Michael Bennet

The restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starlink for its air defenses are unacceptable and contrary to U.S. national security, as is the Trump admin’s alleged threat to suspend other U.S. support to Ukraine. The Department of Defense must restore full Starlink access immediately. https://t.co/0PwxfOIPD4

Vaccines are safe, effective, and remain one of the strongest defenses we have against preventable disease. We cannot allow President Trump's misinformation campaign to undermine public trust in settled science. https://t.co/ct83xrQIuv

This Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor the Tribal nations who are the first stewards of Colorado's lands and waters and who have faced violence and broken promises throughout our nation's history. Today, it is more important than ever that we honor the history, culture, and enduring resilience of Tribal communities across Colorado.

President Trump’s war of choice is driving costs up for Americans. https://t.co/v0RUM8D9qd

Every American should be able to visit their place of worship, school, or community center without fear. This week, I introduced the Safer Spaces for All Act to strengthen security for at-risk communities and confront hate wherever it appears. https://t.co/6Lye3YhcdI

Trump’s war of choice in Iran is driving up costs for Colorado families. Instead of ending it, he’s turning to Putin for diesel and easing sanctions that were designed to cut off funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Coloradans pay the price. Putin gets the payday.

Public executions are barbaric and fundamentally un-American. Stooping to this level gives our terrorist adversaries exactly what they want: ready-made propaganda that they will use to further endanger U.S. troops. The Defense Department must reverse course immediately.

Thank you @ChingteLai for the warm and productive meeting ahead of Taiwan’s Double Ten day. Bipartisan Congressional support for Taiwan and longstanding U.S. policy remains rock solid. As you invest more in your defense, the United States will continue to stand with Taiwan.

The Trump administration has proven, once again, that they are willing to risk the health and safety of Americans for political games. Colorado is a proud leader in state methane pollution limits, and I will continue to defend these protections nationwide. https://t.co/9kf9quLZCs

Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper introduced the Safer Spaces for All Act, legislation to better equip at-risk nonprofit institutions to protect their visitors and help ensure that all Americans can visit their places of worship, schools, and community centers freely and without fear. Congressmen Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) led companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. “In light of the recent surge in anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, and other violent hate-based incidents in the United States, the importance of programs that provide religious communities with increased security cannot be overstated,” said Bennet. “We have a responsibility to confront prejudice everywhere, and the Safer Spaces for All Act is an essential step forward for Colorado.” “Antisemitism, Islamaphobia, and other forms of hate have no place in our country,” said Hickenlooper. “Unfortunately, we see hate rear its ugly head all too often. This bill will ensure that Americans feel secure when they enter their places of worship.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides at-risk nonprofit organizations – like synagogues, mosques, schools, community centers and other places of gathering – with critical resources to bolster their security amid heightened risk of attack. The program is particularly important to faith-based organizations that are encountering a troubling rise in prejudice and animosity. The NSGP Improvement Act of 2022 expanded the eligible uses of NSGP funds to include payments to contracted security personnel and administrative expenses. However, grantees currently cannot use NSGP funds to pay permanent salaried security employees, or hire personnel to apply for NSGP funds. For organizations in remote areas particularly, it can be logistically difficult to reliably find private security vendors or off-duty law enforcement to hire for their level of security needed. This bill would help the NSGP accomplish its intended goal to keep at-risk organizations safe by further expanding eligible uses of NSGP funds. Specifically, the Safer Spaces for All Act would allow NSGP funds to be used to: Hire permanent onsite security personnel; Hire off-duty police officers; and Hire personnel to apply for NSGP funding (capped at 5% of total grant) so that applying organizations do not have to rely solely on volunteers. “Security is not one-size-fits-all. For many houses of worship, community centers, and other nonprofits – trained personnel and the capacity to manage security funding are just as critical as the cameras, barriers, and other physical improvements. The Safe Space for All Act would provide institutions the flexibility to use NSGP funding where it can have the greatest impact – making the program more accessible, responsive, and effective. JEWISHcolorado and the Jewish Community Relations Council thank Senator Bennet for his continued leadership in strengthening this vital program and helping communities gather, worship, learn, and serve safely,” said the Jewish Community Relations Council. “Having an off-duty Denver Police Officer present during our daily and Friday prayers transformed our security landscape. While physical fortifications are essential, they cannot replace the immediate deterrence and peace of mind that a trained officer provides. For our community to truly feel secure while fulfilling our daily worship, grant programs like the NSGP must allow funding for active security personnel,” said Rafaat Ludin, Executive Director of the Downtown Denver Islamic Center. Bennet has a strong record of working to protect religious communities from targeted violence. In December 2025, Bennet led his Colorado Democratic colleagues – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper and U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse, Diana DeGette, Brittany Pettersen, and Jason Crow – on a letter to former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urging the DHS to protect religious communities in Colorado and across the country by implementing the Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement Act, legislation passed through the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. In June 2025, Bennet and Hickenlooper wrote to Senate leadership advocating for $500 million for the NGSP program in Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills. In April 2024, Bennet led the effort to pass the April 2024 national security supplemental, which included $400 million for the NGSP. The text of the bill is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE. ###

