Us senator - michael bennet

US Senator - Michael Bennet

Party: Democrat | State: Colorado

2026-05-07

• First televised gubernatorial debate: Bennet and AG Phil Weiser faced off in the first televised debate in the Democratic primary for governor. Weiser repeatedly attacked Bennet for voting to confirm more of Trump's cabinet nominees than almost any other Democratic senator. Bennet defended his record and focused on affordability and Colorado priorities. Both campaigns claimed victory; Weiser's camp declared he "dominated."
  

Sources:
- Phil Weiser Dominates Michael Bennet in First Televised Debate — Phil Weiser for Colorado (campaign press release)

2026-05-15

• Running for Colorado Governor: Bennet announced his candidacy for the 2026 Colorado governor's race — the second major Democrat to enter after AG Phil Weiser. He has endorsements from Hickenlooper, Joe Neguse, Rep. Jason Crow, and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Released his first TV ad on May 12. A Bloomberg-backed super PAC has raised $2.5M in support.
  
• Taiwan letter: On May 13, Bennet and Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) led a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Rubio reaffirming congressional support for the Taiwan Relations Act, ahead of Trump's summit with President Xi in Beijing.
  
• Disaster relief legislation: Bennet and Neguse introduced legislation to allow Congress to override a presidential denial of federal disaster relief funding and create a fast-track process to ensure states like Colorado are not left without support.
  
• Tina Peters commutation: Released a statement on May 15 regarding Governor Polis's decision to commute Tina Peters' sentence.
  
• Kevin Warsh nomination: On May 13, Bennet voted against confirming Kevin Warsh as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
  
• HELP Act: On May 4, co-introduced the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) Act with Senators Tina Smith (MN) and Catherine Cortez Masto (NV).
  
• Shoshone water funding: On May 13, pushed to release an additional $92M in funding for remaining Colorado water projects, including the Shoshone water rights purchase.
  
• Treasury intelligence letter: On May 5, led a letter with 14 Senate colleagues to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him to fully resume financial intelligence-sharing with allied nations.
  

Sources:
- Bennet announces run for Colorado governor — Colorado Newsline
- Sen. Bennet announces run for governor — 9News
- News — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet

2026-05-17

• Postal service letter: Led a bipartisan letter with Sen. Hickenlooper, Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO-3), and Rep. Neguse to Postmaster General David Steiner raising concerns about postal service.
  
• Wildfire preparedness: Co-signed the letter with Neguse pressing USDA and Interior to detail wildfire response plans for the summer, with a formal briefing request by May 29. (See Neguse 2026-05-16 for full details.)
  
• Labor groups forum with Weiser: Bennet and AG Phil Weiser answered yes-or-no questions at a forum organized by Coloradans for the Common Good at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church. Labor and community groups pressed both candidates for direct answers on housing, wages, and workers' rights.
  

Sources (updated):
- Colorado labor groups press Bennet, Weiser for yes-or-no 'clarity' in governor forum — Colorado Newsline

Sources:
- News — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet

2026-05-18

• NCAR & NOAA protection: Joined Hickenlooper, Rep. Neguse, and Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO) in a bipartisan, bicameral coalition to protect sustained funding for the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder and to demand the Commerce Department reverse planned cuts to NOAA and its Colorado-based Cooperative Institutes.
  

Sources:
- Colorado Reps. Neguse & Hurd and Senators Bennet & Hickenlooper Mobilize Bipartisan, Bicameral Coalition to Protect NCAR — neguse.house.gov
- Hickenlooper, Bennet, Neguse Slam Trump Admin's Plan to Dismantle NCAR — hickenlooper.senate.gov

2026-05-19

• NRDC Action Fund endorsement: The NRDC Action Fund endorsed Bennet for Colorado Governor, citing his environmental record and work on climate and conservation policy.
  
• Education ballot measure: Endorsed a Colorado ballot measure to increase education funding.
  
• Housing platform centerpiece: Bennet has put housing affordability at the center of his gubernatorial bid, proposing that no working person should spend more than 30% of their income on housing and pointing to the economic growth that benefited older homeowners at the expense of younger Coloradans.
  

Sources:
- Michael Bennet puts housing costs at center of gubernatorial bid — CPR News
- Michael Bennet for Governor

2026-05-20

• ICE reform package — KIDS, TRUST, and OPEN Acts: Introduced a package of three bills targeting ICE and DHS accountability:
  
  • KIDS Act: Prohibits ICE from operating in sensitive locations (churches, schools) and from detaining children.
    
  • TRUST Act: Requires federal immigration officers to meet the same conduct, uniform, and identification standards expected of local law enforcement.
    
  • OPEN Act: Establishes oversight mechanisms and civil rights protections at immigration detention facilities.
    
• PUBLIC SAFETY Act: Joined colleagues to introduce legislation redirecting nearly $75 billion in ICE funding from the "One Big Beautiful Bill" to local law enforcement programs — projected to fund hiring and training of approximately 200,000 local police officers across the country.
  

Sources:
- Bennet Introduces Legislation Targeting Critical Reforms for ICE — bennet.senate.gov

2026-05-22

• Shoshone Water Rights statement: Issued a statement welcoming the Department of the Interior's release of $40 million for the Shoshone Permanency Project — bringing total secured funding to $97M of the $99M needed to preserve one of the Colorado River's oldest water rights. Bennet had co-led outreach with the Colorado delegation to unlock the funding.
  
• Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC) Act passes Senate: The Bennet-Hickenlooper bill to complete the Arkansas Valley Conduit — a long-delayed water project that will deliver clean, reliable water to communities in Southeast Colorado — passed the Senate unanimously on May 22 and headed to the president's desk.
  
• "One Big Beautiful Bill" passes House: The House passed Trump's budget reconciliation megabill 215-214. Bennet has been a vocal opponent; all Colorado Democratic members voted no. The bill includes large cuts to Medicaid and SNAP and a $1.8B "wrongful conviction" fund that Hickenlooper is seeking to block from being used for Tina Peters.
  

Sources:
- Hickenlooper, Bennet Bill to Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Heads to President's Desk — hickenlooper.senate.gov
- Colorado Republicans vote for Trump's signature policy bill, Democrats cite its 'cruelty' — Colorado Newsline

2026-05-25

• Governor race polling — Bennet leads 53-22%: A survey of 600 likely primary voters (Global Strategy Group, Democratic firm) shows Bennet with a 31-point lead over Weiser, with 53% support to Weiser's 22%. Bennet holds a 74% favorable rating vs. 45% for Weiser. About a third of Colorado voters still have not heard of Weiser.
  
• Campaigns enter mudslinging phase: With ballots going out in early June, the Bennet and Weiser campaigns have intensified their attacks on each other. Weiser continues to hammer Bennet on Trump cabinet confirmations; Bennet's campaign is emphasizing name recognition and governing record. The June 30 primary is the effective end of the race given Colorado's partisan tilt.
  

Sources:
- Internal poll shows Bennet with wide lead over Weiser — Colorado Politics
- Weiser, Bennet campaigns intensify mudslinging — KOAA

2026-05-29

• Wildfire briefing deadline: Today is the deadline Bennet and Neguse set for USDA and the Department of the Interior to formally brief Congress on wildfire preparedness plans for the summer. The request, made on May 4, asked agencies to detail staffing levels for federal wildland firefighters, status of cooperative preparedness efforts with state/local/tribal governments, and the impact of hiring freezes on fire response capacity. 2026 has seen more than 22,000 fires burn 1.8 million acres — a 20-year high for this point in the year. No public response from USDA or DOI has been announced yet.
  
• Bucket 2E push ongoing: Bennet continues to press USBR to release an additional $92 million in remaining Inflation Reduction Act drought funds for Colorado River Basin projects; only six of the 17 originally announced projects have been fully funded.
  

Sources:
- Neguse, Bennet Press Trump Officials on Plans for Wildfire Response and Preparedness — neguse.house.gov
- Colorado lawmakers have 'deep concerns' about federal government's wildfire preparedness amid drought — PostIndependent.com
- Bennet, Hickenlooper Welcome Release of $47 Million in Federal Funding for Four Colorado Projects — bennet.senate.gov

2026-05-31

• USPS mail-in voting rule (May 29): Issued a statement opposing a proposed USPS rule — issued in response to a Trump executive order — that would require states to hand over voter-level data on mail-in ballots in federal elections, including names, addresses, and unique barcodes on each outbound and return ballot envelope. Bennet called it "an attack on Colorado's electoral system" and said it would undermine a mail-in voting process that Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated voters across Colorado strongly support. The rule is set to be published in the Federal Register on June 2 with a 30-day public comment window.
  
• Ukraine & Baltic military funding (May 28): Joined bipartisan colleagues in demanding that Defense Secretary Hegseth release congressionally approved military funding for Ukraine and Baltic allies that the Trump administration has withheld.
  
• SMART Community Policing Act (May 27): Reintroduced the Supporting Mental Assistance Responder Teams (SMART) Community Policing Act with Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO). The bill would support co-responder and alternative responder programs that pair mental health professionals with law enforcement on 911 calls involving behavioral health crises.
  
• Agricultural Mental Health Day (May 27): Co-introduced a bipartisan resolution with Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) designating May 29, 2026 as Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day, raising visibility around the mental health crisis facing Colorado and national farming communities.
  
• CDC & hantavirus (May 26): Demanded that HHS Secretary RFK Jr. direct CDC experts to respond to international health partners regarding a hantavirus emergency — amid concerns that Trump administration communications blackouts are preventing CDC from fulfilling its global health responsibilities.
  
