National

HARD TIME? Illegal aliens who have committed crimes – including some who have spent time in prison – could qualify for legal status under the Obama plan

DENVER – Lawmakers on both sides of the immigration debate were outraged this weekend after components of a White House proposal outlining a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens was leaked to the media.

The Obama proposal, which was initially revealed by USA Today, would create a new 4-year, multiple-entry visa for illegal immigrants who pay a fee, provide biometric information such as fingerprints, and submit to some form of criminal background check. Read more »

Rep. Polis (D-Boulder) said he had no comment on whether Chuck Hagel should be confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Defense

WASHINGTON –  On the eve of a Senate vote on the controversial nomination of Chuck Hagel to serve as Secretary of Defense, Rep. Jared Polis said he was unaware of critical remarks that a leading Democratic lawmaker and a gay philanthropist made of the nominee.

“I have not seen those comments,” the Boulder Democrat said of statements that Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) and James Hormel have made about Hagel’s positions on Israel and gay issues in the previous six weeks. Read more »

OVERPAID? Congress is set to consider a bill that would block a scheduled pay raise for government workers

DENVER — Despite a sputtering job market, persistent unemployment and reports that the U.S. economy contracted last quarter, at least one group of highly paid Americans are set to receive a pay raise:  Federal employees.  But that may not happen if Republican lawmakers get their way.

On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives is slated to begin consideration of legislation that would block a scheduled salary bump for government workers that President Obama ordered in December. Read more »

Hickenlooper came across as pleased with Colorado’s direction on energy, calling it “a model for the nation”

DENVER–Gov. John Hickenlooper disappointed environmental groups Tuesday by telling a Senate committee that fracking fluid is safe enough to drink–and that he has.

“At one point in my office–I’m not sure how this happened–but the new frack fluid is made of food additives, and somehow we all took a swig of frack fluid,” Hickenlooper told the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in Washington, D.C. “It was not terribly tasty, but again, I’m still alive.” Read more »

Colorado’s Representatives offered different responses to Mr. Obama’s proposals

WASHINGTON — Members of the Colorado congressional delegation gave mixed reviews to President Obama’s legislative proposals Tuesday night. Their response to the State of the Union address depended on the issue.

Rep. Doug Lamborn indicated support for Obama’s proposal to end the marriage penalty for low-income couples. “That’s something I would like to know more about. I don’t know the details of it, but it could really help working families. And I would support it very strongly,” the Colorado Springs Republican said Tuesday night at the Capitol. Read more »

Most Democrats on the panel suggested that Hagel’s performance and statements were sluggish and incomplete

WASHINGTON –Senator Mark Udall cast a key vote Tuesday for Chuck Hagel to serve as Secretary of Defense, commending the embattled nominee for his performance at his widely panned confirmation hearing 12 days ago.

The Colorado Democrat praised not only the credentials of President Obama’s pick to head the Pentagon, but also his testimony and the support of two senior members of the traditional defense establishment at the Jan. 31 confirmation hearing. Read more »

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 »

Young voters and Democrats were more likely to be pro-choice, while many Republicans and older voters identified themselves as pro-life

DENVER – A majority of Americans say they are pro-choice, while the number of those who call themselves pro-life has dropped to a historic low, according to a recent Rasmussen Reports poll.

When asked “Generally speaking, on the issue of abortion, do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?”, a majority of respondents, 54 percent, said they considered themselves “pro-choice,” while 36 percent said they were “pro-life”.  Another ten percent said they were unsure. 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 »