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Hello everyone,
The derailment and environmental disaster in East Palestine is a terrible reminder of the dangers of transporting hazardous materials by rail. I’m deeply concerned something similar could happen in Colorado with the proposed Uinta Basin Railway Project. If constructed, the Uinta Basin Railway would transport 4.6 billion gallons of heated waxy crude oil from Utah through Colorado, including 100 miles along the headwaters of the Colorado River.
A derailment along the river would be catastrophic for the nearly 40 million Americans, 30 Tribal nations, and millions of acres of agricultural land that rely on this vital water supply. It is beyond reckless to expose Coloradans to these risks.
Over the last year, I have repeatedly called on the Biden Administration to more fully review the Unita Basin Railway Project’s potential dangers. This week, I took two more steps to ensure Coloradans' concerns were addressed: I urged the U.S. Forest Service to delay authorizing this project until a further review is conducted, and called on the U.S. Department of Transportation to consider the risks of using taxpayer support for a project that could lead to an unparalleled environmental disaster.
While securing our domestic energy supply is vital for our future and national security, it cannot come at the cost of jeopardizing the Colorado River and Colorado’s communities, watersheds, and forests.
Sincerely,
Michael
URGING THE PENTAGON TO CONSIDER ABORTION ACCESS IN MAJOR DECISIONS
For fifty years, American servicemembers knew they would have access to reproductive health care no matter where they were stationed. That is no longer true because of the Supreme Court’s devastating decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade and strip Americans of their right to choose.
Though Colorado protects reproductive care for its servicemembers, restrictive abortion laws in other states severely limit or even ban reproductive care for those that serve our nation. In my view, the Department of Defense has a responsibility to consider whether military families will have access to reproductive health care when it makes major basing and personnel decisions.
These considerations are especially important as the Pentagon nears a final basing decision regarding Space Command – a decision that would seriously affect our military’s ability to recruit and retain highly-skilled servicemembers.
If our men and women in uniform can spend every day defending our freedom, surely we can defend theirs. That’s why I spoke on the Senate floor this week to call on the Pentagon to consider access to reproductive care in major basing and personnel decisions, including in its final decision of where to set up the permanent headquarters for Space Command.
TACKLING FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY THREATS
Last month, I shared my concerns with you about TikTok and the serious threat it poses to our national security. We should not allow any company subject to the dictates of the Chinese Communist Party – or any other foreign adversary – to collect data on our population.
And while TikTok is just the latest example of a foreign technology that threatens our security, it will not be the last. This week, I joined bipartisan colleagues to introduce a bill to address these threats and safeguard our national security.
The federal government cannot continue to address new foreign technology in a one-off manner – we need a strategic, enduring approach – and this bill is an important step forward. I will continue to work with my colleagues to protect Americans and our national security in the digital age.
HOLDING USPS TO ACCOUNT FOR TIMELY MAIL DELIVERY
For over two years, Colorado communities have told me about the painful mail service and delivery delays they face in receiving benefits and prescriptions, staying connected to family, and casting their ballots. The U.S. Postal Service must meet its commitment to every American and improve the reliability of its service across Colorado.
That’s why last month, I invited the head of the Postal Service, Postmaster Louis DeJoy, to see these issues firsthand in a tour of a USPS facility in Colorado, and this week, I met with him and raised those issues directly. Postmaster DeJoy committed to improving service quality in Colorado, and I will continue to hold him and USPS to account for making progress.
SUPPORTING COLORADO VETERANS
After years of inaction from Washington, Congress overcame political obstruction to pass the PACT Act last year – the largest expansion of veteran health care benefits in decades. This bill ensures that millions of veterans who suffer from conditions related to toxic exposure receive the care they have earned.
If you or your loved ones were affected by exposure to toxic substances while serving, I encourage you to reach out to your local Veterans Affairs office to learn more about care and coverage options made available by this law.
Veterans Affairs contacts in Colorado are available HERE, and frequently asked questions about the PACT Act and its benefits are available HERE.
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