Colorado U.S. Senate Candidate Spending Analysis – Michael Bennet
Total Net Spending Agenda: $7.345 billion
Economy,
Transportation, and Infrastructure: $20 million
A. Rural Communities:
“That is why I support taking action to ensure their [rural
communities’] continued economic viability, including … [[l]inking rural
economies to the rest of the world through the expansion of high-speed internet
and cell phone service.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-colorado-agriculture-and-rural-communities
Cost: $20 million ($100 million over five years).
Source: Related legislation has been introduced in
the form of S. 2880 (111th Congress), the Rural Broadband Initiative Act of
2010, a bill to establish an Office of Rural Broadband Initiatives in the
Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes. The text authorizes the
funding. Senator Bennet is not a cosponsor.
Note: From the Office of the
Inspector General of the Department of Commerce: “The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration … to implement the Broadband Technology
Opportunities Program … – a $4.7 billion one-time competitive matching grants
program to expand broadband services to unserved and underserved areas, improve
broadband access for public safety agencies, stimulate the economy and create
jobs.”
http://www.oig.doc.gov/recovery/reports/ARR-19583.pdf
B. Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan Clearinghouse:
“I support the creation of an SBA loan clearinghouse that
would create a process enabling a small business’ loan application to be
considered by a broader array of lenders.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2010-09-building-a-21st-century-economy
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: Further explanation is
provided on the incumbent’s Senate website: “Bennet is pushing to create an SBA
loan clearinghouse aimed at increasing small businesses’ access to credit. It
would create a process enabling a small business’ loan application to be
considered by a broader array of lenders.
If a business owner applies for an SBA guaranteed loan and is turned
town [sic], the bank could have the
application turned over to the SBA where it would be reviewed to assess whether
the small business meets the SBA’s creditworthiness and eligibility standards.
It would then be distributed for other SBA lenders throughout the state and
eventually across the country.”
http://bennet.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=76bd4aaa-2e95-4bf2-ace2-fa91296ec997
Education, Science,
and Research: $21 million
A. Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors
(DREAM) Act:
“I am a cosponsor of the federal DREAM Act because I believe
we should offer these students the opportunity to attend college or serve in
the military. … It makes sense to provide undocumented students who have
demonstrated high achievement and graduated from high school the ability to
attend college or serve in the military with the opportunity to legalize their
immigration status.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-11-immigration
Cost: Unknown.
Note: The DREAM Act would adjust
the status of certain undocumented alien children to conditional legal
permanent resident status if they meet specific criteria. In the 108th Congress, The
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that S. 1545, the DREAM Act, would
have a minimal cost over the first five years, but would eventually cost
upwards of $15 million a year for increased Medicaid and Food Stamp expenses
for which the children would become eligible.
Given the recent legislative changes to the federal student loan program
and the changes made to Medicaid in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act, it is uncertain what the current cost of this legislation might be.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=4981&type=0
B. Education Loan Ombudsman:
“Standing up for Colorado’s
[k]ids[.] Our children are our future. They deserve to be healthy,
well-educated, and ready. Michael … [is] committed to making sure Colorado’s children have
the support they need to succeed[.] … Helping [s]tudent [b]orrowers. Michael is
a co-sponsor of the Private Education Loan Ombudsman Act, which would establish
an ombudsman to help private student loan borrowers deal with complaints or
challenges.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/about_Michael/results
Cost: $1
million ($5 million over five years).
Source: CBO determined that a bill
in the 110th Congress to establish an ombudsman office within the
Department of Veterans Affairs would cost between $500,000 and $600,000 annually.
NTUF rounds to the nearest million.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=9576&zzz=37749
C. Education Reform:
“It is critical that we educate and train the most qualified
and innovative workers in the world. Our public education system must give
Americans the skills they need for the new jobs that will be created. This
means more than simply investing in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) education. We must do that, but it is not enough. I believe
we must comprehensively reform our public education system to create a
workforce that can compete and win in the 21st Century.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-a-new-energy-future
Cost:
Unknown.
