First Year of Trump Administration and Republican Congress Brings Economic Uncertainty, Revoked Federal Funding, and Challenges to Colorado’s Congressional Districts

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DENVER – This week, we mark the Trump Administration's first year of actions that have brought economic uncertainty, missed federal funding to state and local organizations, and widespread challenges to every Colorado congressional district. From imposing a tariff tax policy that has increased costs on consumers and businesses, to terminating millions in federal funding that supports food security and climate initiatives, to vetoing projects designed to deliver the most basic of government services, Coloradans in every part of the state have been harmed by the Trump Administration.

As Governor Polis outlined in his State of the State address: "Meanwhile, over the past 12 months, it seems Washington is in it to break it all down. To make life harder and less affordable. To make Americans feel more fearful, more belligerent, more vulnerable. In the last month alone, the Trump administration has threatened over $1 billion in funding for Colorado, and is making life more expensive and more difficult across our state," Governor Polis remarked.

"Mean cuts target short-term support for the most basic and essential needs for Colorado families and threaten child care support that Colorado families and child care centers rely on. The President denied two major disaster relief requests for the Lee and Elk fires and devastating flooding in Western Colorado, hurting Coloradans and our recovery efforts, and went on to veto Lauren Boebert, Michael Bennet, and John Hickenlooper's unanimous, bipartisan bill to finally complete the pipeline providing clean water to rural Colorado, a project first promised under JFK. All while threatening to dismantle NCAR, a global leader in weather and global sciences, and a crown jewel of American scientific achievement. That's before you get to the devastating impacts HR 1 had on our state, gutting our state budget by $1 billion overnight, eliminating Coloradans' TABOR refunds, and slashing Medicaid and SNAP. All the while, tariff taxes on Coloradans are driving up costs on everything from groceries to medicine. Trump's tariffs alone are expected to cost Coloradans on average $1,700 for a single year. Tariffs hurt all of us, and make it unaffordable to live," Governor Polis continued.

To illustrate how these federal actions have affected communities statewide, the following fact sheets highlight a range of executive actions, agency decisions, and funding disruptions that have had significant impacts in each of Colorado's eight congressional districts. A statewide overview of threatened, cut, and successfully defended federal funding is available on the Federal Funding Cuts to Colorado dashboard.

Colorado Congressional District 8: Rep. Gabe Evans
  • Economic Uncertainty: H.R.1 - the President's signature budget bill - will siphon over $625 billion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. In CO-08, about 1 in 4 people rely on Medicaid for health insurance, forcing uncertainty on how they can access health care services in the future.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $275 million in total state federal funding intended to support CO-06. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • Impacting Top Ag Exports: The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) found that the President's tariff policies have harmed farmers and ranchers who are facing higher equipment, fertilizer, and packaging costs, ongoing shipping delays, and unpredictable access to key global markets.

Colorado Congressional District 7: Rep. Brittany Pettersen
  • Economic Uncertainty: In January of 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) placed Colorado's Child Care Development Fund, which subsidizes licensed child care providers for low-income families, on a restricted draw down, forcing parents to scramble to find childcare while providers question if they'll be able to stay in business.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $422 million in total state federal funding intended to support initiatives in CO-06. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • Government Shutdown: The Denver Federal Center, which houses the largest concentration of federal offices outside of Washington, D.C., was shuttered for much of the government shutdown, significantly impacting the 6,000 local employees and the restaurants, businesses, and communities that depend on the income generated by these jobs.

Colorado Congressional District 6: Rep. Jason Crow
  • Economic Uncertainty: In April, the Village Exchange Center in Aurora was threatened with losing $5.4 million in federal funding for the services they provide to immigrant families including vaccinations, food assistance, and help with signing up for social support services.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $231 million in total state federal funding intended to support initiatives in CO-06. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • Medical Research Cuts: In February, the Trump Administration threatened $4 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to colleges and universities, like the Anschutz Medical Campus, which, in 2024, was awarded over $62 million for a seven-year NIH grant that will fuel biomedical research and scientific training programs across the state. Colorado

Congressional District 5: Rep. Jeff Crank
  • Economic Uncertainty: Due to Congress's failure to extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs), insurance premiums in this District are estimated to increase 159%. For a standard silver plan provided by Connect for Health Colorado for a family of four with an annual income of $128,000, this amounts to a premium increase of over $16,000 to nearly $21,000 forcing families to choose between gas, groceries, or other essential expenses.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $216 million in total state federal funding intended to support CO-05. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • Losing Space Command: In September, President Trump announced that Space Command will be relocated to Huntsville, Alabama, despite bipartisan support for keeping the base in Colorado. As of 2023, Colorado Springs based Space Command employed over 1,700 personnel and brought an annual economic impact of $1 billion to the state.

Colorado Congressional District 4: Rep. Lauren Boebert
  • Economic Uncertainty: The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) found that the President's tariff policies have harmed farmers and ranchers who are facing higher equipment, fertilizer, and packaging costs, ongoing shipping delays, and unpredictable access to key global markets.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $327 million in total state federal funding intended to support initiatives in CO-04. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • Infrastructure Delay: President Trump used his first veto of his second term to stop the unanimous and bipartisan Arkansas Valley Conduit legislation, an essential water infrastructure project that the President supported in his first term that would have provided clean drinking water to 50,000 Coloradans in the district.

Colorado Congressional District 3: Rep. Jeff Hurd
  • Economic Uncertainty: Due to Congress's failure to extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs), insurance premiums in this District are estimated to increase 143% - 334%. For a standard silver plan provided by Connect for Health Colorado for a family of four with an annual income of $128,000, this amounts to a premium increase of over $16,000 to nearly $21,000 forcing families to choose between gas, groceries, or other essential expenses.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $487 million in total state federal funding intended to support initiatives in CO-03. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • Denying Disaster Relief: In December, President Trump denied two Major Disaster Declarations totaling $41 million in Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) funding that would support the recovery of Rio Blanco County from the devastating Elk and Lee Fires, and the recovery of Archuleta, La Plata, and Mineral Counties from the record flooding they experienced in mid-October. In January, the Governor's Office appealed this decision.

Colorado Congressional District 2: Rep. Joe Neguse
  • Economic Uncertainty: In October, the DOE cancelled over $377 million in clean energy grants that were mainly directed to Colorado research universities and clean energy startups. During the federal shutdown, the federal government closed Rocky Mountain National Park – which alone accounts for 75% of Colorado's park-related tourists and October accounts for 10% of annual visits – constricting a vital economic driver for a rural part of the state.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $379 million in total state federal funding intended to support initiatives in CO-02. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • Dismantling NCAR: In December, the Administration announced plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) which is the nation's premier atmospheric science center. Over 800 jobs are now at-risk, as well as the benefits of NCAR's research that extend beyond just an understanding of the weather: it provides us with safer air travel, improved severe weather warnings, and global weather information to support our national security interest. Colorado

Congressional District 1: Rep. Diana DeGette
  • Economic Uncertainty: In October, the Department of Energy (DOE) cancelled nearly $57 million in clean energy grants to the district. This funding, allocated to State initiatives and local businesses, would have provided research into carbon mitigation and solar energy.
  • Funding Cuts: The Trump Administration has targeted over $267 million in total state federal funding intended to support initiatives in CO-01. This figure does not include other federal direct spending, such as federal money directed to cities or nonprofits.
  • HUD Divestment: In August, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that its Denver Regional Office - which houses the Denver Homeownership Center and Western Regional Multifamily Operations program - would be vacated. The Regional Office and these two programs processed billions in federal housing financing.


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