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Hello everyone,
This week, I joined Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Senator John Hickenlooper, and other federal, state, Tribal and community leaders to remember one of the most shameful mornings — not only in Colorado’s history, but in all of American history.
On November 29th, 1864, U.S. cavalrymen massacred over 230 Cheyenne and Arapahoe — mostly women and children — camped along Big Sandy Creek. The massacre at Sand Creek stole a generation from the Cheyenne and Arapaho and left a wound that Native people carry to this day.
In 2007, Sand Creek was established as a National Historic Site and since then, I’ve worked with Tribal and local leaders to expand and improve the site. On Wednesday, we announced the addition of almost 3,500 acres to the site, preserving this land that is sacred to the Northern Cheyenne, Northern Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Tribes. As representatives of the U.S. government, it is our shared responsibility to ensure every American can come to understand this horrendous part of our history.
I hope that this weekend, as we observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day, all of us take time to remember the dark moments in our nation’s history and celebrate the contributions of Indigenous peoples to Colorado.
Sincerely,
Michael
INVESTING IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado’s public health infrastructure was underfunded by as much as 40%. Since then, I’ve fought to break down barriers to healthcare access and invest in our nation’s health infrastructure.
This week, the Biden administration announced $225 million in funding to train 13,000 community health workers across the country. Colorado’s very own Trailhead Institute will receive $3 million to grow the state’s public health workforce as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Health Worker Training Program – a new multi-year program that will support training and apprenticeship opportunities for new community health workers.
This work builds on the funding I secured in the American Rescue Plan based on my bill, the Health Force, Resilience Force, and Jobs to Fight COVID-19 Act. With this funding, Colorado can invest in community-focused care that meets tomorrow's public health challenges.
SUPPORTING STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH
There’s a whole generation of Americans that have grown up feeling unsafe at school as a result of our country’s gun violence epidemic. Following two years of COVID-19 and sky-rocketing social media use, our children also face increased rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental and behavioral health crises that affect their ability to learn and succeed at school.
People are demanding action to protect our children — and through the bipartisan gun safety bill, we have made important progress to create safer educational environments.
This week, I welcomed more than $9 million to Colorado in funding from that legislation to provide students with safer and healthier learning environments. These funds will be competitively awarded to high need schools to hire school psychologists and counselors.
SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF NATURAL DISASTERS
In Colorado, we are all too familiar with natural disasters that tear through our communities and disrupt our lives. Communities here and nationwide face increasingly severe wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters that threaten our lives and livelihoods.
This week, I joined my colleagues in reintroducing the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act, legislation to help communities affected by major natural disasters access housing assistance.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency often turns away eligible disaster survivors who are unable to present property titles, written leases, and other similar documents to show residency and occupancy of disaster-damaged property. This legislation would remove unnecessary obstacles and ensure that survivors of natural disasters have the support they need to swiftly rebuild their lives.
PUSHING THE FCC TO IMPROVE BROADBAND SPEED AND ACCESS
In today’s digital age, internet connectivity is crucial to education, health care access, and so much more. However, not all connections are equal.
I joined my bipartisan colleagues in sending a letter urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action to increase broadband speed requirements in its existing programs so that Coloradans, particularly in rural and underserved areas, can access faster download and upload speeds needed to participate in modern telehealth, telework, and remote learning.
MAKING OLIGARCHS PAY FOR RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE
Putin and his oligarchs are directly responsible for the illegal war in Ukraine and the death, destruction, and dislocation it has wrought.
I joined my bipartisan colleagues in introducing legislation to empower U.S. authorities to seize the high-priced assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s oligarchs, and to put the proceeds from the sale of those assets toward aid for the Ukrainian people. This bipartisan bill will make Putin and his inner circle pay by directing funds from their seized assets to the Ukrainian people for resettlement, reconstruction, and recovery.
APPLY FOR OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
My office is hiring paid interns for Spring 2022 in both Washington D.C. and Colorado. Through the program, interns will gain experience in communicating with constituents, legislative research, and providing Capitol tours for Coloradans who visit our nation’s capital.
Undergraduate college students and graduate students as well as recent college graduates, from all majors and backgrounds, are encouraged to apply. I especially encourage candidates with a Colorado connection to apply. Each candidate is required to commit to at least 12 hours of work per week and will be either paid $15 an hour or receive compensation through an external program or partnership.
(Summer of 2022 Team Bennet Interns)
If you or someone you know might be interested in an internship in my Colorado or D.C. office this spring, you can learn more about our program and apply HERE. The application deadline is November 4.
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