• Oil & gas stock buyback tax (May 21): Introduced legislation to increase the stock buyback excise tax from 1% to 25% on oil and gas companies — targeting profits returned to shareholders via buybacks instead of invested in lower energy prices or new production.
  

Sources:
- Bennet Statement on USPS Proposed Rule Implementing Trump's Attacks on Mail-In Voting — bennet.senate.gov
- Postal Service proposes requiring states to provide mail-in ballot voter lists — CNBC
- News — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet

2026-06-01

• USPS mail-in ballot rule published today (June 2): The USPS proposed rule requiring states to provide voter-level data on mail-in ballots — including names, addresses, and unique ballot barcodes — is published in the Federal Register on June 2. A 30-day public comment window opens; comments due by approximately August 1. Bennet had issued a statement opposing the rule on May 29. Multiple Colorado officials have signaled legal challenges if it becomes final.
  
• Governor primary ballots mailing: Colorado primary ballots are now being mailed out in early June ahead of the June 30 Democratic gubernatorial primary. Bennet leads Weiser 53–22% in the most recent polling.
  
• Upcoming debates: Two more Bennet–Weiser governor debates are scheduled: June 4 (hosted by 9News) and June 13 (hosted by the Colorado Sun, live-streamed). The May 7 debate was the first televised matchup.
  

Sources:
- USPS proposal could let agency reject some federal mail ballot deliveries — Votebeat
- Vail to mail letter seeking housing, world-class post office, as USPS rule targets mail-in voting — Vail Daily
- WATCH: Democrat gubernatorial candidates Bennet and Weiser face off in debate — CPR News

2026-06-02

• USPS mail ballot rule published today: The proposed rule is now officially in the Federal Register as of June 2. Key requirements: every outbound and return ballot envelope must carry a unique USPS barcode; states must share voter names, addresses, and the barcode data with USPS. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said her office is "already in conversations with our attorneys general" and expects the "unconstitutional overreach" to be stopped by courts. The 30-day public comment window is now open; comments close July 2.
  
• Primary ballots mailing June 8: Colorado governor primary ballots will mail on June 8 — less than one week away. Bennet leads Weiser 53–22% in the most recent polling (Global Strategy Group, May 25).
  
• June 4 debate confirmed — 9News, 6 PM: The second Bennet–Weiser governor debate is tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM on 9News (also streaming on the 9NEWS+ app). Moderated by Kyle Clark and Marshall Zelinger; co-hosted by the University of Denver and Colorado Politics. A third debate follows June 13 on the Colorado Sun.
  

Sources:
- USPS mail ballot proposal could add new hurdles for voters and election officials — Civic Media
- What the USPS rule means for voters who rely on mail ballots — Newsweek
- Colorado governor candidates to face off in 9NEWS debates — 9News

2026-06-03

• NCAR court victory: U.S. District Judge R. Brooke Jackson issued a 38-page preliminary injunction on June 1 blocking the Trump administration from transferring NCAR's supercomputing center to the University of Wyoming. The court found UCAR (the nonprofit overseeing NCAR) is likely to succeed on its claim that NSF violated federal administrative procedures. The ruling also cited evidence of political retaliation: the administration moved to dismantle NCAR the day after Trump publicly criticized Gov. Polis for refusing to release Tina Peters. The judge called it "a campaign of retribution against Colorado." Bennet issued a statement June 2 welcoming the ruling.
  
• Bennet–Weiser issue guide: The Colorado Sun published a side-by-side issues comparison (June 2) for the June 30 Democratic gubernatorial primary. Key contrasts: housing (both prioritize it), healthcare, and climate policy.
  

Sources:
- Federal judge blocks breakup of NCAR in Boulder while blasting Trump for enacting political revenge on Colorado — Colorado Sun
- Bennet Statement on Judge's Decision to Pause Removal of NCAR Supercomputing Center — bennet.senate.gov
- Federal judge blocks Trump admin from dismantling Boulder weather lab — 9News
- Where Michael Bennet, Phil Weiser stand on the issues — Colorado Sun

2026-06-04

• Second gubernatorial debate aired tonight — 9NEWS, 6 PM: Bennet and Weiser faced off in the second televised Democratic primary debate, moderated by Kyle Clark and Marshall Zelinger (co-hosted by 9NEWS, University of Denver, and Colorado Politics). Bennet's campaign released a post-debate statement claiming he "showcased bold, tough leadership on the debate stage." The final pre-primary debate is June 13 on the Colorado Sun. Primary ballots begin mailing June 8.
  

Sources:
- Michael Bennet Showcases Bold, Tough Leadership on the Debate Stage — michaelbennet.com
- Colorado governor candidates facing off in 9NEWS debates — 9news.com
- WATCH LIVE: Colorado governor candidates face off in Colorado Politics, 9NEWS debates — Denver Gazette

2026-06-05

• Second debate full recap: The June 4 Bennet–Weiser debate was described as "spirited" but broke little new ground. Weiser's main attack: Bennet confirmed more Trump cabinet nominees than most Democrats. Bennet's main counter: Weiser failed to join lawsuits challenging Trump's first-term policies. Both candidates agreed on affordable housing expansion, using state authority to block mass deportations, and protecting Colorado water rights. Weiser's campaign again claimed he "dominated" for a second time; Bennet's camp disputed this framing.
  
• New independent poll — much closer race: A Public Policy Polling survey (commissioned by the pro-Weiser super PAC Fighting For Colorado; conducted June 1–2) shows the race at 36%–30% Bennet with 34% undecided. This is significantly tighter than Bennet's own internal poll (53%–22%, Global Strategy Group, May 25). Dueling polling narratives will define the final stretch before June 30.
  
• State party forum June 6: A Colorado Democratic Party forum is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 in Denver — another pre-primary candidate event.
  
• Ballots mail June 8: Primary ballots go out Sunday.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Weiser debate again, with less than a month until Colorado primary — Colorado Newsline
- Bennet, Weiser square off in spirited primary debate — Denver Gazette
- Democratic gubernatorial candidates face off — CPR News
- For a second time, Phil Weiser dominates Michael Bennet — philforcolorado.com

2026-06-06

• Colorado Democratic Party governor forum today: The Colorado Democratic Party held its governor forum in Denver today (Saturday) — a final in-person candidate event for Bennet and Weiser before primary ballots begin mailing tomorrow, June 8. Full recap not yet available. The last televised debate before the June 30 primary is June 13 on the Colorado Sun.
  
• Race snapshot heading into ballot drop: Bennet leads Weiser 36%-30% in the independent PPP poll (34% undecided), vs. Bennet's own internal poll showing 53%-22%. Both candidates' campaigns are in full push mode. Any voter registered as a Democrat by June 8 receives a mail ballot.
  

Sources:
- Colorado primary election guide 2026 — Colorado Sun
- CPR News voter guide to the 2026 primary election — CPR News

2026-06-07

• Primary ballots mail tomorrow (June 8): All active registered Colorado Democrats receive a mail ballot automatically starting tomorrow. Final pre-primary debate is June 13 on the Colorado Sun (live-streamed). Primary date: June 30.
  
• Race snapshot: Independent PPP poll (June 1–2, commissioned by pro-Weiser super PAC Fighting for Colorado): Bennet 36%, Weiser 30%, 34% undecided. Bennet internal (Global Strategy Group, May 25): 53%–22%. The two polls tell very different stories heading into ballot drop; the 34% undecided in the independent poll is the decisive bloc.
  
• Big Beautiful Bill Medicaid work requirements — Colorado implementation underway: CMS issued its proposed Medicaid work requirement rule June 1 (implementing OBBB §112 — able-bodied adults 19–64 must document 80 hrs/month of work, community service, or education by Jan 1, 2027). Colorado's HCPF hosted a stakeholder webinar June 2. Bennet has condemned the rule as a threat to 241,000 Coloradans' coverage.
  

Sources:
- 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election — Wikipedia
- Colorado primary election guide 2026 — Colorado Sun
- H.R. 1 Resources for Stakeholders, Providers and Partners — Colorado HCPF

2026-06-08

• Ballots now in the mail: Colorado primary mail ballots began dropping today to all active registered Democrats statewide. Any ballot received before 7 PM June 30 counts. For Bennet, the next major campaign moment is the final debate June 13 on the Colorado Sun (live-streamed).
  
• Race tightening as ballots land: The independent PPP poll (conducted June 1–2, released June 3 by pro-Weiser super PAC Fighting for Colorado) shows a much closer race than Bennet's own internals — Weiser closing with 34% of likely primary voters still undecided. With ballots now physically in voters' hands, the undecideds are the decisive factor.
  

Sources:
- Colorado primary election guide 2026 — Colorado Sun
- Bennet, Weiser debate again ahead of ballots dropping — Colorado Newsline

2026-06-10

• KUNC "Governor Candidate Conversations" interview (June 9): KUNC host Mike Lyle sat down with Bennet as part of KUNC's series profiling each gubernatorial candidate. Key points: Bennet named affordability as voters' top concern, framing it as a cost-of-living crisis. On immigration: stated that if elected he would not permit ICE agents to knock on doors without warrants, wear masks, or separate families at the border. On the economy: said Colorado is "for the first time since the 1980s actually losing businesses" and pitched his plan to welcome business while also addressing the cost of living. Core campaign proposals reiterated: affordable housing for working people, a true public option for health insurance, and a cap-and-invest climate plan.
  
• Final debate — 3 days out (June 13, Colorado Sun): The last head-to-head with Weiser before June 30 ballots are due. Live-streamed on the Colorado Sun website.
  

