See how Brittany Pettersen's votes line up with your values.
DeepSyte scores Brittany Pettersen's record on the issues you care about — not party, not press releases. Take the 2-minute values quiz to see your personal alignment.
Sign in and take the values quiz to see how Brittany Pettersen's votes line up with your views.
Prediction track record
How often we called Brittany Pettersen's passage votes correctly, from their stated positions on each bill's tagged topics. Excludes “unclear” calls and abstentions.
To prohibit the disclosure of records by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of individuals for the purposes of immigration enforcement, and for other purposes.
Based on 5 data points across public statements and recorded votes · AI analysis of public records
119-hr-845·Consistent
Pet and Livestock Protection Act
92/100
What they said
Apr 29, 2026
Rep. Pettersen opposes the House Republican Farm Bill, arguing it fails to address tariff impacts on farmers, inadequately funds wildfire response and forest management, cuts food assistance programs, and lacks environmental protections. She advocated for amendments to compensate farmers for tariff losses, maintain wildfire response staffing, delay SNAP work requirements, and fund weather forecasting tools.
Rep. Pettersen's statement opposes the House Republican Farm Bill, citing environmental concerns including forest protection, water quality, and wildfire response. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act removes endangered species protections for gray wolves, which directly contradicts environmental protection values. Her NO vote on this bill is strongly consistent with her stated opposition to legislation that 'gives big corporations the greenlight to destroy our forests' and her advocacy for environmental safeguards.
Colorado's Democratic congressional delegation is demanding transparency and accountability from ICE regarding the operation of detention sub-offices in strip malls and business parks throughout the state, citing reports of detainees being held beyond policy limits and in facilities lacking proper signage or oversight.
The statement criticizes ICE's operation of detention facilities that lack transparency, oversight, and adherence to internal policy limits on detention duration. The Secure the Border Act focuses on border wall construction and asylum restrictions rather than detention facility oversight or accountability. The rep's NO vote on a bill emphasizing border enforcement aligns with the statement's concern for detainee protections and transparency, though the bill and statement address different specific mechanisms within immigration policy.
Colorado's Democratic congressional delegation is demanding transparency and accountability from ICE regarding the operation of detention sub-offices in strip malls and business parks throughout the state, citing reports of detainees being held beyond policy limits and in facilities lacking proper signage or oversight.
The statement criticizes ICE's operation of detention facilities in Colorado, focusing on lack of transparency, inadequate oversight, and violations of ICE's own detention time limits. The bill penalizes sanctuary jurisdictions that restrict cooperation with immigration enforcement. The rep's NO vote aligns with the statement's implicit position favoring greater scrutiny and limits on ICE detention practices, rather than strengthening ICE's enforcement authority. However, the statement addresses detention facility conditions and transparency, while the bill addresses sanctuary city funding penalties—related but distinct immigration policy questions.
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2025
72/100
What they said
Mar 12, 2026
Colorado's Democratic congressional delegation is demanding transparency and accountability from ICE regarding the operation of detention sub-offices in strip malls and business parks throughout the state, citing reports of detainees being held beyond policy limits and in facilities lacking proper signage or oversight.
The statement criticizes ICE detention practices—specifically lack of transparency, facilities without proper signage, and detentions exceeding policy limits—and demands accountability. A no vote on a DHS appropriations bill that funds ICE operations is directionally consistent with opposition to those practices, as it withholds funding. However, the bill is a broad appropriations measure covering multiple DHS agencies and functions beyond ICE detention oversight, so the vote may reflect objections to other provisions or overall spending levels rather than solely the detention issues raised in the statement.
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024
72/100
What they said
Mar 12, 2026
Colorado's Democratic congressional delegation is demanding transparency and accountability from ICE regarding the operation of detention sub-offices in strip malls and business parks throughout the state, citing reports of detainees being held beyond policy limits and in facilities lacking proper signage or oversight.
The statement demands transparency and accountability regarding ICE detention practices, particularly concerning facilities operating without proper oversight and in violation of internal policy limits. The representative voted against the DHS appropriations bill that funds ICE operations. While a 'no' vote on an appropriations bill can reflect concerns about agency conduct and funding, the statement does not explicitly call for defunding ICE or rejecting appropriations—it calls for answers and accountability. The vote is directionally aligned with skepticism toward ICE's current operations, though the statement's focus on transparency and rule enforcement is somewhat distinct from a blanket appropriations rejection.
Pairs with ambiguous language and high uncertainty are withheld until more data is available. Procedural, cloture, and amendment votes are excluded — they don't cleanly signal substantive support or opposition.
Pro analysis
AI rep analysis — Pro
Get an AI-narrated read on Brittany Pettersen's full voting record against your stated values — aligned themes, conflicts, notable votes, and what to watch for.
Positions Brittany Pettersen took during their campaign, scored against their subsequent record — public statements cross-checked with related votes. “Kept” means 80%+ of those statement-vs-vote pairs aligned; “Broken” means 30% or fewer.
0 kept0 broken0 mixed0 no action yet
Brittany Pettersen has 8 tracked positions but no scored statement-vs-vote pairs touching them yet. Verdicts will appear here as related statements and votes accumulate.
No action yetSupports
Medicare should be allowed to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.
“In Congress, she will fight to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and improve transparency in medical billing”
Access to contraception should be guaranteed by federal law in all states (Right to Contraception Act).
“She has worked to increase access to contraception and protect abortion rights here in Colorado, and in Congress, will vote to protect those rights for everyone.”
The government should forgive some federal student loan debt.
“Brittany also supports loan forgiveness programs that dedicate support for students who pursue careers in critical areas of need like education and health care.”
Passage votes where Brittany Pettersen broke ranks with ≥75% of Democrats. Threshold catches substantively partisan splits; unanimous-ish or close votes are excluded.
To prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022
Reps. Pettersen, Krishnamoorthi Lead Effort Demanding Answers on ICE’s Backdoor Access to License Plate Surveillance Network
Position: Members of Congress are demanding that ICE disclose whose movements it has tracked through local police access to Flock license plate camera data, the legal authority relied upon, and safeguards against abuse.
LAKEWOOD – Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) today led an effort demanding answers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following reports the agency has used local police to gain backdoor access to a nationwide license plate surveillance network, allowing the federal government to track private citizens’ movements. In the Members’ letter to Acting Director David Venturella, which was signed by 33 other Democrats, the Members press ICE to disclose whose movements it is tracking, what legal authority it relies on, and what safeguards protect the public from abuse.
“Reports that ICE is using local police as a backdoor to track people’s movements is terrifying and should alarm every single one of us. Especially during the Trump administration, which is looking for every opportunity to track and deport even law-abiding people,” said Congresswoman Pettersen. “I’m demanding answers about who ICE is tracking, how this information is being used, and what is stopping agents from abusing it. ICE does not get a blank check to spy on families and communities.”
