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Congresswomen Pettersen, Sewell, & Underwood Demand Trump Administration Reinstate Wrongfully Cancelled Minority Health Grants

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – Congresswomen Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), led 35 of their colleagues in demanding the Trump administration immediately reinstate more than 16 minority and maternal health grants totaling $38 million that were canceled following a “shift in administration priorities.” These grant cancellations would affect programs meant to address that and other socioeconomic health disparities, including vital maternal and infant health outcomes, health care access in rural communities, treatment and prevention strategies for substance use disorder, and food insecurity for underserved communities. These cancellations come as data report that Black women continue to face a maternal mortality rate nearly 3.5 times that of white women.

“The Trump Administration just canceled 16 grants for essential funding used to support moms during pregnancy, babies when they are most vulnerable, and treatment programs for mothers who are struggling with addiction,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. “I’m absolutely heartbroken to think of the Coloradans who will be left behind and the impact on our most vulnerable kids. And to top it off, they are using this money to instead support things like treatment for erectile dysfunction in the name of family values. Absolutely reprehensible.”

Specifically, the administration has directed the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health (OMH) to redirect funding historically used to support maternal health toward what it describes as the “root causes of infertility and reproductive health conditions,” including low sperm count, reduced sperm motility, low testosterone, and erectile dysfunction, impounding funds specifically meant to support minority communities.

In the letter, the Members wrote: “OMH was established to confront and eliminate health disparities nationwide, by elevating community partnerships and establishing programs to support health outcomes across U.S. minority populations. That mission remains urgent. It is alarming that, instead of addressing the continued need for services that make a life-and-death difference in American communities, your office will redirect this funding to prioritize only “addressing the root causes of infertility and reproductive health conditions and promoting physical activity.” This shift overlooks the continued, critical need for comprehensive health equity programs that directly support the communities OMH was created to serve.

The Members continued: “OMH plays a critical role in providing national leadership, engaging community partners, and deploying resources to eliminate health disparities across this nation. This mission has historically supported a broad range of services that have filled critical care voids across our communities. The reprioritization of discretionary funding is not only incredibly concerning, but demonstrates a stark break from the comprehensive programs and services that these grants have previously supported.”

The grants canceled by the Administration threaten to disrupt long-standing infrastructure that employs community health workers, collects data, maintains relationships with patients and communities, and provides reliable health and nutrition services that residents depend on. Abruptly terminating these investments will not only interrupt essential care but also erase years of progress toward reducing health disparities and improving outcomes for mothers, infants, and underserved communities. Moreover, the recipients of these grants had already been awarded funding appropriated by Congress, with some being two years into a four year grant period, raising serious concerns about the Administration’s authority to abruptly terminate funds that have already been earmarked.

The signers of the letter include: Rep. Sewell (D-AL), Rep. Underwood (D-IL), Rep. Grijalva (D-AZ), Del. Holmes-Norton (D-D.C.), Rep. Ivey (D-MD), Rep. Kelly (D-IL), Rep. H. Johnson (D-GA), Rep. Espaillat (D-NY), Rep. Matsui (D-CA), Rep. Bell (D-MO), Rep. Watson-Coleman (D-NJ), Rep. Salinas (D-OR), Rep. Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Rep. Moulton (D-MA), Rep. Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Thanedar (D-MI), Rep. Crockett (D-TX), Rep. Carter (D-LA), Rep. Beatty (D-OH), Rep. McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Jackson (D-IL), Rep. Barragán (D-CA), Rep. Chu (D-CA), Rep. Brown (D-OH), Rep. Lee (D-PA), Rep. Hoyer (D-MD), Rep. Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. McClain-Delaney (D-MD), Rep. Stansbury (D-NM), Rep. Vargas (D-CA), Rep. Torres (D-NY), Rep. Randall (D-WA), Rep. McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Rep. Tonko (D-NY), Rep. Simon (D-CA)

See the full text of the letter HERE and below.

Dear Captain Mofidi:

We write to express our deep concern regarding the termination of 16 grants administered by the Office of Minority Health (OMH).1 On August 25th, 2026, grantees — with services supporting advancing vital maternal and health outcomes, promoting health care access in rural communities, supporting treatment and prevention strategies for substance use disorder, and reducing food insecurity — received notice from OMH that federal awards were to be terminated, effective immediately, pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.340(a)(4). Historically, grants under OMH have significantly reduced health disparities by targeting areas with an existing, but unmet need. The termination of these grants not only threatens the health outcomes of communities nationwide, but will destabilize the services that American families rely on today, at the intersection of rising costs and continued attacks on health care.

We are also deeply concerned about OMH stated intentions to redirect attention towards discretionary funding priorities. In a note to grantees, OMH noted that funding would now prioritize, “...(1) reducing overmedicalization in health care by addressing the root causes of infertility and reproductive health conditions, such as…low sperm count, low sperm mobility, low testosterone levels, and erectile dysfunction.” OMH was established to confront and eliminate health disparities nationwide, by elevating community partnerships and establishing programs to support health outcomes across U.S. minority populations. That mission remains urgent. It is alarming that, instead of addressing the continued need for services that make a life-and-death difference in American communities, your office will redirect this funding to prioritize only “addressing the root causes of infertility and reproductive health conditions and promoting physical activity.” This shift overlooks the continued, critical need for comprehensive health equity programs that directly support the communities OMH was created to serve.

This redirection of funding is a severe disservice to existing grants that have consistently delivered measurable results. If OMH’s priority is to support growing families, all while addressing existing health disparities, then your office must uphold the responsibility of continuing to fund the entities that implement strategies proven to narrow health disparities and improve outcomes across this country.

We ask that OMH immediately reinstate the grant funding for these 16 entities. We additionally request the answers to the following questions no later than October 2, 2026.

Please provide a detailed analysis of every grant that was terminated across the Office of Minority Health. Please include information regarding how this decision was made, include the names of any officials that played a role in termination decisions, and the total amount of unexpended funds for each grant.
Please provide a detailed description that outlines any known violations, underutilization metrics, or program failures, that would require OMH to redirect funds away from active and ongoing grants that facilitate programs with demonstrated outcomes.
Please provide detailed information regarding existing opportunities for grantees to submit an appeal. Please include:

a. OMH’s deadline for appeal submissions;

b. Any supplementary materials that OMH directly requested;

c. How OMH will review the appeals, including any provided documentation; and

d. When corresponding decisions will be communicated to grantees.

Please provide any questions or feedback that OMH has received from any entity that received a termination notice. Please include detailed information regarding OMH’s response and support they have offered these stakeholders.

OMH plays a critical role in providing national leadership, engaging community partners, and deploying resources to eliminate health disparities across this nation. This mission has historically supported a broad range of services that have filled critical care voids across our communities. The reprioritization of discretionary funding is not only incredibly concerning, but demonstrates a stark break from the comprehensive programs and services that these grants have previously supported. We urge OMH to reinstate this funding immediately to mitigate any severe consequences to the health of our communities. We appreciate your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Joins Effort Calling Out Trump’s Attempt to Dismantle Head Start

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), today joined fellow members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus in calling out the Trump Administration’s latest effort to dismantle Head Start, a critical program that provides early education, health services, and other support to children and families across the country. In a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the lawmakers push back on the administration’s proposed rule that would roll back longstanding health, safety, staffing, and educational standards, putting the quality and reliability of Head Start services at risk for families who depend on them.

