Mark Udall

Funding Included in Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill

November 17, 2009 -- Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado, announced today that the Pueblo Chemical Depot is on track to receive $92.5 million in new federal funding for construction of a facility to destroy chemical weapons stored there.

The funding was included in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill for fiscal year 2010, which was approved by the Senate by a vote of 100 to 0.

The bill now goes to a conference committee to be reconciled with the version passed in the House. The $92.5 million in funding represents a portion of the money requested for work at Pueblo Chemical Depot.    » read more »

Bill Preserves Over 61,000 Acres in San Juan, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties; Respects Private Property Rights and Recreation Access

November 10, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced that they have introduced the San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act of 2009 in the Senate. It is a companion bill to one introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman John Salazar (H.R. 3914).    » read more »

In Speech on Senate Floor, Udall Points to Colorado Example of Coordinated, Streamlined Care, which Saves Money and Emphasizes Ways to Keep Patients Healthy

November 5, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall, delivered a speech on the Senate floor emphasizing ways health insurance reform would reduce wasteful spending and increase efficiency - putting the focus of the health care system back on patients where it belongs. The U.S. spends over $2 trillion per year on health care - nearly one fifth of the economy - yet between 30 and 50 percent of these dollars are not contributing to better patient health. That's unsustainable and unhealthy, Senator Udall said.    » read more »

Improvements to 100-year-old Facility Also Will Reduce Environmental Hazards

November 4, 2009 -- Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado, today announced the 100-year-old Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project will get up to $1.18 million to replace two old turbines for higher efficiency and output.

The funds, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, are part of $30.6 million in funding announced by the U.S. Department of Energy to modernize hydropower infrastructure by increasing efficiency at existing facilities and reducing their environmental impact.    » read more »

14,000 Jobless Coloradans Expected to Lose Unemployment Benefits by Year's End

November 4, 2009 -- Following a push to ensure that the Senate's extension of unemployment benefits includes Coloradans, Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, U.S. Senators for Colorado, today announced Senate passage of the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. The legislation, which they cosponsored, would provide relief to jobless workers by extending unemployment insurance for the nearly 14,000 jobless Coloradans who will exhaust their benefits by year's end. It also extends the homebuyer tax credit and provides important tax relief for Colorado families and small businesses.

The legislation is fully offset.    » read more »

October 30, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet joined their Senate colleagues late Thursday in passing the conference report for the Interior Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010, and sending the legislation containing key funding for Colorado's national parks, forests and public lands to the President's desk. The bill passed by a vote of 72-28.    » read more »

Recovery Act Funding Will Create Jobs, Help Move Toward Energy Independence

October 27, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall announced that Smart Grid projects in Fort Collins and Pueblo will receive more than $24 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding will help both cities create jobs and advance their efforts to transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado, today announced that funding for several Colorado water projects is on its way as the Senate approved the Energy and Water Conference Report today. The Conference Report is the result of an agreement between the House and Senate and is the final version of the Fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, which helps fund critical flood control, energy and public works projects.    » read more »

New Bill Would Establish Permit Program to Help ‘Good Samaritans’ Effectively Clean up Mines in Colorado

October 14, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall announced the introduction of a bill to help "Good Samaritans" who want to clean up abandoned mines but can't without taking on liability under the Clean Water Act. Abandoned mines are a serious environmental and safety hazard throughout Colorado and the West.

Senator Udall's bill would open up a path for community groups and others to get these mines cleaned up by establishing a permit program that would enable volunteers to reduce the pollution flowing from an abandoned mine without being exposed to full liability under the Clean Water Act.    » read more »

October 13, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall issued the following statement as the Senate Finance Committee approved landmark health insurance reform legislation by a bipartisan vote of 14-9.

"Today, we moved closer than ever before to delivering real health insurance reform that lowers health care costs, improves care, and preserves the ability of patients to choose their health insurance plan. I want to thank my colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee for their hard work, which enabled us to get to a bipartisan agreement on this bill.    » read more »

Join Bipartisan Group to Introduce New Legislation Prohibiting Interest from Accruing on Student Loans for Active- Duty Service Members; Bill Would Save Average Service Member Between $1,183 - $1,479

October 13, 2009 -- Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, U.S. Senators for Colorado, today joined a bipartisan group of senators in introducing legislation that provides immediate student loan debt relief to active-duty service soldiers and members of the National Guard. Bennet, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Pension and Labor Committee (HELP), vowed to push for the bill in the committee.    » read more »

Senate Passage of Defense Bill Will Help Ensure Government Can Destroy Weapons by Congressionally Mandated Date of 2017

October 7, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced that they have joined the Senate in approving a bill that includes $154.4 million for weapons destruction at Pueblo Chemical Depot. The funding, which was included in the bipartisan Department of Defense Appropriations bill, will help the federal government stay on track to destroy the chemical weapons stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot by the congressionally mandated date of 2017. The bill passed Tuesday evening by a vote of 93-7.    » read more »

Bennet Joins Udall to Continue Push for Meaningful Health Care Reform; Highlights Colorado's Transitions of Care Model, Pushes to Improve Patient Care & Lower Health Care Costs

October 1, 2009 -- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado and member of the Senate HELP Committee, today joined Senator Mark Udall in a continued effort to highlight the importance of passing meaningful health care reform for working families and small businesses.

In his remarks, Bennet laid out the need for reform that lowers costs and improves patient outcomes, reduces costly hospital readmissions by building upon a successful model for transitions of care pioneered in Colorado, and bends the health care cost curve in a way that will put Washington and the country on a sounder fiscal footing.    » read more »

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and Colorado Community Managed Care Awarded Grants to Boost Use of Electronic Health Records

September 29, 2009 -- Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado, applauded the announcement of $2 million for two health information technology initiatives in Colorado. The funds are part of $27.8 million in grants announced this week by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless received $1,865,625 to support electronic health records (EHR) implementation. The Coalition's Stout Street Clinic has been delivering healthcare for the homeless in downtown Denver for almost 25 years, seeing more than 12,000 patients last year.    » read more »

Introduces bipartisan bill to create tax break for consumers who buy water-saving appliances; Incentive similar to Energy Star program could save families $170 a year on water bills

June 23, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Mark Udall introduced a bipartisan bill that would create a tax credit for consumers and businesses who invest in water-saving appliances. The credit would be similar to the Energy Star credit for purchasing energy-efficient appliances, and could save families as much as $170 a year. The bill was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Colorado Republican Mike Coffman.

In a speech about the legislation on the Senate floor, Senator Udall said it is a win-win for consumers and water supplies in Colorado and across the country.    » read more »