Sources:
- Governor Candidate Conversations: Michael Bennet — KUNC
- KUNC's 2026 Gubernatorial Candidate Interviews — KUNC

2026-06-11

• Updated poll: Bennet 53%, Weiser 22% (31-point lead): A new Global Strategy Group survey (June 9–11, 600 likely primary voters) shows Bennet leading by 31 points with 25% still undecided — consistent with the same pollster's May 25 internal. The pro-Weiser super PAC Fighting For Colorado earlier released a competing poll claiming only a 6-point gap with more than a third undecided. With ballots already in mailboxes, the undecided bloc is decisive.
  
• Fundraising deep-dive (Colorado Newsline, June 10): The governor's race has drawn $20M+ combined in campaign and super PAC spending — a Colorado Democratic primary record. Direct totals: Weiser raised $6.4M ($1.2M cash on hand); Bennet raised $4.6M ($388K cash on hand). Bennet's cash deficit is offset by Rocky Mountain Way, the pro-Bennet super PAC at $8M+ — more than six times Fighting For Colorado's $1.3M. Bloomberg has contributed $2.6M to Rocky Mountain Way. Net: Weiser leads in campaign cash on hand, but Bennet's outside spending dominates the overall picture.
  
• Final debate tomorrow (June 13, Colorado Sun): The last head-to-head before June 30 ballots are due. Live-streamed on the Colorado Sun website.
  

Sources:
- Record-breaking fundraising, billionaire-backed super PACs shape Colorado governor's race — Colorado Newsline
- Michael Bennet holds wide lead over AG Phil Weiser in Colorado governor's race, poll finds — PostIndependent.com
- Internal poll shows Michael Bennet with wide lead — Colorado Politics

2026-06-13

• Final Bennet-Weiser debate — today at CSU, Fort Collins: The third and final debate in the Democratic gubernatorial primary is being held today at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, live-streamed by the Colorado Sun. This is the last head-to-head before ballots are due June 30. Bennet enters with a 31-point polling lead (Bennet 53%, Weiser 22%, per Global Strategy Group June 9–11). Recap coverage not yet available at time of filing.
  
• 17 days to primary: Ballots are in mailboxes statewide. To vote: return by mail (postmark by June 22 to be safe) or drop box by 7 PM June 30.
  

Sources:
- Colorado primary election guide 2026: How to vote — Colorado Sun
- Colorado governor, Democrats — Colorado Newsline Voter Guide

2026-06-14

• Final debate recap (June 13, CSU Fort Collins): The Colorado Sun-hosted debate at CSU turned on two major flash points. On housing: Bennet argued for ambitious structural change so "no working person spends more than 30% of their income on housing," while Weiser positioned himself as the pragmatic executor — criticizing Bennet's "angry rhetoric" without implementation plans. On the Senate replacement: when pressed on whether he'd appoint a woman or person of color to fill his seat, Bennet declined to commit, saying only he'd pick someone under 50 years old. Neither candidate committed to selecting a woman or POC as lieutenant governor either. On healthcare, Bennet reiterated his public-option proposal; Weiser offered a more limited plan focused on expanding primary care access. Weiser continued to hammer Bennet for confirming more Trump cabinet nominees than most Senate Democrats; Bennet pushed back, saying the record shows he's delivered for Colorado. Both campaigns declared victory.
  
• 16 days to primary: Ballots in mailboxes statewide. Return by mail (postmark by June 22 to be safe) or any drop box by 7 PM June 30.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Weiser clash over ambition and housing in last major debate before Democratic primary — Colorado Sun

2026-06-15

• Third poll adds to conflicting picture: Weiser leads 41%–34% (Colorado Community Research, released June 11): An independent survey from Colorado Community Research — a text-to-web poll of 796 likely Democratic primary voters conducted May 22–28 — shows Weiser ahead of Bennet for the first time in any publicly released poll. Weiser draws his edge from Democrats who feel the party has been "ineffective": that group supports Weiser 48%–23% over Bennet. Three polls are now in play with dramatically different findings heading into the final 15 days:
  

| Pollster | Who commissioned it | Bennet | Weiser | Undecided |
|---------|-------------------|--------|--------|-----------|
| Global Strategy Group | Bennet campaign | 53% | 22% | 25% |
| Public Policy Polling | Fighting for Colorado (pro-Weiser PAC) | 36% | 30% | 34% |
| Colorado Community Research | Independent | 34% | 41% | — |

The CCR poll is the only non-campaign-aligned survey to show Weiser ahead. With ballots already in mailboxes, the independent undecideds will be the deciding bloc. Primary June 30 — 15 days.

Sources:
- Weiser leads Bennet in new Colorado governor poll as primary nears — Yahoo News

2026-06-17

• Bennet loans campaign $950K, Bloomberg tops $4.6M (as of June 16): The Colorado Sun reported June 16 that Bennet loaned his own campaign $950,000 on May 29, money funneled immediately into advertising. Separately, Michael Bloomberg's contributions to the pro-Bennet super PAC Rocky Mountain Way now exceed $4.6 million total — including $2 million in the most recent reporting period. Rocky Mountain Way has raised $10.3M total. Bloomberg accounts for nearly a third of all funds raised by the PAC. When asked why Bloomberg is backing him, Bennet said: "I honestly don't know ... You would need to ask him." Weiser raised only ~$250K in the same period.
  
• 13 days to primary: Ballots are in mailboxes. Return by mail (postmark by June 22 to be safe) or any drop box by 7 PM June 30.
  
• USPS mail ballot public comment (action item): The Trump administration's USPS proposed rule would require states to report all mail ballot recipients to the federal government before ballots go out. Public comment deadline is July 2, 2026 at 5 PM ET.
  
  • Email: PCFederalRegister@usps.gov — subject line: "Ballot Mail"
    
  • Mail: Director, Product Classification, USPS, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446, Washington, DC 20260-5015
    
  • Online: regulations.gov docket USPS-2026-1289-0001
    

Sources:
- Michael Bennet loans his campaign for governor $1M as support from Michael Bloomberg surpasses $4.6M — Colorado Sun
- USPS Ballot Mail proposed rule — Federal Register
- Regulations.gov docket USPS-2026-1289-0001

2026-06-19

• Semiconductor Superiority Act introduced (June 12): Bennet and Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced bipartisan legislation to extend CHIPS Act Section 48D tax credits to space-based semiconductor manufacturing in low-Earth orbit. The bill aims to lower barriers for high-yield chip production in microgravity environments, where reduced defects in crystal growth and material deposition can improve yields. The strategic impetus: China has already integrated space-based chip fabrication into its supply chain. House companion led by Reps. Buchanan (R-FL), Sewell (D-AL), and DelBene (D-WA).
  
• Missed 95% of Senate votes (May 18–June 18): GovTrack reports Bennet missed 54 of 57 roll call votes since May 18 — effectively absent from the Senate floor while campaigning for governor. Last vote: May 20. Weiser attacked the absence during the June 13 CSU debate; the Bennet campaign has not directly addressed the absences.
  
• Weiser debate-skip controversy (June 15–17): Bennet's campaign accused Weiser of bailing on a June 15 CBS Colorado debate, claiming both campaigns had agreed to the date. Weiser's camp disputes this, saying the date was never confirmed. CBS's assistant news director confirmed Weiser said "something has come up" four days before, then responded "I don't think so. Apologies" when offered alternatives. Colorado Sun columnist Mike Littwin interpreted the accusation as evidence the race has tightened enough for Bennet to need an attack line. Context: Weiser may have wanted to avoid questions about a CBS investigation reporting he accepted $75,000 in campaign contributions from attorneys at firms doing business before his AG office — potentially contradicting a 2022 pledge. The fact that Bennet loaned his campaign $950K and Bloomberg donated $2M to the super PAC reinforces the tightening narrative.
  
• 11 days to primary (June 30). Ballots in mailboxes. Return by mail (postmark by June 22 to be safe) or drop box by 7 PM June 30.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Budd Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Unlock U.S. Space-Based Chip Manufacturing — bennet.senate.gov
- Senate bill extends CHIPS Act tax credits to space-based semiconductor factories — Washington Times
- Sen. Michael Bennet — GovTrack.us (missed votes)
- Littwin: Did Weiser really bail on a debate? — Colorado Sun

2026-06-20

• Final stretch — 10 days to primary: Both candidates are criss-crossing the state courting undecided voters. CPR reported June 19 that Bennet held a meet-and-greet in Carbondale while Weiser attended Pride festivities in Greeley. The dynamic: Weiser's biggest attack on Bennet is that he voted to confirm more Trump cabinet members than most Senate Democrats — specifically Chris Wright (Energy), Brooke Rollins (Agriculture), and Doug Burgum (Interior). Bennet has framed those votes as pragmatic governance; Weiser is using them to paint Bennet as insufficiently oppositional to Trump.
  
• Policy differences remarkably thin (Colorado Sun analysis, June 17): A Colorado Sun deep dive found the two candidates agree on most major policy: both support keeping TABOR as-is without reform, favor rolling back regulations to attract business, oppose withholding funding from housing-non-compliant municipalities, and both would have vetoed the same five Polis measures. The actual differences are narrow: Bennet pushes a public health insurance option and cap-and-invest climate program; Weiser proposes universal primary care and increased solar/battery storage. On cellphones in schools, Bennet wants a statewide ban; Weiser is open to it but less committal. Both campaigns have focused on contrasting styles toward Trump rather than substantive policy gaps.
  
• Spending update: Combined candidate + super PAC spending has reached ~$9M total for the primary. Weiser raised $6.5M (much self-funded); Bennet raised $4.8M plus $950K personal loan. Bloomberg's $4.6M+ to Rocky Mountain Way PAC continues to fund Bennet ads statewide.
  