“Head Start ensures our most vulnerable kids have access to the care, nutrition, and health services they need in those early years. I am proud to be a voice for the parents, like me, who are enraged by the anti-family, backward agenda of this administration,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. "I will fight every effort by Trump to dismantle this program and work to protect Colorado families and kids across the country.”

In the letter, the Members write,“in strong opposition to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) proposed rule Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs.” They continue, “this proposed rule guts an essential early childhood program and its services for hundreds of thousands of women and families nationwide, which would increase their costs and burden to replace those services. In today’s environment of rising costs, it is cruel to make life more difficult and expensive for these families.”

More than 11,000 Colorado children depend on Head Start, not to mention the massive shortfall in child care slots across the state – which is short of more than 82,000 total child care slots, with nearly 14,000 children actively on waitlists.

Nevertheless, Trump’s proposed rule would diminish Head Start quality of services by rolling back vital HSPPS which outline certain program requirements and define quality standards. Therefore, the removal of these uniform federal safeguards allow programs to reduce staffing, qualifications, service hours, screenings, and support services. It does not directly order every program to provide worse care, but it permits—and financially anticipates—reductions that current rules prohibit. It will undermine its ability to develop evidence-based programs that improve education, health, nutrition, parental involvement, and social services—forcing families to either lose these resources or turn to more expensive options elsewhere. Head Start could no longer connect families to jobs, education, and housing opportunities or effectively help children succeed in school.

For 60 years, Head Start has served over 40 million families and children with accessible social services, healthcare, and improved early learning standards. The program provides low-income children, children with disabilities, dual language learners, and children experiencing homelessness with the resources needed to succeed in school. Even after six decades, Head Start remains popular, with four in five Americans saying they’re in support of the program— evidence that Trump’s efforts to gut it are out of step with what Americans want.

U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) has consistently pushed back against federal rollbacks targeting the Head Start program. Most recently, Pettersen introduced the Supporting Our Military Childcare Workforce Act, which would take steps to address the childcare workforce crisis. She is a member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and is a member of the House Financial Services Committee.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We, as members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, write in strong opposition to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) proposed rule Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs [RIN 070-AD0].1 This proposed rule would strip the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) of more than 90 percent of its standards, likely taking away vital services from children and families.2 It eliminates and substantially weakens federal
requirements governing early learning, health, mental health, and dental services, safety standards family engagement and family social services, and other services that have defined Head Start for six decades. This proposed rule guts an essential early childhood program and its services for hundreds of thousands of women and families nationwide, which would increase their costs and burden to replace those services. In today’s environment of rising costs, it is cruel to make life more difficult and expensive for these families.

I. Undermining Congressional Intent
This proposed rule is not modernization. It is the largest rollback of Head Start quality
protections in the program’s history, and it will fall hardest on low-income children, children with disabilities, dual language learners, and children experiencing homelessness who Head Start was created to serve. The administration claims to be removing red tape and saving money. In reality, this proposed rule would override Congressional intent by removing standards that make Head Start the program that it is today and that Congress explicitly directed HHS to create based on research and consultation with experts. Congress established Head Start as a comprehensive program that goes beyond child supervision and offers life-changing early education, access to healthcare and food, and works with families to connect them to jobs, education, housing, and other social services that strengthen families. Since its founding, Head Start has served over 40 million families and children. Congress directed HHS to establish evidence-based performance standards covering education, health, nutrition, parental involvement, and social services, because these high-quality services are all important for helping achieve Head Start’s goal of promoting school readiness and helping children succeed in school and beyond. Children’s well-being should not depend on the state in which a child happens to live.4 Preserving the statutory shell of Head Start while removing the federal standards that give those requirements meaning would undermine congressional intent and diminish the quality of services for women and families who rely on Head Start.

II. Compromising Program Consistency
The program’s federal to local foundation—that this proposed rule seeks to diminish—is critical to achieve Head Start’s mission to provide quality care no matter where the child lives. Head Start works because of its nationwide standards, not despite them. Rigorous research has found that Head Start generates substantial long-term economic benefits, including an estimated $1.86 in benefits for every dollar invested.5 That return depends on strong teachers, strong ratios, and strong services—qualified staff, appropriate classroom size and teacher to child ratios that support learning, developmental screening and follow-up, health and mental health services, family engagement and support services, and evidence-based early learning—not a patchwork of state requirements that would create different standards throughout the country.

III. Eroding Quality and Safety
The proposed rule would eliminate Head Start’s specific federal requirement that children be supervised at all times, reduce mandatory annual staff training on preventing abuse and neglect, repeal the prohibition on corporal punishment, shaming, humiliation, and seclusion practices, and remove the timelines that ensure a child’s developmental, dental, and medical needs are actually screened and followed up on. The proposed rule would not only poorly impact children, it would further harm the Head Start workforce by changing teacher-child ratios and class sizes. The Department’s own analysis assumes this rule will let programs put 16 to 32 percent more children in front of each teacher, and HHS is counting on that to book $668 million a year in “savings.” The Children’s Equity Project found that approximately 80 percent of children currently enrolled in Head Start could face larger class sizes and worse teacher-child ratios if programs defaulted to state requirements instead of the current federal requirements.6 That means these children would be in larger classroom sizes without additional teacher assistance. Fewer teachers per child is not simply a matter of flexibility. It means fewer adults available to provide individualized attention, support learning, respond to developmental needs, and keep children safe. These proposed changes also come after HHS released a rule in 2024, “Restoring Flexibility to Support Head Start Program Access [RIN 0970-AD21].” RIN 0970-AD21 repealed the higher wages and improved benefits established for Head Start staff in 2024. This new proposed rule would increase Head Start staff’s workload without additional pay or benefits to reflect the greater stress. Both rules result in more work and less pay for the Head Start workforce at a time when staffing challenges are prevalent.

The proposed rule would also rollback Head Start’s requirement for certain staff qualifications. Specifically, the rule would remove the minimum required qualifications for program directors, classroom coaches, and disability management staff. For education staff, the rule would

eliminate requirements for training on curriculum, behavior management, disability student support, and dual language learner support. Head Start’s federal requirements implement these qualifications and training to protect the integrity of each classroom across the country. Weakening Head Start’s federal workforce and credentialing standards would further reduce classroom quality, at the very time programs are already struggling to recruit and retain qualified educators. It is critical to equip Head Start staff with the necessary skills to sustain Head Start’s comprehensive, high-quality educational programming.

IV. Rolling Back Student Support Systems
This proposed rule would strip Head Start’s ban on expelling children and its strict limits on suspension which is deeply concerning. These protections exist because preschoolers are already suspended and expelled at rates far above K-12 students. Additionally, disparities in suspension and expulsion are already significant for children of color, boys, and children with disabilities. Federal data show that children of color account for a disproportionate share of preschool suspensions, while children served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) make up 23 percent of enrollment but 74 percent of expulsions.7 Removing these federal protections will not close those gaps. It will widen them.

