By now most of us have probably learned about the outcomes of yesterday’s election. In Washington, the House of Representatives will be Republican-controlled beginning January 2011 and Democrats will have a narrower margin in the U.S. Senate. Colorado voters will send Michael Bennett (D) back to the Senate for another term. Re-elected Representatives Mike Coffman (R), Diana DeGette (D), Doug Lamborn (R), Ed Perlmutter (D), and Jared Polis (D) will be joined in January by the newly elected Cory Gardner (R) and Scott Tipton (R).
But there’s work left to be done this year in Washington. Lawmakers will return to D.C. later this month for a post-election “lame duck” session and they will have a lot on their plates. On the agenda are spending bills for most government programs (including important rural and workforce provisions) and addressing a 23.6% Medicare payment cut for physicians that is scheduled to begin on December 1. National organizations are already mobilizing and we will keep you informed of opportunities to contact your member of Congress about these important healthcare issues.
Back here in Colorado, voters rejected several tax cutting initiatives including Amendment 60, 61, and Proposition 101 as well as Amendment 63. Republicans appear to have taken a majority in the State House, the Democrats have maintained their majority in the State Senate, and John Hickenlooper (D) is the Governor-elect. With our state facing significant revenue shortfalls, FY 2011-12 budget briefings and hearings are scheduled to begin later this month.
