House debate centers on $4 million IIJA contingency fund for defending federal funding; amendments fail

Larger-than-usual floor debate on Tuesday focused on House Bill 13-21, a bill that would let the state use up to $4 million tied to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) cash fund to prepare for, respond to, or defend against adverse federal action that could affect federal disbursements to Colorado.

Proponents said the money is needed to respond quickly to freezes or enforcement actions that can abruptly cut off federal dollars the state expects to receive. "Nearly a third of our entire budget is federal funding," Representative Chris Byrd said during debate, arguing the state must have flexible resources to keep federal programs flowing to Colorado residents. Supporters also noted quarterly reporting requirements and other oversight mechanisms that would remain in place.

Opponents said the measure hands the executive branch a suspiciously flexible pot of money that could be used to fight politically driven disputes with the federal government rather than to protect core services. Representative Andrew Pugliese, the House minority leader, and other critics…