“ICE’s use of local police as a backdoor to access Flock’s license plate cameras and secretly track Americans’ movements is an outrageous abuse of power,” saidCongressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. “The Trump administration cannot use local law enforcement to circumvent the Fourth Amendment and evade accountability. We are demanding answers about who ICE has been tracking, how this information has been used, and whether anyone has been detained or arrested as a result of this surveillance.”
A recent investigation uncovered more than 4,000 searches of Flock Safety camera data by state and local law enforcement conducted for federal authorities or with a potential immigration focus. The reporting described how ICE obtained access through local law enforcement despite having no formal contract with Flock governing that access.
Flock’s automatic license plate readers capture vehicle information and locations, allowing law enforcement to search records across camera networks. Access to those records can reveal incredibly personal details about people’s daily routines and whereabouts, raising concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of information collected in communities across the country.
“Such chilling, unrestrained surveillance obtained without judicial authorization, contractual safeguards, or public transparency, represents far more than a procedural lapse—it represents the quiet expansion of a federal surveillance system operating out of sight and beyond any meaningful public oversight,” the Members write in the letter.
The letter requests answers by November 20, 2026, including:
How often ICE has accessed Flock camera data, directly or through state and local partners and for what purposes.
How many people have been detained, arrested, or subjected to other enforcement actions as a result.
What legal authority and internal policies govern ICE’s access to and use of this information.
Whether ICE has reviewed these practices for compliance with federal privacy protections, the Fourth Amendment, and Department of Homeland Security policy.
Whether ICE intends to establish a formal agreement with Flock safety or another license plate reader vendor .
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen has consistently fought back against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement overreach and defended due process. In the Colorado legislature, she helped pass legislation ensuring local law enforcement agencies do not serve as an extension of ICE. In Congress, she voted against legislation that would force Washington, D.C. police to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and condemned ICE operations in schools, churches, and hospitals. This letter builds on her work to protect immigrant communities and demand accountability for federal enforcement practices that threaten people’s rights.
The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.
Dear Acting Director Venturella:
We write with serious concern regarding reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been accessing data from Flock Safety automatic license‑plate‑reader (ALPR) cameras, an AI‑powered surveillance system, with no formal contract or governing agreement in place, creating serious concerns around data privacy and overreach. According to recent reporting, ICE has used state and local law‑enforcement agencies to conduct more than 4,000 searches of Flock camera data on its behalf, enabling ICE personnel to obtain personally identifiable information without a criminal warrant.
Not only is this protocol potentially illegal, exploiting this information side-door allows ICE personnel to query ALPR cameras deployed across multiple states – in effect granting federal agents access to a nationwide, continuously updated surveillance grid capable of tracking the movements of millions of people in real time. Such chilling, unrestrained surveillance obtained without judicial authorization, contractual safeguards, or public transparency, represents far more than a procedural lapse — it represents the quiet expansion of a federal surveillance system operating out of sight and beyond any meaningful public oversight. This is a serious breach of privacy and a clear departure from federal law and agency policy. The ability of federal agents to access vast quantities of location‑tracking data, without judicial authorization and without public disclosure, constitutes an unprecedented intrusion into the privacy of the general public, and must be explained immediately.
Please provide a response to the following no later than November 20, 2026:
How many times has an ICE agent obtained data from Flock Cameras, whether directly or through state or local law‑enforcement partners?
For what purpose is ICE accessing and obtaining data from Flock Cameras?
Have any individuals been detained, arrested, or otherwise subjected to enforcement actions as a result of information obtained from Flock Cameras? If yes, please provide that number.
What authority or legal statute is ICE purporting to operate under when accessing Flock Camera data? Please provide that authority or legal statute.
Does ICE maintain any internal policy governing the use of ALPR data obtained through third‑party or indirect means? If so, please provide that policy.
Has ICE conducted any legal review regarding whether accessing ALPR data through state or local partners complies with federal privacy protections, the Fourth Amendment, or DHS policy? If so, please provide that review. If not, please indicate whether the agency plans to do so.
Does ICE intend to formalize a contract or memorandum of understanding with Flock Safety or any other ALPR vendor?
We look forward to your prompt response.
To access downloadable, high-quality photos, click here. To stay up-to-date on what Pettersen is doing in Congress, follow her on Twitter here, Facebook here, or Instagram here. Residents can also sign-up for her e-newsletter subscription here.
Congresswoman Pettersen Convenes Immigration Roundtable on ICE Oversight and Priorities for Next Congress, Unveils Bills Restricting ICE Access to Disaster Survivors’ Personal Data
Position: The release opposes ICE abuses and calls for stronger congressional oversight and guardrails on immigration enforcement. It supports two bills that would bar immigration enforcement from accessing personal data collected from disaster survivors through FEMA and non-government entities.
Congresswoman Pettersen at today’s immigration roundtable with representatives from Casa de Paz, Hispanic Contractors of Colorado, COLOR Latina, Mi Casa Resource Center, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, Mi Familia Vota, American Friends Service Committee, Adelante Community Development, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, CLLARO, and Lideres Latines
LAKEWOOD – Today, Congresswoman Pettersen (CO-07) convened local leaders to discuss the ongoing abuses by Trump’s rogue Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and discuss with local leaders their shared priority to strengthen oversight and establish guardrails to protect immigrant communities in the next Congress. Pettersen also first announced to the group that she, alongside Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) today introduced two bills to protect disaster survivors’ personal information from being used for the purposes of immigration enforcement. This comes after the devastating Aspen Acres and Willow Fires forced thousands of Coloradans to evacuate earlier this summer, raising concerns that data collected through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and non-government entities to issue re-entry cards to affected areas in the wake of a natural disaster could be accessed by immigration enforcement.
“From the very beginning, Trump’s ICE agency has acted without regard for basic human rights and safety – killing innocent people, detaining people in inhumane conditions, ripping families apart, and spreading fear throughout our immigrant communities. We need to rein in this agency and look ahead to what the next Congress can do to put real guardrails in place, hold ICE accountable, and protect our communities,” saidCongresswoman Pettersen. “And no family fleeing a wildfire should have to wonder whether to ask for help or evacuate out of fear that their information will be used to target them. I’m so grateful for everyone who joined me today to have an honest discussion on how we can protect our neighbors and our community.”
“Every family deserves access to resources following a natural disaster without fear that their information will be used against them,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “I am proud to join Rep. Pettersen on this package to prevent ICE from accessing data collected in response to a natural disaster. No one should be able to take advantage of our immigrant neighbors during a vulnerable time.”
“No family should have to fear deportation when seeking safety from a wildfire or asking for help after a disaster,” said Alex Sánchez, president and CEO of Voces Unidas. “These bills would help protect the personal information Latino and immigrant families share to get emergency assistance. We thank Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen for her leadership and urge Congress to pass these protections.”