Source: Senator Bennet is a sponsor
of S. 3469 (111th Congress), the Lead Act, a bill to build capacity
and provide support at the leadership level for successful school turnaround
efforts. The text authorizes such sums as may be necessary for Fiscal Year 2011
and each of the four succeeding fiscal years. A cost estimate is unavailable.
D. Rural Education:
“That is why I support taking action to ensure [rural
cities’ and towns’] continued economic viability, including … [a]
transformation of our public education system that solves the problem of
teacher retention, and helps to stop the chronic shortages of teachers in rural
areas.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-colorado-agriculture-and-rural-communities
Cost: $20
million ($100 million over five years).
Source: Senator Bennet is a
cosponsor of S. 2896 (111th Congress), the School Principal
Recruitment and Training Act of 2009. The text authorizes such sums as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2011 and each of the succeeding nine fiscal years.
According to the main sponsor’s office, the initiative would cost $200 million.
Note: Related legislation was introduced in the form of H.R. 362
(110th Congress), a bill to authorize science scholarships for
educating mathematics and science teachers, and for other purposes. The text
authorizes $794 million over five years. It is unknown whether Bennet would
support a similar program.
Note: Teach for America, a nonprofit organization
that recruits outstanding recent college graduates who commit to teach for two
years in underserved communities, received $18 million in federal funds in FY
2010.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp111DOpqK&r_n=sr243.111&dbname=cp111&&sel=TOC_708051&
Energy, Agriculture,
and the Environment: $4.392 billion
A. Agriculture Disaster Assistance:
“I will work hard to make sure that rural communities can
count on stable disaster assistance. … I support maintaining a robust farm
safety net and supplementary assistance to farmers in the event of disaster.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-colorado-agriculture-and-rural-communities
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: According to a September,
2010 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, “Agricultural Disaster
Assistance,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture expects to spend up to $630
million on disaster assistance in 2010.
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
offers several permanently authorized programs to help farmers recover
financially from a natural disaster, including federal crop insurance, the
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), and emergency disaster
loans. …
The 2008 farm bill also authorized
three new livestock assistance programs and a tree assistance program. The
Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) compensates ranchers at a rate of 75% of
market value for livestock mortality caused by a disaster. The Livestock Forage
Disaster Program (LFP) assists ranchers who graze livestock on drought-affected
pastureland or grazing land. The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey
Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) compensates producers for disaster losses
not covered under other disaster programs. Finally, the Tree Assistance Program
(TAP) provides payments to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to
cover 70% of the cost of replanting trees or nursery stock following a natural
disaster.”
http://opencrs.com/document/RS21212/2010-09-16/download/1013/
B. Energy – Alternative Fuel Vehicles:
“I support a comprehensive energy policy that makes a bold
commitment to developing renewable energy, prioritizes conservation and
efficiency, encourages the use of natural gas, and takes a balanced approach to
responsible development of our traditional energy resources. …[W]e will not be
able to fulfill our responsibility to the next generation if we continue to
muddle through and waiver [sic] in
our commitment to government incentives for renewable energy growth. We must
assure our private sector that the United States is in this for the long-haul,
and that we are willing to provide stable and attractive incentives towards
renewable energy research and development.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was a good
first step. … The bill included billions of dollars to modernize the electrical
grid and for renewable energy projects. …
The ARRA is a good start, but we need to do more to achieve
energy security and long-term growth in the energy sector. We need to be bold
and set goals that will transform our energy policy, including … [i]ncentives
for producing and purchasing alternative fuel vehicles. ”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-a-new-energy-future
Cost: $3.66 billion (first-year
cost of $2.6 billion, plus $5.3 billion over five years).
Source: Related provisions are
included in H.R. 2454. The bill would
increase Department of Energy loans to manufacturers of advanced technology
vehicles. CBO estimates this would cost $5.3 billion from FY 2011 to FY 2015.
The bill would also provide vouchers to consumers to purchase or lease
fuel-efficient vehicles. CBO estimates this would have a one-time cost of $2.6
billion.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/102xx/doc10262/hr2454.pdf
C. Energy – Electric Grid for Renewable Energy:
“We need to be bold and set goals
that will transform our energy policy, including …
[c]onstruction of an updated
electrical grid, including transmission lines that carry renewable energy … .”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-a-new-energy-future
Cost: $125
million ($625 million over five years).
