John W. Hickenlooper
Senator for Colorado · Democratic · United States
“That is 19 families who have lost someone irreplaceable. In just a few weeks, children are going to trick-or-treat without their parent. A few weeks later, parents and families will gather for Thanksgiving with an empty seat at the table. ``I will never recover from this,'' one widow wrote on social media.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“Many face life-altering injuries. Tens of thousands of their fellow servicemembers are still deployed, fighting a war that this administration still refuses to call a war. Back at home, their loved ones are left worrying and wondering whether their loved ones will get home for the holidays.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“Every dollar we spend on Iran is a dollar we are not spending modernizing our military to protect against the threat of an ascendant China. Every warship that is deployed to the Arabian Sea is one fewer warship that is available to protect the South China Sea. But you are not going to find those costs in the $43 billion pricetag either.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“That is a mortgage that is $280 more every month, almost $4,000 a year, and over $100,000 over the course of a 30- year mortgage. That is real money that could go to childcare, to a child's college savings, or just their lifetime savings.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“Yet, so far, not a single Senator has introduced a legislative measure to formally declare war on Iran. The Presiding Officer may have noticed that up until now, I haven't mentioned President Trump. That is not because the President bears no responsibility for this war. He certainly does.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“bases, along with our relationships with the allies and partners who agreed to host them as a bulwark against the aggressions of Iran. That premise has been turned on its head.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
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“Because whether the President is a Republican or a Democrat, Congress cannot surrender its constitutional power simply because the President belongs to our party. We all, each and every Senator--we all took an oath to defend the Constitution, not a President. We all took an oath to serve the American people, not a party. President Trump made the decision to enter this war, but whether this war continues is now a decision for all of us. What is the true cost of this war and the cost of allowing it to continue? Well, this week, the Senate is going to get another chance to decide. I urge, as I have been--I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to end this war now and for good. I yield the floor.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“Yet, so far, not a single Senator has introduced a legislative measure to formally declare war on Iran. The Presiding Officer may have noticed that up until now, I haven't mentioned President Trump. That is not because the President bears no responsibility for this war. He certainly does. President Trump unilaterally made the decision to enter this costly--for most people, unwarranted--war. But the decision about whether it continues does rest with Congress. To my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, who are wrestling with this issue, just ask yourself, is this war making the lives of your constituents any better? That isn't a partisan question; it is a question every Senator has an obligation to ask and a responsibility to get the response for.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“That is a mortgage that is $280 more every month, almost $4,000 a year, and over $100,000 over the course of a 30- year mortgage. That is real money that could go to childcare, to a child's college savings, or just their lifetime savings. For many, it means buying a home just doesn't make financial sense right now, even if you have been saving up for years. You won't see those tradeoffs reflected in the Pentagon's $43 billion pricetag for this war. Let me ask, finally, what is the cost of this war on our democracy? James Madison once wrote to his friend Thomas Jefferson that ``the Executive is the branch of power most interested in war, and most prone to it.'' That is why the Founders gave Congress the power to declare war--not the President, not the Supreme Court; Congress.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“Every dollar we spend on Iran is a dollar we are not spending modernizing our military to protect against the threat of an ascendant China. Every warship that is deployed to the Arabian Sea is one fewer warship that is available to protect the South China Sea. But you are not going to find those costs in the $43 billion pricetag either. And then there is the cost, well, to you, the American people. You are paying for this war every day when you fill up your tank, when you buy groceries, when you pay your rent. Before the war, the national average for diesel was $3.72 per gallon. This week, it is over $6.50 per gallon for diesel. That is nearly a 75-percent increase. That means that a small farmer using 1,000 gallons of diesel during a harvest is paying roughly $2,800 more just to do the same work as before the war.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“bases, along with our relationships with the allies and partners who agreed to host them as a bulwark against the aggressions of Iran. That premise has been turned on its head. At the same time, we have shown Iran that it can seize control of one of the world's most critical waterways and literally bring global trade to a stop, bring it to its knees. A quarter of the world's oil and a third of the world's fertilizer trade used to flow through the Strait of Hormuz. No longer. We have given our adversaries a roadmap and even a test drive for holding the global economy hostage, which the Houthis have already exploited in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. America's adversaries are celebrating our distraction, this futility, and the mounting costs.