Diana DeGette

$20 doesn’t get you as far as it used to – literally. And it’s all because Donald Trump and his cronies started a war with Iran, causing energy and gas prices to skyrocket and making life at home unaffordable. It is past time for this illegal war to end. https://t.co/bjjY9CDHYi

The nonpartisan GAO found that the Trump Administration illegally withheld Congressionally approved health care research funding. These funds support lifesaving research for Americans. Congress must stand together to uphold the Constitution and protect Americans' health. See my statement with @RepDonBeyer and @DorisMatsui here:

Methane is 80 TIMES more potent than carbon dioxide. That's why I have been working to curb methane waste for years -- to protect Americans’ public health from this super pollutant. In 2024, we took significant strides when the @EPA finalized a comprehensive rule to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. Now, Donald Trump and Lee Zeldin are preparing to get rid of that rule, focusing on the profit of these companies instead of protecting Americans' health. This is wrong. https://t.co/1DyKd4xPcd

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives Diana DeGette (CO-01), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Don Beyer (VA-08) released the following statement after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a legal determination confirming the administration illegally impounded $78 million in Fiscal Year 2025 funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The decision comes more than a year after Reps. DeGette, Matsui and Beyer sent the initial request for a nonpartisan legal opinion on the matter. “The GAO’s decision today confirms what we have known for over a year: Donald Trump is stealing taxpayers’ dollars that Congress set aside to improve Americans’ health. The administration’s unilateral dismantling of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s grantmaking operations is an illegal impoundment of Congressionally appropriated funds. “Under Article I of the Constitution, the power of the purse rests strictly with Congress, not the executive branch. Trump’s administration cannot simply refuse to spend the resources we authorized for lifesaving health care research. Republicans must join Democrats in demanding that the Constitution is upheld.” Background: The Trump administration’s massive cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services beginning April 1, 2025, disrupted grant funding for health care research across the country, including in Colorado. AHRQ suffered particularly devastating impacts to its grants supporting more efficient, effective, and safe health care. Grantmaking at AHRQ halted: from April 1 to September 5, 2025, AHRQ did not issue a single grant. The agency would typically issue up to 73 grants during a comparable time period. In September 2025, Representatives DeGette, Matsui and Beyer sent a request to GAO for their legal opinion on whether disruptions of AHRQ’s grantmaking process represented illegal withholding of funds in violation of the Impoundment Control Act, which regulates the president’s ability to delay or withhold Congressionally appropriated spending. The GAO is often called the “Congressional watchdog” for its role in investigating federal government spending and performance. Today, after a lengthy nonpartisan investigation, the GAO announced its findings that the Trump administration did illegally withhold—or impound—$78 million Congress directed to support healthcare research. ###

Melissa Hart was a dear friend, and our families were close for many years. She was a brilliant judge and a kind person with a firm commitment to justice. Lino and I send our love and deepest condolences to her family—Phyllis, Kevin, Talia and Noah. https://t.co/9bpqSsOzMG

The Hyde Amendment has denied abortion coverage to millions of low-income people for 50 years. It’s not just outdated—it’s unjust. The #EACHAct will put an end to this systemic barrier to care. Abortion is health care. Full stop.

Yes, we know. https://t.co/9fzQ9IWDQD

This is an outrageous attack on the First Amendment. I am proud to see the major news outlets standing together to defend the right to a free press. https://t.co/Ny3G0vKEaa

