Higher costs, wildfires, drought, and strong communities

Last week, we hit the road to meet with Coloradans in mountain communities. We heard about how higher costs, healthcare cuts, wildfires, and the extreme drought are affecting these communities. Yet, we also heard how communities are banding together to solve their problems and support each other.

We stopped in Golden and in Blackhawk to meet with emergency responders and hear about how they’re responding to the increasing threats of wildfire. Our emergency service officials highlighted how they’re using innovative ways to keep our communities safe in the face of a historic drought and devastating wildfire season.

Next, we stopped in Frisco to talk about the impacts of Trump’s cruel immigration agenda on our communities. We heard stories about the terror families and businesses felt during ICE raids and about the death of a Summit County resident in ICE detention. Employees were taken away. People were scared to come to work. Businesses shuttered out of fear.

We also sat down with outdoor recreation leaders and local elected officials in Beaver Creek to highlight the impact of the extreme drought and wildfires. Small businesses, workers, and the entire community were already feeling the pinch after this winter’s poor snow conditions tanked their winter tourism. Now, low-water levels and wildfires have exacerbated the pain.

Addressing climate change isn’t just about saving our climate, it’s about protecting these mountain towns and their way of life.

In Edwards, we toured Vail Health’s Edwards Community Health Campus and Precourt Healing Center to check out how the more than $2 million in federal funding we secured is helping them support the community. Afterwards, we sat down with regional healthcare leaders to discuss how the community is struggling after MAGA’s One Big Ugly Betrayal Act ripped a trillion dollars out of the healthcare system.

In Eagle, Latino small business leaders highlighted how they’re surviving the cost-of-living emergency caused by Trump’s reckless tariffs, illegal war with Iran, and healthcare cuts. We also discussed how the president’s extreme immigration agenda has spread fear in their community and disrupted their business.

The best part of my job is getting to meet Coloradans across the state. Yet, more and more often, we’re hearing that people can’t keep up with what’s become a cost-of-living emergency.

People are beyond frustrated that each time they read the news, they don’t see this administration helping. Instead, they’re seeing this administration drag us deeper into an unwanted war, kick back more favors to the president’s Epstein class buddies, and reject federal disaster relief for communities trying to rebuild their lives.

Coloradans deserve so much better. We’re a state filled with resilient communities that come together in the face of extreme threats – like wildfires, drought, and economic hardship.

We’ve gotten through the worst hard times. We’ll get through this as well.

We’ll take the stories we heard this week back to Washington to help lower costs, secure federal relief for Coloradans, and stop the corruption.