http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=62631

Colorado delegation ready for new session

posted by: Jeffrey Wolf , Web Producer
written by: Adam Schrager , 9NEWS Reporter created: 1/4/2007 5:19:56 PM
Last updated: 1/4/2007 8:03:43 PM

WASHINGTON - Colorado's congressional delegation expressed hope that any lingering resentment from November's election could be set aside in 2007 as lawmakers return to work.


The nine-member crew (5 Democrats, 4 Republicans) include two new members to Congress, 7th District Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colorado) and 5th District Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado Springs).

Perlmutter said Rep. John Salazar (D-Colorado) had to physically show him how to acknowledge his presence with the House of Representatives clerk so he could vote for Rep. Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker on Thursday. Perlmutter called the learning curve "steep," but said the day, attended by many of his family and friends, was the "experience of a lifetime."

"It's just been the prettiest day, you couldn't imagine it," Perlmutter said in a telephone interview. "It was warm. The grass is green here. There are just thousands and thousands of people here. Very enthusiastic. Lots of energy. Lots of hope for the future."

Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colorado) said a meeting between Republican and Democratic senators Thursday morning went well, with both sides pledging to work together and more importantly, to treat each other respectfully. Allard said he is "optimistic" that can happen.

"It's a day with lots of good will," Allard said in a satellite interview. "We'll see whether all this nice, flowing rhetoric you heard today in our private meetings with each other continues on through the session."

Among the House Democrats first issues will be the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colorado). The measure is set to be introduced Friday and could be debated by the middle of next week. The measure would remove some federal restrictions on funding stem cell research. It passed both chambers of Congress last year before being vetoed by President Bush. Thursday, the White House rejected a meeting request by DeGette and Rep. Mike Castle (R-Delaware) to talk to him about the measure.

"I think the stem cell issue is imperative and the expansion of the research is critical," said DeGette in a telephone interview where she expressed confidence the measure is gaining support, but acknowledged she does not know whether she'll have enough votes to overcome another likely veto.

"We're going to keep bringing this bill up until it becomes law," she said. "The momentum is building."

One of the issues set to be introduced in the Senate by Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nevada), Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) drew the attention of Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado). Senators appear willing to once again tackle the issue of immigration reform, but Tancredo claims it does little to solve the problem.

"I will do everything within my ability to prevent any passage of what Teddy Kennedy believes is a comprehensive immigration plan," said Tom Tancredo, chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus in an e-mailed statement to 9NEWS. "I just hope that the Democrats don't actually believe this election was about granting amnesty to millions of
illegal aliens in this country, because if so, then I will make sure that the voters know it is they [Reid, Pelosi, etc.] who are responsible for it."
Among the other issues Colorado members announced they would be working on: renaming the Vail post office after former President Gerald Ford (Rep. Mark Udall), establishing legislation to create a national veterans' cemetery for the Pikes Peak region (Sens. Allard and Ken Salazar) and the Methamphetamine Trafficking Enforcement Act to crack down on drug offenders (Sen. Allard).

Rep. Diana DeGette: http://www.house.gov/degette/
Rep. Mark Udall: http://markudall.house.gov/HoR/CO02/Home.htm
Rep. John Salazar: http://www.house.gov/salazar/
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave: http://musgrave.house.gov/
Rep. Doug Lamborn: http://lamborn.house.gov/
Rep. Tom Tancredo: http://tancredo.house.gov/
Rep. Ed Perlmutter: http://perlmutter.house.gov/
Sen. Wayne Allard: http://allard.senate.gov/public/
Sen. Ken Salazar: http://salazar.senate.gov/index.html