U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen raced to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to say nay to a Republican spending plan central to President Donald Trump’s agenda — with her newborn wriggling in her arms.
The razor-thin Republican majority in Congress and a few waffling members made every vote even more meaningful than usual. Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, has been on maternity leave back home after giving birth to Sam just a month ago — and has been fighting to allow proxy voting while she recovers from childbirth.
But House leadership has denied her requests.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t given the opportunity to vote remotely after giving birth just a few weeks ago, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from voting against this harmful legislation,” Pettersen said in a statement. “… While they promised to lower costs on ‘Day One,’ this cruel and dangerous budget only makes life more expensive and hurts those who need our support the most, ripping away health care, education, food assistance, and more — all to give tax breaks to corporations and billionaires like Elon Musk.”
Colorado’s congressional delegation of four Democrats — also including Joe Neguse, Diana DeGette and Jason Crow — and four Republicans — Lauren Boebert, Jeff Hurd, Jeff Crank and Gabe Evans — split on the proposal along party lines. It ultimately passed 217-215.
The budget blueprint calls for $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts, while leaving the details for committees to work out in coming weeks.
Democrats have hammered it as setting the stage to slash vital services, such as Medicaid, to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, while Republicans defend it as key for Trump’s agenda and keeping taxes low.
“This bill does ensure that the median family of four in Colorado is not facing a tax increase of $2,040,” said Evans, a freshman Republican from Weld County, in a video statement. “This bill ensures the child tax credit is not cut in half. This bill ensures small businesses do not see their tax rate doubled. …
“Because I’m committed to making life affordable and safe for Americans and Coloradans, I voted for this bill.”
Evans represents one of the most competitive districts in the country and defeated Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo in November.
The broad strokes of the proposal, if passed into law, would extend a set of tax cuts enacted during Trump’s first administration that were set to expire at the end of the year.
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