Rep. Crow urges packed town hall to combat fear and division with bipartisan muscle

AURORA | At the biggest town-hall meeting in his congressional tenure, Rep. Jason Crow told a packed high-school auditorium that the nation is at a “crossroads.”

The Aurora Democrat said he doesn’t “pull his punches,” but at a time of chaos spilling out of the Trump White House, he said he chooses bipartisanship as both an offense and defensive tactic.

“I believe that the antidote to those who want to tear and destroy is to build,” Crow said.

Crow, who frequently says he established a reputation as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, said he is still committed to finding common ground. 

“I will always look for opportunities to build and to work together,” he said. “But if somebody threatens this community, tries to take their job, tries to deport our law-abiding friends and neighbors, I will fight them with every ounce I have.”

Crow’s words were met Thursday night with thunderous applause and a standing ovation from the nearly 1,500 people attending the meeting at Hinkley High School.

“As imperfect as our country sometimes can be, and as unfulfilled as that promise of the more perfect union is, I still love this country for what we can be and what we are at our best moments when we fulfill our highest ideal,” Crow said.

The sold-out event was marked by a palpable audience energy as Crow addressed a range of issues, from veterans’ healthcare to immigration reform.

Janice Gibson said she was concerned about the new Department of Government Efficiency, asking what could be done to limit its power.

“Elon Musk is one of the largest government contractors and defense contractors in our country,” he said. “You have the fox guarding the henhouse.”

As the minority political party in the House, which he said makes it harder, even impossible, to make decisions, the Democratic Party is currently working to pass a bill to prevent “unfettered unauthorized access to information into systems.” 

“We’re going to hold people accountable,” Crow said. “Even if it can be hard to pass something, we’re going to do it anyhow. We’re going to force them to say no.”

Crow accused the members of the Trump administration of either trying to line their own pockets, pursue vengeance against their perceived political enemies or some combination. 

“They’ve wrapped it in the cloak of government reform and efficiency and try to legitimize it,” Crow said. “I actually am also a government reformer. My job is not to defend agencies and government action. My job literally is to hold government agencies accountable. To push for transparency, to push for reform. That actually is my job.”

He said he does agree that the government works too slowly when it comes to infrastructure like roads and electric vehicle charging stations, but the “farcical” DOGE is not the answer. The real answer, he said, is a good government that should be honest about what is working and not working and develop a community consensus to make it faster and more efficient. 

Beth Edwards asked about the economic impacts of the Trump administration’s actions on average Americans. 

“The impact is pretty bad,” Crow said. “It will get much worse if they continue down this path.”

For an administration that promised lower prices, everything is still too expensive, Crow said. 

“Two of the fastest ways to increase costs in our economy is to impose broad-based tariffs and then threaten to deport mass swaths of our workforce,” Crow said. “You want to see costs go up. We’re about to see costs go up.”

As far as approved government spending goes, Crow said that there is already the Empowerment Control Act. 

“If Congress authorizes and appropriates funding for a purpose, the president, whether that person is a Republican or Democrat, has to spend money for that purpose,” Crow said. “That’s not discretion. That is one of our most important tools right now because the president is refusing to do that, in violation of that law. So that’s why right now, as we go through the budgeting process, our biggest leverage.”

Gary Robbins asked Crow what he would do to save U.S. Agency For International Development, targeted for closure by the Trump administration from the first day the president took office.

Crow said that as someone who has been to war three times, wars have cost the United States trillions of dollars, along with thousands of American lives. 

“The best way to preserve peace and security is to prevent a war in the first instance,” Crow said. “We need more diplomacy and more engagement around the world, so we don’t have to enter an era of extreme conflict, which going down this road where Donald Trump is leading us, is where we will be. Where autocrats and dictators and the strong and powerful feel like they can take the weak with no check.”

Crow called on his constituents to think about how they and he could preserve the structures in institutions and how to keep government talent engaged so those systems can be rebuilt.

“I’m very afraid we’re going to lose a lifetime of talent in our pipeline,” Crow said. “In the meantime, I will fight with the votes that we have and the ability we have in Congress to preserve that funding and preserve those programs.”

Denise Miller asked about any hope for bipartisan bills being proposed. 

Crow said he is committed to bipartisan legislation with bills addressing climate resilience and suicide prevention for military veterans.

