{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"MN\" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://nolan.house.gov/the-monday-report/scrooged", "Scrooged!", "2017-12-26", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Scrooged! \n Republicans Pass Their $1.8 Trillion Tax Giveaway for the Rich - at the Expense of the Middle Class \nThis cartoon by David Fitzsimmons of the Arizona Star perfectly captures what the Republican tax bill is really all about -- giving huge tax cuts to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.\nDear Friend,\nThe simple truth is,the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the middle class is getting crushed.Andthis disastrous Republican tax bill makes the situation even worse. First off, this bill hands trillions of dollars in tax cuts to the wealthiest 1% of Americans, and super rich corporations.\nThe Republican tax billgives 83% of its tax cuts to the richest 1% of Americans,and permanentlycuts the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.And it doubles the estate tax exemption,making the richest 1% even richer. Republican leaders believe that giving the rich extra money will somehow miraculously create more jobs and raise wages. But heres the simple fact Giving the rich more money will not create a trickle-down effect it never has. American corporations are alreadyhoarding $2.5 trillion in overseas bank accounts,and $2 trillion more here at home. There is no evidence that tax cuts create jobsor cause wealthy CEOs to increase their employees wages. In fact, the opposite is true:Middle class wages have stagnated for a quarter century, while the rich have hoarded trillions and trillions for themselves. Second, the simple fact is that this tax bill raises taxes on 83 million middle class households. Millions of middle class families will see their taxes go up, according to an independent analysis by the Tax Policy Center. At best,some middle class Americans get enough to buy a hubcapon a Mercedes Benz  whilethe millionaires and billionaires get enough to buy a whole Mercedes if not a fleet of Mercedes!\nAnd if thats not bad enough,the small middle class tax benefits are only temporary set to expire while the tax cuts for the rich are massive and permanent. Finally, this Republican bill  by increasing the deficit by $1.5 trillion dollars  sets the stage for the gutting of Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. Republicans have made it clear they intend to pay for these tax cuts for the rich by highway robbery and privatization of Medicare and Social Security and the wholesale gutting of Medicaid.This is absurd. Social Security has never missed a payment, never failed to make a profit, and haslifted millions of Americans out of poverty. Medicare, which funds and supports health care for our seniors, has  in just a few generations helped todouble life expectancy and dramatically increased the quality of life in America.\nAnd Medicaid provides a safety net for millions of seniors, children with disabilities, and others in need who might otherwise fall through the cracks in our society. Lets be clear:Medicare and Social Security are not entitlement programs.These arehard earned benefits that Americans pay for from the very first hour of the very first day on the job. But make no mistake when Republicans talk about entitlement reform, theyre talking aboutcutting Medicare and Social Security. In the spirit of the holiday season, Id like to close with an observation by Charles Dickens. In the story, A Christmas Carol, someone points out to Mr. Scrooge that the holidays are theone time when men and women open their hearts, and think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave,and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. So, Ive reminded Republican leadership:The middle class are your fellow passengers in this life.Theyre the ones struggling to make ends meet, just trying to put food on the table, take care of a sick parent, or buy clothes for their kids. So, in the spirit of the holiday season, dont be Scrooges.\nWe will keep you posted as events proceed. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact any of our offices listed below orsend me an email.\nSincerely,  \nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=74192437-7AA4-4A0D-84E0-07C91F2852D6", "Klobuchar, Grassley Seek Answers on Food and Drug Administration Policies for Personal Importation of Prescription Drugs from Canada", "2017-12-26", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb seeking answers regarding FDA policies on personal importation of prescription drugs.\r\nA recent Kaiser Health News article reported that FDA sent criminal investigation agents to nine Florida stores that help patients buy prescription drugs from pharmacies in Canada.\r\nWe have heard from thousands of our constituents about skyrocketing prescription drug prices and have proposed several bills to address this urgent problemincluding by allowing for the safe importation of prescription drugs. Although the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits the importation of unapproved drugs, the FDA has long focused its enforcement efforts on products apparently intended for the commercial market and on fraudulent products, and those that pose an unreasonable health risk, the senators wrote. We are concerned that the Food and Drug Administration may be taking actions to scale back the agencys non-enforcement policy that currently allows for limited importation of prescription drugs.\r\nThe letter also calls on Commissioner Gottlieb to endorse Klobuchar and Senator John McCains (R-AZ) Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, which would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow for the personal importation of prescription drugs from approved pharmacies in Canada for personal use with a valid prescription.\r\nThe letter is the latest in a continuing effort by Klobuchar and Grassley to find solutions to the ever-increasing costs of prescription medications. Earlier this year, Klobuchar and Grassley introduced the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act to expand consumers access to the cost-saving generic drugs they need and increase competition by ending pay for delay dealsthe practice of brand-name drug companies using anti-competitive pay-off agreements to keep more affordable generic equivalents off the market. Klobuchar, Grassley, and a bipartisan group of Senators also introduced the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act, which would address abusive tactics  like brand-name drug companies denying samples when generic companies request them  that prevent affordable drugs from entering the market.\r\nIn February, Klobuchar, Grassley, and McCain urged then- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price to use his statutory authority to immediately certify the importation of prescription drugs from Canada under certain circumstances to address drug price hikes or a lack of competition in the United States. They also urged Commissioner Gottlieb in June to address abuses in the regulatory process that delay competition and increase prescription drug costs and in July asked him to address anticompetitive practices currently used by some brand-name pharmaceutical companies to delay the manufacture and introduction of generic drugs in the marketissues that would be addressed by the bipartisan CREATES Act.\r\nThe full text of the senators letter is below.\r\nDear Commissioner Gottlieb:\r\nWe have heard from thousands of our constituents about skyrocketing prescription drug prices and have proposed several bills to address this urgent problemincluding by allowing for the safe importation of prescription drugs. Earlier this year, we also asked the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Health and Human Services to use existing statutory authority to allow for individuals to import prescription drugs for personal use. While we appreciate that you have acknowledged that too many patients are being priced out of the medicines they need, we are concerned that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may be taking actions to scale back the agencys non-enforcement policy that currently allows for limited importation of prescription drugs.\r\nAlthough the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits the importation of unapproved drugs, the FDA has long focused its enforcement efforts on products apparently intended for the commercial market and on fraudulent products, and those that pose an unreasonable health risk. According to the agencys Regulatory Procedures Manual, FDA personnel may allow entry of shipments when the quantity and purpose are clearly for personal use, and the product does not present an unreasonable risk to the user. This non-enforcement policy for prescription drugs with a valid prescription has been FDAs position for many years.\r\nWe are concerned that a November 20, 2017 report by Kaiser Health News may indicate a change in this longstanding policy. The article notes that FDA sent criminal investigation agents with search warrants into nine Florida stores that help patients buy prescription drugs from pharmacies in Canada. It is our understanding that these stores solely assist patients who prefer to purchase prescription drugs from outside the United States  including by helping patients avoid websites that sell fraudulent or unsafe products  and do not dispense drugs themselves. The report states that these stores, several of which have been open for more than a decade, fear FDAs actions reflect a decision by the Trump Administration to scale back or reverse the non-enforcement policy.\r\nAdditionally, Senators McCain (R-AZ) and Klobuchar (D-MN) have introduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, which would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow for the personal importation of prescription drugs from approved pharmacies in Canada for personal use with a valid prescription. The legislation specifically excludes controlled substances and biologics. Your endorsement of this legislation would demonstrate the FDAs commitment to lowering prescription drug prices in this country.\r\nDue to our concerns that the FDA actions in Florida may reflect a change in policy, we request that you respond to the following questions no later than January 5, 2018.\r\n \r\nHas the FDA changed the policy included in the 2016 Regulatory Procedures Manual regarding personal importation of safe prescription drugs from Canada?\r\nIf so, what is the current policy?\r\nAre there any barriers to the certification of importation of prescription drugs from Canada in the following circumstances?\r\n \r\na) The drug is off patent or no longer marketed in the U.S. by the innovator company that initially developed the drug;\r\nb) Significant and unexplained increases in price;\r\nc) No direct competitor drug is currently in the market and introduction of a competitor drug will lower the prices paid by taxpayers and consumers; or\r\nd) The drug is produced in another country by the name brand manufacturer that initially developed the drug or by a well-known generic manufacturer that commonly sells pharmaceutical products in the U.S.\r\nThank you for your prompt attention to this matter.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/rep-petersons-newsletter-12222017", "Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 12/22/2017", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sand Lake\nDear Friends,\nThe House and Senate passed a major tax bill this week, adding at least $1.5 trillion to the deficit.As a founding member of the Congressional Blue Dog Coalition, I have pushed for fiscally responsible policies throughout my entire career and have concerns about the impact this debt will have on future generations. The bill was a missed opportunity for a bipartisan effort to focus on promoting real economic growth and policies that help middle class families. This Christmas, I hope we are all able to take the spirit of the holiday season into a more cooperative and productive New Year.\nSincerely,\nCongressman Collin C. Peterson  Minnesota 7th District\n Happy Holidays \nPlease click the above imageto see my holiday greeting. I wish all of you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!\n Pheasant Hunting \nOn Saturday, I was happy to get out for a pheasant hunt before heading back to Washington. I joined my friend Chuck Ellingson at Watson Hunting Camp in Chippewa County where we spent a few hours on 165 acres of western Minnesota prairie. I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy the outdoors before the season ends.\n Tax Reform discussion on KFGO \nI was a guest on KFGO News and Views with Joel Heitkamp on Tuesday morning to talk about the GOP tax reform and its impact on Minnesota and the U.S. I expressed my concerns with the tax bill and the strict partisan process it went through. While many people will see modest temporary tax cuts, others will see increases if they pay high state and local taxes or have families with many children. This was a missed opportunity to work on a bipartisan basis to promote economic growth and simplify the tax code. I was not able to support a bill that makes the tax system more complicated for the middle class and small businesses while adding up to $2 trillion to the nations debt.\nListen to our discussion here.\n University of Minnesota Crookston Horticulture Club \nThe University of Minnesota, Crookstons Horticultural students had to get an early October start on poinsettia cuttings in order to be ready for their annual holiday sale. The students limit the amount of light the plants receive each day so their leaves will change color. I am glad to see all their hard work culminate in a successful poinsettia flower sale.\n Red River Water Management Board Meeting \nRob Sip, the new Executive Director of the Red River Water Management Board, presided over his first monthly meeting this week. The meeting covered issues from budget and general operating issues to reports from various groups. I am committed to securing resources that protect our communities from flood damage and commend the Board on the work they do to address this important issue.\n Legislative Update \nThis week, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump. These tax reform measures will affect every American household. Many of my colleagues and I have expressed serious reservations with the legislation. This bill was passed in a highly partisan process and contains provisions which I fear will end up harming many in the middle class while exploding our nations debt. While I support making our corporate tax rate more competitive internationally, this bill failed to adequately target real economic growth and needed support for the middle class.\n Spotted in the Seventh \nCongratulationsto Brian Field of Barnesville, who was the first to correctly identify last weeks location as the Fireplace of States, inside the Tourist Information Center  \n\tin Bemidji!\n Visitors from the Seventh \n  Jo Ann DeBruycker (WILLMAR)\n  Redwood Falls", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-interior-department-s-decision-reinstate-mining-leases", "McCollum Statement on Interior Departments Decision to Reinstate Mining Leases Adjacent to BWCA", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement on the Interior Departments decision to reverse itself and reinstate leases for dangerous sulfide-ore copper mining on federal lands adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness:\nI spoke with the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on the phone yesterday and he reiterated to me directly just how precious the waters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Areaare and the need for ongoing environmental study. Twenty-four hours later, he broke his word and issued mining leases footsteps from the BWCA to a foreign-owned mining company. Clearly, the numerous assurances I received from Secretary Zinke about protecting the BWCA were worthless and deceitful.\nThe Trump administration is blatantly dishonest and cannot be trusted. They are determined to sell, exploit, and destroy the American peoples natural treasures like Bears Ears National Monument, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and now our own Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park. For every Minnesotan and American who believes in conservation and values our national resources, the battle lines are drawn.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=990EDE0D-64F2-4297-A6E9-9392E81D3ACD", "Klobuchar Urges U.S. Department of Education to Protect Students Affected by Abrupt Closure of McNally Smith College of Music", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On December 14, McNally Smith College of Music notified students and faculty that it would close at the end of the fall semester on December 20; In the aftermath of this sudden closure, many of McNally Smiths approximately 600 students do not have a clear path forward\n \r\n In a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Klobuchar calls on the Department to protect current and former students of McNally Smith by providing closed school loan discharge relief to eligible students \r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has urged the U.S. Department of Education to protect students affected by the abrupt closure of McNally Smith College of Music. On December 14, McNally Smith College of Music notified students and faculty that it would close at the end of the fall semester on December 20. In the aftermath of this sudden closure, many of McNally Smiths approximately 600 students do not have a clear path forward. In a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Klobuchar calls on the Department to protect current and former students of McNally Smith by providing closed school loan discharge relief to eligible students.\r\n\r\nI write to raise my concerns about the impact that the abrupt closure of McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota will have on current and former students of the school, Klobuchar wrote. In the aftermath of this sudden closure, many of McNally Smiths approximately 600 students do not have a clear path forward. I urge the Department to protect current and former students of McNally Smith by providing closed school loan discharge relief to eligible students.\r\n\r\nKlobuchar continued, I ask that the Department immediately begin identifying and contacting students who are eligible for closed school loan discharge. The Department should clearly state the criteria for closed school discharge during the outreach process and notify students that those who transfer academic credits to a comparable educational program at another school may be ineligible for loan relief.\r\n\r\nLast year, Klobuchar urged the Department of Education to protect students and veterans who were affected by the abrupt closures of Regency Beauty Institute and ITT Technical Institute. She also led efforts to support students who were defrauded by Globe University and Minnesota School of Business.\r\n\r\nThe full text of Klobuchars letter is below.\r\n\r\nDear Secretary DeVos,\r\n\r\nI write to raise my concerns about the impact that the abrupt closure of McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota will have on current and former students of the school.\r\n\r\nOn December 14, McNally Smith College of Music notified students and faculty that it would close at the end of the fall semester on December 20. The school has stated that it can no longer make payroll in light of declining enrollment and revenue. In the aftermath of this sudden closure, many of McNally Smiths approximately 600 students do not have a clear path forward. I urge the Department to protect current and former students of McNally Smith by providing closed school loan discharge relief to eligible students.\r\n\r\nAs you know, the Department of Education has the legal authority to discharge federal student loans for current McNally Smith students who do not transfer their credits to another institution and students who have withdrawn from the school in the last 120 days. These students may be eligible for a 100 percent discharge of their Direct Loans, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program Loans, or Federal Perkins Loans.\r\n\r\nI ask that the Department immediately begin identifying and contacting students who are eligible for closed school loan discharge. The Department should clearly state the criteria for closed school discharge during the outreach process and notify students that those who transfer academic credits to a comparable educational program at another school may be ineligible for loan relief.\r\n\r\nI appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to hearing the exact actions that the Department will take to protect McNally Smith students.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=A2FAAF2E-A7C4-4B5F-AAB3-BB56A35F23DC", "Klobuchar, Thune Bipartisan Bills to Combat Human Trafficking in the Transportation Sector Pass House, Head to President\u2019s Desk to be Signed into Law", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan legislation passed the Senate in September \r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and John Thune (R-SD) announced that the bipartisan Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act and No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act they introduced to combat human trafficking in the transportation sector have passed the House. The anti-trafficking legislation passed the Senate in September and will now head to the Presidents desk for signature.\r\nCommercial drivers and truckers are often the first line of defense against human trafficking, yet they dont always have the tools necessary to help prevent these crimes, Senator Klobuchar said. The passage of these two bills brings us one step closer to equipping and empowering our drivers to help prevent these heinous crimes were seeing too often in Minnesota and around the country.\r\nOnce signed into law by the president, the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act and the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act will greatly aid in the ongoing battle against human trafficking, said Senator Thune.\r\nThe Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act focuses on the prevention of human trafficking. The bill would designate a human trafficking prevention coordinator at the U.S. Department of Transportation and increase outreach and education efforts at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The billis supported by Truckers Against Trafficking, National District Attorneys Association, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.\r\nThe No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act would disqualify individuals from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for their lifetime if they used a CMV to commit a felony involving human trafficking.\r\nKlobuchar is a national leader in the fight to combat human trafficking. Earlier this year, the bipartisan Abolish Human Trafficking Act she introduced with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) passed the Senate. The legislation strengthens and reauthorizes key programs that support survivors of human trafficking and provide resources to federal, state, and local law enforcement officials on the front lines of the fight against modern-day slavery. The bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Act Klobuchar and Cornyn introduced with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) also passed the Senate this year. The legislation would establish and reauthorize critical programs to prevent human trafficking, promote justice for survivors, provide services to victims, and increase federal coordination to enhance the federal governments response to the crisis of exploitation. In addition, Klobuchar and Cornyn authored the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, a 2015 law that increased the resources and tools available for combating human trafficking in the United States. The law ensures that American law enforcement is equipped to fight this crime, while helping victims rebuild their lives by using fines and penalties against their exploiters to fund restorative services and compensation.\r\nIn January, the U.S. Department of Justice released the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, which Klobuchar called for in the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. The National Strategy helps coordinate efforts to investigate and prevent human trafficking between federal, state, local, and tribal agencies. Last year, she and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced the Stop Trafficking on Planes (STOP) Act that would require training for certain airline industry employees to recognize and report suspected human trafficking to law enforcement. A provision based on this legislation was signed into law as part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2016.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/letter-on-honduras-elections", "Letter on Honduras Elections", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and twenty-six colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives sent the following letter regarding the November 26th Honduran presidential election to President Donald Trump:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ellison-to-ice-investigate-mistreatment-of-somali-detainees", "Rep. Ellison to ICE: Investigate Mistreatment of Somali Detainees", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about reports that 92 Somali nationals had been beaten, restrained, deprived of food and water, and forced to urinate on themselves while in ICE custody on a plane in Senegal.\n\tThe text of the full letter reads as the following:\n\tDear Secretary Nielsen, Acting Director Homan, Inspector General Horowitz, and Acting Inspector General Kelly:\n\tI represent the Fifth Congressional District of Minnesota, home to the largest community of Somali-Americans in the country. Constituents contacted me to express grave concern about alleged human rights abuses of 92 Somali nationals while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in transit through Dakar, Senegal from December 7 to December 9, 2017. I request a detailed account of the 48 hours ICE attempted to deport these individuals, including all actions ICE intends to take involving the detained individuals, as well as ICE officers and supervisors involved in the matter. I also request ICE delay the deportation of all individuals on this flight who have pending legal reviews of their cases, or who wish to submit complaints of mistreatment while in U.S. custody.\n\tReports from the media, attorneys in my district, and family members of loved ones have highlighted a grave disrespect for human dignity and federal law. While on the tarmac for nearly a day, detainees were deprived of adequate food, water, and access to a working bathroom, forcing many to defecate on themselves or urinate in bottles in the presence of other detainees. One detainee with diabetes was refused medical attention and forced to remain seated and in restraints for well over 10 hours while the plane was grounded. This resulted in his appendages becoming so swollen that he could not deplane without physical assistance several hours later. It was also reported that some detainees were punched in the face by ICE agents and that one detainee was choked, despite all of them being restrained at the wrists and ankles. These reports are profoundly disturbing and represent a tremendous violation of the civil and human rights of detainees. I ask that ICE provide a detailed account of the full 46 hours that these detainees were in transit, including:\n\t Why did the plane return to the U.S.?\n\t\tWhy were individuals with medical needs not allowed accommodations for their health, such as the detainee with diabetes who was not given access to his medication?\n\t\tWhat disciplinary actions will be taken against the ICE officers who struck and choked detainees or otherwise used excessive force during the tarmac delay, given that all detainees were wearing restraints and could not pose a threat to the officers?\n\t\tWhy are individuals with pending legal review of their cases being deported?\n\t\tHow many individuals were the subject of signed deportation orders?", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&&id=3811", "Sen. Franken Delivers Final Senate Floor Speech", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senator Al Franken delivered his final speech from the Senate floor.\nYou can watch video of his speech by clickinghere.\nIn his speech, Senator Franken said:\n\"We will always have the democracy we deserve, if not the government we want. It's going to take ordinary Americans deciding to become more informed consumers of political news and opinion-and deciding that they're willing to be part of the argument themselves, instead of simply tuning it all out as noise. And if they do, I know that we will get this country back on track.\n\n\"In October, 15 years after we lost Paul, I took to the Senate floor to remember him and to celebrate his life. Paul understood-better than anyone I know-the meaning and the power of politics, and I think he would have a lot to say about where we find ourselves today. Paul said, quote \"Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people's lives.\n\n\"Even in the face of everything that is happening today, I still believe in Paul's words. \"Politics is about the improvement of people's lives.\" I know those words to be true because I know that the American people still believe in justice and equality and opportunity-and I see evidence of it every day.\" You can read Sen. Franken's remarks, as prepared for delivery,hereor below.\nFinal Speech From Senate FloorSenator Al Franken(As prepared for delivery)\nM.PRESIDENT, this is my final speech on the floor of the United States Senate. I've come down here many times, as we all have. We come here to cast our votes on bills and amendments. We come to discuss and debate the issues that are important to our states and to the country. We introduce and explain legislation. And we talk about our states and what we learned on the latest visit to a community health center, a farm, or a small business.\n\nWhat we don't talk about all that often, M.PRESIDENT, is the work of all the men and women on our staffs who make all of this possible. I've been fortunate to have had a dedicated, hardworking staff-both in Washington and in Minnesota-and I have no doubt that they will go on to do great things and to serve our nation well.\n\nM.PRESIDENT, I'm also very lucky to have a wonderful family that has stood by me throughout the good times and the tough times of being a senator. As senators we have packed schedules. There are late nights, difficult votes on divisive issues, and a lot of time invested in better understanding the challenges that our constituents face every day. And all too often, that important work doesn't leave enough time for our families. I'm grateful for my wife, my children, and their spouses who stood by me and who helped me to do my work effectively.\n\nAnd finally, M.PRESIDENT, as I leave the Senate I take great comfort in knowing that my successor, Senator-Designate Tina Smith, has a well-earned reputation for being a smart, diligent, hardworking public servant and I have no doubt she will serve Minnesotans and all Americans exceptionally well.\nM.PRESIDENT, when most people think about politics, they think about arguments. The arguments they have around the dinner table. The arguments they have online. And, most of all, the arguments we have here in Washington.\n\nAnd that's a big part of the reason why a lot of people, well, just don't like politics.\n\nOften, the \"debate\" here in Washington can sometimes seem arcane and tough to understand. Other times-especially in recent years-it can be so bitter that it doesn't even feel like we're trying to resolve anything, just venting our spleens at each other.\n\nI get that. I get why people want us to stop arguing and start, well, doing stuff.\nBut since I am leaving the Senate, I thought I would take a big risk and say a few words in favor of arguments.\n\nAfter all, there's no single magic solution that can bring all 100 of us together-because there's no one set of values that brought all of us here.\n\nI think many of you have heard me talk about what brought me to politics and what makes me a Democrat, and it's my wife Franni.\n\nWhen she was 17-months-old, her father, a decorated World War II veteran, died in a car accident, leaving her mom widowed at age 29, with 5 kids.\n\nThere was one sibling younger than Franni, that was Bootsie, who was 3 months old. Franni's family made it-barely, thanks to Social Security survivor benefits. Sometimes they had to turn the heat off in the winter-this was in Portland, Maine-and sometimes, often, they were hungry because there wasn't enough food, but they made it.\n\nFranni and her three sisters all went to college on combinations of Pell grants and scholarships. At that time a full Pell grant paid for 80 percent of a college education, but today it pays for only about 35 percent.\n\nWhen Bootsie went to high school, my mother-in-law got a G.I. loan for $300 and went to college. She got three more loans, graduated from college, became a grade school teacher, and because she taught Title I kids-poor kids-all her loans were forgiven.\n\nMy brother-in-law went into the coast guard, where he became an electrical engineer.\n\nEvery member of Franni's family became a productive member of society and a member of the middle class.\n\nYou know, they tell you in this country to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, but first you've gotta have the boots. And the federal government, through Social Security survivor benefits and Pell grants and the G.I. bill and Title I-the federal government gave my wife's family the boots. And that's why I'm a Democrat. That's why I'm a Democrat.\n\nOver the years, I've heard Democrats and Republicans talk about their own values-the things they believe that brought them to politics, the things that make them care about what happens here.\n\nI have learned so much from listening to the arguments we have in this country, and the arguments we've had here in this chamber. I've learned from Republicans-learned to respect, if not always agree with, their opinions, and learned how their backgrounds can lead them to reach-in good faith-a conclusion that I never could have imagined.\n\nAnd, of course, I've learned so much from my fellow Democrats. But the person I learned the most from is someone who isn't here.\n\nFor 12 years, the seat I currently occupy was held by Paul Wellstone. As I've said before, Paul was a tireless, passionate champion for working families in Minnesota and across the nation. He fought for veterans, for farmers, and for those who simply needed a voice. Paul was my friend. And Paul had a saying that I think perfectly represents the values and the principles for which he fought. He used to say, \"We all do better when we all do better.\" That was his creed.\n\nWhat Paul meant by that is that the whole country-the working poor, the middle class, and the well-off-the whole country does better when each and every one of us is able to contribute to and participate fairly in our economy and in our democracy.\n\nI think Paul was right. But not everybody does. Some people's values are different.\nSome people believe that those at the top are there for a reason, and that they shouldn't have to concern themselves with what's going on in the lives of people who haven't been so lucky-or even so accomplished.