ICYMI: Hickenlooper Travels to Southwest Colorado to Meet with Ute Mountain Ute, Hold Town Hall in Cortez, Highlight Federal Investments in Rural Health care and Affordable Housing

At the end of August, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper held a town hall in Cortez and made stops in Cortez, Towaoc, and Durango to discuss local issues and highlight federal investments in the region.

In Cortez, Hickenlooper visited Southwest Memorial Hospital to discuss issues facing rural critical access hospitals and highlight the hospital's application for Congressionally Directed Spending, which made it into the final draft FY2025 Senate Appropriations bill.

Hickenlooper also traveled to Towaoc, where met with Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council members to discuss issues, including water rights and public lands. He toured Kwiyagat Community Academy, a school dedicated to the preservation of Nuchiu culture and language, and the Farm and Ranch Enterprise, the Tribe's 7,700-acre farm where they produce alfalfa, wheat, and corn.

Later, Hickenlooper held a town hall in Cortez where he highlighted federal legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and answered questions on energy permitting reform, immigration, and public lands.

Hickenlooper then stopped in Durango to celebrate federal investments he helped secure, including $1.3 million to develop a nurse training facility and program at Fort Lewis College and $3 million to convert a Best Western hotel into the Residences at Durango, a 120-unit affordable housing project.

Check out the coverage below:

Cortez Journal: Sen. Hickenlooper visits Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper visited Southwest Memorial Hospital Wednesday to learn from local providers and officials in Cortez about challenges to rural health care.

He said the government ought to provide, as much as possible, the same quality of treatment to everybody, regardless of whether they live in a big city or a small town.

And he said a senator with firsthand experience of an issue is listened to more closely when discussing priorities with other politicians.

"Being in this room with all of you gives me a leg up in Washington," said Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). "You're giving me muscle to get what you need."

Weenuche Smoke Signals: Facebook Post on Senator Hickenlooper's Visit

WATCH: Local News Network: Senator Hickenlooper Tours New Nursing Training Facility at Fort Lewis College

Fort Lewis College has partnered with the University of Colorado Anschutz to introduce a four-year nursing degree and a new nursing training facility to its campus. On August 29th, US Senator John Hickenlooper toured the new nursing training facility, which is still undergoing renovations. Hickenlooper secured $1.3 million in federal funds through congressionally directed spending to support the collaborative four-year nursing degree program at Fort Lewis College.

…This partnership, known as the CU Nursing Fort Lewis College Collaborative, allows Fort Lewis College students to receive a top-tier Colorado nursing education from CU Anschutz, while benefiting from the smaller class sizes at FLC.

"The fundamental components, of how we'll create that system, whereby people can get all manner of medical attention, by highly trained kids who grew up here and didn't go off to Denver or Chicago and get their education there when they might decide, 'Oh, this is a big city, I might just stay.' Now they stay here, where their roots are."

Durango Herald:Durango-area officials tell Hickenlooper housing partnership is working well, but federal support needed

A major throughline during U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper's tour of the construction site of the Residences at Durango was obvious: Community partnerships and regional collaborations are key to success.

Hickenlooper stopped in Durango on Thursday after a town hall in Cortez on Wednesday to check on projects he helped secure federal congressionally directed funding for, including $1.3 million for the University of Colorado College of Nursing and Fort Lewis College Collaborative's new nursing training facility; $3 million for the Best Western motel conversion of 72 units into a 120-unit low-income housing community in Durango; and another $3 million for the town ofIgnacio's Rock Creek affordable housing project.

He met with health care CEOs and leaders at FLC, who spoke to area health care successes, needs and opportunities. He then visited the Residences at Durango, followed by a meeting with area stakeholders from La Plata and Montezuma counties.

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