Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today called on the Senate to quickly take up a bill to provide long-term certainty for Medicare providers and patients. The bill, which passed the House yesterday 392-37, repeals the formula, known as the "sustainable growth rate" or SGR, for how Medicare providers are reimbursed for services and replaces it with a streamlined payment system based on the quality of care.

The Senate late yesterday adopted an amendment introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet to give students the ability to use federal financial aid at innovative programs that demonstrate high-quality and strong student outcomes, such as learning, graduation and job obtainment. Bennet worked with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) on the amendment.

The Senate passed an energy efficiency bill yesterday that includes a bipartisan bill introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet to boost the use of energy efficient technology by tenants in commercial buildings. Bennet originally introduced the bill with Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) in 2013.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced an amendment to the Senate's budget proposal that instructs Congress to extend expired and expiring tax credits for renewable energy. The tax credits should be extended for a reasonable period of time as a bridge until Congress completes its work on tax reform.

U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, Sheldon Whitehouse, Joe Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp are offering an amendment to the Senate's budget proposal to promote national security, economic growth, and public health by prioritizing efforts to address climate change.

The Senate today adopted an amendment introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet that increases the amount small businesses can expense or write off for capital equipment in its first year of use. The amendment, passed by a voice vote, will help ensure that they can continue to grow, invest, and hire.

The Senate today failed to pass an amendment introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today to protect Medicare for the nation's seniors for years to come. The amendment to the Senate's budget resolution would have created a point of order against any bill that would privatize Medicare, cut Medicare beneficiaries' guaranteed benefits, or raise costs on prescription drugs and preventative care in Medicare. The amendment is co-sponsored by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement on the resignation of Glenn Haggstrom, the Principal Executive Director in the Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today joined a minority of senators in support of an amendment to ensure equal pay for equal work. The amendment to the budget resolution introduced by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) is based on the Paycheck Fairness Act and would strengthen tools for women to negotiate fair wages. It would also establish protections for women who file complaints of gender-based pay discrimination.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) today is announcing it will alter its "40-mile rule" to improve access to health care for veterans living in rural areas. The announcement follows Bennet's request that the VA reexamine the rule's application and update it. The VA's new rule will allow more veterans who would have to travel more than 40 miles to a VA medical facility to access non-VA community care, which was Congress' intent when it passed the Veterans Choice Act.