Op-Eds
THE PODIUM: With the tax cuts now in place, let’s take some needed next steps
Like so many Coloradans, Lindsey and Jared hustle every day. Jared owns and runs a welding company that he built from the ground up. Lindsey is a self-employed entrepreneur and real estate agent. Together they do their most important work raising their two daughters; they are expecting their third in April. Their work days begin before dawn and end with tucking in toddlers. In short, their work never ends. 2017 was the year that Republicans finally made good on their promise to families like th… Continue Reading
12.24.17
GARDNER: Tax plan a boost to Colorado's economy
Coloradans across the state are hardworking individuals who know what's best for them, their families and their communities. They understand that keeping more of their own money in their own pockets instead of sending it to Washington will provide them with more freedom to make their own decisions. As I travel around the state, I don't hear Coloradans asking for Washington to take more of their hard-earned paychecks. I hear their stories about stagnant wage growth, high taxes and an economy that… Continue Reading
08.02.17
Senator: How to really turn the screws on North Korea
The North Korean regime's dangerous behavior has continued to ramp up -- with its intercontinental ballistic missile test on our nation's Independence Day and its intercontinental missile test last week. These actions must wake up the world. The time for words is over. Such serious provocations deserves global condemnation and a show of determined resolve from the United States and our allies. We need to take decisive action before the situation on the Korean Peninsula leads to a nuclear war… Continue Reading
07.23.17
It’s time to move the BLM west
Moving the Bureau of Land Management west is a commonsense idea supported by Coloradans and Westerners who understand Washington does not always know what's best for our local communities. It is a simple proposal that recognizes 99 percent of the nearly 250 million acres of land managed by BLM is west of the Mississippi River, and having the decision-makers present in the communities they impact will lead to better policy. With partisanship on the rise in Washington, it has become increasingly… Continue Reading
06.12.17
Gardner: Science shouldn't be partisan issue
When it comes to federal research funding, it's easy to overlook the impact it has on our everyday lives. We tend to think of scientific research as an abstract concept where a scientist spends years in a lab working on their invention that never sees the light of day; but the reality is much more complex. Scientific research has a tremendous impact on our economy, our health and our national security, and most of the time we don't even realize how federal research improves our own quality of li… Continue Reading
03.12.17
Gorsuch deserves to be confirmed for U.S. Supreme Court
Judge Neil Gorsuch is one of the country's brightest legal minds and is an exceptional choice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Senate should swiftly confirm Gorsuch not only because he is immensely qualified, but also because he is a man of principle, intellect and faithful adherence to the law. Some of my Democrat colleagues have said as much in the past when the Senate unanimously approved Gorsuch to serve on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Democrats, many who have previously… Continue Reading
02.18.17
Cory Gardner: Making science bipartisan again
"This committee has already addressed one of the greatest long-term threats to American innovation: You've made science bipartisan again, countering rhetoric that has at times made the research community feel under siege." That statement was made by former National Science Board official Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing. Then, on Jan. 6 of this year, President Obama signed into law the last-passed legislation of the 114th Congress, th… Continue Reading
01.02.17
Why Donald Trump should make North Korea a top priority
The Obama administration's failed policy of "strategic patience" toward Pyongyang contributed to the rapid development of North Korea's arsenal of mass destruction. The acceleration of its nuclear and ballistic missile program represents a grave threat to global peace and stability -- and a direct threat to the American homeland in the immediate future. In short, turning a blind eye to North Korea produced one of the greatest and most complex security challenges facing the incoming Trump admini… Continue Reading
12.28.16
Reflecting on achievements, plans for future
Over the past two years, I have had the honor of representing the people of Colorado in the United States Senate. Looking back on the 114th Congress, I'm proud of the bipartisan work we were able to accomplish on behalf of Coloradans, and look forward to working with all my colleagues as we turn our focus to the work that lies ahead in 2017. In 2016, I visited each of Colorado's 64 counties and held more than a dozen rural economic roundtables with local officials, business owners and constitu… Continue Reading
12.28.16
Working to address the many threats our country faces
Over the past two years, I have had the honor of representing the people of Colorado in the United States Senate. Looking back on the 114th Congress, I'm proud of the bipartisan work we were able to accomplish on behalf of Coloradans, and look forward to working with all my colleagues as we turn our focus to the work that lies ahead in 2017. Earlier this month, the president signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. This legislation provides our Armed Forces with the reso… Continue Reading
