Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
AND HERE’S WHAT’S IN PROGRESS:
The CORE ACT: The CORE Act received a hearing and is on track for a committee vote as early as January. Hickenlooper secured the Biden Administration’s support for the bill to protect 400,000 acres of public lands.
SPACE COMMAND: Hickenlooper has repeatedly led bipartisan groups of lawmakers in urging the Biden Administration to keep U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs, where it belongs. Two federal Inspectors General are currently reviewing the potential move and share regular updates on their progress.
AMACHE: Hickenlooper secured committee passage of a bill to make Amache, a former Japanese internment camp in Southeast Colorado, a National Historic Site. The bill now heads to the Senate floor.
SMALL BUSINESS: As his first legislation, Hickenlooper introduced a package of bills to increase access to Small Business Administration resources for underserved individuals, communities, and small businesses. Three of those bills were included in the House-passed reconciliation bill.
VOTING RIGHTS: After Republicans blocked debate on three separate bills to protect voting rights, Hickenlooper called for filibuster reform. The Senate is expected to take up the issue again in January.
CLIMATE CHANGE: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill was just a start. Hickenlooper is continuing to work toward a reconciliation package that includes strong investments to address climate change, and has been pushing to include a price on carbon emissions. His COMPETES Act to end non-competitive oil and gas leasing was included in the House and Senate reconciliation proposals.
IMMIGRATION: The Senate must tackle comprehensive immigration reform once and for all, including a pathway to citizenship. While Congress stalls, Hickenlooper has pushed the Biden Administration to expand the DACA program, reunite families, and recapture unused green cards. Hickenlooper cosponsors several bills to make our immigration system more just.
PARKS & EQUITY: The House-passed reconciliation bill includes a version of Hickenlooper’s legislation to help state and local governments build new parks and increase access to the outdoors in underserved communities.
21st CENTURY WORKFORCE: The pandemic has emphasized how important it is to build a workforce that empowers entrepreneurs, women, and people of color, while offering opportunities for success without a college degree. Hickenlooper is working on several proposals to help bring our economy into the 21st century, including expanding access to innovation and research, upskilling, and retirement security.
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS: Preventing the next pandemic will save countless lives while heading off another economic catastrophe. Hickenlooper is working on legislation to prioritize research into pathogens of pandemic concern, to improve vaccine supply chains, and helped secure $10 billion in pandemic preparedness funding in the Senate reconciliation proposal.
SPACE, SCIENCE & TECH: The Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act includes provisions Hickenlooper supports to supercharge scientific research and innovation, help the U.S. compete internationally, train the next generation of scientists, reauthorize NASA, mitigate orbital debris, and address the semiconductor shortage. The bill will go to a conference negotiation between the Senate and House of Representatives early this year.
APPROPRIATIONS: Hickenlooper secured $85 million in funding for 50 Colorado projects in this year’s appropriations bills. Congress is expected to pass fiscal year 2022 government funding in February.