Hickenlooper: “We have money for ballrooms and bombs — and tax breaks for billionaires – but nothing for hardworking Americans.
Hickenlooper has voted seven times to end the war in Iran
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper took to the Senate floor to demand President Trump end the war in Iran and to share stories from Coloradans who are struggling to afford basic necessities while the White House continues to pour billions into a war that’s driving up inflation.
Earlier today, Hickenlooper voted with Senate Democrats in support of a War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. Armed Forces in further hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorized by Congress. Republicans voted against ending the war for the seventh time.
Watch his speech HERE.
“This cost-of-living emergency didn’t start with this war. But the war is making it worse – far worse,” Hickenlooper said. “And the president’s response has been to spend more. Not on you, but on the war itself.”
“…Our nation’s priorities are completely backward. We have money for ballrooms and bombs — and tax breaks for billionaires – but nothing for hardworking Americans,” he concluded.
During the speech, Hickenlooper highlighted stories from Coloradans he’d recently met who described the crushing financial pressure they face as prices continue to rise.
“Last week, I met an Uber driver named Kareem,” Hickenlooper said. “It costs him $68 every day to fill up his car. Kareem’s expenses now exceed his take-home pay. He had to find a second job to make ends meet. He told me he worries every day about having enough money to feed his children.”
Hickenlooper emphasized that families across Colorado are making impossible choices between paying for food, gas, housing, and medical care while the president continues to prioritize war over lowering costs at home.
“Last week in Denver, I met TJ. He told me his marketplace premium went from $30 a month to over $500 a month. And this happened right when he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer,” Hickenlooper said. “TJ couldn’t afford his marketplace plan and was forced to drop it. He had to move in with his parents just to stay afloat.”
For a full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks as prepared for delivery is available below:
“Madam President,
There’s a debate right now about the cost of the Iran war.
This administration won’t give us a straight answer. But Coloradans can.
They are paying $4.50 a gallon for gas. That’s $25 more every time they fill their tank
Shoppers are seeing their grocery bills go through the roof. Since January alone, the price of berries has doubled. Today, the average family of four now spends over $1,000 a month on groceries – and that number keeps climbing the longer this war drags on.
Mortgage rates jumped half a point in two months — costing homebuyers over $100 more every month.
Just yesterday, President Trump admitted he doesn’t “think about Americans’ financial situation” when making decisions on the war in Iran.
Finally, the truth!
The American people know this. They’ve seen how this administration’s policies are costing lives overseas — and exaggerating a cost-of-living emergency here at home.
And while the White House can’t even track what it’s spending on the war, American families are struggling to budget for the basics.
To the administration, these are just numbers on a spreadsheet. To the rest of us, these are our family members, our neighbors – all of you.
Last week, I met an Uber driver named Kareem. It costs him $68 every day to fill up his car. Kareem’s expenses now exceed his take-home pay. He had to find a second job to make ends meet. He told me he worries every day about having enough money to feed his children.
And it’s not just the president’s war that’s increasing costs. This comes on the heels of Republicans’ efforts to gut health care and slash the social safety net.
Last week in Denver, I met TJ. He told me his marketplace premium went from $30 a month to over $500 a month. And this happened right when he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.
TJ couldn’t afford his marketplace plan and was forced to drop it. He had to move in with his parents just to stay afloat.
I also met a Denver resident living with a rare neurologic condition from COVID. Last year, in the middle of her endless health battle, her husband was diagnosed with cancer.
Their marketplace premium doubled. They couldn’t afford for both of them to have health care at the same time. So, her husband put off chemotherapy so she could get a badly needed treatment.
Let me say that again.
In the wealthiest nation on earth, a man with cancer was forced to go without health care. Just so his wife could have it. That is shameful.
Her words will stay with me. This woman told me she’s come to terms with death and her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
But what she can’t accept is the daily battle to afford her health care – when the cost of staying alive is bankruptcy.
And these Coloradans aren’t outliers.
Over one million Americans had to drop their health insurance plans in January after Republicans refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. Of the Americans who decided to stay on their insurance, over three million missed their monthly payment in January.
How long before they too lose their health insurance?
And it’s not just the people in big cities.
Farmers across Colorado were already being crushed by the cost-of-living emergency. Now soaring fuel and fertilizer costs are making a grave situation critical.
One sweet corn farmer in Montrose told me that fuel normally takes up 15% of his operating costs. Now, it’s 65%.
He said: ‘If I didn’t have a son that was crazy enough to farm, I’d probably quit. Because the unknowns make it impossible to plan.’
Think about that. Because the unknowns make it impossible to plan.
Farmers are now paying 40% more for Nitrogen-based fertilizer, 60% more for diesel. And with just weeks remaining in the planting season, 70% of them can’t afford their operating costs.
Add in tariffs and drought conditions caused by worsening climate change – and it’s no wonder so many Colorado producers are choosing to fallow their land instead of farm.
You don’t need a crystal ball to know what comes next. Fewer crops means higher prices.
And as one farmer told me, “A country that can’t feed itself, can’t survive.”
We’re hearing stories like these all the time. It doesn’t matter if we’re meeting with farmers, teachers, or restaurant owners. Rural or urban. Republican or Democrat. We hear the same thing:
Costs are too high. And Americans need help.
This cost-of-living emergency didn’t start with this war. But the war is making it worse. Far worse.
And the president’s response has been to spend more. Not on you, but on the war itself.
The president recently requested $1.5 trillion to fund the Department of Defense. That’s money we don’t have – money we’ll have to borrow and add to our ballooning debt.
To put that in perspective, $1.5 trillion is the equivalent of borrowing roughly $18,000 for every American family.
Now ask yourself: do we really want to take on that cost for a war with no clear path to victory?
And that doesn’t even cover the full cost of the Iran war. The White House Budget Director told Congress that a separate funding request is coming.
We’re expecting up to $200 billion more – just for the operations in Iran.
$200 billion. With that money, we could fully fund pre-K for every kid in America. We could have free community college for every American. We could get closer to universal health care
Our nation’s priorities are completely backward. We have money for ballrooms and bombs — and tax breaks for billionaires – but very little for hardworking Americans. It’s just plain wrong.
MAGA Republicans are giving the White House a blank check while you get stuck with the bill.
We need to end this war and stop asking the American people to carry costs they never agreed to bear.
The president treats billions like a rounding error. Coloradans don’t have that luxury.
Every dollar counts. And hardworking families are paying the price.
Thank you, Madam President. I yield the floor.”
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