Latest news with #BrittanyPettersen
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Colorado Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen says treatment for substance use disorders would take a big hit under Republican budget bill
Treatment for substance use disorders would take hit under budget bill, Colorado Congresswoman says Treatment for substance use disorders would take hit under budget bill, Colorado Congresswoman says Treatment for substance use disorders would take hit under budget bill, Colorado Congresswoman says For Rep. Brittany Pettersen, the debate happening in D.C. over Medicaid isn't political, it's personal. If not for the government health care program, she says, her mom wouldn't be alive. Stacy Pettersen struggled with opioid addition for years, a struggle that became the catalyst for far-reaching legislation by her daughter, including a law that expanded Medicaid to cover in-patient treatment for substance use disorders. Rep. Brittany Pettersen CBS Pettersen says the law has saved lives and money. "When you're denying them care and churning in and out ER, the federal and state government spent over a million keeping her alive in ICU instead of giving her access to the care she needed," Pettersen said. Pettersen, the Democrat who represents Colorado's 7th Congressional District, was working on the bill with stakeholders, including Emergency Room Doctor Don Stader, when her mom overdosed and ended up in the ER. Stader was on duty that night. "It was one of the most surreal moments and patients of my life and it made ... (it) so clear what we are fighting for and what the stakes are," he said. With Stader's help, Pettersen has passed a number of transformative laws to help those like her mom, who is now 8 years in recovery. But she says the Republican budget bill puts all that progress at risk. "My mom is an example of what's possible when we give people the help they need," she said. "All of this is going away with this bill." The bill strips Medicaid funding for in-patient addiction treatment, repeals a law providing Naloxone for rural first responders, creates new work and cost-sharing requirements for recipients, and implements twice yearly eligibility reviews. "It's created to purge people off of actually qualifying for these benefits while paying tens of millions of dollars by increasing bureaucracy," said Pettersen. The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which administers Medicaid, estimated the administrative burden alone would cost up to $57 million. The Congressional Budget Office says more than 100,000 Coloradans could lose their coverage. "This is going to fundamentally shift health care in many communities across the country," said Stader. "We are going to take our health care back a quantum leap for something that is far less effective, far less compassionate and far less efficient than what we have now." Last year, Colorado saw a 35% reduction in opioid deaths. Pettersen worries the downward trend will reverse course. "We had the biggest reduction of overdose deaths, and it's because of this work. It's because of access to Naloxone. It's because of increasing access to treatment. And they're actually taking that option away for states like Colorado," Pettersen said. President Trump wants the House to pass the bill by Memorial Day. He met with GOP hardliners Tuesday. They are refusing to pass the measure without deeper cuts. The bill would cut taxes by $4 trillion and reduce federal spending by $1.6 trillion, including a $700 billion reduction in Medicaid spending. It is expected to raise the national debt by about $3 trillion over the next 10 years.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Congressional leaders react to national study ranking Kern County top for fatal hit-and-run crashes
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A national study analyzing data from 2018 to 2022 found Kern and Tulare ranking among the top 25 nationwide for fatal hit-and-run crashes. Thursday, Congressman David Valadao joined Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen to reintroduce the They're Fast, We're Furious Act where this bipartisan bill would establish a Street Racing Prevention and Intervention Task Force under the FBI to coordinate responses to street racing and unlawful organized street shows. This bill will ultimately create safer communities and potentially save lives. 'Kern County's fatal hit-and-run accident rate is over 151% higher than the national average, and deadly crashes are a direct result of reckless driving at high speeds. Illegal street racing in our neighborhoods puts the lives of other drivers, first responders, and innocent bystanders at risk…', said Congressman Valadao. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding has an enormous contribution to roughly one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities over the past two decades. Illegal street racing and streets shows are becoming increasingly common across the Central Valley. This bill takes a step towards tackling down life-threatening activities. Establishing task force would coordinate efforts nationwide and ensure law enforcement and agencies have the best information and resources available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
10-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Colorado moms share concerns over Medicaid cuts in Mother's Day roundtable
