DENVER — President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress tonight, outlining his priorities for the upcoming year. Although the address is not technically a State of the Union address, it will look and feel like one in many ways.
Ahead of the speech, Denver7 spoke with some of Colorado’s federal delegation of lawmakers about what they’re expecting.
“Donald Trump’s joint address tonight will be more lies, more hate, and more chaos,” said Democratic Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, who represents Colorado's 7th Congressional District. “[Trump] promised to address rising costs on Day One, but instead has implemented tariffs that will make everything more expensive for regular people who are already struggling to make ends meet, and he has pushed through a budget that slashes food and health care for kids, seniors, veterans and [Colorado] families, all to pay for tax breaks for billionaires like Elon Musk."
Congresswoman Diana DeGette, a Democrat representing the 1st Congressional District, which includes most of Denver, is skipping Trump’s address.
“Trump’s childish and shameful actions in the Oval Office towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as his barrage of illegal attacks against public servants and vulnerable groups, have disgraced and embarrassed our country,” DeGette said. “His actions are beneath the office of the President and do not merit my attendance at this Joint Address.”
Congressman Jason Crow, who represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes most of Aurora, said he expects the atmosphere in the chamber to be “tense and tough.”
“I'm showing up because that's what my constituents expect,” Crow said. “They voted me to be their voice in Washington, so I need to show up to events like this.”
Colorado U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper wants to hear more about Trump’s foreign policy plans.
“Is Russia really our adversary, which is what I've grown up with my entire life, or are they our new ally?” Hickenlooper said.
In addition, he will be listening carefully to learn more about Trump’s plan to shrink the federal government.
"What's happening now is Helter Skelter. It's kind of a reckless crusade of just chopping with an axe,” said Hickenlooper.
On the other side of the aisle, Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, who represents the 4th Congressional District, which includes Douglas County and the Eastern Plains, posted a video sharing why she looks forward to the president's speech.
“This is my fifth State of the Union in Washington, D.C., and I can tell you that this one is the one that I have been waiting for,” Boebert said. “For President Trump to tell the world all of the amazing things that he is doing through his policies, how he is charging us to help codify his amazing executive orders, brag on the amazing cabinet choices that he has selected, and cast a vision for a great America. America will be stronger than ever, and we already are with President Trump's leadership, and his strength is already bringing peace throughout the world.”
Members of Congress are allowed to bring guests with them to the president’s address.
Crow is bringing Rosario Morales, a program enrollment manager at STRIDE Community Health Center in Aurora. He met Morales during a tour of the health clinic a couple of weeks ago.
During the tour, Morales explained to Crow why Medicaid cuts would be devastating to the clinic and its patients.
“Rosario, just somebody who's on the front lines of healthcare, really told a really a heart-wrenching story about what that would mean for the families that I represent if these cuts went through,” said Crow.
“I think any cuts to Medicaid will be terrible for our patients, for our communities, for our health centers,” Morales said.
Republican Gabe Evans, the newly elected Congressman who represents the 8th District, announced his guest will be Liz Hardy, who lost her 25-year-old daughter, Brooke, to fentanyl.
“One time, half a pill, and life for our family changed forever,” Hardy said. “If it were not for our faith in Christ, knowing we will see Brooke again one day, we could not survive this. We want her story to be told because too many of our loved ones are dying unnecessarily.”
Evans became a co-sponsor of the HALT Fentanyl Act last month.
“As a Colorado cop for 10 years, I witnessed firsthand how not supporting law enforcement enables traffickers and the flow of fentanyl into our communities,” said Evans. “I’m humbled to have Liz join me at the President’s Joint Address, and I will always fight to rid our communities of this deadly poison that is wreaking havoc on our communities.”
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