Bridging the Partisan Divide
American families are facing tremendous challenges today as a result of the economic downturn; they're impatient with politics - and with good reason. I promised Coloradans I'd fight for them in Washington, D.C., not as a member of one political party or another, but as an independent thinker who will do what is best for the state. Only by bridging the partisan divide will we be able to make real progress.
Throughout my 10-year history in the U.S. House of Representatives and during my service in the U.S. Senate, I have always tried to set an example by working with all of my colleagues, no matter which party. My goal isn't to win political victories for my party, but to advance the interests of Colorado and the nation. I was serving in the U.S. House on 9-11. That tragedy awakened a deep spirit of shared purpose. I call it the "spirit of 9-11" in the best sense of that term. If there was ever a time when we needed to recapture the spirit of common purpose that grew out of 9-11, it is now.
It was with that in mind that I called on my colleagues to start a new tradition of sitting side-by-side, rather than divided by party, at the President's annual State of the Union address. All across the House chamber, my colleagues sat in bipartisan groups. As a result we were a more respectful, thoughtful audience for the State of the Union than we've been over the last several years. It was a symbolic but important step that I believe will help us reach across the aisle and work together to address the challenges we face as a nation. I look forward to building on those relationships we forged and continuing to work with my colleagues in both parties.
I think this kind of bipartisanship comes naturally because I am a son of the West, and I'm proud of our special history. Of course, every region of America has a story to tell and a contribution to make to the whole. Among many qualities, in the West we particularly treasure independence.
The great Western writer Wallace Stegner put it best when he wrote about the people he called "stickers" - those people who settled the West against all odds and obstacles. He called them "stickers" because they were not quitters and they did not leave the scene of challenge. They stuck to the land because of their spirit, their courage and their hopes for a better community to raise their children - and, to be honest, because they were too ornery to give up.
We are a country of stickers, and it's up to us in Congress to be stickers too. The American people have vested their hopes and aspirations in many of us - to serve them well in the institution of democracy we call the Congress.
We may often divide as Republicans or Democrats on what we think is best for Colorado or our country. Debate is good. We should encourage a vigorous exchange of ideas and not fear disagreement. But we ought always to strive for a common purpose. As your Senator, Colorado can always count on me to work tirelessly toward that goal.
Press Coverage Regarding Senator Udall's Bipartisanship:
- OUR VIEW: Not all Democrats are irresponsible
Editorial, The Colorado Springs Gazette - Senate Moderates Look for More Influence
Steven T. Dennis, Roll Call - Hat's off
Editorial, The Pueblo Chieftain - Senate Moderates Look for More Influence
Steven T. Dennis, Roll Call - Hat's off
Editorial, The Pueblo Chieftain - Tide shifting on budget balancing
Editorial, The Denver Post - Udall hopes seating mixup can end the divide in politics
Allison Sherry, The Denver Post - A first step: Udall’s plan is worth a try
Editorial, Cortez Journal - Udall’s plan is worth a try
Editorial, The Durango Herald - Parties should send message at address
Editorial, Fort Collins Coloradoan - Udall's seating plan has legs
Editorial, The Denver Post - Udall’s plan to seat a more convivial Congress worth a shot
Editorial, Aurora Sentinel - Mark Udall's penchant for getting along is "who he is"
Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post - The Spot - The Udall fix
Editorial, The Daily Sentinel - Udall offers proposal to clear Senate's clogged legislative pipeline
Michael Riley, The Denver Post - No tea parties on McCain's calendar
David S. Broder, The Washington Post - A Real Small Business Assist
The American Spectator - Can't we all just get along?
Al Lewis, Dow Jones Newswires - "Your Show" Featuring Sen. Udall and Sen. McCain
Denver Channel 9
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Fighting for Common Sense Line-Item Veto Reform
Since my days in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have consistently sought creative and common-sense fiscal policies to cut excessive government spending, because I believe controlling deficit spending is one of the greatest national security threats facing our country. With this in mind, I was pleased to join Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Tom Carper(D-DE) and Dan Coats (R-IN) in introducing the bipartisan Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act (S.102), which would give the president line-item veto authority to reduce wasteful spending. A presidential line-item veto is a practical mechanism to reduce our growing deficit, get our nation’s fiscal house back in order and put an end to wasteful spending. With the recent passage of similar legislation in the House of Representatives, we are fighting to bring this proposal to a vote on the Senate floor.