I am outraged by yet another act of violence at the hands of President Trump’s lawless federal agents. ICE agents cannot be allowed to operate without meaningful oversight, clear limits on the use of force, or consequences for putting innocent lives at risk. I will continue to demand accountability and a complete overhaul of ICE, from the top down. My thoughts are with the victim, who was shot with his child in the car. No family should have to experience this kind of violence. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery. https://t.co/KQZsl5FI6s

We are facing the worst measles outbreak in decades, yet the Trump administration has actively undermined childhood vaccines, delayed routine shots, and underreported measles deaths. That’s why I’m demanding immediate answers from the CDC Director to defend settled science. https://t.co/MCI8e1Zamr

Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, issued the following statement regarding the announcement of a proposal to weaken Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency methane rules for oil and gas that currently protect public health and reduce climate emissions: “The Trump administration has proven, once again, that they are willing to risk the health and safety of Americans for political games. This action is not only an assault on Coloradans’ health, but will also cut methane-reduction industry jobs and limit natural gas supply at a time when energy prices are already soaring. Colorado is a proud leader in state methane pollution limits, and I will continue working to defend these valuable protections nationwide.” ###

Thank you @USAmbJapan for hosting a productive visit with our Japanese allies. I appreciated their insights on the shared challenges we face and reaffirmed the U.S. desire to strengthen our cooperation in all dimensions. I also emphasized support for Japan’s ongoing intelligence reforms, which will help strengthen our collaboration on shared regional challenges and enhance deterrence across the Indo-Pacific.

Today, we remember those murdered on October 7 and stand with their families, the hostages, and all those still suffering. https://t.co/ix9kZrM8ac

Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and U.S. Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-Wash.) led 29 colleagues in a letter to Dr. Erica Schwartz, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to call out efforts to reject settled vaccine science and demand answers about the CDC’s efforts to implement President Trump’s childhood vaccine Executive Order (EO), underreport measles-associated deaths, and delay access to childhood immunizations. “[…] As the United States is experiencing the largest measles outbreak in 35 years, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) aimed at dismantling core immunization guidelines, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to lay the groundwork for fundamentally restructuring the routine childhood immunization schedule. At the same time, reports indicate the CDC, under your leadership, excluded verified state-reported measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania from the public mortality count. All of this is happening while the CDC delayed access to fall respiratory virus vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. We are deeply concerned by this administration’s persistent efforts to reject settled science. As CDC Director, you bear a responsibility to uphold scientific integrity, and we write seeking answers on how the CDC will respond to the EO and the RFI, and how you will honor the pledge you made to ensure that the CDC leads with evidence-based public health,” began the lawmakers. The United States is facing a decline in childhood immunization rates. Recently, the CDC reported that 280,000 kindergartners did not complete their measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine series. This comes as the Trump administration has actively worked to lower the number of recommended immunizations, break up safe and effective combination shots, and promote legal action against states unaligned with such efforts. Additionally, the CDC has a long-standing agency precedent and prides itself on “objective data collection and reporting.” At the beginning of September, numerous reports exposed that four measles-associated deaths verified and reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health were excluded from the CDC’s public outbreak tracker for weeks, even as internal CDC systems continued to track these fatalities. This omission breaks with agency standards, and raises serious questions about the CDC’s willingness to resist political pressure over settled science. “The health of American children and families depends on a CDC Director who is willing to follow the science, even when it may be politically inconvenient. We look forward to your response and to seeing whether the CDC under your leadership honors the commitments you made at your confirmation hearing,” concluded the lawmakers. Bennet has consistently fought against the Trump administration’s anti-science agenda. In September 2026, Bennet reiterated his call on the Senate floor for Trump to rescind the unscientific childhood vaccine executive order and fire the HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr. Bennet also questioned HHS Deputy Secretary Nominee Chris Klomp during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee about Trump and Kennedy’s reckless anti-vaccine efforts resulting in chaos and confusion for children and families. In August 2026, Bennet led 90 of his Congressional colleagues to demand Trump rescind his executive order that directs federal health agencies to overhaul longstanding childhood vaccine recommendations and encourages states to reconsider school immunization requirements. Bennet also issued a statement immediately following the announcement of that executive order. In April 2026, Bennet questioned Kennedy during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on his skepticism of childhood vaccines amidst the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. in over thirty years. Additionally, in March2025 and 2026, Bennet joined his colleagues in sending a letter to Kennedy to demand the department reverse changes to the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration websites that promote false and dangerous information about autism. In September 2025, he questioned Kennedy during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on his actions undermining vaccine safety and access for American families. Bennet also joined members of the Senate Finance Committee in issuing a statement calling on Kennedy to resign due to the danger he poses to America’s health, his lies to Congress, and his spread of disinformation. In addition to Bennet and Schrier, U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) as well as U.S. Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Jonathan Jackson (D-IlI.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IlI.), Mike Levin (D-Calif.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), and Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) signed the letter. The text of the letter is available HERE and below. Dr. Schwartz: At your confirmation hearing, you said that your “sacred responsibility” as Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be to provide “clear, honest, and evidence-based” public health guidance and to “never betray the science.” In the short time since your confirmation as CDC Director, the health and safety of our children have been subjected to further chaos and confusion. As the United States is experiencing the largest measles outbreak in 35 years, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) aimed at dismantling core immunization guidelines, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to lay the groundwork for fundamentally restructuring the routine childhood immunization schedule. At the same time, reports indicate the CDC, under your leadership, excluded verified state-reported measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania from the public mortality count. All of this is happening while the CDC delayed access to fall respiratory virus vaccines through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. We are deeply concerned by this administration’s persistent efforts to reject settled science. As CDC Director, you bear a responsibility to uphold scientific integrity, and we write seeking answers on how the CDC will respond to the EO and the RFI, and how you will honor the pledge you made to ensure that the CDC leads with evidence-based public health. The CDC recently reported that the number of children up-to-date on their immunizations has continued to decline, including 280,000 kindergartners who did not complete the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) series. Instead of spending time and dedicating resources to promote the need for childhood immunizations, President Trump called for breaking up combination