Mark Udall was elected to the U. S. Senate by the people of Colorado on Nov. 4, 2008, after representing the state's 2nd Congressional District for five terms (from 1999-2008). Prior to that, Udall served in the Colorado State Legislature as a Member of the General Assembly for one term (1997-99), representing the 13th District, which encompassed the community of Longmont and parts of southern Boulder County..

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Udall served as a member of the Armed Services Committee, the Natural Resources Committee, the Agriculture Committee, and the Small Business Committee. He was chairman of the Science and Technology Committee's Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. His committee assignments have given him a platform to address many issues important to Colorado, including national security, energy, education, health care, space and technology, agriculture, environment and transportation.

He is known for reaching across party lines to solve problems and for his willingness to work with people, including those with whom he has philosophical differences. His inclusive and bipartisan approach has led to a number of legislative achievements, including legislation to reduce wildfire risk and bark-beetle infestation, promoting the development of Colorado's aerospace industry, the high technology sector and energy resources, with particular focus on renewable energy and the so-called "Green Energy Economy." Udall also led efforts to successfully pass the James Peak Wilderness Bill and legislation transforming the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons facility into a wildlife refuge. He's also championed health care for workers and retirees from the nation's nuclear weapons complex and consumer protection against abusive and predatory credit card companies.

Regarded as a national leader on renewable energy, Udall has reached across the aisle to put Colorado and the country at the forefront of sustainable energy development. In 2004, he successfully co-chaired the Amendment 37 campaign to pass Colorado's first Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), which requires power companies to use more alternative energy sources. In 2007, the House of Representatives twice with Udall's leadership passed a national renewable electricity standard, and Udall continues his work to enact a national RES.

Udall is also known for his efforts to develop a tough and smart national security strategy, leading legislative action to expand and strengthen the U.S Army.

The Rocky Mountain News says, "time and again he's reached across the political aisle to craft a compromise solution to some sticky political problem." The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel calls Mark "conscientious," "highly capable" and "energetic."

Udall was born on July 18, 1950, in Tucson, Arizona, and has spent his entire adult life in Colorado. After graduating from Williams College in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in American Civilization, he moved to Colorado's western slope and began a long and successful career with the Colorado Outward Bound School, as a course director and educator from 1975-85 and as the organization's Executive Director from 1985-95. Taking the challenges of his career into his own life, Udall is an avid mountaineer and has climbed or attempted some of the world's most challenging peaks, including Mt. Everest.

Mark's family is no stranger to public service. His father, Morris "Mo" Udall, served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years and ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 1976. His uncle, Stewart, is widely revered for his accomplishments while serving as Secretary of the Interior under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

He and his wife, prominent attorney and conservationist Maggie Fox, have two children: a son Jed and a daughter Tess. They live near Eldorado Springs in Boulder County.

"Biography." Senator Mark Udall. 8 January 2009 .

Contact Information:

Washington D.C. Office
B40E DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5941