Source: Related legislation has been introduced in
the form of S. 539 (111th Congress), the Clean Renewable Energy and
Economic Development Act. According to the bill’s main sponsor, the legislation
would “promote investments in transmission to increase access to renewable
power, while also establishing a streamlined planning and siting process for
transmission lines. Simply put, the bill makes it easier to deliver clean
energy from the often-rural areas where it is harnessed to major population
centers throughout the country.” The text authorizes the funding. Senator
Bennet is not a sponsor of this legislation.
http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/pr_030509_transmissionbill.cfm
D. Energy – Lowering Carbon Emissions:
“We must develop programs to lower carbon emissions that:
(1) are market based, (2) fair to all stakeholders, (3) based in science, (4)
strongly encourage state and local innovation and take advantage of regional
strengths, and (5) provide incentives for other countries to participate in
similar reform.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-11-protecting-colorados-natural-heritage
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: In September, Senator Bennet
told an audience, “I didn’t support the cap-and-trade bill that passed the
House.” The House passsed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy Security Act of
2009 (111th Congress). CBO estimates the cap-and-trade and energy
funding in the bill would cost $257.7 billion over five years.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/10/22/republicans-slam-bennet-on-misleading-cap-and-trade-statements/17283/
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/102xx/doc10262/hr2454.pdf
E. Energy – Renewable Electricity Standard:
“We need to be bold and set goals that will transform our
energy policy, including … [a] national requirement to draw 25% of our
electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025 … .”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-a-new-energy-future
Cost: $20
million ($100 million over five years).
Source: Senator Bennet is a
cosponsor of S. 433, a bill to establish a renewable energy standard. A related
provision was included in CBO’s cost estimate for H.R. 2454, the American Clean
Energy Security Act of 2009 (111th Congress). The plan would
establish a renewable electricity standard and would require that certain
retail electricity suppliers provide a minimum percentage of their electricity
sales from electricity generated by facilities that use qualifying renewable
fuels or energy sources. Those that do not must make “compliance payments” to
the states who would then be required, according to CBO, “to use any amounts
received from alternative compliance payments under the proposed [renewable
electricity standard] to support the deployment of technologies to generate
renewable energy and to implement energy-efficiency programs.” CBO estimates
the spending would cost $100 million from 2011 to 2014. Because this spending
is enforced by the federal government’s sovereign authority, the amount would
be included in the federal budget.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/102xx/doc10262/hr2454.pdf
F. Energy – Transportation Efficiency Act:
“America and Colorado need a comprehensive energy policy
that establishes aggressive targets for clean energy and energy efficiency …
[.]”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/about_Michael/results
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: Senator Bennet is a cosponsor
of S. 575 (111th Congress), the Clean, Low-Emission, Affordable, New
Transportation Efficiency Act. The bill requires that 10 percent of the
revenues of any cap-and-trade auction system that is passed into law are
directed to support low-carbon transportation alternatives. CBO estimates that
the cap-and-trade program included in H.R. 2454 would generate revenues
totaling $359.5 billion from FY 2011 to FY 2015; however, Bennet has not
indicated support for H.R. 2454 as passed.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/102xx/doc10262/hr2454.pdf
G. Energy Efficiency:
“The ARRA included funding to improve energy efficiency in
our government buildings and homes. However, there is still more to be done.
American manufacturers and builders should be constantly striving to create the
most energy efficient buildings, automobiles, and appliances in the world. The
Federal Government can help through providing grants that spur improvements to
inefficient buildings, increasing minimum requirements for fuel efficiency, and
providing incentives for new ways to stretch our energy dollar. The Federal
Government must also serve as an example through the construction of energy
efficient federal buildings and investments into a fleet of energy efficient
government vehicles.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-a-new-energy-future
Cost: $567
million (first-year cost of $340 million, plus $1.134 billion over five years).
Source: Senator Bennet is a sponsor
of S. 1379, the Energy Efficiency in Housing Act of 2009 (111th
Congress), a bill to encourage energy efficiency and conservation and
development of renewable energy sources for housing, commercial structures, and
other buildings, and to create sustainable communities. The provisions of S.