10.13.16
Senators Fischer and Gardner: Obama Administration Is Irresponsible and Risky With Judgment Fund
Few Americans have heard of the U.S. Treasury Department's Judgment Fund. Most have heard of its recent intended beneficiaries: the Islamic Republic of Iran and health insurance companies reeling under Obamacare mandates. The Judgment Fund is a little-known account used to pay certain court judgments and settlements against the federal government. Each year, billions of dollars are disbursed from it, yet the fund does not fall under the annual appropriations process. Because of this, the Treasu… Continue Reading
10.09.16
We need to relieve the financial burden of Obamacare
Coloradans across the state are now faced with another Obamacare sticker shock. According to the Colorado Department of Insurance, health insurance premiums for the individual market will increase by an average of 20.4 percent next year. Prices continue to rise while choices continue to evaporate - leaving many Coloradans searching for solutions and wondering why the president's health care law hasn't lived up to its promises. President Obama sold his signature health care law to the American p… Continue Reading
07.15.16
Reaffirming America's commitment to science and technology
For decades, American hard work and ingenuity has driven our country's unprecedented economic prosperity. Our scientific curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit led to innovative discoveries that helped establish the United States as the world's largest economy and premier thought leader in the scientific arena. But as other nations increasingly invest in science and innovation to help grow their economies, we must recommit to promoting our own national science policy and maintaining American compe… Continue Reading
12.01.15
Sanction North Korea’s Forgotten Maniac
Chaos in the Middle East has diverted Western eyes, but Kim Jong Un's reign of terror in North Korea continues. Last month one high-ranking official was conspicuously absent from an important military funeral, leading to speculation of a new purge. On Oct. 10, North Korea marked the 70th anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party with a military parade. "Our party can confidently state," Mr. Kim said in a speech, "that our revolutionary armament today can deal with any kind of war U.S. imperialist… Continue Reading
09.13.15
Congress should reject bad nuke deal with Iran
Last week, the U.S. Senate reconvened to enter one of the most consequential foreign policy debates of our time: the president's Iran deal. Here's why it is imperative that Congress block the president's dangerous deal with Iran, which threatens our interests, our national security and the safety of our allies in the region. The administration began negotiations with the goal of preventing a nuclear Iran. The end product, however, not only fails to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, … Continue Reading
09.11.15
Promoting a digital future
Broadband connectivity is vital to the success of businesses across the country - from small, rural towns like Yuma, Colorado to a bustling metropolis like Denver. And while there is much more work to be done, the Centennial State is already a hotbed for startups and more established tech companies alike. As a whole, Colorado technology jobs increased by 18.6 percent in the last decade, and there are now more than 100,000 tech-related jobs in the state. In the Denver area alone, tech jobs have … Continue Reading
07.07.15
When America competes, the world benefits
For decades, the United States has remained at the forefront of game-changing innovation and scientific accomplishment, far ahead of all other nations. But countries around the world are actively seeking to compete with the next generation of American innovators and scientists. As China prioritizes major research and development projects, and India graduates thousands more scientists and engineers, the U.S. faces significant challenges in the global marketplace. These challenges are precisely w… Continue Reading
04.27.15
U.S. position in the world depends on Trans-Pacific Partnership
While recent attention has been focused on violent conflicts in the Middle East, an economic battle is brewing in the Pacific. The United States is on the brink of concluding one of the most important trade deals in generations, but China, national labor union leaders, and anti-consumer interests are trying to derail it. Now it's Congress's job to make sure that doesn't happen. Since 2008, the United States has been negotiating a high-standard multilateral trade agreement known as the Trans-Pac… Continue Reading
04.04.15
Cory Gardner: Don't allow a nuclear-armed Iran
As the Obama administration announces its framework of an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program, Coloradans would be well-served to remember the nature of the regime on the other side of the bargaining table. Following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the ruling mullahs held 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days, releasing them only on Jan. 20, 1981, the day President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office. Two years later, on April 18, 1983, a truck laden with explosives rammed into th… Continue Reading