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“Many face life-altering injuries. Tens of thousands of their fellow servicemembers are still deployed, fighting a war that this administration still refuses to call a war. Back at home, their loved ones are left worrying and wondering whether their loved ones will get home for the holidays. You are not going to find any of those costs in the $43 billion pricetag. There has also been a staggering cost in America's loss to national security. Since June, the war has consumed between one-half and two- thirds of our key missile defense interceptors. Even with increased production rates, it will take at least 5 years to rebuild those stockpiles. Every interceptor we fire in Iran is one that we don't have protecting this country in the future. Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and structures on U.S.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“That is 19 families who have lost someone irreplaceable. In just a few weeks, children are going to trick-or-treat without their parent. A few weeks later, parents and families will gather for Thanksgiving with an empty seat at the table. ``I will never recover from this,'' one widow wrote on social media. What is even more heartbreaking is that we don't know exactly how many servicemembers have died in the Middle East amid this war. Reports say that the Pentagon is not being transparent with Congress or the American people. What we know is that every one of those lives lost deserves our gratitude, and every one of those families deserves an accurate accounting of this war's human cost. Since February, more than 800 servicemembers have been wounded in the Middle East. Some went days without receiving adequate hospital care.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate23 September 2026Source ↗
“That is how we can move our country back in the right direction, how we can move our country forward. That is how we can begin to make your life better again. I yield the floor.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“If we want to revive the American dream, we need to start by undoing the damage that has been done during this Administration. President Trump has started what could become a forever war with Iran that is already costing American lives, sent prices climbing; it has drained our military stockpiles, and made us less secure. Let's end that war. President Trump has imposed crippling illegal tariffs that are driving up costs for families and small businesses alike. Let's end them. President Trump's immigration agenda has diverted millions in Federal funding from healthcare to lawless immigration enforcement executed by undertrained, ill-prepared officers. Let's end that, all of it. Let's get back to the promise that another President made at Gettysburg: A government of the people and by the people and for the people.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“I think you could argue that this President can't get out of his own way. When we passed the most consequential housing bill in decades, opening the door for home ownership for millions of Americans and stopping Wall Street from buying up homes that belong to working families, the President refused to sign it. He knew it would become law, but he refused to sign it. When we passed a unanimous bill to deliver clean, reliable drinking water to 50,000 Coloradans--many of whom voted for President Trump--he vetoed it. When we made a once-in-a-generation investment to address climate change and try to preserve a better future for our kids, the President and his Administration canceled tens of billions of dollars in grant funding that would have helped our environment while at the same time creating good-paying jobs.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“And what we hear again and again, they want leaders who are going to tackle this cost-of-living emergency, this crisis that affects them at the end of every month as they are trying to figure out how to make rent. They want leaders that are going to help keep their businesses open amid all these headwinds, and they want leaders who will help them keep their farms afloat through a record drought and some of the most rapid inflation in their input--the things they spend to bring their products to market--some of the most rapid inflation in their lifetimes. They don't need leaders who are going to look after themselves or, you know, cut a break for another group of wealthy people. They don't need leaders focused on renaming lakes or mountains, or building monuments to themselves.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“In his first year back in office, President Trump made over $2 billion largely from investments that are closely connected to his being President. What has he learned from his first term? Well, certainly the answer appears clear. It is not how to lead or how to make life more affordable for more Americans; it is how to leverage the Presidency for personal profit. And that is really what it seemed to boil down to: profit over peace; profit over people; profit over principle. And that is the opposite of what government service should be about. Over the last couple months, I have traveled through the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado, through Colorado's mountain communities across the west slope, and everywhere in between, to try and hear what Coloradans believe they need at this moment.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“So, even as your energy bills are spiking, even when you are worried that your job could be the one that gets cut next, even as you worry your farm is already facing a water shortage in many parts of this country, billionaires who have turned AI into a horserace focused pretty much solely on who is winning with too little thought for who gets left behind. But now some of the biggest names in AI are warning that we are moving too fast. I think the question is, Do we listen? Will we listen? Will we act? Housing. Gas. Groceries. When everything costs more, it is hard for Americans to plan for today let alone tomorrow. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are abandoning long-term financial milestones and cutting back just to get by. They are giving up on those planned investments for retirement to just get by.