Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement on the plan passed by the Senate to allow for continued construction of the Aurora VA hospital.

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

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet praised passage of the Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Act by the Senate. The bill - which passed unanimously - would help small and rural communities comply with safe drinking water regulations. Bennet helped introduce the bill earlier this year with Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND).

Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner sent the Innovations in Forestry and Fire Mitigation report to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The report commissioned by Bennet details recommendations from Colorado fire and forestry experts on the steps the federal government can take to better support Colorado's wildfire mitigation efforts. The senators presented these recommendations by representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State University, the Colorado Water Congress, County Commissioners from across the Front Range and West Slope, and other members of the forestry, conservation, and wildfire prevention community in May of this year.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on a proposal released today by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to complete the VA hospital in Aurora.

Bipartisan legislation championed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to protect the retirement accounts of federal public safety officers who are eligible for early retirement passed the Senate unanimously yesterday.

Today, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet joined a bipartisan group of Members of Congress in urging Education Secretary Arne Duncan to use his authority to allow the use of data from the second preceding tax year, also known as "prior-prior year" when students are filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Currently, many students across the country are receiving their college admissions letters without the accompanying financial aid award information they need to compare college options and costs.

Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner today welcomed Coloradans who have traveled to Washington to participate in the annual Colorado Capital Conference. The Conference, organized by Senator Gardner and Senator Bennet, brings Coloradans from all walks of life to the nation's capital for conversations and discussions with elected officials, academic leaders, journalists, and other prominent thinkers and opinion makers in Washington.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet is calling on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to follow through on its commitment to review its train noise rules and consider how to cut red tape and make the required train-crossing upgrades more affordable for local taxpayers.

Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner today offered an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 to look into construction contracts for major medical facilities at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The report will determine how projects have gone over budget and where the money has gone on mismanaged projects such as the Denver Replacement Medical Center.