Community leaders from Colorado Springs are out in full force in the nation’s capital this week. Led by Mayor Yemi Mobolade, they’re here as part of the annual visit to meet with congressional and federal leaders and look for opportunities to collaborate.
“Ninety-five leaders here, including me,” said Mobolade. “And we are advocating for Colorado Springs.”
While U.S. Space Command and the aerospace and defense industry are a main concern, Mobolade said there are other priorities for this trip, too.
“A couple of other things on the top of my mind are ensuring that we can continue to work with Trump’s administration on similar priorities with public safety, homelessness and mental health. And of course, continued advocacy for funding for many infrastructure needs.”
It’s about making sure Washington knows what Colorado Springs has to offer, and for Colorado Springs leaders to know about the different government funding opportunities. “What are we not taking advantage of? What can we go after, especially areas that have a strong alignment between my residents and the president's administration,” Mobolade explained.
But he also acknowledged that the federal government has been trimming its spending, from the arts to research to renewable energy. “It’s unfortunate, but I also believe it’s an opportunity for us as a community to step up and be good neighbors to fill in the gaps.”
This is a hard time, though, for the city to take on any new fiscal responsibilities. Last week the city announced it’s aiming to close a projected $31 million dollar shortfall. To do that, it will lay off 38 positions, defer some capital projects and close a community center.
The local leaders will meet with the Colorado congressional delegation, as well as other members of key committees, plus Administration and department officials.
“Our sole purpose is to connect our business community with government decision makers,” explained Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC.
Reeder Kleymeyer joked that her job for this trip is “chief cat herder,” as she tries to wrangle all the dozens of people on the trip and their many, many meetings: matching up officials from health care and defense contractors with lawmakers from relevant committees.
“We're making sure that we're connecting them, understanding how things work in D.C. because it can be very different when you're on Main Street versus being in the bubble of D.C.”
She especially wants to make sure the Springs’ business community can build relationships with other parts of the country that are also involved in the national security sphere so they can start working together. One meeting the group has set up is with Ohio Rep. Mike Turner, who used to chair the House Intelligence committee. “Our enemies are foreign countries, our adversaries that are coming after the United States. They are not other states in the union,” said Reeder Kleymeyer.
Andy Merritt, chief Strategy Officer at the O’Neill Group, came to hear about the defense community. While the impending move of Space Command headquarters has dominated headlines recently, he said there are other exciting things they’re focused on, such as Golden Dome, a Trump missile defense initiative that aims to eventually shield the continental U.S.
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill included almost $25 billion for the project and more funding is expected in the next government funding bill.
“The operator of that is U.S. Northern Command, which is based in Colorado Springs, so that's a key component,” said Merritt, adding that means possible opportunities for defense businesses in the Springs.
All three -- Merritt, Mobolade and Reeder Kleymeyer -- have been on these types of visits before during Republican and Democratic administrations, including Trump’s first. Merritt acknowledged things are a bit different this time since “they’re shaking the agencies up considerably.”
But he added even when there’s uncertainty, there is also opportunity, “for those that have solutions to go in and show and sell your solutions and say, there's a better way to do things.”
For Mobolade, who’s unaffiliated, it doesn’t matter which party controls the Congress, or the White House. “At the end of the day, we’re here to advocate for the needs of Colorado Springs residents.”
