Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauded the Department of Interior's announcement that $30,946,187 in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) disbursements have been issued to Colorado counties. The PILT program provides federal payments to local governments that have nontaxable federal land within their boundaries to help offset losses in property taxes. This funding is used to carry out vital services like fire and law enforcement protection and road maintenance. Bennet fought to secure these resources as part of the government funding bill and the National Defense Authorization Act.

Today, the Senate Finance Committee approved a bill authored by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Richard Burr (R-NC) to make innovative medical technologies more readily available for seniors through better Medicare reimbursement for these new technologies and improved patient access to them.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) to introduce a bipartisan bill to level the energy playing field by giving investors in renewable energy projects access to decades-old tax incentives currently available only to investors in fossil fuel-based energy projects.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announcement that flight, medical, and ground grew personnel of C-123 aircraft used during the Vietnam War will receive benefits for exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange. C-123 aircraft carried and sprayed Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, however, the VA continuously denied these veterans herbicide exposure benefits. Last year, Bennet wrote to the VA urging it to expand Agent Orange benefits eligibility to C-123 veterans.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement in celebration of Juneteenth, which marks the day that Major General Gordon Granger brought news of the Emancipation Proclamation to the residents of Galveston, Texas. News of the proclamation had previously been suppressed by slave owners in parts of Confederate territory.

The U.S. Senate has adopted an amendment offered by Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner to give the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authority to manage major construction projects for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2016 designates the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as the construction agent on all VA projects over $100 million.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on the tragic shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Rob Portman (R-OH) today introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2016 to bolster the federal government's cybersecurity workforce and strengthen our nation's cyber defense. The Bennet-Portman amendment implements a uniform framework to identify and address cybersecurity personnel shortages and expedite the recruitment of highly-qualified cybersecurity personnel.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on the three-year anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that provides deportation relief for children who were brought to this country through no fault of their own and know no other country but the United States.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today praised the passage of a bipartisan bill by the House of Representatives that allows for continued construction of the Aurora VA hospital. The bill - introduced by Bennet and Gardner and unanimously passed by the Senate yesterday - gives the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) authority to use $150 million it currently has to continue construction of the Aurora VA hospital.