The proposed rule would also substantially change how Head Start programs support children who are learning English. It would require Head Start instruction to be conducted in English, with an exception for Tribal programs. This action would reverse dual-language and home- language supports that have been part of the standards since 1975—even though the evidence consistently shows dual language learners in Head Start make larger gains than their English- speaking peers when supported in both languages.8 The Department’s own estimate puts the cost of this single mandate at nearly $240 million, including real harm to Head Start teachers who will lose their jobs. We should not weaken an evidence-based practice that helps children build English proficiency while maintaining the language skills they develop with their families and sets a strong foundation for them to succeed in school.

V. Conclusion
It is vital that Head Start has an uncompromised framework of established quality standards. It needs the Department to fund what already works and to ensure programs have the resources and workforce necessary to meet the standards Congress established. We urge HHS to withdraw this proposal in full.

Sincerely,

Signers of the letter include Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Chair Democratic Women's Caucus; Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Co-Chair, Caregiving Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Co-Chair, Caregiving Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Co-Chair, Caregiving Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08); Jan Schakowsky (IL-09); Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Co-Chair, Communications Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12); Diana DeGette (C0-01); Jennifer L. McClellan (VA-04); Madeleine Dean (PA-04); Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24); Deborah K. Ross (NC-12), Co-Chair, Policy Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Congressional Asian Pacific, American Caucus Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Shontel M. Brown (OH-11), Co-Chair, Communications Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-12); Julia Brownley (CA-26); Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03); Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25); Joyce Beatty (OH-03), National Leaders & Advocacy, Organizations Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Chellie Pingree (ME-01); Rashida Tlaib (MI-12); Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Co-Chair, Member Services Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05); Lucy McBath (GA-06), Congressional Black Caucus Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07); Nikema Williams (GA-05), Chief Whip, Democratic Women's Caucus; Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01); Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Co-Chair, Policy Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Julie Johnson (TX-32), Equality Caucus Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Lois Frankel (FL-22), Chair Emerita, Democratic Women's Caucus; Doris Matsui (CA-07); Judy Chu (CA-28), Co-Chair & Liaison, Reproductive Freedom Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06); Nellie Pou (NJ-09); Summer L. Lee (PA-12); Terri A. Sewell (AL-07); Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03); LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), New Member Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Betty McCollum (MN-04); Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09); Emily Randall (WA-06), Whip, Democratic Women's Caucus; Dina Titus (NV-01); Sarah McBride (DE-AL), Whip, Democratic Women's Caucus; Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Co-Chair, Member Services Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Gwen S. Moore (WI-04); Analilia Mejia (NJ-11); Sarah Elfreth (MD-03); April McClain Delaney (MD-06); Valerie P. Foushee (NC-04); Marilyn Strickland (WA-10); Jahana Hayes (CT-05); Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29); Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01); Marcy Kaptur (OH-09); Laura Friedman (CA-30); Robin L. Kelly (IL-02); Nancy Pelosi (CA-11); Val Hoyle (OR-04); Haley M. Stevens (MI-11); Norma J. Torres (CA-35), New Democrat Coalition Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14); Maggie Goodlander (NH-02); Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Progressive Caucus Liaison, Democratic Women's Caucus; Lori Trahan (MA-03); Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08); Kathy Castor (FL-14); Steven Horsford (NV-04); Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03); Nikki Budzinski (IL-13); Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44); Grace Meng (NY-06); Angie Craig (MN-02); Salud Carbajal (CA-24); Becca Balint (VT-AL); Veronica Escobar (TX-16); Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13), Vice Chair, Democratic Women's Caucus; Luz M. Rivas (CA-29); Gabe Amo (RI-01); Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair & Liaison, Reproductive Freedom Task Force, Democratic Women's Caucus; Sharice L. Davids (KS-03); Jared Moskowitz (FL-23); Ilhan Omar (MN-05); Hillary J. Scholten (MI-03), Vice Chair, Democratic Women's Caucus; Lauren Underwood (IL-14); and André Carson (IN-07).

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Democrats urge RFK Jr. to scrap proposed Head Start overhaul

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Democrats are pressing Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to scrap a proposed overhaul of the Head Start program, warning the changes would weaken services for thousands of families nationwide.

The proposed rule, dubbed “Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs,” would “rescind and replace” the Head Start Program Performance Standards to “reduce regulatory burden,” “eliminate duplication with statutory requirements” and “reinforce state and local authority,” among other things, according to the Federal Register.

But in a letter to Kennedy, members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus argued that HHS’s proposed rule would “strip the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) of more than 90 percent of its standards, likely taking away vital services from children and families.”

“It eliminates and substantially weakens federal requirements governing early learning, health, mental health, and dental services, safety standards, family engagement and family social services, and other services that have defined Head Start for six decades,” they wrote.

The lawmakers said the proposed rule would eliminate a federal requirement that children be supervised at all times, reduce mandatory annual training on preventing abuse and neglect and repeal prohibitions on corporal punishment, shaming, humiliation and seclusion.

It would also “require Head Start instruction to be conducted in English, with an exception for Tribal programs,” a move that lawmakers argue would weaken dual-language learning.

The letter had 70 signers as of Monday and is led by Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (N.M.), as well as Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), and Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.).

“Head Start ensures our most vulnerable kids have access to the care, nutrition, and health services they need in those early years. I am proud to be a voice for the parents, like me, who are enraged by the anti-family, backward agenda of this administration,” Pettersen said in a statement. “I will fight every effort by Trump to dismantle this program and work to protect Colorado families and kids across the country.”

McDonald Rivet said in a statement that “this Administration’s proposed overhaul will wreak havoc on what makes Head Start so special. It’ll make it harder for kids to learn, harder for teachers to do their jobs, and harder for working parents to make ends meet.”

“We can’t let it go forward,” she said.

The HHS blasted the letter from the Democratic Women’s Caucus, arguing in a statement that the proposed rule “is aimed at rightsizing the Head Start regulations and moving away from Washington dictating one-size-fits all solutions that restrict local providers from best serving their local communities.”

“Flexibility is permission, not a mandate. Head Start programs that choose to maintain practices consistent with the current performance standards may continue to do so,” the agency wrote. “Head Start teachers and staff are dedicated professionals, many of whom have spent their careers serving children and families.”

“The proposed rule would give local directors, teachers, and parents greater flexibility to make decisions based on the needs of their communities rather than requiring approximately 1,600 Head Start grant recipients across the country to operate under the same federal requirements,” the department added in its statement.

Coloradans were exposed to radiation for decades. Now Congress might make them eligible for compensation.

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

New legislation in Congress would make Coloradans who became ill after living near two of the state’s nuclear sites eligible for tens of thousands of dollars in federal compensation.

A proposed expansion of the 1990 Radiation Exposure Compensation Act would recognize the Cotter uranium mill near Cañon City and the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant northwest of Denver as Manhattan Project waste sites.

The designation would open the door for people who live or have lived in 57 zip codes near the sites — and who developed certain illnesses — to apply for reimbursement for medical expenses as well as a separate payment of $150,000.

The bill would also designate Colorado as a “downwinder” state from nuclear weapons testing conducted in Nevada in the 1950s and 1960s. Winds carried radiation hundreds of miles from the open-air tests, exposing thousands of unknowing people to nuclear fallout. People who lived in Colorado during that time frame and who developed illnesses like leukemia and breast cancer could be eligible for restitution if the bill passes.

