DENVER — A battle over the potential freezing of federal funds has left Colorado organizations stuck in the uncertain middle.
On Monday night, the White House's Office of Management and Budget sent a memo directing federal agency heads to "temporarily pause all activities related to obligations or disbursement of Federal financial assistance."
The pause was set to go into effect at 3 p.m. MT Tuesday, but within minutes of that happening, a federal judge blocked the pause from going into effect.
Hours prior, Democratic attorneys general in several states — including Colorado — announced a joint effort to block President Donald Trump from moving forward with his plans.
"This cut order to funding across the board by the president is unprecedented. It's dangerous and it's illegal," said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. "Congress has committed to funding a range of programs, from health care to public safety to highways. And now, for the first time in American history, a president on his own is saying, 'No, we're not funding those priorities.'"
"That violates the Constitution's commitment [to] the separation of powers, and that's why we're going to court," Weiser continued.
Some Colorado lawmakers, however, argue a freeze like the one that was supposed to go into effect Tuesday afternoon is not only necessary but long overdue.
"I'm supportive of reviewing where our government is too bloated or spending on frivolous initiatives such as DEI. This is something the American people want," said U.S. Representative Gabe Evans in a video posted to X. "The inflammatory, fear-based language you're hearing from the left doesn't help anyone, nor is it based on fact."
- Read the White House's full memo below
While the directive has been blocked by a federal judge until Monday, Feb. 3, some Colorado organizations that receive federal funding say they're stuck waiting for more information.
"At Food Bank of the Rockies, the majority of our funding comes from the generosity of the public," said Erin Pulling, the CEO of Food Bank of the Rockies. "That's primarily individuals who donate the funds to make our work possible. The federal funding also makes up a really good portion."
According to Pulling, the Food Bank of the Rockies relies on nearly $500,000 from federal funding every month. The food bank operates four federally funded programs:
- Everyday Eats, also known as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Food for Kids, which provides summer and after-school meals through the USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which serves income-eligible adults ages 18 and older.
During a press briefing Tuesday, White House officials clarified SNAP would not be impacted by the potential freeze of federal funds.
Pulling told Denver7 they are still waiting for more clarification and are hoping for the best.
"The short answer is we don't yet know what it means for our operations," she said. "Hopefully it's just a delay in funding that will resume, and fortunately, we don't foresee a disruption in our service, if that's as simple as it is. And so, we are looking at all potential implications."
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