The clock is ticking for members of Colorado’s congressional delegation, who return from holiday recess Tuesday with lists of goals and less than a year left in session.
Their priority lists include a slate of introducing veterans’ issues, shielding Rocky Mountain National Park from development, promoting renewable energy and protecting legislation that provides financial support to farmers.
But passing anything controversial will be difficult, both lawmakers and analysts said. The November presidential election is likely to make many lawmakers retreat to partisan positions.
“It’s the worst possible combination. It’s an election year, a polarized Congress, and many members of Congress are actually running for the presidency,” said Julian Zelizer, political science professor at Princeton University.
“If it was hard to reach bipartisan compromise last year, it’s just going to be worse this year,” Zelizer said.
More provincial issues are likely to fare better than major national ones, he said.
Bills, bills, bills
Sens. Ken Salazar and Wayne Allard and Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, are working to get a new veterans cemetery in southern Colorado. Legislation sponsored by Rep. John Salazar of Manassa authorizing the cemetery in southern Colorado passed the House and now sits in the Senate.
Rep. Salazar, a Democrat, will be pushing a bill that will provide money for college to military veterans who have served since Sept. 11, 2001.
Rep. Ed Perlmutter, meanwhile, has a bill that would create specialty clinics to treat epilepsy in six veterans centers. Veterans who have head injuries are increasingly developing epilepsy, said Leslie Oliver, spokeswoman for the Golden Democrat.
Sen. Salazar, a Democrat, and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, a Fort Morgan Republican, will be focusing on farm bills passed by both the House and Senate. The legislation heads to a conference committee that will merge the two versions.
Musgrave is likely to sit on the conference committee.
The Bush administration has threatened a veto because it currently contains a tax increase affecting foreign corporations that have subsidiaries in the U.S.
“There will be a great incentive in the committee to figure out how to pay for the bill without a tax increase,” she said. “If we get a veto, we’re back to square one.”
Sen. Salazar also will focus on passing a bill that would formally make Rocky Mountain National Park a wilderness area. Right now it is treated as such but does not have the formal protection.
Allard, a Republican, Musgrave and WASHINGTON — Rep. Mark Udall, an Eldorado Springs Democrat, co-sponsor the bill with Sen. Salazar. The Bush administration has objected to one of the provisions in the park legislation.
Push for clean energy
Energy reform is back on the to-do list for Sen. Salazar, Udall and Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat. All will renew efforts to pass a national standard requiring utilities to generate a percentage of their electricity from wind, solar and other renewable sources. It would be similar to the one passed by Colorado voters and probably would spur investment in the state.
The Senate failed in December to pass a bill containing the provision.
DeGette, vice chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said she wants to add the renewable standard to a legislative package targeting global climate change.
Perlmutter will try to attack the climate change and energy issues from another direction. He has a bill that would provide incentives for homebuilders that construct energy-efficient buildings.
Sen. Salazar and Udall said Iraq will remain a top issue and that Democrats will push to pull troops from the country. Both have bills that would give force of law to the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group.
But Zelizer, the professor, said Democrats are unlikely to pass anything substantial on Iraq.
“The window’s gone,” Zelizer said. “It’s hard to see what Democrats are going to get.”
Udall said even if Congress can’t force President Bush to change his policies, “Congress has an important role to play here to set the table so the next president can conclude our role in Iraq.”
