fight against climate change and set a global example for how to protect our planet and strengthen our economy.
WORKING TO REDUCE LEAD IN COLORADANS’ DRINKING WATER
Coloradans deserve to know the water they and their children drink is safe. That’s why I introduced the Financing Lead Out of Water (FLOW) Act this week.
This legislation would not only help cut through red tape, but alleviate some of the financial burden that homeowners typically face when replacing their lead pipes. This bill is based on the experience of Denver Water, Denver’s public water utility that is financing the removal of all public and private lead service lines in its service area at no cost to its customers by issuing tax-exempt bonds. The bill also takes steps to ensure funding for lead pipe replacement in the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reaches more Americans.
You can learn more about my FLOW Act HERE.
SEEKING LONG-TERM, PERMANENT SOLUTIONS TO WESTERN DROUGHT
Last month, I secured $4 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act to address the 22-year drought we face in the American West. This week, I led my colleagues from Colorado and New Mexico to urge the Bureau of Reclamation to direct those resources toward permanent, long-term solutions to the drought crisis in the Colorado River Basin as it allocates the $4 billion in new funding from the Inflation Reduction Act for Western drought.
We will keep working to find solutions to the immediate crisis of the River, while working towards a long-term solution to the challenges posed by a changing climate and the emergence of mega-drought in our states and throughout the American West. You can read our letter HERE.
UPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ELECTIONS
As our nation approaches the end of another election cycle, I joined my colleagues in supporting the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, led by Senators Manchin and Collins.
The orderly and peaceful transfer of power is a cornerstone of our democracy. We should leave no room for anti-democratic forces to exploit ambiguities in our laws to undermine our elections and the will of the American people. This much-needed proposal makes overdue and commonsense reforms to the process for counting electoral votes. These reforms would uphold the integrity of our elections and strengthen our democracy.
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