More than 760,000 Coloradans carry student loan debt, including some loans with interest rates as high as 14 percent. A bachelor's degree should open doors for graduates — not leave them with decades of crippling debt. That's why I introduced a plan to allow borrowers to refinance their student loans. The Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act would allow all students with Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Federal PLUS Loans and Federal Consolidation Loans to refinance at this year's low rates: 3.86 percent for undergraduates and 5.41 percent for graduate students. This common-sense bill also would allow students in good standing the option to refinance their high-interest, private student loans and reinvest in themselves, their families and our economy. I will continue fighting to make college more affordable so that all Coloradans have access to higher education and the opportunity to pursue their passions.

I re-introduced the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act in order to organize and better facilitate efforts to improve the energy efficiency of our schools. There are currently several programs that help schools become more energy efficient, however these programs are littered throughout our government and have varying requirements that make it challenging for schools to take full advantage of them. My bill will provide a coordinated structure so schools can more easily navigate the existing federal programs and financing options. It will cut through red tape, while still leaving it up to the states, school boards and local officials to determine what is best for their school.

Encouraging kids to get active and make healthy eating choices should be priorities as we combat the growing child obesity problem, which is why I have backed legislation, such as the Healthy Kids from Day One Act, to promote physical activity and healthy eating.  I led a bipartisan effort to prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture from imposing overly rigid restrictions on the vegetables that schools can serve at meals. School lunch providers in Colorado told me that this restriction will result in significant challenges for food service operations through higher costs, reduced flexibility and fewer students participating in school meal programs. The law, signed on Nov. 18, 2011, now allows schools working within already tight budgets the flexibility to provide nutritious meals – including starchy vegetables like peas, corn and potatoes that are cooked in a healthy way – and teaching kids healthy eating choices.

I was proud to help a group of 21 rural Colorado school districts win its appeal to keep federal government funding to provide students with broadband Internet services. I organized a bipartisan, delegation-wide letter to urge the Federal Communications Commission to resolve an outstanding appeal by the Colorado East Central Board of Cooperative Educational Services regarding E-Rate funding. These rural school districts rely on E-Rate funding to provide their students with important educational tools over the Internet, like upper-level distance-learning courses. I am thankful the FCC listened to our concerns and gave these school districts some peace of mind as they plan their budgets and curricula for the upcoming year.

Our sedentary lifestyles have led to many public health problems, such as epidemic levels of childhood obesity, and even national security concerns: nearly one in four applicants to the military is rejected for being overweight. This summer, I spearheaded a Kids to Parks initiative to engage the next generation of American youth in the outdoors.  That's also why I introduced the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act (S.1802), along with my House colleague Rep. Ron Kind, to help Americans, especially kids, connect with healthy, active, outdoor lifestyles.  Connecting with the outdoors is an excellent way to promote good physical and mental health and bolster America’s conservation legacy.  It also supports our vibrant outdoor economy, which is especially important in Colorado and to our rural mountain communities.

In October 2011, I introduced a bill designed to improve a key shortcoming of the decade-old education reform law, No Child Left Behind.  No Child Left Behind radically changed the way schools are held accountable for student achievement by setting goals and standards for performance.  But it has been widely criticized for applying one-size-fits-all consequences to schools that face unique and often challenging circumstances, neglecting credit where credit is due for schools that have made enormous improvement yet remain underachieving compared to their peers.  Every child is different and every school faces unique challenges; if a child enters school far behind - and then makes big improvements - we ought to factor that in when measuring their school's performance.  My bill, which builds on work I did in the U.S. House, is based on a nationally recognized "growth model" developed in Colorado that does just that.  It would allow states to consider a student's individual academic growth as a measurement of school performance, enabling schools to track students from year to year and providing schools, parents, teachers, and students alike with the information they need to see where improvements have been made and where there is still room for continued learning.  It was drafted with the help of education experts from inside and out of government in order to be a part of the discussion as Congress begins its scheduled re-write of No Child Left Behind.

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.

I am working to update the way the federal government supports science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education by cosponsoring the STEM Education Coordination Act of 2009 (S. 1210). Under this legislation, the government will have to improve coordination among the federal agencies involved in STEM education, such as the Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and NASA, and produce a five-year strategic plan for implementation of federal STEM education programs. Not only will improved coordination improve the effectiveness of federal STEM education activities, but it will also help ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently to enhance American competitiveness worldwide.

When I joined the Senate, I decided to become a member of the Senate STEM Education Caucus, which includes senators from both political parties. The caucus advances and promotes science and math education in the United States and works to raise awareness in the Senate for STEM education issues. While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, I co-founded the corresponding STEM Education Caucus in 2005.

I co-sponsored Senator Harkin's bipartisan FIT Kids Act (S.634) to promote wellness and physical education in our schools. This bill will instill a sense of awareness about personal health and help children maintain an active and healthy lifestyle as they grow into adults. Children's wellness will continue to a top priority of mine in the U.S. Senate.