iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app

Sen. Mark Udall
GET UPDATES FROM Sen. Mark Udall
 

The people of Colorado elected Mark Udall to the U.S. Senate in 2008. Prior to that, he represented the state’s 2nd Congressional District for five terms (from 1999-08). He also served one term in the Colorado State Legislature as a member of the General Assembly (1997-99), representing the 13th District, which encompassed the community of Longmont and parts of southern Boulder County.
 
In the U.S. Senate, Mark serves on four committees: Armed Services, Energy and Natural Resources, the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Special Committee on Aging. Reinforcing his priority of protecting our Western lands, Mark chairs the National Parks Subcommittee of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Mark’s committee assignments give him a platform to address many issues important to Colorado, including national security, energy, the economy, clean energy jobs, and natural resources.


Mark is known for reaching across party lines to solve problems and for his willingness to work with people, including those with whom he has philosophical differences. In 2011, he drew national attention for calling on his colleagues to bridge the partisan divide by sitting together – rather than separated by party – at the President’s State of the Union address. Mark’s inclusive and bipartisan approach has also led to a number of legislative achievements, including bills to reduce wildfire risk and bark-beetle infestation; and legislation promoting the development of Colorado's aerospace industry, and the clean energy and high technology sectors. Mark led efforts to successfully create the James Peak Wilderness and to pass legislation transforming the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons facility into a wildlife refuge. He's also championed health care for workers and retirees from the nation's nuclear weapons complex and consumer protections against abusive and predatory credit card companies.


Mark doesn't shy away from making difficult decisions in order to put our country’s fiscal house in order. He is an active proponent of smart budgeting tools like pay-as-you-go rules, a presidential line-item veto, a balanced budget amendment, and a ban on earmarks. Mark was one of a small group of senators who pushed for the creation of the president’s commission on reducing the national debt, and he now is helping lead the effort to hold an up-or-down vote on the commission’s recommendations.


Regarded as a national leader on renewable energy, Mark worked to put Colorado at the forefront of sustainable energy development. In 2004, he successfully co-chaired the Amendment 37 campaign to pass Colorado’s first Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), which requires power companies to use more alternative energy sources. In 2007, the House of Representatives twice passed a national renewable electricity standard championed by Mark. He continues his work in the Senate to enact a national RES.


Finally, Mark is also known for his efforts to develop a tough and smart national security strategy. He has led legislative action to strengthen the U.S military, improve national security and protect our service members by reducing the military’s reliance on fossil fuels. Moreover, he has consistently fought for programs to benefit our nation's veterans, including extending TRICARE benefits to military children and fighting to improve access to health care in rural Colorado.


Mark has received numerous accolades in the media. The Denver Post notes that he has a proven track record of bipartisan accomplishments. Al Lewis of the Dow Jones Newswires applauds Mark and his willingness to tackle America's most difficult challenges alongside members of both parties. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel calls him “conscientious,” “highly capable” and “energetic.”


Mark was born on July 18, 1950, in Tucson, Arizona, but has spent his entire adult life in Colorado. After graduating from Williams College in 1972, he moved to Colorado's Western Slope and began a long and successful career with the Colorado Outward Bound School as a course director and educator from 1975-85 and as the organization’s executive director from 1985-95. Mark is an avid mountaineer and has climbed or attempted some of the world’s most challenging peaks, including Mt. Everest.


Mark’s family is no stranger to public service. His father, Morris “Mo” Udall, served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years and ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 1976. His uncle, Stewart, was widely revered for his accomplishments while serving as Secretary of the Interior under U.S. Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. In 2008, Mark’s cousin, Tom Udall, was elected to the Senate from New Mexico.


Mark and his wife, prominent attorney and conservationist Maggie Fox, have two children: a son Jed and a daughter Tess. They live near Eldorado Springs in Boulder County.

Blog Entries by Sen. Mark Udall

Celebrating Earth Day

4 Comments | Posted April 22, 2012 | 2:25 PM

Wallace Stegner, a great writer of the American West, called our magnificent Western landscapes the 'geography of hope.' These precious lands, he noted, gave Americans our opportunity and our prosperity. Today, we celebrate Earth Day by taking action and recognizing the important role our land, air and water have in...

Read Post

David vs. Goliath

2 Comments | Posted March 22, 2012 | 3:45 PM

In Congress, passing common-sense legislation can seem like a battle between David and Goliath. In this case, Goliath is deep-pocketed special interest groups that use their influence to block bills before they can get a vote. David is Colorado small businesses that just need more loan options so they can...

Read Post

Support Net Neutrality to Preserve a Free and Democratic Internet

0 Comments | Posted November 8, 2011 | 12:41 PM

Truth be told, I'm much more comfortable in a pair of hiking boots or with a rack of climbing gear than in front of a laptop. But just like you, I know the Internet has opened countless doors for people seeking to educate themselves, start a small business, and communicate...

Read Post

A Day to Celebrate

0 Comments | Posted September 20, 2011 | 11:56 AM

Today we will finally put an end to a discriminatory military policy that was crafted almost two decades ago during a time when we weren't at war with another country, but rather we were bitterly divided -- politically and socially -- against ourselves.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell...