Crow said nearly three-quarters of the bills he has introduced have had Republican co-sponsors. His team realized that all but one of his Republican partners are no longer in office because of the extreme partisan atmosphere. 

One of Crow’s named legislative efforts is the CLEAR Act, which aims to nationalize Colorado’s approach to community resilience in response to natural disasters. The bill, co-sponsored with a Republican colleague from California, would help smaller communities develop stronger building codes, zoning policies and emergency preparedness strategies based on lessons learned from Colorado’s recent responses to wildfires and floods.

Crow said he also introduced the Veteran Sentinel Act with a Republican Navy SEAL veteran to address high rates of veteran suicide, particularly. The bill would require the VA to collect and analyze data on veteran suicides at its facilities, helping Congress develop more effective prevention policies.

Jame Coddington asked about the future of the Buckley Space Force Base and the defense innovation ecosystem in Aurora.

Crow said Buckley Space Force Base employs more than 10,000 people and serves as a key intelligence and missile detection hub. Buckley played a crucial role in detecting an Iranian missile attack on U.S. troops, allowing them to take cover. Buckley’s growing aerospace and defense industry includes 260 businesses and 30,000 employees. 

As a member of the House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, Crow said he is pushing for reforms in government contracting to eliminate waste and strengthen Colorado’s leadership in defense and aerospace.

“We’re going to fight and defend for that,” Crow said about making sure to keep Space Force at Buckley.

Janet Gensler asked if anything can be done to overhaul the immigration system that’s been broken for decades.

“Anybody who pays attention to this knows that our immigration system is badly broken in every single way,” he said. “Every way. From border security, which is broken and not working, to the pathway to citizenship, which is similarly absurd.”

He said that violent criminals should be taken off the street, and he said he knows of no one who disagrees with that. Otherwise, he said the system should be revamped for law-abiding immigrants to gain work, prosperity and a path toward citizenship.

“Three percent a year is our GDP growth. Close to half of that is due to immigration,” he said. “Imagine the possibilities if we were able to expand lawful avenues for that, for economic growth and for prosperity for our community.”

Crow said he condemned the administration’s program of mass deportations, saying they are “not the reform that’s needed.” 

He said he wanted to work toward a more comprehensive approach to securing the border, providing a pathway to citizenship and protecting programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Temporary Protective Status.

Tina Covey asked how veterans can be assured that veteran healthcare benefits will not become the next target.

Crow said recent Veteran Affairs budget cuts have already affected thousands of employees, including those working on the VA suicide crisis hotline, which risks veterans lives. He said these cuts cannot be reversed like a corporate restructuring. Government services deal with people’s lives, not profits.

“We need to tell the story,” Crow said. “We need to continue to tell the story because the winds are shifting fast.”

He said that Elon Musk’s DOGE attacks on Medicare and Medicaid could lead to the closure of rural hospitals, and Americans across political lines are realizing the true impact of these cuts. Crow said the Democrats would continue to try to block further rollbacks in Congress.

Lula Gilbert asked what advice Crow had for constituents who want to push back. 

Citizen engagement and advocacy are crucial to change, Crow said, urging attendees to become involved in oversight, join civic organizations and assert their rights.

Crow also said his constituents can take action by supporting legal advocacy groups, seeking constituent services, and ensuring they know their rights. A “Citizens Action” handout was distributed, outlining five steps people can take, including recording and reporting abuses, engaging in community discussions and educating others on their rights.  

“Our democracy can’t exist, and I can’t legislate the scene and do my job unless I have healthy civic organizations and community organizations where people are actually coming together and talking, join those community organizations, and if you’re a part of it, speak up during the meetings and let people know where you stand,” he said. “Don’t be afraid, and don’t be intimidated.”

Dawn Barrett asked how people can effectively communicate concerns and expectations with Republican leaders. 

Crow said to stay engaged, show up and make sure their voices are heard. He said that public pressure influences policy decisions, and he told his constituents to attend Republican town halls, contact representatives and maintain a visible presence on critical issues.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “I will fight for you. You will fight for me. We will fight together.”

Crow said that the Trump administration and its allies use fear and intimidation tactics, and their power relies on silencing opposition rather than effective governance. He said people must reject fear, stand united and be forgiving while welcoming others into the movement, even those they may not always agree with, to defend democracy and fight for their community.

“I don’t do fear, and neither should you,” Crow declared. “Together, we are stronger than they will ever be.”