ICYMI: Hickenlooper Meets with Coloradans, Talks Food & Energy Affordability

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper called out Trump administration policies that are increasing costs across the Denver Metro area.   He stopped at Aurora’s Ahorra Mucho Supermercado for a roundtable discussion with grocers and locals about the impact of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts and rising grocery prices. He then spoke to Coloradans in Globeville struggling with rising energy bills as a result of supply-chain disruptions from the War in Iran. In Aurora, Hickenlooper toured Ahorra Mucho before sitting down with local grocers and community members to discuss grocery prices, which are up over 4% since the beginning of 2025, with some items like beef and coffee up over 16% . The group also discussed the impacts of Republican SNAP cuts resulting from the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ passed last year. Hickenlooper has been a staunch opponent of Republican SNAP cuts, which have kicked 34,000 Coloradans off SNAP, including 13,000 children. He has led the charge against new provisions that require states to spend more of their state budgets to cover SNAP benefits and administrative costs associated with them. In Denver, Hickenlooper hosted a discussion with residents and energy assistance leaders to hear how soaring energy bills are hitting Colorado families, as Trump’s Iran war and growing demand push costs higher. Residents voiced concerns about footing the bill for data centers and electricity costs continuing to rise right as Coloradans struggle with growing inflation. Hickenlooper noted his strong support for full funding levels for energy assistance programs like the Low Income Home Energy Affordability Program (LIHEAP), which provides funding for Colorado’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). He also spoke about the need to shield ratepayers from paying for Big Tech’s data center infrastructure. ###