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Reducing Duplicative Programs in Proposed Legislation
As a member of the U.S. Senate, I take very seriously my role in conducting oversight to ensure that the federal government is more accountable and efficient. But I know that Congress must take a look at itself as well. Congressional committees often focus too much on creating new problems and regulations, while slighting an equally important role of the legislative branch: overseeing and reforming laws that already exist. With this in mind, I was proud to join Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) in introducing an amendment to require that the Congressional Research Services report on any duplication created by proposed legislation before the Senate votes on it. Where duplication exists, the committee would be required to justify for members of the Senate why the duplication is necessary.
During the 112th Congress, I was also proud to introduce bipartisan legislation with my colleague, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), to establish a Committee to Reduce Government Waste (S.Res.93), which would be charged with identifying and targeting wasteful and underperforming federal government programs for elimination. -
National Kids to Parks Initiative
As chairman of the Senate’s Subcommittee on National Parks and co-chairman of the bipartisan Senate Outdoor Recreation Caucus, I am committed to engaging younger generations on the importance of the great outdoors. That's why, on May 19, 2011, I introduced and saw passed in the Senate a bipartisan resolution designating May 21, 2011, National Kids to Parks Day. The resolution marked the official launch of my comprehensive "Kids to Parks" summer campaign, which aims to get kids excited about being active and healthy outdoors, while inspiring the next generation of American stewards to enjoy and protect our nation’s special places. National Kids to Parks Day has partnered with the First Lady’s “Let’s Move Outside!” and the Department of the Interior’s “Youth in the Great Outdoors” initiatives. Click here to make the "Kids to Parks" pledge and join my campaign.
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A resolution establishing the Committee to Reduce Government Waste (S.RES.93)
Most government programs are created with good intentions, but in too many cases, Congress creates new programs that are redundant and sometimes wasteful rather than strategically targeting resources where they are needed. Earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report outlining billions of dollars that could be saved by eliminating duplicative government programs. For instance, the GAO found the federal government has 80 economic-development programs, 44 employment and training programs and five agencies within the Department of Transportation that operate 100 surface-transportation programs. There has to be a better way of doing business, and I believe Congress has a responsibility to look back and do away with old, inefficient programs. In fact, I believe we need to resurrect the "un-authorizing" committee that was created to address our deficits and debt after World War II, and begin to streamline the government, pare down our national budget, save taxpayers' dollars, and strengthen the private economy by making sure the government is as lean as ever.
I was proud to introduce legislation, along with my colleague Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), to establish such a committee (S.Res.93). Our proposed Committee to Reduce Government Waste would be charged with identifying and targeting wasteful and underperforming federal government programs for elimination. The bipartisan committee would have 12 members, four from each of the Senate Finance, Appropriations and Budget committees. It would submit a report to the Senate at least once a year that identified underperforming and wasteful government programs in need of cuts or elimination, and its recommendations would receive expedited consideration in the Senate.
The World War II-era Committee saved more than $38 billion in present dollars over just three years just by reducing wasteful spending. It is time to reconstitute this common-sense idea to bring more fiscal accountability to Washington and much-needed relief to taxpayers. -
Pushing for a Balanced Budget Amendment
On August 2, 2011, I was proud to introduce a constitutional Balanced Budget Amendment, S.J.Res.24. We need a common-sense policy that will help pay down the nation's debt and restore fiscal responsibility in Washington. The Balanced Budget Amendment would be one part of that larger policy. The legislation would enact a constitutional amendment directing Congress to balance the federal budget each year. It states that federal spending cannot exceed revenue except in special cases, such as when the nation is in a war declared by Congress. And it could be suspended only if three-fifths of the members of the House and Senate agree. My Balanced Budget Amendment would also create a Social Security “lockbox” to ensure that the Social Security Trust Fund is not raided in order to balance the budget and it would prevent any additional tax cuts for the richest Americans when there is a budget deficit.