The roundtable brought together leaders from Casa de Paz, Hispanic Contractors of Colorado, COLOR Latina, Mi Casa Resource Center, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, Mi Familia Vota, American Friends Service Committee, Adelante Community Development, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, CLLARO, and Lideres Latines to discuss how ICE’s enforcement practices are affecting immigrant communities across Colorado.
The group discussed the various abuses that ICE has carried out on communities, including the killings of multiple innocent people including American citizens, the long-term detention of individuals in temporary holding cells that lack basic access to sanitation, and repeated ICE operations in and around sensitive areas including schools and churches. Wait times for immigration cases, applications, and work authorization documents have also been affected, with certain applications now taking over 6 months to process – leaving families facing prolonged uncertainty about their immigration cases and ability to work. Pettersen focused the discussion on where gaps in services are leaving families without support as well as her priorities for the 120th Congress, including bipartisan opportunities to expand access to counsel, improve detention transparency, and strengthen protections for children and mothers.
During the discussion, Pettersen also announced the introduction of her two new bills, the Emergency Assistance Privacy Protection Act and the Disaster Data Protection Act. These bills prohibit FEMA from sharing disaster survivors’ personally identifiable information with ICE and prohibit ICE from obtaining disaster data collected by third parties without a judicial warrant, respectively. This followed the Congresswoman’s visits to areas affected by this year’s Willow and Aspen Acres Fires, which burned over 100,000 acres of land, including in Custer and Lake counties, and forced thousands to evacuate from their homes. Residents affected by the evacuations expressed concerns that the personal information collected by FEMA in the wake of a natural disaster to administer re-entry cards to evacuated areas could be accessed and used by ICE for non-targeted immigration enforcement. This raises larger concerns that members of the immigrant community would forgo evacuation orders or fail to properly identify themselves to first responders and other disaster response personnel out of fear that this information will be accessed by ICE.
Specifically, the Emergency Assistance Privacy Protection Act would:
Prohibit data sharing of any personally identifiable information collected by FEMA with ICE.
Full bill text can be found HERE.
Specifically, the Disaster Data Protection Act would:
Prohibit ICE from obtaining data collected by a third party during a disaster absent a criminal warrant.
Full bill text can be found HERE.
Under the Trump Administration, Congressional Republicans have repeatedly voted to send more money to ICE and immigration enforcement with no guardrails, including over $70 billion initially through H.R. 1 and an additional $70 billion this past summer for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over three years – even as the agency has come under fire for its conduct. Pettersen has consistently voted against allocating additional funds to ICE, calling for major regulatory oversight and guardrails to keep immigrant communities safe.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen has repeatedly pushed back against Trump’s harmful immigration policiesand efforts to pour billions more into ICE and CBP without meaningful accountability. She has voted against enforcement funding packages, backed legislation requiring agents to visibly identify themselves, and supported restoring protections for schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Alongside Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, she demanded that the administration abandon plans for a new ICE detention facility in Hudson,Colorado. She has also pressed for answers about prolonged detention in field office holding cells and proposed safeguards to protect detained parents’ children and prevent immigration detainees from being held in federal prisons.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Demands Answers on New Trump Administration Effort That Could Jeopardize CO Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Position: The release opposes new CMS guidance that could reduce federal Medicaid outlays and jeopardize state-funded substance use disorder treatment, and calls on CMS to preserve existing services, state flexibility, and clarify its expectations within 10 days. It also states support for repealing Medicaid cuts in H.R. 1.
LAKEWOOD – Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) today announced her effort demanding answers from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) about new Trump Administration guidance that could jeopardize addiction treatment and other essential services funded through state Medicaid programs. In Colorado, those programs support residential and inpatient treatment, in large part because of Pettersen’s work as a state legislator.
Last year, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans made a historic, nearly $1 trillion cut to Medicaid in their One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), provisions which Pettersen has introduced legislation to repeal. But now, Trump’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released guidance expressing the Administration’s intent to “reduce federal [Medicaid] outlays,” ringing alarm bells that the Administration is attempting to further cut Medicaid after devastating cuts could leave over 7 million people without health care. With changes potentially taking effect as early as January 1, 2027, Pettersen led eight other members in pressing CMS to preserve existing services and state flexibility—and provide clarification within 10 days of receiving their letter.
“Like so many Americans, my mom was overprescribed opioids when she hurt her back when I was just 6 years old, which led to a decades-long addiction. When she was cut off from her prescription opioids without access to treatment, my mom turned to heroin and fentanyl to avoid withdrawal. I watched her being turned in and out of the ICU from overdoses while begging for help with nowhere to go. In my fight to save my mom’s life, I saw firsthand how broken our healthcare system was,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen.
Pettersen continued, “Medicaid did not cover treatment for those who were struggling with addiction, so I fought to change that —drawing down hundreds of millions of dollars a year for the critical care people desperately need. But everything we have done to address the opioid epidemic in this state is being dismantled by Trump and Republicans. That’s why I’m demanding answers and fighting back.”
This recent guidance from CMS is described as “early notice” ahead of forthcoming rulemaking, leaving states to prepare for potentially significant changes without these final requirements. States must navigate that uncertainty while implementing the broader Medicaid changes in H.R. 1. Pettersen and her colleagues are pressing CMS to explain its expectations before disrupted funding becomes disrupted care.
For more than six decades, Section 1115 Medicaid waivers have allowed states to test new approaches, expand benefits, and improve access to care. Colorado uses this flexibility to cover inpatient and residential substance use disorder treatment. Access to that care helps people recover while reducing costly emergency care and hospitalizations.
As a state legislator, Pettersen passed legislation directing Colorado to seek a waiver covering residential and inpatient addiction treatment. That waiver took effect in 2021. Today, up to an estimated 20,000 people annually access licensed residential and intensive substance use disorder services, with nearly 50,000 Coloradans receiving support across the continuum of care each year.
Over the program’s first five years, Colorado expanded its residential treatment provider network, integrated medication-assisted treatment and naloxone into emergency departments, primary care settings, and community health clinics, and expanded inpatient mental health coverage. Colorado has also reported a 35% decline in fentanyl-related deaths, highlighting the importance of sustaining efforts to prevent overdoses and connect people with treatment.
Nearly one-third of all Medicaid spending flows through these Section 1115 demonstration projects. Changes to their financing could affect care nationwide, including long-standing programs that patients and providers already depend on.
Inspired by her mom’s struggle, Congresswoman Pettersen has fought to expand access to treatment to help people like her mother receive the care they need. Pettersen is also a co-chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force, a coalition of over 100 members from both parties that work together to advance evidence-based policies that address the root causes and impacts of the mental health and addiction crises.
See the full text of the letter HERE and below.