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives Diana DeGette(CO-01) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, announced that Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) will serve as the new Democratic Co-Chair of the Caucus in the 120th Congress. Co-Chair-Designate Schrier will join Co-Chair Bilirakis in leading the 246-member Diabetes Caucus, one of the largest and most influential bipartisan member organizations in the United States Congress. “I am proud to announce my friend, Rep. Kim Schrier, as the incoming Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus,” said Rep. DeGette. “Diabetes impacts millions of Americans across every district in this country, crossing all political lines. Those who live with diabetes in this nation need strong advocates on their behalf in the years to come. Rep. Schrier brings her expertise as a pediatrician and as someone with direct personal experience with diabetes to her work every day. She is a tough, practical legislator and will drive bipartisan work to expand access to life-saving treatments, bring down insulin costs, and fund the biomedical research that will ultimately lead to a cure.” “Diana is a dear friend and one of the fiercest advocates I have ever had the privilege of working alongside,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “For years, we have put politics aside and worked together toward a shared goal: improving the lives of Americans living with diabetes and, ultimately, finding a cure. Her leadership, tenacity and compassion have helped drive tremendous progress in diabetes research, treatment and prevention. I am deeply grateful for her friendship and partnership, and for the lasting legacy she has built through her leadership of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. I am also pleased that Dr. Kim Schrier will join me in leading the Caucus in the 120th Congress, should voters place their continued trust in us to serve. As a pediatrician who also lives with Type 1 diabetes, she brings firsthand experience to the issues facing patients and families. I look forward to continuing the Caucus’s bipartisan work to improve diabetes care, lower costs, advance lifesaving research and pursue our ultimate goal of finding a cure.” “As a doctor with Type 1 diabetes, it is a priority of mine in Congress to help patients with diabetes manage their condition and afford their medications,” said Rep. Schrier. “I am extremely excited to co-chair the Congressional Diabetes Caucus alongside Congressman Bilirakis. Congresswoman DeGette has championed the Diabetes Caucus for over twenty years, and I am honored to continue her work to bolster diabetes research, lower costs for patients, and ensure quality care for all Americans.” “The American Diabetes Association is thrilled that Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D., will be the next co-chair of the Diabetes Caucus, said American Diabetes Association Chief Advocacy Officer Lisa Murdock. “Congresswoman Schrier has demonstrated her leadership on behalf of those with diabetes, including commitment to ensuring access to medicines and technology. Her experience living with diabetes and as a pediatrician enable her to have valuable insight into the needs of the diabetes community and the policies necessary to support them. We look forward to working in partnership with Congresswoman Schrier as she takes on this new role. As we welcome Congresswoman Schrier, we want to express our gratitude to Congresswoman Diana DeGette for her leadership of the Diabetes Caucus who has tirelessly advocated for legislation to improve diabetes research, education, and treatment, as well as contributed to efforts that resulted in growing the Diabetes Caucus into the largest caucus in Congress. Her many years of service to those living with diabetes cannot be overstated.” “The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) are thrilled that Congresswoman Kim Schrier is becoming a House Co-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus,” said George Huntley, CEO of the Diabetes Leadership Council & Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition. “This is a natural extension of the critical work she is doing on behalf of the diabetes community, including introducing the bipartisan INSULIN Act to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Congresswoman Schrier in her new role. We also want to thank Congresswoman Diana DeGette for her many years of service leading the Caucus and for all that she has done for people with diabetes.” “Rep. Kim Schrier's leadership, clinical perspective and personal experience will be a tremendous asset to the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. The Endocrine Society is grateful to Rep. Diana DeGette for her tireless efforts to elevate diabetes as a national priority and improve care for people living with the disease,” said Endocrine Society President Nanette Santoro, MD, E. Stewart Taylor Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado. “Diabetes affects tens of millions of Americans and places an enormous burden on individuals, families, and our healthcare system. As an organization dedicated to improving hormone health, the Endocrine Society prioritizes diabetes prevention, treatment and research, and we look forward to partnering with Reps. Schrier and Bilirakis to advance policies that help people living with diabetes.” “It has been an honor to work with Congresswoman DeGette,” said Breakthrough T1D Chief Global Advocacy Officer Lynn Starr. “Her legacy for the T1D community is unparalleled. From the Special Diabetes Program to the 21st Century Cures Act, stem cell research, and the INSULIN Act, her vision and determination have saved lives, transformed care, and significantly advanced the pursuit of cures. She has truly been a steadfast champion for everyone affected by T1D, and even now in her final months in Congress, she is working tirelessly to accomplish as much as possible for the community she has served for so long. She is an inspiration, and we will deeply miss her and her powerful voice in Congress. Congresswoman Schrier is a worthy successor who has her own legacy as a leader for the T1D community on Capitol Hill. As a pediatrician and the only sitting member of Congress living with type 1 diabetes herself, she understands the stakes and the day-to-day realities of managing this disease. She knows firsthand the needs of the community. We are grateful to her for taking on this new role and responsibility and look forward to working alongside her and her fellow caucus members to accelerate cures and improve the lives of all those affected by T1D.” Background The mission of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus is to educate members of Congress and their staff about diabetes and support legislative activities that improve diabetes research, education and treatment. Since Rep. DeGette assumed leadership as Co-Chair in 1999, the Diabetes Caucus has been the driving force behind some of the most significant advancements in diabetes care, prevention, and research in modern history. Over the last two and a half decades, her leadership has yielded bipartisan achievements, including: · Historic Funding Increases for Dedicated Programs: Led the successful, multi-year push to increase funding for the Special Statutory Funding Program for Type 1 Diabetes (SDP) and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) from $30 million a year to $200 million a year. · Significant Investments in National Research: Championed the expansion of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) budget, increasing its appropriations from under $1 billion to over $2.3 billion to accelerate the search for a cure. · Expanded Access to Lifesaving Technology: Successfully pushed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve coverage and access for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), revolutionizing daily care for seniors with diabetes. · Groundbreaking Prevention Initiatives: Led the effort to establish the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) and successfully put the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program into statute, focusing federal efforts on stopping the disease before it starts. · Tackling the Root Causes of High Insulin Costs: Spearheaded some of the earliest Congressional investigations into how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) drive up the cost of insulin. These early efforts laid the crucial groundwork for major PBM reforms and advanced policies to make it easier to bring lower-cost biosimilar insulins to the market. As the Caucus enters this new chapter, its leadership will remain committed to passing legislation that improves the lives of the over 40 million Americans living with diabetes and over 115 million living with prediabetes. For more information on the Congressional Diabetes Caucus and its ongoing initiatives, please visit diabetescaucus-degette.house.gov. ###

