Michael Bennet

Michael Bennet

Michael F. Bennet is a Democratic member of the United States Senate, representing Colorado.

Bennet served as the Superintendent of the Denver Public Schools before running for the U.S. Senate. He has also been Chief of Staff to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Managing Director at the Anschutz Investment Company, and Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General at the Department of Justice during the Clinton Administration.

Michael earned his bachelor’s degree with honors from Wesleyan University and his law degree from Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of The Yale Law Journal.

In 1997, Bennet married Susan Daggett, a successful natural resources lawyer. Michael and Susan are the parents of three daughters: Caroline, Halina, and Anne.

Presidential campaign staff

• Daniel Barash Senior advisor Regional political director for expansion districts at the DCCC
• Craig Hughes Senior advisor Partner, Hilltop Public Solutions
• Jessica Boad National finance director Western regional candidate fundraising director, DCCC
• Jill Straus Senior advisor for finance Founder at Straus/Baker
• Tracy Sturman Senior advisor for finance Consultant at Golden State Strategies
• Shannon Beckham Communications advisor Communications advisor, office of Sen. Michael Bennet

JStreet PAC endorsement

In 2024 JStreet PAC endorsed Michael Bennet.

Support for the Council on American Islamic Relations

Michael Bennet wrote a letter of support to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on the occasion of their 24th anniversary in September 2018.

Common Defense

Common Defense endorsed Michael Bennet in 2022.

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 is supporting Michael Bennet in his 2010 election campaign.

The Council wrote of Bennet;

Born in 1964 in New Delhi, India, Bennet earned his bachelor’s degree fromWesleyan University and his law degree from Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of The Yale Law Journal. He practiced law, worked in the Clinton Justice Department, managed an investment company, served as Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s chief of staff, and then accepted the challenge of improving Denver’s failing school system.

For many years, Bennet has had a strong commitment to national security issues. He supports President Obama’s efforts to negotiate a new treaty with Russia for reciprocal deep cuts in nuclear arsenals as well as ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. He supports the President’s goal of securing and retrieving nuclear weapons-usable materials worldwide and the Kissinger-Schultz-Nunn-Perry vision of moving toward a world free of nuclear weapons.

He also supports the Obama plan for ending the war in Iraq and opposes deployment of missile defense at this time. Because Colorado has endured the toxic legacy of its Rocky Mountain arsenal, which once built deadly nerve gas weapons, he understands the dire consequences of some of our country’s weapons policies.

ARA endorsement

The Alliance for Retired Americans endorsed Michael Bennet in 2010.

China visit

A bipartisan delegation of 10 United States Senators returned home late April following a week’s worth of meetings with high-level Chinese government officials, business leaders, U.S. Foreign Service officers and Peace Corps volunteers.

The historic delegation, led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, represented more than a third of the U.S. population and included some of the most senior members of the Senate. The delegation included Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

Some of the Chinese officials the Senators met with include:

• Xi Jinping, China’s Vice President, who is widely expected to succeed Hu Jintao next year as China’s next President
• Wang Qishan, Vice Premier
• Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister
• Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature.
• Lu Yongxiang, Vice Chairman of the National People’s Congress
• Zhou Xiaochuan, President of the People’s Bank of China
• Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of Hong Kong
• Florinda Chan, Acting Chief Executive and Secretary for Administration and Justice of Macau
• Ge Honglin, Mayor of Chengdu, a city with a population of 14 million that is a leader in China’s renewable energy industry.

Obama for America, National Co-Chair

February 22, 2012, Obama for America, announced the selection of the campaign’s National Co-Chairs, a diverse group of leaders from around the country committed to re-electing President Obama. The co-chairs will serve as ambassadors for the President, advise the campaign on key issues, and help engage and mobilize voters in all 50 states.

Senator Michael Bennet – U.S. Senator from Colorado, was on the list.

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.

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).

Radical interns

Sahana Mehta was an Intern in the Office of Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO). Jul 2015 – Jul 2015.

Aaquil Anwar was a Housing and Urban Development Intern, Jun 2014 – Aug 2014., Senator Michael Bennet, Denver, Colorado.

Endorsing Yara Zokaie

Senator John Hickenlooper, Senator Michael Bennet, Rep. Joe Neguse, State Rep. Cathy Kopp.

NIAC connection

National Iranian American Council February 28, 2017:

NIAC Action's Colorado team just met with Senator Michael Bennet's staff to thank him for supporting the #IranDeal, and for cosponsoring legislation to repeal and defund the #MuslimBan!

We need more members of Congress defending our community like Senator Bennet - it's easy to get involved with a local team, and we need more citizens like YOU to speak up!

National Iranian American Council April 4, 2017:

Senator Michael Bennet requested a follow-up meeting with NIAC Action's Colorado team and Denver University students to hear how the #MuslimBan is impacting them, and why #S722 risks peace with #Iran.

Developing personal relationships with Congressional offices is what we do. We provide you with all the tools you need to have an effective meeting with your lawmakers - join a NIAC Action team today: niacaction.org/join

Pro Cuba

Sen. Michael Bennet announced in 2016 the launch of Colorado’s Engage Cuba Statewide Council “to open trade opportunities to Cuba and end the travel ban” and co-sponsored the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act and the Freedom to Export to Cuba Act.

Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015

S 299, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act of 2015, principal sponsors are Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

By May 20, it had accumulated 33 co-sponsors, including 26 Democrats - Sheldon Whitehouse, Tom Udall, Dick Durbin, Thomas Carper, Amy Klobuchar, Barbara Boxer, Jack Reed, Debbie Stabenow, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Benjamin Cardin, Chris Coons, Dianne Feinstein, Jeanne Shaheen, Sherrod Brown, Mazie Hirono, Brian Schatz, Tammy Baldwin, Ed Markey, Heidi Heitkamp, Jon Tester, Claire McCaskill, Ron Wyden, Tim Kaine, Al Franken, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bennet, Martin Heinrich .

Cuba visit

A delegation of four senators and one representative of the United States Congress traveled to Cuba on Sunday, exactly a month after the arrival of a new president to the White House. One of the senators is a strong ally of President Trump.

Republican Thad Cochran, from Mississippi, who has decisively endorsed Trump’s initial decisions in the Senate, is among the delegation. The legislators are led by one of the main proponents of normalized relations with Cuba, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy (Vermont), notes the Cuban-US Economic and Trade Council.

The remaining members of the delegation are Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) and Tom Udall (D-New Mexico), as well as Rep. Jim McGovern (D- Massachusetts).

Except for Cochran and Bennet, the remaining legislators have visited the island on previous occasions.

The program for their visit to Cuba was not disclosed. The group is scheduled to leave the island on Wednesday, February 22nd 2017.

Cochran, the only Republican in the group, is a co-sponsor in the Senate of a bill providing for the Expansion of Agricultural Exports to Cuba. The legislation would eliminate the prohibition of granting private credit to finance agricultural sales to the island and thus seek greater access by US farmers to the Cuban market.

The bill is bipartisan and was introduced by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas.).

Cochran chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee and has voted in favor of all those nominated by the president to his cabinet.

Committees

• Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

• Financial Institutions subcommittee
• Security and International Trade and Finance subcommittee
• Securities, Insurance and Investment

• Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)
• Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

• Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit subcommittee
• Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms subcommittee
• Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology subcommittee

• Senate Special Committee on Aging

External links

• Bennet's website with the Senate

References

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