We write today in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) June 11th, 2026 State Medicaid Director letter (SMDL) sent regarding “Budget Neutrality and Certification by the Chief Actuary of CMS for Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Projects.” This guidance was issued to implement a provision of H.R. 1 that requires the CMS Chief Actuary to certify that section 1115 demonstration projects are budget neutral – a standard all section 1115 demonstration projects have been required to meet. Concerningly, however, the guidance clearly states an intent to “reduce federal outlays” – in other words, proposing additional federal cuts to Medicaid beyond the nearly trillion dollars cut through H.R. 1.
Section 1115 demonstration projects are the backbone of many state Medicaid programs, and states have long been required to ensure that they are budget neutral. For over six decades, demonstration projects have ensured that states have the flexibility to be innovative and meet the needs of their residents. For example, states rely on these demonstration projects to provide enhanced benefits to enrollees, expand coverage, and improve delivery systems to ensure people are able to access the quality care they need and deserve, among other priorities. CMS’s June 11thSMDL and forthcoming rulemaking stand to undermine these initiatives by setting forth a framework for upending long-standing budget neutrality requirements, and leaving states with more questions than answers about what standards they will need to imminently conform to.
Given the unique nature of each state demonstration project and each state’s Medicaid population, regular collaboration between the states and CMS have always been pivotal to ensuring states’ continued adherence to budget neutrality requirements. Instead of allowing states to foster creative solutions to meet the needs of their unique Medicaid population, CMS’ new framework threatens to reduce state flexibility, limit innovation, and narrow the approval pathway for certain health care initiatives.
Additionally, this guidance prompts numerous questions notwithstanding an incredibly compressed implementation timeline. Now, while working to operationalize massive changes to Medicaid programs as established by H.R. 1, states will also be required to interpret this complicated new framework and evaluate the implications for their own existing or proposed demonstration projects—even without final, robust guidance from CMS. In addition to the complexities of this new proposal, CMS indicated that the SMDL would only serve as “early notice” to inform changes expected from CMS’ imminent notice of proposed rulemaking. Given the changes taking effect as early as January 1, 2027, this timeline imposes a severe administrative burden on states, and leaves them in an operational limbo. Nearly one-third of all Medicaid spending flows through section 1115 demonstration projects and changes to disrupt the financing of these programs will have a direct impact on the health care that Medicaid beneficiaries across the country may receive.
Section 1115 demonstration projects have had a profound impact on our local communities nationwide. Given the importance of these programs, we ask that CMS carefully consider the implications of this guidance on states and their Medicaid beneficiaries. We have concerns that this new blanket framework will limit states’ ability to innovate and threaten existing services. Considering our concerns, we ask that the agency keep beneficiaries at the forefront, by preserving state flexibility to utilize section 1115 demonstration projects to best serve their residents. We also that the agency provide states with further clarification on the expectations of the June 11th guidance within 10 days of [receiving this letter].
We appreciate your attention to this matter.
U.S Representatives Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), and Yvette Clarke (NY-1)
###
To access downloadable, high-quality photos, click here. To stay up to date on what Pettersen is doing in Congress, follow her on Twitter here, Facebook here, or Instagram here. Residents can also sign-up for her e-newsletter subscription here.
Reps. Pettersen, Beatty, & Kelly Lead Members Demanding Answers on Miscarriages in Detention
Position: The representatives demand that ICE account for miscarriages and other pregnancy-related outcomes in its detention facilities, disclose the missing data, and ensure pregnant detainees receive adequate routine and emergency medical care.
WASHINGTON – Representatives Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Joyce Beatty (OH-03) and Robin Kelly (IL-02) today announced their demand for answers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about its failure to account for miscarriages and other pregnancy-related medical outcomes of its detainees since Donald Trump has aggressively increased the detention of undocumented immigrants, legal immigrants, and even in some cases American citizens. In a letter to Acting Director David Venturella, the lawmakers warn that a full year of pregnancy-related outcomes remains unaccounted for as reports describe pregnant women struggling to obtain basic and emergency medical care.
According to agency records, at least 18 women miscarried while in custody from January 2025 through October 3, 2025. Yet, despite these alarming and unprecedented numbers, ICE has failed to collect, maintain, or disclose data on miscarriages since the last report on October 3, 2025.
“Women are reporting pregnancy emergencies without adequate care, and ICE cannot even account for how many women have miscarried in its custody. That is appalling,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. “As a mom, I’m horrified by what these women describe. ICE must answer for these failures, provide the missing records, and ensure every person in its custody receives the care they need.”
“I’m horrified by the growing number of reported miscarriages and the blatant disregard for women’s health in ICE detention facilities,” said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. “Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security has a responsibility to account for these pregnancy-related medical outcomes and ensure that women in its custody are receiving the care they need. We cannot allow a lack of transparency and accountability to put more women and unborn children at risk. We are demanding answers, and we won’t stop until we have them.”
"In the first 9 months of the second Trump administration alone, at least 18 women miscarried in ICE custody, and since then ICE has just stopped counting. Pregnant women in custody have continuously been denied access to routine and emergency medical care. Where is their humanity?" said Congresswoman Robin Kelly. "My colleagues and I are demanding accountability and real answers. Everyone – no matter where you're from – deserves to be treated with dignity and respect."
“It is well documented that incarceration significantly worsens maternal health outcomes and increases risks for pregnancy loss, including miscarriages and adverse birth events, due to high stress, poor nutrition, and limited access to quality medical care,” the members wrote in the letter. “Firsthand accounts from detainees indicate they are struggling to access routine and emergency medical care, including not being scheduled for blood tests or an ultrasound to confirm a healthy pregnancy and not receiving prenatal vitamins. The agency has also reportedly denied repeated requests for medical records from detainees, leaving them in the dark about their medical history and the need for any additional follow-up care.”
ICE’s own policy says it generally should not detain people known to be pregnant, postpartum, or nursing for administrative immigration violations, unless release is prohibited by law or exceptional circumstances exist. When those individuals are detained, the policy requires access to specialized medical care and restricts the use of certain restraints. Despite those safeguards, records cited in the letter show that the number of pregnant women and adolescents in detention rose from at least 87 in October 2025 to 101 in November 2025.
The lawmakers describe reports of delayed emergency treatment, barriers to specialist care, and people going without blood tests, ultrasounds, or prenatal vitamins. Some detainees have also reportedly been denied repeated requests for their medical records, making it harder to understand their treatment and obtain follow-up care.
The letter demands complete responses by November 6, 2026, including:
The number of pregnant people detained and how ICE justifies detention under its “exceptional circumstances” standard.
A full accounting of miscarriages, stillbirths, serious pregnancy complications, hospitalizations, and emergency transfers since October 3, 2025.
An explanation of missing data, efforts to recover it, and when agency leadership learned about reporting failures.
Records of outside medical care that was denied or delayed, complaints about pregnancy-related care, and investigations into potential violations.
