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Hello everyone,
More than two years after the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires, communities like Greeley, Fort Collins, and Grand County are still working to recover. Earlier this month, I called on the U.S. Forest Service to speed up recovery efforts for these communities with more funding and less red tape. This week, the Forest Service answered our call – making $39 million available for long-term rehabilitation work.
Colorado’s forests are essential to our economy, watersheds, and way of life. But they are under threat – not only from climate change, but also consistent underinvestment.
Despite the importance of our forests, Washington has failed to invest in them. As a result, the federal government currently spends thirty times more to recover from wildfires after they burn instead of investing in forest health and wildfire prevention in the first place.
This week, I introduced my Protect the West Act to invest $60 billion in our forests to reduce the risk of wildfires, restore our watersheds, and safeguard our communities. Investing in our forests on the front end not only lessens the severity of wildfires; it also saves money for landowners and local governments. It’s common-sense.
I’ll keep working in Washington to pass this legislation to mitigate wildfires and help communities recover after disaster strikes.
Sincerely,
Michael
REFLECTING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE CHILD TAX CREDIT
It’s ludicrous that in one of the richest countries in the world, we have one of the highest rates of childhood poverty. That’s why I have fought for years to expand the Child Tax Credit – and why I was so grateful to secure an expanded, monthly credit in the American Rescue Plan.
The expanded Child Tax Credit benefited 61 million children across the country, including one million in Colorado. A recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas confirmed what I have heard all along from families in Colorado – far from discouraging work, the expanded tax credit actually helped families afford child care so they could go to work.
This week, I sat down with PBS NewsHour anchor Amna Nawaz for a conversation where we reflected on the success of the Child Tax Credit in reducing child poverty. We need to build an economy where people feel like they can move their families ahead – and we desperately need tax policies like the Child Tax Credit to help us get there.
Watch my conversation HERE.
PRESERVING THE LIFEBLOOD OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO
The Dolores River is more than just a landmark – it's the lifeblood of Southwest Colorado. The River is not only a critical source of water for local communities; it is central to the region’s farming, ranching, and outdoor recreation.
This week, I introduced a bill to protect over 68,000 acres of public lands around the River. This bill was written in Colorado by Coloradans and will provide certainty for the long-term management of the River.
PROTECTING KIDS’ ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
As the COVID-19 emergency declaration is set to expire, 5.3 million kids across the country could lose their health care coverage, including more than 200,000 kids in Colorado.That’s unacceptable.
We cannot lose the progress we made over the last few years to increase the number of insured children and adults. That’s why I urged the Biden Administration to work with states to keep kids insured as the public health emergency ends.
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