In the News

Link to The Original Article Colorado’s federal lawmakers are reacting to President Donald Trump’s sweeping pardons and commutations for participants charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol, including rioters who assaulted police officers. Freshman GOP Rep. Jeff Hurd of Grand Junction said he was “deeply disappointed” in the pardons “for those who assaulted law… Read more »

Link to The Original Article Let’s be honest — Congress is old.  When the 119th Congress was sworn in earlier this month, it became the third-oldest in history, with an average age of nearly 59 in the House and 69 in the Senate. Only 14 percent of its members are under the age of 45. It’s no wonder former Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.), once described… Read more »

Link to The Original Article Donald J. Trump was sworn in to serve as U.S. President for the second time on Monday, Jan. 20, drawing reactions from around the world, but also from some of Colorado’s lawmakers. Trump named Colorado several times during his campaign for presidency, and visited Aurora in October to speak about immigration and the gang violence reported at… Read more »

Link to The Original Article GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna repeatedly tried to convince Speaker Mike Johnson that he — as a pro-family champion — should back her push to allow new mothers to vote remotely for six weeks while they are recovering from birth. He refused. Then, she turned to Democrats. The House Freedom Caucus member is now teaming up with a group of House Democrats,… Read more »

Link to The Original Article Many American workplaces include some kind of maternity leave policy, but Congress isn’t one of them. In U.S. history, 12 federal lawmakers have given birth during their tenures, and in each instance, they were put in a difficult situation: As The New York Times reported, these members “can take time away from the office without sacrificing their pay,”… Read more »

Link to The Original Article On Jan. 13, a very pregnant Brittany Pettersen missed the first of what could be weeks' worth of votes in the closely divided House of Representatives, prompting the second-term Colorado Democrat to renew a plea that the chamber's Republican leadership permit proxy or remote voting by lawmakers who are new parents. Expecting her second child in a few… Read more »

Link to The Original Article U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, who is a few weeks away from giving birth to her second child, is leading an effort to allow new parents to vote remotely in Congress.  Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, is unable to fly to Washington, D.C., due to medical and travel restrictions toward the end of pregnancy, leaving her unable to vote on legislation. She… Read more »

Link to The Original Article Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), who is currently pregnant, is urging fellow lawmakers to support her in a bid to allow proxy voting for members of Congress who are new parents under the Rules of the House for the 119th Congress.  Pettersen is slated to become the 14th member — and the first from Colorado — to give birth while serving in… Read more »

Link to The Original Article The start of a new Congress is like the start of the new year: Everyone is excited and filled with plans and resolutions, including Colorado’s congressional delegation. Rep. Gabe Evans said he’s “just looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to work on those crucial items that the American people sent us here to do.” The newly elected… Read more »

Link to The Original Article The Founding Fathers no doubt didn’t imagine members of Congress being the ones going on pregnancy leave, but the foresight they showed in the creation of the Constitution as a living document surely could be reconsidered to accommodate the rights of a duly-elected representative. That is– if we expect the next generation of leaders to ascend to… Read more »