• Mail ballot postmark deadline in 2 days (June 22). Return by mail (postmark by Sunday) or any drop box by 7 PM June 30.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Weiser criss-cross state in hopes of wooing undecided voters — CPR News (June 19)
- Looking for areas where Bennet and Weiser differ on policy? There aren't many. — Colorado Sun (June 17)
- Super PACs, corporate money and a New York billionaire — Colorado Newsline

2026-06-21

• DACA backlog letter (June 18): Bennet led the Colorado Democratic congressional delegation (with Hickenlooper, Neguse, DeGette, Crow, and Pettersen) in demanding DHS and USCIS immediately expedite DACA renewal applications. Processing times have spiked 360% — from a median of 15 days in FY2025 to over two months in FY2026. Colorado has 12,000+ DACA recipients; nationally, 87% are employed, contributing ~$17B annually to the economy. The letter demands answers by June 30 on processing timelines, causes of delays, and enforcement risks for individuals whose status has lapsed during the backlog. Context: wildland firefighters on DACA are losing their work authorization heading into a severe fire season.
  
• Mail ballot postmark deadline TOMORROW (June 22). Return by mail (postmark by Sunday) or any drop box by 7 PM June 30. 9 days to primary.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Neguse, Colorado Democrats Demand Answers on DACA Renewal Backlog — bennet.senate.gov
- Colorado U.S. Democrats say DACA backlog is having collateral impact — CBS Colorado

2026-06-22

• DEADLINE DAY — registration and mail ballot postmark: Today is the last day to register to vote online and still receive a mailed ballot for the June 30 primary. It is also the last safe day to mail your ballot (postmark by today). After today, use a drop box (437 open statewide by June 23) or vote in person at a voting center (all open by today). Ballots must be received by 7 PM June 30.
  
• 8 days to primary. Governor (Bennet vs. Weiser), Senate (Hickenlooper vs. Gonzales), CO-2 (Neguse vs. Mason).
  

Sources:
- Colorado Secretary of State — Primary Ballots news release
- Colorado primary election guide 2026 — Colorado Sun

2026-06-23

• 7 days to primary — drop boxes & voting centers now open: 437 drop boxes opened statewide today; 130+ voter service centers have been open since June 22. Mail ballot postmark deadline passed yesterday — ballots should now be returned via drop box or in person. All ballots due 7 PM June 30.
  
• Voter registration landscape (Colorado Politics, June 21): Colorado has 4.07M registered voters. Unaffiliated voters now comprise 52% — dwarfing both parties (Democrats 25%, Republicans 23%). The two parties are "essentially evenly balanced (or evenly disliked)" per analysts Thomas Cronin and Robert Loevy. Implication for the governor's race: both Bennet and Weiser need unaffiliated crossover in the general, but the primary electorate is strictly Democratic registrants.
  
• Race dynamics unchanged: Bennet and Weiser criss-crossing the state in the final week. No new polling since the conflicting trio of surveys (CCR: Weiser +7; PPP: Bennet +6 with 34% undecided; Bennet internal: Bennet +31). Combined spending ~$9M; Bloomberg $4.6M+ to pro-Bennet super PAC.
  

Sources:
- In-Person Voting for 2026 Primary Available — Colorado SOS
- Registered voters on the eve of the 2026 primaries — Colorado Politics

2026-06-24

• Senate passes War Powers Resolution (June 23): The Senate passed H.Con.Res.86, a concurrent resolution under the War Powers Resolution of 1973 directing the President to end military action against Iran. Bennet called the conflict "a generational blunder" and pledged to "continue doing everything in my power to bring this war to an end." He cited taxpayer costs, military casualties, depleted weapons stockpiles, and geopolitical disadvantages.
  
• Latonya Reeves Freedom Act reintroduced (June 23): Bennet reintroduced legislation to strengthen access to long-term services and supports for Americans with disabilities, allowing them to receive care in the setting of their choice.
  
• Senate seat replacement plans (Colorado Sun, June 22 — not previously logged): If elected governor, Bennet committed to appointing a Democrat under age 50 to fill his Senate seat, stating "the last thing we need is one more person to die on the floor of the U.S. Senate." Names floated: Rep. Jason Crow (47), Rep. Joe Neguse (42), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (44). Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (51) disqualified by the age rule. Bennet explicitly ruled out appointing Governor Polis and declined to commit to appointing a woman or person of color. The appointee would serve until at least early 2029. Voting for Bennet in the gubernatorial primary is effectively also a vote for an unidentified new senator.
  
• 6 days to primary. Drop boxes (437) and 130+ voting centers open statewide. Ballots due 7 PM June 30.
  

Sources:
- Bennet Statement on Senate Passage of War Powers Resolution — bennet.senate.gov
- Who would Bennet pick to replace himself in the Senate? — Colorado Sun
- Bennet, Colleagues Reintroduce Legislation to Help People With Disabilities — bennet.senate.gov

2026-06-25

• USPS Postmaster General confirms ballot delivery threat (June 24): Postmaster General David Steiner testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that USPS will refuse to deliver mail ballots to states that don't hand over voter rolls under the proposed rule stemming from Trump's Executive Order 14399. Colorado is an all-mail-ballot state — if finalized, this rule would directly threaten Colorado's election infrastructure. Two dozen states have filed legal challenges. Public comment closes July 2 (see Repwatcher Log for submission details).
  
• Governor's race — 5 days to primary. Conflicting polls: CCR (May 22–28) has Weiser +7; PPP (June 1–2) has Bennet +6 with 34% undecided; Bennet internal (June 9–11) has Bennet +31. Combined Bennet + pro-Bennet PAC spending now exceeds $9M (Bloomberg's Rocky Mountain Way PAC alone: $4.6M+). Drop boxes and voting centers open statewide. Ballots due 7 PM June 30.
  

Sources:
- USPS won't deliver mail ballots to non-compliant states, postmaster says — PBS News
- Democrats challenge postmaster general on legality — Washington Times
- Lawmakers blast Steiner threat — Newsweek
- Colorado's Democratic primary for governor — Axios Denver

2026-06-26

• NEW POLL: Weiser leads Bennet 45–36 (PPP, June 24–25). A Public Policy Polling survey of 600 likely Democratic primary voters (38% landline, 62% text; ±4 points) — paid for by Fighting for Colorado, the Weiser super PAC — finds Weiser at 45%, Bennet at 36%, and 19% undecided. This is a dramatic swing from the same firm's poll three weeks ago, which had Bennet leading 36–30 with 34% undecided. Among processed ballots, 62% of respondents are registered Democrats, 38% unaffiliated. The outcome now hinges on the remaining undecided voters and unaffiliated crossover.
  
• Primary turnout snapshot (as of midnight June 24): 442,017 ballots returned statewide — ~12% of 4M+ active registered voters. Democratic ballots: 186,571; Republican: 143,129; Unaffiliated: 110,872 (of those processed: 37,585 chose Dem primary, 19,024 chose GOP). Age skew: 56% of ballots from voters 65+; under-35 voters account for less than 9%. County clerks expect surges over the weekend and final days. Too late to mail — use a drop box or vote in person. Ballots due 7 PM June 30.
  
• 4 days to primary.
  

Sources:
- Weiser leads Bennet in new poll — Colorado Sun
- Internal poll: Weiser leading — Colorado Politics
- Primary turnout tops 10% — Colorado Politics

2026-06-27

• 3 days to primary. Secretary of State Griswold issued final-weekend reminders: 137 voter centers and 437 drop boxes are open statewide. In-person voting on Election Day (June 30) runs 7 AM–7 PM. Too late to mail — return via drop box or in person. All ballots due 7 PM June 30.
  
• Housing bill transmittal set for Monday (June 30): Speaker Johnson confirmed Congress will formally transmit the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to the White House on Monday, starting the constitutional 10-day clock. If Trump neither signs nor vetoes by approximately July 10, the bill becomes law automatically under the Presentment Clause — no signature required. Congress has veto-proof margins (Senate 85–5, House 358–32) if Trump does veto. Bennet's gubernatorial campaign has been hammering the housing issue; the bill's fate will land squarely in the primary news cycle.
  
• USPS mail ballot comment deadline in 5 days (July 2). The proposed rule to withhold mail ballots from states that don't share voter rolls remains open for public comment until 5 PM ET July 2. Colorado is an all-mail-ballot state — this directly threatens the state's voting infrastructure.
  

Sources:
- SOS reminders ahead of primary — Colorado SOS
- Johnson says Congress will send housing bill to Trump — ABC News
- Housing bill expected to become law — American Banker
- Public comment deadline nears for USPS mail ballot proposal — KCBX

2026-06-28

• USPS ballot mail rule BLOCKED by federal court (June 25 — not previously logged). U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani (D. Mass.) issued an injunction blocking key pillars of Trump's Executive Order 14399, ruling major provisions "legally void" for exceeding presidential power and violating the separation of powers. The injunction prevents the federal government from enforcing the USPS ballot-withholding rule against 24 jurisdictions (23 states + DC), including Colorado, through the 2026 elections. The ruling came one day after Postmaster General Steiner confirmed USPS would refuse to deliver ballots to non-compliant states. Public comment on the underlying proposed rule still closes July 2 — the injunction protects the 2026 elections but the rule could still be finalized for future cycles.
  
• Updated ballot returns (as of June 25): 578,570 ballots returned statewide — up sharply from 442,017 on June 24. The weekend surge is typical of Colorado primaries. County clerks continue to process returns through Wednesday, July 8.
  
