Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Congressman Joe Morelle (NY-25), and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), led a call on the Trump administration, demanding accountability for their illegal, targeted freezing of federal childcare and family assistance funding designated for Colorado, New York, California, Illinois, and Minnesota. 

This letter comes as a direct response to a January 6, 2026, decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to freeze more than $10 billion in federal childcare and family assistance funding for Colorado and other Democrat-led states. Colorado has been subject to a string of attacks from Donald Trump after Governor Polis refused to release Tina Peters who remains in state prison after being convicted of criminal charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 Election. In Colorado, there has been no public evidence to validate Trump’s claims of widespread fraud. 

“Trump continues his Colorado retribution campaign by going after the childcare funding thousands of families rely on — all because Governor Polis refuses to bend the knee,” said Rep Pettersen. “I’m outraged that our kids are being used as political pawns and families already struggling with rising costs are going to have the rug ripped right out from under them. It’s a new low, even for him, and we’re fighting for this administration to immediately reverse course.”

In the letter, the Members wrote, “This action is reckless, unjustified, and profoundly harmful, placing millions of children, working parents, and financially stressed families at immediate risk.”

The Members continued, “Congress appropriated these funds to support children and families, not to be withheld as political retribution. This decision undermines federal-state partnerships, destabilizes childcare systems, and erodes confidence in HHS’s stewardship of programs fundamental to the economic stability and well-being of children and families.”

Background: 

The letter is signed by 83 total members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including members from all five affected states. A full copy of the letter is attached and can be found here.

In Congress, Rep. Pettersen has fought to expand access to childcare by supporting legislation that grows the childcare workforce and strengthens childcare infrastructure, while also securing millions of dollars to build new childcare facilities across her district.