In Case You Missed It: Congress Returns to Washington, D.C.

Dear Neighbor, I am writing to you from Washington as I continue to forge forward in our work to put the folks of Colorado’s 2nd District first and work to avert a potentially catastrophic government shutdown. As some of you may be aware, right now, funding for the federal government is set to expire on September 30th. I serve on the Rules Committee, which meant I spent much of the weekend back in Washington D.C., participating in Friday and Saturday committee hearings as we work to avert a government shutdown. 

Please know, my office is working each and every day to protect critical services and federally funded programs. Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns—we are here to help. 

THE CLIMATE CORP IS FINALLY HERE!

On Tuesday, President Biden announced the creation of the American Climate Corps, a program my office has been championing since I was first elected to Congress. The American Climate Corps is a twenty-first century climate-focused workforce that will prepare a new era of workers for good-paying jobs in a clean energy economy. This initiative takes inspiration from the program responsible for creating wonders across Colorado, from the Red Rocks Amphitheater to the countless roads, trails, and campgrounds in Rocky Mountain National Park. Read more HERE. 

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION OFFICE ANNOUNCEMENT

On Friday, the White House established an Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In the weeks after the tragic shooting at the King Soopers store in Boulder, I joined members of our community in calling on the President to employ a whole-of-government approach to reduce incidents of gun violence, protect our kids and our families, and build safer communities, including through a new task force and office on gun violence prevention. Our work is not over, but this announcement makes historic progress toward saving lives. Read more HERE. 

WHAT ELSE HAVE WE BEEN WORKING ON?

• If Congress doesn’t act by the end of this month, more than 20,000 wildland firefighters will face a devastating pay cut. I called on Congress to swiftly pass my bill, the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act. 

• Representative Pettersen (CO-07) and I wrote to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA), imploring them to take immediate action to mitigate significant noise pollution that is inundating local communities. Read our latest letter HERE. 

• We launched the 2023 Congressional App Challenge! Eligible students are encouraged to register and submit their apps through 12:00 PM EST on November 1st, 2023 at this link.

• Senator Bennet and I are calling on the BLM to conduct a full environmental review on the proposed Wildcat Loadout expansion. Read more on our efforts HERE.

Should you need any assistance from our office, please do not hesitate to reach out. 

Please stay safe, stay healthy, and stay hopeful!