• "How Toxic Is Washington?" — NOTUS profile: National outlet NOTUS framed the Bennet–Weiser race as a test case for whether a Washington Democrat can win in a state that's moving away from D.C. insiders. The piece notes Bennet's decision to run for governor rather than defend his Senate seat is itself an acknowledgment of the risk.
  
• 2 days to primary (June 30). Latest poll: Weiser 45–36, 19% undecided (PPP, June 24–25). Drop boxes and voting centers open statewide. Ballots due 7 PM June 30.
  

Sources:
- Judge blocks key pillars of Trump executive order restricting mail voting — Votebeat
- Judge blocks Postal Service proposal to restrict mail-in voting — NPR
- Judge blocks Trump order that would have let USPS refuse to deliver mail ballots — Democracy Docket
- Colorado Will Test How Toxic Washington Is for Democrats — NOTUS
- Primary Ballots Returned: June 25 — Colorado SOS

2026-06-29

• PRIMARY EVE — voting closes tomorrow at 7 PM. The Colorado Democratic gubernatorial primary between Bennet and Weiser ends June 30. Drop boxes (437) and 137 voter centers are open statewide; in-person voting tomorrow 7 AM–7 PM. Too late to mail — drop box or in person only. County clerks process returns through July 8.
  
• Final polling snapshot: The most recent public poll (PPP, June 24–25, commissioned by pro-Weiser super PAC Fighting for Colorado) shows Weiser 45%, Bennet 36%, 19% undecided. This is a dramatic swing from the same pollster's June 1–2 survey (Bennet +6) and from Bennet's own June 9–11 internal (Bennet +31). The race hinges on the remaining undecided voters and unaffiliated crossover.
  
• Housing bill transmits TOMORROW (June 30): Speaker Johnson confirmed Congress will formally present the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to Trump on Monday, starting the 10-day Presentment Clause clock. If Trump doesn't act by approximately July 10, it becomes law without his signature. Bennet has made housing affordability central to his gubernatorial campaign.
  
• USPS mail ballot comment deadline in 3 days (July 2, 5 PM ET). The injunction protects the 2026 elections but the underlying rule could still be finalized for future cycles. Submit comments: regulations.gov docket USPS-2026-1289-0001, email PCFederalRegister@usps.gov (subject: "Ballot Mail"), or mail to USPS Product Classification.
  
• Senate seat appointment — still developing: If Bennet wins tomorrow and the November general, he will appoint a Democrat under 50 to his Senate seat. Names: Neguse (42), Crow (47), Pettersen (44). Latest polling favoring Weiser makes this scenario less likely but not off the table.
  

Sources:
- Phil Weiser leads Michael Bennet in new poll — Colorado Sun
- Colorado primary election guide 2026 — Colorado Sun
- Johnson says Congress will send housing bill to Trump — ABC News

2026-06-30

• PRIMARY DAY — polls close 7 PM tonight. Colorado Democratic gubernatorial primary (Bennet vs. Weiser) ends tonight. In-person voting 7 AM–7 PM at 137 voter centers statewide; 437 drop boxes also open.
  
• Final polling: Most recent public poll (PPP, June 24–25, commissioned by pro-Weiser Fighting for Colorado PAC): Weiser 45%, Bennet 36%, 19% undecided. Bennet's own June 9–11 internal showed Bennet +31 (53%–22%); the race hinges on which poll is closer to reality.
  
• Turnout: 639,014 ballots returned statewide as of June 27–28 (~16% of active registered voters) — Democratic returns significantly outpacing Republican (widest margin since 2020). Age skew: 70%+ of ballots from voters 55+; under-35 voters less than 10%.
  
• Housing bill clock starts today: Congress formally transmitted the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to Trump on June 30. Under the Presentment Clause, if Trump neither signs nor vetoes by approximately July 10, it becomes law automatically. After canceling a signing ceremony last week over the SAVE America Act, Trump reportedly signaled to Speaker Johnson he was "on the same page" — outcome uncertain. Congress has veto-proof margins (Senate 85–5, House 358–32) if Trump vetoes.
  
• Senate seat scenario: If Bennet wins tonight and the November general, he would appoint a Democrat under age 50 to his Senate seat. Latest polling makes a Weiser win more likely, but the race is unresolved until results come in. Names still in play: Neguse (42), Pettersen (44), Crow (47).
  
• USPS mail ballot comment deadline TOMORROW (July 2, 5 PM ET). The injunction protects the 2026 elections; comments are to prevent finalization for future cycles.
  

Sources:
- How to find 2026 Colorado primary election results — 9News
- Congress sends housing bill to Trump's desk — Senate Banking Committee
- Speaker Johnson sends housing bill to White House — CNN
- Michael Bennet Senate replacement plans — Colorado Sun

2026-07-01

• LOST the primary — Weiser wins governor nomination 55%–45%. AP called the race for AG Phil Weiser just before 8 PM on primary night; final count 55%-45% with strong support from Denver metro and the I-70 corridor west to Utah. Bennet's own internal polling (53-22, then 36-30) proved far off from the final PPP-aligned trend (45-36 the week before). Weiser's anti-establishment message — hammering Bennet's Trump cabinet confirmation votes — broke through in a cycle when Democratic primary voters nationally are frustrated with the party's status quo.
  
• Bennet remains in the Senate. His term runs through January 3, 2029; losing the governor's race means no resignation and no vacancy. The Senate-seat-appointment scenario tracked throughout June (Neguse/Pettersen/Crow as possible under-50 appointees) is now moot.
  
• What's next: No public statement yet on future plans; expect a concession/reaction statement and eventual return to full-time Senate focus, including the still-unresolved housing bill presentment fight (deadline ~July 10) and the USPS mail ballot rule (public comment closes tomorrow, July 2).
  

Sources:
- Weiser defeats Bennet to become Democratic gubernatorial nominee — CPR News
- Colorado AG Phil Weiser wins Democratic primary for governor over Sen. Michael Bennet — NBC News
- Phil Weiser overcomes big spending, name ID to beat Michael Bennet — Colorado Sun

2026-07-03

• DACA renewal backlog (June 18 — not previously logged). Bennet joined Neguse and other Colorado congressional Democrats in a letter demanding USCIS explain and fix delays in DACA employment-authorization renewals. Renewals that used to take about two weeks are now taking two months or more — some constituents report 6–8 months — causing Dreamers to lose work permits and deportation protection in the gap. Colorado has 12,000+ DACA recipients, including healthcare workers, first responders, and wildland firefighters (relevant given the severe wildfire season). No USCIS response reported yet.
  
• Housing bill still pending. Trump conceded July 1 the SAVE America Act he wanted passed alongside it "probably" won't get the votes, and dismissed the housing bill as "a yawn" — pointing toward it becoming law automatically around July 10 without his signature. Back in the Senate full-time since losing the governor's primary; no public statement yet on future plans.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Neguse, Colorado Democrats Demand Answers on DACA Renewal Backlog — Sen. Bennet
- Colorado Democrats say immigration backlog having collateral impact — CBS Colorado
- Trump calls housing bill 'a yawn,' concedes SAVE America Act unlikely to pass — The Hill

2026-07-06

• Second federal court ruling blocks USPS ballot rule (July 1 — not previously logged). U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan (D.D.C.) sided with the NAACP, ruling that USPS's proposed ballot-restriction rule would likely violate a 2021 settlement requiring expedited mail-ballot handling through 2028. Sullivan granted the NAACP's motion to enforce that settlement, blocking the rule's implementation nationwide — a separate, broader ruling than Judge Talwani's June 25 injunction (which protected 24 jurisdictions including Colorado on separation-of-powers grounds). Between the two rulings, the USPS rule is now blocked nationwide regardless of the public comment period's outcome. No further housing bill or DACA developments as of July 6; Trump still hasn't signed or vetoed the housing bill (automatic enactment still on track ~July 10).
  

Sources:
- US judge sides with NAACP over proposed mail-in ballot restrictions — Al Jazeera
- Court blocks USPS from implementing Trump's anti-mail voting order — Democracy Docket

2026-07-09

• Housing bill still unsigned; automatic enactment imminent (~July 10-11). As of July 8, Trump has neither signed nor vetoed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and Speaker Johnson has said publicly Trump will not veto it — pointing to automatic enactment under the Presentment Clause within the next day or so. No confirmed enactment yet as of this check-in; next run should confirm whether it actually became law. No other new developments this window (USPS rulings, DACA letter all unchanged since July 6).
  

Sources:
- Bipartisan housing bill set to become law Friday without Trump's signature — Washington Times
- Johnson doubts Trump will veto housing bill — The Hill

2026-07-10

• Housing bill still unresolved as the automatic-enactment deadline arrives tonight. As of today's check, Trump has neither signed nor vetoed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Multiple outlets frame the 10-day Presentment Clause deadline as landing "Friday night" — tonight, July 10, the same day as this check-in. No outlet has yet reported an actual signature, veto, or automatic-enactment event. Confirm the outcome at the next check-in.
  
• USPS mail ballot rule — new appellate developments. On July 6, twelve Republican-led states (AL, FL, IN, KS, LA, MO, MT, NE, OK, SC, SD, TX) filed their own appeal to the 1st Circuit defending Trump's executive order. On July 7, Judge Talwani entered final judgment in the case, denied the administration's request to stay her injunction pending appeal (finding the government "unlikely to succeed on the merits"), and granted only a 7-day administrative stay so DOJ could seek a stay directly from the 1st Circuit. Two separate appeals — DOJ's and the 12 states' — are now pending before the 1st Circuit.
  