Mother's Day is this Sunday, and U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen from Colorado's 7th congressional district is using the day to send a message. She said for many Colorado moms, the day might be filled with some angst over cuts to federal spending. At Jeffco Head Start on Friday, Pettersen met with community advocates and mothers who rely on federal programs like Medicaid, Head Start and SNAP; programs that may be at risk due to proposed budget cuts. CBS "I know that this is some of the most irresponsible proposals that you could bring for our kids, for our families, (with) devastating consequences," Pettersen said. Medicaid, Head Start and SNAP might be on the chopping block next week as Republicans look to cut $1.5 trillion in federal spending over a 10 year period. The Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid and Medicare, plans to meet on Tuesday. It's been tasked with finding about $880 billion in savings over 10 years. One in five Coloradans is on Medicaid, including many moms who said cuts to the program would be devastating. "I can't imagine what it would be like. One of my husband's medications, he's on seven, one is $16,000 a month. We would have to choose between feeding my family or my husband backsliding and starting to have seizures and memory loss again," said one participant. "And that doesn't even touch on the therapies my son's receiving that are, in my opinion, life changing." CBS In a release, Pettersen said, "In April, a leaked FY26 HHS budget proposal included eliminating the Head Start program, which promotes school readiness for infants, toddlers, and pre-school aged children. In Colorado, over 11,600 children and 5,000 jobs would be impacted by that proposal. While the administration has since rolled back their previous statements on Head Start funding, the program remains in limbo." President Trump has repeatedly said he will not sign any bill that cuts Medicaid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the Energy and Commerce Committee cannot save $880 billion without making some cuts to Medicaid. Medicaid accounts for 93% of all remaining non-Medicare mandatory spending under the jurisdiction of the committee. Two Colorado representatives sit on that committee, Republican Gabe Evans and Democrat Diana DeGette. In March, Evans co-introduced a bill with Democratic Rep. Scott Peters of California to address fraud concerns in the Medicare and Medicaid system. An audit by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that Colorado Medicaid made $7.3 million in unallowable payments for deceased enrollees between 2018-2020. "The bill requires states to regularly check the Social Security Administration's death file for deceased physicians. If deceased physicians remain in the program, their National Provider Identifier can be used by hackers to bill Medicaid or Medicare under the guise of the deceased physician. This is a commonsense bill that addresses a major problem in providing quality healthcare to Coloradans," said Evans. Although this measure could potentially help the program save millions, further action would be needed to reach the committee's $880 billion goal.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thieves steal campaign funds from political committees and politicians, Thune included
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, is one of the most powerful members of Congress. But even he is not immune from thieves who've been raiding the accounts of politicians and political committees with near-impunity. Thune's leadership political action committee, Heartland Values PAC, lost $5,949 in a 'check fraud' incident on Nov. 1, according to Federal Election Commission records. Thune's office did not respond to a series of questions, but a source familiar with the theft confirmed the incident to OpenSecrets, adding: 'The activity was quickly identified and reported, and it remains under investigation.' More: Thune touches on Medicaid, town halls and tariffs during Watertown Rotary Club visit Meanwhile, two-term Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colorado, had a rough December. Her campaign disclosed 14 separate 'fraudulent' debit card charges between Dec. 3 and Dec. 9, involving payments to Uber Eats and Facebook. Total damage: about $600. Pettersen's congressional office did not respond to several emails and phone calls, but in a filing with the FEC, the Brittany Pettersen for Colorado campaign committee indicated that its bank refunded the charges. Thune and Pettersen are among more than a dozen elected leaders and federal political committees — conservative and liberal — that have lost three-, four- or five-figure sums from their campaign accounts because of theft, fraud, embezzlement, unauthorized charges or other financial shenanigans, according to an OpenSecrets analysis of federal campaign finance records filed since the November election. These incidents add to dozens of other thefts this decade from political committees small and large, including those led by national parties, notable corporations, powerful lawmakers and even a president. The stolen money — sometimes recovered, often not — has collectively soared into the millions of dollars. And while that represents just a small fraction of the overall amount spent on federal elections — the 2024 federal election cost more than $15.9 billion, according to an OpenSecrets analysis — the thefts hurt both the political committees themselves as well as donors, whose contributions ultimately pay for pilfered items ranging from luxury goods to Uber rides, not political advocacy. More: Rhoden alters expectations for 2026 gov.'s race, Johnson builds strong financial position Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Florida, has long crusaded for improved U.S. Postal Service delivery standards, including defending against a rash of check thefts from mail boxes and facilities. 