In The News
Trump signs Olympics reform legislation from Gardner, DeGette
President Donald Trump signed into law on Friday a bill backed by U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette that would establish safeguards against sexual abuse in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sports, and also create a commission to review the operations of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The legislation was a response to the crimes of Larry Nassar, the former national team doctor for USA Gymnastics, who received up to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing scores of female… Continue Reading
10.28.20
Gardner proposes bill to authorize new Colorado Springs VA medical center
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) on Oct. 23 introduced legislation to authorize the construction of a major medical facility for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Colorado Springs, Colo. "I am incredibly proud of Colorado's active duty military's strength, courage and bold vision for the future," said Sen. Gardner, "and I will always fight to ensure our veterans receive access to the quality care they deserve." Earlier this month, Sen. Gardner announced efforts to support the new VA… Continue Reading
10.26.20
Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner introduces bill authorizing a VA Hospital in Colorado Springs
A little more than a week after announcing a push to bring a VA hospital to Colorado Springs, U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner introduced legislation that would authorize the construction of a VA medical center in Olympic City USA. "Our nation's veterans deserve timely access to quality care, but I hear frequently from veterans in El Paso County about the need for additional access to services," said Gardner in a news release. "As the veteran population in El Paso County continues to experience rapid gro… Continue Reading
10.26.20
White House sends 50,000 COVID-19 tests to Colorado over wildfires
The White House sent 50,000 additional COVID-19 tests to Colorado in the past week to support increased testing needs resulting from recent wildfires. The tests are BinaxNOW rapid point-of-care tests, providing results in 15 minutes. "We are sparing no effort or expense to save millions of American lives," White House spokesman Michael Bars said. "Approximately (1.75 million) of the rapid tests are already allocated by the administration to protect the health and safety of the people of Colora… Continue Reading
10.23.20
UPDATE: Colorado congressional members request USDA help in protecting watershed during wildfires
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and the congressmen whose districts are near the raging wildfires in Colorado have requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture help protect the water supply from the Cache la Poudre River from being compromised. "Communities in Larimer and Weld counties, like Fort Collins and Greeley, receive at least some water supplies from the Poudre River, which pulls water from high mountain reservoirs," wrote Gardner and U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Ken Buck. "There are currently… Continue Reading
10.22.20
Trump signs space weather bill from Gardner, Perlmutter
President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law a bill from U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter to improve the country's forecasting capabilities for space weather. "Space weather events stand to present significant economic and national security implications, with the potential to disrupt essential services, communications and technologies we rely on every day," said Gardner. At a House committee hearing in January, Perlmutter defined space weather as electromagnetic activi… Continue Reading
10.17.20
Federal grant awards $6.3 million for Southwest Colorado broadband
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this week it is awarding $6.3 million to expand broadband internet access in Dolores, San Miguel and Montezuma counties. The grant is a part of the USDA's ReConnect Program, which aims to expand broadband infrastructure and internet access throughout rural America. According to the agency, the grant will be used to expand high-speed broadband to more than 1,600 people living in the three counties. Both of Colorado's U.S. senators hailed the announce… Continue Reading
10.17.20
An ‘Astounding Victory’ For Suicide Prevention Crafted By Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner
Starting in 2022, there will be a new three-digit phone number to connect to a suicide prevention hotline nationwide: 988. Without fanfare, President Donald Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act into law Saturday. The bill was introduced by Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner last fall. Colorado has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, and has experienced an increase in teen suicide. The coronavirus pandemic has also put a stronger focus on mental health. "The COVID-19 … Continue Reading
10.16.20
Gardner intends to seek VA hospital for Colorado Springs
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner announced on Friday that he will support a new veterans' hospital in Colorado Springs to help serve the estimated 83,000 veterans living in El Paso County. "Based on conversations with the VA and staff here and through the region, it is critically important that we build a new VA hospital in Colorado Springs," said Gardner outside the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora. "The veterans' population in Colorado and Colorado Springs certainly merits this initi… Continue Reading
10.13.20
Gardner, Colo. colleagues urge USDA help mitigate impacts of wildfires on drinking water
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) joined two other Colorado lawmakers in requesting that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) coordinate with their home state and local governments to help protect drinking water supplies that rely on the Cache la Poudre River. The members of the Colorado congressional delegation sent an Oct. 8 letter sent to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Kevin Norton, acting chief of the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, urging that water supply protection be ha… Continue Reading
