Op-Eds
Colorado’s commanding lead in space
Shortly before U.S. Space Command was originally established in Colorado Springs, President Ronald Reagan delivered a commencement address for the Air Force Academy class of 1984. Speaking at Falcon Stadium, he remarked how the pioneering spirit of the West would chart our country's future in space: "Our willingness to accept the challenge of space will reflect whether America's men and women today have the same bold vision, the same courage and indomitable spirit that made us a great nation. W… Continue Reading
08.07.20
Public lands can lead COVID-19 recovery
The great outdoors has always been entwined with our identity and our way of life in Colorado. So when we look at ensuring our state can withstand and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing protections for our public lands and the communities surrounding them must be part of our approach. This week the president signed my bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which I introduced with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va). Under normal times, it would stand on its own as a landmark win for … Continue Reading
07.02.20
Renewing America’s Commitment to the Indo-Pacific
As China brashly tries to impose its own system of rules and order in the Pacific, the United States and our allies in the Indo-Pacific confront a time for choosing. We must choose to advance our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. We must choose to ensure the success of the principles of regional and global order that remain essential to our shared security and prosperity. These are difficult choices that will come at increasingly greater cost. Beijing will do its best to make sure that th… Continue Reading
06.27.20
Fund the shovel-ready opportunities
As we seek solutions to help Colorado recover from COVID-19, we must look at all the readily availableopportunities to boost employment and generate economic activity. While every sector of our state's economy was impacted in different ways and needs support to make it through this pandemic, there are projects that will benefit everyone and enhance communities across our state - like protecting our beautiful public lands. Last week, the U.S. Senate passed Senator Cory Gardner's Great American … Continue Reading
06.24.20
Public lands will be crucial to Colorado’s COVID-19 recovery
Last week, the U.S. Senate took historic action to protect and enhance one of the centerpieces of our state's culture and economy, public lands. Sen. Cory Gardner's Great American Outdoors Act was approved by the Senate 73-25, and it will provide critical support at a time when our communities need it most, enhancing the lands that we will proudly pass on to the next generation of Coloradans. Our entire state is hurting because of COVID-19 pandemic, but communities like Fort Collins and those … Continue Reading
06.20.20
Protecting the great American outdoors — and Mesa County's economy
We often say that public lands are part of who we are in Colorado, but Mesa County and the surrounding region are especially defined by these treasured places. More than 70% of land in Mesa County is owned by the people, and the local economy is closely tied to the successes of our lands. In short, what's good for public lands is good for Mesa County. It's why we fought for years to have Grand Junction become the headquarters for the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Manageme… Continue Reading
06.15.20
How to create good new jobs in America's wonderlands
Setting aside our natural treasures to be owned and enjoyed by the public at large was one of the most forward thinking ideas in our country's history. Growing up in Colorado and West Virginia, our childhoods were marked with field trips and adventures in our country's majestic public lands. Whether it was hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park or the woods of North Central West Virginia, we learned to appreciate the great American outdoors. Now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prot… Continue Reading
05.09.20
Why testing is key
The first step to tackling any problem is seeing it, and that is especially true with COVID-19 - widespread testing is key to seeing the bigger picture in the fight against this virus. Our country's wellbeing - medically and financially - relies on our ability to see where the illness is and is not; where it is spreading and where it is declining. That, in turn, depends on our ability to ramp up testing capacity. Rapid testing for COVID-19 and further research into the benefits, application… Continue Reading
04.24.20
How we can snap back after COVID-19
When we have a tornado warning on the Eastern Plains, wailing sirens inform my neighbors and I when we need to take cover and when it is safe for us to emerge from shelter. Millions of Americans are now sheltering at home because they heard the dire warnings from our state and national leaders about COVID-19 and the dangers we saw in Washington, California, New York and Italy. Part of the anxiety caused by this pandemic comes from the absence of an "all clear" siren telling us it is safe to go … Continue Reading
04.03.20
Coronavirus spread because of Chinese Communist Party’s ineptitude and deceptions
Early last December, people in Wuhan, China began showing symptoms of an unidentifiable respiratory disease in increasing numbers. Today scientists have identified the source of this outbreak as a novel coronavirus that causes the disease now named COVID-19. They believe it was transmitted from an animal to a human. Once the first people in Wuhan became sick, the coronavirus appears to have quickly evolved so it can be transmitted from human to human, making it a highly infectious pathogen. On… Continue Reading
03.30.20
