Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) announced that Lakewood Mayor Wendi Strom will be her guest for Donald Trump’s first address to a Joint Session of Congress. 

The City of Lakewood is home to the Denver Federal Center where more than 6,000 federal employees work to provide groundbreaking research, manage public lands, and deliver critical services that Coloradans depend on every day. 

Since taking office, Donald Trump and Elon Musk have recklessly fired thousands of federal employees—threatening Social Security, SNAP, Medicare, wildfire mitigation, VA services, and crucial programs for millions of veterans, seniors, children, and families. These mass layoffs have jeopardized employees’ livelihoods and the services hardworking Colorado families rely on.   

“Donald Trump’s joint address tonight will be another reminder of his priorities—lining the pockets of billionaires like Elon Musk while hardworking Coloradans struggle with rising costs at the grocery store, gas pump, and beyond,” said Pettersen. “Colorado is home to thousands of federal employees who have been on the chopping block ever since Trump took office. While I cannot attend tonight’s address as I care for my baby, Sam, I am grateful that Lakewood Mayor Strom will be there to represent the dedicated public servants who work every day to make sure hungry kids have food on their plates, seniors and veterans have the health care they need, and our communities are prepared for wildfire season.”

“It is an honor to be invited to represent Lakewood in support of the thousands of federal workers who work and live across our community,” said Lakewood Mayor Wendi Strom. “These employees, both on and off the Federal Center, are critically important to our local and regional economy. In addition to the 6,000 employees that work at the Federal Center, Lakewood is also home to offices of the Social Security Administration, the National Park Service, the Veterans Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Bureau of Land Management. Aside from being a foundational part of the city’s local economy, these dedicated public servants are also conducting important work every day that addresses the safety and well-being of the American people. If drastic changes are made to the Federal Center and our local federal workforce, it would be disruptive not only to those direct employees and their families, but also to many of our local businesses that serve them, and to the Americans every day that are in need of the services provided by these agencies.”