Trump’s expansion of immigration detention does not give ICE free rein to disregard its own safeguards or evade congressional oversight and dehumanize those within its custody. The agency is responsible for the people it holds—and must answer for their treatment.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen has repeatedly pushed back against Trump’s harmful immigration policies and efforts to pour billions more into ICE and CBP without meaningful accountability. She has voted against enforcement funding packages, backed legislation requiring agents to visibly identify themselves, and supported restoring protections for schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Alongside Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, she demanded that the administration abandon plans for a new ICE detention facility in Hudson, Colorado. She has also pressed for answers about prolonged detention in field office holding cells and proposed safeguards to protect detained parents’ children and prevent immigration detainees from being held in federal prisons.
See the full text of the letter HERE and below.
Dear Acting Director Venturella:
We write to raise our urgent concerns about the treatment of pregnant individuals in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and the agency’s failure to fully account for pregnancy-related medical outcomes within its detention system.
Recent reporting, supported by internal agency documents and firsthand accounts from detainees, raises significant questions regarding ICE's compliance with agency policy, the adequacy of prenatal and emergency medical care provided in detention facilities, and the agency's oversight of pregnancy-related health outcomes. Many individuals have also been detained in temporary holding facilities that can be overcrowded, and lack basic access to water and plumbing. These reports suggest that pregnant individuals in ICE custody may have experienced delayed emergency treatment, barriers to specialty care, inadequate prenatal services, and difficulties obtaining medical records.
Under ICE Directive 11032.4, “ICE should not detain, arrest, or take into custody for an administrative violation of the immigration laws individuals known to be pregnant, postpartum, or nursing unless release is prohibited by law or exceptional circumstances exist.” Under this Directive, if a pregnant, postpartum, or nursing person is detained, the facility is required to provide them with access to certain forms of specialized medical care and is prohibited from using certain restraints. Records show that, despite this policy, ICE has detained more pregnant individuals than at any point in the preceding year. In October 2025 there were at least 87 pregnant women and adolescents in detention with that number increasing to 101 in November 2025.
According to agency records, at least 18 women miscarried while in custody from January 2025 through October 3, 2025. Yet, despite these alarming and unprecedented numbers, ICE has failed to collect, maintain, or disclose data on miscarriages since the last report on October 3, 2025. As a result, a full year of pregnancy-related outcomes remain unaccounted for within a detention system for which your agency bears direct responsibility. This lack of transparency is deeply troubling, undermines meaningful oversight, and leaves Congress and the public unable to assess the safety, adequacy, and quality of medical care provided to pregnant individuals in ICE custody.
It is well documented that incarceration significantly worsens maternal health outcomes and increases risks for pregnancy loss, including miscarriages and adverse birth events, due to high stress, poor nutrition, and limited access to quality medical care. Firsthand accounts from detainees indicate they are struggling to access routine and emergency medical care, including not being scheduled for blood tests or an ultrasound to confirm a healthy pregnancy and not receiving prenatal vitamins. The agency has also reportedly denied repeated requests for medical records from detainees, leaving them in the dark about their medical history and the need for any additional follow-up care.
ICE’s inability to follow agency Directives, provide adequate medical care, and maintain accurate records of pregnancy-related medical outcomes is unacceptable. Please provide complete and timely responses to the following questions by November 6, 2026:
How many pregnant individuals has ICE detained since January 20, 2025? Please also provide how many of those individuals have been detained since October 3, 2025.
What criteria does ICE use to determine whether detention of a pregnant individual satisfies the "exceptional circumstances" standard referenced in ICE directive 11032.4?
How many pregnant individuals were released from detention pursuant to that directive since January 20, 2025? Please also provide how many of those individuals have been detained since October 3, 2025.
How many miscarriages, stillbirths, pregnancy-related hospitalizations, emergency medical transfers, and other serious pregnancy complications occurred among individuals in ICE custody since October 3, 2025?
If you cannot provide complete data regarding pregnancy outcomes during any portion of that period, please explain:
.Why such data are unavailable;
What information was affected;
What steps have been taken to recover missing information.
On what date did ICE leadership first become aware of concerns regarding miscarriage reporting and deficiencies in agency tracking systems?
. Please identify all briefings, memoranda, reports, or communications provided to senior ICE and DHS leadership concerning these matters and on what date those materials were sent.
How does ICE ensure timely access to prenatal, postpartum and OBGYN care, including but not limited to ultrasounds, laboratory tests, and prenatal vitamins?
Since October 2025, how many requests for outside obstetric care, specialist consultations, or hospital referrals were:
Please provide the number of requests for medical records submitted since October 25th by pregnant detainees or their legal representatives.
What was the average response time for fulfilling those requests?
If applicable, please provide the number of complaints filed alleging
delayed, denied, or incomplete access to medical records.
How many complaints, grievances, incident reports, or allegations concerning pregnancy-related medical care have been filed since October 2025?
How many resulted in formal investigations?
How many investigations substantiated violations of policy, medical standards, or contractual requirements?
We look forward to your prompt response.
To access downloadable, high-quality photos, click here. To stay up-to-date on what Pettersen is doing in Congress, follow her on Twitter here, Facebook here, or Instagram here. Residents can also sign-up for her e-newsletter subscription here.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen Demands Answers on Armed Guards Trump Admin Has Reportedly Deployed to Ballot Drop Off Facilities As Colorado Begins Mail-In-Voting
Position: The release demands that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service explain the reported deployment of armed and unarmed guards at Colorado postal facilities during mail-in voting, including who authorized them, which facilities are affected, and what authority guards have over voters and election mail.
As Colorado begins mailing ballots for the November election, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) is demanding answers from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) regarding reported deployments of armed and unarmed guards at Colorado postal facilities.The deployments follow repeated Trump administration efforts to restrict mail voting, sow confusion, and undermine confidence in our elections—raising urgent concerns about whether voters will face intimidation simply for casting a ballot. In the 2024 general election, more than 92% of Colorado voters cast their ballots by mail—making reliable delivery and intimidation-free access essential for the state to conduct this and future elections.
“Coloradans should be able to cast their ballots without fear or intimidation. Deploying armed guards at postal facilities just as voting begins demands an explanation and urgent action,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. “We need clear answers about why these guards are here, what authority they have, and how voters and election mail will be protected. Coloradans deserve confidence that their ballots will be delivered and their voices heard. Voter intimidation is an attack on our democracy, and here in Colorado, we will fight to ensure every vote is counted.”
Armed guards have reportedly been deployed at postal facilities even though USPIS says no credible security or operational threat prompted the increased presence. A memo distributed to the American Postal Workers Union says guards will monitor entrances and parking lots, verify IDs, and report purportedly suspicious activity at public Post Offices and restricted mail-processing plants. USPIS calls this a longstanding security plan, but has not explained why these deployments are happening now, identified the affected facilities, or detailed safeguards to prevent voter intimidation and interference with election mail.
