A message from Senator Michael Bennet

A Note from Me:

Last Friday, Governor Jared Polis commuted the sentence of Tina Peters. Peters broke Colorado laws that protect our election security. She was convicted by a jury of her peers and should serve out her sentence like anyone else.

Governor Polis made the wrong decision in reducing her sentence. President Trump and his acolytes will continue to undermine trust in our elections and Colorado must be clear-eyed and unwavering in standing up to this lawlessness. I'll always fight to protect our democracy.

2. Pushing Back on Trump’s MAGA Slush Fund

What’s happening: This week, Trump announced the creation of a $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” a taxpayer-funded slush fund controlled by the Trump Administration with little transparency or oversight, opening the door to political favoritism and abuse. Vice President J. D. Vance suggested former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters could be eligible for a payout from the fund, despite a Colorado jury convicting her of four felonies.

What I believe: Trump continues to undermine our institutions and the rule of law. He has directed the Justice Department to use taxpayer dollars to pay political allies, many of whom have broken the law, including Tina Peters. I will do everything in my power to end this abuse of taxpayer dollars and fight against Trump’s continued lawlessness.

What I’m doing: On Monday, I made my opposition to this fund clear on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins. I plan to introduce legislation and file an amendment during the upcoming budget reconciliation process to eliminate the so-called ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ and prevent any similar slush fund from being created in the future. I have also joined all Senate Finance Committee Democrats in demanding a bipartisan investigation into the Trump Administration’s interference with independent tax enforcement, including allegations that the DOJ directed the IRS to halt audits of Trump, his family, and businesses tied to returns filed before May 19, 2026.

3. Welcoming Shoshone Permanency Project Funding After Years of Work

What’s happening: For more than a century, the Shoshone Water Rights have helped keep water flowing through our state’s namesake river. These senior water rights are a lifeline for Colorado — providing certainty for farmers and ranchers, sustaining outdoor recreation, protecting wildlife habitat, and helping stabilize flows when the Colorado River runs low. In January 2025, as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) announced $152 million for 17 Colorado projects to combat the Colorado River crisis, increase drought resiliency, and restore wildlife habitat. Shoshone was included in these projects, but the Trump Administration needlessly withheld the $40 million in funding for nearly a year and a half before finally releasing it. 

What I believe: The $40 million released Friday will protect the headwaters of the Colorado River Basin, the Western Slope economy, and help us confront the realities of a relentless decades-long drought. This announcement is thanks to the hard work of bipartisan leaders across the Western Slope who fought for years to move this project forward. 

What I’m doing: On Friday, I welcomed $40 million for the Shoshone Permanency Project. This is a big day for one of the most important water conservation efforts in our state’s history and I am thrilled that Colorado is finally getting some of the certainty and resources we were promised.

4. Targeting Critical Reforms for DHS

What’s happening: For too long, Trump has unleashed his federal immigration forces on our communities with no accountability and no regard for the rule of law. All over the country, ICE continues to detain children, separate families, and patrol our cities. The American people don’t want this chaos and violence. 

What I believe: We must prioritize critical reforms to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), setting clear standards and meaningful accountability. We need to address areas where Coloradans see gaps in oversight and opportunities to build more protections, especially for children and families caught up in enforcement actions. 

What I’m doing: On Wednesday, I introduced three bills aimed at reforming DHS and ICE. My legislation aims to prevent the detention of children and ICE activity in sensitive locations; align standards for federal immigration officers with those expected from local law enforcement; and ensure oversight and civil rights protections at detention centers. These proposals are an important start grounded in transparency, accountability, and basic law-enforcement standards. Far more change is needed for comprehensive reform though, and I will keep fighting alongside Coloradans to make sure families and communities are treated with dignity and protected under the law.

5. IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK

• On Wednesday, the bipartisan Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Reauthorization Act that I introduced with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) unanimously passed the Senate. Rural hospitals are the lifeline of rural communities. They keep families healthy, support local economies, and make it possible for people to live and work in rural Colorado. At a time when many rural hospitals are already under significant financial strain, extending the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program is critical to maintaining access to care. Now, four rural Colorado hospitals are a step closer to receiving vital sources of funding that will help them stay open and serve the communities that need them. 
• This week, I introduced the Taxing Buybacks from Big Oil Windfalls Act with Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Trump’s reckless war with Iran has pushed gasoline prices to record highs in Colorado and across the country, forcing Coloradans to pay over 60 percent more at the pump. This legislation increases the excise tax on stock buybacks of large oil and gas companies from one percent to 25 percent. Large corporations should not be rewarding their shareholders while working families are forced to choose between filling the gas tank or buying groceries. 
• This week, I joined U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and seven of our colleagues to demand that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. allow public health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to speak openly to the public, “without political interference” about the hantavirus threat and the CDC’s response. This week, Colorado saw its first death from hantavirus since 2024, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. I will continue holding HHS accountable to effectively fulfill its role of leading preparedness and response efforts to a larger outbreak or epidemic.
• Congratulations to Emilia Dobek and Taylor Witte, two exceptional college students and Coloradans selected as part of this year's class of Truman Scholars. This scholarship embodies the legacy of President Harry Truman and works to support the next generation of public service leaders. Colorado is proud of you both, and I look forward to seeing what you achieve going forward.

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