\n\nSome people believe-honestly, legitimately believe-that not everyone deserves to have the same standing in this country. They believe that your standing as a citizen should depend, in part, on where you were born, or what you believe, or who you love, or what you do for a living.\n\nSome people believe that, at some fundamental level, we are all in this on our own.\n\nI don't agree with any of those values. But I respect that some people hold them. And that's why arguments matter.\nWhen we argue, whether it's across a fence with your neighbor or on a cable news show or here on the floor of the Senate, it can help us sharpen our ability to articulate what we want, and challenge us to examine our own views with a more critical eye, and help highlight the choice for the American people.\n\nBecause, after all, in a democracy, the people get to choose.\n\nAs I prepare to leave the Senate, M. PRESIDENT, I've been thinking a lot about my values, and Paul's values-the values we share with many of my colleagues here in the Senate, and many of the progressive activists I've met and worked alongside in Minnesota and around the country.\nAnd that's because, regrettably, the policies pursued by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans today could not stand in starker contrast to the principles Paul championed and the values I have fought for during my time in the Senate.\n\nM.PRESIDENT, the values being advanced by the president and his allies in Congress simply don't represent my belief that our economy, our democracy, and our country work best when they work for everyone.\n\nIndeed, the values propelling the Republican agenda today are about consolidating political and economic power in the hands of corporations and the very wealthy.\n\nJust take the tax bill that Congress passed this week. At virtually each and every step of the process, Republicans drafting this bill chose to embrace the failed trickle-down policies of the past, crafting an enormous, enormous giveaway that benefits their corporate campaign backers and wealthy donors.\n\nFor instance, according to the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, by 2027, 83 percent of the benefits in the Republican tax bill will accrue to the top 1 percent of income earners-that's people who make more than $912,000 a year. 83 percent of the benefits go to the top 1 percent - do we really need to have any other data point? Well, here's one: at the same time, the Republican tax bill would increase taxes on 35 million low- and middle-income families. During his inaugural address, President Trump vowed that, quote \"the forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.\" But the Republican tax bill represents a slap in the face to those forgotten men and women. I guess the president forgot about them.\nMake no mistake, the Senate-passed version of the Republican tax bill was deeply flawed. But when Republicans later attempted to reconcile differences between the House and Senate bills-a process that took place behind closed doors-even more favors were doled out to Republican donors and special interests. New rules were created to give real estate developers like President Trump and his son-in-law the ability to pay less tax on pass-through income. The top individual tax rate, which applies to millionaires and billionaires, was cut to 37 percent-a rate lower than either the House or Senate versions of the bill. And provisions in the original bills that were designed to stop foreign corporations from avoiding taxes by shifting their profits overseas-a practice known as earnings stripping-were dropped altogether.\n\nM.PRESIDENT, the problem in this country is not that the wealthy aren't doing well enough-after all, the top 1 percent of the country's population controls nearly 40 percent of its wealth. The problem is that too many working families have been left out of the economic growth that the top 1 percent have enjoyed in recent years. But rather than use the tax reform bill as an opportunity to help those working families, Republicans have instead decided to shower corporations and wealthy donors with tax breaks and special favors.\n\nThis tax bill didn't just come out of the blue, M.PRESIDENT-quite the contrary. This tax bill comes on the heels of countless Republican attempts to shred policies that offer protection to working families and the environment-but the corporations and wealthy donors that support my Republican colleagues believe that these policies stand in the way of their profits. Take health care, for example.\n\nDespite President Trump's campaign promise that, quote \"we're going to have insurance for everybody,\" when his administration attempted to deliver on that promise, House Republicans devised and passeda bill that would have resulted in 23 million fewer people having health insurance, including 14 million people who rely on Medicaid. Facing unprecedented public outcry, Senate Republicans eventually proposed a narrower bill-one that didn't repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act outright but instead undermined some of its most foundational provisions. But this narrower Senate bill still would have left 16 million more Americans uninsured, all while spiking premiums by 20 percent, according to CBO.\n\nThe American people continued to fight, demanding that the Senate kill the bill, and thanks to the incredibly hard work of organizers, activists-including the American Medical Association, by the way-and everyday Americans, that's exactly what happened-the Republican attempts to repeal the ACA failed.\n\nBut it seems my Republican colleagues have not learned their lesson. Finding themselves unable to sustain an open assault on the Affordable Care Act, they instead included a measure in the tax bill that will repeal an essential component of that law-the individual mandate. As a result, 13million fewer Americans will have health insurance in the years to come. But that doesn't matter to President Trump and his allies, who claim that they need to repeal this central pillar of Obamacare in order to pay for the massive tax cuts that their wealthy donors demand.\nThose same wealthy donors also demand that Republicans turn a blind eye to climate change-an existential threat to humanity. Climate change is not just an environmental problem, climate change stands to affect virtually every aspect of our lives, posing a grave threat to public health, national security, our country's infrastructure, and our economy. Circumstances require that we take immediate action in order to protect the welfare of future generations.\n\nBut almost every Republican in Congress refused to take the issue of climate change seriously. They continue to deny the underlying evidence and science behind it, even as Americans suffer the devastating consequences of their denial. This year alone, hurricanes ravaged Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and wildfires raged across the West, most recently in Los Angeles.\nWe know that climate change makes these extreme weather events worse. And this is just the beginning. What we are witnessing is the beginning of a new normal-a new normal that this country simply cannot endure.\n\nBut it doesn't have to be this way. It is possible to address climate change while at the same time growing our economy and creating jobs. During the Obama administration, the federal government increased research and development investments in clean energy technology-both through tax credits designed to incentivize investment and through the energy title that I was proud to help write in the Farm Bill, which allowed people in rural America to participate in the clean energy revolution. And those investments paid off. Since 2009, the cost of wind power has decreased by 66 percent, and the cost of solar power has dropped by 85 percent.\nBut we can do more. I championed an energy efficiency standard that would require utilities to become more efficient. I led legislation to encourage energy storage, a game changer that allows wind and solar to be used when the wind isn't blowing and the sun isn't shining. And I pushed to deploy distributed energy that makes our grid more resilient and reliable.\n\nBut rather than join me and my Democratic colleagues in confronting the challenge of climate change by driving innovation, Republicans ordered a retreat. At the behest of the fossil fuel industry and other corporate interests, Republicans have put forward nominees for key environmental posts who cut their teeth defending corporate polluters, not enforcing the laws that keep our air and water clean. And they have pushed an agenda that guts funding for science and innovation. M.PRESIDENT, the Republican strategy of denial and obfuscation isn't just an affront to good governance, it's an affront to common sense.\n\nBut M.PRESIDENT, the Trump administration and its allies in Congress have never let science or common sense stand in the way of ideology. Time and time again, they have acted to roll back evidence-based, common sense protections put in place to improve the lives of minority or marginalized communities, including women and LGBT people.\n\nFor example, in October, the Trump administration announced a new rule that guts a provision in the Affordable Care Act that required health insurance plans to cover birth control free of charge-a policy that has benefited more than 62 million American women. M.PRESIDENT, the ability to access affordable reproductive health care has a powerful effect on the choices that women and families make every day-choices about whether to finish college, buy a home, or start a business. Ensuring that women have access to contraception is vital to the economic security of our families-that's why I filed a brief in support of the ACA's contraceptive coverage requirement when it was challenged before the Supreme Court. But despite the millions of women who have benefited from the policy, and despite the science demonstrating that restricting access to contraception has negative health consequences, the Trump administration eviscerated the policy.\nIn February, the Trump administration rescinded Obama-era guidelines that instructed schools how to protect transgender students under a federal law called Title IX. M.PRESIDENT, LGBT students deserve to learn in an environment free from discrimination, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. But far too often, LGBT kids-particularly transgender kids-experience bullying and harassment. When that happens, those students are deprived of an equal education. That's why I led the Senate in calling on the Obama administration to issue those guidelines back in 2015. Nonetheless, the Trump administration decided to scrap that guidance-a callous and mean-spirited decision that sent a terrible message to LGBT children and their parents, and which took away a tool designed to protect our children. It is our responsibility-not just as senators, but as adults-to protect our children, not turn a blind eye when they face prejudice and cruelty.\nBut M.PRESIDENT, nothing that Republicans have done is more galling, nothing poses a greater threat to the very fabric of our democracy, than their deliberate and sustained attack on the right to vote. Let's start with the Supreme Court's disastrous 2013 decision inShelby County v. Holder, a 5-4 opinion in which the Court's conservative justices effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act and eliminated a vital check on states with a history of discrimination at the polls. After theShelby Countydecision, states swiftly began to enact harsh restrictions on the right to vote, and in many cases citing the myth of so-called voter fraud as a justification.\n\nTake North Carolina, for example. Just a few months afterShelby County, the state enacted one of the nation's strictest voter-ID laws. Without any evidence, the state described the new restrictions as necessary to prevent fraud. And without the protections of the Voting Rights Act, those changes went into effect, keeping poor and minority voters from casting a ballot.\n\nWhen North Carolina's restrictions were eventually challenged in court, the Fourth Circuit found that the primary purpose of the restrictions wasn't to fight fraud, but to make it harder for black people to vote. The court found that, quote \"the new provisions target African Americans with almost surgical precision.\" Now, M.PRESIDENT, the fact that North Carolina's restrictions stand as a blatant example of race discrimination is undeniable. But the strategy behind adopting such harsh restrictions is even more insidious-the strategy here is designed to ensure that voters who don't agree with their candidates or their policies aren't able to vote against them.\n\nM.PRESIDENT, Paul Wellstone's words are more important today than ever before. \"We all do better when we all do better.\" I believe that to my core. But M.PRESIDENT, the policies pursued by President Trump and allies are not about lifting people out of poverty, or about giving the politically powerless a louder voice in our democracy. These policies are intended to line the pockets of wealthy donors and to protect the power of those who already wield outsized influence in our democracy. That's a far cry from Paul's creed.\n\nBut when I think about what's gone wrong here-when I reflect on how this country is straying so far from the values that I believe a majority of Americans share-I have to say, I think there's something wrong with the way we're arguing. And it started long before 2016.\n\nLurking behind each of those issues isn't just a difference of opinion or a difference of values. There's something far worse. A lie.\n\nTake the Trump administration's efforts to suppress votes.\n\nShortly after winning the presidential election, then-President-Elect Trump was confronted with the unpleasant fact that he lost the popular vote. He tweeted, quote \"In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.\" Now, let's be clear-President Trump lost the popular vote by more than 2.8 million votes. So what he claimed in that tweet is that nearly 3 million fraudulent votes were cast-in fact, he later claimed that between 3 and 5 million illegal votes caused him to lose the popular vote, citing no evidence.\nM.PRESIDENT, 138 million votes were cast in the 2016 presidential election. State election and law enforcement officials found virtually no credible evidence of fraud, and no states-not one state-reported any indications of widespread fraud. None. But that didn't stop the Trump administration from quickly turning the president's tweets into policy. The White House created a new commission to investigate the president's wild and unsubstantiated claim-a commission led by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a right-wing extremist who has made a career out of trafficking in the voter fraud myth and who was fined for repeatedly lying to a federal court in voter ID litigation. When Kobach was asked whether he believed the president's claim that millions of people voted illegally, he said, quote \"we may never know the answer to that question.\" Really? Really?\n\nM.PRESIDENT, this episode could almost be considered funny, if the ramifications weren't so deadly serious. Kobach's voter fraud commission requested sensitive information about voters-including the names, dates of birth, party registration, and voting history-from all 50 states. This is information that could lay the groundwork for disenfranchising scores of eligible voters, which is why more than 40 states refused to comply with that request. At the same time, the Trump-Sessions Justice Department quickly dropped legal challenges to discriminatory voting practices in the states, further signaling that protecting the right to vote will no longer be a priority for the Justice Department.\n\nAnd it's all based on a lie-and not a lie President Trump came up with. Right-wing conservatives have been raising a false alarm about so-called \"voter fraud\" for years, despite the fact that no credible evidence has ever been produced demonstrating that it is a real problem.\n\nOr take the Trump administration's attacks on LGBT rights. Again and again, lurking behind these policies are lies. The lie that advocates of LGBT rights want to trample on people's religious freedom. The lie that families led by a gay or lesbian couple don't provide a safe environment for children. The lie that allowing transgender people to use the appropriate bathroom opens the door to sexual assault.\n\nPresident Trump didn't invent these lies. But he and his administration proudly repeat them.\nOr take the attacks on science, especially climate science. We now have enough evidence to conclude that climate change is real, and it's man-made. It is a threat to our nation's security and an existential threat to the planet-Defense Secretary Mattis knows this. And yet, for years, so-called scientists funded by industry have been hard at work casting doubt on the well-established scientific consensus. Heck, a recentWashington Postreport revealed that Trump administration officials have prohibited the Centers for Disease Control-our nation's premier public health and research institution-from using the terms \"evidence-based\" and \"science-based\" in budget-planning documents.\n\nPresident Trump didn't launch the war on science. But now he's leading the charge.\n\nOr take health care.\n\nPresident Trump promised that everyone would have insurance. But an analysis by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office revealed that under the House Republican health care bill, 23 million fewer people would have had health insurance than are currently covered today. 23 million people. And to add insult to injury, the House bill would have hit the most vulnerable among us the hardest. According to the CBO, 14 million of the 23 million people who would have lost coverage under the House Republicans' plan were Medicaid beneficiaries.\n\nThat's right, despite candidate Trump's assurances that, quote \"everybody's going to be taken care of much better than they're taken care of now\" unquote, the Republican bill would have cut funding to Medicaid, a vital safety-net program that ensures that our seniors, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and families with children have access to the health care they need. On top of that, the Republican plan would have driven up the cost of premiums, with older and sicker people experiencing the steepest increases.\n\nIndeed, the health care debate has long been predicated on lies. The lie that, quote \"well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does\" is provide abortion services. The lie that women only rely on birth control because they're sexually promiscuous. The lie that the Affordable Care Act is collapsing under its own weight, when, in fact, the Trump administration and Republicans here in Congress have been doing everything they can to sabotage it.\n\nAnd then there's the tax debate.\n\nOver the last year, Republicans have repeatedly claimed that they would advance policies designed to benefit middle class families, not the wealthy. President Trump pledged not to forget the, quote \"the forgotten men and women of our country.\" Steven Mnuchin, the Secretary of the Treasury, promised that the Republican tax plan would help the middle class. He vowed that any tax cuts for upper-income earners would be offset by getting rid of deductions that benefit the wealthy-that's what he said. Let me quote Secretary Mnuchin. He said, quote \"there will be no absolute tax cut for the upper class.\" But again, M.PRESIDENT, 83 percent of the benefits in the Republican tax bill go to the richest 1 percent. What he said just isn't true. Even just the other day, the White House Press Secretary claimed that President Trump himself will pay more because of this bill. We don't know for sure exactly what its effect will be on his personal finances, because the White House has refused to release his tax returns, claiming-in another lie-that he can't release them because they're under audit. Youcanrelease your tax returns while you're under audit. What we do know, M.PRESIDENT, is that the tax breaks in the Republican bill for real estate developers like President Trump and his family will save him millions upon millions of dollars.\n\nI could go on and on and on and on. You know, before I came to the Senate, I was known as something of an obsessive on the subject of honesty in public discourse. But, as I leave the Senate, I have to admit that it feels like we are losing the war for truth. Maybe it's already lost.\n\nAnd if that's the case-if that's what happens-then we have lost the ability to have the kinds of arguments that help build consensus, or at least help the American people make informed choices about the issues that affect their lives.\n\nSo what is to be done? Who will stand up and fight for a more honest debate-to insist that, even though we have a different set of opinions, we cannot honorably advance our competing agendas unless we use the same set of facts.\n\nWell, I hope that my colleagues-on both sides of the aisle-will stand up for truth. The thing is, I have spent enough time with my Republican friends over the last eight and a half years to know that you are motivated by values, just like Democrats. I just hope that you will fight for those values forthrightly.\n\nBut, at the end of the day, it's going to be up to the American people, just like it always has been. We will always have the democracy we deserve, if not the government we want. It's going to take ordinary Americans deciding to become more informed consumers of political news and opinion-and deciding that they're willing to be part of the argument themselves, instead of simply tuning it all out as noise. And if they do, I know that we will get this country back on track.\n\nIn October, 15 years after we lost Paul, I took to the Senate floor to remember him and to celebrate his life. Paul understood-better than anyone I know-the meaning and the power of politics, and I think he would have a lot to say about where we find ourselves today. Paul said, quote \"Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people's lives.\"\n\nEven in the face of everything that is happening today, I still believe in Paul's words. \"Politics is about the improvement of people's lives.\" I know those words to be true because I know that the American people still believe in justice and equality and opportunity-and I see evidence of it every day.\n\nI saw it in January, when more than 4 million people across the United States joined the Women's March, standing in solidarity with their mothers and sisters, daughters and wives. I saw it later that same month, after President Trump issued an executive order seeking to ban travelers from Muslim-majority countries from entering our country, when hundreds of lawyers responded to a call for help and rushed to airports, offering their services and support to affected families. I saw it in May, when a transgender boy in Wisconsin who was discriminated against by his school had the courage to take them to court, and he won. I saw it in September, when tens of thousands of Americans mobilized in opposition to attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and succeeded in killing the bill. And I saw it at the ballot box, when voters in Virginia and Alabama resisted the temptation to give in to anger and cynicism and instead exercised their right to vote.\n\"Politics is about the improvement of people's lives.\" The American people know that to be true, and they fill me with hope for our future.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3810", "Sen. Franken Looks Back on Guarding Net Neutrality, Fighting Back Against Media Consolidation, Protecting Americans Right to Privacy", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senator Al Franken delivered the second speech in a series of final remarks delivered on the Senate floor before his resignation. In the speech, Senator Franken, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, recalled spearheading the fight to guard net neutrality, beat back media consolidation, and protect Americans' fundamental right to privacy. You can watch video of his speech by clickinghere.\n\"...When I came to the Senate, very few members of Congress were talking about corporate consolidation or commercial privacy or net neutrality - issues that have gained much-deserved attention in more recent years. Whatever the reason for other members' hesitance, I felt that it was incumbent on me to get in the weeds on these issues, so that I could be a leader on them in the Senate and ultimately address the concerns of ordinary Minnesotans.\"That's why when the interests of the American consumer have clashed with the desires of powerful telecommunications and technology companies, I've always tried to put the public first and to fight on their behalf - by shedding light on corporate abuses and using all the tools at my disposal to curb them.\" You can read Sen. Franken's remarks, as prepared for delivery,hereor below.\nFloor Statement on Guarding Net Neutrality, Fighting Back Against Media Consolidation, Protection Americans' Right to PrivacySenator Al Franken(As prepared for delivery)\nM. President, I rise today to deliver the second in a series of floor speeches that I offer as I close out my time in the Senate. This evening, I want to talk about Americans' relationship with telecommunications and technology companies, and what that means for their access to essential services and for their privacy. When I entered the Senate in July 2009, then Majority Leader Reid asked me to serve on the Judiciary Committee. I pointed out that there are a lot of lawyers in the Senate, and that I wasn't one of them, but he said that he needed members with my perspective on the Committee. I wondered how my background could possibly serve me on Judiciary, but it did - almost immediately - when in December of that year, Comcast announced its intention to acquire NBCUniversal. I happened to know a lot about the effects of media consolidation because I used to work in media. When powerful corporations are permitted to acquire other powerful corporations, it's the American consumers who are left facing higher prices, fewer choices, and even worse service from their telecommunications providers. I questioned why an already powerful company should be allowed to get even bigger and thus extract more leverage over consumers and the businesses reliant on its platform. And it was through my work on Comcast-NBCUniversal that I learned about the rising costs of internet, phone, and TV services, as well as the importance of preserving net neutrality. I also became interested in how giant telecommunications companies, as well as ever-evolving tech companies, were treating the massive troves of user data that they were collecting on a perpetual basis. I believe that consumers have a fundamental right to know what information is being collected about them. I believe that they have a right to decide whether they want to share that information, and with whom they want to share it and when. And I believe that consumers have a right to expect that companies that store their personal information will store it securely. I also believe that all Americans deserve affordable access to high-quality telecommunications services - services they depend on to communicate with the world, get an education, and find a job. And I believe that the internet should remain the open platform for innovation, economic growth, and freedom of expression that it has always been. Perhaps it was the complex nature of these issues or even the financial incentive to turn a blind eye, but when I came to the Senate, very few members of Congress were talking about corporate consolidation or commercial privacy or net neutrality - issues that have gained much-deserved attention in more recent years. Whatever the reason for other members' hesitance, I felt that it was incumbent on me to get in the weeds on these issues, so that I could be a leader on them in the Senate and ultimately address the concerns of ordinary Minnesotans. That's why when the interests of the American consumer have clashed with the desires of powerful telecommunications and technology companies, I've always tried to put the public first and to fight on their behalf - by shedding light on corporate abuses and using all the tools at my disposal to curb them. Again, it is through my work on the Judiciary Committee - and more specifically my work on media and technology policy - that I believe my perspective from my previous career has been of most value. Comcast's proposal to acquire NBCU immediately made me uncomfortable because I'd seen their motives for this deal before. In 1993, during my thirteenth season atSaturdayNight Live, the Big Three networks - NBC, CBS, and ABC - pressured Congress to change the rules that had previously prevented them from owning any of the shows that they aired in prime time. The purpose of the rules had been to prevent the networks from prioritizing their own shows over others or otherwise harming competing programming. Unsurprisingly, after the rules were repealed, the networks began giving the shows they owned preferential treatment. At the time, Seinfeld, which aired on NBC, was the number one show on TV, which made theThursdaynight time slot following Seinfeld the most valuable real estate on television. And I watched as the shows that eventually wound up in that premium location were all owned, at least in part, by NBC. So, when I became a senator, one of the first major deals that I opposed was Comcast's acquisition of NBCUniversal. As in the case of AT&T's current bid to buy Time Warner, this deal was about giving one company the ability to control both the programming and the pipes that carry it. I knew from my time in media that a combined Comcast-NBCU would have strong incentives to favor its own programming over that of othersandrestrict competing distributors from accessing that programming. I knew that these incentives would hurt competing content creators, inhibit the free flow of information, and ultimately harm consumers. Unfortunately, I was not wrong. In the years after its acquisition of NBCUniversal, Comcast repeatedly violated the terms of its agreements with the FCC and DOJ, favoring its own news programming over its competitors in Comcast's channel lineup and failing to live up to its promises regarding affordable standalone broadband, racial diversity in programming, and online video distribution. And because merger conditions are extremely difficult and costly to enforce, competition and consumers were harmed in the process. Comcast's behavior in the wake of acquiring NBCUniversal was one of the major reasons I then opposed its proposal to turn around and buy Time Warner Cable a couple years later. It's also one of the major reasons I believe that that later deal was ultimately dropped after objections from the FCC and DOJ. For a long time in the Senate, it was a lonely battle. For over a year, I was the only senator to oppose Comcast's proposal to buy Time Warner Cable - a deal that would have given the combined company 57 percent of the broadband market. But advocates and ordinary citizens raised their voices, and together we were able to stop the deal. Most recently, I've led my Senate colleagues in scrutinizing AT&T's proposed acquisition of Time Warner, and I've once again called on regulators to move to block the deal for the inevitable harm it will cause to competition and consumers. I've been proud to lead these efforts. And I leave here in a much different environment than when I arrived. I know that there are strong voices in the Senate that will carry on the fight when I'm gone. These efforts to slow down and halt media consolidation are part of a very important, larger development we've seen in our country. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in the American public's - and, in turn, Congress' - interest in combatting corporate consolidation. When I first entered the Senate, I wasn't sure that most Americans understood what was at stake when these powerful companies wanted to combine. Vertical integration and antitrust law sounded like obscure, almost boring, topics. But more and more Americans are getting educated about these issues, and more and more members of Congress are working to get Washington focused on how they affect the real lives of real people. Just look at the fight for net neutrality. For many of the same reasons that I opposed Comcast's acquisition of NBCU, I have long supported strong net neutrality rules to ensure that the internet remains a level playing field where everyone can participate on equal footing, free from discrimination by large internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T. Net neutrality preserves the internet as the engine for innovation that it has always been and allows businesses of all sizes to thrive - even when they're up against the largest, most profitable corporations. Here's just one example that I've always found useful. In 2005, three guys set up shop above a pizzeria in a strip mall in San Mateo, California, where they launched the now-ubiquitous YouTube. Video sharing websites were in their infancy, but these guys already faced competition from something called \"Google Video.\" But Google Video wasn't very good. Because of net neutrality, YouTube was able tocompetewith Google on a level playing field. The giant internet service providers treated YouTube's videos the same as they did Google's, and Google couldn't pay them to gain an unfair advantage, like a fast lane into consumers' homes. Unsurprisingly, people liked YouTube a lot more than Google Video, and YouTube thrived. In fact, in 2006, Google bought it for stock valued at $1.65 billion - nice chunk for three guys over a pizzeria in San Mateo. But it's not just tech companies and small businesses that rely on an open internet. In a submission to the FCC in 2014, a coalition that includes Visa, Bank of America, UPS, and Ford explained that QUOTE \"Every retailer with an online catalogue, every manufacturer with online product specifications, every insurance company with online claims processing, every bank offering online account management, every company with a website-every business in America interacting with its customers online is dependent upon an open Internet.