I’m Still Showing Up Even If House Republicans Aren’t.

Congresswoman Diana DeGette

Posted November 6, 2025

We’re officially one month into the Republican shutdown, and the pain on hardworking Americans is growing—with Trump’s own doing.

Earlier this week, the Colorado Division of Insurance announced that health care costs will double on average for Coloradans who get their health insurance through the state’s marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado.

For months, I’ve been sounding the alarm about the Republican-forced health care crisis. Now, inaction by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress will cause health care costs to skyrocket for many of my constituents and hundreds of thousands of Coloradans.

That’s why I returned to Washington this week to urge my colleagues to find a bipartisan solution.

Similarly, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding expired Nov. 1. Despite having the contingency funds available to maintain SNAP, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are actively refusing to provide those benefits. That means 42 million Americans, including 600,000 Coloradans, might not be able to put food on the table

I also sent a letter last week to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Interim Director Angie Salazar demanding answers about actions by the Trump Administration that appear to put unaccompanied children in danger.

These children, who come to the U.S. alone, are supposed to be cared for and protected by ORR. Instead, Trump has turned that agency into an arm of ICE—prolonging children’s detention and exposing them to harm, when our duty is to keep them safe and treat them with compassion.

Meanwhile, House Republicans have not shown up for work in five weeks.

But you know who keeps showing up every single day? Our federal workers in Denver, and across the country.

In Washington, that includes the hardworking men and women of the Capitol Police, Sergeant at Arms, and support staff who keep Congress safe and running.

House Democrats and I brought these hardworking men and women lunch last week— a small token of gratitude for their tireless work, even as they miss paychecks.

Congressional Democrats have continuously expressed the need to find a bipartisan solution to reopen our government and lower health care costs, but Donald Trump is too busy demolishing the East Wing to build his ballroom, buying private jets for his cabinet members, and cozying up to our adversaries, like Xi Jinping.

It’s past time for House Republicans to come back to Washington, reopen the government, and fix the mess they’ve made.

If you have any questions about a government shutdown or want to know more about the services that will be impacted during a shutdown, please visit my website, or you can call my office at 303-844-4988.

Congresswoman Diana DeGette represents Colorado’s First Congressional District.