Colorado
Colorado’s members of Congress ask Trump for disaster relief — for third time — in appeal for wildfires, flooding
Colorado’s elected leaders have renewed their plea with the Trump administration to approve tens of millions of dollars in aid for floods and wildfires last year after the president denied the requests.
All 10 members of the state’s congressional delegation from both parties, including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, sent a letter to the White House on Wednesday afternoon. They reiterated the state’s need for aid following the Lee and Elk fires in August and severe flooding in southwest Colorado in October.
“The consequences of continued denial will be severe, long-lasting, and far more costly if left unaddressed,” the congressional letter states. “Disaster funds are critical for the safety and well-being of some of Colorado’s most rural residents.”
The delegation’s letter followed Gov. Jared Polis’ formal appeal of President Donald Trump’s denials, filed Friday. Last year, the congressional members also asked for federal aid after each of the disasters.
“Whether fires or floods, Coloradans have been deeply impacted by these natural disasters,” Polis said in a statement on the appeals. “With this appeal, we hope that the federal government steps in to help Coloradans recover stronger.”
The disasters caused nearly $39 million in claimed damage, according to a presentation from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to the state legislature. The federal government typically picks up 75% of the tab, leaving — for now — the state on the hook for more than $29 million that the federal government would typically cover.
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday afternoon.
In recent months, Trump and his appointees have taken several actions targeted at Colorado, from relocating the Space Command headquarters out of state to vetoing a bill that would help complete a clean water pipeline for rural communities in southeastern Colorado.
The denials issued in December were the first the state had received in 35 years, according to state officials. Division Director Kevin Klein told state lawmakers he didn’t expect the federal government to help out with these or future disasters. Without the promise of help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he called on the legislature to invest in state emergency management infrastructure to minimize future costs.
“I don’t see us getting FEMA money for disasters for the near future, at least,” Klein told lawmakers.
Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.
Colorado
Police arrest burglary suspect in southeast Colorado Springs
Colorado
Colorado Springs area nonprofit community fundraising events starting May 31
Colorado
Colorado weather: Severe thunderstorm watch active for Eastern Plains
Severe thunderstorms may bring tornadoes, hail the size of tennis balls and winds up to 70 mph to Colorado’s Eastern Plains on Saturday afternoon, National Weather Service forecasters said.
A severe thunderstorm watch is active for Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld and Yuma counties until 9 p.m., forecasters said in an alert.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming until 9 PM MDT pic.twitter.com/XNece63Mjw
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) May 30, 2026
Communities could see vehicle damage from hail and damage to roofs, siding and trees from wind, forecasters said.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.
-
Lifestyle32 minutes agoTrump floats MAGA rally instead of concert after musicians drop out of Freedom 250
-
Technology44 minutes agoAMD’s new pitch: our old tech is so good you should just keep using it
-
World47 minutes agoHezbollah’s ‘game changing’ night-hunting weapon punches through Israel’s defenses: expert
-
Politics52 minutes agoHasan Piker says UK has barred him, trashes ‘unbelievable…power’ of pro-Israel groups
-
Health59 minutes agoQuitting smoking could offer a major benefit beyond heart and lung health, study finds
-
Sports1 hour agoRoman Reigns domesticates Jacob Fatu to retain World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Clash in Italy
-
Technology1 hour agoQR code email scam targets employee reviews
-
Business1 hour agoMove over, Grogu. Internet culture soars as ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ top the box office