'This is a growing issue nationwide and it must be fixed,' Dunn told the Tallahassee Democrat last year. The lawmaker later blasted the 'substandard safety, security, and maintenance' of postal facilities in his Florida Panhandle district. But Dunn's own congressional campaign reported losing $12,090 across three different check theft incidents during late October and early November — after having lost nearly $11,000 in a separate theft incident in late 2022. Friends of Neal Dunn 'was victimized by an external check fraud situation' and 'the committee immediately notified the bank of the fraud and froze the account,' treasurer Caleb Crosby acknowledged in a letter to the FEC on Feb. 6. Some, but not all of the funds have been recovered, Dunn's committee told the FEC. His congressional office declined to comment, and Crosby did not return requests for comment. Check fraud also caused the Tarrant County (Texas) Republican Victory Fund PAC to lose $6,980 in late November, federal records indicate. Fred Tate, treasurer for the county GOP, described the incident as 'old school' check swiping via the U.S. mail, where an unknown 'bad actor' changed the recipient's name, altered the $980 check to read $6,980 — and then cashed it. The committee reported the incident to police in Fort Worth, Texas, but an 'officer called me after the report was filed and advised they had no suspects, and they said it would be hard to find the perpetrator,' Tate told OpenSecrets. The committee did get its money back, however, as its bank refunded the lost money from the altered check, 'as they never should have cashed it,' Tate said. U.S. Postal Service spokesperson Martha Johnson acknowledged OpenSecrets' request for comment, but the Postal Service did not otherwise respond to questions sent by email. Over at the National Republican Congressional Committee, someone used the committee's credit card late last year for a luxury shopping spree, spending $1,475 at Canada Goose and $950 at Fendi. An NRCC official confirmed the committee disputed the charges with its credit card company and received a refund. 'The NRCC takes pride in being a responsible steward of donor support. This incident proves that our systems work, and we'll continue to ensure every dollar is spent wisely, securely and with purpose,' NRCC spokesperson Emily Tuttle said in a statement to OpenSecrets. Indiana Republican state Sen. Andy Zay, who lost a 2024 U.S. House primary, reported losing $297 on Dec. 30 through 'fraudulent' charges, with the money being spent on TikTok-related purchases, according to federal records. Zay's committee did not respond to requests for comment. Other federal political committees that have recently reported incidents of theft and fraud to the FEC included CNX Resources Corporation Political Action Committee ($2,398.99 stolen), the Washington State Republican Party ($999 stolen), the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Political Action Together Political Committee ($300 stolen). The Mason Tenders District Council of New York and Long Island PAC reported several 'fraudulent' charges in February from a 'stolen' American Express card that totaled $871.68. The thief used the stolen money to make Amazon purchases, as well as a $199 purchase from Clear — the airport security identification company — and a $180.08 purchase at a Japanese restaurant. The same labor PAC also lost $4,308.84 when someone made 29 fraudulent Venmo and Uber transactions over a seven-week period in 2023, Raw Story reported. None of these committees responded to requests for comment. During the past several years, numerous other high-profile politicians and political committees have grappled with campaign account theft and misappropriations. They include former President Joe Biden, rapper and former presidential candidate Kanye West, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, Virginia Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, Democratic House member turned Trump Cabinet official Tulsi Gabbard and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York. Also hit by the financial crime wave: The Republican National Committee, Wisconsin Republican Party, Oregon Republican Party, anti-Donald Trump super PAC Lincoln Project and the pro-Democrat Retired Americans PAC. Other theft victims include the PACs of Google, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Humane Society, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, National Corn Growers Association and State Farm Insurance. What is a political committee to do to defend against fraud? Some political committees materialize quickly and lack proper internal controls, quality financial safety practices and experienced accounting staffers, said Morris Pearl, chairman of Patriotic Millionaires, a coalition of wealthy Americans that advocates for campaign finance reforms. 