\" I've repeated this quote on the floor and at rallies time and time again over the years because I think it perfectly exemplifies the importance of this issue. Preserving net neutrality is only controversial for the few deep-pocketed entities that stand to financially gainwithoutit. If FCC Chairman Pai ultimately has his way, we'll be entering a digital world where the powerful outrank the majority; a world where a handful of multibillion-dollar companies have the power to control how users get their information; and a world where the deepest pockets can pay for a fast lane while their competitors stall in the slow lane. For nearly nine years, I have been calling net neutrality the free speech issue of our time because it embraces our most basic constitutional freedoms. And ironically, the kind of civic participation that has inspired so many of us in recent months - and has effected real change, like in the fight for net neutrality and the successful efforts to save the Affordable Care Act-have depended, in no small part, on a free and open internet. Now, in 2015, the FCC's vote to reclassify broadband providers as common carriers under Title II of the Communications Act didn't just mean good things for net neutrality-it also had important implications for consumer privacy. It gave the agency the authority - and the responsibility - to implement rules to protect Americans' privacy by giving consumers greater control of their personal data that is collected and used by their broadband providers. That was a big win. Republicans didn't see it that way. One of the first things they did this Congress was to repeal those rules, which was a huge blow to Americans' right to privacy. For my part, I have long believed that Americans have a fundamental right to privacy. I believe that they deserve both transparency and accountability from the companies that have the capacity to trade on the details of their lives. And should they choose to leave personal information in the hands of those companies, they certainly deserve to know that their information is being safeguarded to the greatest degree possible. This transparency and accountability should come fromallthe companies that have access to Americans' sensitive information. This includes internet service providers like Comcast and AT&T, but also edge providers like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. In 2011, I served as Chair for the inaugural hearing of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law - a subcommittee that I founded after it became abundantly clear that our nation's privacy laws had failed to keep pace with rapidly-evolving technologies. When people talked about protecting their privacy when I was growing up, they were talking about protecting it from the government. They talked about unreasonable searches and seizures, about keeping the government out of their bedrooms. They talked about whether the government was trying to keep tabs on the books they read or the rallies they attended. Over the last 40 or 50 years, we've seen a fundamental shift in who has our information and what they're doing with it. That's not to say that we still shouldn't be worried about protecting ourselves from government abuses. But now, we also have relationships with large corporations that are obtaining, storing, sharing - and in many cases, selling - enormous amounts of our personal information. When the Constitution was written, the founders had no way of anticipating the new technologies that would evolve in the coming centuries. They had no way of anticipating the telephone, for example, and so the Supreme Court ruled over 40 years ago that a wiretap constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment. The founders had no idea that one day the police would be able to remotely track your movements through a GPS device, and so the Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that this was also a search that required court approval. All of this is a good thing: Our laws need to reflect the evolution of technology and the changing expectations of American society. This is why the Constitution is often called a \"living\" document. But we have a long way to go to get our modern laws in line with modern technology. My goal for the Subcommittee was to help members understand both the benefits and privacy implications of emerging technologies; to educate the public and raise awareness about how their data are being collected, used, and shared; and, if necessary, to legislate to fill gaps in the law. And when politics prevented legislation, I repeatedly pressed companies - many of them more than once - to be more transparent about how they were treating their customers' private information, including users' location data, web-browsing histories, and even their finger and face prints. As consumer awareness has evolved, these companies have taken important steps to improve transparency of their use of Americans' personal information, but unfortunately, accumulating massive troves of information isn't just a side project that they can choose to halt at any given time; for many of them, it's their whole business model. We are not their customers; we are their product. Recently, we've seen just how scary this business model can be. In October of this year, the Judiciary Committee examined Russia's manipulation of social media during the 2016 election, and both the public and members of Congress were shocked to learn the outsized role that the major tech companies play in so many aspects of our lives, based primarily on the mass collection of our personal information and complex algorithms that are shrouded in secrecy. Not only do these companies guide what we see, read, and buy on a regular basis, but their dominance - specifically in the market of information - now requires that we consider their role in the integrity of our democracy. And unfortunately, this fall's hearings demonstrated that they may not be up to the challenge that they've created for themselves. The size of these companies is not - in isolation - the problem. But I am extremely concerned about these platforms' use of Americans' personal information to further solidify their market power and consequently extract unfair conditions from the content creators and innovators that rely on their platforms to reach consumers. And as has become alarmingly clear in recent months, companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have unprecedented power to guide Americans' access to information and potentially shape the future of journalism. It should go without saying that such power comes with great responsibility. Everyone is currently - and rightfully - focused on Russian manipulation of social media, but as lawmakers, it is incumbent upon us to ask the broader questions. How did big tech come to control so many aspects of our lives? How is it using our personal information to strengthen its reach and its bottom line? Are these companies engaging in anticompetitive behavior that restricts the free flow of information and commerce? Are they failing to take simple precautions to respect our privacy and protect our democracy? And finally, what roleshouldthese companies play in our lives, and how do we ensure transparency and accountability from them going forward? Modern technology has fundamentally altered the way we live our lives. And it's given us extraordinary benefits. But as these companies continue to grow and evolve, challenges like those we've recently confronted on the Judiciary Committee will only grow and evolve with them. So we must now muster the will to meaningfully address the tough questions related to competition, privacy, and ultimately the integrity of our democracy. Now, I won't be here to ask those questions. I will do what I can to find the answers from the outside, but it's my colleagues in the Senate who must prioritize them going forward. There's simply too much at stake. And I know that they will do so with the help of a tireless advocacy community and the brilliant minds who have long contemplated these incredibly complex issues and ensured that lawmakers pay attention. And more importantly, they will do so with the support and encouragement of the American people. I've witnessed significant highs and significant lows in the fight to protect consumers' rights, but the most important lesson that I've learned along the way is that ordinary Americans can wield extraordinary power when they raise their voices. For this reason, and despite significant setbacks in recent months, I know that it is the public's interests that can ultimately prevail. Thank you, M. President.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-floor-remarks-opposing-republicans-continuing-resolution", "McCollum Floor Remarks Opposing Republicans Continuing Resolution", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), Ranking Member of the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks in opposition to House Republicans irresponsible three-week continuing resolution, which includes provisions that waive fiscal responsibility measures triggered by the Trump-GOP tax scam:\nMr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this continuing resolution. The federal governments fiscal year started three months ago. This Republican Congress still hasnt passed a full-year of federal funding. Rather than protecting our nation and meeting the needs of the American people, we are now debating a third continuing resolution to kick the can into January.\nRepublicans control this House, the Senate, and the White House. Clearly they do not take their responsibility to fund the federal government seriously. Frankly, they should be embarrassed. For the past three months, Democrats have sought to work with Republicans to secure a budget agreement and responsibly pass appropriations bills. But Republicans have been too busy to meet this basic responsibility.\nInstead, they have spent months working in secret on their deficit-busting tax scam. And lets be clear: the Republican tax scam is part of this CR as well. This CR contains language to exempt the Republicans lavish tax cuts for big corporations and billionaires from the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act. Republicans passed their tax scam knowing that it was fiscally irresponsible and would trigger huge cuts to Medicare and other vital programs. Now they are asking Democrats to help bail them out.\nI didnt vote for the Republican tax scam, and Im not going to paper over their mistakes so President Trump can sign it into law.\nBut here is what I will do. As the Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I know Republican appropriators are as frustrated as I am. And I want to work with them to find common ground and responsibly fund our government. Its time for appropriators to do our job  Republicans and Democrats together. Its time to get back to work.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://walz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walz-statement-on-continuing-resolution", "Walz Statement on Continuing Resolution", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Tim Walz", "W000799", "walz.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Representative Tim Walz (MN-01) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 1370:\nSince the last continuing resolution, which I supported, Congressional Republicans had two weeks  and an entire year before that  to reach across the aisle to work out a bipartisan long-term funding deal. I stood ready, as I still do, to work with them to find common ground on a long-term funding measure that provides our military the resources and certainty it needs to plan into the future and ensures the Department of Veterans Affairs has the capacity to directly deliver quality and timely health care to our veterans.\nInstead, Republicans in Congress once again chose the path of partisanship and prioritized their devastating tax bill, of which 83% of tax cuts will go to the wealthiest one percent and 13 million Americans will lose health coverage due to their repeal of the ACA individual mandate. In doing so, they neglected Congress obligation to give our service members and the VA the long-term funding and certainty they require and deserve. While it is absolutely critical that the VA Choice Program continue to be funded, this stop-gap measure fails to live up to the promise we made to our veterans.\nMy Republican colleagues also chose to turn their backs on bipartisan proposals which I fully support including protecting the 125,000 Minnesota children who rely on the Childrens Health Insurance Program through passage of a clean, full CHIP reauthorization, as well as protecting Americas Dreamers through passage of the Dream Act.\nMy constituents are sick and tired of this constant partisan gameshow Republicans are playing here on Capitol Hill. Its long past time for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to recognize that working with Democrats is whats best for the country. We are all Americans, and we were all sent to Washington to work together to solve our nations challenges.\nOur democracy demands collaboration and compromise, and Americans demand better.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=76D7B421-76D6-449C-B77D-BC235A4F2153", "Klobuchar, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan \u2018Abby Honold Act\u2019 to Promote Use of Trauma-Informed Techniques in Responding to Sexual Assault Crimes", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer joins senators in effort inspired by Abby Honold, a former University of Minnesota student and rape survivor\n \r\n Bill would establish a demonstration program for trauma-informed training for law enforcement, including training for interviewing victims of sexual assault and investigating sexual assault crimes \r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced the Abby Honold Actbipartisan legislation that would promote the use of trauma-informed techniques in responding to sexual assault crimes. The legislation was inspired by Abby Honold, a former student of the University of Minnesota and rape survivor who worked with Senator Al Franken to bring this issue to the forefront. The bill would establish a demonstration program to expand the use of trauma-informed techniques intended to ensure the use of evidence-based practices in responding to sexual assault crimes, prevent re-traumatization of the victim, and improve communication between victims and law enforcement officers in an effort to increase the likelihood of the successful investigation and prosecution of alleged sexual assault crimes in a manner that protects the victim to the greatest extent possible. Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN) today introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.\r\nIm in awe of Abbys ability to turn an incredibly horrific experience into something that could help other survivors, Senator Klobuchar said. We can and should do more for survivors, including ensuring law enforcement has the skills and resources to avoid re-traumatization and effectively see investigations through to prosecution using the most sensitive and effective techniques.\r\nOften times the trauma victims experience after a sexual assault requires a special set of techniques for investigators to work with victims to understand what happened and make them feel comfortable to participate in investigations, said Senator Cornyn. This legislation will give law enforcement the training they need to obtain critical information that will lead to justice for victims.\r\nSexual assault is a crime and ensuring that law enforcement has accurate and complete information to prosecute it as such is vital. For Abby, and for the thousands of victims who experience trauma, this is a key part of their recovery process, as is a compassionate response in the immediate aftermath. I am proud to team up with my fellow Minnesotan, Senator Klobuchar, to take this important step in providing better treatment to sexual assault victims in crisis and making sure we treat it like the heinous crime that it is, Congressman Emmer said.\r\nI am incredibly grateful to Senator Klobuchar and Congressman Emmer for introducing my bill. I never would have imagined that I could have made something good come out of what happened to me. Victims of sexual violence deserve better when and if they report to police, and law enforcement deserves better training and resources for sex crimes, Abby Honold said.\r\nSpecifically, the bill requires the Justice Department to award grants over the next two fiscal years to law enforcement agencies to implement evidence-based or promising practices to incorporate trauma-informed techniques in responding to sexual assault cases. Grant recipients would be required to provide training on the use of evidence-based, trauma-informed practices throughout an investigation into sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, including through:\r\n \r\nConducting victim interviews in a manner that elicits valuable information about the assault and avoids re-traumatization of the victim\r\nConducting field investigations that reflect best and promising practices\r\nCustomizing investigative approaches to ensure a culturally appropriate approach\r\nResponding to complex cases involving alcohol- or drug-facilitated sexual assault, non-stranger sexual assault, victims with disabilities, LGBT victims, and male sexual assault\r\nDeveloping collaborative relationships between law enforcement, prosecutors, and other members of the sexual assault response team and the community.\r\n \r\nKlobuchar is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and prior to her time in the Senate, Klobuchar served as Hennepin County Attorney. She is a national leader in the fight to prevent domestic violence. In October, Klobuchar and Cornyns SAFER Actlegislation that would reauthorize, strengthen, and extend the Sexual Assault Forensic Registry program in an effort to help reduce the national rape kit backlogpassed the U.S. Senate. Last year, the Klobuchar-backed bipartisan Justice for All Reauthorization Act was signed into law. The law strengthens the rights of crime victims by providing the protection they need to restore their lives and enhances law enforcements ability to proactively stop violent criminals. The Justice for All Reauthorization Act also aims to reduce the rape kit backlog by supporting grant programs that fund forensic testing. Klobuchar has also championed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and led efforts to pass bipartisan legislation supporting survivors of sexual assault in the military.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=807CF123-CDCA-4171-A813-2854E7ECE104", "Klobuchar, Lankford, Harris, Graham Introduce Bipartisan Election Security Bill", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bill would protect against foreign interference of future elections \r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), James Lankford (R-OK), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today introduced the Secure Elections Act, a bill to strengthen election cybersecurity in America and protect against foreign interference in future elections. Cosponsors include Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).\r\nDuring the 2016 election, intelligence reports established that Russia hacked presidential campaign accounts, launched cyberattacks against at least 21 state election systems, and attacked a US voting systems software company. To protect future elections, the Secure Elections Act streamlines cybersecurity information-sharing between federal intelligence entities and state election agencies; provides security clearances to state election officials; and provides resources for states to upgrade election security. This bipartisan solution would bolster our election systems against future threats while protecting states primacy in running elections.\r\nElection security is national security, and our election systems have become a target for foreign adversaries, said Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections. The freedom to choose our leaders and know with full confidence that those leaders were chosen in free and fair elections is something that Americans have fought and died for since our country was founded. We must do everything in our power to protect our democracy from future attacks, and ensure those on the front-lines of administering elections are equipped with the tools and resources necessary to keep them safe. Time is of the essence, the next federal election is less than a year away.\r\n\r\nSafe and free elections run by individual states are at the core of our national identity, said Lankford, a member of the Intelligence Committee. We were born as a nation because patriots stood up against foreign tyranny.During the 2016 elections, Russia tried to interfere in our elections. Although they didnt change actual votes or alter the outcome, their efforts were an attack on our democracy. It is imperative that we strengthen our election systems and give the states the tools they need to protect themselves and the integrity of voters against the possibility of foreign interference. In this new digital age, we should ensure the states have the resources they need to protect our election infrastructure.\r\nRussia attacked the very heart of our democracy when they interfered in the 2016 election, said Harris. Russia will be back to interfere again with the 2018 elections just around the corner. We must act now to fortify our election system against attacks by foreign powers in a way that is smart and allows for effective communication and information-sharing between election and intelligence officials.\r\nThe Russians have been trying to break the backs of democracies all over the world, said Graham. And although they did not change the outcome, they clearly interfered in our 2016 election. This bipartisan legislation will help defend our elections from foreign interference and sends a strong signal to other bad actors -- like Iran and North Korea -- that similar acts will not be tolerated. We are committed to defending and promoting confidence in American democracy by providing states with the resources they need to safeguard their election systems.\r\nDetails of the Secure Elections Act:\r\n \r\nReaffirms individual state leadership in administering federal elections.\r\nEnsures the federal government, specifically the Department of Homeland Security, promptly shares election cybersecurity threats and information with state, county, and municipal election agencies.\r\nProvides security clearances to appropriate state officials so they can access and act quickly on classified cybersecurity information.\r\nDevelops, through a panel of independent experts and an open process, a set of voluntary cybersecurity guidelines for election-related systems.\r\nAuthorizes block grants for electronic voting machine upgrades and implementation of cybersecurity guidelines.\r\n \r\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight jurisdiction over federal elections, Klobuchar has introduced legislation to improve the security of U.S. election systems and make commonsense improvements to election administration. Klobuchar and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) have also introduced the bipartisanStop Foreign Donations Affecting Our Elections Actto strengthen disclosure by requiring federal campaigns to use existing credit card verification protocols to help verify that online credit card donations come from U.S. sources. In June, Klobuchar introduced theHelping State and Local Governments Prevent Cyber Attacks Actto help combat foreign interference by providing state and local governments with the information and resources they need to keep our elections secure and improve voter confidence.\r\n\r\nIn addition, Klobuchar has led Senate Rules Committee Democrats in acall for hearingsand briefings on foreign attempts to hack into U.S. election systems and improving cybersecurity. Klobuchar also leda group of 26 senators in calling for a full account of the Election Assistance Commissions (EAC) efforts to address Russian cybersecurity threats.In early January, Klobuchar introduced legislation with four other senators to create an independent, nonpartisan commission to comprehensively investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-ellison-jayapal-pocan-and-cicilline-introduce-antitrust-legislation", "Reps. Ellison, Jayapal, Pocan and Cicilline Introduce Antitrust Legislation", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-RI) yesterday introduced the 21stCentury Competition Commission Act (H.R. 4686), which would fund the creation of a new body charged with investigating the impact of corporate mergers and increasing market concentration. The representatives bill would model the new commission on the Temporary National Economic Committee that existed during President Franklin D. Roosevelts administration.\nMonopolistic corporations have grown so big and powerful that they have hijacked our democratic process and our daily lives, leading us to a new Gilded Age, said Rep. Ellison. This sweeping bill aims to analyze all the ways monopolization has made our economy worse for working families, and help our government use existing antitrust laws to fix it.\nRobust anti-trust laws help protect everyday people and ensure that hardworking Americans have good wages, and that businesses are incentivized to improve consumer services and provide competitive prices,said Rep. Jayapal. Im proud to cosponsor the 21st Century Competition Commission Act. If Republicans are serious about protecting Main Street, not Wall Street, they will join us in passing this bill to simply assess the scope of America's market concentration problem.\"\n\"This bill is an important step in the anti-monopoly movement,Said Lina Khan of Open Markets Institute.The first TNEC, and similar investigations such as the Pujo and Pecora hearings, helped expose the extremity of America's concentration problem. They prompted public officials and private parties to bring hundreds of lawsuits enforcing the antitrust laws, based on the information that these commissions uncovered. This effort will similarly fuel critical reforms.\"\nThe 21st Century Competition Commission Act will require an examination into increasing market concentrationacross all sectors in the economy, includingagricultural and information technology industries.It also empowers existingregulatory andgovernmentagenciesto take stricter action to break up enormous corporations and encourage competition.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&&id=3809", "In First of Final Senate Speeches, Sen. Franken Reflects on Working to Improve Education for Minnesotans and All Americans", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senator Al Franken delivered the first of what will be a series of final speeches delivered on the Senate floor before his resignation. In the speech, Sen. Franken, a member of the Senate Education Committee, looked back on the years he's spent fighting to better the nation's education system, and urged his colleagues to defend and continue the progress he has made.\n\nYou can watch video of his speech by clickinghere.\n\n\"...We still have people on both sides of the aisle here in the Senate who care passionately about education, and who are willing to do the hard work of bipartisan legislating in order to improve our schools and keep that promise of opportunity for the next generation.\n\n\"But if the last eight and a half years have taught me that progress on education is possible, even in a divided Washington, this past year has taught me that further progress isn't inevitable, and that the progress we've already made may not be safe.\n\n\"It will be up to my colleagues not just to address the policy challenges posed by an education system that faces a big transition and a budget that forces hard choices, but the political challenges of the moment. It is my hope and prayer that they will be up to the task. Our children's future depends on it.\"\nYou can read Sen. Franken's remarks, as prepared for delivery,hereor below.\nFloor Statement Reflecting on Working to Improve Education for Minnesotans and All Americans\nSenator Al Franken\n(As prepared for delivery)\nM. President:\nUnlike most of my colleagues, the time I've spent here in the Senate represents the sum total of my experience in elected office.\nFor most of my life, I approached politics and public policy from a very different perspective.\nI tried to be an educated citizen who understood how the issues being debated here in Washington affected me, and my family, and my neighbors.\nI tried to be an advocate for the values I believed in: honesty in public discourse, for sure, but also fairness, and justice, and the idea that, in America, we're all in this together.\nAnd I tried to be an activist, putting my voice and my energy behind candidates and causes I cared about.\nWhen I leave the Senate in a few weeks, I'll continue trying to be an educated citizen, and an advocate, and an activist. But over the last eight and a half years, as I've had the privilege of serving the people of Minnesota, I've also gained a new perspective on the issues we face and the way we here in Washington make decisions.\nAnd before I go, I want to spend some time sharing some of what I've learned, in a series of speeches focusing on some of the challenges I came to Washington to address . . .challenges that my colleagues will continue to wrestle with ... challenges that will determine not just what kind of political landscape we leave for the next generation of Senators, but what kind of country we leave for the next generation of Americans.\nToday, I want to start by talking about education.\nEven at a time when our politics is more polarized, and more poisonous, than it's ever been, you would think that education is one place where Democrats and Republicans could come together to make progress.\nAfter all, while we do have some significant differences on the details of education policy, nobody disagrees about the importance of getting it right.\nWe all agree that education, from pre-K through college and beyond, is essential in providing our economy with a skilled workforce that is ready to innovate and lead us into the future.\nEver since I've been here, employers in Minnesota have stressed to me that they need employees with critical thinking and problem-solving skills, teamwork and creativity - tools that we need our children to be developing long before they enter the workforce. And I'm pretty sure that's what my colleagues hear from employers in their states, too.\nAnd, of course, education isn't just about our economy. It's about the most basic responsibility we have as human beings.\nMany of us who serve here in the Senate have children or grandchildren, and we would do anything to be able to promise them that, when they grow up, they'll be able to follow their dreams, to take a risk on themselves, to achieve more than we ever could. Many of us remember just how hard our own parents worked to keep that promise to us.\nAnd all of us, Democrat and Republican alike, want to be able to make that promise not just to our own children, but to every child in America - no matter where they grow up, or what their family life is like, or what obstacles they might encounter along the way.\nWe all want a country where every child - every child - has the opportunity to fulfill his or her God-given potential. And we all understand that whether we can provide every child with a great education is the most basic measure of whether we're keeping that promise.\nFortunately, the HELP Committee, which I've had the honor of serving on since I first arrived in the Senate, has been led by public servants who share those values, and a common commitment to delivering on that promise.\nUnder Chairman Harkin, and now under Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray, the HELP Committee has often been an example of how Democrats and Republicans can work together to make progress.\nWhen I first got here, the debate was focused on No Child Left Behind, which Congress had passed and President Bush had signed into law in 2002.\nDemocrats and Republicans had worked together on that bill because they all believed that it was important that our schools be held accountable for the results they achieved on behalf of students. But by 2009, it had become clear that No Child Left Behind simply wasn't getting the job done.\nA couple weeks after getting to the Senate, I held a roundtable with principals at a school that had been turned around in a poor neighborhood in St. Paul. One of the other principals told me he referred to NCLB tests as \"autopsies.\" I knew exactly what he meant. The kids took the test in late April. The results didn't come in till late June or later - too late to let the results inform teachers' instruction of each child.\nIn Minnesota, therefore, most school districts added computer adaptive tests in addition to the required state NCLB test. Computer adaptive. Computer: so the teachers could see the results right away. Adaptive: so that if a kid was getting all the answers right, the questions would get harder - and if a student was getting them all wrong, they'd get easier.\nThat way, instead of just measuring whether or not a student was appropriately \"proficient\" in reading and math, educators could find out exactly what grade level each student was at in those subjects.\nNCLB, on the other hand, didn't allow states to test outside of grade level. So, schools and teachers were judged simply by whether a sufficient percentage of their students met this arbitrary standard.\nThis came to be known as \"measuring for proficiency,\" and it created what teachers in Minnesota described to me as a \"race to the middle.\" It made them focus on the kids just above and just below proficiency. And they could ignore the kids at the top because they knew those kids would never fall below proficiency. And they could ignore the kids at the bottom, because no matter what they did those kids would never reach proficiency by the end of the year.\nThink about a fifth-grade teacher who takes a kid from a second-grade reading level to a fourth-grade reading level over the course of a school year. Measuring by proficiency, that teacher is a goat, because she has failed to produce a fifth-grade reader. But we know that teacher is really a hero for helping a child grow by two grade levels in a single school year.\nTeachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, and parents all argued that it was time to stop measuring for proficiency and start measuring for growth instead. This quickly became a central focus of the debate over how to reform No Child Left Behind, and it remains a pivotal debate when it comes to the future of our education system.\nWhich is why it was so shocking when President Trump picked a Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, who turned out to have no idea what the \"growth vs. proficiency\" debate was even about.\nIt would be as if our children's future relied on the outcome of a football game, and the President nominated a head coach who didn't even know how many yards it took to get a first down.\nIt was a deeply upsetting moment, not just because of what it revealed about Mrs. DeVos or the President who had picked her to be in charge of our nation's education system, but because these are the kinds of problems we should be able to solve.\nThere's nothing ideological about the debate. It's simply a matter of coming together and working in good faith to make things work better. A functioning democracy should be able to get stuff like this right.\nAnd, sometimes, we have.\nFor example, in the bipartisan Every Students Succeeds Act, we were able to address some of the excessive testing that was burdening educators and students alike. Under the new law, schools would still have to test every year between third and eighth grade and once in high school. But each state would control the consequences of the test results, and that would almost certainly mean fewer high stakes tests. Less drilling. More time to teach and to learn.\nMeanwhile, the law included important priorities like strengthening STEM education, expanding student mental health services, increasing access to courses that help high school students earn college credit, and preparing and recruiting more and better principals to lead schools. These were all things I fought to include in the final law.\nIt also included a long-overdue investment in early childhood education. But not enough.\nWe know from study after study that a quality early childhood education returns between $7 and $16 dollars for every dollar invested. And that's because children who get a quality early childhood education are less likely to be referred to special ed. or less likely to be held back a grade. They have better health outcomes. Girls are less likely to get pregnant in adolescence. They are more likely to graduate high school, go to college, and get a good job and pay taxes. And they are less likely to go to prison.