Rep. Brittany Pettersen, the Democrat representing Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, is one of the lawmakers leading the bipartisan Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act of 2026, which was introduced last month. Her district includes both Rocky Flats and the Cotter uranium mill. The bill would also expand compensation eligibility to sites in other states connected to the country’s nuclear program, like Ohio’s Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

Pettersen pursued the legislation after repeatedly hearing from constituents who had lost family members or were ill but did not qualify for compensation, she said.

“It’s a huge step for Coloradans and their loved ones who have been impacted by radiation illnesses,” she said.

Along with money, the bill would offer recognition of the harm inflicted on generations of residents who lived near the two Colorado nuclear sites, community members said.

“It could finally mean recognition and compensation for the damage we have suffered down here,” said Jeri Fry, a co-chair of Colorado Citizens against Toxic Waste, a nonprofit dedicated to educating people about the Cotter site and advocating for the surrounding community.

For more than 30 years, the federal government built parts for nuclear weapons at Rocky Flats, located 16 miles from Denver and tucked into the edge of the city’s northwest suburbs. Workers at the factory used plutonium to build triggers and other components for the military’s nuclear warheads during the Cold War.

Contaminated waste from the site seeped into the soil, flooded into nearby creeks and traveled downwind, eventually prompting a 1989 federal investigation into violations of environmental laws that halted operations at the plant.

Decades later, public memory of the site’s environmental and public health impact is fading, said Tiffany Hansen, director of the nonprofit Rocky Flats Downwinders. The bill not only promotes wider awareness of long-term consequences from the site but also offers long-sought recognition, she said.

“There’s finally some acknowledgement that people have been impacted by living by Rocky Flats,” she said.

Federal officials declared the site cleanup complete in 2005, some sections of it have been rechristened the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. But residents still worry about plutonium levels in the soils. In 2017, two of the site’s private-sector operators paid a $375 million settlement to 7,500 households based on lost home value after plutonium released from the site was carried downwind to a swath of Broomfield, Westminster and Arvada.

Rocky Flats Downwinders for years has collected stories of people who became sick after living near the site. One woman who lived in Arvada from 1977 to 1991 said both of her sisters developed thyroid cancer. Her father, two uncles and brother-in-law died of cancer.

“Compensation can never undo the loss and pain we have endured, but recognition and support would bring a measure of long-overdue justice,” Stephanie Dalton said in a collection of stories about the impact of the site.

The Cotter Corp. — a Denver-based subsidiary of General Atomic — opened the Cañon City uranium mill in 1958. Along with the waste from its own production, the site was used to store radioactive waste from the Manhattan Project’s creation of the atomic bomb.

The waste leaked into the soil and water for decades. The company closed the mill permanently in 2011, but 5.8 million tons of radioactive waste remain at the site just south of town. For decades, bureaucracy and a series of corporate bankruptcies have stalled cleanup efforts.

Pettersen and Sen. Michael Bennet on Friday penned a letter to the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, urging transparency and progress on cleanup in Cañon City.

“Many community members have spent decades advocating for the remediation of this site, and they deserve clear information about when they can expect meaningful progress,” the lawmakers wrote.

In the void of government action, Fry and others with Colorado Citizens against Toxic Waste decided to pursue their own studies and tests. This summer, the group began providing free water testing so residents can see if their well water contains heavy metals and radionuclides. Testing for such materials is expensive — up to $500 per sample — and out of reach for many, Fry said.

“That’s the kind of help that the government should give us after they contaminated us,” Fry said. “But they’re not going to.”

The new bill, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Neguse, would also extend the deadline to file for payment to 2042. If the bill does not pass, the application closes on Dec. 31, 2027.

Fry commended the extension but added that the law needs to be in place for as long as the United States continues to pursue nuclear development.

Nuclear contamination can last millions of years, she said.

“It’s in our environment, and because it lasts so long and gets resuspended, or carried, or dug up, it doesn’t mean it goes away,” Fry said. “It’s traveling in ways we don’t even know, deeper into our environment.”

Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Introduces Legislation to Uncover How Trump’s Mass Federal Workforce Firings Have Delayed Constituent Casework

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

LAKEWOOD – Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) today announced her legislation to uncover how Trump’s federal workforce cuts have impacted her constituents’ ability to resolve their federal casework issues. This effort comes after it was brought to Pettersen’s attention that there are just three federal case managers at the Department of Education processing all cases, and just five total case managers at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), causing extraordinary delays for her constituents.

Pettersen’s Constituent Services Impacts of Federal Workforce Firings Act requires a comprehensive review of Trump’s federal workforce reduction efforts and their impact on agencies’ constituent services – including but not limited to delayed benefits at the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and impediments to disaster relief coordination within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“One of the most important roles of our congressional office is helping our constituents navigate issues with federal agencies and ensure they get the help and answers they need. But we are seeing firsthand the devastating consequences of Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firings and our constituents are the ones who are paying the price - facing exponentially longer wait times or not being able to get any answers at all," said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. “In some cases, this can be the difference between families having access to lifesaving care, seniors being able to pay their bills and keep a roof over their head, or students being able to pursue a higher education. Trump and Elon Musk took a hatchet to the critical services we depend on and the American people deserve to know the real costs to our country and a clear roadmap to recover from their disastrous policies.”

Specifically, Pettersen’s legislation would require a comprehensive study of the scope of the federal workforce reduction, including understanding impacted constituent services at regional field offices, altered response times, and delayed services and benefits, as well as how it has caused impediments to federal, state, and local disaster relief coordination.

After Donald Trump’s inauguration, in January 2025, he selected trillionaire technology CEO Elon Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an unrestrained council engineered to aggressively shrink the federal government. Operating without Congressional authorization, DOGE moved to impose sweeping federal agency workforce reductions, implementing aggressive measures to dismantle the federal workforce. Widespread federal layoffs disproportionately affected probationary employees at federal agencies including the SSA, the IRS and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), among others.

Last year, Rep. Pettersen joined 50+ House Democrats in letters to the IRS and SSA, and co-led the Securing Assurance for Federal Employees (SAFE) Act to block the Trump Administration from carrying out mass federal layoffs during a government shutdown. She is a member of the House Financial Services Committee where she has been a leading voice on government effectiveness and supporting federal workers, increasing affordability, addressing the housing crisis, and expanding access to affordable and quality healthcare.

The bill is endorsed by the American Federation of Government Employees, the National Federation of Federal Employees, the National Treasury Employees Union, and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.

“Federal workers deliver essential services directly to Americans every single day. The Trump Administration has dealt a body blow to the federal workforce through indiscriminate mass firings, making it much harder for government employees to do their jobs. This legislation would instruct the GAO to study the impact of federal firings on service delivery, shedding light on the harm they have caused to taxpayers and the people who rely on government programs,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley

"The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) is proud to support the Constituent Services Impacts of Federal Workforce Firings Act. From day one of President Trump’s second term, this administration has led a reckless campaign to gut the federal workforce, resulting in severe reductions in the services that federal agencies provide to the American people. These are critical services that we all rely on every single day. This legislation will ensure Congress, as well as Americans across the nation, understand the true scope of the damage President Trump and his supporters have done to public services throughout the country,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin

"NTEU is proud to endorse The Constituent Services Impacts of Federal Workforce Firings Act and applauds Representative Pettersen for her leadership on this important issue. The recent misguided efforts to gut the federal workforce are harmful to the American people and the services they rely on. If passed into law, this bill would provide valuable insight and transparency into the real and tangible damage that occurs when federal agencies and programs are underfunded and inadequately staffed. I urge the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this commonsense legislation,” said NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald

"The current Administration’s federal workforce cuts through Reductions in Force (RIFs) have lacked justification and an established process and resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of highly qualified, skilled, and dedicated federal employees. Congress needs a comprehensive assessment, and the American public deserves a full accounting of how this Administration’s RIF actions have impacted the delivery of public services, government efficiency, and accountable agency operations. We thank Congresswoman Pettersen for introducing the Constituent Services Impacts of Federal Workforce Firings Act, and we urge Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to cosponsor this important measure,” said IFPTE International President Matt Biggs

Bill text can be found HERE.