1379 were included in a larger House bill, H.R. 2336. CBO estimates it would
cost $334 million over five years.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/116xx/doc11606/hr2336.pdf
Bennet is also a sponsor of S.
2897, the Energy Efficiency Modernization Act of 2009 (111th
Congress), a bill to establish incentives to increase the energy efficiency of
federally assisted housing. A cost estimate is unavailable.
The Senator is also a cosponsor of
S. 3102, the Rural Energy Savings Program Act (111th Congress), a
bill to make loans to certain entities that will use the funds to make loans to
consumers to implement energy efficiency measures involving structural
improvements and investments in cost-effective, commercial off-the-shelf
technologies to reduce home energy use. CBO estimates that its House companion,
H.R. 4785, would cost $800 million over five years.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=11860&zzz=41239
Senator Bennet is also a sponsor of
S. 3585 (111th Congress), the Department of Defense Energy Security
Act of 2010, a bill to reform Department of Defense energy policy. The text of
the bill would authorize $340 million in the first year, plus “such sums as are
necessary,” to improve energy efficiency throughout the Department of Defense.
H. International Agreement on Reducing Carbon Emissions:
“The United States must reestablish global leadership and
demonstrate its commitment to reducing its carbon emissions to the
international community by joining global discussions and negotiating a new
international agreement on carbon emissions.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-11-protecting-colorados-natural-heritage
Cost:
Unknown.
I. Invasive Species:
“Michael is fighting for projects to remove salt cedar and
other invasive species from Colorado’s rivers, protecting our critical local
water resources and reducing the risk of wildfires.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/about_Michael/results
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: Senator Bennet is a cosponsor
of S. 3063 (111th Congress), the Invasive Species Emergency Response
Fund Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to provide loans to
certain organizations in certain states to address habitats and ecosystems and
to address and prevent invasive species. The text authorizes $80 million in
loans a year over five years. However, the outlay cost would be determined by
the “subsidy rate,” i.e., the amount the government would have to cover after
all loans had been repaid. The subsidy rate for this particular program is
unknown,
J. Land Management:
“We should continue that tradition with regard to
designating wilderness and establishing clear guidelines for protection of the
state’s roadless areas. Where there are
areas that need additional protection, we should continue that work through the
creation of better partnerships between federal agencies, the state government,
and local interests to ensure the continued use and economic viability of some
of Colorado’s most beautiful places.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-11-protecting-colorados-natural-heritage
Cost:
Unknown.
K. Land Management – Federal Land Assistance, Management and
Enhancement (FLAME) Act:
“Along those lines, we must allocate enough resources to our
land and park agencies so that they have the budgets needed to implement and
enforce rules and to protect resources.
I know that the Forest Service budget has been particularly hard hit in
recent years because of the greater and greater allocation of funding to
wildfires. I am currently a cosponsor of
legislation in the Senate that will ensure Colorado gets its fair allocation of
forest management funding. The FLAME Act
would set up a separate fund for fire fighting activities so that forest fire
emergencies do not continue to eat up forest management funding.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-11-protecting-colorados-natural-heritage
Cost: $20
million ($100 million over five years).
Source: Senator Bennet is a
cosponsor of S. 561 (111th Congress), the FLAME Act, a bill to
authorize a supplemental funding source for catastrophic emergency wildland
fire suppression activities on Department of the Interior and National Forest
System lands, to require the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of
Agriculture to develop a cohesive wildland fire management strategy, and for
other purposes. The CBO estimated that the version of the bill from the 110th
Congress, H.R. 5541, would cost $100 million over five years.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=9205&zzz=37237
Federal Government:
$1 million
A. Budget – Pay As You Go (PAY-GO) Budgeting:
“I … support requiring Congress to find a way to pay for any
new spending or tax cuts it passes.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2010-09-building-a-21st-century-economy
“Both the House and Senate are now required to find a way to
pay for most new spending programs or tax cuts.
