Michael Bennet

The bill’s level of strength on consumer protections will be a focus for Bennet

March 15, 2010 -- Washington, D.C. - Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, offered the following statement regarding legislation announced today by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) that would improve regulations over financial institutions that were largely credited with abusing current regulations that nearly led to a collapse of the U.S. and global economy.    » read more »

Bipartisan ‘Pay It Back’ Plan Would Ensure Returned Bank, Housing Emergency Spending Is Used to Pay Down Debt, Not Fund Further Spending

February 24, 2010 -- Washington, DC - With the U.S. Senate expected to take up the Budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the next few weeks, Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Bob Corker (R-TN) and Jon Tester (D-MT) are telling Senate budget leaders to ensure funds repaid by beneficiaries of taxpayer-funded emergency spending are used to pay down the debt, not fund further deficit spending.    » read more »

February 22, 2010 -- Washington, DC -- The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act goes into effect today, creating better safeguards to protect credit card users. Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, cast the deciding vote to move the bill out of committee before it was approved by the full Senate last year.

The legislation puts new, common sense rules in place that make it harder for credit card companies to take advantage of their customers.    » read more »

Measure Would Require Congress to Pay for New Spending

January 28, 2010 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) today applauded their colleagues in the Senate for passing an amendment that would help reduce the national deficit and control Congressional spending. The legislation, known as Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO), would require Congress to find a way to pay for all new spending measures or tax cuts.

McCaskill and Bennet had introduced similar PAYGO legislation as a stand-alone bill in the summer of 2009. Amidst the consideration of raising the debt limit, the Senate passed an amendment today that would achieve most of the same goals as the McCaskill-Bennet bill.    » read more »

Measure Would Require Congress to Pay for New Spending

January 28, 2010 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) today applauded Senate passage of an amendment that would help reduce the national deficit and control Congressional spending. The legislation, known as Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO), would require Congress to find a way to pay for all new spending measures or tax cuts.

Bennet and McCaskill had introduced similar PAYGO legislation as a stand-alone bill in the summer of 2009. Amidst the consideration of raising the debt limit, the Senate passed an amendment today that would achieve most of the same goals as the McCaskill-Bennet bill.    » read more »

Bennet: ‘Our Number One Priority Right Now Needs to be Jobs’

January 27, 2010 -- Washington, DC - Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, released the following statement after President Barack Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address before a Joint Session of Congress:

"Tonight, after a difficult year for our country, the President spoke directly to the American people about the serious challenges we face, and the serious work we need to do to address them.

"Our number one priority right now needs to be jobs, and I'm pleased President Obama made that the central focus of tonight's remarks. We need to do more to create jobs, to provide tax relief for small businesses, and to restore economic security and stability for middle class families.    » read more »

Disappointed in Senate Rejection of Spending Accountability Commission

January 26, 2010 -- Denver, CO - Today, in the wake of a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate projecting this year's deficit to total $1.35 trillion, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauded President Barack Obama for his commitment to rein in the federal budget by freezing discretionary spending, which is similar to a provision Bennet supports in the Senate.    » read more »

December Jobs Numbers Show Need for Immediate Action

January 22, 2010 -- Today, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet said that the U.S. Department of Labor's unemployment numbers for December 2009, which show unemployment in Colorado increasing to 7.5 percent, is a sign that immediate action is necessary to ensure the economic recovery is not a jobless recovery:

"This morning, we received yet another reminder of the challenges facing Coloradans in this economy. And while Colorado is faring better than most states, ‘less bad' comes as little comfort for folks trying to find a job as we emerge from this recession.    » read more »

Urges USDA to Proceed With Caution On Crop Insurance Changes, Put Interests of Colorado Farmers First; Letter Calls to Protect Farmers and Fairly Compensate Crop Insurance Agents

January 22, 2010 -- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to proceed with caution on changes to the federal crop insurance program given their potential impact on the lives of Colorado's farmers and ranchers.

In a bipartisan letter to USDA's Rural Management Agency (RMA) Administrator William Murphy, Bennet said that the federal crop insurance program is a vital resource for the growth and sustainability of Colorado's and the country's agricultural economy.    » read more »

January 22, 2010 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined a group of 30 other senators in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Finance Chairman Committee Max Baucus urging an extension of unemployment benefits and eligibility for the COBRA Premium Assistance Program through December 31, 2010. The letter urges swift action on providing relief for unemployed Americans.

"As our nation continues to battle double digit unemployment rates, we must act right away to continue vital safety net coverage for the American family," wrote the senators.    » read more »

"Repeal Insurance Antitrust Exemptions in Health Care Reform"

January 14, 2010 -- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, along with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy called on President Obama, Majority Leader Reid, and Speaker Pelosi to request the "inclusion of language that repeals the Federal antitrust exemption for health insurers and medical malpractice insurers in the final Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that is signed into law."    » read more »

Leads Effort to Request Medicaid Funding Extension to Aid States; Senators Note Importance of Balanced State Budgets, State Spending, and Protection Against Job Loss

January 14, 2010 -- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, led a group of 37 of his Senate colleagues in submitting a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to provide states with an additional six month extension for the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding. FMAP funding is critical in stabilizing state and local economies by assisting states that face increased costs related to Medicaid enrollment at a time when revenues are declining as a result of the troubled economy.    » read more »

Joins In Effort Urging the Senate to Send Aid to Those Affected by Haiti Earthquake

January 14, 2010 -- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, today sent a letter to Senate leadership calling on them to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake in Haiti as soon as possible.

The full text of the letter follows a statement Bennet released on the disaster, which can be found below:    » read more »

Udall and Bennet Fought to Include Funding for FasTracks, CASTA

December 14, 2009 -- Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado joined the full Senate late yesterday in approving an Omnibus Appropriations bill that includes more than $97 million for Colorado transportation projects.

Senators Udall and Bennet fought for the funding to expand FasTracks and improve transportation across the Denver metro area and help improve bus service in communities across the state.

The bill is now headed to the president's desk for his signature.    » read more »

Low Prices and High Yields Make Livelihood Difficult for Colorado Potato Farmers; Bennet Urges USDA Purchase of Potatoes to Remove Surplus Products from Market, Provide Immediate Relief to Colorado Farmers

December 15, 2009 -- Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, today announced his push to provide immediate relief for Colorado potato farmers struggling in the face of low commodity prices and a growing surplus of their product. Colorado is one of the top five potato-producing states in the country.    » read more »