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Feds Hope to Boost Homebuilding with 'ROAD to Housing' Act

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

In July, the U.S. Congress quietly passed a significant update to federal housing policy that builders and housing advocates are saying could provide a major boost to production. The bill took effect without President Trump's signature, a policy that was initially introduced in 2025 as the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act.

The National Low Income Housing Alliance (NLIHC) hailed the bill as "first major bipartisan housing package to become law since the 1990s." Shaun Donovan, CEO of the housing finance nonprofit Enterprise, called the bill "the most significant piece of housing legislation" in decades.

But advocates have also warned the bill's impact ultimately rests on implementation steps that federal government will need to take, with Congress backing up the smorgasbord of regulatory changes with direct funding to really unlock their potential.

The bill does not allocate new dollars or directly change low income housing tax credits (LIHTC) – the primary way that the federal government funnels money to affordable housing developers in a post-Reagan America. Housing advocates have pledged a push to secure funding to the unfunded program in the year ahead, but that could prove challenging given competing priorities and budget deficits.

LIHTC counts on banks and other financial institutions applying for tax credits to lower their federal tax bills, while also meeting regulatory obligations to invest in their local communities – a bit of a sweetheart deal for the banks. When the federal government lowers the corporate tax rate – like it did under Trump 1.0 in 2017 – that in turn depresses interest in LIHTC, leading to less funding being available to affordable housing developers.

On one hand, Trump's second term has surprisingly coincided with the largest overhaul of federal housing policy in decades – after he unsuccessfully attempted to hold the bill hostage to a voter ID measure he was pushing. On the other hand, Trump's staffing cuts imperil implementation of the reforms. Plus, Trump tax cuts passed in his first term continue to depress investor interest in LIHTC, and efforts in Trump's 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" to juice LIHTC demand with lower bonding thresholds (while lowering taxes on wealthiest Americans) can only bear so much fruit in a low-tax environment, especially when plenty of other headwinds are impeding nonprofit builders.

Even without funding or broader reforms to LIHTC (such as a higher corporate tax rate to drive up interest in tax credits), the ROAD to Housing Act includes plenty of provisions that could have a significant impact either way. In all, the act is more than 400 pages long and features 59 provisions.

Mike Kingsella CEO of Up For Growth, a national coalition pushing for housing abundance, noted housing supply provisions were embedded in the act during a recent housing panel hosted by the Housing Development Consortium of King County (HDC), which I attended as moderator. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) could play a larger role in encouraging zoning reforms.

"Section 107 housing supply frameworks was initially led by a very interesting duo of members of Congress, Mike Flood, a Republican conservative from Nebraska, and Brittany Pettersen, a Dem member from Colorado," Kingsella said. "Essentially, what this provision will do, is stand up a federal task force on best practice land use and zoning policies. HUD will aggregate those best practices and establish federal model codes, both for state legislatures to take up vis-a-vis similar actions to what Olympia has taken up recently, around, for example, eliminating exclusionary zoning, it will also generate model local zoning codes that cities and towns around the country can pick up."

The Middle Housing Law passed in 2023 was Washington State's nudge to end exclusionary zoning within cities, and it was followed up with statewide parking reform that limited cities ability to heap onerous parking mandates on builders. The federal version of this phase out to exclusionary zoning ended up more as a suggestion than having any major teeth behind it, but it's still momentum toward righting a historic wrong, Kingsella argued.

"Now, this isn't without precedent," Kingsella said. "It was, in fact, the federal government, the Standard Zoning Enabling Act, that was the Johnny Appleseed of exclusionary zoning around the country, and so this is an opportunity for Congress and the federal government to correct a wrong that that occurred not over just a few months over 100 years ago. So that's a provision we're quite excited about."

One way the federal government intends to nudge local governments toward pro-growth policies and zoning reform is through new stipulations rewarding pro-growth jurisdictions with larger awards via the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which distributes about $3.3 billion in federal funds annually.

"What this provision does is it establishes a scrutiny pool of CDBG recipients, and within that recipient pool, HUD will assess – and this will be based on a clear and objective formula established in statute – are you meeting your fair share of housing production?" Kingsella said. "In other words, and it's a very simple structure: Are you above or below the median point line out of jurisdictions in that scrutiny pool? If you're falling below the average jurisdiction in a scrutiny pool, you stand to lose up to 10% of your formulaic CDBG each year. The flip is that if you exceed the 50% median mark, you're going to get bonused out extra CDBG dollars based on the number of units that your community has produced."

If it's able to trigger this bonus, Seattle would have help in expanding its lead in producing the most new affordable housing units of any metropolitan area across the country over the last decade.

Another provision will make it easier for homebuilders to avoid going through the time-consuming National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, with the federal government recognizing that process is often duplicative of state and local regulatory processes and laws.

Yet another provision could boost modular housing construction by overhauling HUD's Manufactured Housing Building Code, removing the costly requirement that manufactured homes have a steel chassis. "It's arguable that this could be the most impactful provision out of the entire bill," Kingsella said.

"You have to have a steel chassis, and that's a relic of history, right? Back in the 1960s and 70s, when we were building manufactured housing, practically speaking, you have to take them down the road and to install on a pad and deliver to the user," Kingsella said. "Today, we're in a world where you have offsite construction, you have construction happening in factories... and you have panels built, and these things are getting assembled, but not built on site. Even though, in terms of the envelope and the product type, we're talking about effectively the same thing. It does not qualify as manufactured housing per the old 1960s HUD code. So you can think of this as really modernizing the code in a way that we're creating a new national building code for anything factory built that has huge implications for the scaling of modular and offsite construction, which is something that I know leadership in Washington State is quite focused on."

Beyond the need for funding, another obstacle to implementing the act's housing reform is staff capacity at HUD. The department has seen an exodus since Trump took office for the second time, in large part due to cuts to positions via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

"We're looking at a HUD that has had upwards of 30% staff [reduction in force] due to DOGE actions and decision making in this administration," Kingsella said. "I am concerned. I think many of my colleagues in DC are concerned with the capacity of HUD to effectively implement many of these provisions. So we are playing the long game."

Architect and planner Jess Zimbabwe, who is executive director of the firm Environmental Works and also was a panelist at the HDC event last month, noted that reduced capacity will be acutely felt for the provision instructing HUD to create pre-approved housing plans as a nudge to reduce zoning hurdles.

"This question about pre-approved housing plans...that sounds like a great idea in a different version of HUD, where you know Public Policy Development and Research, the the division of HUD that will eventually probably pull those pre-approved plans together is at like 75% or 80% reduced force because of DOGE cuts from last year," Zimbabwe said. "So nobody's pulling that together right now. But it's a framework in place that when there is when that is funded and staffed, it could be hugely impactful."

