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U.S.
Senator Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees |
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For Immediate
Release October 25, 2005 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600 |
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| Sen. Salazar’s 64 County Meetings Identify Coloradans Concerns: Energy, Health Care & Iraq Washington, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar has concluded meetings in all of Colorado’s 64 counties. Senator Salazar scheduled the meetings as part of his efforts to represent all the people of Colorado including those from small rural counties like Hinsdale, San Juan and Mineral counties – all three of which have fewer than 1000 people. At the meetings Senator Salazar gave an overview of his work in the U.S. Senate and asked for input from Coloradans on matters before the Nation. Senator Salazar also shared his views on the recent 2005 Energy Bill and outlined future steps he believes must be taken to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and improve security for our nation. From his conversations across Colorado Senator Salazar believes the three most important concerns among Coloradans at this time are: Energy and Health Care costs and the war in Iraq. “The Coloradans I met with, from farmers and ranchers to seniors and business owners, were all concerned about skyrocketing energy costs. Their heating costs have gone up drastically and rapidly rising fuel prices for their cars and tractors are devastating their daily lives,” said Senator Salazar. In his meetings, Senator Salazar outlined, from his perspective, the three most important cornerstones of the 2005 Energy Bill which included measures to 1) increase production and use of renewable and alternative energy, 2) promote energy conservation and efficiency and 3) develop new technologies to help move toward energy independence. Senator Salazar worked on the Energy Bill as a member of the Senate Energy Committee and strongly believes that energy independence is a must for America’s national and economic security. The Coloradans Senator Salazar met expressed many concerns about the current high costs of energy. For example, many are worried about diesel and gas prices which have risen to over $3 dollars per gallon. In response to those concerns, Senator Salazar has recently introduced five bills to: take away incentives that unfairly promote the purchase of high gas guzzling vehicles; increase efficiency standards for auto tires; reduce government fuel consumption; immediately implement next year’s scheduled energy efficiency incentives; and establish a federal gasoline price gouging law. A second major issue Coloradans mentioned was the high cost of health care. “No matter whether I was in a city like Colorado Springs or a small town like Craig, I heard stories of health care nightmares,” said Senator Salazar. “People are paying too much for health care and prescription drugs. There is not enough access to quality care and across the state nearly 750,000 Coloradans do not have any health insurance.” One farmer told Senator Salazar that too many of his friends refused to see a doctor, not because they weren’t sick, but because they simply could not afford it. To ease the crushing burden of health care costs for Coloradans, Senator Salazar has joined a bi-partisan group of Senators in introducing several bills to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and to lift the ban preventing Medicare from negotiating with drug companies to obtain the cheapest possible price for the drugs. Senator Salazar is working with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in efforts to address the issue of health care. A third major concern Senator Salazar heard about at his meetings was the ongoing effort in Iraq. “Colorado is one of the most patriotic states in the Union; many of our sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers have served our Nation with pride and made us proud as they protect us from harm. All across Colorado, whether in Pagosa Springs or Douglas County, Coloradans expressed concern about the status of the war in Iraq including the growing number of casualties and the fact that only one of the eighty-eight Iraqi military battalions is capable of operating independently.” Senator Salazar informed Coloradans that the United States needs a strategy for success in Iraq. The cornerstone of that strategy is passing the mantle of security operations from American forces to the Iraqi Defense and Security forces in that region. Senator Salazar has recently sent a letter to President Bush requesting more information on the status of:
Senator Salazar has also sought to provide adequate protection to our fighting men and women in Iraq including more M101 Common Remotely Operated Weapons Systems (CROWS) which are computerized weapons turrets that allow soldiers to remain protected, inside vehicles, from enemy fire and roadside bombs. Since his swearing-in in
January to the U.S. Senate, Senator Salazar has visited all 64 counties,
many of them several times. Beginning in early August after Congress
passed the Energy Bill Senator Salazar started his Energy Independence
Conversations – Securing America’s Future. He has now held one meeting
in all 64 Colorado counties. # # # |
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