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Hello everyone,
Over the last decade, I’ve heard from farmers and ranchers across Colorado that they don’t have enough workers. The reason for that is clear — since 2012, the cost of farm labor has gone up nearly 50%, driving family farmers out of business. At the same time, we have hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers contributing every single day to feeding America but living in the shadows.
This week, I brought together bipartisan members of Congress, farmworkers, and agricultural leaders around a targeted, common-sense proposal to address the labor crisis in American agriculture and to save family farms in this country: my Affordable and Secure Food Act.
Watch me talk about this bill HERE.
Just in the past year, the farm labor crisis has contributed to driving up grocery prices by almost 12%. My bill addresses this by increasing the number of farmworker visas, creating wage certainty for farmers, and forging a pathway to legal status for undocumented workers who’ve helped feed America for at least ten years.
This plan is broadly supported by farmers, labor and immigration advocates, and small businesses. To fulfill our duty to the American people, to the rural economy, and to agriculture, Congress needs to get this done.
Sincerely,
Michael
RECOGNIZING DENVER’S SUCCESS DELIVERING CLEAN WATER TO ALL
No parent in America should worry about the water their kids drink. However, there are millions of families across the country for whom replacing their lead pipes is too expensive. That’s why I introduced my Financing Lead Out of Water (FLOW) Act — to reduce the financial burden that homeowners face to extend safe drinking water to every household.
My bill is based on the example of Denver Water, which has set the standard for water providers working with homeowners to replace harmful lead pipes. Last week, I joined them to learn more about the $76 million they have received from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to meet their commitment to replace every customer-owned lead pipe and prioritize underserved neighborhoods.
CELEBRATING EQUALITY AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Last week, I spoke on the floor of the Senate to honor the victims and survivors of the Club Q tragedy and to urge my colleagues to pass the Respect for Marriage Act. On Tuesday, I joined President Joe Biden at the White House for the signing of this bipartisan bill recognizing same-sex marriage at the federal level and taking a step toward equality for LGBTQ people across the country.
Coloradans understand there is no right closer to the heart than marrying the one that you love.
HONORING PIONEERS OF WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE
This week, I joined my colleagues in introducing a bill to install a national monument to women’s suffrage on the National Mall. This effort started a few years back, when a group of Coloradans from Loveland began a community-led effort to install a sculpture commemorating the pioneers of the women’s suffrage movement in Washington, D.C. Their effort required an act of Congress, and in 2020, we passed bipartisan legislation to establish the monument. After a robust process to pick a site for the monument, those involved in the effort chose the National Mall.
The National Mall has been the site of historic calls for progress for generations. This monument to our nation’s long journey toward equality deserves this most dignified location in both our nation’s capital and our nation’s history.
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