Blog Archives

The bipartisan letter pressed Salazar to respond to questions about his handling of the Interior Department program

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers have drafted a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar that says they are “troubled” by his handling of the federal wild-horse program.

The letter notes that a wild-horse advocacy organization sent Salazar the signatures of 25,130 citizens to inquire about the department’s investigation into whether a southwestern Colorado man sold more than 1,700 federally-protected wild horses to Mexican kill buyers. The interest group has not heard from Salazar and would like a response, it adds. Read more »

TIPTON: “This bipartisan partnership will provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with a new platform for their voices to be heard in Washington”

WASHINGTON — Three decades ago, a congressional caucus helped establish Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a federal holiday and convinced the U.S. government to impose sanctions against apartheid-era South Africa. Rep. Scott Tipton hopes his new congressional caucus will blaze its own path. Read more »

Udall says he will support Hagel’s confirmation, despite concerns raised by groups on both the left and right

WASHINGTON –  Despite public pressure to oppose President Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, Sen. Mark Udall announced he intends to support the bid of former Sen. Chuck Hagel. Read more »

Udall and Murkowski sent a letter to congressional leaders encouraging them to keep up the informal practice

WASHINGTON –  Senator Mike Lee has received a 100 percent rating from the American Conservative Union, but the Utah Republican indicated he will not be sitting next to a fellow member of the Grand Old Party at the State of the Union address this year. He will sit next to a Democrat. Read more »

Obama and a group of Senators have called for granting legal status to the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., but the details of the plans remain unclear

WASHINGTON — Both President Obama and a bipartisan group of senators have proposed overhauls of the nation’s illegal immigration laws in recent days.  Both proposals were short on details, and elicited a variety of responses from Colorado’s four GOP congressmen. Read more »

OVERSTATED ROLE? McCain said Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) was “not part of the core negotiations” on a bipartisan immigration proposal announced today

WASHINGTON — Senator Michael Bennet’s role in a bipartisan group seeking  to overhaul the nation’s illegal immigration laws was questioned after a key senator said he was “not part of the core negotiations.”

The Colorado Democrat, the new chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, did not attend a press conference at the Capitol Monday to announce the tenets of a comprehensive illegal immigration reform bill. Read more »

GUN BAN: Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Golden) is the original co-sponsor of a far-reaching gun control bill introduced in both legislative chambers Thursday

WASHINGTON — Rep. Ed Perlmutter said despite his lobbying of individual House Republican members to support legislation to ban semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines, none have agreed to sign on as co-sponsors of the bill.

“I’ve had conversations with (GOP) members, and while they have not signed on, they have not turned me down,” the Golden Democrat said in an interview at the Capitol Thursday. Read more »

A bipartisan majority of House lawmakers approved a bill to conditionally raise the nation’s $16.4 trillion debt limit on Wednesday

WASHINGTON — Five of Colorado’s seven representatives joined a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers in voting to raise the limit on the nation’s $16.4 billion debt on Wednesday – but attached some strings.

The “No Budget, No Pay” act would extend the federal treasury’s borrowing authority until May 19. If the House or Senate have not agreed on a budget outline by April 15, federal lawmakers’ salaries would be withheld. Read more »

Udall has signaled support for extending a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, but has not yet weighed in on other proposals

WASHINGTON — Colorado’s Mark Udall indicated support for two key proposals of President Obama’s legislative package to reduce gun violence, taking a stand slightly to the left of his fellow Senate Democrats who also are up for re-election in 2014.

The Colorado Democrat told Denver’s FOX affiliate last month he supports a renewal of the assault-weapons bans that lapsed in 2004. Read more »

Salazar’s announcement Wednesday that he will step down as Interior Secretary may quiet the controversy of his four years in office

WASHINGTON — For many liberals, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar deserved to wear the white cowboy hat he often wore in public. His tenure represented an embrace of environmental interests and a rejection of traditional resource development.

“Ken has helped usher in a new era of conservation for our nation’s land, water, and wildlife,” President Obama said in a statement Wednesday. Read more »