10.03.20
Critical rural water pipeline finally becoming a reality
Saturday marked a major milestone as state and national leaders celebrated the Arkansas Valley Conduit water pipeline finally becoming a rally. It's been a long time coming. "It was nearly 100 years ago, in the 1930s, that the residents of southeastern Colorado recognized that the water quality in the lower valley of the Arkansas River was quite poor," said Bill Long, President of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District. Back in 1962, President Kennedy visited Pueblo to s… Continue Reading
10.01.20
'Baby Yoda' doll donated by 5-year-old Oregon boys makes its way to Cameron Peak fire crew
A new companion arrived this week to keep the Cameron Peak firefighters company while they fight the state's third-largest fire in history - a Baby Yoda doll. The toy made its way to Cameron Peak firefighters after initially being donated to teams fighting wildfires in southern Oregon. Five-year-old Carver and his grandmother dropped the toy and other supplies off at a donation center in Oregon that was started by resident Tyler Eubanks. Carver gave the firefighters the Baby Yoda doll with a n… Continue Reading
09.30.20
Gardner bill would keep America’s manufacturing industry strong
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) on Sept. 24 offered a bipartisan bill to temporarily provide authority for the U.S. Commerce Secretary to waive cost-sharing requirements for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a public-private partnership between the federal government and centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers. "This bill will help keep our manufacturing industry strong and contains relief that will benefit all four corners… Continue Reading
09.25.20
Breaking the Chinese space addiction
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) recently proposed two amendments to the NASA appropriations bill to vet agency contractors for ties to the People's Republic of China. The amendments, which the Senate Commerce Committee adopted, mandate a Government Accountability Office review of potential commercial ties of NASA contractors to China and oblige the agency's leadership to take such PRC business connections into account when awarding new contracts. Over the last five years, the United States has subs… Continue Reading
09.22.20
Durango train receives $2 million grant to replace bridge
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has received nearly $2 million from a federal rail safety program to help pay for the replacement of a bridge over the Animas River, just south of Silverton. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the money through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program, which "funds projects that improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of intercity passenger freight and rail." In a joint letter of support to award th… Continue Reading
09.15.20
House passes version of Gardner-sponsored 'Internet of Things' bill
A bill to require all federal government devices belonging to the "Internet of Things" to meet minimum security requirements passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday. U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner is the co-sponsor of the companion bill in the Senate, the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act. In a statement, Gardner said that "[m]ost experts expect tens of billions of devices operating on our networks within the next several years as the Internet of Things (IoT) landscape continu… Continue Reading
09.11.20
Cory Gardner co-founds Space Force Caucus
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner is among a bipartisan group of four western lawmakers that has established a U.S. Senate Space Force Caucus to raise awareness of the operations of the newest branch of the military, established last year. "The Caucus will strive to host discussions and events for Members and staff with the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Space Operations, Vice Chief of Space Operations, and other senior service leaders throughout the year with the goal of educating Members and staff… Continue Reading
09.02.20
Bennet, Gardner, Tipton advocate for wildfire funding for Grizzly Creek fire
Colorado's Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner, and U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton of Cortez, have asked the federal government to approve a cost-share arrangement that will help the city of Glenwood Springs with the Grizzly Creek fire. The September 2 letter went to the Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue and the Department of Agriculture's National Resources Conservation Service. The city, the letter said, has asked for assistance under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. The Grizzly Cr… Continue Reading
09.01.20
GJT Receives Largest Federal Grant Ever, Funds Needed Maintenance
The Grand Junction Regional airport now has an additional $12.9 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to fund much needed maintenance. The grant was announced Tuesday as part of $1.2 billion in new grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation going to airports across the country. The grant will go towards multiple projects. The first, replacing the west apron of the airport. The west apron is where commercial passenger flights load and unload passengers. "We'll actually be rep… Continue Reading
08.28.20
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner tours Greeley’s Genesis Plastics
United States Senator Cory Gardner was in Greeley Thursday for a quick tour of a local manufacturing facility, Genesis Plastics Technology, where the relatively small, family-owned local thermaformer had recently turned on a dime to meet a need created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Genesis, which typically produces plastics goods that include products like food packaging and light fixtures, found itself pushing out as many as 200,000 pieces of a medical-grade plastic face shield in a two-week perio… Continue Reading
