Crow, an Aurora Democrat, told the Washington Examiner that he retains “tremendous confidence” in the party’s leadership but said the caucus must ensure the same mistakes do not recur when Democrats assume the majority.

“We have to make sure that these things are not happening in January, you know, that we build an operation and we build systems to make sure we’re counting the votes, we’re making sure where people are and we’re asking for roll call votes when we need to,” Crow said. “So, you know, lessons learned. We will be ready to go in January.”

The first stumble came Tuesday, when 11 Democrats missed a vote on articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. The House voted 211-204, largely along party lines, to refer the articles to committee — a move that effectively kills the effort. Several Democrats who were absent said they were stuck in traffic or dealing with a personal emergency; multiple reports noted that a political event nearby coincided with the vote.

Colorado Rep. Brittney Pettersen was among the members who missed that vote.

The second misstep came Wednesday, when the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, which Democratic leadership had long opposed, passed the House after Democrats did not request a roll call vote. The bill, which cuts some veterans’ benefits to increase benefits for other claims, cleared the chamber without members going on the record.

Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., said Republicans pushed the measure through while floor staff were still negotiating GOP-proposed changes, pulling Democrats away from the podium before they could object to the voice vote. Republicans characterized the episode as a simple error — the second in as many days.

Clark told the Washington Examiner the two incidents were “two very different issues” but said Republicans were playing “dirty” politics. She argued that even with full attendance, the Hegseth impeachment measure would have failed because only one member was willing to break ranks.

“That was a dirty pool by the majority in trying to get a bill through when they feared they didn’t have the votes to do it in a straightforward way,” Clark said of the veterans bill.

Other Democrats acknowledged the missed votes sent a poor signal. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said the absences were “not good” and that the party needs members present and on time. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called the situation “absolutely unacceptable,” adding that members must “clock in.”

Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., who also missed the Hegseth vote, apologized in a video statement Wednesday, saying she “definitely should have been there sooner” and promising it would not happen again.

For Colorado, the episode puts a spotlight on the state’s delegation as Democrats prepare to govern with more than 250 House seats — a sweeping midterm mandate that will test the caucus’s ability to convert campaign momentum into legislative results. Crow, a former Army Ranger who has built a profile on national security and veterans issues, framed the fix as a matter of process: better vote counting, clearer communication and a willingness to force recorded votes when the stakes demand it.

Democrats have just over 50 days before they take the majority.