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Fighting to Save Vital Disaster Preparedness Research
What’s happening: In 2024, natural disasters in the U.S. caused over $182.7 billion in damages. Since 1980, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database has tracked all weather disasters in the U.S. causing at least $1 billion in damages. The Trump administration discontinued the database this May as part of its efforts to end programs and research related to disasters and climate change.
What I believe: As natural disasters continue to cause devastation across the country, research tracking the cost of these disasters is crucial to keeping families, researchers, businesses, and policymakers informed. The Trump administration’s reckless decision to terminate NOAA’s extreme weather database undermines preparedness and leaves communities more vulnerable to natural disasters. The database must be restored immediately.
What I’m doing: I joined Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) to introduce the Measuring the Cost of Disasters Act. Our bill would reinstate NOAA’s Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database to protect lives, property, and affordability.
2. Meeting with Coloradans in Washington
Speaking with Voces Unidas de las Montañas and COLOR in Washington
What I did: Last week, I met with Voces Unidas de las Montañas and the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) in Washington. We discussed key issues affecting Colorado’s Latino community, and I heard powerful stories about the fears families experience every day.
What I believe: I was glad to speak with these constituents about the issues affecting their communities, from the rising cost of living to immigration reform and protections. We must fight for every family in Colorado to have dignity, safety, and opportunity.
3. Celebrating Colorado’s Public Lands
What’s happening: This Saturday, September 27th, we celebrate National Public Lands Day. Established in 1994, this day is a reminder of our shared responsibility to conserve the public lands we love. I hope every Coloradan gets outside to enjoy them this weekend.
What I believe: Colorado is the most beautiful state in America thanks to our incredible public lands, which fuel our economy and way of life. Now more than ever, we must continue fighting to protect these lands for future generations of Coloradans.
4. IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK
- I joined Senator Hickenlooper and Representatives Neguse, Crow, and Pettersen to announce over $26 million in funding to reduce wildfire risk across Colorado. The funding, which comes from the U.S. Forest Service Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program, is critical to safeguarding our communities as wildfire risk increases across the West. I’m glad the investments we fought to secure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continue to support wildfire preparedness across Colorado.
- This week, the City of Durango was selected to host the 2030 World Mountain Biking Championships, 40 years after the City hosted the inaugural championships in 1990. Colorado is the perfect location for this world-class competition. I look forward to welcoming talented international and local athletes to compete in Durango.
- Happy first week of Fall! As the leaves change and temperatures drop, I encourage you all to get outside and view the Fall foliage across our beautiful state this season.
- Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder launched their Interstellar Dust Experiment (IDEX) device into space this week, where it will collect stardust to study and explore uncharted territory. This groundbreaking technology and others developed across Colorado remind us to never stop exploring. I am proud to represent a state with such innovative minds – I can’t wait to see what they do next.
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