Mark Udall
Template:TOCnestleft Mark Udall was a Democratic member of the United States Senate, representing the state of Colorado.
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.
Mark Udall 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.[1]
Background
Mark Udall 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. He is an avid mountaineer and has climbed or attempted some of the world’s most challenging peaks, including Mt. Everest.
His father, Morris 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 Udall, 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.[2]
Committees
In the U.S. Senate, Mark Udallserves 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. [3]
Planned Parenthood
Udall received $10,000 in lobbying funds from Planned Parenthood in 2008.
Supported by Council for a Livable World
The Council for a Livable World, founded in 1962 by long-time socialist activist and alleged Soviet agent, Leo Szilard, is a non-profit advocacy organization that seeks to "reduce the danger of nuclear weapons and increase national security", primarily through supporting progressive, congressional candidates who support their policies. The Council supported Mark Udall in his successful 2008 Senate run as candidate for Colorado.[4] He has also been previously supported by the Council.[5]
- Council for a Livable World endorses Rep. Mark Udall for Senate 2008. In Colorado's race to replace retiring Senator Wayne Allard, Udall, a clear-cut progressive, is challenging one of the state's most conservative politicians.[6]·
The Council also said;
- Udall has a strong record on national security issues, scoring an 88 percent on the Council for a Livable World's PeacePAC voting scorecard. He voted for requiring Congressional authorization for military operations in Iran, for an international treaty banning space-based weapons, for increasing funding for nuclear non-proliferation and against development of new nuclear weapons.
- This year, he voted against an amendment to add $764 million for missile programs and took the initiative on pressing legislation barring President Bush from attacking Iran without prior Congressional approval. Representative Udall is the lead House sponsor of a measure introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) that would make it more difficult for Bush to strike Iran.
- This Colorado contest is one of the best opportunities in the 2008 election to win a Senate seat for a progressive with a proven political record. Mark Udall will work hard to end the war in Iraq. He is a man of courage who voted against giving President Bush the authorization to attack Iraq. Council for a Livable World has endorsed Mark Udall with great enthusiasm.[7]
The Wilderness Society
On April 29, 2010, The Wilderness Society held a celebration for the 50th anniversary of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Society's president, William H. Meadows joined Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Mark Udall (D-CO), together with Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) in addressing the event. Also speaking were Luci Beach, Tom Campion, Brian Moore, Evan Hirsche, Mary Beth Beetham and Debbie Sease.[8]
Honduras letter
On Thursday, May 23, 2013, U.S. Senator Cardin (D-MD) circulated a Senate sign-on "Dear Colleague" letter to Secretary of State John Kerry addressing deepening concerns about Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Honduras.
The letter states that violence and impunity for state security forces in Honduras has reached intolerable levels and cites concerns related to extrajudicial killings, linkages to death squads, and increasing militarization of civilian law enforcement. The letter also raises the concern that State Department certifications intended to ensure that U.S. foreign aid supports the rule of law in Honduras may contradict the reality on the ground.
The letter asks State Department to:
- provide Congress with a detailed assessment of the efficacy of current Honduran government efforts to address this issue as mandated by FY12 Appropriations language;
- conduct a detailed review of specific State Department actions to help ensure that no U.S. funds are being used to support police implicated in human rights violations; and
- make every reasonable effort to help ensure that Honduras' upcoming November 2013 elections are free, fair and peaceful.[9]
In addition to Cardin, the letter was cosigned by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mark Udall (D-CO), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).[10]
JStreet endorsement
The socialist infiltrated, anti-Israel "two state solution" JStreet PAC endorsed Mark Udall in his 2014 Senate run from Colorado. [11]
21st Century Democrats
21st Century Democrats unsuccessfully endorsed Mark Udall for Senator from Colorado in 2014.[12]
Exposing CIA torture
In December 2014, Senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall, who as members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have been leading voices for public disclosure of the reports of torture during the Bush-Cheney years. In a New York Times article, Senator Wyden highlighted that it is “critically important that this report not be pushed under the rug, buried before the American people have a chance to see it.” Senator Mark Udall “remains committed to getting the truth out about the C.I.A.’s misguided, brutal and ineffective detention and interrogation program.”[13]
ARA endorsement
The Alliance for Retired Americans Political Action Fund endorsed Mark Udall in 2014.[14]
External links
References
- ↑ official senate bio, accessed August 4, 2011
- ↑ official senate bio, accessed August 4, 2011
- ↑ official senate bio, accessed August 4, 2011
- ↑ CLW website: Meet Our Candidates
- ↑ CLW website: Who We've Helped Elect
- ↑ Youtube, Mark Udall for Senate 2008 LivableWorld LivableWorld
- ↑ CLW bio accessed July 2013
- ↑ The Wilderness Society Press Release: The Wilderness Society Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, April 29, 2010 (accessed on Dec. 17, 2010)
- ↑ SOAWatch, Ask your Senator to sign onto the Cardin Letter about Honduras
- ↑ Cardin Press release, Cardin Leads Senate Call For Accountability In Honduras For Human Rights Violations Tuesday, June 18, 2013
- ↑ J Street The political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans
- ↑ Century Democrats, 2014 candidates
- ↑ Lloyd Doggett FB page, accessed Dec 11, 2014
- ↑ PAF