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Tag: Michael Bennet

Colorado Delegation Calls on Federal Health Agency to Grant Colorado More Flexibility to Respond to Coronavirus Pandemic

Delegation Letter Supports State of Colorado’s Application for 1135 Waiver from HHS

Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D) and Cory Gardner (R), along with Colorado U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette (D), Joe Neguse (D), Scott Tipton (R), Ken Buck (R), Doug Lamborn (R), Jason Crow (D), and Ed Perlmutter (D), requested the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) waive certain requirements hampering the State of Colorado’s efforts to provide much-needed care to Coloradans during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In their letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, the lawmakers requested a swift review of the state’s application for an 1135 waiver, which would provide Colorado’s Medicaid program more flexibility to serve Coloradans during this turbulent period.

The lawmakers’ letter follows an announcement on Monday from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that it will grant 11 other states 1135 waivers.

“On March 24, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the State’s Single State Medicaid agency, submitted an 1135 waiver, designed to reduce administrative burdens on: clients seeking access to care; on the state’s Medicaid program; and, on providers seeking to participate in Medicaid,” wrote Bennet and the lawmakers. “This three-pronged approach will free up valuable state resources during a time when, more than ever, Coloradans need seamless access to care and the state needs to devote as many resources as possible to the COVID-19 response.”

“On behalf of our constituents, we urge HHS to complete full and fair consideration of Colorado’s 1135 waiver application in the most expeditious manner possible,” concluded the lawmakers.

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Azar:

We write to request the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to give its quick, fair, and full consideration to Colorado’s application for a waiver under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act, which the state submitted today, March 24, 2020 [see attachment].

On March 5, 2020, the first Colorado patient tested presumptive positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), now a global pandemic. On March 10, Governor Jared Polis declared a state of emergency. As of this morning on March 24, Colorado had 720 COVID-19 cases in 31 of its 64 counties, 72 hospitalizations, seven deaths, and five outbreaks at residential and non-residential health care facilities.

Governor Polis, working with state agencies, has expeditiously deployed resources across the state to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Colorado has developed and implemented innovative approaches to addressing the increasing demands on state and private resources, including working with private business to address the personal protective equipment shortage, issuing Executive Orders to stop the spread of the disease, and implementing numerous measures to increase access to care, including through telehealth.

On March 24, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the State’s Single State Medicaid agency, submitted an 1135 waiver, designed to reduce administrative burdens on: clients seeking access to care; on the state’s Medicaid program; and, on providers seeking to participate in Medicaid. This three-pronged approach will free up valuable state resources during a time when, more than ever, Coloradans need seamless access to care and the state needs to devote as many resources as possible to the COVID-19 response.

We fully support quick consideration of Colorado’s 1135 waiver application, including both the check list of flexibilities under numbers 1 through 5 and the additional flexibilities under “Number 6 – Other Section 1135 Waiver Flexibilities,” to ensure they have the flexibility they need to effectively combat COVID-19.

On behalf of our constituents, we urge HHS to complete full and fair consideration of Colorado’s 1135 waiver application in the most expeditious manner possible.

photo credit: MGN online

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March 25, 2020
Gardner, Bennet, Neguse Introduce Bills to Expand Rocky Mountain National Park

Legislation would allow astronaut Vance D. Brand to donate 40 acres to the RMNP

Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senators Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, along with U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (CO-2), introduced two pieces of legislation today to expand the Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). The bills allow former NASA astronaut Vance D. Brand to donate 40 acres to Rocky Mountain National Park, and would also resolve a longstanding issue regarding a local family’s cabin that was erroneously transferred to the park. Both land transfers require an Act of Congress to complete.

NOTE: Click here to view and download video remarks from Senator Gardner.

“Astronaut Vance D. Brand is not only an American hero, but also a Colorado hero. Born and raised in Longmont, Colorado, he spent many years at Rocky Mountain National Park, and now he graciously wants to donate 40 acres of land to expand the park where he spent many years of his life,” said Senator Gardner. “However, the Park Service needs approval from Congress to change the park’s boundary. I’m incredibly grateful for his commitment to share more of the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park area with the public, and I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Bennet and Congressman Neguse to respect this hero’s wishes and make this donation official.”

“For locals and the visitors who travel to Rocky Mountain National Park from around the world alike, astronaut Vance Brand’s generous donation to the park is exciting news,” said Senator Bennet. “Our bills will formally add this parcel of land in the Longs Peak region to RMNP, and clean up boundary discrepancies elsewhere, to improve management in the area. We thank Mr. Brand for this valuable contribution to the park.”

“Public lands are who we are as Coloradans, they drive our outdoor recreation economy and inspire our commitment to sustainability,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “I am proud to lead this effort alongside Senator Gardner and Senator Bennet to honor the desire of former Astronaut Vance D. Brand to convey 40 acres of land into the treasured Rocky Mountain National Park landscape. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country and this legislation will enhance the park for future generations to enjoy.”

“My view is that this donation is payback to the American people in appreciation for the wonderful times and many benefits that I receive from great experiences in RMNP. I request the U.S. government to adjust the eastern boundary of RMNP to include the 40 acres that our family donated which currently is in the hands of Rocky Mountain Conservancy,” said Retired NASA Astronaut Vance D. Brand.

Background:

Former U.S. astronaut Vance D. Brand is voluntarily donating a 40-acre tract to Rocky Mountain National Park. The property is located adjacent to the eastern boundary of the park and would add additional protection for the park’s high-elevation ecosystem. This parcel of land would also provide recreational access and connectivity through a scenic, natural buffer between private lands and three popular trails; Estes Cone, Storm Pass, and Eugenia Mine Trails. These three trails connect to and are part of a large trail network offering hundreds of miles of trails to the park’s 4.5 million annual visitors.