I believe that these rules could be stronger so that Congress, just like
every Colorado family, is required to figure out how to pay for what it spends.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-fiscal-responsibility
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: On February 12, 2010, the
President signed H.J. Res. 45 into law. Title I of the legislation was the
Statutory Pay-as-You-Go Act of 2010, which requires Congress to find offsets
for any legislation that would lead to increases in direct spending or
decreases in revenue. However, Congress often moves to waive PAY-GO rules when
considering various pieces of legislation. It is unclear how Bennet’s proposal
might alter current law.
B. Budget Transparency:
“I support integrating transparency and accountability into
the earmark process – so that we know where earmark requests are coming from. I
have also repeatedly voted to eliminate unecessary [sic] programs.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2010-09-building-a-21st-century-economy
“Transparency must be improved by every Member of Congress
and throughout the system as a whole. I have taken steps to improve
transparency in my Senate office by making sure all my appropriations requests
are publicly available on my website. Similar steps should be taken
throughout the federal government so that taxpayers know how their money is
being spent, and so that it is easy to find the wasteful and unnecessary
spending we need to eliminate.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-fiscal-responsibility
Cost: $1 million ($4 million over five years).
Source: Senator Bennet is a
cosponsor of for S. 3335 (111th Congress), the Earmark Transparency
Act. A CBO estimate is available.
https://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/118xx/doc11854/s3335.pdf
Note: Related legislation has been introduced in
the form of H.R. 6052 (111th Congress), a bill to require the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget to establish and maintain a
website to track the expenditure of government funds; and, in the form of S.
1772 (111th Congress), a bill to require that all legislative
matters be available and fully scored by CBO 72 hours before consideration by
any subcommittee or committee of the Senate or on the floor of the Senate. Cost estimates are not available for either
bill.
C. Entitlements:
“We also need to take a serious look at reforming our
entitlement programs. … We must find a way to preserve the integrity of these
programs while reducing the increasingly large impact they have on the overall
federal budget.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-fiscal-responsibility
Cost:
Unknown.
Health Care: Unknown
A. Family Planning and Prenatal Care:
“We should work towards a consensus by focusing on improving
health outcomes – reducing the number of abortions and improving prenatal care,
for instance – to ensure broad access to family planning and contraceptive
services, to prevent unwanted pregnancies and involve medical professionals
earlier in the reproductive process so as to avoid late-term abortions and
unnecessary health problems during the course of a pregnancy.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-09-reproductive-choice
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: Related legislation, H.R. 3312 (111th
Congress), the Preventing Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for
Abortion, and Supporting Parents Act authorizes increases of $3.903 billion in
the first year for various education, after-school, and pregnancy-prevention
programs. It is unclear if Senator Bennet supports the funding levels contained
in this legislation.
B. Medicare Care Transitions Program:
“I support health care reforms that will preserve the good
parts of Medicare, while making the program more cost effective and better for
seniors, including … [p]roviding help to
patients leaving the hospital. We pay
almost $17 billion dollars every year to cover the preventable readmission of
Medicare patients to the hospital. Many
of these hospital readmissions could be avoided by providing patients help with
treatment and medications as they transitioned out of the hospital. I have introduced legislation, based on a
successful health program in Grand Junction, which would provide Medicare
patients ‘coaches’ to aid with a sustained recovery strategy that avoids high
hospital readmission rates.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-09-seniors
Cost: Unknown.
Note: Senator Bennet is a cosponsor
of S. 1009 (111th Congress), the Medicare Care Transitions Program
Act of 2009. A cost estimate is unavailable.
C. Rural Health:
“I believe we need more rural health clinics in our state.
We need to support the ones that we have.”
http://www.youtube.com/buckforcolorado#p/u/5/KS_ksaIs0hA
(min. 13:50)
“Six counties in Colorado don’t have a full-time physician;
fourteen counties don’t even have a hospital. This needs to change, and Michael
is fighting to get it done. … High-Quality Care for Rural Colorado. Michael
introduced new legislation that would make health care more accessible and
affordable for rural Coloradans by increasing funding and resources for
community hospitals and pharmacies to ensure they have the up-to-date
information and technology they need.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/about_Michael/results
Cost:
Unknown.