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“The President's son- in-law is using his position as Special Envoy for Peace to cut a $3 billion sweetheart deal to build high-end housing some 6,000 miles away. So while people on the Eastern Plains are unsure whether they will ever afford a home, the Trump family is shoring up housing in the Middle East. Then there is energy. While Americans are shelling out over $100 billion in energy costs since President Trump started his illegal war with Iran, he has raked in millions of dollars off of investments in oil and gas publicly traded stocks. He is not only enriching himself but also his pals as well. The President has spent more than $1 billion of your taxpayer money, our taxpayer money, to cancel clean energy projects, all while his neighbors in Palm Beach stand to cash in on massive payouts.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“It is not a golden age for the farmers on the Western Slope of Colorado or small business owners in Colorado Springs or working families in Denver. What we are living through isn't a golden age of America. It is a golden age of corruption. It is an era of spoils and bribery for the powerful and well connected while all of you are left behind. Americans do what they can; the President and his friends and cronies do what they want. Take housing. Nearly half of all U.S. renters now spend more than a third of their income on housing costs. Nine in 10 young people say it is harder to buy a property now than it was a generation before. Instead of building more affordable housing here, the extended Trump family is building more housing in Saudi Arabia.”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, in 2016, then-Candidate Donald Trump traveled to Gettysburg where he vowed to ``drain the swamp.'' ``The system is designed for one reason, to keep the corrupt establishment and special interests in power,'' he told the crowd. He then declared, ``I have no special interest but to you, the American voter.'' In hindsight, I am not sure that was a promise--maybe more of a projection. Millions of Americans voted for President Trump in that election and again in 2024 because they sincerely believed he would end the corruption in Washington and lower costs. Now nearly 20 months into his second term, President Trump calls this period in American history a ``golden age.'' The question would be, golden for whom? Is it for billionaires or for Mar-a-Lago members, for the President's friends and cronies?”
Senate16 September 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I also would be remiss if I didn't recognize, once again, the incredible partners that have been behind these Down syndrome advocacy, research, and medical care--primarily the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, but also the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Alzheimer's and Cognition Center, and the Sie Center at Children's Hospital Colorado. I yield the floor.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Hickenlooper substitute amendment at the desk be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“This bill has support on both sides of the aisle, including Senators Jerry Moran and Cory Booker and Representatives Diana DeGette and Richard Hudson. We also thank Senators Bennet, Padilla, Capito, Coons, Van Hollen, and Ossoff for their support. We are determined to get this bill across the finish line for DeOndra and for the thousands of Americans who will see their lives improve for the better by this critical research. Mr. President, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged and the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 1838.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“The bill will ensure that Congress and the American people have visibility into the scientific breakthroughs that are so needed for this community. The INCLUDE Project is already yielding significant scientific results, and Colorado is at the core of these scientific advances. Today, Colorado is proudly home to the world's leading Down syndrome advocacy, research, and medical care partners at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Alzheimer's and Cognition Center, and the Sie Center at Children's Hospital Colorado. We need to make sure that improving health outcomes for individuals with Down syndrome remains a priority and do so in honor of DeOndra Dixon, an extraordinary person who was an advocate leaving a legacy that will help improve lives for generations.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for the Senate to pass S. 1838, the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act. Thousands of Americans live with Down syndrome, and yet research has been underfunded for decades. In 2017, Congress encouraged the National Institutes of Health, the NIH, to launch the INCLUDE Project--an effort to make groundbreaking discoveries about conditions that disproportionately affect people with Down syndrome, like Alzheimer's disease. The INCLUDE Project brings together multiple NIH institutes under a coordinated approach that is already delivering significant scientific discoveries as well as new treatments. The bipartisan, bicameral DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act will officially authorize the INCLUDE Project into law.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“We need an Attorney General who is loyal to the Constitution, not to President Trump. Mr. Blanche does not seem to be that person. Mr. Blanche is not that person. I strongly, strongly oppose his confirmation and urge all of my colleagues to do the same. I yield the floor.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“We should not surrender that leverage for promises that can be undone at the President's whim. A DOJ letter promising to end the slush fund isn't law, it isn't binding, and it is certainly not enough. Now, to be clear, we don't believe Mr. Blanche will break all of his promises. When he says behind closed doors that he wants the Dobbs v. Jackson decision to become, in his words, ``permanent in every state,'' we should believe him. When someone reveals themselves to you, it is generally a good idea to believe them. Whether it is abortion access or access to the ballot box, we should have little confidence that this new Attorney General will not target Colorado or other blue States because that is exactly what his boss wants. We cannot allow a fox to guard the henhouse.