A Bipartisan Pause at the Capitol: Colorado Officially Honors Persian Gulf War Veterans

What This Bill Actually Does

Every so often, the folks at the Capitol hit pause on the partisan bickering, the budget debates, and the endless committee hearings to actually speak with one unified voice. That is exactly what is happening with House Joint Resolution 26-1013. To understand this, we first need to look at what a Joint Resolution actually is. Unlike a standard bill, a resolution doesn't create new taxes, change speeding limits, or impose new regulations on your business. Instead, it serves as the official, historical voice of the state government. When a joint resolution passes, it means the entire General Assembly is going on the official historical record to declare a shared stance.

In the case of HJR26-1013, the state is officially memorializing and honoring the military veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War. The resolution specifically walks through the historical timeline, starting with Operation Desert Shield in 1990—the deployment of U.S. troops to Saudi Arabia following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. It then honors the subsequent six-month conflict and the successful aerial and ground campaigns known as Operation Desert Storm. The text formally recognizes the massive forty-two-country international coalition that came together to liberate Kuwait, which remains the largest international military coalition assembled since World War II.

But here is the part that brings it home to Colorado: the resolution officially memorializes the 143 members of the United States Armed Forces who were killed in action during the conflict, specifically noting the three Coloradans who made the ultimate sacrifice. To ensure this message reaches the highest levels of government, the resolution mandates that official copies of this declaration be sent directly to the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the United Veterans Coalition of Colorado, Governor Jared Polis, the Colorado Congressional delegation, and the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. It is a formal, permanent receipt of Colorado's gratitude.

What It Means for You

Let's be straight: this resolution isn't going to change your morning commute, lower your property taxes, or alter the way you renew your driver's license. But if you live in Colorado, this official state action still matters deeply to your community. Colorado is home to roughly 400,000 veterans, with massive military communities centered around El Paso County, Aurora, and beyond. Many of the men and women who served in the Persian Gulf War in 1990 and 1991 are now in their mid-to-late 50s and 60s. They are your kids' teachers, your local general contractors, your neighbors, and your civic leaders.

When the state legislature passes a resolution like this, they are actively shaping the cultural environment of our state. For a veteran or a Gold Star family, seeing the state pause its entire legislative machinery to formally acknowledge their specific sacrifice is a powerful, validating moment. It bridges the gap between the politicians in Denver and the real people who have put their lives on the line based on government directives. It is a reminder that behind every historical event and every international policy, there are local families bearing the weight of those decisions.

So, what should you do with this information? Here are a few concrete action items for you this week:

• Have a conversation: If you have a friend, family member, or neighbor who served in the Gulf War, send them a quick text or buy them a coffee. Let them know the state just officially recognized their service, and you do, too.
• Check your local benefits: If you are a veteran yourself, use this moment as a reminder to check in on your state-level benefits. Colorado frequently updates its property tax exemptions and state park passes for disabled veterans. Make sure you aren't leaving money on the table.
• Read the room: Take five minutes to read the actual text of the resolution. It's short, it's powerful, and it provides an excellent historical summary of an event that fundamentally shaped modern American history.

What It Means for Your Business

If you are a business owner reading this, you can breathe a sigh of relief: HJR26-1013 brings exactly zero new compliance hurdles, zero tax liabilities, and zero regulatory changes. You do not need to update your HR handbook, call your CPA, or change your operating procedures. However, smart business owners don't just read legislation for compliance—they read it for business intelligence and cultural indicators. And right now, the Colorado Capitol is sending a massive, unanimous signal about the value of the veteran community.

If your business operates anywhere near Colorado's major military hubs—like Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, or the various defense contractors spread across the Front Range—this resolution is a reminder of your primary customer base and talent pool. Veterans from the Gulf War era bring decades of leadership, logistics, and technical experience to the civilian workforce. When the state officially prioritizes recognizing these individuals, businesses should take the hint and evaluate how they are engaging with this demographic, both as consumers and as potential high-level employees.

Here are three specific things a business owner should do THIS WEEK to align with this pro-veteran momentum:

• Audit your hiring pipeline: Are you actively recruiting veterans? If you are struggling to find disciplined, experienced middle-to-senior management, look into local veteran transition programs. This specific cohort of Gulf War veterans possesses highly valuable leadership skills.
• Acknowledge your team: Do a quick check of your current staff. If you have Gulf War veterans on your payroll, a simple, private acknowledgment of this state resolution—and a sincere "thank you" for their service—goes incredibly far in building employee loyalty.
• Look into veteran-owned business partnerships: The state of Colorado offers various preferences and support structures for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs). If you frequently bid on state or local government contracts, partnering with veteran-owned subcontractors can often strengthen your proposals.

Follow the Money

When we talk about the fiscal impact of a joint resolution like this, we are usually talking about pennies. Because this is a declaratory document rather than a functional law, it bypassed the rigorous Fiscal Note process that standard bills go through. There is no money being appropriated from the state's General Fund, no new taxes being levied, and no grant programs being established. The only actual cost to the state taxpayer is the nominal, administrative expense of printing the official, high-quality copies of the resolution and paying the postage to mail them to the White House, the Governor's mansion, and the specified veteran organizations.

However, if we zoom out and look at the macro-level money, resolutions like this are part of a broader economic strategy. The military and defense sector is one of the largest economic drivers in the state of Colorado, pumping billions of dollars into our local economy annually. Maintaining a strong, publicly pro-veteran, pro-military stance at the state level is crucial for our relationship with the federal government. When the Pentagon is making decisions about where to allocate federal funding, base expansions, or VA hospital resources, they look at the legislative climate of the host state. Unanimous resolutions like HJR26-1013 help signal that Colorado remains a highly hospitable, supportive environment for federal military investment.

Where This Bill Stands

This resolution is a done deal, and it moved through the Capitol with a speed that is almost unheard of for standard legislation. It was introduced in the House on February 5, 2026, and immediately sailed through the chamber, passing its Third Reading the very next day with zero amendments. It was then introduced in the Senate on February 6, where it mirrored that exact same frictionless path, passing its final Senate reading on February 9—again, with zero amendments and total bipartisan support.

Unlike traditional bills that create or change laws, a Joint Resolution does not require the Governor's signature to take effect. Because it is an expression of the General Assembly itself, the final step in the process is simply the formal signatures of the chamber leaders. It was officially signed by the Speaker of the House on February 10, and by the President of the Senate on February 11, 2026. The state's administrative staff is now in the process of distributing the official copies to the leaders and organizations named in the text. There are no further hearings, no committee battles, and no implementation dates to wait for—the state has officially spoken.