Congress
Colorado Congress members want review of drug bill that cost Tom Marino ‘drug czar’ nomination
DENVER – Some of Colorado’s federal lawmakers say they are reviewing the ramifications of a 2016 law, of which two of the state’s congressmen cosponsored early versions, that some say has handcuffed the Drug Enforcement Administration in its fight against drug companies—something that was uncovered in a joint Washington Post-60 Minutes investigation published last week.
The two Republican members of Congress – Rep. Mike Coffman and Sen. Cory Gardner, who was in the House of Representatives when he cosponsored the bills – did not, however, put their names on the bill that contained the final language now being blamed by some for neutering the DEA’s diversion program, which aims to stop the flow of pharmaceuticals and scheduled drugs to non-official sources.
And they and other members of Congress from Colorado, who were present when the bill passed both the Senate and House unanimously, say the law may have created “unintended consequences” for the DEA’s power over the opioid manufacturers that might need to be fixed.
Several legislators have endorsed new bills that would reverse the language written into the law, but those from Colorado have yet to sign on, saying they are reviewing the matter. Continue reading
Sen. Michael Bennet calls for government accountability office to probe Trump voter fraud commission
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet is doubling down on President Trump’s election integrity commission, and is now calling for the U.S. Government Accountability Office to probe the panel.
Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., sent a letter to the GAO Wednesday requesting the investigation while questioning the motives of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Continue reading
Michael Bennet pitches public option as bipartisan senators say they have deal to fund ACA subsidies
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet on Tuesday pitched a public option health care measure as a bipartisan panel of senators he’s been part of announced it had reached a deal to fund insurer subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that President Trump has stopped paying for the time being.
Bennet had scheduled an informational call for Colorado journalists regarding his and Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia’s “Medicare-X” measure, but the deal reached by Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., took precedent on the call. Continue reading
New 2018 House model shows pickups for Democrats, a possible challenge for Mike Coffman
DENVER – New modeling for 2018 shows Democrats have a better chance than they did in recent weeks of picking up some seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and that there might be a chance a Democrat knocks off Republican Mike Coffman in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District.
Decision Desk HQ put out a new model Monday for the 2018 House midterms, which forecasts that Democrats will end up with 208 seats in the House, up from 194 currently in the House.
Most of its forecasts for Colorado aren’t much of a surprise, as incumbents are expected to remain in their seats, lest they be ousted in a primary by a challenger from their own party.
But the 6th Congressional District, which Coffman is currently representing for the sixth time, might be in play, according to the models.
They show that Democrats have a 60.7 percent win probability in the district and that Democrats will take 52 percent of the vote.
That would in theory bode well for the Democrats in the field, which currently include Jason Crow, Levi Tillemann and David Aarestad, who are trying to unseat the Republican Coffman in a district that Hillary Clinton drew 55 percent of the vote in last year.
But the district was also considered as being “in play” for Democrats last year, when Coffman defeated Democratic challenger Morgan Carroll 50.9 percent to 42.6 percent.
Some conservatives scoffed at the idea that Coffman might be an early underdog Monday, seeing as how Coffman hasn’t been seriously-challenged since 2012, when he narrowly defeated Joe Miklosi.
“[Democrats] should sue Decision Desk HQ & others for tricking them into spending so much [money] in #CO06 every cycle,” said Americans For Prosperity Senior Director of Issue Education Michael Fields.
But the 6th was the only 2018 Colorado district Decision Desk said was moderately in play in Monday’s release.
According to their analysis, Rep. Diana DeGette (D) has a 100 percent chance of winning re-election; a Democrat is 98.5 percent-likely to win the 2nd district that Jared Polis currently holds; and Republicans have a 73.5-percent chance to win the 3rd district where Scott Tipton is trying to get re-elected.
Republicans have a 94.2 percent chance to hold Rep. Ken Buck’s 4th district seat, and a slightly-better chance of holding the 5th Congressional District that Doug Lamborn currently represents.
Rep. Ed Perlmutter has a 93-percent chance of holding onto Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk.
The new forecasts come on the last day that candidates have to report their quarterly earnings to the Federal Election Commission. The filings are due by the end of the day, and the subsequent reports should provide more insight into who is challenging whom in the various districts ahead of next spring’s primaries and caucuses.
Sen. Michael Bennet to unveil public option health plan aimed at rural areas this week: ‘Medicare-X’
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet will unveil legislation this week to bring a public option to the federal health care system that is seen as a middle point between those pushing for a single-payer system and possibly some Republicans who are on the fence about repealing and replacing the law altogether.
Bennet and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., first unveiled the plan Monday in a Washington Post story, and are expected to further elaborate upon the plan on Tuesday afternoon. Continue reading
Colorado premiums will rise by 6% on top of existing hikes after Trump ends CSR subsidy payments
DENVER – Health insurance premiums being offered by insurers in Colorado in 2018 will go up by an additional average of 6 percent – beyond the increases already in place – because of President Trump’s decision to stop making cost-sharing reduction subsidy payments.
The state’s insurance commissioner, Marguerite Salazar, made the announcement Friday afternoon, and like Gov. John Hickenlooper, called Trump’s decision “cruel and irresponsible.” Continue reading
Colorado insurance commissioner warns Trump health care order could spell end of employer coverage
DENVER – Colorado’s insurance commissioner said Thursday afternoon that President Trump’s executive order aimed at solving his promise to repeal and replace the federal health care law will “cause problems” for the state’s health insurance market and warned it could end employer-provided coverage in the state.
“Expanding association health plans and short-term health insurance without [Affordable Care Act] protections will fracture the individual and small group markets,” Insurance Commissioner Marguerite Salazar said. Continue reading
Lamborn and Buck vote against disaster relief package, citing concerns over debt write-off
DENVER – Two of Colorado’s Republican congressmen voted Thursday against a disaster relief bill that will send $36 billion in aid to Puerto Rico and other places ravaged by recent hurricanes, as well as to programs aiding the firefighting efforts in the U.S. West.
The House of Representatives approved the aid package Thursday in a 353-69 vote. Reps. Ken Buck and Doug Lamborn both voted against the package, as did 67 of their Republican colleagues. Continue reading
Mike Coffman, bipartisan House panel introduce new authorization of military force measure
DENVER – U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., and a bipartisan panel of congressmen on Thursday introduced a new resolution to replace the war resolutions that preceded the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Congress has long fought over making a new authorization for the use of military force that would replace the two used to go to Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq two years later—both of which were seen on both sides of the aisle as being overly-broad.
The new resolution introduced by Coffman and the bipartisan panel of House members from Arizona, Nebraska and California would repeal the old authorizations outright.
Should the resolution pass, the new authorization would allow U.S. military action against al-Qaeda, ISIS and the Taliban for another five years.
The U.S. would also be permitted to attack “any person, other than a sovereign nation, that is a part of, or substantially supports” one of those groups “and has engaged in hostilities” against the U.S., its armed forces, or civilian support of the armed services.
Under the resolution, the president would have to submit a report to Congress describing any actions taken against those groups within 60 days of the resolution becoming law. After the first report, the president would have to submit another similar report to Congress every 90 days.
“The threats we face today are far different than those we faced over a decade ago, and this legislation reflects Congress’s Constitutional role in authorizing the use of military force against terrorist organizations,” said Coffman.
“With this bipartisan legislation, we can meet our obligation to provide our service members with clear guidance as they fight to keep us safe. We can also provide our constituents the assurance that, no matter who our commander-in-chief is, Congress will assert its constitutional authority to define the use of our military force around the world,” said Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., who introduced the legislation with Coffman.
Defense Secretary James Mattis earlier this month told the House Armed Services Committee that he’d support a new war resolution.
Last month, the Senate voted down another bipartisan effort to repeal the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., who has supported repeal efforts, voted against a motion to table the measures, while Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, voted in favor of the bill.
It’s currently unclear which committee Coffman’s House bill will be assigned to first.
Bennet, Gardner cosponsoring legislation to restore CHIP funding through 2022
DENVER – Both of Colorado’s U.S. senators are cosponsoring a bill that would extend federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through 2022 and make some changes that give states more flexibility in working with the program.
The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing said Monday it anticipates Colorado will run out of its federal funding left over from the past fiscal year for CHP+, the state CHIP program, by January if Congress doesn’t move to extend the funding. Continue reading