The Boulder County Commissioners released a statement last week, stating that the passage of the budget reconciliation bill, also known as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” will have “devastating consequences for nearly everyone in this country – even those who do not directly access federally funded programs like SNAP or Medicaid.”
The newly signed legislation will require all “able-bodied adults” aged 18 to 65 to work at least 80 hours per month to qualify for SNAP benefits. A parent or guardian who is responsible for a dependent child under 14 years old is exempt from the work requirements. In addition, the bill will require states with an error rate above six to eight percent to cover five percent of the cost of benefits. That increases to 10 percent for states with an eight to 10 percent error rate and 15 percent for states that have an error rate above 10 percent. Colorado had an 8.61 percent error rate in 2023, and the rate has ranged between 2.72 percent and 8.67 percent over the last 20 years.
“The approved legislation shifts some of that cost to states – and Colorado is already facing a significant fiscal deficit of its own, which will require a reduction in other state services to prevent people from going hungry,” the commissioners wrote. “Financial support for other vital health and nutrition benefits has been drastically cut as well. This will cause reduced life-expectancy, delayed child development, lagging educational achievement, and, as a result, emotional harm.
The Boulder County Commissioners said the hundreds of billions in cuts to clean energy investments will lead to the loss of over a million jobs and hundreds of billions in lost GDP and wages. The commissioners added that despite efforts to overcome the federal cuts in the bill, “this budget will cause lasting harm to the well-being of county residents.”
The commissioners concluded their statement by saying “We believe in a future with a healthy economy and a federal government that supports people to thrive by delivering food access, affordable healthcare, and a clean environment. We remain committed to the county’s values, our strategic priorities, and working alongside the county’s dedicated staff to provide the best in public service.”
The Office of 8th Congressional District Representative Gabe Evans praised the bill for its economic benefits, including tax cuts. “This economic revival will secure over 4 million more full-time equivalent jobs to unlock opportunity for the American worker,” Evans’ office wrote in the statement. “In our most distressed communities, $100 billion in investment will supercharge workforce development.”
Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert, serving Colorado’s fourth congressional district, said in a May statement that the budget “restores integrity” to the SNAP program. By requiring states to cover a portion of the SNAP budget if they have a higher error rate, Boebert said the new requirements will “prevent states from manipulating SNAP eligibility and benefit calculations.” She added that the bill “strengthens Medicaid for Americans who truly need it, while rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.”