Note. Senator Bennet is the sponsor
of S. 2838 (111th Congress), the Rural Health Access and Improvement
Act of 2009, a bill to give critical access hospitals priority in receiving
grants to implement health information technology, to expand participation in
the drug pricing agreement program under section 340B of the Public Health
Service Act, to provide for a study and report on pharmacy dispensing fees
under Medicaid, to provide for continuing funding for operation of state
offices of rural health, and for other purposes. A cost estimate is
unavailable.
D. Rural Hospital and Provider Equity:
“I believe that any health care discussion must include
positive steps to make sure we get health care to rural communities. The system we have in place for Medicaid and
Medicare reimbursements puts small towns and rural communities at a
disadvantage when it comes to meeting their health care needs. That is why I offered legislation that would
reserve funds to address inequities in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements
that impede rural access to primary care, outpatient services, and hospitals.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-health-care
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: Senator Bennet is a cosponsor
of S. 1157 (111th Congress), the Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and
Provider Equity Act of 2009, a bill to protect and preserve access of Medicare
beneficiaries in rural areas to health care providers under the Medicare
program. A cost estimate is unavailable.
Homeland Security and
Law Enforcement: $98 million
A. Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security
(AgJOBS) Act of 2009:
“… I support practical worker programs that help Colorado’s
economy … [m]aking it easier for farmers to get workers through the H-2A visa
program. I am currently a cosponsor of
the Ag Jobs [sic] Act which addresses
worker shortages on Colorado farms by providing a way forward for immigrant
farm workers and H-2A guest workers.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-11-immigration
Cost: $98
million ($492 million over five years).
Source: S. 1038 (111th
Congress), the AgJOBS Act of 2009, a bill to improve agricultural job opportunities,
benefits, and security for aliens in the United States, and for other purposes.
A related provision for so-called “blue card” visas was included in the CBO
cost estimate for S. 2611 (109th Congress).
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=7501&zzz=34050
B. Comprehensive Immigration Reform:
“I support Comprehensive Immigration Reform.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rNwpbrhnqA&NR=1
(min.12:00)
“It is time for practical, comprehensive reform that fixes
our immigration system as a whole – enhancing border security and creating
sound policy solutions for undocumented immigration. I believe a comprehensive approach must
include:
- Additional
border security resources, including technology and personnel[;]
- A visa
worker program that is responsive to the needs of business and the
economy[;]
- A path
to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, especially for deserving
undocumented students who were brought here as children[.] …
Our immigration system won’t work without proper enforcement
of our laws. I support increasing the numbers of border patrol agents and
investigating more technologically advanced surveillance equipment that will
increase our ability to stop illegal immigration at the border. …
I support a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants
that requires them to go to the back of the line for citizenship, obtain a
criminal background check, learn English, and pay all back taxes and fines.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-11-immigration
Cost: Unknown.
Note: S. 2611 (109th Congress),
the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, would have created a process
for long-time illegal aliens to gain citizenship, and it would have created a
temporary worker program. CBO estimates that the bill would have increased
mandatory spending for federal benefit programs such as Medicaid, Social
Security, Medicare, and Food Stamps by $12.9 billion over five years. In
addition, enforcement and border security provisions would have cost $25.2
billion over five years. Except for the AgJOBS bill listed above, NTUF is
uncertain to what degree Senator Bennet’s plan would reflect the provisions of
S. 2611.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=7501&zzz=34050
In August 2010, President Obama signed
H.R. 6080 (111th Congress), a bill making emergency supplemental
appropriations for border security for the fiscal year ending September 30,
2010, and for other purposes. The bill increases funding for more agents and
equipment along the Mexican border. Media reports cite $600 million as a total
cost. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/13/obama-signs-600m-border-security-bill-law/
National Defense and
International Relations: $104 million
A. Afghanistan:
“We must provide the military, diplomatic, and economic
resources necessary to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for
terrorists once again. … The nations of the region and the world must
collectively prevent a Taliban-dominated government from getting control of
Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-national-security
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: In September of 2010, CRS
reported that cumulative war funding totals for Afghanistan since the 9/11
attacks stand at $336 billion.
http://opencrs.com/document/RL33110/2010-09-02/download/1013/
B. Global Threats:
“Most urgent among these challenges is the proliferation of
nuclear weapons, and the possibility that a rogue nation might provide nuclear
technology to terrorists. I believe we must work with the international
community to dramatically reduce that threat.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-national-security
Cost: $104
million ($520 million over five years).