She added that Washington state stands to benefit since it's already innovating in this space and should be positioned to trigger incentives, like the CDBG boost.

While the ROAD to Housing Act passed with huge margins in each chamber, the issue of funding could be more contentious and push lawmakers more firmly to their ideological camps. Without those funding strings attached, the bill passed in the Senate on June 21 with a vote of 85-5, and in the House on June 22 with a vote of 358-32.

The other challenge is overcoming negative trends in the business cycle and in LIHTC demand from banks and financial institutions. Panelists who work in LIHTC shared pessimism it would be fixed overnight. Elizabeth Murphy, who is a manager on Baker Tilly’s Development Advisory Services team, did not predict big changes in LIHTC investor appetite.

"It's great that they increase the public welfare investment cap," Murphy said. "It obviously makes it a lot easier. And it's great – not part of this legislation – but we also had the reduction of the 50% test, and in the bond program, we have you know a higher cap on 9% credits. Those are all excellent policy changes, but until the market meets demand, I don't see like pricing changing all that much or investor appetite changing all that much."

Jackie Moynihan, senior policy advisor at Washington State Housing Finance Commission, agreed with Murphy, noting investors ultimately drive the LIHTC market. That adds uncertainty, but also opportunity if the feds somehow thread the needle.

"All these other pieces around gap financing are huge, and so, if also appropriations comes through, and the flexibility in different programs and the streamlining... Like if all of these pieces came together, that would be super impactful," Moynihan said. "I think we definitely operate in this sphere of not any one thing does get it done. We need all the things to move and get done."

In her introduction, HDC Executive Director Patience Malaba agreed the aspirations of the bill hinged on implementation.

"We have the first legislation in 40 years, massive legislation on housing at the federal level coming out of Congress," Malaba said. "That on its own is a critical milestone to celebrate and elevate. And then there's so much more for us to do on what gets implemented and how do we make that happen."

HDC pledged to mobilize its community to keep advocating and pushing for funding to bring to life some unfunded elements on the plan.

"How do we track what needs to move through appropriations and activate folks on the ground to push for those appropriations, whether that's fiscal year 27 or other cycles where investments will be needed to operationalize some of the great ideas around supporting housing supply, innovation and construction methods, and so much more that's been included in the legislation," Malaba said.

Congress has passed its biggest housing reform in decades, and yet so much work remains.

Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Solemnly Marks One Year Since Evergreen High School Shooting

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

EVERGREEN – Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (C0-07) today solemnly marked the one year anniversary of the tragic Evergreen High School shooting, introducing a bipartisan congressional resolution signed by all members of the Colorado U.S. House delegation honoring the shooting victims, and expressing gratitude to first responders, law enforcement, educators, faculty, and neighbors who acted swiftly to protect students and staff during last year’s shooting. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) is leading a companion resolution in the Senate.

“Today, we honor the students, staff, first responders, families, and entire Evergreen community for their extraordinary resilience in the face of the tragedy after the Evergreen High School shooting one year ago today. Their strength, courage, and resilience continue to inspire all of us but also reminds us of the urgent need for change,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. “Our country’s gun violence epidemic has shattered countless lives and is now the leading cause of death for our kids - a reality none of us should accept. As a mom, I understand the fear so many parents live with when they drop their kids off at school. Today, we stand with the Evergreen community and promise to keep fighting in Congress to ensure our kids are safe at school and in our communities. They deserve so much better.”

“One year ago today, the Evergreen community experienced an unthinkable act of gun violence,” said Senator Michael Bennet. “The fear and trauma that Evergreen High School students, families, educators, and first responders experienced that day have not disappeared. We owe it to them – and all of Colorado – to act and to build a future where no child has to experience this kind of violence at school. I am glad to lead the Colorado Congressional Delegation in this resolution, and will continue to fight against senseless acts of gun violence.”

"It is unacceptable that gun violence has become normal in America. A year ago, Coloradans experienced another tragic school shooting, this time at Evergreen High School, which left two students injured and an entire community traumatized. I'm proud to join my colleagues in recognizing the brave first responders and Evergreen’s resilient survivors and residents, but more must be done. Congressional action to stop gun violence is long overdue—it's past time we pass legislation to protect our kids. Enough is enough," said Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01).

“A year later, our hearts remain with the people of Jefferson County as they continue to heal from the tragic shooting at Evergreen High School. No parent should ever have to receive the kind of call that far too many parents in our country have received—and no child should have to be marched out of their classroom, hide under their desk, or fear gunshots in their school. Enough is enough. We must stand together against senseless acts of gun violence,” said Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02)

“One year after the tragic shooting at Evergreen High School, our heart is with the students, families, and first responders who faced unimaginable horror that day. As a combat veteran and father of two kids, I refuse to accept that our classrooms should function like war zones. We can honor the resilience of the Evergreen community not just with our thoughts, but by elected officials of both parties acting to pass common-sense gun safety laws to protect our children, communities, and Colorado,” said Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06)

“I continue to pray that God strengthens Evergreen High School and the Jefferson County community. I am honored to join my colleagues on the bipartisan memorial resolution and to keep working with them to direct federal dollars toward more School Resource Officers so we can protect our children against evil acts. My heart remains with everyone in Evergreen.” said Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04).

“As a father of five, I cannot imagine the fear and heartbreak the Evergreen community experienced that day. One year later, we remember the victims, stand with the students, families, and educators who still carry the weight of what happened, and recognize the first responders who ran toward danger to protect others. I’m proud to join Congresswoman Pettersen and my colleagues in the Colorado delegation in honoring the strength and resilience Evergreen has shown over the past year,” said Congressman Jeff Hurd (CO-03)

"One year ago, the Evergreen community lived through something no community should. We pray God continues to give them comfort, and we thank the deputies and teachers who ran toward danger and saved lives,” said Congressman Jeff Crank (CO-05)

"Today, we remember the students, their families, and an entire community that continues to heal from the horrific act of violence that took place just one year ago at Evergreen High School. We also honor the first responders, law enforcement officers, educators, health care workers, and neighbors who acted without hesitation to protect students and save lives. As a father and former police officer, I’m proud to join the Colorado delegation in making sure their courage is remembered and that the Evergreen community knows Colorado continues to stand with them,” said Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08)

Specifically, the resolution honors the two victims who were wounded, and recognizes the lasting trauma carried by students, staff, families, and the broader community. It also pays tribute to the first responders, law enforcement officers, educators, school staff, neighbors, and hospital workers who stepped up with courage and compassion in the aftermath.

See the full text of the resolution here.

This resolution comes after, earlier this year, Congresswoman Pettersen introduced three pieces of legislation responding to the tragedy at Evergreen High School last year:

The Evergreen Community Safety Act which requires social media companies to respond to warrants and subpoena requests regarding potential threats of violence within 72 hours.
- Bill text is available HERE.
The Community Firearm Safety Act, which creates a permissible use under the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow grants for localities to procure and distribute safe firearm storage boxes to community members.
- Bill text is available HERE.
The Community Risk Training and Response Act, which creates a grant program through the Office of the Attorney General for up to $500,000 for localities to provide technical assistance and training to law enforcement, prosecutors, judges and court staff, healthcare providers, educators, and agencies designated to coordinate Extreme Risk Order Implementation and to develop standardized extreme risk protection order training and curriculum nationwide.
- Bill text is available HERE.