In the letter to Chief Postal Inspector Barksdale, Pettersen writes, “Postal workers have a crucial responsibility to deliver election mail safely and on time. We support appropriate measures designed to protect them and their ability to carry out this responsibility. At the same time, the presence of armed guards at facilities where voters may deposit ballots runs the real risk of making voters feel intimidated. Federal law prohibits voter intimidation, which is defined as the use of threats, coercion, or attempts to intimidate for the purpose of interfering with the right of another person to vote or to vote for the person of their choosing. Voters should feel assured that they can send their ballots without being questioned, monitored, or deterred by armed guards.”
Congresswoman Pettersen demands that USPIS disclose:
Who authorized the deployments,
Which Colorado facilities are affected, and
Whether guards can demand identification, restrict public access, inspect ballots, or influence whether election mail is accepted and delivered.
She also asks whether the White House, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Homeland Security had any role in the decision.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen has consistently defended Coloradans’ access to secure, accessible elections. She introduced an amendment to protect eligible voters from disenfranchisement under the SAVE Act and opposed a Republican budget resolution that included $10 billion for election grants tied to SAVE America Act voter-ID requirements. Building on her work in the state legislature to strengthen Colorado’s mail-ballot system, she has also pressed USPS to ensure timely ballot delivery, particularly for rural communities, and pushed back against federal efforts to restrict mail voting.
The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.
Dear Chief Postal Inspector Barksdale,
We write in response to recent reporting that the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has deployed armed and unarmed guards to postal facilities in Colorado and across the country just as millions of Americans are preparing to cast their ballots by mail ahead of the 2026 General Midterm Elections.
In a memo distributed to the American Postal Workers Union, the USPIS has indicated that the guards will monitor entrances and parking areas, verify IDs, and observe and report purportedly suspicious activity in and around key postal facilities, including both Post Offices – which are open to the public – and US Postal Service processing plants – which are not open to the public. These deployments come despite the agency’s repeated assurances that no credible security or operational threat has necessitated the heightened presence, with USPIS characterizing this initiative as part of a longstanding, multiyear security plan. Yet the agency has provided little public information for the timing of this deployment, failed to identify which facilities will be affected, and offered no detail regarding the safeguards that will be implemented to ensure that the presence of law enforcement personnel does not disrupt, intimidate, or otherwise interfere with postal workers, election officials, or votes during a critical period of the election cycle.
Postal workers have a crucial responsibility to deliver election mail safely and on time. We support appropriate measures designed to protect them and their ability to carry out this responsibility. At the same time, the presence of armed guards at facilities where voters may deposit ballots runs the real risk of making voters feel intimidated. Federal law prohibits voter intimidation, which is defined as the use of threats, coercion, or attempts to intimidate for the purpose of interfering with the right of another person to vote or to vote for the person of their choosing. Voters should feel assured that they can send their ballots without being questioned, monitored, or deterred by armed guards.
This issue is particularly poignant for Colorado, where over 90% of voters cast their ballots by mail. Colorado’s 2024 General Election Fact Sheet shows that every audit demonstrated a 97% rate of statistical certainty that voting tabulation equipment worked correctly, demonstrating the strength and soundness of Colorado’s election security system which has multiple layers of physical and network security measures designed to prevent unauthorized access and ensure accurate vote counts. Leading up to the 2026 General Midterm Election, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has disseminated best practices for voting by mail, which includes guidance that if and when feasible, voters should deliver their mail-in ballot to a postal facility or USPS retail facility to receive same-day stamping. The presence of armed and unarmed guards already deployed at postal facilities is not a hypothetical concern; it is a reality that voters and postal workers are confronting right now. Deploying armed and unarmed personnel at key mail-processing and ballot-return locations during an election, without a clear and compelling public justification, risks intimidating voters, discouraging ballot return, and eroding public confidence in both the Postal Service and the integrity of the electoral process.
As such, we request answers to the following questions to help us understand the circumstances surrounding this deployment and its potential impact on voter access:
When was the decision to deploy additional guards made, who approved it, and what prompted the deployment at this time?
How many armed and unarmed guards have been deployed nationwide and in Colorado? At which facilities, and for what anticipated duration?
What are the guards’ duties and limits of authority? May they ask members of the public for identification, inspect mail or ballots, direct postal employees, restrict access to facilities, or interact with election officials?
What steps has USPIS taken to consult postal workers, their unions, state and local election officials, and USPS election mail personnel about the deployment and its potential effect on ballot processing?
Has USPIS received any request, direction, or input concerning this deployment from the White House, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or any other federal agency?
Will these guards have any role or authority in determining whether election mail is accepted, processed, or delivered?
What specific steps has USPIS taken to ensure that the presence and conduct of these guards do not intimidate voters or discourage them from mailing their ballots?
Coloradans deserve certainty that every eligible voter can return a ballot free from intimidation, disruption, or interference, and that every piece of election mail will be handled and delivered securely and on time. Postal workers, election officials, and voters alike are entitled to clear assurances regarding the scope, purpose, and conduct of these deployments of armed and unarmed guards. In light of the urgency and significance of these concerns, we request a prompt and comprehensive response no later than October 16th, 2026.
Brittany Pettersen
Member of Congress
Congress passes landmark law to protect online daters from romance scams
Position: The release describes the Romance Scam Prevention Act, which requires online dating services to send fraud ban notifications to users who interacted with accounts removed for fraudulent activity, and it quotes Rep. Pettersen calling this an important first step in holding dating apps accountable. The release presents the legislation as already passed and describes the representative's support for it.
DENVER (KMGH) — Congress passed new protections for those looking for love on online dating apps.
The Romance Scam Prevention Act, passed on Sept. 24, will warn users about a potential scammer's intent before they fall too hard.
Colorado Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, a co-sponsor of the bill, says this is an important first step in holding dating apps accountable.
“These are people who are showing up vulnerable, looking for love and connection, and being exploited at a surprisingly high rate. This is just making sure that they're (dating apps) doing their due diligence. Truly, the bare minimum of notifying their customers when they're deactivating an account because of fraudulent activity,” Pettersen said.
The law will require all online dating services to provide a “fraud ban notification” to users who have been in contact with someone the online dating service removed for fraudulent activity.
The notification would also warn them not to send money or share personal financial information with another member.
“Every single year, there's been over a billion dollars of losses from people who have been taken advantage of using dating apps, and when you think about the stigma that people feel when they've been taken advantage of, there's actually a significant underreporting,” Pettersen said.
Social media companies will be required to send fraud ban notifications to users within 24 hours of a member being banned, or within 3 days if law enforcement requests a delay.
The Romance Scam Prevention Act passed the Senate and will become law today unless President Donald Trump vetoes it.
This is Congresswoman Pettersen’s sixth bill signed into law during the current Trump Administration.
