Mark Udall | U.S. Senator for Colorado

Keeping Opportunity Within Reach

A college education is the gateway for students to secure high-paying jobs and build a successful future, and as Coloradans, we are lucky to be home to some of the finest higher-educational institutions in the country. But in order to keep opportunity within reach for all Coloradans, we must do everything we can to ensure that the debt students accumulate does not cripple their careers before they even start.

Best Sources for Information on Colorado Wildfires

With the 2013 wildfire season underway — and following the devastating and record-breaking 2012 wildfires — it is critical that Coloradans living in fire-prone areas or areas that are currently facing the threat of wildfire to be aware of the best sources of up-to-date information.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON: Increasing Energy Efficiency in Our Schools

2013 Colorado Capital Conference

100 Coloradans will have the opportunity to join the third-annual Colorado Capital Conference in Washington, D.C., to learn how to engage with and influence leaders in Washington. Watch this blog for updates from the conference and follow the discussion on Twitter using the hashtag #CoCapConf.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON: Preventing Cell Phone Theft

Support Builds for Udall, Wyden Proposal to Limit the Federal Government's Ability to Collect Vast Amounts of Data on Americans

Senators Mark Udall and Ron Wyden, who serve on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said the bipartisan group of senators who joined their effort today to limit the federal government's ability to collect data on Americans without links to terrorism or espionage is a sign of the growing support to reopen the USA PATRIOT Act. Udall and Wyden introduced their proposal today to ensure that the federal government can protect national security as well as the privacy rights of millions of Americans.

Udall Welcomes Senate Committee's Support for San Juan Mountain Wilderness Act

Mark Udall, who serves on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, welcomed the panel's vote today in favor of his San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act, which would protect more than 61,000 acres of critical public lands in San Miguel, Ouray and San Juan counties. The legislation, based on years of input and public dialogue, would ensure that these public lands continue to support job creation and Colorado's outdoor recreation economy.

Udall Welcomes National Defense Authorization Act's Steps to Transfer Guantanamo Bay Detainees, Work Toward Closing Facility

Mark Udall, who serves on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and chairs the U.S. Senate Strategic Forces Committee, welcomed the committee's decision this week to include provisions in the fiscal year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act to start the limited transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees. Udall, a critic of the detention facility because of its value as a recruiting tool for terrorist groups, pledged to ensure the detainees are transferred in a way that protects our national security and ensures the facility is closed in a responsible way.

Udall Provisions in Senate Defense Authorization Act Support Colorado Military Missions, Take Critical Steps to Address Sexual Assault in the Military

Mark Udall, who serves on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, announced the release of the Senate’s 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, citing its support for Colorado military facilities and the bold steps it takes to address sexual assault in the military. Udall said he is particularly pleased that the bill includes several of his provisions that ensure the victims of military sexual assault are given the mental and physical health care they need to recover, perpetrators receive swift and severe punishment, and evidence in military-justice cases is properly preserved for law enforcement.

Udall, Bennet Call for Senate Committee to Review Train Horn Regulations

Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet urged the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security in a letter to review the need for revisions to the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) regulations for train horns. The Senators said they hope that revisiting the rule will give Colorado communities the flexibility they need to confront train noise — which can hurt businesses and residents near crossings — and protect public safety.

Udall Presses U.S. Senate to Fix Our Broken Immigration System

Mark Udall urged his colleagues in the U.S. Senate to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation that strengthens border security and creates a pathway to earned citizenship for the more than 11 million Americans living in the shadows. Udall said that fixing our broken immigration system will help create jobs, reunite families and make our country safer.

Senator Udall on CNN's State of the Union with Candy Crowley

On June 9, 2013, Senator Udall appeared on CNN's State of the Union with Candy Crowley to discuss phone data collection. Senator Udall is unconvinced data collection has stopped terror plots and wants an open debate about privacy.

Udall Advocates for Balance on Unmanned Aerial Systems Use, Privacy Concerns

Mark Udall, who serves on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, delivered remarks at the RTI International policy forum in Washington, D.C., about Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs), the potential of the UAS industry, privacy concerns surrounding the use of UASs and how our legal framework can accommodate their development.

Udall Urges Senate to Level the Playing Field for Main Street Businesses, Colorado Retailers

Mark Udall urged his colleagues to pass the bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act, a common-sense bill to level the playing field for Main Street businesses and Colorado's brick-and-mortar retailers. The proposal would end the competitive advantage online-only retailers have over local businesses by authorizing states to require that out-of-state retailers collect local sales taxes that are already owed under current law. The legislation would ensure that Colorado Main Street retailers are not penalized for creating jobs in Colorado.

Udall Presses Energy Secretary Nominee on Support for NREL and Climate Change Initiatives

Mark Udall, who serves on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, pressed Dr. Ernest Moniz, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and President Obama's nominee for Secretary of Energy, on his vision for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, which has developed innovations in renewable energy technologies and generated over 5,500 jobs in Colorado. Udall also addressed climate change as a priority for the U.S. Department of Energy.