Colorado Democrats Attack Trump
Colorado’s two Democratic U.S. senators criticized President Trump on Wednesday after he vetoed legislation tied to a long-delayed water infrastructure project in the state.
Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper responded after President Trump issued the first two vetoes of his second term. One of those vetoes blocked a measure authorizing completion of a water delivery system for southeastern Colorado.
In a joint statement, the senators argued the decision could delay access to reliable drinking water for tens of thousands of rural residents. They emphasized that the bill passed both the House and Senate unanimously and said it did not require additional taxpayer funding.
The lawmakers also pointed to the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a project that has been discussed for decades, noting that residents in the region were first promised completion more than 60 years ago.
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert also expressed frustration with the veto, describing the bill as non-controversial and bipartisan. In comments to a local television station, Boebert said she was disappointed the legislation was rejected despite overwhelming support in Congress.
She added that Americans expect federal leaders to focus on delivering practical infrastructure solutions, particularly for rural communities that depend on reliable water access.
According to project documents, the Arkansas Valley Conduit would include approximately 130 miles of pipeline designed to supply treated water from Pueblo Reservoir to 39 communities, serving an estimated 50,000 people.
Congress originally authorized the project in 1962 as part of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project. Lawmakers later updated the plan in 2009 to establish a cost-sharing framework, with the federal government covering 65 percent of the cost and local entities responsible for the remaining portion, repaid over several decades.
In its veto statement, the White House said the project’s price tag had grown significantly and argued it would require federal taxpayers to shoulder a larger share of costs than originally intended for what it described as a local infrastructure project.
The veto followed the administration’s recent decision to deny Colorado’s request for federal disaster assistance after wildfires and flooding earlier this year.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis criticized the funding denial and said the state plans to appeal. Polis said communities affected by fires and flooding need federal support and urged the administration to reconsider its position.