'It probably makes them an attractive opportunity for thieves,' Pearl said. The Department of Homeland Security provides campaigns with a cybersecurity checklist, as 'political campaigns are facing cyber-attacks of varied sophistication.' The FEC also provides guidance on what to do if a theft, misappropriation or embezzlement is discovered. FEC spokesman Myles Martin noted that the commission has for years maintained a 'safe harbor provision' that shields political committees from civil penalties if they misreport their campaign finance income and spending after they experience a theft or internal misappropriation by staffers. Dunn's committee, for one, decided to enroll in a 'positive pay' program with its bank, 'allowing the committee to proactively monitor and verify the legitimacy of checks issued,' Crosby told the FEC. Tate, of the Tarrant County Republican Party, said his committee's existing accounting procedures 'were validated as the fraud was discovered fast and actioned accordingly.' In at least one recent case, an apparent theft didn't turn out to be quite what it seemed. The Democratic State Central Committee of Maryland spotted an 'unauthorized transaction' in January for $224.32. But it turned out to be an errant charge from the committee's cable internet provider, Comcast, not a case of fraud. Comcast quickly reversed the charge when the committee contacted customer service, said Joe Francaviglia, the party's deputy executive director. 'In the end,' Francaviglia told OpenSecrets, 'all was well.' This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: SD Sen. John Thune, others have campaign funds stolen
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Thieves steal campaign funds from political committees and politicians, including Thune
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, is one of the most powerful members of Congress. But even he is not immune from thieves who've been raiding the accounts of politicians and political committees with near-impunity. Thune's leadership political action committee, Heartland Values PAC, lost $5,949 in a 'check fraud' incident on Nov. 1, according to Federal Election Commission records. Thune's office did not respond to a series of questions, but a source familiar with the theft confirmed the incident to OpenSecrets, adding: 'The activity was quickly identified and reported, and it remains under investigation.' Meanwhile, two-term Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colorado, had a rough December. Her campaign disclosed 14 separate 'fraudulent' debit card charges between Dec. 3 and Dec. 9, involving payments to Uber Eats and Facebook. Total damage: about $600. Pettersen's congressional office did not respond to several emails and phone calls, but in a filing with the FEC, the Brittany Pettersen for Colorado campaign committee indicated that its bank refunded the charges. Thune and Pettersen are among more than a dozen elected leaders and federal political committees — conservative and liberal — that have lost three-, four- or five-figure sums from their campaign accounts because of theft, fraud, embezzlement, unauthorized charges or other financial shenanigans, according to an OpenSecrets analysis of federal campaign finance records filed since the November election. These incidents add to dozens of other thefts this decade from political committees small and large, including those led by national parties, notable corporations, powerful lawmakers and even a president. The stolen money — sometimes recovered, often not — has collectively soared into the millions of dollars. And while that represents just a small fraction of the overall amount spent on federal elections — the 2024 federal election cost more than $15.9 billion, according to an OpenSecrets analysis — the thefts hurt both the political committees themselves as well as donors, whose contributions ultimately pay for pilfered items ranging from luxury goods to Uber rides, not political advocacy. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Florida, has long crusaded for improved U.S. Postal Service delivery standards, including defending against a rash of check thefts from mail boxes and facilities. 'This is a growing issue nationwide and it must be fixed,' Dunn told the Tallahassee Democrat last year. The lawmaker later blasted the 'substandard safety, security, and maintenance' of postal facilities in his Florida Panhandle district. But Dunn's own congressional campaign reported losing $12,090 across three different check theft incidents during late October and early November — after having lost nearly $11,000 in a separate theft incident in late 2022. Friends of Neal Dunn 'was victimized by an external check fraud situation' and 'the committee immediately notified the bank of the fraud and froze the account,' treasurer Caleb Crosby acknowledged in a letter to the FEC on Feb. 6. Some, but not all of the funds have been recovered, Dunn's committee told the FEC. His congressional office declined to comment, and Crosby did not return requests for comment. Check fraud also caused the Tarrant County (Texas) Republican Victory Fund PAC to lose $6,980 in late November, federal records indicate. Fred Tate, treasurer for the county GOP, described the incident as 'old school' check swiping via the U.S. mail, where an unknown 'bad actor' changed the recipient's name, altered the $980 check to read $6,980 — and then cashed it. The committee reported the incident to police in Fort Worth, Texas, but an 'officer called me after the report was filed and advised they had no suspects, and they said it would be hard to find the perpetrator,' Tate told OpenSecrets. The committee did get its money back, however, as its bank refunded the lost money from the altered check, 'as they never should have cashed it,' Tate said. U.S. Postal Service spokesperson Martha Johnson acknowledged OpenSecrets' request for comment, but the Postal Service did not otherwise respond to questions sent by email. Over at the National Republican Congressional Committee, someone used the committee's credit card late last year for a luxury shopping spree, spending $1,475 at Canada Goose and $950 at Fendi. An NRCC official confirmed the committee disputed the charges with its credit card company and received a refund. 