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The twin strains of lengthy wars and our country's climb out of an economic hole can make for trying times, but family reminds us of the ideals worth fighting for.
As Congress shifts back into gear, my sights are focused on Coloradans' priorities: creating jobs and speeding our economic recovery. My first goal as Senator has been to help our state's economy rebound, and over the last two years, I've taken every opportunity to visit with Coloradans across the state to learn how I can best fight in Washington, D.C., for our communities back home.
I led an eight-day congressional delegation visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. Every country we visited poses a unique and daunting set of challenges, but one thing provided a consistent source of optimism: the men and women in our armed services.
As Congress adjourned last month, I found myself reflecting on my short time in the U.S. Senate and the saying that has guided my political career: "One can disagree without being disagreeable." I believe that a great public servant is one who spends most of his or her time listening, and that's why I have reached across the aisle on every major piece of legislation I've introduced.
We have to unleash innovation to help our economy continue to recover, and that's one reason I've traveled around the state to listen to Coloradans' ideas for how to create jobs. I have already acted on several of them. But I know there are many more untapped ideas that can help us maintain our leadership in the clean energy revolution, and I need your help to find them.
My thoughts and prayers today are with the Coloradans battling the effects of the two major fires in Boulder and Loveland. The fires have impacted thousands of people and remind us all about the serious threat wildfires pose to our communities.
We can’t overstate the importance of ensuring Colorado’s seniors have the services and support they need to continue leading healthy and productive lives. As a member of the U.S. Senate’s Special Committee on Aging, I take this responsibility to heart, especially when the largest generation our country has ever seen - the baby boomers - is about to enter retirement.
From the snow-capped Rocky Mountain National Park to the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and many parks in between, we are blessed to live in a state filled with some of nature's most spectacular landscapes. In what documentary filmmaker Ken Burns describes as "America's best idea," generations of Americans have worked to preserve these unique places in Colorado and across the nation.
The U.S. District Courts, including Colorado's, are in dire straits. With 99 empty seats nationwide, court cases are beginning to pile up. For example, the situation on the District Court of Colorado is now considered a "judicial emergency."
We're at a critical time in our history - we need a new energy policy to strengthen our economy and our national security. In the next few weeks, the Senate will consider the future of clean energy and climate legislation. I believe the federal government should take a page from Colorado's playbook, and I'm working with my colleagues to try to convince Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include a strong national RES in the clean energy bill that is debated in the Senate.
I hope that you enjoyed your Independence Day holiday. July Fourth is always a good opportunity to reflect on the greatness of our nation and to keep our troops in our minds as they keep us safe.
Fire season has officially begun in Colorado. Already we have three active forest fires across the state. The fire in the Great Sand Dunes National Park has burned nearly 5,000 acres, and on Monday, another fire near Cañon City destroyed several buildings, including at least one home. As U.S. Senator, I'm doing everything I can to ensure the Forest Service and the state have the resources they need to keep Coloradans and their property safe during fire season.
The explosion on BP's oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, which has crippled a region of our country and caused unfathomable harm to the environment, has been a wake-up call for Congress and for every American about the risks of our continued dependence on oil.
Last week we won a big victory for Coloradans and consumers across the country. The Senate passed my bipartisan amendment to Wall Street reform legislation, which will give consumers free access to credit scores.
With legislation that is now being debated on the U.S. Senate floor, we will put a strong new "cop" on the beat with broad authority to monitor Wall Street firms for abusive practices and intervene to protect consumers. Americans should never again have to bail out banks and other financial institutions that are "too big to fail." And as your Senator, I won’t rest until Colorado families are back in control of their financial future.
On April 24th, 2010, an important national treasure reached a milestone. The Hubble Space Telescope – an astronomical research facility that continues to revolutionize our understanding of the universe – turned twenty years old.
During the health insurance reform debate, I vowed to work to ensure parents could keep their children on their policies until they turn 26. The health reform law signed by the President in March extended that coverage to all non-military families. And this week, I was proud to introduce a bill that would ensure military families and retirees who receive health insurance through TRICARE will be able to do so as well.
I am proud to represent 5 million Colorado citizens, and as your Senator, I believe it’s my responsibility to get out into our communities, talk to you, and learn what’s on your minds. And that’s why I launched a Workforce Tour last year to learn about the ideas Coloradans have to create jobs and strengthen our economy. The best ideas come from you – the experts on the needs and demands in our communities.
In the last month, I took advantage of a recess from Congress to continue my "Colorado Work Force Tour" visiting Coloradans on the Western Slope. In Aurora, I gathered business and policy leaders for a summit in Aurora focused on how to keep Colorado at the forefront of the new energy revolution. And this week in Congress, I co-sponsored a bill to help improve our national security at a time of two wars, by repealing the outdated "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.
2010 needs to be a year of action. We need to finish the job that we were sent here to do: strengthen our economy, create jobs, get our fiscal house in order, and make sure we have the tools to keep our country safe. I am committed to working with members of both political parties to solve our nation's challenges and deliver results to Colorado.
Denver Metro Area Region
999 Eighteenth Street
Suite 1525, North Tower
Denver, CO 80202
P: 303-650-7820
Pikes Peak Region
2880 International Circle, Suite 107
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
P: 719-471-3993
West Slope Region
400 Rood Ave.
Suite 215
Grand Junction, CO 81501
P: 970-245-9553
North Central / High Plains Region
801 8th St.
Suite 140A
Greeley, CO
80631
P: 970-356-5586
Southern Colorado and San Luis Valley Region
107 West B St.
Pueblo, CO
81003
P: 719-542-1701
Four Corners Region
954 East 2nd Ave.
Suite 106
Durango, CO
81301
P: 970-247-1047
Northwest Region
P.O. Box 866
Clark, CO
80428
Central Mountain Region
P.O. Box 743
Tabernash, CO
80478
Official Website of Mark Udall.