In the News
House Democrats on Tuesday vowed to repeal a ban on the use of federal funds for abortions.
While a repeal of the long-standing ban is unlikely with Republican control of the Senate, the move indicates the direction Democrats want to go should they gain control of the upper chamber in 2020.
"We are going to end the Hyde Amendment," said Rep. Diana DeGette, co-chairwoman of the House Pro-Choice Caucus.
"We intend to fight aggressively to reverse the terrible decisions made by the Trump administration, and frankly previous administrations, going back 40 years."
Colorado's congressional Democrats said at a Monday morning news conference at Denver International Airport that President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were holding government workers "hostage" while the president throws "temper tantrums" over a border wall that has ever-shifting funding sources and while the longest-ever government shutdown continues.=
Some of Colorado's Congressional representatives are refusing to accept their paychecks during the government shutdown. Those include Rep. Diana DeGette, Rep. Scott Tipton and Rep. Doug Lamborn.
DeGette, a Democrat, posted on her Facebook "Our top priority right now must be to end this government shutdown and make sure all of our federal workers are fully compensated. As long as these workers aren't getting paid, I won't take my paycheck either."
Tipton and Lamborn also said they will forgo collecting their salary during the shutdown.
Rep. Diana DeGette returned to Washington as the most senior member of Colorado's congressional delegation and in the political majority.
But tempering the Democratic Party's newfound control in the House is the government shutdown, now entering its third week.
DeGette talked to Colorado Matters about the ongoing shutdown and her work to reopen some financial federal agencies. The District 1 congresswoman also discussed the wall, border security and anti-President Donald Trump comments made by freshman Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib.
This coming Monday, December 17 marks the 55th anniversary of the Clean Air Act. Coincidentally, it is also the end of the public comment period for the Trump administration's proposal to undermine that act and eviscerate Environmental Protection Agency safeguards to reduce methane and associated toxic air pollution from oil and gas production.
A prominent health lawmaker could be finding her way into the top echelon of House leadership as Democrats work to advance their health agenda.
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) announced Nov. 7 she's running to be Democratic Whip—which would make her the third-highest ranking member of the House—when Democrats assume the House majority next January. She faces an uphill battle in trying to unseat Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), who's been the Democrat's third-highest House member since 2006.
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO), Chief Deputy Whip, has provided the Weekly Democratic Address, which will be online and broadcast throughout the weekend.
The environment is not typically a top issue for American voters.
But this has not been a typical year.
California saw the largest fire in state history. North Carolina was inundated by water from a massive, slow-moving storm. The Florida Panhandle is still combing through the wreckage left by Hurricane Michael, the strongest storm to hit that part of Florida in recorded history. It made landfall just days after the world's top climate scientists issued perhaps their strongest warning yet about the threats of human-caused climate change.
The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a package of bills dubbed "Tax Reform 2.0" containing a provision extending the ability to count "unborn children" as beneficiaries under 529 education savings plans.
The tax bill is being advanced outside the budget reconciliation process, which means it's unlikely to get the 60 votes needed to pass the closely divided U.S. Senate without a filibuster, though it may be taken up after the midterm elections.
Last Sunday, I'm sure most Denver Post readers were scratching their heads, as I was, when they saw Donald Trump Jr.'s diatribe against Democrats splashed across the top of the Perspective section.
I'm sure folks were wondering: Did Donald Trump Jr. just wake up one day with deep concerns that Coloradans don't know there's an election coming? Or is this part of a larger national Republican effort to energize their base before the November elections by attacking Democrats in the most nasty and untrue ways?