Read Post

I Support Marriage Equality

0 Comments | Posted September 1, 2011 | 12:38 PM

I think most Americans would agree people should be treated equally and everyone ought to be able to pursue a fulfilling life with the ones they love. But at times we fail to live up to the solemn promise guaranteed to every American in the Declaration of Independence, namely, life,...

Read Post

Calling It Like I See It: Congress, the Tea Party, and the Way Forward

0 Comments | Posted August 25, 2011 | 12:22 PM

I want to share a few thoughts about how Congress is working, or isn't working, and our country's direction.

I spent most of last week touring local businesses in my home state of Colorado, talking directly with people and hearing about what's going on in their lives and communities. Not...

Read Post

How Can Congress Debate a Secret Law?

0 Comments | Posted May 25, 2011 | 1:56 PM

Members of Congress are about to vote to extend the most controversial provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act for four more years, even though few of them understand how those provisions are being interpreted and applied.

As members of the Senate Intelligence Committee we have been provided with the executive...

Read Post

We Must Reform the PATRIOT Act

0 Comments | Posted May 23, 2011 | 4:03 PM

Later today, the U.S. Senate will take a step toward reauthorizing the most controversial provisions of the PATRIOT Act for four more years. The Senate may not allow any amendments to fix the problematic portions of this law. We must take action -- today -- to demand the opportunity to...

Read Post

Make the Kids to Parks Day Pledge

0 Comments | Posted May 18, 2011 | 5:14 PM

Make the Kids to Parks PledgeToday, I launched my initiative to encourage kids to get outdoors by introducing a resolution to honor the inaugural National Kids to Parks Day on Saturday, May 21....

Read Post

Health Care Reform: One Year and Thousands of Beneficiaries Later

0 Comments | Posted March 23, 2011 | 8:19 PM

Today marks the one-year anniversary of enacting the Affordable Care Act, the health-insurance reform bill I fought hard to pass in the 111th Congress to ensure Coloradans -- not their insurance companies -- can call the shots on their health care decisions. Equally important, it will enable many Coloradans to...

Read Post

Return Civility to Washington

0 Comments | Posted January 19, 2011 | 4:01 PM

Help Bridge the Partisan Divide. Sign the Petition.I've often said that the best ideas are not Republican ideas or Democratic ideas; they're American ideas - practical solutions to our...

Read Post

UPDATED: Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding Bipartisan Seating at the State of the Union Address

0 Comments | Posted January 14, 2011 | 6:31 PM

Read Post

Fix the Filibuster

0 Comments | Posted January 4, 2011 | 10:12 AM

I've been in the Senate for two years, and while I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish, I've developed a keen frustration with one thing in particular: the filibuster.

Don't get me wrong: I have a deep respect for the Senate, and I also realize that the winds...

Read Post

AG Holder, Please Don't Appeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell Ruling

0 Comments | Posted October 4, 2010 | 1:11 PM

Last month a federal court judge ruled that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) is unconstitutional. It was a huge step forward. But now the Department of Justice (DOJ) has the option to appeal this ruling and turn back the progress we have made.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and...

Read Post

Stem the Flow

0 Comments | Posted June 17, 2010 | 4:28 PM

The horrifying images coming out of the Gulf of Mexico serve as a powerful reminder that we must look toward clean-energy solutions to create American jobs and wean our nation off our dependence on foreign oil. But even while we work for a clean-energy future, we must ensure today's energy...

Read Post

Finally, a Bill to Repeal DADT

0 Comments | Posted March 3, 2010 | 11:52 AM

Finally, we have a bill.

Just minutes ago, I stood with Senators Lieberman, Levin, Gillibrand, and Burris at a press conference and announced that we would be introducing the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010 in the Senate to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

In a time of...

Read Post

The Right Thing to Do

0 Comments | Posted February 3, 2010 | 2:00 PM

"Allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do."

Those were the courageous words of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen during yesterday's hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy. Defense Secretary Robert Gates...

Read Post

Gaming the System

0 Comments | Posted November 6, 2009 | 11:40 AM

On May 22, 2009, the President signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act ("Credit CARD Act").

The new law will institute common sense, pro-consumer reform like requiring advance notice of interest-rate increases, banning the practice of universal default, and protecting young people from unscrupulous lending practices.

The...

Read Post

Why Colorado Matters in the Health Care Debate

0 Comments | Posted October 23, 2009 | 4:17 PM

On Tuesday we told you about our open letter to the U.S. Senate, supporting an up or down vote for the public option. The response to our effort has been overwhelming: Over 16,000 people have already signed on to our letter at UpOrDownForReform.com.

When we elected Barack...

Read Post

Public Option in Danger

0 Comments | Posted October 20, 2009 | 12:43 PM

The public option will provide much-needed competition and choice for health care. And with the majority of Senators, Representatives, and the American people supporting a public option, its passage would seem inevitable.

But in fact, the public option is in real danger.

That's because the quiet threat of...

Read Post