\nIf we really wanted to address future deficits, we would be pouring money into training early childhood educators. Instead, in his budget to Congress, the Trump administration proposed major cuts to early childhood programs.\nAnd we could easily put more money into these programs, if we weren't giving enormous tax cuts to the wealthy and to powerful corporations.\nWe also need to make sure that, as our kids get older, they can rely on quality after-school programs.\nLast spring, I visited Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. During my tour of the school's afterschool program, I saw students rehearsing for a production of The Addams Family. I saw students getting critical academic support like tutoring and college prep. In fact, Roosevelt's successful afterschool program contributed to their graduation rate going from less than 50 percent to over 70 percent in just three years.\nThat's pretty incredible, and that's why I fought to renew the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program in the reform of No Child Left Behind.\nIf we all agree that education should be a priority, we should be willing to put our money where our mouths are and fund these programs. I'm proud that, over the course of my time here, we've had a bipartisan commitment to doing just that. We've made progress - not enough by any means, but progress.\nAgain, however, that progress is at risk under this administration. That afterschool program was zeroed out in its proposed budget. And, what's more, this administration seems to be outright hostile to the idea that we have a responsibility to provide children with a quality public education.\nI am proud of the work we have done to support and improve our public schools. But, the Department of Education is now led by a Secretary with a long history of actively undermining public education. Secretary DeVos and her family have spent millions of dollars advocating for an ideology that would steal funds from public schools in order to fund private and religious education.\nNow let's take a moment to talk about what that means. Secretary DeVos ran a political action committee called All Children Matter, which spent millions in campaign contributions to promote the use of taxpayer dollars for school vouchers. The argument was that these vouchers would allow low-income students to leave the public school system and attend the private schools of their families' choice.\nSecretary DeVos has been pushing to expand vouchers for years, even though the research clearly shows that voucher programs don't work. In fact, the academic outcomes for students who used vouchers to attend private schools is just abysmal.\nA New York Times article from February of this year reported on three different studies of large state voucher programs in Indiana, Louisiana, and Ohio. Each study found that vouchers negatively impact results in both reading and math.\nIn fact, in Louisiana's voucher program, public elementary school students who started at the 50th percentile in math and then used a voucher to transfer to a private school dropped to the 26th percentile in a single year. Harvard education professor Martin West said this negative effect was \"as large as any I've seen in the literature.\" And he was talking about all literature, the entire history of American education research.\nSecretary DeVos is a serious threat to our public school system, and a threat to the quality of education in this country overall. I've pushed as hard as I could to protect our students from what this administration has been trying to do. I've sent the Secretary over a dozen letters this year on protecting students from harassment, helping defrauded students, and holding for-profit schools accountable.\nIt is my hope that my colleagues will continue to be vigilant in overseeing the Department of Education and in making sure our public education system is not dismantled.\nOur public education system was designed to give all kids a real chance in life. But teachers and administrators often lack the resources they need to give kids the opportunities they deserve. Every year I push appropriators to increase funding for a number of critical education programs like early childhood, STEM, and professional development for teachers and I hope my colleagues will continue that fight to increase resources for these programs.\nImproving our education system isn't just about funding and accountability.\nIf we want to keep the promise of opportunity to every child, we have to recognize that some kids face obstacles that others do not- and that we have to do more to make sure that they aren't left behind.\nFor example: Kids who grow up poor are far more likely to suffer what are called \"adverse childhood experiences\": not just the stress of living in poverty itself, but exposure to domestic violence, abuse or neglect, drug and alcohol abuse, the incarceration of a parent, the death of a sibling - all of which affect brain chemistry and the ability to learn.\nIf we want to improve education, we need to do a better job of helping these kids overcome these trauma - and a better job of addressing economic inequality so that fewer have to deal with trauma in the first place. And this is another reason we need more high quality early childhood programs and more training for child care providers, so they can better support kids who experience trauma.\nHere's another example: foster kids.\nIt's not uncommon for foster children to have ten, eleven, twelve sets of foster parents during their childhood. This wreaks havoc on their education and sometimes foster kids fall through the cracks. If a child's new foster parents live in a different school district, the foster child is yanked out of school and sent to one in the new school district. Kayla VanDyke, an impressive high school senior from Minnesota who had been in seven foster homes, testified to the HELP Committee that she had missed fourth grade entirely.\nFor foster kids, school is often the one constant in their lives. Maybe they have a teacher they really like. Or an extracurricular activity that means everything to them. Or maybe, maybe they have these things called friends.\nAnd that's why I wrote a provision in the Every Student Succeeds Act, to require school districts to work with child welfare agencies to make sure that foster children who are changing homes are not forced to change schools.\nI like to think that somewhere there's a foster child running cross-country, or developing a passion for history because of a great teacher, or doing homework with a good friend, because of the legislation I worked on - legislation that passed with a strong bipartisan majority.\nHere's yet another example: Kids in Indian country.\nWhen I first came to the Senate I asked for a seat on the Indian Affairs Committee, and serving on that committee you are confronted with the tragic disparities from which native people in our country suffer. One of them is the huge disparity in educational resources for native kids compared with their peers. That inequity in education plays out in many ways, but you can literally see it in the school buildings some native kids are forced to learn in.\nIndian school buildings are often unsafe, harmful to the health of children and teachers, and are ultimately a barrier to the education of students.\nSo going back to early 2009, I've been fighting for funding to fix the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig High School in northern Minnesota. When I first visited the school, I saw exposed wiring, mold, roof leaks, rodents, uneven floors, poor lighting, and sewer problems. I learned that students had faced these horrendous conditions in their classrooms for years-it was deplorable, and a terrible place to learn.\nSo I worked for the better part of a decade to rebuild that school. I sent my colleagues a series of powerful editorials about the conditions at the school that were written by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.\nI raised this issue at what seems like countless Indian Affairs hearings. After a lot of hard work from the community, the tribe, and the Obama Administration, we were able to secure the funding to rebuild this school.\nI'm thrilled that so many bright young students in Leech Lake will be able to feel safe and comfortable in a brand new school which will be opening this coming March.\nBut this is one school, one reservation, and there are hundreds of schools like the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig high school that are not suitable for learning and we need to do so much more for our native kids. In Indian Country we know that historical trauma has a huge impact on our children. We have seen the ripple effects of intergenerational trauma, and know that it can lead to other types of trauma experienced in childhood.\nThat's why when we look at adverse childhood experiences, particularly within the native community, we can't dismiss their effects on kids' ability to learn. Kids in Indian country are woefully underserved when it comes to housing and economic opportunity. A report by Wilder Research states that this can \"threaten their educational success, health and mental health, and personal development.\" I'm pleased that Senator Heitkamp has been focused on addressing this issue.\nAnd one more example. LGBT students deserve to learn in an environment free from discrimination, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. But, far too often, LGBT kids endure harassment and discrimination. More than 30 percent of LGBT kids report missing a day of school in the previous month because they felt unsafe. You can't learn when you dread going to school and when that happens, those students are deprived of an equal education.\nIn America, we have passed laws that guard against harassment in our schools on the basis of race, national origin, sex, and disability. But LGBT students continue to face bullying and intimidation without recourse.\nI have a bill called the Student Non-Discrimination Act that would merely provide LGBT kids the same legal remedies available to other kids under our federal civil rights laws. It says that schools would have to listen when a parent says \"my child isn't safe;\" and the school has to do something about it. It would ensure that LGBT kids have the same protections as every other child.\nI worked very hard to get this provision into the final law, and I was greatly disappointed that it wasn't included even though it got 52 votes on the Senate floor.\nIt is our responsibility not just as senators, but as adults, to protect children and to help them flourish. And I sincerely hope every one of my colleagues will take up this fight and work to get this across the finish line.\n\nThe last thing I want to mention on the subject of education is this.\nFor a long time, we thought about learning as something that started when you went to kindergarten and continued until you got your high school diploma and either went off to college or went off to work.\nWe now know that education is a lifelong pursuit. But we also know that we need to do far more to make it possible for it to continue long after 12th grade.\nCollege used to be an affordable and accessible step into the middle class for so many Americans. I always think of my wife, Franni and her family. You see, when Franni was 17 months old, her dad - a decorated World War II veteran- died in a car accident. But they made it and all four girls went to college on combinations of Pell Grants and scholarships.\nBut you see, back then, a Pell Grant covered about 80 percent of the cost of a public college education. Today, it's less than 35 percent.\nSo today, kids have to work while they're going to school. That's not new. But when I've done roundtables at colleges across Minnesota, many of them tell me that they're working full-time - in addition to going to school full-time. Which seems like it might make it harder to focus on your studies. Or to stay awake.\nThat's why I've been working to bring down the cost of college, increase financial aid to students and make textbooks cheaper. We need to help millions of Americans refinance their student loan debt at lower interest rates. And we need to help low and middle income students go to college debt free. This is something we could easily be doing if we weren't giving tax cuts to the super wealthy and to powerful corporations.\nIt is important to remember too that young people don't necessarily need to start at a four-year college to become successful in life or build a secure middle class lifestyle. In many career and technical programs, students complete their education while they are employed in good paying jobs with benefits, that promise a secure career.\nWe need to overcome the assumption that career and technical schools are a ceiling to future success. They are a ladder to careers with good wages and benefits that can support a comfortable lifestyle. And there is a high demand for these workers now.\nThat's because we have what's called a \"skills gap\" in this country. Every Senator has it in their states. It is one of the things I hear about frequently when I travel around Minnesota and especially when I talk to businesses. I hear about job positions employers can't fill, because they can't find qualified workers. At the same time, I hear from students who are anxious to start a career but lack specific technical skills. To remain competitive in today's global economy, we need a better trained workforce.\nThat's why I introduced the Community College to Career Fund Act. The grants would help create public-private partnerships that support learn and earn on-the-job training programs. And employers would develop a workforce with the specific skills they need to grow their businesses. Everybody wins.\nHere's how it works - you go to get a credential, that credential would get you a job, then the employer would pay for you to continue your education as you continue to work and make a living. I've seen this time and time again and it works.\nWe also need to reauthorize the Perkins Career and Technical Education law which includes support for public/private partnership training programs in K-12.\nSo I think some of the things we need to do to make college more affordable and accessible and valuable for students are pretty clear. But let's be honest, the Trump Administration, after nearly a year in office, has been going in a very different direction and has been working against the best interest of college students. One of the most unfortunate aspects of this is that predatory, for-profit colleges have been able to get even more of a foothold in our higher education system since Secretary DeVos took over.\nThe good news when it comes to education is that America still has teachers and principals and superintendents who work hard every day to take responsibility for every student under their care and deliver on the promise of a great education. We still have parents and neighbors and coaches who look out for our children's well-being, and who work to equip them with the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.\nAnd, as anyone who's spent any time in a school lately can tell you, our kids themselves still have some pretty impressive potential.\nWhat's more, we still have people on both sides of the aisle here in the Senate who care passionately about education, and who are willing to do the hard work of bipartisan legislating in order to improve our schools and keep that promise of opportunity for the next generation.\nBut if the last eight and a half years have taught me that progress on education is possible, even in a divided Washington, this past year has taught me that further progress isn't inevitable, and that the progress we've already made may not be safe.\nIt will be up to my colleagues not just to address the policy challenges posed by an education system that faces a big transition and a budget that forces hard choices, but the political challenges of the moment. It is my hope and prayer that they will be up to the task. Our children's future depends on it.\nThank you.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3809", "In First of Final Senate Speeches, Sen. Franken Reflects on Working to Improve Education for Minnesotans and All Americans", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senator Al Franken delivered the first of what will be a series of final speeches delivered on the Senate floor before his resignation. In the speech, Sen. Franken, a member of the Senate Education Committee, looked back on the years he's spent fighting to better the nation's education system, and urged his colleagues to defend and continue the progress he has made.\n\nYou can watch video of his speech by clickinghere.\n\n\"...We still have people on both sides of the aisle here in the Senate who care passionately about education, and who are willing to do the hard work of bipartisan legislating in order to improve our schools and keep that promise of opportunity for the next generation.\n\n\"But if the last eight and a half years have taught me that progress on education is possible, even in a divided Washington, this past year has taught me that further progress isn't inevitable, and that the progress we've already made may not be safe.\n\n\"It will be up to my colleagues not just to address the policy challenges posed by an education system that faces a big transition and a budget that forces hard choices, but the political challenges of the moment. It is my hope and prayer that they will be up to the task. Our children's future depends on it.\"\nYou can read Sen. Franken's remarks, as prepared for delivery,hereor below.\nFloor Statement Reflecting on Working to Improve Education for Minnesotans and All Americans\nSenator Al Franken\n(As prepared for delivery)\nM. President:\nUnlike most of my colleagues, the time I've spent here in the Senate represents the sum total of my experience in elected office.\nFor most of my life, I approached politics and public policy from a very different perspective.\nI tried to be an educated citizen who understood how the issues being debated here in Washington affected me, and my family, and my neighbors.\nI tried to be an advocate for the values I believed in: honesty in public discourse, for sure, but also fairness, and justice, and the idea that, in America, we're all in this together.\nAnd I tried to be an activist, putting my voice and my energy behind candidates and causes I cared about.\nWhen I leave the Senate in a few weeks, I'll continue trying to be an educated citizen, and an advocate, and an activist. But over the last eight and a half years, as I've had the privilege of serving the people of Minnesota, I've also gained a new perspective on the issues we face and the way we here in Washington make decisions.\nAnd before I go, I want to spend some time sharing some of what I've learned, in a series of speeches focusing on some of the challenges I came to Washington to address . . .challenges that my colleagues will continue to wrestle with ... challenges that will determine not just what kind of political landscape we leave for the next generation of Senators, but what kind of country we leave for the next generation of Americans.\nToday, I want to start by talking about education.\nEven at a time when our politics is more polarized, and more poisonous, than it's ever been, you would think that education is one place where Democrats and Republicans could come together to make progress.\nAfter all, while we do have some significant differences on the details of education policy, nobody disagrees about the importance of getting it right.\nWe all agree that education, from pre-K through college and beyond, is essential in providing our economy with a skilled workforce that is ready to innovate and lead us into the future.\nEver since I've been here, employers in Minnesota have stressed to me that they need employees with critical thinking and problem-solving skills, teamwork and creativity - tools that we need our children to be developing long before they enter the workforce. And I'm pretty sure that's what my colleagues hear from employers in their states, too.\nAnd, of course, education isn't just about our economy. It's about the most basic responsibility we have as human beings.\nMany of us who serve here in the Senate have children or grandchildren, and we would do anything to be able to promise them that, when they grow up, they'll be able to follow their dreams, to take a risk on themselves, to achieve more than we ever could. Many of us remember just how hard our own parents worked to keep that promise to us.\nAnd all of us, Democrat and Republican alike, want to be able to make that promise not just to our own children, but to every child in America - no matter where they grow up, or what their family life is like, or what obstacles they might encounter along the way.\nWe all want a country where every child - every child - has the opportunity to fulfill his or her God-given potential. And we all understand that whether we can provide every child with a great education is the most basic measure of whether we're keeping that promise.\nFortunately, the HELP Committee, which I've had the honor of serving on since I first arrived in the Senate, has been led by public servants who share those values, and a common commitment to delivering on that promise.\nUnder Chairman Harkin, and now under Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray, the HELP Committee has often been an example of how Democrats and Republicans can work together to make progress.\nWhen I first got here, the debate was focused on No Child Left Behind, which Congress had passed and President Bush had signed into law in 2002.\nDemocrats and Republicans had worked together on that bill because they all believed that it was important that our schools be held accountable for the results they achieved on behalf of students. But by 2009, it had become clear that No Child Left Behind simply wasn't getting the job done.\nA couple weeks after getting to the Senate, I held a roundtable with principals at a school that had been turned around in a poor neighborhood in St. Paul. One of the other principals told me he referred to NCLB tests as \"autopsies.\" I knew exactly what he meant. The kids took the test in late April. The results didn't come in till late June or later - too late to let the results inform teachers' instruction of each child.\nIn Minnesota, therefore, most school districts added computer adaptive tests in addition to the required state NCLB test. Computer adaptive. Computer: so the teachers could see the results right away. Adaptive: so that if a kid was getting all the answers right, the questions would get harder - and if a student was getting them all wrong, they'd get easier.\nThat way, instead of just measuring whether or not a student was appropriately \"proficient\" in reading and math, educators could find out exactly what grade level each student was at in those subjects.\nNCLB, on the other hand, didn't allow states to test outside of grade level. So, schools and teachers were judged simply by whether a sufficient percentage of their students met this arbitrary standard.\nThis came to be known as \"measuring for proficiency,\" and it created what teachers in Minnesota described to me as a \"race to the middle.\" It made them focus on the kids just above and just below proficiency. And they could ignore the kids at the top because they knew those kids would never fall below proficiency. And they could ignore the kids at the bottom, because no matter what they did those kids would never reach proficiency by the end of the year.\nThink about a fifth-grade teacher who takes a kid from a second-grade reading level to a fourth-grade reading level over the course of a school year. Measuring by proficiency, that teacher is a goat, because she has failed to produce a fifth-grade reader. But we know that teacher is really a hero for helping a child grow by two grade levels in a single school year.\nTeachers, principals, superintendents, school board members, and parents all argued that it was time to stop measuring for proficiency and start measuring for growth instead. This quickly became a central focus of the debate over how to reform No Child Left Behind, and it remains a pivotal debate when it comes to the future of our education system.\nWhich is why it was so shocking when President Trump picked a Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, who turned out to have no idea what the \"growth vs. proficiency\" debate was even about.\nIt would be as if our children's future relied on the outcome of a football game, and the President nominated a head coach who didn't even know how many yards it took to get a first down.\nIt was a deeply upsetting moment, not just because of what it revealed about Mrs. DeVos or the President who had picked her to be in charge of our nation's education system, but because these are the kinds of problems we should be able to solve.\nThere's nothing ideological about the debate. It's simply a matter of coming together and working in good faith to make things work better. A functioning democracy should be able to get stuff like this right.\nAnd, sometimes, we have.\nFor example, in the bipartisan Every Students Succeeds Act, we were able to address some of the excessive testing that was burdening educators and students alike. Under the new law, schools would still have to test every year between third and eighth grade and once in high school. But each state would control the consequences of the test results, and that would almost certainly mean fewer high stakes tests. Less drilling. More time to teach and to learn.\nMeanwhile, the law included important priorities like strengthening STEM education, expanding student mental health services, increasing access to courses that help high school students earn college credit, and preparing and recruiting more and better principals to lead schools. These were all things I fought to include in the final law.\nIt also included a long-overdue investment in early childhood education. But not enough.\nWe know from study after study that a quality early childhood education returns between $7 and $16 dollars for every dollar invested. And that's because children who get a quality early childhood education are less likely to be referred to special ed. or less likely to be held back a grade. They have better health outcomes. Girls are less likely to get pregnant in adolescence. They are more likely to graduate high school, go to college, and get a good job and pay taxes. And they are less likely to go to prison.\nIf we really wanted to address future deficits, we would be pouring money into training early childhood educators. Instead, in his budget to Congress, the Trump administration proposed major cuts to early childhood programs.\nAnd we could easily put more money into these programs, if we weren't giving enormous tax cuts to the wealthy and to powerful corporations.\nWe also need to make sure that, as our kids get older, they can rely on quality after-school programs.\nLast spring, I visited Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. During my tour of the school's afterschool program, I saw students rehearsing for a production of The Addams Family. I saw students getting critical academic support like tutoring and college prep. In fact, Roosevelt's successful afterschool program contributed to their graduation rate going from less than 50 percent to over 70 percent in just three years.\nThat's pretty incredible, and that's why I fought to renew the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program in the reform of No Child Left Behind.\nIf we all agree that education should be a priority, we should be willing to put our money where our mouths are and fund these programs. I'm proud that, over the course of my time here, we've had a bipartisan commitment to doing just that. We've made progress - not enough by any means, but progress.\nAgain, however, that progress is at risk under this administration. That afterschool program was zeroed out in its proposed budget. And, what's more, this administration seems to be outright hostile to the idea that we have a responsibility to provide children with a quality public education.\nI am proud of the work we have done to support and improve our public schools. But, the Department of Education is now led by a Secretary with a long history of actively undermining public education. Secretary DeVos and her family have spent millions of dollars advocating for an ideology that would steal funds from public schools in order to fund private and religious education.\nNow let's take a moment to talk about what that means. Secretary DeVos ran a political action committee called All Children Matter, which spent millions in campaign contributions to promote the use of taxpayer dollars for school vouchers. The argument was that these vouchers would allow low-income students to leave the public school system and attend the private schools of their families' choice.\nSecretary DeVos has been pushing to expand vouchers for years, even though the research clearly shows that voucher programs don't work. In fact, the academic outcomes for students who used vouchers to attend private schools is just abysmal.\nA New York Times article from February of this year reported on three different studies of large state voucher programs in Indiana, Louisiana, and Ohio. Each study found that vouchers negatively impact results in both reading and math.\nIn fact, in Louisiana's voucher program, public elementary school students who started at the 50th percentile in math and then used a voucher to transfer to a private school dropped to the 26th percentile in a single year. Harvard education professor Martin West said this negative effect was \"as large as any I've seen in the literature.\" And he was talking about all literature, the entire history of American education research.\nSecretary DeVos is a serious threat to our public school system, and a threat to the quality of education in this country overall. I've pushed as hard as I could to protect our students from what this administration has been trying to do. I've sent the Secretary over a dozen letters this year on protecting students from harassment, helping defrauded students, and holding for-profit schools accountable.\nIt is my hope that my colleagues will continue to be vigilant in overseeing the Department of Education and in making sure our public education system is not dismantled.\nOur public education system was designed to give all kids a real chance in life. But teachers and administrators often lack the resources they need to give kids the opportunities they deserve. Every year I push appropriators to increase funding for a number of critical education programs like early childhood, STEM, and professional development for teachers and I hope my colleagues will continue that fight to increase resources for these programs.\nImproving our education system isn't just about funding and accountability.\nIf we want to keep the promise of opportunity to every child, we have to recognize that some kids face obstacles that others do not- and that we have to do more to make sure that they aren't left behind.\nFor example: Kids who grow up poor are far more likely to suffer what are called \"adverse childhood experiences\": not just the stress of living in poverty itself, but exposure to domestic violence, abuse or neglect, drug and alcohol abuse, the incarceration of a parent, the death of a sibling - all of which affect brain chemistry and the ability to learn.\nIf we want to improve education, we need to do a better job of helping these kids overcome these trauma - and a better job of addressing economic inequality so that fewer have to deal with trauma in the first place. And this is another reason we need more high quality early childhood programs and more training for child care providers, so they can better support kids who experience trauma.\nHere's another example: foster kids.\nIt's not uncommon for foster children to have ten, eleven, twelve sets of foster parents during their childhood. This wreaks havoc on their education and sometimes foster kids fall through the cracks. If a child's new foster parents live in a different school district, the foster child is yanked out of school and sent to one in the new school district. Kayla VanDyke, an impressive high school senior from Minnesota who had been in seven foster homes, testified to the HELP Committee that she had missed fourth grade entirely.\nFor foster kids, school is often the one constant in their lives. Maybe they have a teacher they really like. Or an extracurricular activity that means everything to them. Or maybe, maybe they have these things called friends.\nAnd that's why I wrote a provision in the Every Student Succeeds Act, to require school districts to work with child welfare agencies to make sure that foster children who are changing homes are not forced to change schools.\nI like to think that somewhere there's a foster child running cross-country, or developing a passion for history because of a great teacher, or doing homework with a good friend, because of the legislation I worked on - legislation that passed with a strong bipartisan majority.\nHere's yet another example: Kids in Indian country.\nWhen I first came to the Senate I asked for a seat on the Indian Affairs Committee, and serving on that committee you are confronted with the tragic disparities from which native people in our country suffer. One of them is the huge disparity in educational resources for native kids compared with their peers. That inequity in education plays out in many ways, but you can literally see it in the school buildings some native kids are forced to learn in.\nIndian school buildings are often unsafe, harmful to the health of children and teachers, and are ultimately a barrier to the education of students.\nSo going back to early 2009, I've been fighting for funding to fix the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig High School in northern Minnesota. When I first visited the school, I saw exposed wiring, mold, roof leaks, rodents, uneven floors, poor lighting, and sewer problems. I learned that students had faced these horrendous conditions in their classrooms for years-it was deplorable, and a terrible place to learn.\nSo I worked for the better part of a decade to rebuild that school. I sent my colleagues a series of powerful editorials about the conditions at the school that were written by the Minneapolis Star Tribune.\nI raised this issue at what seems like countless Indian Affairs hearings. After a lot of hard work from the community, the tribe, and the Obama Administration, we were able to secure the funding to rebuild this school.\nI'm thrilled that so many bright young students in Leech Lake will be able to feel safe and comfortable in a brand new school which will be opening this coming March.\nBut this is one school, one reservation, and there are hundreds of schools like the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig high school that are not suitable for learning and we need to do so much more for our native kids. In Indian Country we know that historical trauma has a huge impact on our children. We have seen the ripple effects of intergenerational trauma, and know that it can lead to other types of trauma experienced in childhood.\nThat's why when we look at adverse childhood experiences, particularly within the native community, we can't dismiss their effects on kids' ability to learn. Kids in Indian country are woefully underserved when it comes to housing and economic opportunity. A report by Wilder Research states that this can \"threaten their educational success, health and mental health, and personal development.