The National Park Service (NPS) is working with the Forsyth family to resolve a 1972-73 issue where a 0.18-acre plot containing their family cabin was erroneously transferred to the Rocky Mountain National Park when the NPS purchased a larger surrounding parcel. An error in the bank documents’ legal description of the parcel mislocated the family’s holding as a 0.18-acre plot of vacant land inside the parcel, not the original cabin site. The Forsyth family, seeking to regain legal ownership of its cabin and the 0.18-acre plot on which it sits, proposed an exchange of properties.

Support for expanding the Rocky Mountain National Park:

Forsyth Family Letter of Support

Retired NASA Astronaut Vance D. Brand Letter of Support

Town of Estes Park Letter of Support

Larimer County Commissioners Letter of Support

Rocky Mountain Conservancy Letter of Support

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December 18, 2019
Bennet Welcomes New Banking Guidelines for Hemp Farmers and Processors

Following Bennet Letter to Federal Financial Regulators, New Guidance Will Help Hemp Industry Access Banking System

Washington, D.C. – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet welcomed new guidance from federal financial regulators that would help hemp producers and processors gain access to the banking system. Despite the removal of hemp as a Schedule 1 drug last December following passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”), many growers and processors are still unable to access financial services due to a lack of clarity from regulators. In June, Bennet sent a letter pressing regulators to provide the clarity necessary for the hemp industry to access the financial services afforded to comparable crops and agricultural products.

“The hemp industry is booming in Colorado and across the country, yet hemp-related businesses continue to face significant hurdles due to the lack of access to the banking system,” said Bennet. “While more needs to be done to unleash hemp’s economic potential, these new guidelines are a significant step forward in providing banks and credit unions with the assurance and clarity needed to remove this barrier and open their doors to the growing hemp industry.”

Bennet, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, worked to include a pilot program for hemp growers in the 2014 Farm Bill, which paved the way to secure legalization of the crop in the 2018 Farm Bill. Last Congress he led the Hemp Water Rights Act and called on the Department of Justice not to interfere with hemp cultivation or act against financial institutions that handle related funds. Bennet and U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) wrote to the Bureau of Reclamation in January 2019 urging the agency to update its policies in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill to ensure hemp growers can access water and irrigate their crops. In their response to the Bennet-Tester letter, the Bureau of Reclamation said: “Because hemp was removed from the Controlled Substances Act list of controlled substances, it is no longer subject to the policy and therefore Reclamation is able to provide water for hemp cultivation in accordance with current law.”

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December 11, 2019
Bennet, Casey Urge Administration to Stop Obstructing Efforts to Deliver Benefits to Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

Denver – Today, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) sent a letter to Trump Administration officials urging them to stop obstructing access to health benefits and disability compensation for approximately 83,000 veterans, some from Colorado and Pennsylvania.

Following a federally-mandated National Academies of Medicine (NAM) study on the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange, Office of Management and Budget Director (OMB) Mick Mulvaney declined to include illnesses determined by the NAM study to be linked to exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals used during the Vietnam War as presumptive conditions.

“By refusing to include these illnesses on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) list of Agent Orange presumptive benefits, OMB is acting in direct opposition to the NAM’s analysis of peer-reviewed reports that suggest otherwise,” wrote Bennet and Casey in their letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie and OMB Director Mulvaney. “We encourage you to acknowledge the scientific based evidence and the recommendation of the previous VA Secretary David Shulkin, and designate these conditions to the presumptive list for Agent Orange exposure.”

The senators also expressed concern over the delay in implementation of new legislation to expand Agent Orange benefits to Navy Vietnam veterans, demanding the administration prioritize and process their claims as soon as possible.

“These veterans and their families have waited long enough for access to the benefits for which they are eligible and desperately need,” wrote the senators. “Our nation must live up to the promises it has made to the men and women who have sacrificed much by serving in uniform.”

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Director Mulvaney and Secretary Wilkie:

We write to express our serious concern regarding delays for veterans who are suffering from illnesses related to their exposure to Agent Orange. The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) decision to exclude bladder cancer, hypertension, Parkinsonism, and hypothyroidism as diseases linked to Agent Orange is frustrating and unfair. This delay denies approximately 83,000 veterans, many from Colorado and Pennsylvania, faster access to disability compensation and health benefits.

As you know, Congress has mandated that the National Academies of Medicine (NAM) publish updated reports that comprehensively evaluate scientific and medical information about the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War. The 2016 NAM report Veterans and Agent Orange Update 2014 states, “sufficient evidence of an association between exposure to at least one of the chemicals of interest and hypertension.” This report also determined there is “limited and suggestive evidence” that offers a link between Agent Orange exposure and bladder cancer and hypothyroidism. By refusing to include these illnesses on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) list of Agent Orange presumptive benefits, OMB is acting in direct opposition to the NAM’s analysis of peer-reviewed reports that suggest otherwise. We encourage you to acknowledge the scientific based evidence and the recommendation of the previous VA Secretary David Shulkin, and designate these conditions to the presumptive list for Agent Orange exposure.

We are also concerned by the delay in the implementation of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, signed into law on June 25, which expands Agent Orange benefits to veterans who served aboard ships offshore and in the harbors of Vietnam. These veterans and their families have waited long enough for access to the benefits for which they are eligible and desperately need. The administration should prioritize and process these claims as soon as possible.

Our nation must live up to the promises it has made to the men and women who have sacrificed much by serving in uniform. Thank you and we look forward to your response.

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December 4, 2019