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“At a time when working families are struggling with rising costs, the last people the Federal Government should seek to reward, to subsidize are those who assault our elections, people like convicted election criminal Tina Peters, who tried to undermine Colorado's free and fair elections; people like the January 6 rioters--my first full day of work in this position--the rioters who stormed this very Chamber in an attempt to tear apart our democracy. The DOJ slush fund isn't dead; it is dormant. Until Congress permanently closes this avenue through legislation, we shouldn't rely on assurances alone. If there is even a chance that this fund could be revived, this confirmation, this moment, is when this Chamber and its Members have the greatest leverage to act.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Now, this wasn't a slip; this was a tell. Mr. Blanche will not be an impartial check on the President. And here is another tell: For months, Mr. Blanche has insisted the Department of Justice slush fund is dead. Yet, as recently as this weekend, President Trump was saying the exact opposite. He defended the fund. So when Mr. Blanche says the slush fund is dead, the slush fund isn't moving forward, don't believe him, not for 1 second. His word is worth about as much as the Trump meme coin. During reconciliation, we introduced an amendment to permanently-- permanently--end the DOJ slush fund. Despite bipartisan support, it ultimately was voted down. That means taxpayers could still be on the hook for paying bounties, rewards to people who attacked our democracy, attacked this Capitol.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, the Senate is currently considering the nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as Attorney General of the United States. The Attorney General is one of the most important positions in the U.S. Government. Not only does the Attorney General serve as a trusted member of the President's Cabinet, but he also leads the Department of Justice, the Agency responsible for enforcing the laws of the land and, hopefully-- traditionally--enforcing them in a nonpartisan way. That is a difficult job in any administration, but under this President, who values personal loyalty above pretty much all else, it may well be impossible. During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Blanche was asked about his relationship with the President. He responded, ``I'm his lawyer,'' before quickly correcting himself to say that he previously ``was'' his lawyer.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, block after block, all that remained was heavy smoke and heartbreak, charred chimneys, and maybe a hearth here and there. Drought and wildfires aren't going away. Unless we act, they will only become more frequent, more destructive, and more expensive. That is why we need to work together on commonsense solutions to make everything we do safer. That is why we are fighting here. That is what we are fighting for here in Washington, and I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort. I yield the floor.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“It gives Congress the power to review disaster relief denials driven--or at least apparently driven--by politics because disaster relief should never be political. In the meantime, it is important that every single Coloradan do their part to help reduce wildfire risks. They have got to follow local restrictions, practice campfire safety, and create defensible space around their property. On a recent trip to Beulah--which was engulfed by the Aspen Acres fire--I saw firsthand the devastation that wildfires leave behind.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“The Aspen Acres fire in south-central Colorado has already destroyed over 300 houses. Colorado is slowly getting that fire under control, thanks to the brave firefighters who are working day and night, addressing it. It is the seventh-largest wildfire in State history, and we are grateful FEMA has authorized fire management assistance grants for that fire, as well as for the Gold Mountain fire and the Willow fire. The Aspen Acres fire will likely require a major disaster declaration. If it does, we will push this administration with everything we have to make sure Colorado gets the resources it needs and deserves. We are also fighting to take politics out of disaster relief. Congress needs to pass our bipartisan Disaster Declaration Transparency Act.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“And if you are a Republican living in a blue State, you had better hope that disaster doesn't strike your community or, if you live in a red State and our next President happens to be a Democrat, you better hope this new Democratic President doesn't stick to these new rules created by President Trump. The President has approved 80 percent of disaster requests from Republican Governors but only about 60 percent from Democratic Governors. That is not normal. To my knowledge, that has never happened before at that scale. Under prior administrations, the approval rate was roughly the same no matter which way a State had voted. And that is the way it should be. That is the way it has to be in a democracy. Politics should never decide whether you can rebuild your house after a fire.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“They voted overwhelmingly to support him in 2024, but there are now a lot less campaign signs there than there were in 2024. When Colorado filed a disaster declaration to help these same people rebuild and prevent future tragedies, the White House denied their request. These are people who did everything right their entire lives, only to lose it all in a natural disaster. They paid their taxes, believing that if the worst ever did happen, their government would be there for them. I think President Trump broke that promise. Disasters should never be political, but this administration has politicized it.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“Our bill has passed through committee, and it is waiting for a full vote on the Senate floor. It shouldn't take another tragedy for the Senate to act. We need to pass Fix Our Forests now. Solving our drought and our wildfire challenges requires cooperation across every level of government, but recently, that cooperation has been strained. Last year, the Trump administration froze over $150 million in already-obligated funding for 17 Colorado water and drought resiliency projects. At a time of unprecedented drought, that is quite simply unconscionable. We refused to accept it, and we pushed the administration to release that money. So far, we have gotten roughly two-thirds of the funds released. We will not stop pushing until Colorado communities get every dollar they are entitled to.