Supreme Court Hands Trump a Major Win With 'Evil' Emergency Order Described as 'Reckless Cruelty'
Position: The release criticizes the Supreme Court's emergency order allowing the Trump administration to resume third-country deportations without prior opportunity for migrants to challenge removal, calling the policy reckless and the decision dangerous, and calls for due process and oversight.
The US Supreme Court handed Donald Trump a significant victory on Tuesday by letting his administration immediately resume rapid deportations of migrants to third countries, triggering outrage from critics who branded the emergency order 'evil' and the policy 'reckless cruelty'.
A federal court had blocked those removals unless migrants had a chance to challenge them, including over fears of persecution or torture. The unsigned Supreme Court order lets the administration resume the policy ahead of arguments scheduled for December.
Third-country deportations send immigrants to nations other than their own. Critics warn that people could be forced into dangerous destinations, including countries accused of human rights abuses. The government sought emergency permission to restart those rapid removals while the legal dispute continues.
The three liberal justices said they would have denied the administration's request. The order allows the government to proceed while the court prepares to hear arguments on the policy.
The Trump administration has sent more than 25,000 people to third countries, including Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic, the New York Times reported.
The earlier federal court restriction concerned migrants' opportunity to object before being removed. It required that they be able to raise fears of persecution or torture in the country to which they would be sent.
Those reactions appeared on X and Bluesky, with critics challenging both the administration's choice of destinations and the court's decision to let removals restart.
Colorado Democratic representative Brittany Pettersen focused on the risks of sending people somewhere they had never lived, without family connections or assurances about their safety. 'Deporting someone to a country they've never set foot in, with no family, no ties, and no guarantee of safety, is reckless cruelty,' Pettersen wrote on X.
'The Supreme Court's decision to allow this is deeply heartbreaking & dangerous. We cannot treat human lives like this. I will never stop fighting for basic due process, oversight, and an immigration system that actually respects and honors the rights of EVERY person.'
Her statement called for due process and oversight, linking her criticism of the court's decision to the protections available to people facing removal. Podcaster and rural healthcare advocate Michelle Rathman condemned the decision on Bluesky, using the word 'evil' and warning that deportees could face fatal consequences.
'The horror of this I really don't know if there are words to describe how evil this is,' Rathman wrote. 'Without any due process, thousands of people will be sent to die. SCOTUS [is] rubber stamping death sentences.' Those comments predicted deaths rather than identifying deaths resulting from Tuesday's emergency order.
Political scientist Norm Ornstein directed his response at the court's conservative majority, calling the justices 'six monstrous partisan hacks'.
The reactions ranged from Pettersen's demands for safeguards to direct criticism of the justices. The liberal members' opposition, meanwhile, concerned whether to grant the government's emergency request.
The order addresses the government's request to restart removals, allowing the administration to proceed while the policy itself remains in dispute. The permission granted on Tuesday applies to rapid deportations to countries other than the immigrants' own. The court is preparing to hear arguments on the policy in December.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) Celebrate the Bipartisan Success of Financial Services Committee, including the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act CF in the News
Position: The release praises the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, describing it as a major housing package intended to reduce housing costs, and highlights Rep. Cleaver's and Rep. Pettersen's roles in its development and in a small-dollar mortgage pilot program.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) joined Center Forward’s Affordability Summit to discuss their efforts in the Financial Services Committee to help reduce rising costs affecting Americans. Rep. Cleaver came to Congress with on-the-ground experience of the housing affordability challenges Americans are facing as the Mayor of Kansas City, later becoming the highest-ranking Democrat on the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee on the Financial Services Committee. Rep. Pettersen spent a decade in Colorado’s state legislature and came to Congress to continue to fight for Coloradans.
Rep. Cleaver and Rep. Pettersen discussed the affordability priorities of the Financial Services Committee and the major bipartisan legislation they worked on in the 119th Congress. In particular, they highlighted the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a major bipartisan housing package aimed at reducing housing costs for everyday Americans. Rep. Cleaver talked about his role as the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee in driving the legislation. He stressed how the bill will cut unnecessary red tape and modernize federal housing programs to combat the housing crisis in the United States. Additionally, he talked about the work across the aisle to deliver results for Americans and to ensure hardworking Missourians can participate in the American Dream.
Rep. Pettersen touted her integral role in bipartisan negotiations to help ensure that the bill became law. She also touted the policies she introduced that the committee included in the law, creating a fair chance for working Americans to participate in the housing market. The Congresswoman also addressed her efforts to create a pilot program providing for small-dollar mortgages. She stated these efforts allow the federal government to invest in the American people and allow them to grow wealth through early investments in housing.
Rep. Cleaver has more than two decades of experience in Congress and has been fighting for housing affordability since first coming to Congress, co-authoring the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act in 2016. He stated his desire to continue building on his proven record of bipartisan success to further lower housing costs and ensure every American family can work hard toward the opportunity to purchase their own home.
“The lack of affordable housing is not a Democratic or Republican issue—it is a crisis that impacts families in every community across the country,” said Ranking Member Cleaver. “As we begin to implement the most significant housing legislation passed by Congress in decades with the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, I know there is more work to do. I look forward to continuing the push to ensure every American has access to the American dream by forging bipartisan solutions that will lower housing costs nationwide.”
“I have spent years in Congress focusing on working with my Republican colleagues to deliver results for my constituents,” said Rep. Pettersen. “I am determined to continue to introduce common-sense housing solutions that will address problems facing Americans today.”
Both Rep. Cleaver and Rep. Pettersen demonstrated how their bipartisan efforts provide for long-term, pragmatic solutions. They are committed to bridging divides to reduce the cost of living for all Americans and are looking to continue delivering results for the American people in the next Congress.
Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, Congressman Joe Neguse Lead Bill to Permanently Fund Payments to Rural Counties with Federal Lands
Position: The release supports introducing legislation to make federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments to counties with federal lands a permanent, mandatory funding program outside the annual appropriations process.
LAKEWOOD — Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) and Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02) this week introduced the Permanently Authorizing PILT Act to guarantee reliable federal payments to Colorado counties that provide essential services on and around tax-exempt federal lands. Without predictable mandatory funding, counties will never have the true assurance of the federal revenue that they receive.
The Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides payments to counties, including 56 in Colorado, and other local governments with non-taxable federal lands within their borders to offset lost property tax revenue. These payments are key for local governments to fund services including transportation infrastructure projects, education, law enforcement, healthcare, and emergency services. While PILT has operated under reauthorizations for previous fiscal years, this legislation would make the program a mandatory funding effort by Congress not subject to the federal appropriations process. A permanent authorization will provide certainty for counties, ensuring they can maintain their services without disruption.
