Summary of Rep. Jeff Hurd’s 3/11/25 town hall meeting

Here is a summary of CD-3 House Rep. Jeff Hurd (R)’s town hall meeting held on 3/11/2025, with thanks to author Jim Marshall, who compiled the notes.

First, some observations by me: Hurd pulled last minute switches to both the time and the instructions for participating in the meeting, which made it difficult for constituents to join the call and probably reduced the number of participants. Many people who followed the last-minute changes and called in reported they were unable to hear the meeting. I personally dialed the updated (833) number on my cell phone at the appointed time and got 15 minutes of silence. After I heard voices, I put the phone on speaker but noted that the speaker phone did not work on this call. Unsure whether it was a setting on the other end, I tried hanging up and dialed in using my Google Voice number, and was able to hear the call on the computer speaker.

After about 20 minutes of introduction, softball questions were taken first and more serious questions about Ukraine, Russia, Trump & Musk’s attacks on the federal government and their efforts to erode democracy were addressed later.

Here is the summary of the meeting provided by Jim Marshall:

Congressman Jeff Hurd 3/11/25 Town Hall Meeting Summary:

Introduction and Background

• Congressman Jeff Hurd represents Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, covering the western and southern parts of the state
• The district encompasses nearly half of Colorado’s geographic footprint, from Moffat County in the northwest to Montezuma County in the southwest, extending to Otero and Las Animas counties in the east
• He sits on three committees:
  • Natural Resources Committee (chairs Indian Affairs subcommittee and serves on Energy and Minerals subcommittee)
  • Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (serves on Aviation, Roads and Surface, and Water Infrastructure subcommittees)
  • Science, Space & Technology Committee
• He has introduced legislation including:
  • The LOCAL Act to move Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Western Colorado
  • Bipartisan legislation with Senators Bennett and Hickenlooper to compensate those affected by the Gold King Mine spill
  • Legislation related to federal land issues and outdoor spaces

Bipartisan Collaboration

• Co-sponsored legislation with Democratic Senators Bennett and Hickenlooper on the Gold King Mine spill compensation
• Partnered with Democratic colleagues in the House on legislation to protect federal workers’ seniority during probationary periods
• Mentioned in a Politico article about his bipartisan work on federal employment protections
• Expressed willingness to work across the aisle on forest management through the “Fix Our Forests” bill
• Committed to collaborating with Senators Bennett and Hickenlooper on public lands policies
• Emphasized the importance of bipartisan support for legislation to pass the Senate’s 60-vote threshold

Border Security

• Recently visited the Arizona-Mexico border as part of a congressional delegation
• Toured the Nogales area in the Tucson sector and met with ranchers, business owners, sheriffs, and Border Patrol
• Highlighted the importance of trade through the Port of Nogales, which handles significant agricultural imports
• Observed that border crossings are down by more than 90% under President Trump
• Noted cartel spotters were watching their tour from across the border
• Emphasized the need for permanent border security solutions as cartels won’t abandon their “multi-billion dollar business”

Constituent Questions and Responses

Second Amendment Rights

• Expressed strong concern about state-level actions undermining Second Amendment rights
• Called the second amendment “a core value in our constitution” and “one of the bedrock principles”
• Mentioned co-sponsoring constitutional reciprocal carry legislation
• Believes Colorado Senate Bill 3 is “blatantly unconstitutional”
• Expects legal challenges to state laws that restrict gun rights

Public Lands

• Opposed wholesale selling of federal public lands
• Distinguished between mass sell-offs and targeted land transfers
• Supports the CONVEY Act in Clifton as an example of a sensible federal land sale
• Co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to protect probationary federal workers from losing seniority
• Expressed concern about cuts affecting land managers on the ground rather than DC bureaucrats

Medicaid

• Highlighted personal connection through his father who ran the Marillac Clinic in Grand Junction
• Supports Medicaid for the most vulnerable populations (pregnant women, children, the poor)
• Favors work requirements for Medicaid with exceptions for students and others with special circumstances
• Noted approximately 30% of his constituents receive some form of Medicaid assistance
• Believes Colorado isn’t receiving a fair allocation of Medicaid dollars compared to states like California

Federal Land Management

• Strongly advocated for moving BLM headquarters to Grand Junction
• Argued policy makers should be familiar with the land they manage
• Concerned about cuts to land management staff, particularly support staff for firefighters
• Worried about wildfire risks given the dry winter conditions
• Co-sponsored the “Fix Our Forests” bill for improved forest management

Electrical Grid and Energy

• Discussed importance of right-of-way clearing to prevent vegetation from contacting power lines
• Addressed EMP (electromagnetic pulse) threats and the need to harden infrastructure
• Concerned about transformer supply chain issues and multi-year backlogs
• Opposed Chinese ownership of land near sensitive sites
• Sponsored legislation to prohibit the Chinese Communist Party from owning real estate near sensitive sites

Energy Policy

• Criticized “green energy” policies that have increased electricity costs
• Noted electric bills in La Plata County have risen from $300 to $1000 monthly
• Described state renewable energy mandates as “a hidden tax on every single Coloradan”
• Supports an “all of the above” energy approach including natural gas, nuclear, and coal
• Advocated for carbon capture and clean coal technologies

Ukraine and Foreign Policy

• Stated “we should not stand with Russia against Ukraine”
• Said “when America wavers in supporting its allies, Russia advances and China watches”
• Called Putin a dictator and Russia “undisputably adversaries of America”
• Believes weakening support for Ukraine “weakens our hand and emboldens Russia”

Government Efficiency

• Believes there are inefficiencies in government that can be addressed
• Suggested cuts should target higher-level bureaucracy rather than ground-level staff
• Noted difficulty in removing underperforming federal employees after probationary periods
• Supports cabinet-level officers making final staffing and policy decisions
• Described a three-step approach: assess savings, qualify their value, and codify them in law

Water Rights

• Working to secure funding to purchase water rights associated with the Shoshone hydroelectric power plant in Glenwood Canyon for $99 million from Xcel Energy
• Explained the water right’s importance to Colorado’s agriculture, recreation, and western way of life
• Mentioned $50+ million raised by state/local entities and approximately $40 million in potential federal funding, but the funding is on hold. Working to unfreeze it.
• Noted the water right is connected to a hydropower plant visible from I-70 near Glenwood Canyon
• Committed to making this a top priority even if current funding (B2E program) remains frozen

Coal Industry and Moffat County

• Expressed concern about the scheduled closure of the power plant in Craig
• Attributed closure primarily to state laws mandating greenhouse gas reductions
• Working with Tri-State Generation and Transmission to secure “new era funding”
• Exploring conversion options including natural gas or nuclear power
• Emphasized the importance of Colorado coal for infrastructure

Veterans’ Healthcare

• Acknowledged approximately 45,000 veterans in the district
• Noted uneven quality of VA care, particularly in southern parts of the district
• Expressed interest in expanding alternative treatment options (chiropractic, acupuncture, massage) instead of narcotics
• Mentioned plans for veterans’ roundtables
• Directed veterans to contact his office for assistance with services

Conclusion

• Committed to additional town halls (telephone, video, and in-person)
• Personally answers constituent calls and reads correspondence
• Emphasized “I will never forget where I came from and who I’m serving”