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“We won $4 billion for the Colorado River Basin and $8 billion for western water infrastructure. We have brought Senators from seven States together to form the Colorado River Caucus, a bipartisan caucus, to build consensus on how to use our shared resources, and we have introduced legislation that would help manage our forests better as well. Overgrown woodlands are tinderboxes that let wildfires spread faster and farther, but too often government bureaucracy blocks the projects that we most need in order to reduce that risk before disaster strikes. Together with Senators Alex Padilla, John Curtis, and Tim Sheehy, we introduced the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act. The idea is simple: streamline forest management and speed up new technologies for wildfire prevention, detection, and response.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“Lake Mead and Lake Powell, two of our biggest reservoirs in the West, have now fallen to their lowest levels on record. If the water in Lake Powell falls just another 33 feet, we will hit what they call the power pool, meaning that point where there won't be enough water to generate hydroelectric power. Not every wildfire is caused by climate change, but scientists widely agree that climate change is making the problem far worse. Heat, drought, a moisture-starved atmosphere all increase wildfire risk, and each of these factors can be connected back to climate change. Since joining the Senate, tackling wildfires and drought has been among my top priorities. That is why we passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which included the largest climate investment in American history.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“That is 20 feet. The thinnest snowpack in that equal period, that last 100 years--and, again, these are data collected every March for 100 years--the smallest, thinnest snowpack was 182 inches--not 240, which was the average--but 182 inches, roughly 15 feet. Two-hundred forty inches is 20 feet. This winter, it was about 60 inches. That is 5 feet. So the average was 20 feet, the alltime low in 100 years was 15 feet, and suddenly this year it is 5 feet. And this isn't an isolated incident. Colorado is facing its worst drought in 1,200 years, according to sediments from the Grand Canyon. Let me say that again because it is hard to believe. Colorado is facing its worst drought in 1,200 years. That means you have to go back to the 9th century to find drought conditions this bad in Colorado.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“And Colorado's wildfires keep getting worse too. In the 1990s, Colorado averaged 13 wildfires a year. By the 2020s, that number has climbed from 13 to 70 a year. And that is why I am here today--because we have a responsibility, all of us, regardless of politics, to prevent wildfires, to protect our communities, and to help people recover from disasters. We know we are not going to stop every wildfire, but we also know that many of the worst wildfires could have been less destructive if we had taken certain commonsense steps sooner, both from a shorter and a longer term perspective. First, we need to treat climate change like the emergency it is, and that is a long-term horizon but an important one. On a visit outside of Leadville earlier this year, one individual told our office that the annual snowpack averaged 240 inches.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“They are almost like an athletic team. The loss of one firefighter is felt by everyone. The loss of four is quite simply unimaginable. So we have to get to the bottom of what happened and do everything we can to make sure that we prevent a repeat tragedy. As we do that, we are also mourning the loss of Nicholas Dale of British Columbia. Nicholas was a helicopter pilot who was tragically killed while battling a fire near Ouray in southwest Colorado. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as well. Last month, I traveled to the Snyder fire command post, and there I met with some of Nick, Emily, Sydney, and Nate's fellow firefighters and heard some of their stories. It brought me back to my time as Governor, standing with crews after a terrible tragedy. The heartbreak never gets easier; it only gets worse over time.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“And as dedicated as they were to their vocation, they were equally devoted to their friends and to their families, making this loss even more devastating. Our hearts break for these firefighters and their families and all who loved them. These families deserve answers, and we need to understand what went wrong so we can prevent future tragedies. That is why I am calling on the Department of the Interior to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into what happened, including whether the administration's recent shift to the Wildland Fire Service played any role in this event. This isn't about playing politics or gotcha, trying to find blame. With wildfires still raging across Colorado, we can't afford to wait months and months to learn lessons that could save lives right now. Colorado's firefighting community is close-knit.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, June 27 was one of the worst days in recent Colorado history. As the Knowles fire rolled along the Colorado- Utah border, the Rifle Helitack team put on their uniforms and rushed toward danger. While battling the blaze, one firefighter was badly injured and four others--Nick Hutcherson, Emily Barker, Sydney Watson, and Nathan Matthews--ultimately lost their lives. There is bravery--and then there is wildland firefighting. The word ``hero'' gets used a lot. Nick, Emily, Sydney, and Nathan embodied that word. They came from across the country to Colorado to form a unit united by one common mission: protecting lives, protecting property, and the landscapes we all cherish. Their commitment to our public lands wasn't a hobby; it was their life's work. Together, they collectively spent decades fighting fires.”