“Our rural communities provide essential services on and around federal lands—from roads and schools to emergency response—and they deserve funding they can count on. These counties shouldn’t have to wonder every year whether the federal government will provide needed support for these services,” said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen. “I’m proud to work with my friend, Rep. Neguse, to make PILT permanent so these counties can plan for the future and keep delivering for Coloradans.”
“Colorado’s 2nd District spans from the Front Range to the Western Slope, including many communities that rely on federal PILT payments for essential local services — from firefighting and search-and-rescue operations to the construction of public schools and roads. Our bill, the Permanently Authorizing PILT Act, makes this program permanent, ensuring local governments can rely on a consistent stream of federal support to keep their communities thriving,” said Congressman Joe Neguse.
“Many Western Counties depend on PILT to balance our budgets. The services, (Search and Rescue, Fire, law Enforcement, Road maintenance etc.) we must provide on public land are a huge strain on our budgets,” said Dwayne McFall, Fremont County Colorado Commissioner and National Association of Counties Western Interstate Region President, “Without PILT many services would have to be cut. Permanent funding of PILT would create a long-term sustainable solution for counties.”
“Public lands may be national treasures, but their footprint is local. In Chaffee County approximately 80% of the land is federally owned and is completely exempt from local property taxes. PILT is a crucial tool of fairness and fills the structural revenue gap so our small taxpayer base isn't forced to single-handedly foot the bill for essential services, from rural road maintenance, to emergency response and public safety for millions of visitors each year. I greatly appreciate Congresswoman Pettersen’s efforts in pushing to make PILT a reliable and permanent fixture in the appropriations process.” said Gina Lucrezi, Chaffee County Commissioner.
“Counties with federal public lands are responsible for delivering essential services — from public safety and search and rescue to roads, infrastructure and wildfire mitigation — even though they cannot collect property taxes on those lands,” said National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase. “PILT helps counties offset those lost revenues and meet these responsibilities in the 62 percent of America’s counties with federal lands. We applaud Representatives Pettersen and Neguse for introducing the bipartisan Permanently Authorizing PILT Act, which would give public lands counties the long-term certainty they need to plan, budget and deliver for their residents and visitors. We urge Congress to pass this critical legislation into law quickly.”
The Department of Interior makes PILT payments to over 1,850 counties in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Counties have used these payments for more than 40 years to fund essential county services. In 2026, Colorado was compensated more than $53 million through the PILT program.
Congresswoman Pettersen previously introduced the bipartisan Permanently Authorizing PILT Act of 2023. She has led a bipartisan letter to the Appropriations Committee requesting full and robust funding for the PILT program in every Appropriations cycle since being elected to Congress. She has advocated and secured funding for local and county governments, including for rural communities, to ensure they have the funding and support to address the needs of all residents.
Full text of the bill can be found HERE.
To access downloadable, high-quality photos, click here. To stay up-to-date on what Pettersen is doing in Congress, follow her on Twitter here, Facebook here, or Instagram here. Residents can also sign-up for her e-newsletter subscription here.
Valadao sponsors bipartisan bill to build financial literacy among high schoolers
Position: Supports a bipartisan bill (H.R. 10528) to amend the Financial Literacy and Education Improvement Act so the Financial Literacy and Education Commission includes high schools in voluntary best practices for teaching budgeting, credit, financial products, and student loan borrowing.
U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) sponsored bipartisan legislation this week that aims to help high school students across America navigate the nation’s financial system by giving them access to resources that can help them make informed financial decisions.
The Promoting Financial Literacy in Secondary Schools Act, H.R. 10528, which is cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), would amend the Financial Literacy and Education Improvement Act to include secondary schools in best practices for teaching financial literacy.
“Filing taxes, managing a budget, building savings, and understanding credit are all important life skills, yet too many students graduate high school without the financial knowledge they need to make informed decisions,” Rep. Valadao said. “Instead of trying to navigate a complicated financial system on their own, students should have a strong foundation in financial literacy.”
If enacted, the congressman said that H.R. 10528 “would give students these critical tools before they graduate and help prepare the next generation for success — whether they choose to attend college, pursue a trade, or enter the workforce.”
The Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) within the U.S. Department of the Treasury is tasked with creating best practices for teaching financial literacy. Currently, FLEC only creates guidance for institutions of higher education.
H.R. 10528 would require FLEC to include high schools when creating best practices for students about budgeting, financial securities, credit, evaluating financial products, and student loan borrowing.
Nothing in the bill would require schools to adopt the best practices; they would be voluntary, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Valadao’s staff.
“Too many young people enter adulthood without anyone ever teaching them how to build credit, manage a budget, or protect themselves from financial decisions that could follow them for years,” said Rep. Pettersen, who added that the bill “will help high schools better prepare our young people to achieve financial security, avoid costly mistakes, and set themselves up for success in the long run.”
The measure has been referred for consideration to both the U.S. House Financial Services Committee and the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee.
Source: GDELT 2.0 GKG, filtered to a curated list of national outlets. Inclusion is not endorsement; opinion pieces and reported news are mixed.
Recent stock activity
Periodic transaction reports filed under the STOCK Act — disclosed by the rep, sourced from public filings.
No disclosed trades on record.
Source: open-data mirrors of the Senate eFD and House Clerk financial-disclosure systems. Disclosure within 30 days of trade is required by law (45 for spouse/dependent trades).
Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.UBS AMERICAS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (UBS PAC)Finance3 contributionsFinancial-services PAC for UBS Americas — backs candidates and policies supporting banking, investment, and capital-markets regulation.AI$10,000
2.MOMS FED UPIdeological2 contributionsGrassroots advocacy PAC focused on parental and family concerns — backs candidates aligned with school choice, parental rights, and education policy priorities.AI$10,000
3.INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAG2 contributions$10,000
4.BALL CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
5.NATIONAL MULTIFAMILY HOUSING COUNCIL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEReal Estate3 contributionsReal-estate industry PAC representing apartment and multifamily housing operators — backs policies on housing development, zoning, tax incentives, and regulatory streamlining.AI$10,000
6.BLACKROCK FUNDS SERVICES GROUP LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (BLACKROCK PAC)2 contributions$10,000
7.AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E4 contributions$10,000
8.AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE4 contributions$10,000
9.NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEReal Estate4 contributionsTrade association PAC for apartment owners and operators — backs candidates supporting property-rights protections, favorable tax treatment of rental housing, and reduced regulatory burdens on multifamily housing.AI$9,000
10.SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SYNCPAC)4 contributions$9,000
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT$10,000
2.CAPITAL FUNDING GROUP$7,000
3.SEAN N PARKER FOUNDATION$7,000
4.PIVOTAL VENTURES$7,000
5.ARNOLD VENTURES$7,000
6.COINBASE$7,000
7.HONOR NYC$7,000
8.BLACKSTONE$7,000
9.DRAFTKINGS$7,000
10.FOUNDRY GROUP$7,000
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.