shots like the MMR vaccine into single-disease shots that are not available in the United States, cutting the number of diseases every child is recommended to be protected against from 18 to 11, and directing the Attorney General to advance legal challenges to state laws. Following this EO, HHS issued an RFI on the childhood immunization schedule, aimed at bypassing the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which have developed recommendations for over 60 years. These efforts are only a part of the systematic attacks spearheaded by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. CDC’s scientists, not political appointees, should be at the center of any decision about the childhood immunization schedule. During this same timeframe, CDC’s public actions under your leadership raise serious concerns regarding your willingness to counter these unscientific measures – including reports that four measles-associated deaths verified and reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health were excluded from the CDC’s public national mortality count for weeks, even as internal CDC systems continue to track these fatalities. This is a clear break from long-standing agency precedent, including last year’s standard reporting of measles deaths in Texas and directly contradicts the commitment to “objective data collection and reporting” that has been CDC’s foundation. If the agency under your leadership is altering verified state data to fit political preferences, the pledge you made at your confirmation hearing has already been broken. We request responses to the following questions in writing by October 16, 2026. CDC Role on the Executive Order on Childhood Vaccines Did anyone from the White House or HHS consult you about the Executive Order either before or after it was issued? a. If so, who reached out, what was discussed, and when did these communication(s) occur? b. If not, have you raised, or do you plan to raise, any concerns with President Trump, Secretary Kennedy, or any other administration official(s)? How is the CDC planning to implement the provisions outlined in the EO? What steps have been taken already and what are planned? Please provide a detailed summary of these plans. What role, if any, did CDC career scientists have in developing the EO’s recommendations? The EO directs the Secretary, acting through the HHS Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines, to present plans to the President within 90 days on single-disease vaccine options, the timing and sequencing of childhood vaccines, and safety monitoring. What role does the CDC have in developing those plans, and which CDC officials are participating? The EO recommends reducing the number of routine immunizations from 18 to 11. Do you support that specific recommendation? What scientific evidence supports removing the other diseases from the immunizations recommended for all children, and has the CDC estimated the additional illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths that could result? Do you agree that spacing out immunizations across additional visits lengthens the window of vulnerability for infants and young children? If not, please provide the evidence on which CDC relies. The EO recommends separating combination shots like MMR into single-disease shots. No single-disease MMR vaccine is currently available in the United States. Other countries that have tried this – like Japan in the 1990s – saw increased outbreaks, ultimately resulting in them reverting to a combination shot. Do you support this specific provision even though it is not currently available in the U.S., would require more shots and doctor visits, and lacks scientific backing? Why is the federal government recommending an option to families that does not exist, causing additional confusion? What scientific evidence supports separating combination vaccines like MMR into single-disease doses? Please provide CDC analyses of peer-reviewed studies, epidemiological analyses, or international precedent that demonstrates this change would actually improve health outcomes. If no such evidence exists, will you decline to implement this provision? The public comment period for the HHS RFI closed on September 20, 2026. Did CDC scientists review or contribute to the RFI before it was published? What role will CDC scientists have in reviewing the comments and in any resulting changes to the categories of federal vaccine recommendations? Data Collection and Reporting Has the CDC instituted a new policy for reviewing, altering, or withholding state-reported health data before public posting? a. If so, what scientific evidence supports this change and what deliberations occurred? b. If there is no such policy, on what basis were Pennsylvania’s measles deaths excluded from the public tracker, and who at CDC authorized that exclusion? As of today, the CDC has only included two of the measles-associated deaths reported by the State of Pennsylvania. What specific technical, scientific, or epidemiological basis justified excluding Pennsylvania’s state-reported measles deaths from the CDC’s public tracker while still including them on internal trackers? Did any White House or HHS officials contact you or your staff regarding the public reporting of Pennsylvania’s measles deaths? Please provide all communication between CDC leadership and any White House or HHS official regarding the reporting of state-verified measles deaths since your confirmation. Vaccines for Children Program Why did the CDC delay opening orders for COVID vaccines through the Vaccines for Children Program (VFC)? Please provide the timeline of when decisions were made concerning the VFC program. What made the CDC decide to open ordering for COVID vaccines through the VFC program on September 24, 2026 and not earlier? Have you personally been asked by Secretary Kennedy, the White House, or any other HHS or Trump administration official to delay or condition VFC activation for the COVID vaccine? If so, please describe the request and identify who made it. If such a request was made in writing, please provide it. Who at CDC, HHS, or the White House made the decision to delay VFC activation for the COVID vaccine, and on what basis? Please produce all internal communications, memoranda, and legal or scientific analyses supporting that decision. What guidance has CDC provided to state health departments, pediatricians, and VFC providers about the status of COVID vaccines under VFC? How soon can VFC vaccines be expected to be in the possession of clinicians and accessible for children? The health of American children and families depends on a CDC Director who is willing to follow the science, even when it may be politically inconvenient. We look forward to your response and to seeing whether the CDC under your leadership honors the commitments you made at your confirmation hearing. ###