Last night, I was honored to receive the Lifetime Reproductive Freedom Champion Award from @reproforall. Anti-choice extremists would love it if we stopped fighting—if we just let them ban abortion and strip away health care from millions. But we will never give them that satisfaction.

Last night, the House passed a War Powers Resolution for a THIRD time – with even more support – to stop Donald Trump’s illegal war with Iran. The American people do not support this forever war that is only making us less safe and causing prices to skyrocket. The nonpartisan CBO estimates this war has cost us tens of billions already and up to $3 billion each month it drags on. That money should be spent here, at home, where we need affordable health care, housing and energy.

RFK Jr. is giving a speech to his anti-vax buddies less than a week after a third person died from measles--a vaccine-preventable disease--this year. With everything happening under his watch, the biggest risk to public health is RFK Jr. https://t.co/Iwuv8qFu92

Good news—the Supreme Court just blocked Trump’s plan to interfere in the upcoming midterm election by silencing the voters who mail-in their ballots. The right to vote must be protected.

I will never forget watching the news coverage of the deadly terror attack in New York from my office in Washington, D.C. When the Pentagon was struck, I remember seeing the smoke from my office window. Our nation changed forever 25 years ago, as terrorists tried to break us. Then, and now, we can resist the cynicism and stand united. Read my Op-Ed reflecting on the impact of 9-11 in the Colorado Sun here: https://t.co/YcZBMugR2A

Shanah Tovah to everyone in Denver celebrating Rosh Hashanah. May the New Year bring you and your loved ones peace, health, reflection, and renewal. https://t.co/IU4jwsXa79

Thinking of all our workers, in Denver and across the country, who keep our communities running. Happy Labor Day, Denver! https://t.co/5C6Z0iRnus

