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A Note from Me:
On Tuesday, the Senate joined the House to pass a War Powers Resolution directing President Trump to end his reckless war in Iran. I was proud to cast a key vote to get it over the finish line.
Despite Trump’s insistence that he has a deal, he continues threatening strikes on Iran, which is why the action Congress took on Tuesday is critical. Americans are still footing the bill for Trump’s war of choice, with gas prices still far above pre-war levels. Trump’s war has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars, cost servicemembers’ lives, drained our weapons stockpiles, allowed Russia to profit from high oil prices, and showed China that he will fold under pressure, all without accomplishing any of the President’s objectives. His war is a generational blunder.
That’s why I have voted repeatedly to advance War Powers Resolutions, and why I voted again to stop this conflict. I will continue doing everything in my power to bring this war to an end.
2. Working to Prevent Chronic School Absenteeism
What’s happening: Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing at least 10 percent of days in a school year for any reason, including excused and unexcused absences. Research suggests that children who are chronically absent for multiple years between preschool and second grade are less likely to read at grade level by the third grade. In addition, students who are chronically absent are more likely to feel socially isolated, anxious, and lonely.
What I believe: As the former Superintendent of Denver Public Schools, I know firsthand how important showing up to school is for childhood development. Since the pandemic, Colorado and our country's school absenteeism problem has only been exacerbated. We need to provide schools with the resources they need to properly combat this crisis and ensure that students are getting the education and support they deserve.
What I’m doing: On Wednesday, I introduced the Keep Kids in School Act. This legislation would create a grant program to help prevent and reduce persistent school absences and target states with high levels of chronic absenteeism. This bill is inspired by the Alamosa School District, which was able to reduce its chronic absenteeism rate in the 2023-24 school year by five percentage points by increasing meetings between staff and families and working with local businesses to amplify the message of why showing up to school is essential.
3. Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance
What’s happening: Antimicrobials, including antibiotics and antifungals, are medicines used to treat and prevent infections in humans, animals, and plants. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria and fungi mutate and no longer respond to these medicines. As a result, treating infections becomes much harder, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. In the United States, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur each year, resulting in over 35,000 deaths. A 2022 CDC special report also found that the United States reversed its progress on AMR during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and antimicrobial-resistant infections and deaths increased in hospitals by at least 15 percent.
What I believe: In recent years, many of the innovative antibiotic companies working to develop new antimicrobials have filed for bankruptcy and stopped producing these innovative antibiotics completely. We don’t currently have the tools to address the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease experts are warning that it will only get worse. We can’t sit on our hands as the next public health crisis arrives. We must act now.
What I’m doing: On Wednesday, I led U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and John Hickenlooper to reintroduce the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act. This legislation will encourage innovative drug development targeting the most threatening infections, improve the appropriate use of antibiotics and antifungals, and ensure domestic availability of critical antibiotics when needed. We must keep Colorado healthy, and staying ahead on drug-resistant infections will help us do this.
4. Celebrating Pride Month
What I believe: As Colorado celebrates Pride Month, we affirm that no one should be discriminated against for being who they are or for who they love. From the Stonewall riots that ignited the modern gay rights movement to the Obergefell decision that secured marriage equality, Pride Month honors the rich history and victories won by LGBTQ+ communities across our nation. It also serves as a reminder that the fight is not yet over, and we must continue to protect and expand liberties for every American.
What we've done: From housing to healthcare, we've defended hard-won protections for our LGBTQ+ community against Trump's bigoted attacks. Together, we've fought for equality in Colorado and across the country, expanding representation, pushing back against discrimination at the highest levels, and refusing to abandon the ideals of equality our Constitution demands.
5. IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK
- This week, I led 11 Senate colleagues in reintroducing legislation that will help small farms access federal conservation programs delivered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program. After hearing from farmers and ranchers across Colorado, especially those who are just getting started or facing barriers to accessing federal resources, it is clear our conservation programs are falling short of their promise. By making these programs more accessible to smaller operations, we can help producers adopt soil health practices, strengthen local food systems, and protect our environment.
- With Colorado facing a historic drought, Western Slope water users are coming together to make the most of the limited water supply. Because farmers and ranchers in the Grand Valley stepped up to conserve, hundreds of entities were shielded from water cuts this summer. This is how Coloradans show up for each other.
- Wednesday marked the four year anniversary of Trump’s radical Supreme Court majority overturning Roe v. Wade, ensuring that an entire generation of Americans will inherit fewer liberties than the one before them. The Dobbs decision has endangered women's lives, criminalized doctors, and forced Americans out of their home states just to receive reproductive care. In the face of these dangerous attacks on freedom, I will not stop fighting until abortion rights are permanently protected in federal law.
- On Monday, the Senate passed my resolution with Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) marking the one-year anniversary of the horrific antisemitic attack in Boulder that took the life of Karen Diamond. As we remember Karen and stand with Colorado’s Jewish community and those forever affected by this act of violence, we remain committed to confronting antisemitism and all hatred wherever it appears. We must respond to hate with action, courage, and solidarity.
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