President Trump's Iran war is raising costs for Coloradans, and there’s no end in sight. Americans shouldn't have to foot the bill for his reckless war of choice. https://t.co/0g5kevi2gh

Congratulations to Bye Aerospace on the first flight of its all-electric eFlyer 2, a major milestone for the future of aviation. Colorado continues to lead the way in aerospace innovation. https://t.co/VsIdC1ZCss https://t.co/diHvSGA1Ew

This week, I introduced legislation to ensure oil and gas companies can’t abandon wells and leave Colorado taxpayers footing the cleanup bill. https://t.co/kx4xGuTIlN

President Trump has weaponized the federal government against Colorado. No American should have to fear political retaliation from their own President. https://t.co/aYIKbrwnWk

Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and U.S. Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.) led U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) to introduce the Stop Orphaned Wells Act, legislation that would prevent oil and gas companies from abandoning oil wells on public lands, a practice that shifts well cleanup costs from oil and gas companies to the American taxpayer. “For too long, taxpayers have footed the bill to clean up abandoned wells after companies walk away from their responsibilities,” said Bennet. “As the Trump administration moves to weaken the safeguards that hold companies accountable, Congress must protect taxpayers and the public lands that power Colorado’s outdoor economy, while making sure oil and gas companies pay the cost of cleanup, rather than Colorado’s future generations.” “Trump asked oil and gas executives to bankroll his campaign with a $1 billion contribution in exchange for a big payback. Meanwhile, Americans are left footing the bill for the damage they leave behind,” said Ansari. “Orphaned wells threaten our water, wildlife, and air. I’m proud to lead the effort alongside Senator Bennet to make the oil and gas industry clean up its own mess. Our bill would ensure oil and gas companies pay to clean up the wells they abandon.” “Across California, there are over 5,000 orphaned oil wells that pose a threat to the health and safety of our communities and the environment,” said Padilla. “When wells are left abandoned, drinking water is polluted, greenhouse gases are emitted, and the climate crisis is accelerated. This bill will help ensure orphaned oil and gas wells are plugged so Californians and communities across the country are protected from toxic emissions and contaminated air and water.” “Abandoned wells put Colorado communities in danger,” said Hickenlooper. “As Governor, we capped as many of these wells as we could, and that work continues here in the Senate, where we’re protecting taxpayers from getting stuck with the bill. Capping wells creates jobs and lowers pollution. It’s a win-win.” “Oil companies can’t just walk away from abandoned oil and gas wells and leave taxpayers to bear the cleanup costs,” said Schiff. “I’m joining Senator Bennet and other colleagues to make sure that Big Oil is responsible for cleaning up their messes. Americans should not have to deal with the consequences of an oil company’s negligence.” “In New Mexico and across the country, abandoned wells pose serious environmental harm and threaten the health of our communities,” said Luján. “We must ensure that oil and gas companies are held accountable and that taxpayers are not on the hook for the cost of cleanup. I’ve long fought to address abandoned wells, including championing the REGROW Act that was passed into law, and continue to work to ensure we identify and plug the thousands of abandoned wells nationwide. That’s why I’m cosponsoring this legislation to prevent companies from abandoning their wells and help reduce the number of abandoned wells in New Mexico and across the country.” “When an oil and gas company goes bankrupt, New Mexicans shouldn’t be the ones left to pick up the tab for cleanup costs,” said Heinrich. “Right now, the Trump administration is making it easier for these companies to walk away without enough money set aside to clean up their wells. The Stop Orphaned Wells Act ensures that companies set aside money to meet their cleanup responsibilities, so taxpayers aren’t left paying the bill.” Until 2024 when the Biden administration added agency rules, oil and gas fiscal assurance requirements were minimal, leading companies to abandon wells instead of remediating the land after drilling. The Trump administration is now rolling back these essential protections for public lands and American taxpayers. Nationwide, there are currently over 140,000 documented orphaned wells, including more than 15,000 on federal lands, and hundreds of thousands more that may be orphaned. Additionally, the number of documented orphaned wells in the United States has more than doubled since 2020. These sites are not only a significant liability for taxpayers and a growing threat to water resources, air quality, wildlife habitat, and private lands, but also jeopardize public health, ecosystems, grazing lands, outdoor recreation sites, and cultural resources that are at high risk from contamination. In Colorado alone, there are nearly 1,400 orphaned wells, with almost a third of these wells on federal or Tribal lands. Estimates from Colorado’s Energy & Carbon Management Commission predict that it could cost over $36 million to clean up all of the existing orphaned wells on federal and Tribal lands in Colorado. Moreover, there are currently 245 idled federal wells in Colorado that have the potential to eventually become orphaned, which could cost taxpayers approximately $23 million to remediate. Due to new leasing policies enacted by Congress in 2025, executive orders to increase federal oil and gas drilling, and the financial assurance rollback, industry is likely to drill as many as 3.8 million wells on national public lands in the coming years, and to then pass as much as $753 billion in potential financial liabilities back onto local communities and taxpayers. The Stop Orphaned Wells Act builds on Bennet’s Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act and recent state-level reforms in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah to fix this broken system and close long-standing industry loopholes around orphaned wells. This legislation would ensure operators, not taxpayers, pay for cleanups and aligns directly with the interests of Western voters, nearly 9 in 10 of whom believe oil and gas companies should cover reclamation costs once drilling ends. “In La Plata County, orphaned wells are a nuisance for property owners and a danger for people and animals alike. This bill builds on Colorado’s innovative work to ensure that federal regulation protects our communities, livestock, and wildlife – and prevents this public health issue from happening in the first place,” said Marsha Porter-Norton, La Plata County Commissioner. “The Board of County Commissioners strongly supports Senator Bennet’s Stop Orphaned Wells Act. When a well is abandoned, local communities must shoulder the risks to their health, environment, and taxpayer dollars. This legislation provides the accountability