MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) - Some Colorado officials are unhappy with the Trump administration after the White House announced Monday a freeze of almost all federal grants and loans.
On Tuesday. Gov. Jared Polis voiced his concerns about the pause.
'“Governing is about delivering real results for the people we serve, not sowing chaos. This indefinite pause in Congressionally appropriated federal funding hurts children and hardworking families, jeopardizes American jobs and businesses, harms hospitals and safety net health providers, threatens road and bridge repairs, and impacts countless other programs," Polis said in the press release.
"These federal investments help people and support good-paying jobs and our economy, and this sloppy action creates confusion that distracts from Americans' real challenges. Since day one I’ve been focused on saving Coloradans money, expanding education access, reducing health care costs, and improving affordability for everyone in our state. I’m always open to ideas from anyone about how we can make government more efficient and better deliver for fellow Coloradans. Still, chaotic actions like this do not make our country better off. We hope that this senseless action is reversed urgently before too much damage is done to people and businesses.”
Polis also said Colorado will join other states in a lawsuit to stop the freeze.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser also released a statement regarding the federal funding pause.
“The Trump White House freeze on congressionally mandated federal aid is reckless and unprecedented. This action takes the power of the purse away from Congress, violates the separation of powers, and is already causing massive harm in Colorado, undermining delivery of health care, education, and public safety. As attorney general, I will continue to defend Coloradans and the Constitution. This government funding shutdown is illegal and must be stopped by the courts. That is why I will join other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to do just that," Weiser said in the release.
According to a White House memo, the freeze "will provide the administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the president’s priorities.”
Meanwhile, Colorado Nonprofit Association President and CEO Paul Lhevine sent out a statement:
“We are deeply alarmed by the Trump administration’s directive to pause all federal financial assistance, including grants to nonprofit organizations. Federal funding is critical for nonprofits to fulfill their missions—whether supporting senior citizens, addressing youth mental health, or improving food access. This pause jeopardizes their ability to serve communities effectively and must be reversed immediately.
Beyond the crippling impact to our sector, the directive perpetuates a harmful narrative, suggesting nonprofits are responsible for the challenges our nation faces rather than being vital partners in addressing them. This rhetoric undermines trust in the nonprofits – many of which have been working to help solve societal issues for decades - and shifts blame away from systemic issues, which only worsens the problems we collectively aim to solve.
This pause follows a troubling series of executive orders targeting funding for nonprofits that support immigrant communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, environmental causes, DEI efforts, and arts and cultural initiatives. Together, these actions represent an unprecedented attack on the nonprofit sector. The Colorado Nonprofit Association remains steadfast in our commitment to advocate for our sector and counter these harmful policies through collaboration and action.”