\" I'm pleased that Senator Heitkamp has been focused on addressing this issue.\nAnd one more example. LGBT students deserve to learn in an environment free from discrimination, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. But, far too often, LGBT kids endure harassment and discrimination. More than 30 percent of LGBT kids report missing a day of school in the previous month because they felt unsafe. You can't learn when you dread going to school and when that happens, those students are deprived of an equal education.\nIn America, we have passed laws that guard against harassment in our schools on the basis of race, national origin, sex, and disability. But LGBT students continue to face bullying and intimidation without recourse.\nI have a bill called the Student Non-Discrimination Act that would merely provide LGBT kids the same legal remedies available to other kids under our federal civil rights laws. It says that schools would have to listen when a parent says \"my child isn't safe;\" and the school has to do something about it. It would ensure that LGBT kids have the same protections as every other child.\nI worked very hard to get this provision into the final law, and I was greatly disappointed that it wasn't included even though it got 52 votes on the Senate floor.\nIt is our responsibility not just as senators, but as adults, to protect children and to help them flourish. And I sincerely hope every one of my colleagues will take up this fight and work to get this across the finish line.\n\nThe last thing I want to mention on the subject of education is this.\nFor a long time, we thought about learning as something that started when you went to kindergarten and continued until you got your high school diploma and either went off to college or went off to work.\nWe now know that education is a lifelong pursuit. But we also know that we need to do far more to make it possible for it to continue long after 12th grade.\nCollege used to be an affordable and accessible step into the middle class for so many Americans. I always think of my wife, Franni and her family. You see, when Franni was 17 months old, her dad - a decorated World War II veteran- died in a car accident. But they made it and all four girls went to college on combinations of Pell Grants and scholarships.\nBut you see, back then, a Pell Grant covered about 80 percent of the cost of a public college education. Today, it's less than 35 percent.\nSo today, kids have to work while they're going to school. That's not new. But when I've done roundtables at colleges across Minnesota, many of them tell me that they're working full-time - in addition to going to school full-time. Which seems like it might make it harder to focus on your studies. Or to stay awake.\nThat's why I've been working to bring down the cost of college, increase financial aid to students and make textbooks cheaper. We need to help millions of Americans refinance their student loan debt at lower interest rates. And we need to help low and middle income students go to college debt free. This is something we could easily be doing if we weren't giving tax cuts to the super wealthy and to powerful corporations.\nIt is important to remember too that young people don't necessarily need to start at a four-year college to become successful in life or build a secure middle class lifestyle. In many career and technical programs, students complete their education while they are employed in good paying jobs with benefits, that promise a secure career.\nWe need to overcome the assumption that career and technical schools are a ceiling to future success. They are a ladder to careers with good wages and benefits that can support a comfortable lifestyle. And there is a high demand for these workers now.\nThat's because we have what's called a \"skills gap\" in this country. Every Senator has it in their states. It is one of the things I hear about frequently when I travel around Minnesota and especially when I talk to businesses. I hear about job positions employers can't fill, because they can't find qualified workers. At the same time, I hear from students who are anxious to start a career but lack specific technical skills. To remain competitive in today's global economy, we need a better trained workforce.\nThat's why I introduced the Community College to Career Fund Act. The grants would help create public-private partnerships that support learn and earn on-the-job training programs. And employers would develop a workforce with the specific skills they need to grow their businesses. Everybody wins.\nHere's how it works - you go to get a credential, that credential would get you a job, then the employer would pay for you to continue your education as you continue to work and make a living. I've seen this time and time again and it works.\nWe also need to reauthorize the Perkins Career and Technical Education law which includes support for public/private partnership training programs in K-12.\nSo I think some of the things we need to do to make college more affordable and accessible and valuable for students are pretty clear. But let's be honest, the Trump Administration, after nearly a year in office, has been going in a very different direction and has been working against the best interest of college students. One of the most unfortunate aspects of this is that predatory, for-profit colleges have been able to get even more of a foothold in our higher education system since Secretary DeVos took over.\nThe good news when it comes to education is that America still has teachers and principals and superintendents who work hard every day to take responsibility for every student under their care and deliver on the promise of a great education. We still have parents and neighbors and coaches who look out for our children's well-being, and who work to equip them with the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.\nAnd, as anyone who's spent any time in a school lately can tell you, our kids themselves still have some pretty impressive potential.\nWhat's more, we still have people on both sides of the aisle here in the Senate who care passionately about education, and who are willing to do the hard work of bipartisan legislating in order to improve our schools and keep that promise of opportunity for the next generation.\nBut if the last eight and a half years have taught me that progress on education is possible, even in a divided Washington, this past year has taught me that further progress isn't inevitable, and that the progress we've already made may not be safe.\nIt will be up to my colleagues not just to address the policy challenges posed by an education system that faces a big transition and a budget that forces hard choices, but the political challenges of the moment. It is my hope and prayer that they will be up to the task. Our children's future depends on it.\nThank you.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/press-release/peterson-statement-gop-tax-bill", "Peterson statement on GOP tax bill", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Collin C. Peterson made the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1.\nWhile many people will get a modest temporary tax cut under the Republican tax bill, others will see their taxes go up if they face high medical expenses, pay high state and local taxes, or have families with many children, Peterson said. I cant support a bill that will make the tax system more complicated for many small businesses while adding up to $2 trillion to the nations debt. This bill was a missed opportunity to promote real economic growth, simplify our tax code, and help the middle class.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-final-passage-trump-gop-tax-scam", "McCollum Statement on Final Passage of Trump-GOP Tax Scam", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the final version of the Trump-GOP tax scam:\nToday House Republicans voted to raise taxes on middle class Minnesotans to pay for a deficit-exploding giveaway to big corporations and billionaires. With its rollback of the state and local tax deduction and its dismantling of key parts of the Affordable Care Act, this bill is especially harmful to Minnesota.\nThe Trump-GOP tax bill was written in secret and loaded up with special interest provisions, including a kickback to wealthy real estate investors like President Donald Trump and a Big Oil-backed plan to turn parts of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge into an industrial oil field. The trillions of dollars in giveaways to the wealthy and well-connected in this bill will explode annual deficits and trigger cuts to vital programs like Medicare, Medicaid, nutrition assistance, veterans benefits, and even Social Security.\nIn my 17 years in the U.S. House, I have seen few pieces of legislation as devastating as this tax scam. In the year ahead, I look forward to joining millions of Minnesotans and Americans holding the Republicans who voted for this bill accountable.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nolan-votes-no-on-republican-tax-bill-that-punishes-america-s-middle", "Nolan Votes No On Republican Tax Bill That Punishes Americas Middle Class", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "[WASHINGTON D.C.] Rep Rick Nolan today voted no on the conference report of the Republican tax bill that punishes Americas middle class. The bill, met with bipartisan opposition, would provide a $1.5 trillion dollar tax cut to the super-rich and corporations, raise taxes on 86 million middle class households  more than half of Americas middle class  and pave the way for cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.\n\nThe simple truth is, this Republican tax bill is an underhanded and unconscionable attack on Americas middle class  the very people who constitute the foundation of our Nations greatness, Nolan said. This Republican bill hands trillions to the super rich, raises taxes on millions of everyday Americans, and sets the stage for the privatization and gutting of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. I voted no on this bill and will continue to vehemently oppose it in every way I can.\n\nThe most recent Tax Policy Center analysis of the conference report indicates that 83% of the tax cuts under H.R.1 will go to the top 1% of Americans. In addition, 86 million middle class households will see a tax increase.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://walz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walz-votes-no-on-gop-tax-bill-0", "Walz Votes No on GOP Tax Bill", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Tim Walz", "W000799", "walz.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Representative Tim Walz (MN-01) released the following statement after voting against the Conference Report on H.R. 1, the Republican tax bill:\nInstead of working across the aisle to find common ground on real tax reform solutions, my Republican colleagues have once again rushed a vote on a partisan bill that would have a detrimental impact on millions of Americans. Under this legislation, 86 million middle class families would see their taxes increase; the funding for farm safety net programs our farmers rely on during tough times would be at risk; health insurance premiums would rise; 13 million fewer Americans would have health coverage; and the health and wellbeing of folks on Medicaid  including 1.75 million veterans  would be threatened as Republicans look to cut vital programs in the wake of the estimated $2.2 trillion this bill would add to our federal deficit.\nTo make matters even worse, 83 percent of the tax cuts in this bill would go to the wealthiest one percent of Americans, many of whom belong to the political donor class that pours large sums of money into elections all across the nation. I believe this bill is evidence that the influence of money in our politics is taking a growing toll on the good we are capable of achieving here in Washington for working families back home. In order to ensure the voices of all those we are tasked with representing here on Capitol Hill are heard, it is imperative that we reform how campaigns are financed in this country.\nWalz, who has been vocal about the harm the GOP tax bill would do to veterans, farmers and middle class families, announced a statement from Vice President Walter Mondale and Governor Arne Carlson on an earlier version of the Republican legislation in November. The full statement can be read here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=99F158E6-E97D-47FF-97D0-991FE5AC5637", "Klobuchar, Collins, Baldwin Press Strongbridge Biopharma for Answers on Dramatic Price Increase for Keveyis Drug that Treats Glaucoma and Rare Genetic Disease", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After a series of companies bought and sold the right to the decades-old drug, the list price was hiked from $50 to $13,650 for 100 pills in 2015; Strongbridge recently acquired the drug and hiked the price even further to $15,001\n \r\n In a letter to Chief Executive Officer Matthew Pauls, Klobuchar, Collins, and Baldwin urge Strongbridge to take immediate steps to alleviate the burden their price increases have put on patients and to ensure the companys behavior fully complies with relevant laws, regulations and guidance \r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) have pressed Strongbridge Biopharma for answers on the dramatic price increase for Keveyis, formerly known as Daranide, a drug that treats glaucoma and a type of rare genetic disease known as periodic paralysis, which causes attacks of muscle weakness or loss of muscle movement. After a series of companies bought and sold the right to the decades-old dichlorphenamide, the list price was hiked from $50 to $13,650 for 100 pills in 2015. Strongbridge recently acquired the drug and hiked the price even further to $15,001. In a letter to Chief Executive Officer Matthew Pauls, Klobuchar, Collins, and Baldwin urge Strongbridge to take immediate steps to alleviate the burden their price increases have put on patients and to ensure the companys behavior fully complies with relevant laws, regulations and guidance.\r\nWe are writing to express our deep concern regarding the dramatic price increase for Keveyis, formerly known as Daranide, after Strongbridge Biopharma acquired the drug. As recently as the early 2000s, patients could obtain 100 pills of dichlorphenamide at a list price of $50, the senators wrote. Yet, after a series of companies bought and sold the rights to this decades-old drug and obtained a new rare disease designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the list price increased to $13,650 for 100 pills in 2015. Strongbridge recently acquired the drug and hiked the price even further to $15,001. According to a Strongbridge, patients might pay up to $219,000 a year for this medication.\r\nThe senators continued, We are committed to combatting sudden astronomical price increases as well as any anticompetitive conduct and attempts to game the regulatory process at the expense of Americans in need of life-saving therapies. We urge you to take immediate steps to alleviate the burden your price increases have imposed on patients and to ensure your companys behavior fully complies with relevant laws, regulations and guidance. Please provide our offices with a written response including any analysis used by Strongbridge Biopharma relating to the pricing or market share of dichlorphenamide since 2015, any research and development and product improvement activities Strongbridge Biopharma has conducted since acquiring this drug, and any information reviewed or generated by the Strongbridge Biopharma Board of Directors relating to the drug over that same period.\r\nKlobuchar has championed efforts to protect consumers and lower prescription drug costs by promoting competition in the healthcare system, authoring multiple pieces of legislation that would address the high cost of prescription drugs. Klobuchars bill to lift the ban that prohibits Medicare from negotiating prescription drug prices on behalf of 41 million seniors currently has 33 cosponsors. Klobuchar, Baldwin, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) earlier this year introduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow individuals to safely import prescription drugs from Canada, creating major savings for consumers and bringing greater competition into the pharmaceutical market. Klobuchar has also introduced the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to stop pay for delay dealsthe practice of brand-name drug companies using anti-competitive pay-off agreements to keep more affordable generic equivalents off the market. Klobuchars Short on Competition Act, introduced with Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), would allow a company to sell a drug that has been on the market in another country with strong safety requirements for at least ten years if the drug faces little or no competition in the U.S. The Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act would address abusive tactics that prevent affordable drugs from entering the market.\r\nSenator Collins is committed to promoting innovation while improving access and affordability of prescription medications for patients, particularly for the 90 percent of our nations seniors who take prescription drugs. As Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, Senator Collins led a bipartisan investigation last year into the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to egregious price spikes for decades-old off-patent drugs. Following her investigation, a bill that Senator Collins authored to improve generic competition and lower the cost of prescription drugs was signed into law as part of the FDA Reauthorization Act.\r\nSenator Baldwin has made addressing skyrocketing prescription drug prices a top priority. Senator Baldwin introduced bipartisan legislation, the FAIR Drug Pricing Act, with Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to address skyrocketing prescription drug prices by requiring transparency for pharmaceutical corporations that plan to increase drug prices. Senator Baldwin also joined a group of Senate Democrats to launch a major push to bring down the costs of prescription drugs by introducing the Improving Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs Act.\r\nThe full text of the senators letter isbelow.\r\nDear Mr. Pauls,\r\nWe are writing to express our deep concern regarding the dramatic price increase for Keveyis, formerly known as Daranide, after Strongbridge Biopharma acquired the drug.\r\nThis drug (dichlorphenamide) was approved in the U.S. in 1958. Keveyis is used to treat glaucoma as well as a type of rare genetic disease, known as periodic paralysis, which causes attacks of muscle weakness or loss of muscle movement. Some people with this condition suffer daily attacks for hours on end and these attacks can occur without warning.\r\nAs recently as the early 2000s, patients could obtain 100 pills of dichlorphenamide at a list price of $50. Yet, after a series of companies bought and sold the rights to this decades-old drug and obtained a new rare disease designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the list price increased to $13,650 for 100 pills in 2015. Strongbridge recently acquired the drug and hiked the price even further to $15,001. According to Strongbridge, patients might pay up to $219,000 a year for this medication.\r\nA 300-fold increase in the cost of a vital, decades-old treatment is unacceptable. Last year, the Senate Aging Committee released a report following a bipartisan investigation into sudden price spikes in decades old drugs, uncovering a business model that exploits market failures at the expense of patients. We are committed to combatting sudden astronomical price increases as well as any anticompetitive conduct and attempts to game the regulatory process at the expense of Americans in need of life-saving therapies.\r\nWe urge you to take immediate steps to alleviate the burden your price increases have imposed on patients and to ensure your companys behavior fully complies with relevant laws, regulations and guidance. Please provide our offices with a written response including any analysis used by Strongbridge Biopharma relating to the pricing or market share of dichlorphenamide since 2015, any research and development and product improvement activities Strongbridge Biopharma has conducted since acquiring this drug, and any information reviewed or generated by the Stonebridge Biopharma Board of Directors relating to the drug over that same period. Please also provide any documents examining the impact of the price increase on people with periodic paralysis and other conditions treated by this drug. We also ask that you provide a briefing to our staff at a mutually convenient time no later than three weeks from today.\r\nWe appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=B3961145-FBA8-4B71-BA36-0EB4FAB29C0E", "As Department of Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen Begins Tenure, Klobuchar, Lankford Urge Making Election Cybersecurity a Top Priority", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Intelligence reports make it clear that Russia hacked presidential campaign accounts from both parties, launched cyberattacks against at least 21 state election systems, attacked a U.S. voting systems software company, and illegally obtained emails from more than 100 local election officials; In response to these attacks on our election system, in January 2017 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determined that election infrastructure should be designated as a subsector of the existing Government Facilities critical infrastructure sector \r\n In a letter, Klobuchar and Lankford call on DHS Secretary Kristjen Nielsen to do more to fully protect our systems, including improving information sharing between states and the federal government and providing states with resources, best practices, and manpower to help combat attacks and update voting technology; The senators have also developed bipartisan legislation to require DHS cooperation and leadership on establishing information sharing processes and improving election cybersecurity \r\nWASHINGTON, DC  As Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen begins her tenure, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and James Lankford (R-OK) have urged her to prioritize election cybersecurity. Intelligence reports make it clear that Russia hacked presidential campaign accounts from both parties, launched cyberattacks against at least 21 state election systems, attacked a U.S. voting systems software company, and illegally obtained emails from more than 100 local election officials. In response to these attacks on our election system, in January 2017 the DHS determined that election infrastructure should be designated as a subsector of the existing Government Facilities critical infrastructure sector. In a letter, Klobuchar and Lankford call on DHS Secretary Nielsen to do more to fully protect our systems, including improving information sharing between states and the federal government and providing states with resources, best practices, and manpower to help combat attacks and update voting technology. The senators have also developed bipartisan legislation to require DHS cooperation and leadership on establishing information sharing processes and improving election cybersecurity.\r\nWe write to express concern about the security of U.S. election systems and to urge you to prioritize election cybersecurity as you begin your tenure as Secretary. Election security is national security, and our election systems have become a target for foreign adversaries, the senators wrote. Given your significant experience across administrations, within the Department, and on issues of cybersecurity, we are hopeful that under your leadership DHS will make securing our election infrastructure a top priority.\r\nThe senators continued, We must do everything in our power to protect our democracy from future attacks. Time is of the essence, the next federal election is less than a year away.\r\nAs Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight jurisdiction over federal elections, Klobuchar has introduced legislation to improve the security of U.S. election systems and make commonsense improvements to election administration. Klobuchar and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) have also introduced the bipartisanStop Foreign Donations Affecting Our Elections Actto strengthen disclosure by requiring federal campaigns to use existing credit card verification protocols to help verify that online credit card donations come from U.S. sources. In June, Klobuchar introduced theHelping State and Local Governments Prevent Cyber Attacks Actto help combat foreign interference by providing state and local governments with the information and resources they need to keep our elections secure and improve voter confidence.\r\nIn addition, Klobuchar has led Senate Rules Committee Democrats in acall for hearingsand briefings on foreign attempts to hack into U.S. election systems and improving cybersecurity. Klobuchar also leda group of 26 senators in calling for a full account of the Election Assistance Commissions (EAC) efforts to address Russian cybersecurity threats.In early January, Klobuchar introduced legislation with four other senators to create an independent, nonpartisan commission to comprehensively investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election.\r\nSenator Lankford serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating foreign interference during the American 2016 presidential campaign and election. Lankford also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Department Homeland Security, which both have jurisdiction of election and cybersecurity entities.\r\nThe full text of the senators letter isbelow.\r\nDear Secretary Nielsen,\r\nWe write to express concern about the security of U.S. election systems and to urge you to prioritize election cybersecurity as you begin your tenure as Secretary.\r\nElection security is national security, and our election systems have become a target for foreign adversaries. Intelligence reports make it clear that Russia hacked presidential campaign accounts from both parties, launched cyberattacks against at least 21 state election systems, attacked a U.S. voting systems software company, and illegally obtained emails from more than 100 local election officials. National security officials continue to sound the alarm that our voting systems will remain a target in future elections.\r\nIn response to these attacks on our election system, in January 2017 the Department of Homeland Security determined that election infrastructure should be designated as a subsector of the existing Government Facilities critical infrastructure sector. This was an important step towards ensuring that election systems, including voting machines, voter registration databases, and other systems used to administer elections and store election data are prioritized and protected. However, more must be done to fully protect our systems.\r\nFor example, we must improve information sharing between the federal government and states regarding threats and ensure that security clearances for appropriate state election officials are expedited so that they can receive relevant information. We must also provide states with resources, best practices and manpower to help combat attacks and update voting technology. State and local election officials are on the front lines of our democratic process. It is wrong to leave them defenseless against sophisticated cyber hackers backed by the Kremlin and other adversaries.\r\nWe have worked across the aisle with colleagues from both the Senate and the House to develop legislation that would help protect our election systems. Our Senate legislation requires DHS cooperation and leadership on establishing information sharing processes and improving election cybersecurity. Given your significant experience across administrations, within the Department, and on issues of cybersecurity, we are hopeful that under your leadership DHS will make securing our election infrastructure a top priority.\r\nWe must do everything in our power to protect our democracy from future attacks. Time is of the essence, the next federal election is less than a year away.\r\nThank you for your attention to this important matter, I look forward to working with you.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/press-release/peterson-klobuchar-walz-mccollum-nolan-emmer-and-ellison-urge-us-customs-and-border", "Peterson, Klobuchar, Walz, McCollum, Nolan, Emmer, and Ellison urge U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to initiate a pilot program in border crossing technology and to delay the reduction in service hours at the Lancaster and Roseau Ports of Entry", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Collin C. Peterson led a bipartisan letter with Senator Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tim Walz, Rep. Betty McCollum, Rep. Rick Nolan, Rep. Tom Emmer, and Rep. Keith Ellison urging U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to delay the announced reduction of service hours in Lancaster and Roseau Ports of Entry (POEs), and to create a pilot program using proven technology to increase service for non-commercial crossings at those sites.\nCBP surprised residents living in northwest Minnesota by announcing they would be dramatically reducing service hours in the Lancaster and Roseau POEs and shift officers to Pembina, ND. Residents attending town halls voiced their strong objections to the reduction of service citing concerns about the impact it would have on the regions economy. In the letter, the lawmakers identify the pilot program already underway at the NW Angle as a model for what can be created at the Lancaster and Roseau POEs.\nWe write to urge U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to initiate a pilot program that utilizes existing virtual interview process technology at the Lancaster and Roseau Ports of Entry (POEs) and delay the reduction in service hours until the pilot can be launched. The lawmakers continued, with slight infrastructure improvements, Lancaster and Roseau POEs will be able to safely and efficiently process passenger vehicles twenty-four hours a day without rerouting them through inconvenient ports in Pembina or Warroad.\nIf CBP agrees to expand the use of this technology for these ports of entry, it could have wide-ranging benefits for Minnesota. The benefits of the new technology include establishing an efficient way for area residents and tourists to check-in with CBP officials remotely while expanding resources for local businesses and resort owners.\nCurrent hours of service at the Port of Lancaster are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The CBP has announced that they will reduce the hours of service, operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. between October 1 and April 30 and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. between May 1 through September 30. Travelers wishing to cross into the U.S. when the port is closed may cross at the Pembina, North Dakota POE which is open 24 hours and located approximately 30 miles west of Lancaster.\nThe current hours of service at the Port of Roseau are 8 a.m. to midnight. The new hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. year round. Travelers wishing to cross into the U.S. after hours may cross at the Warroad, Minnesota POE which is also open 24 hours and located approximately 21 miles east of Roseau.\nRead the letter below:\nDear Executive Assistant Commissioner Todd C. Owen:\nWe write to urge U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to initiate a pilot program that utilizes existing virtual interview process technology at the Lancaster and Roseau Ports of Entry (POEs) and delay the reduction in service hours until the pilot can be launched. We believe that a pilot at these ports would result in a mutually beneficial situation for local residents that depend on reliable access to these POEs and the agency which has expressed a need for more officers at the Pembina, North Dakota port.\nWe are pleased with the current pilot program that is underway at the Northwest Angle, a remote and unique area in Minnesota which will greatly benefit from virtual interview process technology. The mechanics and model of this pilot can also be applied in a cost-effective manner to the Lancaster and Roseau POEs, which are updated facilities that already possess license plate readers. With slight infrastructure improvements, Lancaster and Roseau POEs will be able to safely and efficiently process passenger vehicles twenty-four hours a day without rerouting them through inconvenient ports in Pembina or Warroad.\nWhen CBP announced the agency would reduce service hours at Lancaster and Roseau POEs, two town hall meetings were held on November 6th and November 2nd, 2017. At the Lancaster town hall alone, a petition was signed by 495 constituents who agreed with the statement that the reduction in service hours will have a negative economic, financial, and personal effect on those who operate businesses, travel, and live near these POEs. The pilot program we are advocating for in this letter could significantly address many of these concerns.\nWe understand CBPs overall goal is to optimize service along our nations land borders in a fiscally responsible manner. The Planning, Program Analysis, and Evaluation Office within the Office of Field Operations plays a vital role in leveraging technologies which better serve our citizens needs. In your response, we request that you identify any existing technology that could be utilized in a virtual interview process pilot program at the Lancaster and Roseau POEs. This pilot would serve as an efficient and innovative way for CBP to continue serving our communities while meeting that goal.\nWhile this request is considered, we ask that the agency delay current plans to reduce service hours at these ports until a pilot program can begin implementation and the ongoing needs of the communities can be evaluated in an open and transparent manner. We look forward to working with you to advance this use of technology as a possible solution for all stakeholders.\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/rep-petersons-newsletter-12152017", "Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 12/15/2017", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wild Turkeys Outside  Thief River Falls\nDear Friends,\nThis week I wrote and sent a bipartisan letter, along with Senator Klobuchar and Representatives Walz, Ellison, Nolan, and Emmer to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency after they finalized a proposal to reduce service hours at the Lancaster and Roseau Ports of Entry. Tourism and trade from our neighbors to the north continues to play an important part in keeping Minnesotas rural economy strong. Next week, I return to Washington as the House is expected to consider tax legislation and an additional government funding measure.\nSincerely,\nCongressman Collin C. Peterson  Minnesota 7th District\n American Petroleum Institute \n  Jack Gerard, President and CEO of API\nI sat down with the President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute Jack Gerard to talk about areas of common concerns regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard. I think there is room for agreement about the uncertainty surrounding the renewable fuel program, especially looking towards the future of the program. I always welcome serious discussions about these issues as it becomes more important than ever to have a diverse and competitive fuel supply.