Colorado: Diana Degette

May 21, 2009 - 10:21 am
NEWS FEED: Denver Post

Denver hypes hoops hopes

A Denver Nuggets banner joined The Stars and Stripes and Colorado's red, gold, blue and white billowing over the state Capitol this afternoon as Gov. Bill Ritter proclaimed May 2009 "Nuggets May-nia Month."

Emerging from the Capitol building flanked by seven go-go boot-clad Nuggets dancers, Ritter said he'd not yet been able to reach Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to make a little wager - but he's still trying.

"We're confident of a Nuggets victory," Ritter said just two hours before tip-off.

Receiving the honor for the Nuggets was team mascot Rocky, complete with party poppers that threw blue and gold confetti and streamers into the air during the press conference.

March 18, 2009 - 04:47 pm
NEWS FEED: Denver Post

Colorado Votes

Here's how some major bills fared recently in Congress and how Colorado's congressional members voted, as provided by Thomas' Roll Call Report Syndicate.

HOUSE

The Colorado delegation District 1: Diana DeGette (D) District 2: Jared Polis (D) District 3: John Salazar (D) District 4: Betsy Markey (D) District 5: Doug Lamborn (R) District 6: Mike Coffman (R) District 7: Ed Perlmutter (D)

CONSERVATION

For: 282/Against: 144 Members failed to reach a two-thirds majority for passing a bill to give wilderness protection to 2.1 million acres in California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia and protect federal land in other states.

March 10, 2009 - 02:19 pm
NEWS FEED: ColoradoPols.com

Restoring Stem Cell Research - now and beyond

President Barack Obama has certainly had his plate full since he took office - the economy, children's health and the housing crisis, all have piled up at once. He continues to take bold action that will ensure the long-term stability of our economy.

And I am proud that he has acted on expanding embryonic stem cell research.

As a pro-science president, he has taken the first step in ensuring that the United States regains it preeminence in cutting-edge research by overturning the current restrictions on embryonic stem cell research. Finally, after eight years of roadblocks, millions of patients and their families now have hope for a cure.

March 8, 2009 - 03:43 am
NEWS FEED: Denver Post

Colorado Votes this week

Here's how some major bills fared recently in Congress and how Colorado's congressional members voted, as provided by Thomas' Roll Call Report Syndicate.

HOUSE

The Colorado delegation District 1: Diana DeGette (D) District 2: Jared Polis (D) District 3: John Salazar (D) District 4: Betsy Markey (D) District 5: Doug Lamborn (R) District 6: Mike Coffman (R) District 7: Ed Perlmutter (D)

BANKRUPTCY AND MORTGAGES

For: 234/Against: 191 Members voted to allow bankruptcy courts to rewrite loans on primary homes in Chapter 13 actions if borrowers have exhausted other options. A yes vote backed a bill that would permanently hike FDIC insurance to $250,000 per depositor.

March 8, 2009 - 03:15 am
NEWS FEED: Denver Post

Democrats' party toasts gains statewide

CNN political analyst Paul Begala regaled a festive Colorado Democratic Party on Saturday night with jabs at George W. Bush and Rush Limbaugh, whom he challenged to run for president in 2012.

He cracked numerous jokes about Limbaugh, especially focusing on the conservative commentator's weight. Then, chiding Bush, he described a new swing set that President Barack Obama has installed for his daughters at the White House.

"It's so much better than the one that George W. used to play on," the former adviser to Bill Clinton said. He described Bush, who has returned to Texas, as "all hat and no cattle.

March 5, 2009 - 11:53 am
NEWS FEED: Face the State

Amid economic crisis, Polis hosts taxpayer-funded staff retreat

Fellow Democrat Rep. John Salazar won't be hosting a retreat this year, nor will Republican Congressmen Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn. Similarly, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall have no plans for retreats this year.

“We’re too busy to schedule one right now,” said Tyler Houlton, Coffman’s press secretary.

The remaining three Democrat members of Colorado's House delegation, including Diana DeGette, Ed Perlmutter, and Betsy Markey, say they don’t plan to have their retreats until August when Congress is out of session.

“We are still hiring all of our staff,” said Markey’s district director Ken Bennett, who added that the last time Markey was in town she did bring three staffers with her.

February 25, 2009 - 04:05 am
NEWS FEED: Denver Post

Colo. delegation comments on Obama address

"Tonight President Obama delivered a sobering and honest assessment of our nation's economy. These are troubling times, but the President put forth a bold plan for rebuilding our economy and getting our country back on track."

Sen. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs

"Tonight, President Obama laid out a blueprint for America's future - a blueprint that will help create jobs, ease the flow of credit, keep American families in their homes, and invest in areas like energy, health care and education that will grow our economy. But it is also a blueprint that acknowledges our responsibility to future generations by reigning in runaway spending and crushing public debt.

February 24, 2009 - 10:21 pm

Colorado officials respond to Obama’s not-quite State of the Union speech

Members of the Colorado delegation issued the following statements in response to President Barack Obama’s speech before Congress Tuesday night. They’ll be updated in the order they’re received.

Here’s the response from Rep. Jared Polis, a Boulder Democrat:

“Solving the many problems that face our nation—from the mortgage crisis to our nation’s outdated healthcare system—is a daunting task, but the innovation and ingenuity of the American people will see us through.

“As we heard in his speech tonight, President Obama is working to ensure that as we tackle the many challenges that lie ahead, Coloradans will get the most bang for our buck. He also laid out plans to rein in government spending, reduce our ballooning national debt, and ease our financial woes.

February 24, 2009 - 12:19 pm
NEWS FEED: Face the State

Auraria campus home to new conservative student-run newspaper

As newspapers across the country struggle to keep their presses printing, a coalition of libertarian and conservative students at Denver's Auraria campus is publishing a new newspaper called The Constitutional Reporter.

The students, who attend Metropolitan State College and the University of Colorado Denver, say the bi-weekly newspaper will focus on campus, local, state, and national issues with a focus on promoting limited government. The student staff is overseen by Sean Doherty, a 22-year-old marketing and political science major at Metro who previously organized a "pirate protest" against Congresswoman Diana DeGette's approval of 2008's bank bailout.

Doherty says he got the idea to start a newspaper as a freshman, when he become frustrated with the

February 23, 2009 - 09:36 am
NEWS FEED: Denver Post

Obama signs stimulus bill

President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday a $787 billion economic stimulus package, a historic, multifaceted rescue plan aimed at creating millions of jobs, sparking consumer spending and stopping the country from sliding into what he has called an economic "catastrophe."

Characterizing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as the "most sweeping economic recovery package in our history," Obama said the bill's mix of tax cuts, infrastructure projects, energy and education investments, and aid to the unemployed and poor would create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, including roughly 60,000 in Colorado.

"We have begun the essential work of keeping the American dream alive in our time," Obama said just

Obama in Denver

before signing the bill at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in front of about 250 people.