Congressman Mark Udall's Electronic Newsletter
August 9, 2000 Volume 2, Issue 7

Capitol Update:

1. BILLS WOULD PRESERVE THE FRONT RANGE VIEW OF THE "MOUNTAIN BACK-DROP" AND PROTECT UNDEVELOPED "ROADLESS" FOREST LANDS
2. HOUSE PASSES LANDMARK LEGISLATION FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
3. MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHING SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM GETS COMMITTEE APPROVAL
4. HOUSE PASSED DRUG PLAN FAILS TO GUARANTEE AFFORDABLE COVERAGE FOR ALL SENIORS

District News:

1. UDALL HELPS SAVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR SENIORS

Congress this week

Congress is in recess until September 5.

Bill Sponsorships

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CAPITOL UPDATE:

1. BILLS WOULD PRESERVE THE FRONT RANGE VIEW OF THE "MOUNTAIN BACK-DROP" AND PROTECT UNDEVELOPED "ROADLESS" FOREST LANDS

Population growth and urban sprawl are putting unprecedented pressures on our national forests, particularly along Colorado's Front Range. To address this problem, I have sponsored two pieces of federal legislation that, if enacted, would protect roadless areas in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, enhance local efforts to preserve the Front Range view of the mountains, and address fire risks and forest restoration issues in our national forests

The proximity of the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest and the extraordinary recreational opportunities afforded by these public lands to the communities along the Front Range are part of why people flock to live in the Denver-Boulder area. But as our population increases, the unspoiled quality of these lands can be lost to pressures for more development, including road construction for logging, motorized vehicles and other activities. Similarly, growth and sprawl threaten the land surrounding Rocky Flats, an area that could be a "crown jewel" of open space and wildlife habitat for future generations. 

Now is the time to shape the future of this part of the Front Range. Fifty years from now, people living in the Denver metropolitan area will look to this time and ask whether we had the courage and insight to check our appetite for more growth and development. 

H.R. 5097, The Northern Front Range Roadless Area and Mountain Backdrop Protection Act, would provide temporary protection to over 80,000 acres of roadless areas on the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest in Boulder and Clear Creek Counties until Congress determines how the lands should be managed. The bill would prohibit logging, off-road vehicles or gas and oil leasing, but would allow grazing to continue. In addition, it would direct the Forest Service to study how to protect undeveloped lands that make up the Front Range Mountain backdrop west of Rocky Flats.

This bill covers only the portions of the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest that are within the boundaries of the Second Congressional District. Although the bill I have introduced is focused exclusively on forest areas within my district, I am hopeful that the entire Colorado Congressional Delegation will look at this proposal with an eye toward providing greater protection for stressed and over-used forests like the Arapaho-Roosevelt. I intend to circulate draft language for an Arapaho-Roosevelt bill to my colleagues in the Colorado delegation for further discussion and consideration.

H.R. 5098, The Forest Restoration and Wildfire Prevention Act, would establish a program to share costs and provide incentives for joint efforts with state, local and private entities on forest restoration and fire-prevention projects in the "red zone." The red zone is comprised of areas of the forest that adjoin urban areas and are at greatest risks for intense fires that can despoil watersheds and destroy homes. The bill does not allow more road building in roadless areas, would not affect existing wilderness areas, or allow cutting of old or large trees. 

We have experienced one of the worst wildfire seasons this summer, especially in Colorado. Property, lives and wildlife habitats are at risk. My bill will help fight fires before they happen.

2. HOUSE PASSES LANDMARK LEGISLATION FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

In May, the House passed H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA). The landmark bill provides nearly $3 billion for federal and state conservation, wildlife and recreation projects nationwide and is one of the wisest and most far-sighted conservation measures to preserve the environment and curb urban growth and sprawl. Under the House legislation, Colorado would receive approximately $44 million for conservation projects throughout the state.

Clearly, this is one of the most important pieces of legislation that Congress can pass this year to create an outdoor legacy for Americans. The investments we make today to preserve open space and manage growth and sprawl will allow our children to enjoy the beauty and splendor of our natural environment for generations to come.

The bill establishes a permanent, automatic funding mechanism from funds from offshore oil drilling royalties for federal and state land acquisition and conservation programs. It sets aside $2.8 billion a year in the CARA Fund for coastal conservation, land acquisition, wildlife conservation, urban parks and recreation, historic preservation, farmland protection and endangered species recovery. In addition, up to $200 million of the interest earned on the CARA fund would be directed to the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program to help counties and other local governments in areas where the federal government is a major landowner.

Additionally, the House voted 306-116 in favor of my amendment which would allow the Forest Service to use CARA funds to provide matching grants and technical assistance to local governments and non-profit organizations for tree planting, street beautification and urban planning and landscaping programs. Last year, Colorado received $353,000 in grants for these programs.

By passing this bill, we can help our communities respond to the problems of growth and sprawl and to provide much-needed places for sports and outdoor recreation. When you consider all that this bill would do for our country, I am convinced that it is one of the most important measures not just of this year but of many years to come.

3. MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHING SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM GETS COMMITTEE APPROVAL

During consideration of H.R. 4271, the National Science Education Act, the House Science Committee approved my amendment that would provide scholarships to students who have a degree in science or engineering to enable them to take the courses they need to become certified as science or math teachers. 

Last year, I visited all of the high schools and high-tech companies in my district. High school teachers and corporate leaders all told me the same thing - we need to improve science and math education in this country. Poor student performance in science and math has much to do with the fact that students are being taught by unqualified teachers. My proposal ensures a high quality of science and math education for our students, and ensures there is sufficient quantity of trained teachers available to teach them.

The amendment authorizes a program of one year, $5,000 scholarships at the National Science Foundation. These scholarships will assist graduates of baccalaureate degree programs in science, mathematics, or engineering, or individuals pursuing degrees in those fields, to fulfill the academic requirements necessary to become certified as K-12 teachers. The amendment authorizes $5 million for each of the fiscal years 2001, 2002, and 2003.

Last year, I hosted a forum on worker training at Front Range Community College which included representatives from the University of Colorado, higher education leaders and businesses. Participants in that forum suggested that there is a shortage of skilled high tech workers the new economy has created. Projections indicate that through this decade, Front Range high-tech companies will be unable to fill 30,000 jobs for skilled workers. My amendment is an outgrowth of the discussions that took place at that forum.

The National Science Education Act takes some critical steps to help ensure that we can sustain our current economic growth and that our future workforce will be prepared to succeed in our increasingly technologically-based world. My amendment complements these efforts and I look forward to working with my colleagues for passage by the House.

4. HOUSE PASSED DRUG PLAN FAILS TO GUARANTEE AFFORDABLE COVERAGE FOR ALL SENIORS

On June 28, the House passed H.R. 4680, The Medicare Rx 2000 Act. Instead of helping seniors with their prescription drug bills, the Republicans sold seniors a bill of goods. Their bill is a multi-billion dollar giveaway to insurance companies and fails to guarantee that seniors will be able to afford the medicines their doctors tell them they need to take to stay healthy.

For the past year, seniors in my district have been telling me about how much they spend on their monthly prescription bills. I released a study in April 1999 which shows that seniors in my district who have no prescription drug coverage pay twice as much as those who have coverage. Some seniors are faced with the decision of paying for food or paying for medicine. This is an outrage. No senior should be faced with that kind of decision.

On the other hand, members on the other side of the aisle recently became interested in this issue because their pollster told them that they needed to pass a drug plan - any plan - no matter how flawed it is. And they would not let the House vote on a substitute plan on the floor because they knew it could pass. 

We need a Medicare prescription drug benefit that is voluntary, that provides coverage to all seniors who need it, and that secures the financial future of Medicare. I will continue to work for a plan that helps seniors fill their cabinets with life-saving medications, not one that fills the bank accounts of the drug companies.

1. UDALL HELPS SAVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR SENIORS

In July, I called on the Health Care Financing Administration to approve PacifiCare Health System's request to continue to offer its Medicare+Choice health plan, Secure Horizons, to seniors who live in the Broomfield area. HCFA approved PacifiCare's request.

I stated in my letter to HCFA Administrator Nancy-Ann Min DeParle that since seniors in Broomfield access their health care through a provider network that rests outside of Boulder County and since Broomfield will become its own county effective January 1, 2001, PacifiCare should be able to continue to provide coverage in the area. According to law, once a plan makes a decision to discontinue participation in the Medicare HMO program in a county, it must pull out of the entire county. After pulling out of a region, a managed care plan cannot re-enter the region for two years and must undergo a lengthy regulatory process to re-enter. 

Broomfield's unique situation called for special consideration. We also had a situation where the health care plan and the provider network wanted to continue to serve seniors in this area. This is a win-win situation for everyone.

We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. This is great news for 700 seniors in Broomfield who can rest easy knowing that they will have their Medicare HMO coverage next year. Even though Broomfield seniors will continue to be part of the health plan, I am still concerned about the other 2,000 seniors in Boulder County who will lose coverage at the end of the year, as well as the stability of the Medicare+Choice program.

While we should celebrate this decision, we must also remember that 2,000 seniors in Boulder County are losing their Medicare HMO coverage at the end of the year. We must do all we can to ensure that seniors have comprehensive, affordable health care. I will continue to explore ways to create a Medicare+Choice program that works for seniors, and to make some changes that would benefit health plan participation as well. 

H.R. 4858, the Native American Elders Assistance Act
H.R. 1388, The Medicare Cancer Clinical Trial Coverage Act
H.R. 4219, The Medicare Home Health Fairness Act of 2000 H.R. 4219
H.R. 3887, The Medicare Wellness Act of 2000
H.R. 1248, The Violence Against Women Act 
H.R. 4807, The Ryan White CARE Act Amendments of 2000
H.R. 2166, The Bear Protection Act
H.R. 960, the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1999
H.R. 3573, the Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act
H.R. 3377, Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act
H.R. 3705, Public School Repair and Renovation Act of 2000
H.R. 3874, Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2000
H.R. 4398, Energy Employees Occupational Illness and Compensation Act of 2000