Sources:
- Bipartisan housing bill set to become law Friday without Trump's signature — Washington Times
- Housing bill: Trump veto or automatic law? — Spectrum Local News
- DOJ appeals decision blocking Trump's executive order throttling mail voting — Democracy Docket
- Colorado immediately assessed Trump's election order; USPS defended its proposal; a court blocked key parts — Rocky Mountain Voice

2026-07-11

• Housing bill resolved: became law automatically at midnight, without Trump's signature. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law at 12:00 AM July 11 when the 10-day Presentment Clause clock expired. Trump had publicly said he would not sign it, calling it "PROTEST" over the Senate's failure to pass the SAVE AMERICA Act, but never vetoed it — so it became law automatically under Article I, Sec. 7. No further USPS or DACA developments this window.
  

Sources:
- Largest housing affordability bill in decades becomes law without Trump's signature — NPR
- Bipartisan housing bill automatically becomes law after Trump refuses to sign it — CBS News
- 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act becomes law — Housingwire

2026-07-17

• Colorado water projects — committee passage. Bennet and Hickenlooper celebrated committee passage of the biennial Water Resources Development (water) bill, which secured authorization for up to $27 million for Colorado water projects.
  
• New World Screwworm letter to USDA. Bennet joined Sen. Hickenlooper and Rep. Neguse urging USDA to expand surveillance/response as the flesh-eating parasite spreads through New Mexico and Texas toward the West.
  
• USPS mail-ballot rule — still blocked, no appellate ruling. USPS has confirmed it is complying with the injunctions (Talwani, 24 jurisdictions incl. CO; Sullivan, nationwide) while the case is on appeal to the 1st Circuit. The earlier ~July 14 administrative-stay lapse point passed with no disruption and no 1st Circuit ruling reported as of July 17; USPS says a bifurcated November system is now practically impossible even if the government ultimately wins.
  

Sources:
- Hickenlooper, Bennet advocate for Colorado water in biennial water bill — hickenlooper.senate.gov
- USPS says it's not implementing Trump's anti-mail voting order, for now — Democracy Docket
- U.S. Senator Michael Bennet — news

2026-07-18

(Two public-lands items from the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee earlier this week, surfaced this run.)

• Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act — unanimous committee passage (July 16). Bennet's bill with Hickenlooper and Rep. Jeff Hurd (R, CO-3), S. 2754, cleared the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee by unanimous voice vote. It transfers Crystal Reservoir, Full Moon Dam, and the ~45-acre parcel underneath from the U.S. Forest Service to the City of Ouray at no cost (city pays only survey costs), letting Ouray repair the dam and refill the reservoir for water supply and recreation while keeping the land permanently open to the public. (Not in your immediate district, but a delegation win on Western Slope water infrastructure.)
  
• GORP Act — first-ever committee hearing (July 15). Bennet testified for the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act before the ENR Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests & Mining — its first hearing after ~a decade of development. The bill would protect 730,000+ acres of Western Colorado public land from new mining/drilling while preserving existing recreation access (boating, mountain biking, off-roading) and ranching. Co-led with Hickenlooper and Rep. Hurd.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Hickenlooper, Hurd's Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act Unanimously Passes Senate ENR Committee — bennet.senate.gov
- Bennet, Hickenlooper, Hurd Support GORP Act at Senate ENR Committee Hearing — bennet.senate.gov
- S.2754 Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act — Congress.gov
- The GORP Act — gorpact.org

2026-07-28

• Opposed USFS oil-and-gas lease in NW Colorado. Bennet joined Sen. Hickenlooper and Rep. Neguse in a letter to the U.S. Forest Service opposing a proposal to lease ~13,850 acres (10 parcels in Routt/Moffat counties) to BLM for potential oil and gas development, citing risks to wildlife habitat, watersheds, and recreation and urging more community input. (The USFS 30-day comment window had already closed July 17.)
  

Sources:
- Neguse, Bennet, Hickenlooper Raise Concerns Over Forest Service Proposal to Lease Nearly 14,000 Acres — neguse.house.gov

2026-08-04

• Demanded restoration of illegally canceled energy funding. Bennet joined a ~38-senator letter (led by Sens. Murray and Heinrich; Hickenlooper also signing) pressing the Trump administration to restore ~$8 billion for 223 energy projects canceled in October 2025 — roughly $600M for Colorado. Prompted by a July 24 NYT report that the administration admitted in court the cancellations were "based solely" on the projects being in states that didn't vote for Trump. Funds were authorized under the IIJA, IRA, and annual appropriations.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Murray, Heinrich, colleagues demand Trump administration restore funding for illegally canceled and politically targeted energy projects — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 4, 2026)

2026-08-06

• Signed delegation letter to DHS on the Aurora ICE-facility shooting. Bennet joined Sen. Hickenlooper and Reps. Crow, DeGette, Neguse, and Pettersen (Hickenlooper and Crow leading) demanding answers from DHS Secretary Mullin after a GEO Group employee shot a 21-year-old protester in the foot outside the Aurora ICE detention facility on July 16, 2026 — pressing on contractor vetting, use-of-force/de-escalation training, and protection of peaceful protesters. Response requested by Aug. 14.
  

Sources:
- Hickenlooper, Crow, Bennet, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen demand answers from DHS on Aurora detention facility shooting — hickenlooper.senate.gov

2026-08-07

(Three items from Aug 5–6 surfaced this run.)

• Emergency Mountain Pine Beetle Response and Coordination Act (Aug 6). Introduced with Hickenlooper. Creates a Mountain Pine Beetle Emergency Response Program inside the U.S. Forest Service, authorizes grants to local partners working with USFS on National Forest System land, and sets up cooperative agreements with states for prevention, monitoring, and response. Backed by Gov. Polis. House companions came a week earlier from Rep. Pettersen with Neguse — H.R. 9999 (Mountain Pine Beetle Coordination Act) and H.R. 10000 (Emergency Mountain Pine Beetle Response Act), both introduced July 30 as part of Pettersen's six-bill wildfire package. Driven by the current Front Range outbreak near populated areas.
  
• Farm Bill markup failed in committee (Aug 6). The Senate Agriculture Committee deadlocked 10–11 on reporting Chairman Boozman's Agricultural Act of 2026 (Farm Bill 2.0); it does not advance to the floor. No Democrats backed it, and Sen. McConnell was absent for health reasons. Bennet, with Ranking Member Klobuchar, offered amendments to shield EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program from the proposed cuts. Amendments the committee did adopt: SNAP eligibility for hot rotisserie chicken, permanent transfer of Food for Peace to USDA, more state/county flexibility on SNAP cost-sharing, and reinstated mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef.
  
• First-Time Homebuyer Empowerment Act (Aug 5), with Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH). Would let up to $35,000 of leftover 529 college-savings funds transfer tax-free toward a first-home purchase. Under current law 529 funds are limited to education expenses or a Roth rollover. Bennet sits on Senate Finance.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Hickenlooper introduce legislation to mitigate mountain pine beetle outbreaks — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 6, 2026)
- Bennet statement on Farm Bill markup — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 6, 2026)
- Senate Agriculture Committee holds Farm Bill markup, remains in committee — NACo
- Bennet, Husted introduce legislation to help make first-time homeownership more affordable — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 5, 2026)
- Husted, Bennet introduce bill letting first-time buyers tap 529 savings — Scioto Valley Guardian
- Colorado Rep. Brittany Pettersen introduces package of wildfire bills — KUNC

2026-08-08

• Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, 86–11 (Aug 7). Bennet was an original cosponsor and issued a statement: "Today, the Senate took a significant step to support the Ukrainian people in their fight against Russian aggression." The 61-page bill sanctions Putin's inner circle, Russian financial institutions, the shadow fleet, and the defense industrial base; authorizes targeted tariffs on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and gas (China and India among them); and extends Iran sanctions. Renamed for the late Sen. Graham, who negotiated it over roughly 18 months. Next stop is the House, which is in recess until September — see US Representative - Joe Neguse.
  

Sources:
- Bennet statement on Senate passage of Russia sanctions legislation — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 7, 2026)
- Senate passes long-awaited Russia sanctions bill — Washington Post (Aug 7, 2026)
- Senate passes sanctions bill on Russia and Iran named for late Sen. Lindsey Graham — NBC News
- US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill targeting China, India oil buyers — Bloomberg

2026-08-09

• S.Res. 844 honoring five fallen wildland firefighters — agreed to by unanimous consent (Aug 7). Bennet is the sponsor; cosponsors are Hickenlooper and Utah Sens. Mike Lee (R) and John Curtis (R). Honors Emily Barker, Nicholas Hutcherson, Sydney Watson, Nathan Matthews, and Nicholas Dale — killed in the Knowles and Gore fires on the Colorado–Utah border — and all wildland firefighters. Submitted, considered, and agreed to the same day with a preamble; announced by press release Aug 8. Quote: "Our hearts are with the families, loved ones, and fellow firefighters grieving the loss of the five wildland firefighters who gave their lives protecting others." Related Bennet firefighter bills: Tim's Act (reintroduced April 2025), Wildfire Air Quality Sensor Expansion Act (July 2026), PFAS Alternatives Act (June 2026). Hickenlooper's call for a DOI investigation into the Knowles Fire burnover is still pending — see US Senator - John Hickenlooper.
  

Sources:
- Colorado and Utah senators honor casualties from wildfires — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 8, 2026)
- S.Res. 844 bill status — govinfo
- Memorial service to honor firefighters killed on Colorado-Utah border — KSL

2026-08-11

• Statement against Trump's childhood-vaccine executive order (Aug 10). Trump issued an EO directing federal health agencies to overhaul childhood vaccine recommendations and encouraging states to reconsider school immunization requirements. Bennet called it "an anti-science agenda that rejects decades of proven medical consensus," pointed to the largest measles outbreaks in decades, and said it "puts our children directly in harm's way." Timed to Colorado's back-to-school window — PSD starts Aug 18/19. Colorado's school immunization requirements are set by CDPHE under state rule (6 CCR 1009-2), not by the EO; any state-level change would go through the Board of Health.
  