needed to ensure oil and gas companies, not our community, pay to restore the lands they use,” said Jody Shadduck-McNally, Larimer County Commissioner and Chair of the Board of County Commissioners. “Adams County is glad to see Senator Bennet leading the charge on this significant bipartisan issue, as it is of critical importance to our communities. Our county has the second highest number of orphaned wells in the state; taking action to preserve the health and safety of both our residents and our environment is a top priority for our Board. We look forward to working with the Senator in honing this legislation to be as helpful and effective as possible,” said Commissioner Julie Duran Mullica, Chair of the Adams County Board of Commissioners. “Like countless places across the country, San Miguel County has been forced to clean up after reckless operators. Orphaned wells are not only an unfair burden on our taxpayers but also a dangerous polluter of our beloved natural resources and public lands. Senator Bennet’s bill takes long-overdue actions to strengthen regulations and hold irresponsible companies accountable,” said Galena Gleason, San Miguel County Commissioner. “The Stop Orphaned Wells Act is urgently needed in Western Colorado, where orphaned, non-producing wells irresponsibly emit harmful methane gas and harm our health, air and water quality, and critical wildlife habitat. This Act will finally make producers responsible for properly closing, remediating, and reclaiming lands after they stop producing oil and gas,” said Lynn Padgett, Ouray County Commissioner. “The practice of stripping the land of its resources and allowing bad actors to walk away from drill sites must stop. Our hardworking families should not pay for one dollar to restore the land due to irresponsible bad actors in the industry,” said Lynn Baca, Commissioner of Adams County. “As a grass roots organization that has been working on improving Oil and Gas regulations for 40 years, we support the proposed legislation that will hold the extraction industry to the same standards as other businesses – clean up your own mess. Our community has been on the front line of oil and gas extraction for decades, many of us with wells in our backyards and ranches. We have experienced first-hand the impacts to our health and water sources when the industry is not held to reasonable bonding or basic plugging and remediation standards. Senator Bennet’s proposed legislation will help protect communities and make long-overdue reforms to stop the orphan well crisis from growing,” said Ryan Huggins, Executive Director, San Juan Citizens Alliance. “Communities shouldn’t have to clean up a mess left by oil and gas companies on public lands. Senator Bennet’s bill would not only work to clean up the nation’s toxic orphan well crisis but also ensure that oil and gas companies, not taxpayers, are responsible for future clean-ups. Thank you, Senator Bennet, for prioritizing cleaner, safer public lands that communities across the nation, as well as future generations, will enjoy and inherit,” said Jim Ramey, Colorado State Director at The Wilderness Society. “There are hundreds of orphaned wells across western Colorado, left by a legacy of oil and gas extraction and boom and bust economic cycles. The taxpayers of Colorado should not be left with the clean up costs for industry that made a quick profit off of public resources. Like any responsible business, the oil and gas industry should be held responsible for the cost of doing business on our public lands. We thank Sen. Bennet for his continued leadership on this issue and ensuring the responsible management of public lands and taxpayer dollars,” said Barbara Vasques, Board member of Western Colorado Alliance “Wilderness Workshop commends Senator Bennet for introducing legislation that targets the staggering number of abandoned wells impacting Colorado’s public lands and communities. These common-sense measures will make sure that those who profit from oil and gas extraction can no longer walk away from the responsibility to clean up and reclaim their production sites. By shutting down inactive wells, blocking non-compliant lease transfers, and forcing operators to provide honest financial assurances upfront, this bill finally closes loopholes that have been abused for decades. These measures will protect Colorado’s public lands, secure vital funding, and safeguard our water and wildlife,” said Will Roush, Executive Director, Wilderness Workshop. “Taxpayers should not be forced to pick up the tab when oil and gas companies walk away from their cleanup responsibilities. We appreciate Senator Bennet’s leadership on legislation to hold operators financially accountable for cleaning up the wells they leave behind. By closing loopholes and updating bonding requirements, the Stop Orphaned Wells Act would take commonsense steps to protect American taxpayers,” said Autumn Hanna, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense. “With more than 20 documented orphaned wells in Routt and Moffat Counties and nearly 1,000 across Colorado, these wells pose clear threats to public safety, wildlife, livestock, groundwater, and air quality. Restoring orphaned wells and modernizing federal oil and gas leasing requirements are critical to protecting our communities. The persistent lack of funding to properly plug and reclaim these wells has created unacceptable risks to public health, the environment, and local economies. Senator Bennet’s legislation would bring much-needed accountability and transparency to federal oil and gas development on public lands. Taxpayers should not be left to clean up an operator’s mess, nor should local governments be excluded from decisions affecting the public lands their communities rely on for economic opportunity and recreation,” said Michelle Stewart, Western Resilience Center’s Executive Director. “All public lands users have a responsibility to leave the land better than they found it, including oil and gas developers. Sufficient bonding is an insurance policy for the public to know that regardless of the financial status of an operator, our public lands and resources will be reclaimed after oil and gas procurement, even if the well is orphaned. We thank Senator Bennet for his leadership introducing the Stop Orphan Wells Act and working to help modernize the financial assurance system for oil and gas development on public lands,” said Kaden McArthur, Trout Unlimited’s Congressional Affairs Director. “For too long the oil and gas industry has abandoned low-producing or inactive wells to leak methane and health-harming chemicals into our air and water. As these companies leave the wells orphaned, they also shirk their responsibilities, leaving the cost and consequences of dealing with the leaking wells to the taxpayers. We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Bennet to ensure that the polluters profiting on fossil fuel extraction are cleaning up their mess,” said Mahyar Sorour, Sierra Club Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy Director. “Coloradans deserve economic policies that serve the public. Yet for too long, the federal oil and gas