\n Minnesota Farm Bureau \nI met with Minnesota Farm Bureau President Kevin Paap, his wife Julie, and Amber Glaeser on Monday to talk about the next farm bill. Kevin was in Washington for a meeting of the Farm Bureau state presidents. We talked about several programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), as well as the anticipated timeline for the farm bill moving ahead. I look forward to continuing the conversation with Minnesota Farm Bureau and other stakeholders as we progress on this bill.\n Point of View with Chris Berg \nEarlier this week I was a guest on Point of View with Chris Berg. We talked about Senator Frankens resignation, the appointment of Lt. Governor Tina Smith to the Senate, and the current GOP tax plan. I think my Republican colleagues are making a mistake by working on tax reform on a partisan basis. Democrats made the same mistake on health care. As Ive stated before, there are proposals I support, like reducing the corporate tax rate to 20 percent to make the U.S. more competitive internationally. I wont support them at the expense of middle-class tax increases and the removal of tax deductions for those with Alzheimers in the hospital. I look forward to carefully reviewing the changes made in the conference report and will keep my constituents in mind.\nWatch my interview here.\n Military Service Academy Interviews \nThis week, my office conducted interviews with a group of seven outstanding students looking to attend our nations Service Academies. Each year, Im proud to submit candidates for consideration to the United States Military, Naval, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine Academies. Id like to thank our Academy Interview Panel for their dedication to the next generation of Service Academy students. The panel consisted of Steve Cotariu, Richard Smestad, Jennifer Smestad, Mike Arntson and Alex Cabrera. Their experience consists of a combination of three West Point graduates, a Naval graduate, and a full time Army servicemember.\n Woodland Elementary Blue Ribbon Designation \nI would like to congratulate Woodland Elementary School in Alexandria for their achievement as a Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education in the Exemplary High Performing category. The designation is based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Woodland was one of eight schools recognized in Minnesota and one of only 342 across the United States. This is a significant accomplishment to be nationally recognized for their hard work on behalf of students and is a testament to how much teachers and administrators value the students and their success. Friday my staff aide Jacki Anderson attended their Blue Ribbon Ceremony to celebrate their accomplishment. Keep up the great work Woodland Elementary!\n Canadian Pacific Holiday Train \nOn Tuesday, a large crowd greeted the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train at its stop in Plummer. The CP Holiday Train program started in 1999 and has raised more than $13 million dollars and four million pounds of food for communities along the CPs routes in Canada and the United States. This year, Plummer presented a $4500 check to the Red Lake County Food Shelf.\n Annual Prairie Grains Conference \nThis week, my staff attended the 2017 Prairie Grains Conference. This conference brings farmers, commodity groups, vendors, and University researchers together to support our agricultural communities. Im always glad to see our communities working together to create new solutions to our shared challenges.\n Legislative Update \n Pilot Program Proposal at Lancaster and Roseau Ports \nI wrote and sent a bipartisan letter, along with Senator Klobuchar and Representatives McCollum, Walz, Ellison, Nolan, and Emmer to U.S. Customs and Border Protection after the agency finalized its proposal to reduce service hours at Lancaster and Roseau Ports of Entry and advocated for a pilot program. I think that these POEs could utilize existing virtual interview process technology that is currently being used at the Northwest Angle. When these ports are non-manned, this technology would allow non-commercial vehicles to access the ports and still go through necessary background checks through a visual process thats connected to CBP Officers at the twenty-four hour Pembina or Warroad POEs. I recently spoke with Dan Gunderson on Minnesota Public Radio about these challenges to our communities. I will continue to encourage CBP to begin a pilot program using this technology at Lancaster and Roseau POEs.\n Newsstand \n National Park Service Announces Fee-Free Days for 2018 \nThe National Park Service announced today that the public will be invited to experience all national parks, without entrance fees, on four days in 2018.\nThe entrance fee-free days for 2018 will be:\n January 15  Martin Luther King, Jr. Day\nApril 21  First Day of National Park Week\nSeptember 22  National Public Lands Day\nNovember 11  Veterans Day\n You can learn more about our national parks online here.\n This Week in American History \nOn December 11, 1970 University of Minnesota alumnus Norman Borlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize for his research hybridizing wheat. Known as the father of the green revolution, Borlaugs work contributed to large increases in crop yield and agricultural production, helping feed people all around the world.\n Spotted in the Seventh \n\nCan YOU guess what was Spotted in the Seventh? Each week, the newsletter will feature a landmark or site somewhere in Western Minnesota. The first person to name the location wins! The location of the photo as well as the winner will be revealed in the next newsletter.\nThis weeks location may be located in the Seventh, but is made up of every Minnesota County, all 50 U.S. states, and most of Canadas provinces\nCongratulationsto Jack Olson of Detroit Lakes, who was the first to correctly identify last weeks location as the Moorhead City Hall!\nShare your guess on our website http://collinpeterson.house.gov/contact-me/spotted-seventh\n  Celebrate the Light Event  in Willmar", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ellison-on-honduran-election", "Rep. Ellison on Honduran Election", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONRep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) issued the following statement after Honduras electoral commission declared right-wing incumbent Juan Orlando Hernndez as the winner of the November 26 presidential election:\n\tWhats happening in Honduras is an affront to people across the world who believe in the rule of law and government accountability. The Honduran presidential election has been stained by repeated inconsistencies, flaws, and allegations of fraud so widespread, credible and severe that the Organization of American States has already determined that elections lacked integrity and has expressed serious doubts about the results. They are right, and the Honduran people are owed either a full recount of the vote or a new election.\n\tAdditionally, our State Department has to make clear that we will not tolerate when aforeign government starts to crack down on nonviolent protest within its borders. 22 protesters have already lost their lives at the hands of state-sponsored violence in Honduras, and we in the United States have to speak clearly in denouncing that abuse of power. The Honduran people deserve the right to a free and fair election, and to voice dissent without fear of violence.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/the-monday-report/hijacked", "Hijacked!", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Internets Been Hijacked! \n\n\tOur Twitter graphic calling attention to the end of net neutrality went viral last week. The point is  this is what the Slow Lane of the Internet could soon look like.\nDear Friend,\nThe Trump faction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has hijacked the Internet for super-rich corporate America.Ignoring protests submitted by millions of regular consumers, the FCCs Republican majority voted last week toend net neutrality. Ive already joined with a number of my colleagues in sponsoring legislation to reverse this anti-consumer decision.But in the meantime,out the door will go rules that have prevented giant telecom corporations like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast from creating a two-lane Internet a fast lane for the wealthy who can pay, and a slow lane  or no lane at all  for everyone else left behind. Now for example, with net neutrality rules gone, big box mega-store chains can pay their Internet service providers a premium price to speed online circulars to customers. Meanwhile, regular priced online offers from your local, family-owned hardware store will wait their turn. Anddont be surprised when your Internet provider begins offering high-priced service plans that look like Cable TV where you have to buy lots of channels you dont want to get the few you like and use. In short,the end of net neutrality will be bad for consumers, bad for small businesses, and bad for everyone who has come to depend on fast, dependable Internet in daily life.Mark my words  Im going to do all I can to put the Internet back in the hands of regular people  not wealthy service providers and the huge corporate interests that can pay for Cadillac level service others cant afford.\nWe will keep you posted as events proceed. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact any of our offices listed below orsend me an email.\nSincerely,  \n\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=636ED4FF-546F-43BD-9DDB-67B6A1719282", "Klobuchar, Markey, Blumenthal, Hirono Introduce Legislation to Encourage Young People to Vote", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Millennials and young voters make up 31 percent of the electorate but have the lowest turnout of any age group; In a study of voter registration, 24 percent of young people cited difficulties in the process for their failing to register, saying they did not know where or how to register to vote \r\n The Students Voicing Opinions in Todays Elections (VOTE) Act would create a pilot program to educate high school seniors about registering to vote \r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) have introduced legislation to encourage young people to vote. Millennials and young voters make up 31 percent of the electorate but have the lowest turnout of any age group. In a study of young voter registration, 24 percent of young people cited difficulties in the process for their failing to register, saying they did not know where or how to register to vote. The Students Voicing Opinions in Todays Elections (VOTE) Act would create a pilot program to educate high school seniors about registering to vote.\r\nIt has never been more important for young people to make their voices heard, and voting is one big way to do just that, Klobuchar said. Our bill would help empower high school seniors with the knowledge they need to register to vote as soon as they are eligible and make those voices count.\r\nThis measure engages new voters  when they are still in high school  and strengthens our democracy, Blumenthal said. This first of its kind pilot program will inform and inspire the youngest generation  invigorating a key demographic as we seek to engage all Americans in a truly participatory democracy. At a critical juncture in American history, our bill recognizes that our democracy is at its strongest when every voice is heard.\r\nWhile young people make up an increasing percentage of the electorate, those numbers are not reflected at the polls, Hirono said. The Students VOTE Act would give schools critical resources to help new voters register and encourage young people to make their voices heard.\r\nCongressman Al Green (D-TX) introduced companion legislation in the House in January.\r\nThe legislation has been endorsed by Let America Vote, Rock the Vote, Common Cause, and Demos.\r\nSpecifically, the Students VOTE Act would:\r\n \r\nDirect the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to create a pilot program that funds initiatives by school districts and local education agencies to give high school seniors information about registering to vote.\r\nInvite local educational agencies to submit an application to the EAC detailing their initiative and estimated costs.\r\nRequire funded agencies to collaborate with local election officials to ensure the information students receive is accurate.\r\nDictate that funded agencies submit a report analyzing the effectiveness of their initiatives to the EAC, which will submit a report to Congress about the pilot program.\r\n \r\nThroughout her time in the Senate, Klobuchar has been fighting to protect voting rights for all Americans. In November, she introduced the Register America to Vote Act to require every state to develop and implement a process that automatically registers eligible citizens to vote when they turn 18. She has also introduced the Helping State and Local Governments Prevent Cyber Attacks Act, which streamlines voter registration for Americans that move and increases access to online voter registration. In addition, Klobuchar and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) have introduced the Same Day Registration Act to require states to allow people to register to vote on the same day as the election.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=10260004-A91D-467E-B4D2-756C23B18D2C", "Klobuchar Pushes to Restore FCC\u2019s Net Neutrality Rules", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CRA resolution would reinstate robust net neutrality protections and the Open Internet Order \r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), along with Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and 14 other senators, announced a plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would undo yesterdays action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and restore the 2015 net neutrality rules. On Thursday, the FCC approved an item to eliminate protections that prevented internet service providers from setting up internet fast and slow lanes and ensured they could not block, slow down or prioritize internet traffic.\r\nAs a strong supporter of a free and open internet, I was extremely disappointed in the Federal Communications Commissions vote to eliminate net neutrality rulesa vote that will harm our rural communities, consumers, and small businesses, Klobuchar said. We must continue the fight to preserve net neutrality protections. With this action, Congress can push back on the Federal Communications Commissions decision to repeal protections that keep the internet free and open.\r\nA copy of the CRA can be found HERE.\r\nOther senators co-sponsoring the CRA resolution include Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (DCT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=A75E3410-12CE-4760-976D-143387AD6B3E", "Klobuchar Statement on Disney\u2019s Potential Acquisition of 21st Century Fox", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar released the following statement on the announcement of The Walt Disney Companys potential acquisition of 21st Century Fox:\r\n\"This week we have seen the announcement of another industry-changing merger, which would have major implications in television, film, and media. Yesterday, Disney announced that it is acquiring 21st Century Foxs film and television studios, cable entertainment networks, and international television businesses. Im concerned about the impact of this transaction on American consumers.\r\nAs the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, I have asked Senator Lee, who has worked closely with me in this area in the past, and Chairman Grassley to schedule a hearing on the proposed merger so that there is appropriate oversight over the antitrust review process.\r\nKlobuchar is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights. She has chaired or been the Ranking Democrat on hearings regarding mergers in the telecommunications, health insurance, airlines, music publishing, beer, and contact lens industries.\r\nThis week she met with Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim about current issues in antitrust law and policy and the need for continued vigilance in this area.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=D3E7E839-650C-4394-AB3B-FF212F19AB24", "Klobuchar Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Enhance American Timber Economy", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Good Neighbor Authority Improvement Act would update Good Neighbor Authority to avoid timber harvest delays, allow needed road repairs \r\nWASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has cosponsored the bipartisan Good Neighbor Authority Improvement Act to amend the 2014 Farm Bill to allow the Forest Services Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) to cover forest management efforts that require road repair, improve forest access, and complete stalled Forest Service projects.\r\n\r\nThe Good Neighbor Authority Improvement Act proactively addresses the need to conduct road repairs in order to complete Forest Service projects in the next few years. This modification also supports ecosystem goals by improving forest health, restoring wildlife and fish habitat, and improving water quality. The legislation was introduced by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and is also cosponsored by Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI).\r\n\r\nMinnesotas forests dont just provide recreational opportunities and environmental benefits. They can also sustain rural economies, said Klobuchar. This bipartisan bill will continue to encourage collaboration between the U.S. Forest Service and state agencies to undertake forest management projects, which will help protect water resources, enhance wildlife habitat, restore forest health, and strengthen our local economies.\r\nThe Good Neighbor Authority Improvement Act is supported by the Federal Forest Resource Coalition, Forest Resources Association, National Association of State Foresters, Hardwood Federation, Boone and Crockett Club, and the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association.\r\n\r\nKlobuchar has urged the U.S. Forest Service to quickly implement Good Neighbor Authority and to use the authority to facilitate approved timber sales that may not be feasible with the agencys current resources and staffing levels. The forest products industry and related sectors have grown to support 40,000 jobs in Minnesota and directly contribute $9.7 billion in economic output. In a letter to the Supervisor of the Superior National Forest, Klobuchar urged forward movement on Good Neighbor Authority projects so the benefits to forest products, mills, and forest economies can be fully realized. She also pushed the Superior and Chippewa National Forests to do more to deliver on the promises of multiple use by meeting restoration objectives and delivering more fiber to forest products mills in northern Minnesota. \nKlobuchar worked on including a nationwide expansion of Good Neighbor Authority in the 2014 Farm Bill to give the U.S. Forest Service the flexibility to work with the state to increase the speed and efficiency of important forest management projects.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-condemns-net-neutrality-repeal-announces-intent-co-sponsor-legislation", "McCollum Condemns Net Neutrality Repeal, Announces Intent to Co-Sponsor Legislation to Save Net Neutrality", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) today condemned the Federal Communications Commission\u2019s decision to repeal net neutrality rules and announced her intention to co-sponsor new legislation to overturn the FCC\u2019s decision.\n\u201cNet neutrality is a cornerstone of a free and open internet. The FCC\u2019s partisan decision to end this basic principle is yet another example of how Republicans are padding the pockets of big corporations at the expense of consumers and small businesses,\u201d Congresswoman McCollum said.\nCongresswoman McCollum also announced her intention to join Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and other House Democrats on legislation to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the FCC\u2019s decision and restore net neutrality.\n\u201cCongress has the power to overturn the FCC\u2019s terrible decision, and we should use it,\u201d Congresswoman McCollum said. \u201cI am proud to join House Democrats in support of commonsense legislation to nullify this decision, preserve net neutrality, and save the internet.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/democrats-push-to-add-pension-fix-to-spending-bill", "Democrats push to add pension fix to spending bill", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Top Democrats joined with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Wednesday to demand that the government spending bill include rescues for struggling pension plans such as the Teamsters' Central States plan.\n\"At the same time that we are doing a $1.5 trillion tax cut for the rich we ought to be able to find a few billions for workers' pensions,\" Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., said at a rally Wednesday on Capitol Hill hosted by the Teamsters. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., were among those who attended the event.\nDemocrats said they were making pension plan rescues one of the demands for reaching a deal with the Republican leadership on the spending package. \"Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi have made it clear to the president and the Republican leadership that the end-of-the-year spending bill has got to include the Butch Lewis Act,\" said Rep. Rick Nolan, D-Minn., referring to the main legislative vehicle to aid ailing pension funds. The legislation, authored by Sen Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, would direct the Treasury Department to loan funds to ailing plans at very low interest rates.\nPelosi did not guarantee success however, saying instead that \"we will try\" to add the legislation at every opportunity. A short-term government funding bill runs out Dec. 22.\nMany pension programs, especially multiemployer ones, are drastically underfunded. Thomas Reeder, director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, told a congressional panel last month that pension premiums paid into his organization had been \"too low for too long\" to insure the nation's pension plans.\nThe PBGC's multiemployer plan covers 10 million workers and retirees in about 1,400 plans. It has liabilities of $67.3 billion but assets of just $2.3 billion to cover them. One of the most troubled is the Teamsters Central States fund, which was listed as in \"critical and declining status\" earlier this year by the Labor Department. The maximum a person can receive from the PBGC should a plan fail is about $13,000.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe full story is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=9346E5A8-929B-4B61-A00F-7F535D485133", "Klobuchar Requests Additional Information Regarding Department of Justice Review of Guidelines on Subpoenas for News Organizations", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Department\u2019s current guidelines, which were last updated in 2015, protect reporters engaged in \u201cnewsgathering activities\u201d from being prosecuted for doing their job; The 2015 revisions also expand high-level review, including review by the Attorney General, to enforce a subpoena against a media organization \r\n In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Klobuchar expresses concerns about any potential action to weaken the existing protections for journalists in light of their previous exchanges before the Judiciary Committee this year \r\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2014 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has requested additional information regarding the Department of Justice\u2019s review of its guidelines on subpoenas for news organizations. The Department\u2019s current guidelines, which were last updated in 2015, protect reporters engaged in \u201cnewsgathering activities\u201d from being prosecuted for doing their job. The 2015 revisions also expand high-level review, including review by the Attorney General, to enforce a subpoena against a media organization. In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Klobuchar expresses concerns about any potential action to weaken the existing protections for journalists in light of their previous exchanges before the Judiciary Committee this year.\r\n\u201cI write to request additional information regarding the Department of Justice\u2019s review of its guidelines on subpoenas for news organizations, which was announced in August\u2026I am particularly concerned about any potential action to weaken the existing protections for journalists in light of our previous exchanges before the Judiciary Committee this year,\u201d Klobuchar wrote. \u201cAt the same time, you acknowledged in your confirmation hearing that \u2018there is a broadly recognized and proper deference to the news media\u2019 within the Department with respect to protections for journalists, and it is my hope that that same appreciation for the media\u2019s role is seriously considered as part of the Department\u2019s current effort.\u201d\r\nDuring his confirmation hearing and at a Judiciary Committee hearing in October, Klobuchar questioned Attorney General Sessions about his commitment to defending the freedom of the press and not to put reporters in jail for doing their jobs. He responded both in the hearing and to a written follow-up that he had not had time to review the issue.\r\nThe full text of the letter is below.\r\nDear Attorney General Sessions:\r\nI write to request additional information regarding the Department of Justice\u2019s review of its guidelines on subpoenas for news organizations, which was announced in August.\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe Department\u2019s current guidelines, which were last updated in 2015, protect reporters engaged in \u201cnewsgathering activities\u201d from being prosecuted for doing their job. The 2015 revisions also expand high-level review, including review by the Attorney General, to enforce a subpoena against a media organization. In addition, Attorney General Holder committed to releasing an annual report on any subpoenas issued or charges made against journalists, and he committed not to put journalists in jail for reporting the news. These practices were all continued by Attorney General Lynch.\r\nIn light of the importance of these guidelines, I write to seek additional information on the Department\u2019s review of these policies. I am particularly concerned about any potential action to weaken the existing protections for journalists in light of our previous exchanges before the Judiciary Committee this year. At the same time, you acknowledged in your confirmation hearing that \u201cthere is a broadly recognized and proper deference to the news media\u201d within the Department with respect to protections for journalists, and it is my hope that that same appreciation for the media\u2019s role is seriously considered as part of the Department\u2019s current effort.\r\nAccordingly, I respectfully request that you provide responses to the following questions:\r\n \r\nWhat is the process by which the Department of Justice is reviewing its policies concerning media subpoenas? Which Department officials are involved in the review?\r\nAre other government officials from the White House or elsewhere in the Administration involved in this review? If so, which official(s) are involved?\u00a0\r\nWhen do you expect the review process to be completed?\r\nIs the Department consulting with outside organizations, including organizations representing journalists, as part of this effort? If so, which organizations?\r\nWill you commit to providing an update on any decisions made as part of this process to the Senate Judiciary Committee?\r\n \r\nThank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to your response.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=9CAFF7B4-E736-414B-A54D-6633B29E8E50", "Klobuchar Statement on Net Neutrality Vote", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today released the following statement on the Federal Communications Commissions net neutrality vote.\r\nAs a strong supporter of a free and open internet, I am opposed to the Federal Communications Commissions vote to eliminate net neutrality rules. These important protections prevent internet service providers from blocking, slowing and prioritizing web traffic. This vote will harm consumers, particularly in rural areas. It will limit competition. And it will hurt small business entrepreneurship and innovation. I will continue to push for a free and open internet.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/press-release/peterson-statement-governor-dayton%E2%80%99s-decision-appoint-lt-governor-tina-smith-us-senate", "Peterson statement on Governor Daytons decision to appoint Lt. Governor Tina Smith to the U.S. Senate", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Collin C. Peterson made the following statement today after Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton appointed Lt. Governor Tina Smith to the U.S. Senate.\n\u201cI\u2019ve had the opportunity to get to know Lt. Governor Smith over the years and she has always been attentive to issues important to Greater Minnesota,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cIn addition to her experience as Lieutenant Governor, she is a good shot, taking a pheasant at my Pheasant Hunt. I look forward to working with her in her new role as U.S. Senator for the people of Minnesota.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ellison-statement-on-us-senate-appointment", "Ellison Statement on U.S. Senate Appointment", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2014 After Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton announced his appointment of Lt. Gov Tina Flint Smith to the U.S. Senate, Rep. Keith Ellison issued the following statement:\n\t\u00a0\n\t\"Congratulations to my friend Tina Flint Smith on her appointment to the U.S. Senate. Tina is a progressive champion who will be an extraordinary senator for the people of Minnesota. From expanding broadband access in rural areas to investing in early childhood education, Tina has always put working people ahead of special interests, and that\u2019s what she\u2019ll do in the Senate. I look forward to working with her to protect health care, stand for respect for all, and fight for Minnesota families. Tina Smith is the right person at the right time and has my full support both now and when she runs in the 2018 special election.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ellison-on-hr-435-passage-in-financial-services-committee", "Rep. Ellison on H.R. 435 Passage in Financial Services Committee", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) issued the following statement after a bill he authored, The Credit Access and Inclusion Act, passed in Financial Services Committee by a unanimous vote of 60-0:\n\u201cRight now, we have a\u00a0credit system stacked against working families. Even if someone makes nine out of every ten bill payments on time, only the one missed payment is usually\u00a0recorded\u00a0on someone\u2019s credit score. This negative-only bias of credit reporting results in people receiving scores that do not accurately reflect their ability and willingness to pay loans.\n\"More than 50\u00a0million\u00a0Americans\u00a0have no credit information, outdated information or too few credit lines to score. Those without a credit score\u00a0pay\u00a0more for insurance and deposits and may be unable to rent a house or get a\u00a0loan.\nThat\u2019s a serious problem, and this bill helps to fix it. By fixing existing regulations, this bill helps people with no credit history as well as people across the country who deserve higher credit scores than they are currently stuck with.\nIt is my hope that as this bill moves forward, housing providers and telecom and utility firms can easily help their customers build an accurate credit score by getting credit for paying the bills they already pay regularly.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3808", "Sen. Frankens Statement on Appointment of Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith to Serve as United States Senator for Minnesota", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "There are no related items at this time.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThere are no related items at this time.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThere are no related items at this time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-appointment-lt-gov-tina-smith-us-senate", "McCollum Statement on Appointment of Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to the U.S. Senate", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement on Governor Mark Dayton\u2019s appointment of Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith to serve in the United States Senate:\n\u201cLieutenant Governor Tina Smith is an outstanding choice to be Minnesota\u2019s next United States Senator. I have worked with Tina for years \u2014 she is a good friend, an incredibly hard worker, and a woman who is totally committed to our state.\n\u201cTina will be a fierce advocate for families, work for good jobs, and fight to protect health care for all Minnesotans. I look forward to working with her in Congress to continue building a country where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and succeed.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nolan-introduces-legislation-to-protect-social-security-medicare-and", "Nolan Introduces Legislation to Protect Social Security, Medicare, And Medicaid And Calls on Tax Conferees to Uphold President Trumps Promise of No Cuts", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON D.C.] With significant cuts to Medicare providers looming under the pending Republican Tax Bill, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan today introduced legislation (H.Res.659) intended to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from any cuts in any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report considered by the House. Rep. Nolan also called on the tax conferees to uphold President Trump\u2019s promise of \u201cno cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid\u201d in their tax bill negotiations.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThe bottom line is, there must be absolutely no cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid in the tax bill or any bill,\u201d said Nolan. \u201cAmericans have earned and paid into these benefit funds through honest hard work, and they deserve every penny that they were promised. I call on House leadership to adopt my resolution right away.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe Nolan resolution, if adopted, would amend House Rule XXI (Restrictions on Certain Bills) by establishing a Point of Order (thus effectively blocking action) on any bill, joint resolution, amendment, amendment between the Houses, or conference report that would (1) result in a reduction of guaranteed benefits scheduled under title II of the Social Security Act; (2) increase either the early or full retirement age for Social Security benefits; (3) privatize Social Security; (4) result in a reduction of guaranteed benefits for individuals entitled to, or enrolled for, benefits under Medicare; or (5) result in a reduction of benefits or eligibility for individuals enrolled in, or eligible to receive medical assistance under Medicaid.