In January, Rep. Jeff Hurd said that he is “cautiously optimistic that there’s a lot of good that we can do in this next Congress with the help of President Donald Trump and our Republican Senate.” (Journal, Jun. 18). We wonder what he thinks now that Republicans have worked hard to do so many things that hurt rather than help the 3rd Congressional District.
Tuesday, we got word that over the weekend and through Monday, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough issued several key rulings that determined what can stay and what must be removed from the budget reconciliation bill.
The Journal’s editorial board is exhaling and relieved to learn MacDonough’s actions – doing her job as a nonpartisan and unbiased adviser to the Senate interpreting and applying its rules and precedents – have for now resulted in some of the most harmful proposals of the bill being removed. Things like cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, kneecapping the judiciary and the sale of millions of acres of public lands our communities rely on are gone.
Reps. Hurd and Neguse (CO2) issued a strongly worded bipartisan statement of support on Tuesday about the removal of the sale of millions of acres of public lands from the bill.
“Colorado’s public lands belong to the people and are held in trust for future generations. They don’t belong to political appointees or outside interests. Neither of our districts asked for this land sale, and any efforts to sell off these shared spaces are deeply unpopular with the hunters, ranchers, fishermen, recreationists, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts we are proud to represent in Congress. Republican or Democrat – representing red, purple, or blue districts – sentiment continues to ring true: public lands are not for sale,” they said.
We can hear the indignation in their words that such a proposal represents and the Liberty Bell ringing in the background. Nothing is more uniquely American for Westerners than the public lands we collectively own and steward.
Hurd supported the megabill that came out of the House with deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP pushing the cost to cash-strapped states like our own. Thanks to MacDonough SNAP cuts are gone and Republicans are left to figure out a $128 billion dollar hole that line item represented in ‘savings.’ For whom we’re not sure, since 316,572 CD3 residents (14% of households) receive SNAP benefits according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
Although Hurd signed onto letters urging Republican leadership to preserve Medicaid and clean energy tax credits, it remains to be seen what will emerge. With one quarter of Southwest Colorado residents relying on Medicaid, The Journal’s editorial board agrees with Hurd and his colleagues, “Balancing the federal budget must not come at the expense of those who depend on these benefits for their health and economic security … We will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations,” the Representatives wrote.
The bill provision that disallowed states from regulating Artificial Intelligence was retained but only applies to states wishing to access federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program funds. This program has benefited Southwest Colorado local governments seeking to expand high-speed internet access for underserved communities. Unfortunately, recent changes to it resulted in the improvements being halted (Journal, Jun. 13).
We encourage Rep. Hurd to work to restore integrity to this program, keep public lands in public hands and retain Medicaid support for the district as the Senate finalizes the bill, and when it comes back to the House.
We’re especially grateful to Parliamentarian MacDonough for doing her job that has inserted some sanity into this budget process. May she have the wind at her back.
