English

Lowering Costs

(Photo/Distrito 8 Press Office)

My Commitment to Colorado Families

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During the August work period when Congress was in recess, I had the opportunity to travel across our District and hear from families about their most pressing concerns. One visit took me to the Weld Food Bank , where I heard the story of Joel and Annie, parents of five young children. Joel lost his job just before the holidays, leaving the couple struggling to make ends meet amid soaring rent and grocery prices. To put food on the table, they had to turn to the food pantry multiple times.

Fortunately, Joel was able to find a better paying job and now volunteers at the food pantry to help families in similar situations. Organizations like the Weld Food Bank play a crucial role in ensuring that working families don’t go hungry when times get tough. However, the rising costs of essentials from housing to gas are driving more families – even those with multiple income earners – to rely on food banks. Food bank operators tell me they are struggling to meet this growing demand.

It is unacceptable for working families to find themselves in this precarious situation. When I was young, my dad supported our whole family – my mom, myself, and my three siblings – on his construction worker’s salary. He worked hard so our family could live our version of the American Dream. I want to ensure the same opportunities are available to all my constituents.

Lowering Costs

That’s why, as your representative in Congress, my top priority is lowering costs for hardworking families just like my own.

Since taking office this year, I have worked across the aisle on commonsense solutions that drive down the prices of essentials like food, energy, and medicine for Colorado families. Here are a few highlights of what we’ve accomplished so far:

I have supported investments from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which curbs healthcare costs by capping the price of insulin at $35 per month for millions of seniors on Medicare. I’m also working to secure IRA funding for clean energy and infrastructure projects in our District to reduce energy and transportation costs for families.
I introduced the Food Access and Stability Act to provide permanent funding for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit extension that 78,000 Coloradans rely on for affordable and nutritious food.
I signed on to the Agriculture Right to Repair Act, which will allow agricultural workers to repair their own equipment instead of paying big corporations for repairs they could perform themselves.
I supported a bill on the House floor that offers a cost-of-living increase to the 35,000 veterans living in our District, ensuring they have access to the benefits and healthcare they need and deserve.
I stood up for first-time homebuyers by voting against a bill that would force them to pay even more for mortgages, pricing them out of the Colorado market.

Lowering Costs

These are just a few of the steps I’ve taken to lower costs for hardworking families in our District. But there’s much more work to be done.

I am focused on finding bipartisan solutions to build an economy that allows working people to live comfortably. This means limiting bureaucracy that holds up construction, especially for affordable housing; supporting policies that create high-paying jobs in the industries that will power the future; and standing up for our community’s small businesses, which are the engine of our local economy.

As I continue the fight to lower costs, I want to hear from you about what I should prioritize during my time in Congress. I encourage you to contact my office and let me know how rising costs have impacted your family. I’ll do everything I can to represent your interests in Washington.

If you have questions or requests, please don’t hesitate to reach out by calling one of our offices or visiting caraveo.house.gov.

It is my honor to represent you in Congress. I look forward to hearing from you soon.