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National Security & Foreign Policy

Advancing U.S. Leadership Abroad while Protecting Our Nation

Advancing U.S. Interests Abroad while Protecting Our Nation at Home
As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Senate Committee on Finance, Michael believes the U.S. must play a leading diplomatic, economic, and military role in the world to secure our interests, protect our homeland, and advance our values. He believes the United States should not only maintain but strengthen the international order crafted by visionary American public servants after World War II to peacefully resolve conflicts and ensure rules-based international exchange. In the 21st century, this means standing up against aggression by autocrats, like Russia’s Vladimir Putin, by supporting democracies like Ukraine; deepening alliances and partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and beyond; working with allies and partners and investing in our military to deter autocratic aggression; and embarking on mutually-beneficial trade to open international markets to American companies and advance U.S. interests.

Colorado is one of the best states for our men and women in uniform to train, live, and retire. The state is home to six federal military installations and the U.S. Air Force Academy, and sits at the forefront of missions critical to our national security objectives and defending the homeland. Michael has promoted the security missions in the state, as well as the value that communities across Colorado offer the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, and other national security agencies.

Michael advocated for the permanent reestablishment of U.S. Space Command in Colorado, which is critical to ensure U.S. technological superiority, global leadership, and capabilities in space. After the Trump Administration decided to move Space Command from Colorado to Alabama in January 2021, Michael urged President Joe Biden to reverse course, leading the Biden Administration to initiate an investigation into the basing decision and ultimately overturn Trump’s decision. Michael led the effort in Congress to reverse the decision by highlighting Colorado’s role as the epicenter of national security in space, which makes it the prime location for Space Command.

Michael believes a strong and capable military is vital to our national security. He has consistently fought to ensure that service members have the resources they need to get the job done overseas and that their families have the support they need to thrive at home. Whether voting for military pay raises and increased benefits for servicemembers and their families or for the tools troops need in the field, Michael has worked to ensure the men and women serving in uniform have the resources to defend our nation. As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Michael has worked to support our intelligence community professionals’ fight threats to our national security.

Michael is fighting to strengthen America’s global economic and technological competitiveness and leadership. He is a co-lead of the bipartisan Americas Act, a bill that would deepen economic, diplomatic, and people-to-people U.S. ties with Latin America and the Caribbean – allowing the U.S. to better counter China’s growing influence in the region, create shared prosperity, and address the root causes of migration. Additionally, he has championed legislation to enhance the federal government’s ability to invest in critical emerging technologies, bolster its cybersecurity workforce, and strengthen our nation’s cyber defense.