Note: Senator Bennet is a cosponsor
of S. 1649 (111th Congress), the Weapons of Mass Destruction
Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009. The text authorizes the funding and
calls for additional funding of “such sums as may be necessary.”
C. National Security Policy:
“It is time for a new national security policy that is based
on smart strategic choices, including …
[i]Investments into expanding and strengthening our military forces[.] …
We must build a military force that is prepared to handle
these new types of competing conflicts, including one with new force structures
armed with weapons that work in close quarters.
I also support increasing the size and strength of our
military, accompanied by sound preparation for how they will be used and where
they will be deployed. We must develop an overall strategic plan to fund
and support the most effective and efficient programs necessary to reduce new
vulnerabilities at home and abroad, while cutting programs that are obsolete or
unhelpful.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-07-national-security
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: In 2006, the Washington Post reported that in
general, force-strength increases cost $1.2 billion per 10,000 troops annually.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121900880.html
Veterans: $2.709
billion
A. Concurrent Receipts:
“Currently, veterans are subject to a decrease in their
retirement benefits or combat pay equal to the amount of their disability
payments. There is no reason that veterans should be penalized,
especially for service related disabilities.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-09-veterans
Cost:
$2.704 billion ($13.518 billion over five years).
Source: Senator Bennet cosponsored
S. 546 (111th Congress), the Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2009. A CBO cost
estimate is available.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/103xx/doc10346/SprattLtrRetirementLegislation.pdf
B. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain
Injury:
“The consequences of war for our servicemen and women are
not always physical. Many Colorado
veterans come home suffering from serious mental health and brain injuries,
including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI). They need immediate, consistent,
coordinated and reliable treatment. Recent reports from Fort Carson also make
it clear that, left untreated, such trauma can lead to serious injury to the
veteran, his or her family, and to strangers. We need an integrated health care
system that is effective in diagnosis and treatment of the mental injuries of
war to help troops get back to living a normal life.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-09-veterans
Cost:
Unknown.
Note: Related provisions were
included in S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of
2010, which became P.L. 111-163 on May 5, 2010. It is unknown how much
additional spending the Senator might advocate.
C. Veterans’ Cemetery for Southern Colorado:
“Colorado veterans have been fighting for a long time for a
veterans’ cemetery in southern Colorado. I believe that Colorado’s
veterans and their families deserve a final resting place that is close to
home, and that the new cemetery would be a fitting tribute to their service and
sacrifice. That is why I have introduced legislation that would establish
a new veterans cemetery in southern Colorado.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-09-veterans
Cost: $5
million ($24 million over five years).
Source: H.R. 1660 (110th
Congress), a bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a
national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region. A CBO cost
estimate is available. The bill was re-introduced in the 111th
Congress as S. 691 (which Senator Bennet sponsored) and H.R. 174.
http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=8117&zzz=35106
D. Veterans Health Care:
“There is absolutely no excuse for any failure to provide
the best in treatment and services to veterans in need of medical
assistance. That means fully funding our
veterans health care programs, and making sure that veterans that [sic] have access to quality health care
close to their homes.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-09-veterans
Cost: Unknown.
Source: S. 1963 (111th Congress), the Caregivers and
Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, became P.L. 111-163 on May 5,
2010. Based on an article posted on Military.com, NTUF estimates the cost of
the bill to be $3.7 billion over five years. It is unknown how much additional
spending Senator Bennet would support for veterans health services.
http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,205283,00.html
Miscellaneous:
Unknown
A. Social Security:
“I strongly oppose privatizing Social Security or reducing
Social Security benefits. We can work
together to confront Social Security’s solvency challenge without taking these
drastic, ill-conceived measures. An
important component for guaranteeing the long-term viability of Social Security
is to get our nation’s fiscal house in order, without raiding Social Security
to do it.”
http://bennetforcolorado.com/issues/details/2009-09-seniors
Cost:
Unknown.
PDF
Policy Paper