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe full text of Rep. Nolan\u2019s letter to the tax conferees is copied below:\n\u00a0\nDear Conferees,\n\u00a0\nPlease uphold President Trump\u2019s promise to voters of \u201cno cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid\u201d as you resolve differences between the chambers on the tax proposal.\n\u00a0\nThe threat of these cuts, especially to Medicare, is very real. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently provided an explanation of the impact H.R. 1 and its $1.5 trillion deficit increase will have on Medicare and other programs. It estimated Medicare providers will be subject to an automatic $25 billion cut that would begin as soon as January 2018, with cuts in future years likely.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nAs noted by AARP, the consequences for Minnesotans and the country could be grave:\n\u00a0\n\u201cThe sudden cut to Medicare provider funding in 2018 would have an immediate and lasting impact, including fewer providers participating in Medicare and reduced access to care for Medicare beneficiaries.\u00a0 Health care providers may choose to stop accepting Medicare patients at a time when the Medicare population is growing by 10,000 new beneficiaries each day. Cutting reimbursement in 2018, and possibly each year thereafter, would discourage health care providers from treating this growing population. We need to protect and strengthen the Medicare program and ensure there is a health care workforce able and willing to take on new patients.\u201d\n\u00a0\nI am also seriously concerned by Congressional leaders\u2019 reported comments linking the tax bill with future \u201centitlement reform,\u201d a euphemism for cutting programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. By adding over $1 trillion to the debt, our nation\u2019s bedrock programs \u2013 Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security \u2013 will be in the cross-hairs of lawmakers like Speaker Ryan, who have already hinted at using the excuse of growing debt to \u201crestructure\u201d or \u201creform\u201d these programs by gutting them.\n\u00a0\nThis is simply unconscionable. Social Security and Medicare are earned benefits people start paying for the first day and the first hour they ever go to work. These programs never have missed a payment and never fail to yield a profit. They operate at an incredibly low administrative cost. Through wars, depressions and downturns, nothing in our history has done more to lift people out of poverty, build the middle class, raise life expectancies and enhance the quality of our lives than Social Security and Medicare. To cut or weaken these programs \u2013 in the name of giving the super-rich and corporations a tax break \u2013 would be not only an enormous fiscal mistake but a fundamental moral failure.\n\u00a0\nThe power to prevent these cuts and reverse the progress we have made is in your hands as conferees. I urge you to reject cuts \u2013 both now and in the future \u2013 to these vital programs. Thank you for your consideration of my views.\n\u00a0\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nRichard M. Nolan\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nolan-statement-on-dayton-appointment-of-tina-smith-to-be-next-minnesota", "Nolan Statement on Dayton Appointment of Tina Smith  To be Next Minnesota United States Senator", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan today released the following statement on Governor Dayton\u2019s appointment of Lt. Governor Tina Smith to be the next Minnesota United States Senator:\n\u00a0\n\u201cTina Smith has proven through her years of public service and recent work as Lt. Governor that she has the credentials, the integrity, and the dedication to improving Minnesotans\u2019 lives that will make her a tremendous Senator for Minnesota. She has my full support and I am confident she will represent Minnesota with distinction in the United States Senate.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=855E0B2B-8F95-4C01-A33A-8988CD5D748D", "Klobuchar Statement on Governor Dayton\u2019s Senate Appointment", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today released the following statement on Governor Dayton\u2019s appointment of Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith to the U.S. Senate.\u00a0\r\n\u201cDuring her years of experience serving our state, Lieutenant Governor Smith has shown herself to be a capable and effective leader who has worked to improve the lives of Minnesotans. She is well-qualified to step into this role and will be ready to hit the ground running.\r\n\u201cWe have a lot to get done over the next year--from strengthening our infrastructure to reducing the high cost of prescription drugs to ensuring our workers have the skills they need to get good jobs--and I look forward to working with Lieutenant Governor Smith on these critical issues.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/letter-to-fcc-chair-to-protect-net-neutrality", "Letter to FCC Chair to Protect Net Neutrality", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and 33 of his Democratic colleagues signed onto the following letter opposing FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's plan to repeal Title II protection for net neutrality:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-writes-nation-human-rights-palestinian-children", "McCollum Writes In The Nation on Human Rights for Palestinian Children", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) wrote in The Nation\u00a0about her legislation \u2014 the\u00a0Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act, H.R. 4391\u00a0\u2014\u00a0that prevents United States tax dollars from supporting the Israeli military\u2019s ongoing detention and mistreatment of Palestinian children.\u00a0\n\"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has persisted for decades, including 50 years of Israeli military occupation of Palestinian lands. To help sustain the occupation, Israel\u2019s military and police forces have arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned thousands of Palestinian children, mostly for throwing stones.\u00a0Israel\u2019s military court and detention system is unique in the world in its systematic incarceration of children, in this case Palestinian children. It is a system that denies basic due-process rights and is cruel, inhumane, and degrading.\n\"It should not require tremendous moral courage to stand up for the human rights of children. Sadly, the exception appears to be when those children are Palestinian.\u00a0I firmly believe that Palestinian children deserve to be treated with the same humanity, dignity, and human rights as any child anywhere, including children in the United States or Israel.\u00a0\n\"For Israel, this means honoring its international commitments and ending the widespread and systematic cruel and inhumane treatment of Palestinian children. For the United States, it means prohibiting American funds from being used to support Israel\u2019s abusive military detention of children and requiring the State Department to certify Israel\u2019s compliance.\nThe full text of Congresswoman McCollum's op-ed can be found here. Resources on H.R. 4391 and the Congresswomna's work to promote human rights for Palestinian children can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=408569AA-B36F-458E-B262-F37B4DAC626B", "Klobuchar, Peters to Federal Communications Commission: Order to Repeal Net Neutrality Protections Would \u201cTake Us in the Wrong Direction\u201d", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Minnesota and Michigan are home to hundreds of thousands of small businesses; Without strong net neutrality protections small businesses and startups will face new barriers to compete in the online marketplace\u00a0\n \r\n In a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, Klobuchar and Peters express their opposition to the recently released draft order to eliminate net neutrality protections; The senators also call on the FCC to focus its efforts on closing the digital divide rather than creating an online environment in which the success of small businesses and consumers is at the mercy of large internet service providers who are not bound to the doctrine of a free and open internet \r\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Gary Peters (D-MI), members of the Senate Commerce Committee, have said that the order to repeal net neutrality protections would \u201ctake us in the wrong direction.\u201d Minnesota and Michigan are home to hundreds of thousands of small businesses. Without strong net neutrality protections small businesses and startups will face new barriers to compete in the online marketplace. In a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, Klobuchar and Peters express their opposition to the recently released draft order to eliminate net neutrality protections. The senators also call on the FCC to focus its efforts on closing the digital divide rather than creating an online environment in which the success of small businesses and consumers is at the mercy of large internet service providers who are not bound to the doctrine of a free and open internet.\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u201cAs members of the Senate Commerce Committee and strong supporters of an open internet, we write to express our opposition to the recently released draft order to eliminate net neutrality protections. Net neutrality is critical to the competitiveness of our economy and the health of small businesses and startups,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cBoth Minnesota and Michigan are home to hundreds of thousands of small businesses. One way in which the draft order will hurt small business entrepreneurship and innovation is by limiting access to the open internet.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe senators continued, \u201cAmerican consumers, entrepreneurs, and innovators rely on net neutrality. As we face an increasingly global and interconnected economy, it is critical that the internet remains a hub of entrepreneurship, creativity, and fair competition.\u201d\r\nIn light of reports that bots filed hundreds of thousands of comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking process, Klobuchar, Peters, and a group of 26 other senators also urged the FCC to delay the planned December 14th vote to roll back net neutrality rules until an investigation of the record is conducted.\r\nThe full text of the senators\u2019 letter is\u00a0below.\r\nDear Chairman Pai:\r\nAs members of the Senate Commerce Committee and strong supporters of an open internet, we write to express our opposition to the recently released draft order to eliminate net neutrality protections. Net neutrality is critical to the competitiveness of our economy and the health of small businesses and startups. The rules in place today level the playing field for entrepreneurs and protect the internet as a place that allows small businesses to succeed. Your order to repeal these rules would take us in the wrong direction.\r\nBoth Minnesota and Michigan are home to hundreds of thousands of small businesses. One way in which the draft order will hurt small business entrepreneurship and innovation is by limiting access to the open internet. A truly open internet encourages economic growth and provides opportunities for businesses to reach new markets, drive innovation, and create jobs. With unrestricted access to the internet, entrepreneurs can focus their resources on growing a business rather than paying for equal footing to compete online. Small businesses are the engines of job creation, responsible for an estimated 63 percent of net new jobs from 2010 to 2016. Without strong net neutrality protections small businesses and startups will face new barriers to compete in the online marketplace.\r\nThe landmark 2015 Open Internet Order effectively prevents major corporations from blocking, slowing, and prioritizing web traffic for their own financial gain. Your proposal not only directly eliminates these protections but also reclassifies broadband as an information service, jeopardizing the FCC\u2019s authority to keep internet service providers (ISPs) in check. These protections are crucial to the continued success of small businesses and startups competing online.\r\nThe only open internet provisions your proposal salvages are requirements for service providers to disclose their internet traffic policies. However, the benefits of transparency rules are negated when tied to a repeal of essential net neutrality protections. If approved, your order will still result in ISPs having the power to interfere with web traffic as they please, putting small businesses, startups, and everyday users at a significant disadvantage.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe FCC should not be pursuing policies that will slow and degrade internet access when many Americans, particularly in rural areas, still lack access to high-speed broadband entirely. We need to focus our efforts on closing the digital divide rather than creating an online environment in which the success of small businesses and consumers is at the mercy of large ISPs who are not bound to the doctrine of a free and open internet.\r\nAmerican consumers, entrepreneurs, and innovators rely on net neutrality. As we face an increasingly global and interconnected economy, it is critical that the internet remains a hub of entrepreneurship, creativity, and fair competition. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/rep-petersons-newsletter-1282017", "Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 12/8/2017", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "2017 National Christmas Tree\n\u00a0\nDear Friends,\nThis week the House of Representatives passed a two-week Continuing Resolution as a stop-gap measure to keep the government funded. It is time that we worked together to create a bipartisan long-term funding solution that keeps our country running. Too many critical programs rely on our federal budget to allow partisan bickering to halt these deliberations. I will continue to work with all my colleagues to reach a deal that puts the American people first.\nSincerely,\nCongressman Collin C. Peterson  Minnesota 7th District\n International Franchise Association \nThis week, I met with members of the International Franchise Association to discuss tax legislation. At the same, I was awarded the Franchise Small Business Award for my efforts to promote a strong economy for small businesses. I will keep working to ensure our local businesses have efficient and responsible assistance to keep growing.\n Western Peanut Growers \nOn Thursday, I met with representatives from the Western Peanut Growers. We discussed the swings in their market over the last couple of years as well as their priorities for the farm bill. Although the peanut program has been working well, the trouble with\u00a0cotton has spilled over into peanuts. Farm policy needs to function for all commodities and I'm working to make sure that it does.\n National Restaurant Association \nThis week, I met with Cicely Simpson of the National Restaurants Association to discuss issues that impact restauranteurs and franchises. We discussed how changes to the tax code would affect their operations as well as a few recent votes related to the food service industry. I am happy to keep working in Congress to create a more business-friendly environment so industries like the restaurant industry can keep serving consumers across Minnesota.\n USDA Farm Service Agency \nLast week, I met with senior staff from USDA\u2019s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and from Secretary Perdue\u2019s office to talk about plans to reform and simplify the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the upcoming farm bill. The meeting was a great opportunity to talk through the details of some projected proposals and how they would work. I will continue to work on proposals that increase the acres in CRP and allow more access for producers.\n Fort Leonard Wood \nI had the honor of visiting Fort Leonard Wood, an Army base about a two-hour drive from St. Louis, Missouri, where I trained before serving in the North Dakota National Guard from 1963 to 1969. The men and women at Fort Leonard Wood were gracious hosts, showed me around the installation, and allowed me to eat with those training at the facility. I remain impressed with the soldiers and officers that train and work at Fort Leonard Hood, and it was obvious to me that our nation\u2019s defense is in exceptional hands.\n Minnesota Ducks Unlimited \nThis week, Minnesota Ducks Unlimited State Chair Ruth Hoefs and Incoming State Chair Kyle Thaemlitz stopped by to visit with me. We discussed Ducks Unlimited\u2019s plan to be more involved in the policy making process and their upcoming farm bill priorities. Ruth Hoefs is the first woman Chair of Minnesota Ducks Unlimited, a farmer, and a strong supporter of farmer-led conservation.\n Red River Farm Network \nI chatted with Don Wick on Red River Farm Network Wednesday morning. We discussed the outlook for passage of tax reform in Congress. I updated Don about my recent meeting with Chairman Conaway on Tuesday evening where we discussed our shared commitment to bringing a bipartisan bill to the House floor early next year. We also touched on NAFTA negotiations. You can listen to the entire interview here: http://rrfn.com/indepth/120617_collin_peterson_interview.mp3\n International Dairy Food Association \nI met with the board of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) this week to discuss their priorities in the Farm Bill and the importance of trade to the dairy industry. We discussed the challenges they face with Canada after the implementation of Class 7 and the importance of trade with Mexico. We also discussed improvements in the Margin Protection Program for dairy farmers and some new SNAP incentives for milk.\n National Christmas Tree Lighting \nWhile Washington, D.C. hasn\u2019t gotten as much snow as Minnesota\u2019s 7th District, our Capital has still found a way to show our holiday spirit. On Wednesday, the United States Marine Band played familiar Christmas carols as people gathered on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol to see a 79 foot Engelmann Spruce tree illuminate our Capitol Building. Each year, a different National Forest is chosen to provide what is now called The People\u2019s Tree. This year\u2019s tree was from Montana\u2019s Kootenai National Forest. It was driven to Washington, D.C. to be adorned by 12,500 handmade ornaments, a multitude of lights, and a star on top. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and Members of the Montana delegation cheered on as Ridley Brandmayr, a sixth grader from Montana, turned on the tree\u2019s lights to commence the celebration.\n Citizen\u2019s Climate Lobby \nMy Chief of Staff Allison Myhre met with the newly-formed Fergus Falls Chapter of the Citizens\u2019 Climate Lobby (CCL). The new group talked about how various energy sources effect our environment. CCL is a nonpartisan advocacy organization that meets with lawmakers and their staff in Washington and in the district. It is always great to see Minnesotans organize and get active on issues they care about.\n Minnesota Food Charter Network \nThis week, my staff listened to a variety of food access presentations by schools, community action agencies, food banks, and more at an event hosted by the Minnesota Food Charter Network in Marshall. The presentations showcased examples of how to get reliable access to safe, healthy, and affordable food for all Minnesotans. This event was part of a series of nine events held across the state in November and December.\n Northwest Regional Development Commission \nThe Northwest Regional Development Commission\u2019s Annual Meeting took place this week, where participants had the chance to plan for the upcoming year. Among them, several programs that focus on housing and senior citizens where highlighted for their success in our district.\u00a0These programs serve 21 Counties in Minnesota, and are a very important part of keeping our seniors active and healthy.\u00a0I will continue to support the great work these programs provide.\n Minnesota Governors Council \nMy staff assistant Meg Louwagie accepted an award on my behalf from the Minnesota Governors Council for Development Disabilities for our continued leadership and support of families and individuals with developmental disabilities.\n North Country Food Bank \nThe North Country Food Bank in Crookston serves Northwest and West Central Minnesota and Grand Forks, ND. Started in 1983, they are the sole distributor of surplus quality food and non-food products. Food Banks give everyone an opportunity to help others who need food.\n Legislative Update \n H.R. 453 Wood Heater Relief Bill \nOn Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed my wood heater legislation, H.R. 453, on a bipartisan vote, 32-21. My bill would delay a particularly stringent set of air emission standards on wood and hydronic heaters by three years to give the industry time to develop and manufacture the technology needed to comply with the regulations. In my district alone, there are three wood or hydronic heater manufacturers who would be negatively impacted, costing jobs, if the air emission standards are not delayed. I look forward to my bill moving to the House floor.\n This Week in American History \nOn December 5, 1873, Lincoln County was created. Named after President Abraham Lincoln, the County was established by Minnesota State Legislature in March before passing a public popular vote.\n Spotted in the Seventh \n\u00a0\nCan YOU guess what was Spotted in the Seventh? Each week, the newsletter will feature a landmark or site somewhere in Western Minnesota. The first person to name the location wins! The location of the photo as well as the winner will be revealed in the next newsletter.\nThis week\u2019s location is in one of the most populated areas of the Seventh and serves as the local government facility\u2026\nCongratulations\u00a0to Brian Field of Barnesville, who was the first to correctly identify last week\u2019s location as Red Lake Falls!\nShare your guess on our website \u2013\u00a0http://collinpeterson.house.gov/contact-me/spotted-seventh\n  Christmas Decorations  in my Willmar Office", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/the-monday-report/six-big-things", "Six BIG Things", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Six Big Things You Need to Know About Congressman Rick Nolan\u2019s Position on Mining in Northern Minnesota \n\u00a0\n\tMining will never, ever be permitted in the BWCA. And as an original cosponsor of the legislation that established the BWCA, I will never support any bill, or any project - mining or otherwise - that could damage this precious and pristine national treasure.\nDear Friend,\nWe have the brains, the technology and the ability to protect our precious environment here in Minnesota and create good paying mining jobs for generations to come.\u00a0\u00a0 Fear and misinformation must not be permitted to misrepresent the facts about our efforts to preserve and protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA)\u00a0\u2013 or legislation in Congress that would remove some barriers to copper and nickel mining on Minnesota\u2019s Iron Range where these activities are permitted by law. Here are the facts in a nutshell:  \n\t\u00a0\n1. There can be NO mining in the BWCA \u2013 EVER!\nMining will never, ever be permitted in the BWCA.\u00a0And as an original cosponsor of legislation that established the BWCA, I will never support any bill, or any project \u2013 mining or otherwise \u2013 that could damage those precious and pristine national treasures.\u00a0\n2. My Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill won\u2019t affect the BWCA in any way \u2013 and does not interfere with any state or federal agencies that must approve the PolyMet mining project before it can go forward.\u00a0\nWhether or not the PolyMet mining project is ever approved, the land exchange is a good deal for taxpayers\u00a0who get more valuable land, more timber, more lakeshore, more wild rice waters, more wetlands and more access to recreation and enjoyment.\u00a0\n \u00a0 \n3. The MINER bill, which I supported in the House, does not allow mining or mining exploration in the BWCA. And it specifically requires rigorous environmental review of any mining leases issued under its provisions. Here is the language in the bill pertaining to the BWCA:\n\u201cNothing in this section may be construed as permitting the prospecting for development and utilization of mineral resources within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or Mine Protection Area.\u201d\n4. There must be rigorous environmental review for every project \u2013 mining, agricultural, or industrial.\nEvery project, be it mining, industrial or agricultural, must go through rigorous environmental review,\u00a0and meet or exceed the toughest federal, state and local environmental standards \u2013\u00a0or it must not be allowed to proceed.\n5. Human exploitation, and the exploitation of our environment, are unacceptable wherever they occur.\u00a0\nThird World developing countries, their workers, and the environment are being terribly exploited and damaged in pursuit of minerals that end up being exported to the U.S.,\u00a0where they are used to make our cell phones, our computers, and advance our high-tech lifestyles.\u00a0We have a moral obligation to mine these materials right here in America,\u00a0where our environment, and our workers, are fully protected by rigorous rules and regulations.\n6. Copper, nickel and other strategic minerals found on Minnesota\u2019s Iron Range are critical in our efforts to advance America\u2019s \u201cgreen\u201d economy, and address global warming and climate change.\u00a0\nGlobal warming and climate change threaten our very existence on this planet.\u00a0Copper, nickel and other strategic minerals are essential in advancing solar, wind, and hydro-energy and \u201cgreen\u201d technologies. And we should be mining these materials right here\u00a0 in America \u2013 where the environment and the health and safety of workers are fully protected. These are the simple facts. For a much more detailed explanation of both the Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill and the MINER Act, you can click\u00a0here.\u00a0\nWe will keep you posted as events proceed. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact any of our offices listed below or\u00a0send me an email.\nSincerely,  \n\u00a0\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=52AEE817-ACB9-40BF-8455-730098DD91C4", "Klobuchar, Young, Blunt Encourage Ethiopian Prime Minister to Honor Adoptions", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Ethiopian government\u2019s decision to halt international adoptions left more than 200 U.S. families \u2014 including the Nortons of St. Louis Park \u2014 in a difficult and heartbreaking position; After Klobuchar successfully pushed to secure visas for the Nortons\u2019 sons, she met with the family to celebrate their reunion in October \r\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and a bipartisan group of senators urged the Prime Minister of Ethiopia to honor more than 200 international adoptions that have been halted by the Ethiopian government. In a letter to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Klobuchar, along with Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), encouraged the Prime Minister to lift newly placed restrictions on pending adoptions. The Ethiopian government\u2019s decision to halt international adoptions left more than 200 U.S. families \u2014 including David and Katie Norton of St. Louis Park \u2014 in a difficult and heartbreaking position. Senator Klobuchar successfully helped them receive the necessary documents to apply for a U.S. visa, allowing the Nortons to bring home their two sons in early August. Klobuchar met with the family to celebrate their reunion in October.\r\n\r\n\u201cThere are more than 200 cases in which American families have pending adoptions in various phases of completion,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cWe believe that Ethiopia\u2019s pursuit of new adoption legislation must not prevent children who have already been matched with adoptive families from having the opportunity to complete their adoptions according to the law under which they were initiated.\u201d\r\n\r\nIn May, Senator Young and the co-chairs of the Senate's Adoption Caucus, Senators Klobuchar and Blunt, led a letter signed by 122 members of Congress to Prime Minister Desalegn urging the nation to reconsider its decision to halt international adoptions. Their action helped unite dozens of families whose adoptions had been finalized but the children were not being allowed to leave the country. Today\u2019s letter seeks to help the remaining children and their waiting American families that have been left in limbo.\r\n\r\n\u201cThanks to your government\u2019s cooperation, many children have been united with loving adoptive families,\u201d the letter states. \u201cWith gratitude for your previous efforts, we seek your continued assistance with the remaining cases in which American families have pending adoptions in various phases of completion.\u201d\r\n\r\nKlobuchar, co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, is a strong advocate for adoptive families and children. In May, Klobuchar and Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced the bipartisan Vulnerable Children and Families Act to help make international adoptions a more central part of U.S. foreign policy and international diplomacy by establishing an Office of Vulnerable Children and Family Security within the State Department. Klobuchar and Blunt have also previously introduced the Supporting Adoptive Families Act to help provide pre- and post-adoption support services, including mental health treatment, to help adoptive families stay strong. The Klobuchar-authored International Adoption Simplification Act to help siblings stay together during an international adoption and protect adoptees from unsafe immunizations in foreign countries was signed into law on November 30, 2010. She introduced the Accuracy for Adoptees Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in early 2014. This law cuts red tape for adoptive families and ensures that corrections made to adoptees\u2019 birth certificates by state courts would be recognized by the federal government. In 2015, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill she cosponsored to waive recurring visa fees for families whose adoptive children are unable to immigrate in a timely manner due to exceptional circumstances.\r\n\r\nKlobuchar has also worked closely with adoptive Minnesota families to help them bring their children home from countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and Russia.\r\nThe complete text of the letter can be viewed below.\r\nPrime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn,\r\nWe write to express our gratitude for the actions your government has taken in response to our letter on May 26, 2017, regarding intercountry adoptions.\u00a0 Thanks to your government\u2019s cooperation, many children have been united with loving adoptive families.\u00a0 With gratitude for your previous efforts, we seek your continued assistance with the remaining cases in which American families have pending adoptions in various phases of completion.\u00a0 We feel strongly that any case involving an Ethiopian child matched with an adoptive family should be allowed to continue to completion under the Revised Family Code of 2000.\u00a0 With expeditious resolution of this issue, it is our hope that the bilateral relationship between our two countries can deepen further.\u00a0\r\n\r\nWe continue to understand the Ethiopian government\u2019s decision regarding future adoption policy.\u00a0 However, according to the U.S. Department of State, there are more than 200 cases in which American families have pending adoptions in various phases of completion.\u00a0 We believe that Ethiopia\u2019s pursuit of new adoption legislation must not prevent children who have already been matched with adoptive families from having the opportunity to complete their adoptions according to the law under which they were initiated.\r\n\r\nWe share your government\u2019s concern for the security and welfare of children.\u00a0 Children often form important emotional bonds with the adoptive families with whom they have been \u201cmatched.\u201d We fear that failing to allow these prospective adoptive parents to complete their adoption processes will impose additional suffering on these children.\u00a0 This is why we remain resolute in our desire to work with you to resolve this situation.\r\nThank you for your continued attention to this important matter.\u00a0 Our two governments have demonstrated the ability to work cooperatively on a variety of issues.\u00a0 We hope that this issue continues to be among them.\u00a0 We trust that you will work closely with the Department of State to establish a way to unite these children with their adoptive families.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/press-release/peterson-statement-senator-franken%E2%80%99s-resignation", "Peterson statement on Senator Frankens resignation", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Collin C. Peterson made the following statement after Senator Franken\u2019s decision to resign from the Senate.\n\u201cThe behavior described in these continued allegations is out of line and unacceptable. Senator Franken is making the right choice by resigning,\u201d Peterson said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ellison-statement-on-sen-al-frankens-resignation", "Ellison Statement on Sen. Al Franken's Resignation", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Following Sen. Al Franken's decision to resign from the U.S. Senate, Rep. Keith Ellison issued the following statement: \"I commend the brave women who have come forward in recent weeks to share their experience of sexual harassment and assault. Their courage is immense, and has sparked a long overdue national reckoning with persistent inequities and injustices in our society. \"I am grateful for Al Franken\u2019s progressive record of accomplishment over the years\u2014from his forceful advocacy for a free and open internet, to his important work helping to shape the Affordable Care Act, to his support for policies that improve the lives of\u00a0women, including championing the Violence Against Women Act. Still, as elected officials, we must stand for safe communities and work environments for everyone. Sen. Franken's decision to resign shows a strength of character that other elected officials haven\u2019t. Al\u2019s decision is the right one, and will bring us one step closer towards a society of true justice and equality for all.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3807", "Sen. Frankens Speech on the Senate Floor", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senator Al Franken gave the following speech as prepared for delivery on the Senate floor. You can also download a video of the speech here. A couple of months ago, I felt that we had entered an important moment in the history of this country.  