Dear Neighbor,  Last week, my colleagues and I were able to find common ground and secure the passage of a continuing resolution devoid of harmful cuts to key federal programs and hyper-partisan proposals. In doing so, we made a commitment to putting people over politics and keeping the government open. Now that government funding has been extended, it’s time for us to get back to meeting the urgent needs of the people we are privileged to represent—which means advancing our goals of lowering costs for hard working Coloradans, growing the middle class from the bottom up and the middle out, and building safer communities.  In between my time in Washington, D.C. – last weekend, I had the opportunity to join local veterans at the American Legion in Northern Colorado to celebrate Veterans Day and honor the veterans who have served and protected our country. I also had the profound honor of surprising constituent and local Navy veteran Ed Sharp with replacement medals paying tribute to his service of our country. Ed had previously lost these medals during the Marshall Fire in 2021, and together we were able to once again thank him for his service.  Our veterans and servicemembers sacrifice so much to keep us safe, and it is incumbent on us to make sure we honor our country’s sacred commitments to them when they come home. Which is why this past week I also called on two federal agencies — HUD and DOE — to cut red tape preventing veterans from receiving the support they need. Our letters requested increased protections for VA benefits and the revision of existing program applications which unintentionally impede veterans seeking additional support for themselves and their families. Read more HERE.  Wishing everyone a great week ahead, and a Happy Thanksgiving!