Congressional Spotlight: Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO)

Each month The Nonprofit Alliance (TNPA) introduces you to a member of Congress who is a leader on legislative matters important to our TNPA community, with representation from both parties.

What was the moment you realized you were serious about getting into public service?

Unlike a lot of politicians, I never held a public office — or even really got involved in politics — until I was in my forties! And it wasn’t the usual path either. In the 1980s, I was working as a geologist when I got laid off and decided to take a jump and open the first brewpub in Colorado. We opened the Wynkoop in lower downtown Denver (now known as LoDo) and worked with other businesses in the area to redevelop and attract new investments in the historic area. That experience taught me a new appreciation for the role of local government and how politics is really about bringing people together and making sure everyone felt heard. Not too different from working the bar at the Wynkoop!

Describe your life in seven words.

Science, beer, compromise, and Giddy Up! 

More About Senator John Hickenlooper

TNPA has worked closely with Senator John Hickenlooper.

Senator Hickenlooper took an unconventional path to public office. After starting out as a geologist, he took a chance by opening the first brewpub in Colorado. As a small business owner, he gained a deep understanding of the local community and the value of collaboration. Senator Hickenlooper entered public service because he knew he could listen to the diverse array of Colorado voices and get things done.

In 2003, he was elected Mayor of Denver. As Mayor he focused on bringing people together to get things done, just as he had done as an entrepreneur. He unified all 34 metro mayors to fund and build FasTracks, the most ambitious U.S. transit initiative in modern American history with 119 miles of new track. He also made Denver the first large city to provide quality early childhood education for every four-year old, initiated the most significant police reforms in Denver’s history, and opened one of the first offices of sustainability in the country.

In 2010, he was elected Governor of Colorado. During his eight years as Governor Colorado’s economy recovered from ranking 40^th in job creation to become the number one economy in the country (according to U.S. News & World Report). As Governor he expanded health care to half a million Coloradans, established climate pollution limits that served as a national model, and enacted common sense gun safety measures.

After being elected to the Senate in 2020, Hickenlooper helped negotiate the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — the largest investment in our aging infrastructure since the New Deal — as a member of the bipartisan group of 22 Senators. He was also instrumental in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, which addresses climate change, lowers health care costs, and reduces the deficit by making profitable corporations pay their fair share. Hickenlooper sits on the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

We at TNPA know the Senator best for his support of S. 566, the Charitable Act. This bipartisan legislation would provide a tax deduction for all taxpayers — regardless of their level of income — when making a charitable contribution. With only 7.5 percent of taxpayers itemizing their taxes and thus eligible to claim a deduction when supporting a charity, the other 92.5 percent of taxpayers receive no tax benefit when supporting charitable causes. Already a bipartisan group of almost one-fourth of the Senate, 24 Senators, have signed on to this legislation. And having Senator Hickenlooper on this legislation is a real plus!

TNPA looks forward to continuing to work closely with Senator Hickenlooper.