Since the Columbine tragedy in 1999, more than 390,000 students in the United States have experienced gun violence at school, killing at least 203 and injuring 441 students, educators, and other individuals on K-12 campuses. Colorado has been touched by gun violence before, with spaces of community such as schools, movie theaters, night clubs, and houses of worship affected.

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To access downloadable, high-quality photos, click here. To stay up-to-date on what Pettersen is doing in Congress, follow her on Twitter here, Facebook here, or Instagram here. Residents can also sign-up for her e-newsletter subscription here.

State leaders call on BLM to ‘immediately halt’ wild horse helicopter gathers in Colorado

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Gov. Jared Polis and U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse are calling on the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management to “immediately halt” helicopter gathers of wild horses in Colorado, citing the “inhumane and unnecessary” nature of the agency’s gather methods following operations this year in the state’s northwest corner, states a Thursday news release.

In a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum and BLM Acting Colorado State Director Tom Heinlein, Polis and Neguse acknowledged the BLM’s rationale behind wild horse gathers but requested an “immediate freeze” nonetheless, referring to the “extreme panic, exhaustion” and “frequent and severe injuries to the animals” that helicopter gathers are “known to cause.”

“Coloradans themselves have voiced deep concern over the safety and well-being of these horses, whose risks only multiply during roundups of this scale and continue long after the gathering ends,” wrote the officials.

State leaders requested a postponement of scheduled gathers so that the BLM can have a more comprehensive stakeholder and community engagement process, noting the importance of partnering with local and state entities to “craft a solution for the long-term well-being” of the horses.

The letter was co-signed by U.S. Reps. Brittany Pettersen, Dianna DeGette and Jason Crow.

In 1971, Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, declaring the animals as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West” that “enrich the lives of the American people.” The act states that wild horses and burros are “fast disappearing from the American scene.”

The law requires the federal government to protect wild horses as part of public lands, but the government says protecting both the horses and those lands requires removing many of the horses.

Since 1971, the BLM has removed nearly 4,400 animals from public rangelands in Colorado, states the agency’s website. The BLM considers the appropriate combined capacity for all herd management areas in the state to be 812 animals.

In five-plus decades since the act was passed, the BLM has conducted gather operations — funded through federal taxpayer dollars — on wild horse and burro populations in roughly 175 herd management areas across 10 Western states. The ultimate aim of the program, according to BLM officials, is to prevent wild horse populations from exceeding the capacity of the land.

Wild horse gathers, particularly those utilizing the helicopter drive-trap method (as opposed to bait traps), have long been a matter of debate between the federal government, ranchers, horse advocates and the public.

The topic remains controversial for a number of reasons: the manner in which the horses are gathered, the impacts of wild horse grazing versus livestock grazing on public lands, the cost of gather operations to American taxpayers, and what happens to the horses after they’re taken from the range.

The most recent gather in the state — which newspaper staff observed in person in early August — took place in Northwest Colorado’s Piceance Basin. Operations commenced Aug. 1 and were completed on Aug. 31, with the BLM having gathered 894 wild horses, including 355 stallions, 368 mares and 171 foals in total, according to the agency’s website.

Fourteen horses — 10 stallions, three mares and one foal — will be returned back to the herd management area, with 10 darted for fertility control. Nine horses died.

The next gather, which will also use the helicopter drive-trap method, is scheduled to begin in Moffat County’s Sand Wash Basin on Thursday, Sept. 10 and end on Sept. 30. The BLM intends to gather 300 horses, return 55 to the range and treat 20 of those 55 with fertility control.

Neguse previously called for wild horse gathers to be delayed and reevaluated in June 2022 — the same year that Polis called for them to be stopped altogether. That same year, Neguse introduced legislation that would end federal funding for roundups.

The Thursday news release also refers to an investigative report from The New York Times published Aug. 20, which states that in 2025, sales of wild horses more than doubled, and that traders are using a legal loophole to increase profits when selling them for slaughter.

“Our wild horses provide significant benefit to the region and state of Colorado and should be treated with care,” states the letter to the BLM from Colorado leaders. “We also request any evidence your agencies may have that supports the need for continued use of helicopter roundups as a more effective means for horse control against other more humane methods.”

‘This Place Doesn’t Have to Work This Way’

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Rank-and-file lawmakers have a surprising amount of bipartisan overlap when it comes to ideas about how to make Congress work even just a little bit better.

Take Reps. Chrissy Houlahan and Randy Fine, a Pennsylvania Democrat and Florida Republican who rarely agree on anything. On Wednesday, they were among the dozen lawmakers offering input at the House Rules Committee “member day” hearing. It’s a biennial event that resembles an open-mic night — anyone can offer up ideas they think will make the House function more efficiently.

Houlahan, an Air Force veteran serving on the House Intelligence Committee, proposed mandatory training for all lawmakers on how to handle classified information. She considers the current lack of training a glaring oversight given how many lawmakers come to Washington with no background in national security.

Next up, Fine interrupted his introduction to second Houlahan’s idea. A former casino, tech and health industry executive, Fine sheepishly admitted that he assumed security officials forgot to give him his training on sensitive material because of the unusual circumstances of his arrival.

“I thought I didn’t get any training on classified information because I came in in a special election,” said Fine, who was sworn in in April 2025.

This proposal gained a third vote of confidence later from Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot who represents thousands of military workers in Virginia’s shipyard-heavy Hampton Roads region.

Many constituents undergo more training and have mandatory updates for handling intelligence, Kiggans said. “We have none of that here in Congress!”

It was one of more than a couple dozen proposals that came from the lawmakers testifying before the panel tasked with crafting a package of rules at the start of each new Congress.

Member day doesn’t get much attention because it’s so much inside baseball about the machinations of Congress, but the ideas put forth demonstrate how much lawmakers recognize the broken nature of their end of the Capitol.

Even with these modest proposals, the lawmakers were sending a message that they want to shift more power away from the leadership suites in the Capitol and across the street to the House office buildings, where the rank-and-file toil away on their committee work.

Houlahan came into office with the majority-making class of 2018 Democrats, who really believed they could change Congress. Almost eight years later, she’s run up against resistance from both Democratic and Republican majorities. Seemingly easy fixes like changing the voting and committee hearing calendars for more debate and member participation have languished.

And that’s left the average lawmaker feeling as if they’re chasing their own tails every day.

“The reason why I think it hasn’t been done before is it doesn’t benefit leadership. It benefits the organization and not the leadership. It helps them to scramble us all the time, and it helps them to throw us chaotic curveballs,” Houlahan told NOTUS.

Even if her party wins the majority in November, Houlahan has set her expectations quite low.

“Regardless of who’s in charge, I’m sad to think or believe that it probably won’t be a heck of a lot better, which is why most people at this point are trying to just try to make it incrementally better,” she told NOTUS.

