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Pressing Sec. Kennedy to Admit Safety of Measles Vaccine and Commit Support
What’s happening: Colorado saw a record breaking flu season. There was a severe surge affecting children, with multiple pediatric deaths reported and high rates of hospitalization. Last year, Colorado recorded 36 confirmed measles cases, reflecting a sharp increase after years of limited spread. In just the first four months of 2026, the state has already reported 16 additional cases. All but one 2026 case involved unvaccinated individuals, with the majority of infections occurring in children.
What I believe: For decades, parents in this country were able to send their kids to school without worrying about whether they could come home with a dangerous case of the flu or the measles. The U.S. ought to be leading in these matters. We must do better.
What I’m doing: On Wednesday, I questioned U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on his long-standing skepticism of childhood vaccines amidst the largest measles outbreak in over thirty years. I pressed Kennedy to admit on the record that the measles vaccine is effective and the strongest way to prevent outbreaks. I also spoke with Kaitlan Collins on CNN’s The Source to highlight Kennedy's new-found position on the measles vaccine and what it has meant to the parents and schools in Colorado who are more uncertain than ever about how to protect children. I will continue to pursue all available options to ensure a science-backed approach to public health decisions.
2. Fighting Inhumane DHS Policies
What’s happening: Since the end of January, Democrats have remained clear: the American people must be assured that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is subject to the same, common-sense accountability we expect from well-functioning local law enforcement. For too long, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has remained unchecked; and President Trump and his rotating cast of characters have unleashed federal forces on American cities with no accountability and no regard for the rule of law. Now, months after this debate started, Senate Republicans chose to pass funding for ICE during overnight votes, again refusing to negotiate with Democrats and blocking every Democratic amendment aimed at reining in ICE and lowering costs for families, including proposals to reduce health care, grocery, housing, and energy costs.
What I believe: Communities are still living in fear of Trump’s cruel immigration policies, with families staying home, children missing school, and businesses struggling. Meanwhile, gas and energy prices are skyrocketing, American families are choosing between paying bills on time and putting food on the table, and federal workers are still being used as pawns in a pointless political game. Republicans should be focused on making life more affordable instead of funneling billions of dollars to ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
What I’m doing: I have not, and I will not support additional funding for ICE or CBP without meaningful reforms to DHS. I also remain committed to working on legislation for commonsense reforms to DHS. We must protect children and families, bar enforcement operations at sensitive locations, prohibit officers from wearing masks while requiring visible identification, and ensure accountability for those who break the law.
3. Improving Clean Drinking Water for Western Tribal Communities
What’s happening: Too many Tribal communities in Colorado and across the West cannot access clean, safe water. The Upper Colorado River Basin, home to several Tribal Nations including the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe since time immemorial, faces an over $100 million backlog in collective water infrastructure needs. Despite these significant water-supply and reliability challenges, the Upper Colorado River Basin is not prioritized in the Indian Reservation Drinking Water Program.
What I’m doing: On Thursday, I led Senator John Hickenlooper and U.S. Representatives Jeff Hurd and Brittany Pettersen in introducing the Western Tribal Water Act to increase and prioritize funding for drinking water projects in Tribal communities in Colorado and the Upper Colorado River Basin. This legislation will ensure that residents of Upper Colorado River Basin Tribes get the help they need and the drinking water they deserve.
4. IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK
- This week, I joined Senator Jim Justice in introducing the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, legislation to fix an unnecessary barrier that prohibits SNAP benefits from being used to purchase hot rotisserie chicken. Cutting this red tape will make it easier for Colorado families to get a quick, nutritious, and inexpensive meal when they need it.
- On Monday, Congressman Jason Crow and I introduced a congressional resolution recognizing the 10th anniversary of the Columbine Day of Service and remembering the victims of the Columbine High School shooting twenty-seven years ago. Since then, entire generations have grown up with the fear that a mass shooting could touch their own lives. That cannot be our normal. We must honor those we lost, stand with those whose lives are forever changed, and renew our commitment to preventing such senseless violence across America.
- On Tuesday, the House Natural Resources Committee passed my legislation to allow the City of Ouray to repair the dam at Crystal Reservoir. This bill would also work to restore a critical water supply, while keeping a locally beloved gem of Red Mountain Pass public for residents and visitors to enjoy. We're now one step closer to protecting the Reservoir’s recreational and environmental benefits for future generations!
- On Wednesday, Coloradans stood together in the fight for science, our communities, and our planet to celebrate Earth Day. Together, we have fought for and protected more than 700,000 acres of public lands across the state, and connected ranchers, farmers, and local governments with federal wildfire support. We must continue preserving Colorado’s natural beauty and quality of life for future generations.
- On Monday, Colorado remembered the Ludlow Massacre, when miners and their families were met with violence for daring to demand fair wages, safe conditions, and the right to organize. From the coal camps of southern Colorado, these workers inspired a nationwide movement that won the labor protections we continue to defend today.
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