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Diana DeGette (CO-01), Co-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, along with Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Kim Schrier(WA-08), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), and Angie Craig (MN-02), introduced the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (“INSULIN”) Act. This bill will cap the cost of insulin at $35 per month for insured individuals. “Insulin insecurity is not a partisan issue. It’s a life-or-death issue,” said Rep. DeGette. “I have fought for years to lower the price of insulin for the over 40 million Americans living with diabetes. I have met with too many Coloradans who have shared their painful experience of rationing their insulin so they could afford groceries. No one in America should be forced to choose between their life-saving medication or feeding their families.” "As a doctor, I have spent my career fighting for patients, and I've watched too many of them ration a hundred-year-old medicine because the price tag made it impossible to afford,” said Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D.. “That's not right, and it never should have taken this long to fix. I'm proud to lead this effort in the House, and I won't stop until every American with diabetes can afford the insulin that keeps them alive." “As a doctor with Type 1 diabetes who depends on insulin, I understand the immediate need to bring down the cost of insulin – especially at a time when so many Americans are already struggling with high costs,” said Rep. Schrier. “I am proud to introduce this groundbreaking bipartisan legislation that will cap the price of insulin for all Americans and make a meaningful difference in the lives and the health of everyone in our districts.” “Diabetes stole the lives of 100,000 Americans last year. Tens of millions of Americans are living with diabetes, and for many, insulin is a matter of life and death,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “No American should have to choose between paying the bills and getting the insulin they need, or risk their life rationing the doses they have left. This legislation isn’t just a Band-Aid on the problem. It delivers immediate relief for patients and reforms that will increase competition and drive down prices over the long term. Lowering the cost of insulin puts money back where it belongs: in the pockets of working families who need every dollar they earn. Middlemen and big corporations shouldn’t be making extra cash off the backs of working people who rely on insulin to survive.” “Through the Inflation Reduction Act, we made great strides toward lowering the cost of prescription drugs by capping the cost of insulin for our nation’s seniors,” Rep. Craig said. “Now, it’s time to extend that benefit to all Americans. I’m proud to be joining my colleagues in introducing this critical bill that will ensure no Minnesotan has to choose between putting food on the table and picking up lifesaving medication.” View the bill text here. Background: With more than 40.1 million Americans estimated to be living with diabetes, the INSULIN Act is the result of Rep. DeGette’s commitment to making health care affordable for more Americans. The INSULIN Act will: Cap out-of-pocket patient cost-sharing for individuals with insurance at $35 a month; Prohibit health care plans from applying any deductible to select insulin products; Help uninsured people with diabetes get access to insulin; and Get biosimilar insulin to market more quickly. As co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, Rep. Diana DeGette has championed a multi-year, comprehensive effort to address the skyrocketing cost of insulin and improve care for millions of Americans living with diabetes, and she has worked to ensure people with diabetes have access to the latest standard of care in medicine and technology. Before becoming the top Democrat on the Health subcommittee, Rep. DeGette launched the first-ever Congressional study to find legislative solutions for the worsening insulin pricing crisis. Building on the study's framework, Rep. DeGette convened a historic Congressional hearing in April 2019. For the first time, all three U.S. insulin manufacturers and the nation's three largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) were called to testify jointly about surging costs. Following nearly three hours of testimony, Rep. DeGette declared the current pricing system "fully broken" and issued a mandate to the executives to immediately develop collaborative cost-lowering solutions. A similar bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA). This bill has broad support among diabetes advocates. “The American Diabetes Association (ADA) appreciates and applauds the House’s bipartisan introduction of the INSULIN Act, which would limit out-of-pocket insulin costs for patients at $35 a month,” said Lisa Murdock, Chief Advocacy Officer of ADA. “A recent survey, commissioned by ADA, showed that 40% of insulin users currently pay $150 each month, and there is widespread bipartisan support across the U.S. for making insulin affordable. The INSULIN Act would ensure no one has to choose between paying for insulin and other necessities. This bill puts people first and is a commonsense way to lower health care costs for Americans depending on insulin to live.” “For the millions of Americans who rely on insulin every day, no one should have to choose between paying for their medication and meeting other basic needs, said Dr. Robert Lash, Chief Medical Officer with the Endocrine Society. “The Endocrine Society applauds Representatives DeGette, Schrier, Miller-Meeks, Bresnahan, and Craig for introducing the INSULIN Act, which would help make insulin more affordable for people with private insurance while connecting uninsured patients to resources that can help them access this lifesaving medication. This bipartisan legislation is an important step toward ensuring that all people who need insulin can obtain it and stay healthy.” “The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) applaud and thank Representatives DeGette, Miller-Meeks, Schrier, Bresnahan, and Craig for introducing the INSULIN Act of 2026,” said George Huntley, CEO. “This legislation will greatly improve access to affordable insulins for people living with diabetes, and it is time that the $35 monthly insulin co-pay cap apply to everyone as it does to Medicare beneficiaries today. We look forward to working to get this legislation across the finish line before the end of the 119th Congress.” “For the more than 1.5 million Americans with type one diabetes (T1D), insulin access is life-or-death,” said Lynn Starr, Breakthrough T1D Chief Global Advocacy Officer. “By capping out-of-pocket cost at $35, the INSULIN Act ensures that people have dependable, affordable access to the insulin they require to live. We applaud Representatives DeGette, Miller-Meeks, Schrier, Bresnahan, and Craig for introducing the House INSULIN Act and urge their colleagues to stand with them on the side of all those living with T1D. While there is still more work to be done, we are hopeful that, together with the Senate, we will finally have the access to affordable insulin the entire T1D community deserves and depends on.” ###

