Bennet-Led Legislation to Protect Kids in Foster Care, Build Affordable Housing, Invest in Rural Communities Included in End-of-Year Packages
Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet passed nine pieces of legislation through the House and Senate over the past month and sent them to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
This legislation includes provisions from:
- Forest Service Flexible Housing Partnerships Act
- Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act
- Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act
- Summit of the Americas Act
- Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act
- Rural Outdoor Investment Act
- Colorado River Salinity Control Fix Act
- Coordinating AUKUS Engagement with Japan Act of 2024
- Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act
In case you missed it, here’s what they’re saying:
Colorado Newsline: Colorado Democrats, outdoor recreation groups cheer Senate passage of public lands bill
“While chaos in the U.S. House of Representatives threatened to trigger a government shutdown just before the holidays, Colorado Democrats and outdoor recreation advocates cheered the passage of a wide-ranging public lands bill in the Senate on Thursday.
“The bipartisan Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences or EXPLORE Act was unanimously approved by the Senate after being passed by the House earlier this year. It now heads to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
“The EXPLORE Act includes a variety of measures aimed at protecting certain recreational uses of federally owned public lands, simplifying permitting procedures for federal land management and ensuring equal access for people with disabilities, military veterans and young people.”
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“The Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act, also sponsored by Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, aims to strengthen coordination between federal and state agencies responding to the spread of invasive species, including by giving the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation the authority to fund response programs, improving data sharing and ensuring that “at-risk basins are eligible and prioritized for watercraft inspection and decontamination funding.”
Colorado Public Radio: Colorado has tens of thousands of abandoned hardrock mines. Congress just passed a bill to help more groups clean them up
“Congress has passed a bill that could make it easier for non-profits or states and local governments to clean up abandoned mines.
“The U.S. House on Tuesday approved the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act, via voice vote. The bill passed the Senate in July and now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk.
“The bill sets up a pilot program under the Environmental Protection Agency to allow “good Samaritans” to clean up and improve water quality around abandoned hard rock mine sites without being subject to liability for pre-existing pollution.”
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“Bennet said he was thrilled the bill made it through Congress, finally.
‘It’s 15 years of work by a lot of people, so it will be good to get it done,’ he noted. Bennet co-sponsored past versions of the bill.”
Steamboat Pilot & Today: Workforce housing revival for U.S. Forest Service project in Steamboat Springs
“U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, who co-sponsored the legislation with U.S. Rep. Neguse and has adamantly pushed for the continuation of the Forest Service leasing authorization, said Friday that he was happy that congress members were able to work together to get the EXPLORE Act passed.
“It started out in the 2018 Farm Bill, the expiration was making it difficult for what people had to do on the ground, even in Steamboat, but we were able to get the parties to come together to agree that putting it in the EXPLORE act made sense and I am really glad that we did because we were running out of time,” said Sen. Bennet.
“‘It became clear, we had wanted to pass the Farm Bill and I think there was a sense, earlier in the year, that we would pass the Farm Bill, that is a deadline that we usually don’t miss, but we were not able to get to a bipartisan Farm Bill this year so we had to find a different vehicle in the Senate and that is what EXPLORE became,’ he added.
“The legislation included in the EXPLORE Act also improves what might have been continued in the Farm Bill by extending the limit for Forest Service lease agreements from 50 to 100 years.
“‘We heard from local communities that we needed that extended period of time for them to make sense from a leasing and a financing point of view. So, we were able to double the time, and I think we are going to make that program better and more durable and maybe give us more flexibility on the ground,’ added Sen. Bennet.”
“Earlier this term, Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet called on a committee to prioritize policies that would help people in Colorado access clean water, and today, they celebrate the successful passage of the bill.
“The Water Resources Development Act of 2024 authorizes $20 million for water supply and storm[water] management for El Paso County and $50 million for Fremont County.”
“Since 1974, the Bureau of Reclamation has supported various projects to reduce salt levels in the Colorado River’s upper and lower basins. Now, a bill to increase the 50-year-old program’s funding is heading to President Joe Biden’s desk after passing both chambers of Congress.”
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“Bennet said in a statement that the legislation will ‘support ongoing efforts to keep water from the Colorado River safe for communities, farmers and ranchers and water users throughout the entire Basin.’”
Colorado Public Radio: In the final days of a historically dysfunctional Congress, lawmakers sprint to pass a flurry of bills
“Last fall the House passed the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act, introduced by Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse and Arizona Rep. Debbie Lesko. The Senate gave its approval to the bill Friday. It places the monument, whose idea came from a constituent in Neguse’s district, on the National Mall… A number of other Coloradans co-sponsored the bill, including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and Reps. Brittany Pettersen and Diana DeGette.”
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“Mesa County could be buying some land from the federal government. The Senate passed the CONVEY Act, which the House passed earlier this year.”
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“Hickenlooper, who introduced the bill with Bennet and got the bill through the Senate called it a win-win for locals and for the federal government… Bennet agreed. “Mesa County has made significant strides to secure a vibrant future for Clifton, and our legislation would be one more step towards prosperity for the community,” he said in a statement.”
“U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet celebrate passing the Clifton Opportunities Now for Vibrant Economic Yields Act, or CONVEY.
“This act allows a 31 acre plot of land to be sold to Mesa County by the Bureau of Land Management. That land would be used for new economic development in Clifton.
“Both senators commented on the passing, with Hickenlooper saying it’s a win-win for the federal government and Mesa County, while Bennet says Mesa County has made significant strides to secure a vibrant future for Clifton.”