Congresswoman Diana DeGette
Posted September 24, 2026
Last week, I was honored to receive the Lifetime Reproductive Freedom Champion Award from Reproductive Freedom for All, a prominent leader in the fight for abortion rights and access. The organization’s president Mini Timmaraju presented the award to me and fellow champion Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) for our longtime work defending every person’s freedom to make their own health care decisions, including abortion.
In receiving this honor, I reflected on my ongoing fight for reproductive freedom. In the Colorado state legislature, I passed the “Bubble Bill” to protect patients’ access to reproductive health clinics. In Congress, I serve as co-chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus and led the House’s first pro-choice majority to twice pass a bill protecting abortion rights nationally.
Anti-choice extremists would love if we stopped fighting—if we just let them ban abortion and strip away health care from millions. We can never give them that satisfaction. Along with staunch allies, like Reproductive Freedom for All, Planned Parenthood, and so many others, we never will. Listen to my full remarks here .
Anti-choice extremists would love if we stopped fighting—if we just let them ban abortion and strip away health care from millions. We can never give them that satisfaction.
Meanwhile, on the floor, House Democrats along with a growing number of House Republicans, passed a War Powers Resolution to stop Donald Trump’s illegal war with Iran for the third time.
This war is not only making Americans less safe, but it’s also worsening the affordability crisis. Earlier this week, the nonpartisan CBO released its findings that the war has already cost taxpayers $38 billion and as much as $3 billion each month it drags on.
This money would be far better spent here at home to reduce the cost of health care, housing or energy bills. For context, it would have cost $23 billion for a 1-year extension of the ACA’s enhanced premium support that helps more Americans afford their health coverage. So, for less than what we’ve spent on this war, millions of Americans could still have access to their health care.
Then midweek, Speaker Johnson abruptly decided to send the Members home early, probably to avoid an embarrassing vote for House Republicans on a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth before the midterm elections.
It must be silly season, but we have very serious issues facing our country – from the existential threat posed by artificial intelligence (AI) to the growing number of deaths from measles. That’s why I joined my colleagues in urging Speaker Johnson to keep us in session so that Congress can take the urgent action that’s needed to respond to these threats. Rest assured I will continue pushing for the priorities that matter most to our community.
If you have questions or comments about any issue mentioned in this newsletter, please call my office at (303) 844-4988, or visit my website DeGette.house.gov for more information about how my staff and I can assist you.
Congresswoman Diana DeGette serves Colorados First Congressional District. Rep. DeGette serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. She also serves on several subcommittees and is the ranking member of the Health panel of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Committee Assignments, Committee on Energy and Commerce: Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Health, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Subcommittee on Energy. Rep. DeGette currently serves as co-chair of the following caucuses: Congressional Diabetes Caucus, which supports legislative activities that would improve diabetes research, education, and treatment. Congressional Reproductive Freedom Caucus, which supports Americans’ reproductive rights and works to reinstate the full protections of Roe v. Wade. Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus, which supports Team USA and works to advance the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
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