• 28-senator letter demanding an end to voter-roll purges (Aug 10). Bennet joined Alex Padilla (CA) as a signer on a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, arguing that mass voter purges within 90 days of a federal election violate the National Voter Registration Act. Specifically opposes using the SAVE database for purges and asks DOJ to drop litigation seeking state voter rolls. Signers include Schumer, Durbin, King (I-ME), and Sanders (I-VT). Bennet sits on Senate Rules and Administration, which oversees federal elections; he introduced the Mail and Absentee Voter Protection Act in April 2026.
  
  • Check your own registration: Colorado's 90-day window before the Nov 3 general started Aug 5. Verify at GoVoteColorado.gov; Larimer County Elections is (970) 498-7820, elections@larimer.org, 200 W. Oak St., Fort Collins.
    

Sources:
- Bennet Statement on Trump Undermining Childhood Vaccines as Colorado Kids Return to School — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 10, 2026)
- Bennet, Padilla, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Stop Illegal Voter Roll Purges Before Election Day — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 10, 2026)

2026-08-13

• Protect American Values Act introduced (Aug 12). Bennet leads with Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) carries the House side. Bars federal funds from being used to implement or enforce the administration's new public charge rule, which takes effect Sept 18, 2026. The rule removes the current list of which benefits count against an immigrant's green card application, leaving immigration officers broad discretion to deny on subjective judgment rather than a clear standard. Bennet: "This rule isn't about securing borders or efficient spending, its purpose is to punish immigrants." Cosponsors in both chambers.
  
• Sudan letter to Rubio (Aug 12). Bennet, Chris Van Hollen, and 20 colleagues pressed the Secretary of State to halt U.S. arms sales to the UAE and others arming the RSF, and to report back on efforts to end the war. The RSF is threatening to besiege El Obeid, where roughly 500,000 civilians are at risk — a repeat of the 2025 El Fasher siege that UN investigators said bore "hallmarks of genocide." Letter cites documented UAE support to the RSF, including training Colombian mercenaries used at El Fasher.
  
• No response reported to the Aug 4 canceled-energy-funding letter or the Aug 10 voter-purge letter.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Hirono, Chu, Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Block Trump Administration's So-Called "Public Charge" Rule — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 12, 2026)
- Bennet, Van Hollen, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Use Leverage to Prevent Further Atrocities in Sudan — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 12, 2026)

2026-08-14

• Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act (Aug 13). Bennet leads with Hickenlooper, Tammy Duckworth, and 16 other Senate Democrats. The bill bars the Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records in ways that jeopardize servicemembers' benefits. Prompted by the Pentagon reclassifying casualties from the Iran war — four killed, 200+ wounded — outside Operation Epic Fury, which the sponsors say downplays the toll and moves those casualties out of the benefits and recognition tied to a named operation. Cosponsors include Shaheen, Peters, Hirono, Van Hollen, Merkley, Gallego, Baldwin, Blumenthal, Warren, Kelly, Kim, Alsobrooks, Fetterman, Schatz, Rosen. See US Senator - John Hickenlooper.
  
• NO BOSS Act (Aug 13). New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency Act, with Chris Coons (D-DE), James Lankford (R-OK), Jon Husted (R-OH). Modernizes the Self-Employment Assistance program so an unemployed worker can draw normal UI benefits while working full-time to start a business. Drops the requirement that a participant be "likely to exhaust benefits," counts business-plan development and market feasibility studies as qualifying work, and expands state participation.
  
• Still no response on the Aug 4 canceled-energy-funding letter, the Aug 10 voter-purge letter, or the Aug 8 DHS Aurora letter (due today).
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Hickenlooper, Duckworth, Colleagues Push to Stop Trump from Hiding the True Cost of the Iran War — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 13, 2026)
- Bennet, Coons, Lankford Introduce Bill to Help Unemployed Workers Start Small Businesses — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 13, 2026)

2026-08-15

• NATO force cuts letter (Aug 13). Bennet signed with Rep. Joe Neguse (lead) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-2), to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. U.S. European Command is scaling back NATO-committed forces: 30% cut to fighter jets, fewer reconnaissance planes, withdrawal of aerial refueling tankers. Asks DoD to reconsider and to explain how allied-security commitments will be met. See US Representative - Joe Neguse.
  
• No new press releases Aug 14 or 15. Senate's last roll call was Aug 8; Bennet has missed none since July 13.
  
• DHS Aurora letter deadline (Aug 14) passed with no response. DHS's only statement remains that it "responds to official correspondence through official channels."
  
• Correction to the Aurora TB timeline: the earlier unenforced order came from the Adams County Health Department on June 25, not Tri-County. The state followed with a written request July 14 and the governor's office with two more July 17 and July 20. CDPHE's own order gives GEO until Monday, Aug 17 to comply.
  

Sources:
- Rep. Neguse Leads Bipartisan Effort Imploring Defense Department Reverse NATO Force Cuts — neguse.house.gov (Aug 13, 2026)
- Colorado health officials order Aurora ICE Processing Center to hand over tuberculosis records — Denver7
- News — bennet.senate.gov

2026-08-18

• Aug 17: letter to Secretary Rubio on Americans detained in Russia. Led by Schumer, 16 Democratic senators including Bennet. Follows the release of Robert Gilman after 1,666 days.
  
• Five U.S. nationals still held: Andre Khachatoorian (1,688 days), David Barnes (1,671), Olga Jezler (1,506), Alexsandr Antonov (524), Chuck Zimmerman (420).
  
• The asks: consular access; expedited "wrongful detention" designations under the Levinson Act; a release plan independent of the Ukraine negotiations; and consideration of designating Russia a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.
  
• Colorado tie: Stephen Hubbard is the only American formally designated wrongfully detained in Russia (since January 2025).
  
• No deadline attached to the letter.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Schumer, Colleagues Call on Trump Administration to Escalate Efforts to Rescue U.S. Nationals Detained in Russia — bennet.senate.gov (Aug 17, 2026)

2026-08-20

• Aug 19: delegation letter to GEO Group. Bennet co-leads with Rep. Jason Crow; every Democrat in the Colorado delegation signed — Bennet, Hickenlooper, Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen. Demands GEO comply with both the Adams County Health Department order (June 25) and CDPHE Public Health Order 26-02, and notes GEO has now blown both. Sent the same day AG Weiser sued. See US Senator - John Hickenlooper · US Representative - Joe Neguse.
  
• Congressional staff visited the Aurora facility Aug 16, the day before the CDPHE deadline.
  
• No other press releases Aug 18–20.
  

Sources:
- Crow, Bennet Lead Colorado Democrats Calling on GEO to Comply with Public Health Orders — crow.house.gov (Aug 19, 2026)
- Colorado AG Phil Weiser sues ICE contractor GEO over "stonewalling" on public health order — CBS Colorado (Aug 19, 2026)

2026-08-21

• Demanded a Senate investigation into the Colorado email (Aug 20): Bennet formally requested a Senate inquiry into the Dec. 15, 2025 "Brainstorm Call" email, calling it a smoking gun showing federal agencies were used to punish Colorado. The email came from Emily Underwood, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Policy Strategist, who works under Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. It told five agencies — Energy, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, OMB — to "prioritize Colorado for the purposes of ensuring grants and federal support are in line with Administration priorities" and to come prepared to discuss immediate actions. Sent a month after Colorado refused to move Tina Peters to federal custody and days after the state ignored Trump's clemency declaration. Surfaced through discovery in the state's litigation.
  
• Underwood is leaving the White House. She announced on LinkedIn Aug 19 that she is departing for a private-equity/venture firm; Axios reported the exit Aug 18. Reports differ on the destination (Austin-based private equity vs. partner at Trust Ventures).
  
• NATO force cuts (Aug 19): Joined Rep. Joe Neguse and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) on a bipartisan letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth opposing U.S. European Command's plan to cut forces committed to NATO — a 30% cut to fighter jets, fewer reconnaissance aircraft, and withdrawal of aerial refueling tankers.
  
• BLM oil and gas rules (Aug 19): With Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), led Democrats opposing the rescission of two Bureau of Land Management rules on leasing and waste prevention.
  
• WARRIOR Act (Aug 19): Joined legislation to codify women's right to serve in combat roles.
  
• Childhood vaccine executive order (Aug 18): Signed with Schumer, Sen. Kim Schrier, and 88 colleagues demanding rescission of Trump's childhood vaccine executive order.
  

Sources:
- Bennet Demands Senate Investigation Into Trump's Weaponization of the Federal Government Against Colorado
- Bennet requests Senate investigation into Trump administration's 'smoking gun' Colorado email — Cherry Creek News
- White House staffer who sent email targeting Colorado leaves job — CPR (Aug 20)
- Top aide Emily Underwood leaving the White House — Axios (Aug 18)
- Bennet, Neguse, Bacon Urge Defense Department to Reverse NATO Force Cuts (Aug 19)

2026-08-22

• Signed the ICE/TSA airport letter (Aug 20). Nine senators, led by Jacky Rosen (D-NV), wrote DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, acting ICE Director David Venturella, and TSA Administrator David Cummins demanding an explanation of the operating relationship between ICE and TSA and what information the two agencies share. Prompted by ICE actions at airports including Reno-Tahoe and Harry Reid International. Signers: Rosen, Cortez Masto, Hickenlooper, Blumenthal, Bennet, Shaheen, Van Hollen, Duckworth, Wyden. No response deadline stated. Hickenlooper's office posted it Aug 21 framing DIA as the Colorado exposure.
  