Colorado will get through the coronavirus pandemic together
In Colorado, the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has now surpassed 2,300, and the true number likely is thousands more. Sadly, our state is grieving the 48 Coloradans who have lost their lives because of this deadly virus. This global epidemic is impacting every one of us, upending life as we know it and leaving the future uncertain. Unemployment claims have skyrocketed as businesses wonder how long they can keep their doors open. Families are wondering how long they can go down th… Continue Reading
02.24.20
A chance for all of Colorado to grow
When my hometown of Yuma (population 3,500) built its third traffic light, it was the talk of the town. In towns like ours, even the smallest of new developments make a large splash. Projects and investments are felt close to home. But unfortunately, for us they arrive much less often than they do on the Front Range. The United States is the land of opportunity. Yet even as our national economy booms, opportunities have failed to reach communities that seem to need them the most. Too many w… Continue Reading
01.25.20
Cory Gardner: USMCA passage a major win for Colorado
Earlier this month, I was proud to vote in favor of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement when it passed the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly by a vote of 89-10. After months of delay by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, this much-needed modernization of the North America Free Trade Agreement has finally earned Congress' approval, which is welcome news for producers and exporters in Colorado.The USMCA agreement is one way that we can create new trade opportunities for our farmers and ranchers - because we'v… Continue Reading
01.19.20
The BLM works for the West
Coloradans from across the political spectrum cheered together last summer when the U.S. Department of the Interior announced it would reorganize the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) structure to better serve Western states and relocate its headquarters to Grand Junction. Since that historic day for Colorado's public lands, this common-sense idea has come under attack from people in our nation's capital who are terrified at the thought of losing influence and sway with a government agency. Some… Continue Reading
01.11.20
Cory Gardner: It was a great year for Colorado
As we look back on the past year and look forward to the year ahead, I want to share some of the victories we were able to accomplish. Good news doesn't always make the evening broadcasts or the front page, but 2019 was incredibly successful for the people of Colorado. Working together across party lines, Colorado's elected officials have made great strides to better protect our treasured public lands, lower health care costs and support transportation and broadband deployment across Colorado. … Continue Reading
12.23.19
The opioid epidemic demands bipartisan action
These days, when you order a package for delivery, you can easily track it in real time. Whether it's a pizza delivery or a package from Amazon, you're almost always able to see where your item is in the shipping process and when you can expect to receive it. Why, then, are massive, suspicious shipments of opioids, which are ravaging our country and leading to overdoses and deaths in Colorado, Delaware, and everywhere in between, allowed to fly under the radar? The answer is that the Drug Enfo… Continue Reading
12.12.19
GUEST COLUMN: Olympians deserve a say in the USOPC structure
During the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, the United States cheered as American athletes brought home 121 medals, nearly double the closest country behind us. Shortly after, we were horrified to learn that Olympic athletes representing our country suffered abuse and sexual assault for years. We were left with questions and outrage - and a desire to ensure our Olympics and Paralympics institutions never allowed something like this to happen again. Together we've introduced the bipartisan Strengt… Continue Reading
11.10.19
Measuring the impact of Colorado's great outdoors
Outdoor recreation has always been part of who we are in Colorado. It's a pillar of our local communities and Western heritage, and draws people from all over the world to enjoy our beautiful state and its great outdoors. Whether it's taking to the mountains to hike or mountain bike, fishing or rafting in Colorado waters, hitting the slopes for skiing and snowboarding, or even horseback riding on the Eastern Plains, there's more outdoor recreation activities than this paper has room to print. Th… Continue Reading
11.06.19
GUEST COLUMN: Colorado's military families are the losers during Democrats' political games
It's difficult to run any business or any organization month to month, unsure if you will have the resources in the coming weeks to keep projects moving and employees paid. One organization we cannot let operate this way is the U.S. military. It would be a shameful dereliction of duty, as one of our most important responsibilities as elected leaders is to ensure the safety and security of the American people. However, Senate Democrats are forcing our military service members and their families … Continue Reading
10.31.19
Apprenticeships give a CHANCE in tech for All
We live in an era of rapid technological change, powered by constant innovation and old-fashioned American ingenuity. From hotel chains and virtual reality companies to hospitals and "mom and pop" online retailers, technology is powering the ability to sell, market, and thrive in the United States. October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and encouraging proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity. The treats of being co… Continue Reading
