May 20, 2017Celebrating Colorado Public Lands DayToday, I am especially proud to be a Coloradan as we are celebrating the first ever Colorado Public Lands Day. This is particularly significant in light of the attacks on public lands coming from Washington, D.C. Colorado’s way of life and outdoor industry rely on access to public lands. That…Environment3 min readEnvironment3 min read
Jan 17, 2017Five Questions for Betsy DeVosThe Senate is in the process of confirming a Secretary of Education, questioning Betsy DeVos, the candidate President-elect Trump nominated. The Secretary of Education leads the Department of Education, guiding federal programs and disbursing resources to K-12 and postsecondary education institutions. Public schools across the country, and especially in Colorado…Education3 min readEducation3 min read
Jan 29, 2016Can K-12 public school choice help tackle the skyrocketing cost of college?College tuition in Colorado has almost tripled in the past ten years. An increase in the price of college means many students have to borrow more, and today, the average student loan borrower in Colorado has over $25,000 in student debt. Combined, Americans owe more than $1.3 trillion in student…Education2 min readEducation2 min read
Jan 12, 2016Who I’m Bringing to the State of the UnionEach week our office gets hundreds of phone calls, letters, and emails from constituents on everything from the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act to Medicare premiums. A few months ago, one letter in particular caught my attention. …Cerebral Palsy2 min readCerebral Palsy2 min read
Oct 8, 2015Empowering America’s workersEmpowering America’s workers Chris Castle is similar to many working Americans. He lives in Thornton, Colorado with his wife and daughter. Each day he drives to the Department of Veterans Affairs in Denver where he works as a loan specialist. …Government3 min readGovernment3 min read
Sep 24, 2015My thoughts on Pope Francis’ historic address before CongressPope Francis spoke with incredible power and empathy about the struggles and difficult decisions that Americans encounter on a regular basis — and about our responsibility as legislators to care for our world, our families, and our neighbors in need. Here in Washington, we obsess over our divisions. They derail…Climate Change2 min readClimate Change2 min read
Sep 15, 2015I misspokeDuring a subcommittee hearing last week about sexual assault on college campuses, I committed a major gaffe during the back-and-forth exchange with a witness who was advocating for removing the authority of colleges to adjudicate sexual assault cases that happen on their campuses. My words did not convey my beliefs…Sexual Assault4 min readSexual Assault4 min read
