U.S. Senator from Colorado
John Hickenlooper
Democrat · Colorado
Former Governor and Mayor of Denver, elected to Senate in 2020. Geologist and brewpub entrepreneur. Moderate Democrat focused on energy, innovation, and bipartisanship.
Record
Moderate Democrat. Co-authored the CHIPS Act supporting semiconductor manufacturing. Focuses on energy transition, innovation economy, and practical bipartisan solutions.
Legislative Record
Recently sponsored bills (8 on record)
- S.5176 — A bill to establish a pilot program to address critical workforce integration and national security imperatives. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.4730 — Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 10, 2026)
Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2026 This bill allows the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make competitive grants to assist eligible entities (i.e., a junior or community college, or a consortium or alliance of two-year public colleges, supporting agriculture advancement) in… - S.4382 — Workforce Data Enhancement Act (Introduced, Apr 23, 2026)
- S.J.Res.162 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to the withdrawal of the rule relating to "Bulletin 2015-07 re: in-person collection of consumer debt". (Introduced, Apr 13, 2026)
- S.4116 — Geo POWER Act (Introduced, Mar 17, 2026)
- S.4005 — Responsible Containment Reauthorization Act of 2026 (Introduced, Mar 5, 2026)
- S.3792 — Water Project Navigators Act (Reported, Feb 5, 2026)
- S.3576 — PREPARE Act of 2025 (Introduced, Dec 18, 2025)
Notable votes
- Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — S. Res. 817 (Resolution Agreed to, Jul 30, 2026)
- Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. Res. 817 (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jul 29, 2026)
- Voted Yea on H.R. 6644 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 6644 with an Amendment (SA 5823) (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jun 18, 2026)
- Voted Nay on S. 2 — S. 2, As Amended (Bill Passed, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Cortez Masto Amdt. No. 5463 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Padilla Amdt. No. 5808 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Gallego Amdt. No. 5813 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Peters Amdt. No. 5763 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)
- S.1541 — SHIPS for America Act of 2025 (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.4696 — Right to Record Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.5189 — A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender neutral standards for members of certain Armed Forces, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.5165 — A bill to authorize the Office of Polar Programs of the National Science Foundation, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
- S.2223 — Investing in Main Street Act of 2025 (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.5101 — Glenwood Hot Springs Protection Act (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.5108 — A bill to protect and expand nationwide access to assisted reproductive technology, including in vitro fertilization. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.5124 — A bill to prohibit interference in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
Voting analysis
John Hickenlooper's record contains two bills handled in exactly opposite ways, and between them they account for most of his departures.
One carried through, one refused throughout
On the first he voted for passage, for cloture twice, and for an amendment folded into it — supporting the measure at every stage his caucus opposed it. On the second he voted against both cloture and passage, refusing it at each stage his caucus advanced it.
A member who does both things in the same period is not drifting. He is treating each bill on its merits and arriving at opposite answers, which is what a moderate record actually looks like when you inspect it rather than summarise it.
Around those sit two joint resolutions he supported against the caucus and an amendment from a colleague he declined.
| Roll call | Date | Outcome | Their vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.R. 7148 H.R. 7148, as Amended On Passage of the Bill H.R. 7148 · roll call 119 | Jan 30, 2026 | Bill Passed | Yea (party: Nay) |
| H.R. 6938 On Passage of the Bill H.R. 6938 · roll call 119 | Jan 15, 2026 | Bill Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.R. 6938 Motion to Invoke Cloture: H.R. 6938 On the Cloture Motion H.R. 6938 · roll call 119 | Jan 15, 2026 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.R. 3944 Van Hollen Amdt. No. 3115 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3115 to S.Amdt. 3411 to H.R. 3944 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Aug 1, 2025 | Amendment Rejected | Nay (party: Yea) |
| S. 1582 S. 1582, As Amended On Passage of the Bill S. 1582 · roll call 119 | Jun 17, 2025 | Bill Passed | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 1582 Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. 1582 On the Cloture Motion S. 1582 · roll call 119 | Jun 12, 2025 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 1582 Amdt. No. 2307 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 2307 to S. 1582 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Jun 12, 2025 | Amendment Agreed to | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 1582 Motion to Invoke Cloture: Amdt. No. 2307 to S. 1582 On the Cloture Motion S. 1582 · roll call 119 | Jun 11, 2025 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Yea (party: Nay) |
| H.J.Res. 25 On the Joint Resolution H.J.Res. 25 · roll call 119 | Mar 26, 2025 | Joint Resolution Passed | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S.J.Res. 3 S.J. Res. 3 On the Joint Resolution S.J.Res. 3 · roll call 119 | Mar 4, 2025 | Joint Resolution Passed | Yea (party: Nay) |
Above the Colorado average
Colorado's two Democratic senators produce a high state average between them, and Hickenlooper sits above even that.
Among the 2 Democrats in the Colorado delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 6.3%. John Hickenlooper is above that average at 7.3%.
What he legislates on
He is ranking member of subcommittees on consumer protection and data privacy, and on employment and workplace safety. Energy leads his classified filings. The bills run to workforce questions: a pilot programme on workforce integration and national security, agriculture advancement through community colleges, workforce data, a disapproval resolution on consumer debt collection, and a geothermal measure.
Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. John Hickenlooper's cluster into: Energy (2), Crime and Law Enforcement (1), Finance and Financial Sector (1), Labor and Employment (1), Water Resources Development (1).
Of the 8 most recent of those, 7 currently sit at Introduced.
Tenure and attendance
The governorship preceded this seat, which he won at the opening of the decade. Almost no votes pass without him.
First elected in 2021, now serving across 3 terms. John Hickenlooper falls in the mid cohort.
By the numbers
In the 119th Congress, John Hickenlooper has 282 bills sponsored, 1118 cosponsored, 8 recent floor votes recorded.
Committee assignments
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
- Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Aviation, Space, and Innovation
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy (Ranking Member)
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Telecommunications and Media
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Energy
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Public Lands, Forests, and Mining
- Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: Water and Power
- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Employment and Workplace Safety (Ranking Member)
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