Colorado Congressional Leaders Say Ukraine Invasion Will Impact Colorado

DENVER (CBS4)- Some members of Colorado's Congressional delegation sit on committees that will be key in the response or fallout to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sen. John Hickenlooper is on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Michael Bennet sits on the Select Committee on Intelligence, and Congressman Ken Buck is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

All three are united in their condemnation of Russia's actions but part ways on the U.S. response to it.

Bennet and Hickenlooper say President Joe Biden is doing the right thing by enacting severe economic sanctions. Buck says the sanctions come too late for Ukraine and he's worried the conflict could spill into NATO countries.

He says the President's energy policies have put the U.S. in a vulnerable position and not just in terms of gas prices, which are rising as the price of oil climbs.

Buck is worried Russian President Vladimir Putin could use energy to split NATO and draw the U.S. into war, "One of the things we can do in Colorado is produce more natural gas and get the excess of natural gas to Western Europe and relieve some of the pressure, some of the leverage that Putin has over Western Europe."

Bennet and Hickenlooper say the invasion is evidence of why the U-S needs to continue the transition to renewable energy.

"I think we've got to focus on the transition to renewable energy which we are secure. At the same time, we've got to make sure we have gas in our cars while making this great transition to electric vehicles," Hickenlooper said.

Bennet insists, if an increase in gas prices is the cost of defending democracy, it's worth it, "This is an assault on everything we believe in countries and people to set their own course, to not be victimized by tyrants and I know the American people are going to do what it, takes if that requires some sacrifice to make sure we win."

Bennet, Buck, and Hickenlooper all say the U.S. should not put troops in Ukraine, but should defend all NATO allies. Buck says the invasion has unified NATO as nothing else has.