2014 CO Senate debate: on Health Care


Cory Gardner: Ebola: immediate ban on all travel from West African

The candidates were asked how they would evaluate the federal response to the Ebola crisis. "We ought to listen to the health-care professionals," Sen. Udall said. "If they believe we ought to close our borders, we ought to restrict flights to and from West Africa. Let's listen to them. But senators and congressmen shouldn't be making those decisions. We should be supporting the resources that are necessary to meet the Ebola challenge."

Gardner called for an immediate traffic ban on all travel from West African countries where the Ebola virus is spreading. "If the president's not willing to put into a place a travel ban, then we should have 100% screening of the people who are coming from those affected areas," Gardner said.

The two tangled over cuts to the Center for Disease Control, with Udall saying the congressman cut funds that would have helped the agency and Gardner saying he opposed tax dollars going to programs such as Jazzercise.

Source: Denver Post on 2014 Colorado Senate debate Oct 15, 2014

Amy Stephens: AmyCare was lesser of 2 evils to exempt state from ObamaCare

Buck passed on a chance to attack Stephens for her support of the state's health exchange, which conservative critics link to the Affordable Care Act derisively as "AmyCare." On a question about the state's alternative to ObamaCare sponsored by Stephens in 2011, Buck rose to Stephens' defense, though he disagreed with her position. "If you look at Amy's career, you will see the career of a person who has stood up for Republican values time and time again," he said. "There are people in the Republican Party focused on one issue, and they shouldn't be, for any of us up here."

Stephens called the state-run health exchange "the lesser of two evils" to exempt the state from ObamaCare, and that she supports government closer to home. "When you see a tsunami coming, you have to make a decision," she said, adding she would vote to repeal ObamaCare.

Source: Denver Post on 2014 Colorado Senate debate Feb 26, 2014

Cory Gardner: ObamaCare has led to 335,000 cancellations in Colorado

In recent months, Gardner, like most Colorado conservatives, has assailed Udall for his support of the Affordable Care Act.

Udall's office was recently involved in a dispute over health insurance policy cancellations in Colorado and Gardner called on the state's division of insurance to provide his office with updated cancellation figures.

The updated numbers found that as of mid-January about 335,000 Coloradans had received cancellation notices, though about 92 percent were offered renewal options.

"It's stunning that ObamaCare has led to this many canceled plans, and now it's coming to the forefront," Gardner said, at the time.

Source: Denver Post on 2014 Colorado Senate race Feb 26, 2014

Mark Udall: AdWatch: Targeted by RNC robocalls for support of ObamaCare

Sen. Mark Udall is among 11 Democrats targeted by the Republican National Committee for their support of ObamaCare. The RNC is using robocalls and posting on Facebook to urge people to call their representatives and ask "why they supported President Obama's lie that people could keep their healthcare plans under ObamaCare."

The targets besides Udall are Reps. Gary Peters (MI) and Bruce Braley (IA), Sens. Mark Warner (VA), Mark Begich (AK), Dick Durbin (IL), Kay Hagan (NC), Mary Landrieu (LA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Mark Pryor (AR), and Jeanne Shaheen (NH). The robocall script reads:

"President Obama and the Democrats said you could keep your healthcare plan under ObamaCare. Now we know [SENATOR] actually VOTED to make it more difficult. Call [SENATOR] at (XXX)-XXX-XXX & ask why [he/she] lied."

The robocalls are a response to Democrats launching the "GOP Shutdown Watch" campaign, highlighting Republican senate candidates who supported the partial federal government shutdown.

Source: MI Daily Tribune PacWatch: 2014 Colorado Senate debate Nov 5, 2013

  • The above quotations are from 2014 Colorado Senate debates.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Mark Udall on Health Care.
  • Click here for more quotes by Owen Hill on Health Care.
Candidates and political leaders on Health Care:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 06, 2018