• GEO litigation moved against the state while the delegation letter sat unanswered. On Aug 20 U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico granted GEO Group a narrow preliminary injunction against one provision of HB26-1276, the 2026 law expanding CDPHE's authority to inspect immigration detention facilities. The court held GEO is subject to state law, but only law in effect before it signed its federal contract — blocking unannounced state inspections at the Aurora facility. The injunction runs to Oct 15, 2026, when GEO's federal contract expires. Colorado's pre-existing public health authority was left intact.
  
• The ruling is separate from the TB matter. CDPHE asked the court Aug 20 to compel the tuberculosis investigation while Weiser's Aug 19 Adams County suit proceeds. Bennet and Crow's Aug 20 letter demanding GEO comply with the state health order still has no public response.
  
• No new items on bennet.senate.gov after Aug 20.
  

Sources:
- Rosen Leads Senate Colleagues in Demanding Answers About ICE Conduct, TSA Cooperation in Airports (Aug 20)
- Judge grants partial injunction to GEO in fight against state health inspection law — Colorado Politics (Aug 20)
- Federal judge blocks law that expanded Colorado's health authority over immigrant detention center — Colorado Sun (Aug 20)
- Colorado suffers defeat in lawsuit against private ICE facility over local oversight — KRDO (Aug 21)
- State health department asks judge to force GEO Group to allow a TB investigation — CPR (Aug 20)
- Weiser statement on ruling in the GEO Group challenge to Colorado health and safety law — coag.gov

2026-08-25

• Led the entire Colorado congressional delegation in backing a Major Disaster Declaration (Aug 24). Bennet organized a letter to President Trump supporting Gov. Polis's Aug 23 request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration and Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants covering the Aspen Acres Fire and the Gold Mountain Fire, both from June 2026, and the flooding and debris flows that followed on the burn scars. All ten members signed — Bennet, Hickenlooper, and Reps. Hurd, Pettersen, DeGette, Neguse, Crow, Boebert, Crank, and Evans.
  
• The damage. Over 140,000 acres burned between the two fires, 800+ structures destroyed including 324 homes, and more than $18 million in validated damages. Aspen Acres alone burned more than 102,000 acres; Gold Mountain burned nearly 40,000 acres near Ouray. Post-fire flooding on the Aspen Acres scar killed one person in Beulah.
  
• What the state asked for. Individual and public assistance for Pueblo and Custer counties; public assistance only for Ouray county. Individual assistance would cover temporary housing, home repairs, and essential personal property, plus crisis counseling, disaster case management, disaster unemployment assistance, and disaster legal services. Larimer County is not included — nothing here changes local eligibility.
  
• From the letter: "Without additional support, residents could face potentially insurmountable barriers to rebuilding homes and businesses, increased drinking water and electric utility costs, and the loss of important habitat and grazing lands."
  
• No White House decision yet. The GEO Group threads and the Aug 20 Senate-investigation request are both still unanswered.
  

Sources:
- Bennet Leads Entire Colorado Congressional Delegation in Support of Presidential Major Disaster Declaration Request for Colorado Wildfires (Aug 24)
- Polis officially requests federal disaster declaration for Colorado wildfires and floods — 9News (Aug 24)
- Colorado governor requests disaster declaration after Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires — CBS Colorado
- Colorado asks for federal aid after fires destroy 324 homes, trigger deadly flooding — Denver7
- Governor Polis Provides Update on Status of Wildfires and Floods in Colorado

2026-08-26

• The delegation letter is an appeal against a pattern, not a first request. This file recorded the Aug 24 letter without the history behind it. Trump denied Colorado's two prior major disaster requests — the Elk and Lee fires (Rio Blanco and Moffat counties, 137,000+ acres, $27M in FEMA-verified damages, started by lightning Aug 2, 2025) and western Colorado flooding (~$13M) — in December 2025. Polis filed formal appeals in January 2026; Bennet signed a delegation appeal letter at the time. The administration denied the appeals on April 10, 2026, stating federal assistance "is not warranted." State officials called it the first denial of a Colorado disaster request in 35 years.
  
• This connects two storylines this file has tracked separately. The disaster-aid denials are cited as one of the concrete consequences of the December 15 "brainstorm call" and the Emily Underwood retaliation email — the same sequence that froze hundreds of millions in Colorado funding and moved to disband NCAR. Bennet's Aug 20 demand for a Senate investigation into "Trump's weaponization of the federal government against Colorado" and the Aug 24 disaster letter are two halves of one fight, not separate items.
  
• Still no White House decision on the Aspen Acres / Gold Mountain request. Given the record above, a denial is a live possibility and the bipartisan ten-signature letter reads as an attempt to make one harder.
  
• GEO / Aurora — GEO moved the case to federal court (Aug 21). GEO Group filed to remove Colorado's TB lawsuit from Adams County District Court to federal court. Weiser filed Aug 19 after GEO missed CDPHE's Aug 17 deadline to produce medical information, potential contacts, and detainee discharge and transfer records; CDPHE's Aug 20 motion to compel the investigation was pending when the removal was filed. GEO maintains the June case is the only TB case identified at the 1,500-person facility and that the infected person has since been removed from the country. Judge Domenico's Aug 20 partial injunction on unannounced state inspections runs to Oct 15, when GEO's federal contract expires.
  
• No new Bennet press releases dated Aug 25 or Aug 26; the Aug 24 disaster letter remains the most recent item.
  

Sources:
- Colorado will not receive FEMA aid for last year's fires and flooding — CPR (Apr 14, 2026)
- Governor Polis Calls Out Trump Administration for Denying Colorado's Disaster Appeals for Elk and Lee Fires, Western Colorado Floods
- Governor Polis Submits Appeal on Major Disaster Declaration for Elk and Lee Fires, and Western Flooding — CO DHSEM
- Disaster Declaration Appeal Letter (PDF, Jan 2026) — bennet.senate.gov
- Trump push to retaliate against Colorado described as 'weaponization' — CPR (Aug 14)
- GEO Group files request to move Colorado's lawsuit to federal court — CPR (Aug 21)
- Weiser sues GEO Group to cooperate with state TB investigation — Colorado AG (Aug 19)
- News — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet

2026-08-27

ICE at DIA — Bennet demands answers on TSA data sharing (Aug 26)

Bennet and US Senator - John Hickenlooper joined Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and six other senators in a letter to DHS Secretary Mullin, TSA Administrator Cummins, and ICE Acting Director Venturella about ICE enforcement operations at Denver International Airport and other airports nationwide.

What they allege:
- Masked, plainclothes officers making arrests without identifying themselves.
- Detention of people carrying lawful documentation and with pending visa applications.
- People targeted over expired visas despite legitimate USCIS applications still pending.
- A formal ICE–TSA information-sharing agreement under which TSA passed data on more than 31,000 travelers, leading to more than 800 immigration-related arrests.

The letter poses seven questions and asks for a "prompt response" — no response deadline is specified, so there is no date to watch for a missed deadline the way there was with the Aug 14 Aurora letter.

"Such actions create fear in our communities and cause disruption and distress to the traveling public."

Nevada's Las Vegas and Reno airports are the incident-specific examples in the letter; DIA is named as part of the pattern rather than with its own documented incident.

Still open: the Aspen Acres / Gold Mountain disaster declaration (no White House decision), the Aug 20 Senate investigation request, and the GEO removal to federal court.

Sources:
- Bennet, Hickenlooper Colleagues Demand Answers from Trump Administration About ICE Conduct, TSA Cooperation at DIA & Other Airports (Aug 26)
- News — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet

2026-08-28

Wind and solar permitting — Bennet leads a demand that Interior obey a court injunction (Aug 27)

Bennet led US Senator - John Hickenlooper and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum alleging the department is still slow-walking wind and solar permits in violation of a standing federal court order.

The injunction. In April 2026, a U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction in Renew Northeast v. U.S. Department of the Interior barring Interior from applying policies that delay wind and solar permitting — including the July 2025 order requiring Burgum's personal sign-off on routine project decisions.

The senators pose four questions: what internal compliance guidance Interior issued after the injunction, how it identifies affected applicants, what permitting has actually progressed since April, and which reviews remain stalled.

"Dragging out permitting timelines in direct violation of a federal court order is not only illegal, but it also needlessly stalls private investment and drives up household energy costs."

This one has a date to score. Response requested by September 1, 2026 — unlike the Aug 26 ICE/TSA letter, which carried no deadline. Worth checking after Sept 1 whether Interior answered.

The Colorado thread. The letter is a continuation of Bennet's opposition to the cancellation of $7.56 billion in energy project funding, which included over $600 million for 38 Colorado-affiliated projects. It also slots into the broader retaliation storyline — the op-ed, the disaster-declaration denials, the Aug 20 investigation request — where the pattern is federal action landing disproportionately on Colorado.

Open items, no movement

• Aspen Acres / Gold Mountain disaster declaration — still no White House decision.
  
• Aug 20 Senate investigation request on the Colorado retaliation email — pending.
  
• GEO / Aurora — the Aug 21 removal to federal court is still pending. Judge Domenico's partial injunction runs to Oct 15, when GEO's federal contract expires.
  
• Aurora shooting letter (Aug 8) — twenty days out, fourteen past the Aug 14 deadline, no DHS response.
  

Sources:
- Bennet, Hickenlooper, Luján Demand Trump Administration Comply with Injunction to Ensure Prompt Approvals of Wind and Solar Energy Projects (Aug 27)
- News — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet