In the Senate Finance Committee today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced an amendment to make poverty a negotiating objective of future trade agreements.

The House of Representatives today passed a bipartisan energy efficiency bill that includes legislation previously introduced by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) to boost the use of energy efficient technology by tenants in commercial buildings. The Better Buildings Act encourages tenants of commercial buildings to voluntarily implement cost-effective measures that will help reduce energy consumption and ultimately utility costs for businesses. Bennet and Ayotte first introduced the bill in 2013.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet has cosponsored a bill that would reconcile state marijuana laws and federal tax law. The Small Business Tax Equity Act, introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), would allow marijuana businesses operating in compliance with state law to take ordinary business tax deductions.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee today announced it will hold a field hearing regarding the regional VA medical center in Aurora on Friday, April 24, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner requested the field hearing and site visit with the support of Colorado's House delegation.

Senator Bennet helped to pass the Every Child Achieves Act, a bill to fix No Child Left Behind, out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The bill, approved 22-0 by the committee, reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the chief federal law addressing K-12 education. It reforms many of the policies from No Child Left Behind, the previous version of the bill, while maintaining several key policies that have proved successful.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet offered the following statement on the Senate's failure to vote on Loretta Lynch's nomination to serve as Attorney General.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today secured several key amendments during the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee's consideration of the Every Child Achieves Act. Bennet's amendments will help improve equity, support teachers, spur innovation, and provide for greater flexibility in our schools.

Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement on today's Congressional hearing regarding the regional replacement VA medical facility in Colorado.

U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Harry Reid (D-NV) will introduce an amendment to the SGR fix to extend the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for a full four years. With CHIP's current funding set to expire in September, the amendment would extend funding through 2019. CHIP serves more than eight million children in working families nationwide.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauded the passage of a bill that will provide long-term certainty for Medicare providers and patients. The bill repeals the outdated formula, known as the "sustainable growth rate" or SGR, for reimbursing Medicare providers for services. It replaces SGR with a streamlined payment system based on the quality of care.