Guest Columns - The Journal

Working for public lands that support real people, places and livelihoods

June is Great Outdoors Month – a time when families across the country head outside to enjoy the rivers, mountains and open spaces that define the American West. In Colorado’s 3rd District, ...

DATE: Jun 8, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Medicaid cuts threaten everyone’s health care in Southwest Colorado

As leaders of rural hospitals, our organizations are lifelines for medical emergencies, medical homes for many and vital economic engines for our region. Proposed Congressional Medicaid cuts...

DATE: Jun 4, 2025 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

House reconciliation’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ contains some good, bad and ugly

On May 22, the House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill, otherwise known as the Budget Reconciliation Act, with a vote of 215 to 214 with 1 “present” vote. The heart of the...

DATE: May 30, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

For waste and inefficiency, you really can’t beat corn ethanol

Corn ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, has been burned in gasoline engines and human stomachs since before Henry Ford was born. It’s hard on both, so until 35 years ago it never caught o...

DATE: May 21, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

2025 legislative wrap-up: Lower health care costs, lodgers tax, rural hospital and education support

The legislative session wrapped up this past Wednesday after weeks of long days on the House floor. Four of my bills passed this year with bipartisan support, and I also picked up three more...

DATE: May 16, 2025 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Rep. Hurd fights to protect national forests, advances bill to fix them before they burn again

Our forests are burning. And Washington can’t keep standing by, stuck in process and politics, while homes go up in smoke. Over the past decade, we’ve watched catastrophic wildfires sweep ac...

DATE: May 7, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

At the front lines fighting for Colorado

We live in a challenging time. Rising costs make Colorado more unaffordable for working families; climate change creates serious risks for our land, air and water; unnecessary red-tape block...

DATE: May 4, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Cutting Medicaid will hurt people we know, our community’s health care system and economy

Medicaid is a hot topic featured on the nightly news, in local newspapers, and at county commissioner meetings. So why another Medicaid article? Because, it is important to focus on this iss...

DATE: May 2, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is eroding the rule of law

“I got lucky,” José told me. “Because they got the wrong person.” José, 28, who did not give his last name for fear of retribution from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said he was ...

DATE: Apr 23, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Earth Action Day: Unleashing our power for our planet

April 22nd will mark the fifty-fifth anniversary of Earth Day. The power of those 20 million voices that came out on the streets that first Earth Day led the U.S. to create the EPA and the ...

DATE: Apr 20, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Tight state budget preserves Medicaid, education, health care, EMS funding

We have just 24 days until the end of session, and these things are moving fast at the Capitol. Gov. Polis signed my first bill, allowing occupational therapists to prescribe durable medical...

DATE: Apr 17, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Halfway marked by bipartisan support, tribal collaboration and recognition

We’re officially halfway through the legislative session. I’m pleased to share my monthly update from the Capitol building. Every session, each legislator has the opportunity to introduce fi...

DATE: Apr 15, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion