Two separate stories in The Denver Post caught my eye this morning. The lack of connection is disturbing. The irony is bewildering. I will simply post a quick summary of each and leave you to connect the dots.
CDPHE stopped state testing PFCs plume, blaming end of EPA funding
Colorado health authorities have stopped monitoring the plume of groundwater contaminated with PFCs at levels exceeding a federal health advisory limit that is spreading south from Colorado Springs toward Pueblo, state and federal officials confirmed.
This widens the challenge of dealing with the perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs, which do not break down and have been linked to birth defects, cancers and other health harm.
Pueblo leaders on Thursday said they expect tracking of contaminated water to continue as PFCs seep south through the Fountain Creek watershed toward the Arkansas River.
(Read the complete story here: The Denver Post)
This is tragic, disturbing, and frightening...if you read the article you will see that Petersen Field Air Force Base in Southern Colorado Springs is likely the source of the poison...but the 65,000 affected residents are in the dark, and the investigation is not only not moving forward — it’s being shut down.
So how is the Republican Congressman who represents this area stepping up to protect his constituents?
Doug Lamborn, in letter to Senate GOP leaders, asks that “pro-life priorities” be included in health care bill
U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, has penned a letter signed by 70 members of the U.S. House asking GOP leadership in the Senate to ensure “our pro-life priorities” are included in any health care legislation they draft to replace the Affordable Care Act.
“While there have been differences of opinion on the best way to fix our nation’s health care system,” the letter dated Wednesday says, “the pro-life majority in the House of Representatives has reached consensus that any health care legislation must abide by the overarching principle that abortion is not health care, and that therefore, elective abortion, abortion providers, and health plans that include elective abortion should not be subsidized.”
The request was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, as well as the chairs of the Senate budget, health and finance committees. Colorado’s other House Republicans — U.S. Reps. Mike Coffman, Ken Buck and Scott Tipton — did not sign the letter.
By JESSE PAUL | The Denver Post
Okay, then. Can you connect the dots? Neither can I.
But I can deduce a few things in the empty space between the two stories. Will the people who keep re-electing this guy ever figure it out?