Washington, D.C. – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it would scrap plans to close or privatize 25 Forest Service-run Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, including the Collbran Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center on the Western Slope. The move comes after Bennet and his congressional colleagues called on the administration to reverse its decision.
“While it’s welcome news that the administration listened to our calls and reversed their misguided proposal, the fact is this never should have happened in the first place. With little warning and no justification, the Trump Administration’s plan to privatize the Collbran Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center left the center’s students and employees in limbo. Collbran’s training programs have equipped young people with essential jobs skills, and support critical fire prevention and natural disaster response across the state. We will continue our efforts to ensure the Collbran Job Corps, and centers like it across the country, can continue to serve our rural areas for years to come.”