Some proposals dealt with making the House more ethical and transparent to constituents, several of which have already received media attention:

Several Republicans and Democrats called for a ban on lawmakers trading individual stocks, an issue that various House speakers have stumbled over in recent years.
Several lawmakers called for formal bans against members and staff placing wagers on prediction markets like Kalshi, behavior that has led to insider-trading investigations.
Several lawmakers requested rules that would allow expectant and new parents to cast their votes by proxy to be a more family-friendly House, a proposal that House Speaker Mike Johnson has blocked.
Republicans and Democrats requested a new provision that would allow bill introductions to have multiple lead sponsors, instead of the current practice of just one.
Rep. Kevin Kiley, the only House independent, asked to change the rules to allow members who are elected as independents to receive committee assignments without caucusing with either party.
These modest proposals often serve as attempts to more broadly shift the operations of the House, with younger Democrats highlighting how hard it is for a young woman to run for Congress if she wants to raise a family.

“Honestly, this place doesn’t really work for younger people,” said Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs, 37, who talked about freezing her eggs to try to time when she gets pregnant.

Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen, 44, explained how she repeatedly had to fly from Denver to Washington last year with her newborn, Samuel, during very close-margin votes on major legislation.

Before he turned 6 months old, Samuel had been on 24 flights.

“This place doesn’t have to work this way,” Pettersen said.

The congressional calendar drew the most ire from both sides of the aisle.

Rank-and-file lawmakers complain that they spend way too much time on airplanes darting back and forth from their districts to Washington, leaving little time to be in the Capitol debating and shaping actual legislation.

For more than 15 years, the model month in the House has been three weeks in session and one week at home. Each week in Washington usually starts Monday evening and ends Thursday morning. That’s just two full days a week in session and two days a week traveling through airports or train stations.

Fine told Reps. Virginia Foxx and Jim McGovern, the Republican and Democratic committee leaders who have more than 50 years of combined congressional experience, that he might have a magical formula.

Commit to a full week or two in a row in Washington, creating at least four full days a week in committees and voting, followed by a corresponding number of weeks in their districts, he suggested.

“I’ve done the math on this,” Fine, the newest member to testify, said. “If we actually did this — a week here and a week home — we would actually spend more time working in Washington, we would spend more time working in our districts, and we would spend less time sitting on airplanes.”

Foxx responded to the schedule and travel complaints by recalling what her mentor told her when she won her first House race in 2004: “The worst part of this job is the travel.”

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver served as the lead Democratic co-sponsor on a prominent housing bill that was signed into law earlier this year, with Republican Rep. Mike Flood officially labeled the lead sponsor. Cleaver, an 11-term member, thinks younger lawmakers would benefit if multiple bill sponsors could be listed, which could encourage more bipartisan efforts.

“So it will automatically create alliances that don’t exist now,” Cleaver told NOTUS after his testimony.

Some lawmakers talked about truly transformational changes, such as implementing stricter controls on the revolving door that sends many members to lobbying firms upon retirement and banning gerrymandering to create politically safe districts.

But, for now, most lawmakers would settle for some basic changes like real training for dealing with classified information.

“I was shocked and have been shocked for four years now,” Kiggans told the committee.

Houlahan, who also serves on the Armed Services Committee and other informal groups dealing with national security, said she would settle for a balanced schedule that allowed her to attend and participate in these meetings.

“We’re not stupid. We can figure this out. We just don’t even try,” she told NOTUS.

173 Bipartisan Coloradans, Organizations, and Community Leaders Join in Support of Governor Polis’s Request for a Major Presidential Disaster

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

DENVER — Today, Governor Jared Polis announced that the State has supplemented its Major Disaster Declaration (MDD) request with 173 letters of support demonstrating the urgent need for federal assistance and the broad, bipartisan support for Colorado’s request.

“These letters tell the stories behind the damage assessments: families who lost everything, first responders and local governments whose resources are exhausted, water providers struggling to maintain essential services, and small businesses fighting to survive. These bipartisan letters also prove natural disasters know no political party, and every Coloradan rural or urban should have the support to recover and rebuild. Colorado has committed significant resources to these disasters, but our communities cannot recover from a disaster of this magnitude alone. I hope that President Trump hears these Coloradans and approves our request,” said Governor Polis.

The letters include:

88 from homeowners and community members
36 from bipartisan elected officials and local government entities
21 from nonprofit and community organizations
20 describing impacts to businesses and the regional economy
8 from infrastructure and essential utility providers

The letters from elected officials and government entities demonstrate bipartisan support extending far beyond the counties directly affected by the disasters. Letters came from state legislators, county commissioners, mayors, school districts, public health officials, and other government leaders representing communities across southern, southwestern, central, and northern Colorado. This support is in addition to a bipartisan letter signed by all ten members of Colorado’s congressional delegation urging the President to expedite his review and approve the Governor’s request.

“The outpouring of support for Governor Polis’s request reflects the extraordinary needs facing communities affected by the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires," said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. “Given the scale of the devastation, with these fires burning over 140,000 acres across three counties and destroying infrastructure, water supplies, and hundreds of homes and structures, federal disaster funding is essential to help these communities rebuild. I am glad to lead the entire Colorado congressional delegation in support of this request.”

“From Ridgway and Rye to Beulah and Ouray, we’re hearing how the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires and devastating flooding have forever altered lives and livelihoods,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper. “The Trump administration must quickly approve these major disaster declarations and give these communities the resources they need to get back on their feet.”

“The message from Colorado is clear: these communities need help. Families have lost homes, businesses and ranchers are facing enormous losses, and local governments and first responders have stretched their resources to the limit. The 173 letters submitted today show just how broad the support is for getting these communities the resources they need to recover and rebuild. I appreciate Coloradans from across the state standing with our rural communities, and I urge President Trump to approve this disaster declaration as quickly as possible,” said U.S. Congressman Jeff Hurd (CO-03).

“When I talk to the people in my district, I am heartbroken at the devastation that many have faced. However, I am filled with hope when I see their willingness and determination to rebuild and recover. The approval of a disaster declaration is an essential step. I’m proud that people across our state who have been impacted, first responders, community-based organizations, and community members, have provided letters of support that demonstrate the urgency and need to draw down disaster funds so they can begin to rebuild their homes, businesses, infrastructure, and their lives,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07). “These are communities that have already endured unimaginable loss. They should not have to wonder whether the federal government will help them recover. Federal disaster assistance is not about politics—it is about helping Americans get back on their feet after a disaster.”

Together, the letters of support describe what others have said about losing homes and livelihoods, first responders and local governments whose resources have been stretched thin, utility providers working to restore and protect essential services, and businesses struggling with lost revenue and continued uncertainty. Across regions, professions, and political affiliations, the message is consistent: affected communities have stepped up and supported one another, but the scale and impacts of these disasters has exceeded what communities can recover from alone. Governor Polis submitted Colorado’s request to the President on August 23 so impacted communities can access the federal assistance needed to recover, rebuild, and resume their lives.

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FY 2027 Community Project Funding (CPF) Webinar

FY 2027 Community Project Funding (CPF) Webinar

Littleton Mobile Office Hours

Wheat Ridge Community Resource Fair

Broomfield Mobile Office Hours

Wetmore Mobile Office Hours

Federal Workers and Community Resource Fair

The Office of Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s Federal Workers & Community Resource Fair

Bailey Mobile Office Hours

Broomfield Office Hours

Conifer Office Hours

The Office of Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s
Federal Workers & Community Resource Fair