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LAKEWOOD – On the first day of school in Jefferson County, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) led an effort with six Democratic Members directly calling out Donald Trump for the impacts his tariffs are having on the rising costs of back-to-school supplies. According to the Groundwork Collaborative, school supplies are up 11% this year, forcing families to spend an estimated $4000 per child this school year alone, thanks to Donald Trump’s disastrous trade and defense policies driving up the price of goods and gas. 

“The cost of everything is going up, including school supplies. From the grocery store to the gas station and the office supply store, I know every family is feeling the crunch,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. “And yet, this President has consistently said he doesn’t care. That’s why I’m leading this effort calling him out directly. I will not let him ignore everyday families who are struggling while he uses the presidency to enrich himself and his billionaire friends on the backs of the rest of us.

Pettersen and the signers write in the letter that they wish to “express our alarm at the damage that your administration’s policies are having on American families as they prepare to send their kids back to school. Time and time again, you have proven that you do not care about the affordability crisis, calling it a “hoax” and declaring that affordability “doesn’t mean anything to anybody.”

Congresswoman Pettersen has also consistently voted against Donald Trump’s agenda, including opposing the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and the recent GOP reconciliation package that would have authorized $73 billion for the war in Iran. She has consistently voted against authorizing Donald Trump’s war in Iran. Last August, Pettersen sent a letter regarding his tariff policies and the impacts on families that received no response from the administration. Pettersen is a longtime champion for children and families, including recently introducing the Supporting Our Military Childcare Workforce Act, defending Colorado LGBTQ youth against the administration’s discriminatory policies, and voting against House Republicans’ Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill that cuts nutrition assistance programs that millions of families, children, and seniors rely on. Congresswoman Pettersen is a member of the House Financial Services Committee. 

Congresswoman Pettersen led the letter which was also signed by Reps. Nikema Williams (GA-05), Shomari Figures (AL-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Derek Tran (CA-45), George Whitesides (CA-27), Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (CA-31). 

See the full text of the letter HERE and below: 

Dear President Trump: 

We write to express our alarm at the damage that your administration’s policies are having on American families as they prepare to send their kids back to school. Time and time again, you have proven that you do not care about the affordability crisis, calling it a “hoax” and declaring that affordability “doesn’t mean anything to anybody.”

As of June 2026, the average household in the United States has had to spend roughly $3,500 more on goods and services, including an average of $695 more on housing costs, $310 more for groceries, and $504 more on gas. Families already straining to keep food on the table and gas in the tank are being pushed to the brink as back‑to‑school costs rise beyond reach. The cost of typical school items, including notebooks, lunch boxes, and index cards, is up nearly 8% this year compared to 2025, while the cost of packed lunches is up almost 11%. Estimates show that families will spend roughly $175 on school supplies and $3,800 on packed lunches this year per student.

Many back-to-school essentials are manufactured overseas, leaving parents to shoulder the higher prices caused by your reckless tariffs. When a company has to pay a fee to import a product to the United States, they often are forced to pass the cost directly to the consumer. Over the course of 2025, nearly 90 percent of the tariffs’ economic burden fell on U.S. firms and consumers. This is painfully clear to parents, one-third of whom say they can’t afford back-to-school shopping this year, and as a result, nearly half expect to sacrifice essentials like groceries or bills to make room in their budgets.

You claimed that you would lower costs on “day one,” and yet, nearly 2 years later, families are struggling even more than before. You have repeatedly left questions unanswered, while American families are being squeezed because of your reckless decisions. Lowering prices for them should be a top priority. We urge your administration to immediately take action to lower costs and stress for millions of hard-working parents. We look forward to hearing from you.