Senate30 July 2026Source ↗
“Due to her direct involvement and stewardship, Members of Congress were able to make informed decisions and ensured the Department of the Air Force was properly resourced and funded. After serving in this crucial role and becoming a fixture on Capitol Hill, SMSgt Martha Adelaja will move on to serve as the congressional liaison for the newly established Integrated Capabilities Command, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Arlington, VA. She has sacrificed much in service to our Nation. I am thankful for Martha's service and her work with my office and the Senate over the past year on issues of vital importance to the defense of the United States. I salute this American patriot whose selfless service has kept our country safe and strong. ____________________”
Senate29 April 2025Source ↗
“Her efforts synchronized nine Department of the Air Force directorates with 98 congressional staffers for modernization efforts and ensured the Department of the Air Force's support of the National Defense Strategy in our return to Great Power Competition. Senior Master Sergeant Adelaja spearheaded international delegations of congressional members, showcasing critical Air Force capabilities and strengthening partnerships at key events like the bicameral Reagan National Defense Forum. Through her tireless efforts, Senior Master Sergeant Adelaja secured direct engagement between Members of Congress and key decision-makers, including the Secretary of the Air Force, resulting in successful advancements of critical Air Force initiatives.”
Senate29 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I rise today to honor a great American and an exceptional member of the U.S. Air Force, SMSgt Martha Adelaja. A true champion for our Nation and expert communicator, this New York native and Spelman College graduate brings 21 years of distinguished uniformed service. She has consistently demonstrated exemplary leadership and an unparalleled ability to navigate complex legislative landscapes in service to our country and the 116th, 117th, 118th, and 119th U.S. Congresses.”
Senate29 April 2025Source ↗
“Bottom line: More money in the pocket of fraudsters, scammers, and the unscrupulous; less for the little guy to save. I urge my colleagues to stand up for American consumers and vote no on this resolution. I yield the floor.”
Senate5 March 2025Source ↗
“These actions will balloon energy bills for families--at least 240 bucks a year for working families everywhere--at a time when they are struggling to afford eggs at the grocery just as inflation begins to rise again. Rather than limiting energy or firing critical government employees, let's welcome our new energy future, a future marked by resilient energy, rebuilt by American innovation for cheaper, more reliable energy for every Coloradan in America. A simple yes-or-no point of order will ensure nothing in the budget will increase energy costs for working families. How could you vote against that?”
Senate20 February 2025Source ↗
“Government never will be. I would be the first to recognize that it takes all of our elected officials to do their duty for the American people and to be truthful and for our constituents to hold us accountable. The American experiment in democratic government is just too important to confirm people who actively spread disinformation and refuse to follow science. It threatens Coloradans. It puts all of us at risk. I yield the floor.”
Senate12 February 2025Source ↗
“On behalf of Colorado hospitals and clinics, rural areas, I vote no on this vote.”
Senate5 February 2025Source ↗
“But if we need to hold the Senate floor, like we are doing now, vote all night, disrupt business as usual, we will do that too. I will oppose every nominee that poses a genuine threat to Coloradoans. It is why I am here on the floor and will vote no on Mr. Vought today. Coloradoans sent us to Washington to solve problems, not to create more. Project 2025 is a brutal plan to wreak havoc on our Nation and really change the way our government operates, the way our democracy functions. I hope people all over the State emulate that old movie ``Net Worth'' and they can shout out on every corner ``I am mad as hell, and I am not going to stand for it.'' Let's hope they get so loud that they can't be drowned out. Mr. President, I yield the floor.”
Senate5 February 2025Source ↗