El Comercio – Delivering for Colorado’s Latino Community and All Coloradans

Joint op-ed with Congressman Gabe Evans, Representative for Colorado’s 8th District and Ángel Merlos, Strategic Director of The LIBRE Initiative in Colorado

Washington can feel far away, but what happens there reaches into our kitchens, our businesses, and our paychecks. That is why we believe elected officials and community organizations owe their neighbors more than promises. They owe them results. In the 119th Congress, that has been the focus of our work together: Congressman Evans fighting for Colorado families in the halls of the Capitol and LIBRE listening to families across Colorado.

Keeping more of what families earn

The economy remains the issue we hear about most. Families are working hard, but too many still feel like their paychecks aren’t going far enough. Congress passed the largest tax reform bill in a decade, preventing the biggest tax hike in American history and expanding deductions so families keep more of their hard-earned money. The results are beginning to show up, with  2026 filing data shows some of the largest refunds families have seen in years.

Latinos make up nearly 40% of Colorado’s 8th Congressional District and drive a Latino economy valued at more than $4.4 trillion nationwide. Our communities are not on the sidelines of American prosperity; we are building it.

As the grandson of Mexican immigrants, I understand firsthand the importance of hard work, opportunity, and the American Dream. That’s why I introduced the bipartisan SBA Spanish Resource bill which would improve transparency about the Small Business Administration’s Spanish-language resources. When a business owner can’t find out what help is available because of a language barrier, that is a missed opportunity for them and their community. No hardworking entrepreneur should be held back simply because English is not their first language. When Latino small businesses thrive, we all do.

Lowering energy costs

Coloradans are feeling the squeeze of rising utility bills, and Washington should be working to ease it. At the end of last year, I voted for the SPEED Act, which would streamline federal permitting so Colorado can keep producing American energy and move toward energy independence. Senate Democrats have so far refused to move it forward.

Costs are also being driven up at home. In August, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission supported a $157 million rate increase for state utilities. As demand from data centers grows, hardworking families should not be left holding the bill.

That is why I introduced the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act, which aims to protect families and small businesses from being forced to pay for the new energy infrastructure needed by large data centers.. The bill passed the House with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 417–3, including support from every Colorado House Democrat. Yet it has stalled in the Senate, where Colorado’s two Democrat senators refuse to support it.

Protecting your pocketbook should never be a Republican or Democrat issue. Colorado families deserve affordable, reliable energy, and we remain committed to getting this done.

An immigration system that works

Our country depends on an immigration system that works, and ours is broken. Families, employers, and communities all pay the price for the dysfunction. We believe America can have a secure border, uphold the rule of law, and still treat hardworking people with dignity and respect. These goals should go hand in hand.

That is why Congressman Evans was an original and vocal supporter of the bipartisan DIGNITY Act. It strengthens border security while creating an earned pathway to legal status for Dreamers and other long-term undocumented residents who meet strict requirements.

As a former police officer and the grandson of Mexican Immigrants, Congressman Evans knows that protecting our communities and recognizing the contributions of hardworking immigrant families are not mutually exclusive.

For the Dreamers and long-term residents we know in our own neighborhoods, this is about dignity, accountability, and a chance to keep contributing to the only home many of them have ever known.

Long-term status is only part of the solution. We also need reliable temporary worker programs. As Congressman I helped introduce the bipartisan Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act, the most significant overhaul of the H-2A farm labor visa system in nearly forty years. It updates a system built for seasonal agriculture so that it works for year-round industries, creates predictable wage requirements, and gives producers the certainty they need to invest in the future. That matters across the country, and it matters in Weld County, which produces more than $2 billion in agricultural output. We must support the farmers and communities that fuel and feed Colorado and our nation.

Working together

Congress can be chaotic and complicated, but that is no reason to shy away from the most important issues of our time. The best policy comes when lawmakers listen to the people it affects. I will keep doing that work and with your partnership together, we can continue the fight for the American Dream and build a better, freer, and more affordable Colorado.

Read the full article here: https://elcomerciodecolorado.com/guest-column-delivering-for-colorados-latino-community-and-all-coloradans/