WASHINGTON President Barack Obamas mention of energy policy in Tuesday nights State of the Union address brought bipartisan cheers from Colorados congressional delegation.
Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, said, I was pleased he was talking about American energy and resources and putting our people back to work.
Colorados U.S. Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, both Democrats, said investing in clean energy can be immensely beneficial to Coloradoans, according to a news release.
Ill be pushing hard to extend the renewable-energy tax credits to do just that, Udall said.
Additionally, Bennet said the common ground both Republicans and Democrats have found is in the responsible development of clean-burning natural gas. Tipton decried Obamas decision to block the Keystone Pipeline XL, which Tipton said would create 20,000 jobs.
The concern is that Canadians will build the pipeline with or without us, said Tipton.
He was pleased Obama spoke of tax reform.
The only thing I will correct the president on is saying we have one of the highest corporate tax rates we have the highest corporate tax rate in the world, he said.
Tipton also noted Tuesday night was important because it has been 1,000 days since the Senate passed a budget.
We talk about Congress as though its a unilateral body, but there are two houses, said Tipton. He spoke of the Senate fulfilling its constitutional obligation to address the 30 bills the House had recently passed.
For the second year in a row, Congress decided to sit across the aisle in a show of bipartisanship.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Udall announced on Jan. 13 they would like to permanently end the tradition of segregated sitting based on political parties
Kelcie Pegher is a student at The American University in Washington, D.C., and an intern for The Durango Herald. Reach her at [email protected]