leasing program has prioritized industry interests, allowing a trillion-dollar industry to profit from publicly owned resources while passing cleanup costs on to taxpayers. Senator Bennet’s bill addresses this growing problem by updating bonding requirements to reflect the full cost of reclaiming wells and protecting Coloradans from having to pay to clean up after oil and gas companies. It’s a common-sense step toward managing our public lands in a fiscally responsible way,” said Chris Stiffler, Senior Economist of Colorado Fiscal Institute. “Oil and gas operators – not taxpayers – should pay to clean up the messes they leave behind after maximizing profits. This legislation would help end the practice of forcing Americans to foot the bill for abandoned wells that threaten public health and safety. We will continue to work with Sen. Bennet to raise the bar for corporate accountability,” said Laura Esquivel, Senior Legislative Representative, Earthjustice Action. “Companies that drill on public lands have a legal duty to clean up after themselves when they’re done. The Stop Orphaned Wells Act would strengthen bonding and cleanup requirements and prevent companies from using the sale of aging wells to avoid their cleanup obligations. Taxpayers shouldn’t be left paying for someone else’s mess, and our public lands and waters shouldn’t be left bearing the damage,” said Josh Axelrod, Senior Program Advocate at NRDC. Healthy public lands support thriving populations of wildlife, clean water, and clean air. These lands are the inheritance of all Americans. Irresponsible developers leave behind equipment that pollutes the air and water. Delayed cleanup impacts the health of animals, humans, and the land. Senator Bennet’s bill is an important step to restore our lands and ensure their benefits for future generations,” said Alison Gallensky, Conservation Geographer, Rocky Mountain Wild. “Our public lands are an irreplaceable asset; a resource that demands careful, responsible management. Yet for too long, we’ve allowed bad actors in the oil and gas industry to drill on these lands and walk away, leaving behind thousands of orphaned wells that threaten our air and water. This outdated system lets companies off the hook for their pollution and cleanup costs while the public bears the risk. Senator Bennet is working to fix this crisis by making common-sense updates to the requirements for operating on our public lands, ensuring these places stay safe for people and wildlife. It’s time we finally bring this system into the 21st century by passing Senator Bennet’s bills,” said Russell Kuhlman, Executive Director of Nevada Wildlife Federation. “Across the West, public lands are central to our way of life. They provide vital wildlife habitat and the places where we hunt, fish, and spend time outdoors. But these treasured landscapes are being put at risk by policies riddled with loopholes and handouts that allow irresponsible oil and gas companies to abandon their wells and offload cleanup costs onto taxpayers. Oil and gas production has its place — but we have a responsibility to do it right. Senator Bennet’s bill will begin to fix this broken system by holding companies accountable and ensuring our public lands can serve multiple uses for generations to come,” said Jesse Deubel, Executive Director, New Mexico Wildlife Federation. “Communities across the West are utilizing access to healthy public lands to attract both visitors and business investment. Yet sadly abandoned oil and gas wells that have not been properly plugged or remediated are a growing threat to other public land uses. Senator Bennet’s bill will update regulations to update bonding rates— ensuring that funds are in place to properly clean up wells at the end of their productive lives. Without Senator Bennet’s bill the cost of clean up is passed on to taxpayers. This bill will help regions who depend on oil and gas get the most from their public lands and help create resilient economies for future generations,” said Ashley Korenblat, Managing Director, Public Land Solutions. “Montana has a deep and complex history of extractive industries privatizing profits and sociahe losses. They get rich while Montanans are stuck to clean up and pay for the messes. Enough is enough. If oil and gas developers are going to benefit from our shared, public resources – especially the public lands that hunters and anglers rely on – then they need to cover the full costs of doing business here. It’s as simple as that, and we thank Senator Bennet for bringing forward a common-sense and fair solution,” said Frank Szollosi, Executive Director of Montana Wildlife Federation. Bennet has consistently worked to deliver funding to clean up abandoned orphaned wells to keep communities safe and to strengthen bonding requirements to hold companies accountable for future cleanup. The Stop Orphaned Wells Act builds on Bennet’s previous legislation introduced in July, 2021, the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act, which would restore the public’s vital role in shaping oil and gas leasing decisions on public lands. In August 2026, Bennet and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) led their Democratic colleagues to oppose the recent rescission of two key Bureau of Land Management oil and gas rules on leasing and waste prevention. In November 2025, Bennet joined Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Hickenlooper, and Luján to urge U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Bureau of Land Management Acting Director Bill Groffy to maintain the federal oil and gas bonding requirements in the 2024 Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule to hold developers accountable for the costs of site cleanup on federal lands. In July 2023, Bennet issued a statement after the U.S. Department of Interior released a proposed rule that includes oil and gas bonding reform for wells drilled on public lands. In July 2023 and December 2022, Bennet sent letters to the Biden administration urging them to finish the work envisioned in his bill by reforming our antiquated oil and gas bonding system. In August 2022, Bennet and Hickenlooper welcomed $25 million in grant funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to create jobs cleaning up orphaned oil and gas wells across Colorado. This legislation is supported by 20 organizations, including Earthjustice Action, Colorado Fiscal Institute, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, Conservation Colorado, Montana Wildlife Federation, National Parks Conservation Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nevada Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Public Land Solutions, Rocky Mountain Wild, San Juan Citizen’s Alliance, Sierra Club, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Trout Unlimited, Western Colorado Alliance, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Western Resilience Center, Wild Montana, Wilderness Workshop, and The Wilderness Society. In addition, this legislation was endorsed by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The text of the bill is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE. ###