'The NRCC takes pride in being a responsible steward of donor support. This incident proves that our systems work, and we'll continue to ensure every dollar is spent wisely, securely and with purpose,' NRCC spokesperson Emily Tuttle said in a statement to OpenSecrets. Indiana Republican state Sen. Andy Zay, who lost a 2024 U.S. House primary, reported losing $297 on Dec. 30 through 'fraudulent' charges, with the money being spent on TikTok-related purchases, according to federal records. Zay's committee did not respond to requests for comment. Other federal political committees that have recently reported incidents of theft and fraud to the FEC included CNX Resources Corporation Political Action Committee ($2,398.99 stolen), the Washington State Republican Party ($999 stolen), the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Political Action Together Political Committee ($300 stolen). The Mason Tenders District Council of New York and Long Island PAC reported several 'fraudulent' charges in February from a 'stolen' American Express card that totaled $871.68. The thief used the stolen money to make Amazon purchases, as well as a $199 purchase from Clear — the airport security identification company — and a $180.08 purchase at a Japanese restaurant. The same labor PAC also lost $4,308.84 when someone made 29 fraudulent Venmo and Uber transactions over a seven-week period in 2023, Raw Story reported. None of these committees responded to requests for comment. During the past several years, numerous other high-profile politicians and political committees have grappled with campaign account theft and misappropriations. They include former President Joe Biden, rapper and former presidential candidate Kanye West, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, Virginia Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, Democratic House member turned Trump Cabinet official Tulsi Gabbard and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York. Also hit by the financial crime wave: The Republican National Committee, Wisconsin Republican Party, Oregon Republican Party, anti-Donald Trump super PAC Lincoln Project and the pro-Democrat Retired Americans PAC. Other theft victims include the PACs of Google, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Humane Society, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, National Corn Growers Association and State Farm Insurance. What is a political committee to do to defend against fraud? Some political committees materialize quickly and lack proper internal controls, quality financial safety practices and experienced accounting staffers, said Morris Pearl, chairman of Patriotic Millionaires, a coalition of wealthy Americans that advocates for campaign finance reforms. 'It probably makes them an attractive opportunity for thieves,' Pearl said. The Department of Homeland Security provides campaigns with a cybersecurity checklist, as 'political campaigns are facing cyber-attacks of varied sophistication.' The FEC also provides guidance on what to do if a theft, misappropriation or embezzlement is discovered. FEC spokesman Myles Martin noted that the commission has for years maintained a 'safe harbor provision' that shields political committees from civil penalties if they misreport their campaign finance income and spending after they experience a theft or internal misappropriation by staffers. Dunn's committee, for one, decided to enroll in a 'positive pay' program with its bank, 'allowing the committee to proactively monitor and verify the legitimacy of checks issued,' Crosby told the FEC. Tate, of the Tarrant County Republican Party, said his committee's existing accounting procedures 'were validated as the fraud was discovered fast and actioned accordingly.' In at least one recent case, an apparent theft didn't turn out to be quite what it seemed. The Democratic State Central Committee of Maryland spotted an 'unauthorized transaction' in January for $224.32. But it turned out to be an errant charge from the committee's cable internet provider, Comcast, not a case of fraud. Comcast quickly reversed the charge when the committee contacted customer service, said Joe Francaviglia, the party's deputy executive director. 'In the end,' Francaviglia told OpenSecrets, 'all was well.' In addition to those already mentioned, many other elected officials have been hit by these kinds of crimes, including: Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) Additional victims include the PACs of: Cargill National Air Traffic Controllers Association National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies National Association of Manufacturers Consumer Technology Association Business Industry Political Action Committee Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest International Brotherhood of Teamsters Marriott International Akerman LLP Blank Rome LLP United Mine Workers of America McKesson Corporation United Fresh Produce Association. This article was originally published by OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that tracks money in politics. View the original article. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Thieves steal campaign funds from US Sen. John Thune's PAC