I’m sad to hear of Gloria Steinem’s passing. She was an inspiration to many people, including millions of women who were emboldened by her outspoken advocacy for equality and abortion rights. Gloria’s storied legacy will live on for generations to come. https://t.co/amkb3Yr74T

When Republicans falsely claim that protecting the environment is bad for communities and our economy, I call out their lies. Here’s the truth: Clean air and environment improve people’s health and improve the economy. https://t.co/xVaWfdGpPZ

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after voting for the stopgap funding bill: “I supported the Senate’s stopgap funding bill that passed in the House today. Not only will it avert a harmful government shutdown, but it also delays a dangerous rule proposed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that allows politics to influence federal grantmaking. This proposal would be devastating for the integrity of American biomedical research, which must follow science above all other considerations. “Additionally, the funding bill blocks funds to further Trump’s cruel immigration agenda and restores funding to Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides necessary health care to patients in Colorado and across the country.” Background: On July 13th, Congresswoman Diana DeGette led a comment letter signed by all the Democratic members on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee urging OMB to withdraw the proposed rule. Read the July press release here. ###

The Supreme Court just greenlit Trump’s effort to make it harder for citizens to vote by mail (something Trump does himself). Several states, including Colorado, allow citizens to vote by mail. In the 2024 election, over 90% of Colorado voters cast mail-in ballots. Free and fair elections are the bedrock of our democracy. We must stand united against Trump’s attempts to disrupt our elections, and speak the truth: voting by mail is safe, secure and will continue. The American people see these baseless attacks on our voting for the lies they are. Democrats will never stop fighting to protect and expand access to the ballot box.

While fighting an illegal war with Iran, Trump is now instigating a reckless trade war with our close ally Canada. Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans own this unaffordability crisis, and the nonsense must stop. Congressional Democrats will continue fighting to lower costs for every American. It would be helpful if anyone in this administration cared enough to join us.

Trump’s hand-picked appointees at our nation’s health agencies are slow-walking grants for scientific and medical research based on politics. His administration is killing valuable projects based on their misguided partisan war on DEI policies, which is hurting our progress on maternal health, as well as contraception use and substance abuse. This is wrong. Research funding must be based on science, not politics. That’s why I wrote a bill to end these dangerous games at NIH and preserve the integrity of federal biomedical research.

🚨 ICYMI: It’s happening exactly as predicted. Read my latest Op-Ed in the Denver Post about how Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans attacked your health care and how we can fix the mess they created.

Donald Trump and Republicans’ reckless agenda is hurting Denverites. That’s why my Democratic colleagues and I are standing up to Trump every day. We are fighting to end his illegal war that has led to higher prices, demanding affordable health care, stopping his cruel immigration agenda, and building an economy that uplifts every American.