From working families struggling to put food on the table to farmers and ranchers facing historic diesel and fertilizer costs, Coloradans are paying the price for President Trump’s Iran war and reckless global tariffs. https://t.co/TAG8paNalI

Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, and John Hickenlooper, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, celebrated the Senate passage of their Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act. This legislation transfers ownership of the Crystal Reservoir and the associated dam and water infrastructure from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to the City of Ouray (the City). “The Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act is a common-sense piece of legislation that will protect Ouray’s water supply and a beloved recreation asset for future generations,” said Bennet. “Senate passage is a critical step forward, and I urge the House to pass it upon their return in November. Coloradans should get the water access they deserve.” “This is a big win for Ouray, which deserves control over its own water resources,” said Hickenlooper. “This legislation will unlock Crystal Reservoir’s potential, boosting recreation and strengthening local water supplies.” The bill would convey approximately 45 acres of federal land, including the Crystal Reservoir, Full Moon Dam, and Full Moon Ditch. The conveyance would occur at no cost to the City, in exchange for its assumption of responsibility for the operations, maintenance, and repairs of the Full Moon Dam and Full Moon Ditch. The conveyance prohibits commercial development on the property, requires compliance with Colorado water law, and maintains public access to the reservoir and nearby trails for outdoor recreation and wildland fire response. Bennet visited the Crystal Reservoir in the fall of 2024, where he was joined by leaders from the City of Ouray, Ouray County, and the USFS. The USFS drained the reservoir in January 2024, leaving the City, local hot springs, wildland firefighters, and downstream agricultural producers without a critical water supply. The reservoir is also a well-loved recreation attraction and a needed water source for aerial wildland firefighting. The bill has resounding support from the Ouray area and adjacent communities, including: the City of Ouray; the Towns of Ridgway and Silverton; Ouray and San Juan Counties; Ouray County Sheriff; Ouray County Department of Emergency Management; Colorado River District; Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership; Hydrowest Inc.; the Trust for Land Restoration; Ouray and San County Historical Societies; Red Mountain Project; Ouray Trail Group; Ridgway Ouray Community Council; Ouray and Ridgway Area Chambers of Commerce; Great Old Broads for Wilderness; RIGS Fly Shop Guide Service; and the Six Basins Project. In September 2025, Bennet and Hickenlooper introduced the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act. Representative Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.) introduced a House companion in November 2025. In July 2026, Bennet and Hickenlooper celebrated the bill’s unanimous passage out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The text of the bill is available HERE. The legislative map can be found HERE. Letters of support can be found HERE. ###

AI is too powerful to regulate through a handshake agreement. We need an independent federal agency with the authority to set real safeguards, enforce them, and protect the American people. https://t.co/4LtIHj6WVB

This week, the Senate passed my Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act, bringing the City of Ouray one step closer to restoring this critical water supply and protecting a beloved recreational resource for future generations. I’m urging my colleagues in the House to get this legislation across the finish line. https://t.co/Q3mhZmhT69