Yearly Archives: 2015

The Senate passed an energy efficiency bill yesterday that includes a bipartisan bill introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet to boost the use of energy efficient technology by tenants in commercial buildings. Bennet originally introduced the bill with Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) in 2013

Gov. John Hickenlooper and Kevin Patterson, interim executive director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), today announced $34,240,176 in competitive grants has been awarded to 40 projects throughout Colorado through the Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Fund grant program. Projects address key public improvements ranging from public facilities to water and wastewater systems in communities statewide.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced an amendment to the Senate's budget proposal that instructs Congress to extend expired and expiring tax credits for renewable energy. The tax credits should be extended for a reasonable period of time as a bridge until Congress completes its work on tax reform

Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) joined with a bipartisan group of his House colleagues to urge House leadership to prioritize funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, and to work toward a long-term, sustainable solution for the vital program on which rural counties rely to provide essential services. Tipton also sent a letter to House appropriators this week requesting full funding for PILT in FY 2016 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations.

At a hearing this morning of the House Veterans Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, chaired by U.S. Representative Mike Coffman (R-Aurora), Democrats on the subcommittee joined Rep. Coffman’s call to fire the VA from building any future hospitals.

The FEMA temporary housing mission serving Colorado came to a close March 14, 2015. In the aftermath of the 2013 Colorado flooding, FEMA brought in more than 50 manufactured homes to areas where a severe housing shortage was identified. In the past month, the final few remaining households have been moving out of the FEMA units.

Gov. John Hickenlooper joined the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator Rick Garcia, and other nonprofits, mental health centers, and housing authorities today to celebrate the announcement of a $7.6 million award to the Colorado Division of Housing from HUD. The award is designed to provide rental vouchers for up to 411 vulnerable individuals.

Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) joined with a number of his bipartisan House colleagues to urge House leaders to work with them to pass a multi-year transportation infrastructure reauthorization bill.

Today, Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) questioned Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julian Castro during a House Committee on Financial Services oversight hearing to examine the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) precarious financial state 1st Priority Roofing