We were finally beginning to listen to women about the ways in which men's actions affect them.  That moment was long overdue.  I was excited for that conversation, and hopeful that it would result in real change that made life better for women all across the country and in every part of our society. Then, the conversation turned to me.  Over the last few weeks, a number of women have come forward to talk about how they felt my actions had affected them.  I was shocked.  I was upset.  But in responding to their claims, I also wanted to be respectful of that broader conversation, because all women deserve to be heard, and their experiences taken seriously.  I think that was the right thing to do.  I also think it gave some people the false impression that I was admitting to doing things that, in fact, I haven't done.  Some of the allegations against me are simply not true.  Others, I remember very differently. I said at the outset that the Ethics Committee was the right venue for these allegations to be heard, and investigated, and evaluated on their merits.  That I was prepared to cooperate fully.  And that I was confident in the outcome. You know, an important part of the conversation we've been having the last few months has been about how men abuse their power and privilege to hurt women.  I am proud that, during my time in the Senate, I have used my power to be a champion for women - and that I have earned a reputation as someone who respects the women I work alongside every day.  I know there's been a very different picture of me painted over the last few weeks.  But I know who I really am.  Serving in the United States Senate has been the great honor of my life.  I know in my heart that nothing I have done as a Senator - nothing - has brought dishonor on this institution.  And I am confident that the Ethics Committee would agree. Nevertheless, today I am announcing that, in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate. I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party. But this decision is not about me.  It's about the people of Minnesota.  And it's become clear that I can't both pursue the Ethics Committee process and, at the same time, remain an effective Senator for them. Let me be clear.  I may be resigning my seat, but I am not giving up my voice.  I will continue to stand up for the things I believe in as a citizen, and as an activist. But Minnesotans deserve a Senator who can focus with all her energy on addressing the challenges they face every day. There is a big part of me that will always regret having to walk away from this job with so much work left to be done.  But I have faith that the work will continue, because I have faith in the people who have helped me do it. I have faith in the dedicated, funny, selfless young men and women on my staff.  They have so much more to contribute to our country.  And I hope that, as disappointed as they may feel today, everyone who has ever worked for me knows how much I admire and respect them. I have faith in my colleagues, especially my senior Senator, Amy Klobuchar.  I would not have been able to do this job without her guidance and wisdom.  And I have faith - or, at least, hope - that members of this Senate will find the political courage necessary to keep asking the tough questions, hold this administration accountable, and stand up for the truth. I have faith in the activists who organized to help me win my first campaign and who have kept on organizing to help fight for the people who needed us: kids facing bullying, seniors worried about the price of prescription drugs, Native Americans who have been overlooked for far too long, working people who have been taking it on the chin for a generation - everyone in the middle class and everyone aspiring to join it.  I have faith in the proud legacy of progressive advocacy that I have had the privilege to be a part of.  I think I've probably repeated these words ten thousand times over the years, Paul Wellstone's famous quote: \"The future belongs to those who are passionate and work hard.\"  It is still true.  It will always be true. And, most of all, I have faith in Minnesota.  A big part of this job is going around the state and listening to what people need from Washington.  But, more often than not, when I'm home, I'm blown away by how much Minnesota has to offer the entire country and the entire world.  The people I have had the honor of representing are brilliant, and creative, and hard-working.  And whoever holds this seat next will inherit the challenge I've enjoyed for the last eight and a half years: being as good as the people you serve. This has been a tough few weeks for me.  But I am a very, very lucky man.  I have a beautiful, healthy family that I love, and that loves me very much.  I am going to be just fine. I'd just like to end with one last thing. I did not grow up wanting to be a politician.  I came to this relatively late in life.  I had to learn a lot on the fly.  It wasn't easy.  And it wasn't always fun. I'm not just talking about today.  This is a hard thing to do with your life.  There are a lot of long hours and late nights and hard lessons, and there is no guarantee that all your work and sacrifice will ever pay off.  I won my first election by 312 votes - it could have easily gone the other way.  And even when you win, progress is far from inevitable.  Paul Wellstone spent his whole life working for mental health parity, and it didn't pass into law until six years after he died. This year, a lot of people who didn't grow up imagining they'd ever get involved in politics have done just that.  They've gone to their first protest march, or made their first call to a member of Congress, or maybe even taken the leap and put their name on a ballot for the first time.  It can be such a rush, to look around at a room full of people ready to fight alongside you, to feel that energy, to imagine that better things are possible.  But you, too, will experience setbacks and defeats and disappointments.  There will be days when you will wonder whether it's worth it.  What I want you to know is that, even today, even on the worst day of my political life, I feel like it's all been worth it.  \"Politics,\" Paul Wellstone told us, \"is about the improvement of people's lives.\"  I know that the work I've been able to do has improved people's lives.  I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. For a decade now, every time I would get tired, or discouraged, or frustrated, I would think about the people I was doing this for, and it would get me back up on my feet.  I know the same will be true for everyone who decides to pursue a politics that is about improving people's lives.  And I hope you know that I will be right there fighting alongside you, every step of the way. With that, M. President, I yield the floor. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-resignation-senator-al-franken", "McCollum Statement on Resignation of Senator Al Franken", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement on the resignation of Senator Al Franken:\n\u201cToday is a sad day for Minnesota. Senator Al Franken has been more than a colleague \u2014 he has been a friend and an ally on the issues that are most important to Minnesota families. Al\u2019s voice and vote were instrumental in extending health care to millions of Americans, helping our students succeed, and upholding our commitments to tribal nations.\n\u201cAs we move forward, I know that Governor Mark Dayton will appoint a qualified person to serve Minnesotans in the Senate. I look forward to working with our new Senator to help Minnesota families and stand up to President Trump and the Republicans\u2019 divisive agenda.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/house-democrats-take-issue-with-big-mergers", "House Democrats Take Issue With Big Mergers", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A bill that would direct antitrust agencies to study the impact of mergers marks the first legislative step of the newly-formed House Antitrust Caucus and underscores how cracking down on corporate consolidation is a growing issue for congressional Democrats.\nThe effort comes in the wake of major mergers, like Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market Inc., that some advocates said would hurt workers and competition.\nThe legislation, which doesn\u2019t yet have a bill number, was introduced Dec. 4 by seven Democrats. It would require the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to assess a merger\u2019s effect on price and quality of products, along with job cuts and pay. It\u2019s intended to \u201ccurb the harmful effects of corporate monopolization on working people,\u201d said the bill\u2019s lead sponsor, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), in a statement.\nEllison is also deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and the bill is likely to function as a campaign tool as well as an attempt to amend antitrust law. So far, the measure has no Republican cosponsors. Even if it doesn\u2019t go anywhere, Democrats can point to it as an effort to address their constituents\u2019 concerns about big companies.\nThe other sponsors are David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Rick Nolan (D-Minn.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), and Ra\u00fal Grijalva (D-Ariz.).\n Five Mergers a Year \nThe bill would require the FTC and the DOJ antitrust division to select at least five mergers a year for analysis.\nAntitrust officials already conduct merger retrospectives, but their analyses are narrowly targeted on price effects and quality and don\u2019t focus on factors like salaries and job losses.\nThe bill would require the regulators\u2019 reviews to also take into account the effectiveness of divestitures or other remedies, facility closures and job cuts resulting from the merger, any changes in employee salaries, and the deal\u2019s impact on investment in research and development. Those results also would be made public under the bill.\nSome of the sponsors are also members of the House Antitrust Caucus, which was formed in October to educate members and staff about competition policy. The caucus intends to set up briefings on competition issues with experts, according to aides. More legislation is likely to come, they said.\n\u201cWe\u2019ve got to fight against these endless mergers which put a huge amount of power into the hands of a few corporations and economically disenfranchise the American people,\u201d Nolan, co-chair of the caucus, said in a statement provided to Bloomberg Law. \u201cThat\u2019s why the Antitrust Caucus was founded.\u201d\nCicilline, who also is the lead Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee\u2019s antitrust subcommittee, plans to put forth his own bill to modernize antitrust laws. The lawmaker told Bloomberg Law in an earlier interview that measure will likely be introduced sometime next year.\nCicilline and Ellison co-hosted an event earlier this year with public interest advocates to discuss \u201ccompetition and corporate power.\u201d Later this month, the caucus will host another event on concentration in the digital economy. It will examine how the dominance of a few companies in the technology sector is affecting innovation and entrepreneurship.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://walz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walz-statement-on-senator-franken", "Walz Statement on Senator Franken", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Tim Walz", "W000799", "walz.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Tim Walz (MN-01) released the following statement concerning Senator Franken:\n\u201cLike many Minnesotans, I have been deeply disappointed by the serious allegations against Senator Franken. I have served with Senator Franken for eight years in the U.S. Congress and he has accomplished a lot of good for Minnesotans. But I believe the pattern of his behavior is unacceptable and his ability to continue to effectively serve Minnesotans has been irreparably compromised. For the good of Minnesotans and the American people, I believe Senator Franken has made the right decision in stepping aside.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=A5C80467-5C7E-4286-9920-3F9FC0ABD099", "Klobuchar Statement on the Resignation of Senator Al Franken", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today released the following statement on the resignation of Senator Al Franken:\r\n\u201cToday Senator Franken acknowledged that he could no longer serve in the Senate and resigned. As he and I discussed yesterday, this is the right decision. Senator Franken has worked for years on behalf of the people of Minnesota and he has been a leader on issues that are fundamental to Americans\u2019 lives, including education, privacy, healthcare and mental health.\u00a0 He has been a friend to me and to many in our state.\r\n\u201cAs the women who have come forward to tell their stories across America have made clear, sexual harassment is never acceptable.\u00a0 In every workplace in America, including the U.S. Senate, we must confront the challenges of harassment and misconduct.\u00a0 Nothing is easy or pleasant about this, but we all must recognize that our workplace cultures\u2014and the way we treat each other as human beings\u2014must change.\r\n\u201cFor Franni, the Franken family, Senator Franken\u2019s friends and supporters in our state, it\u2019s a very tough day. I want you to know I remain as committed as ever to working together and standing up for people, for common decency, and for our democracy during an incredibly difficult and divisive time in our country. And as we go forward together, we must never forget the words of Senator Paul Wellstone, whom Senator Franken quoted in part today, \u2018Politics is not about power. Politics is not about money. Politics is not about winning for the sake of winning. Politics is about the improvement of people\u2019s lives.\u2019\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ellison-on-trump-s-decision-to-recognize-jerusalem-as-the-capital-of", "Rep. Ellison on Trumps Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) issued the following statement in response to President Trump\u2019s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel:\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s decision today to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel impedes\u00a0the Israel-Palestine peace process, jeopardizes the safety of U.S. personnel stationed abroad, and seriously limits the U.S.\u2019s ability to serve as an effective broker in the future. Trump irresponsibly broke with decades of precedent in order to fulfill a dangerous campaign promise, and did so despite the warnings of leaders around the world. This White House continues to play politics with issues of national security and international peace, and its reckless decision making should concern us all.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-president-trumps-recognition-jerusalem-israel-s-capital", "McCollum Statement on President Trump's Recognition of Jerusalem as Israels Capital", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement after it was reported that President Donald Trump will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and begin the process of relocating the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem:\n\u201cPresident Donald Trump\u2019s decision to extend American recognition to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is an unnecessary and irresponsible act designed solely to appease the most extreme ideologues in Israel and the United States. The President is willfully abdicating the United States\u2019 role as a peacemaker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ending any hope of a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s decision sabotages relations with the Palestinians, threatens to stoke even\u00a0more conflict in the Middle East, and further embarrasses the United States in the world.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-senator-al-franken", "McCollum Statement on Senator Al Franken", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement on Senator Al Franken:\n\u201cThe allegations against Senator Al Franken make it impossible for him to be an effective Senator for Minnesota. When he makes his announcement tomorrow, I have every confidence that he will do the right thing for Minnesota and our country.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congressmans-view-tax-bill-mercedes-for-the-rich-hubcaps-for-the-middle", "Congressman's View: Tax bill: Mercedes for the rich, hubcaps for the middle class", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Each of these aspects of the bill is terrible in its own right. But combined, they constitute nothing less than a scam of historic proportions upon the American people.\n\t\t\u00a0\n\t\t\u00a0\n\t\tAt the heart of the Republican tax bill is the age-old myth of so-called \"trickle-down economics.\" Reward the rich, so goes the argument, and they will create more jobs and higher wages for the middle class. But the truth is, trickle-down economics has never worked. If you give the average CEO extra revenue, he or she is far more likely to hold onto that extra money than to create jobs or raise wages with it. In fact, according to 2017 Federal Reserve data, corporate America is hoarding a record nearly $2.3 trillion of cash.\n\t\tWhat's more, the National Bureau of Economic Research published a study that found \"little evidence that corporate tax cuts boost economic activity\" unless implemented in a recession.\n\t\tAny way you look at it, this tax bill disproportionately rewards the rich and gives the middle class almost nothing.\n\t\tIt reminds me of what U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy once said about a past Republican tax plan: If you're a CEO, this plan hands you enough money to buy a Mercedes, but if you're a teacher or a nurse or a retail employee, it only gives you enough to buy a hubcap.\n\t\tWorking families shouldn't be left standing on the side of the road, holding a hubcap while the super rich roll by in their fleet of Mercedes.\n\t\tIf that's not bad enough, millions of middle-class families actually would see their taxes increase under the Republican tax bill. According to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, up to 16 million Americans would see their taxes go up under this plan. This increase would be partially due to the number of tax exemptions Republicans plan to repeal.\n\t\tFor instance, the House Republican bill, which I voted against, would repeal the deduction for medical expenses like surgeries and vision care, meaning that chronically ill patients and their families could be hit hard with higher costs. The House bill also would prevent students from deducting their student-loan interest from their taxes, making it harder to afford higher education in a country where such education is already far too expensive.\n\t\tAnd yet another example: the Republican House tax bill would prevent schoolteachers from deducting the money they spend on classroom supplies like notebooks, markers, and extra books.\n\t\tAll of these deduction repeals \u2014 when you pile them on top of a bill already designed to benefit the wealthy \u2014 mean that millions of middle-class families will see a tax increase, despite promises made by Republican leadership that no one's taxes will go up.\n\t\tAnd here's the kicker: The way Republican leaders plan to pay for their tax bill is by cutting Social Security and Medicare. Republicans themselves have admitted the truth. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told reporters Republicans soon will move to \"instituting structural changes to Social Security and Medicare.\" That's code for \"cuts.\" And analyses from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation indeed have shown that if this tax bill passes, Medicare alone could see cuts of $25 billion a year.\n\t\tThe true goal of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan \u2014 who has been relentlessly ramming this tax bill through Congress \u2014 seems to be to privatize Medicare and Social Security. Ryan has been pursuing privatization for years. His budget plans each year included a voucher system for Medicare that essentially would have privatized the program. He doesn't seem to understand that when you sell a program like Medicare off to the highest bidder, it puts the lives of those who depend most on the programs into jeopardy. I vehemently oppose any privatization efforts, and I vow to fight tooth and nail against any cuts to Social Security and Medicare.\n\t\tThe fact is, the American people are going to hold President Donald Trump and Republican leadership accountable. Republicans may think now that they can shield themselves from censure, but if this terrible tax scam becomes a reality, they will have to answer to the American people \u2014 and there will be nowhere to hide.\n\t\t\u00a0\n\t\tRead the story online HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nolan-calls-on-congressional-leadership-to-find-immediate-fix-to-pension", "Nolan Calls on Congressional Leadership to Find Immediate Fix to Pension Crisis  In End-of-Year Budget Meeting with President Trump", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "[WASHINGTON D.C.] Rep Rick Nolan today called on Congressional leadership to find an immediate fix to the pension crisis as part of the end-of-year budget negotiations with President Trump. In his letter, Rep. Nolan pressed for solutions such as the President establishing a Pension Rehabilitation Administration within the Treasury Department that would help retirees received their full hard-earned pension benefits.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThe bottom line is, we must not gut the pensions of the hardworking people in this country who contributed to \u2013 and earned \u2013 every penny of their pensions,\u201d Nolan wrote. \u201cI urge you to discuss pragmatic, fair-minded solutions to fix the pension crisis that do not force retirees to bear the burden of the pension deficit.\u201d\n\u00a0\nRep. Nolan\u2019s letter urges Congressional leadership to make the right decision to prioritize the retirees\u2019 pension funds, and not repeat the mistake made in past budget negotiations of gutting retirees\u2019 earned pension benefits. In 2014, the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014, an 11th-hour, last-ditch provision to the omnibus spending bill, gave the Treasury Department the ability to gut promised pension benefits for retirees. Rep. Nolan voted against this legislation in 2014 and urged Congressional leadership to find a new solution that protects retirees and their hard-earned pensions.\n\u00a0\nIn addition to calling for a fix to the pension crisis, Rep. Nolan\u2019s letter also called for strong investments in domestic human development, public health, and infrastructure in the upcoming budget.\n\u00a0\nThe full letter is copied below.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nDear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Ryan, and Leader Pelosi:\n\u00a0\nI urge you to press for an immediate fix to America\u2019s pension crisis in your planned bipartisan, bicameral FY2018 budget meeting with President Trump tomorrow. This issue is a key priority both to my constituents in Minnesota\u2019s 8th Congressional District and to hardworking Americans across the country.\n\u00a0\nThere are a number of proposals on the table that would help prevent the insolvency of a number of troubled pension plans and the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation itself. One such plan myself and others have offered would create a Pension Rehabilitation Administration within the Treasury Department to ensure no pensioners get their benefits cut.\n\u00a0\nIt is imperative that the severity of the pensions crisis and potential solutions to it are discussed at the Thursday meeting with the President. The bottom line is, we must not gut the pensions of the hardworking people in this country who contributed to \u2013 and earned \u2013 every penny of their pensions. This message must be conveyed to the President to safeguard against any last-minute legislative efforts to make drastic cuts to pension funds.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nUnfortunately, there is a precedent for budget negotiations that take the wrong approach. The Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 \u2013 which I voted against \u2013 was a last-ditch, 11th hour provision to the omnibus spending bill gave the Treasury Department the ability to gut promised pension benefits for retirees. This outcome must not be repeated. On Thursday, I urge you to discuss pragmatic, fair-minded solutions to fix the pension crisis that do not force retirees to bear the burden of the pension deficit.\n\u00a0\nIn addition to pension solutions, American citizens also deserve a deal that ensures strong investment in domestic human development, public health, and infrastructure. Specifically, these additional budget priorities include robust funding for our nation\u2019s crumbling roads, bridges, and water treatment facilities; protection for the healthcare services offered by Planned Parenthood, CHIP, and our Community Health Centers; the safeguarding of our precious air and water; and the sustained investment in our youth, arts and humanities. A solution for DREAMers is also imperative.\n\u00a0\nI respectfully urge you to take these views into your negotiations with the President and raise the pension issue directly with him. Americans are entitled to the pensions they\u2019ve earned over a lifetime of hard work \u2013 and Congress must do its part to keep this promise to them. Thank you for your time and consideration.\n\u00a0\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://walz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walz-statement-on-hr-38", "Walz Statement on H.R. 38", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Tim Walz", "W000799", "walz.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Tim Walz (MN-01) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 38:\n\u201cAs a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard, I firmly believe in protecting the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including an individual\u2019s right to bear arms. I also understand the importance of preserving America\u2019s unique hunting and recreational shooting heritage, as I am an avid sportsman myself.\n\u201cHowever, by excluding important protections such as an audit of state guns laws and their impacts on public safety, H.R. 38 fails to ensure our federal laws reflect the needs of the states. This bill would upend each state\u2019s carefully considered judgements about public safety and override determinations made about the specific needs of any given state and its communities. It is for this reason that I cannot support this legislation.\n\u201cMoreover, I am deeply disappointed that House Republicans have chosen to lump H.R.38 with the Fix NICS Act, a bipartisan bill that aims to ensure domestic violence records are properly and swiftly reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. I fully support the provisions of the Fix NICS Act and I am disappointed my Republican colleagues are playing politics with public safety.\n\u201cCommonsense gun safety and responsible gun ownership can coexist. I will continue to be an advocate for sensible laws that protect our safety while also supporting the Second Amendment rights law-abiding gun owners hold dear.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=FAEC3ADF-07C0-4CF1-ADC2-B41EC1B585FF", "Statement from Minnesota State Director Ben Hill", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The following statement was released today from U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar\u2019s Minnesota State Director, Ben Hill:\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cSenator Klobuchar personally spoke with Senator Franken this morning.\u00a0As has been reported, he will be making an announcement tomorrow morning.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-condemns-ethnic-cleansing-rohingya-urges-resolution-humanitarian", "McCollum Condemns Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya, Urges Resolution to Humanitarian Crisis", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in support of H. Con. Res. 90, which condemns the\u00a0ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Burma and\u00a0calls\u00a0for an end to the attacks in and an immediate restoration of humanitarian access to the state of Rakhine in Burma. Congresswoman McCollum visited Burma and Bangladesh on a Congressional fact-finding mission last month. Video of Congresswoman McCollum's remarks is here. Congresswoman McCollum's full remarks are below:\n\"Mr. Speaker, last month I visited Burma and Bangladesh on a Congressional fact-finding mission. Our visits to refugee camps and our conversations with survivors made it clear that the persecution of the Rohingya people in Burma's Rakhine State is a severe humanitarian crisis that demands robust American leadership.\n\"This resolution is an important first step in demonstrating that Congress will not tolerate human rights abuses against Rohingyas. As our delegation saw, there is a path forward.\u00a0The Burmese government and military must fully implement the recommendations of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's advisory commission.\n\"Burma must work with Bangladesh and the UN for the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees with guarantees of a safe return. A fair process to allow Rohingyas to apply for\u00a0and secure citizenship must be established.\n\"Finally, there must be an independent investigation to ensure accountability for the atrocities and abuses that have taken place.\n\"Mr. Speaker, I saw people suffering in both Burma and Bangladesh. They are crying out for action. The United States and the international community must help them secure justice.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=843475B9-8526-4D4E-AE40-91DD5B6BADC2", "As Minnesota Prepares to Host Super Bowl LII, Klobuchar Urges the National Football League to Combat Ticket Fraud", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "While the ticket marketplace for the Super Bowl has grown more sophisticated through the use of secure online distribution channels and ticket technology, many ticket buyers can still be victims of fraud\u00a0\n \r\n In a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, Klobuchar encourages the NFL to take steps to address common fraud schemes \r\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Ahead of Super Bowl LII, which will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has urged the National Football League (NFL) to combat ticket fraud. While the ticket marketplace for the Super Bowl has grown more sophisticated through the use of secure online distribution channels and ticket technology, many ticket buyers can still be victims of fraud. In a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, Klobuchar encourages the NFL to take steps to address common fraud schemes.\r\n\u201cI write to urge the National Football League to take action to combat ticket fraud in advance of Super Bowl LII in Minnesota. As you know, the Super Bowl is one of the largest single-day events in the world,\u201d Klobuchar wrote. \u201cWhile the ticket marketplace for the Super Bowl has grown more sophisticated through the use of secure online distribution channels and ticket technology, many ticket buyers can still be victims of fraud. As Super Bowl LII approaches, I encourage the NFL to take steps to address common fraud schemes.\u201d\r\n\u201cFor decades, the NFL has focused on helping fans safely and securely purchase tickets to our games, including for our most popular event \u2013 the Super Bowl,\u201d stated Jocelyn Moore, the NFL\u2019s Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Affairs. \u201cAs we prepare for Super Bowl LII in Minnesota, the NFL will continue to implement technological improvements to deter counterfeiting and looks forward to working closely with Senator Klobuchar as well as local, state, and federal law enforcement to combat ticket fraud and to help protect consumers.\u201d\r\nAs a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Klobuchar has been a leader in protecting consumers from ticket bots. Last December, the Klobuchar-backed bipartisan Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act of 2016 was signed into law by the President. The law prohibits the use of ticket bots and other online measures in order to deliberately circumvent security protocols that limit or restrict online ticket purchases. In May, she and a bipartisan group of senators also introduced the Stop Online Booking Scams Act to protect consumers from illegitimate third party websites that trick consumers into thinking they are making reservations directly with hotels.\r\nThe full text of Klobuchar\u2019s letter is below.\r\nDear Commissioner Goodell,\r\nI write to urge the National Football League (NFL) to take action to combat ticket fraud in advance of Super Bowl LII in Minnesota. As you know, the Super Bowl is one of the largest single-day events in the world. While the ticket marketplace for the Super Bowl has grown more sophisticated through the use of secure online distribution channels and ticket technology, many ticket buyers can still be victims of fraud. As Super Bowl LII approaches, I encourage the NFL to take steps to address common fraud schemes.\r\nLarge events like the Super Bowl can involve several forms of ticket fraud. Some online fraudsters exploit the name recognition of venues like U.S. Bank Stadium by creating fake websites with similar names or manipulating search results. These websites charge consumers inflated prices or even sell fake tickets. In recent years, they have intensified their operations in the weeks before the Super Bowl.\r\nSome ticket buyers also experience fraud on the secondary market by paying high prices for tickets that they may never receive. Although the NFL does not control secondary market ticket sales, I encourage you to work with the NFL\u2019s official partner for facilitating ticket exchanges to reduce fraud.\r\nIn addition to online fraud, counterfeit and stolen tickets are often used to target Super Bowl attendees. Counterfeiters now have access to sophisticated printers and other technology that can be used to produce convincing replica tickets. I encourage the NFL to coordinate with local law enforcement to help prevent the sale of counterfeit or stolen tickets.\r\nSuper Bowl LII promises to be an exciting event that will showcase the best the Twin Cities has to offer. I look forward to working with you to help ensure a successful Super Bowl LII in Minnesota.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/rep-petersons-newsletter-1212017", "Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 12/1/2017", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Willmar\nDear Friends,\nThis week, I was honored to receive the National Grange Champion of Rural America Award in recognition of my time working with rural communities. I met with the National Biodiesel Board, Organic Trade Association, and the National Association of Conservation Districts to discuss agricultural developments and efforts to promote our rural economy. Finally, I\u2019d like to congratulate Bemidji on their excellent representation of rural communities by winning Minnesota Monthly\u2019s \u201cBest MN Town\u201d contest.\nSincerely,\n  Congressman Collin C. Peterson  Minnesota 7th District\n National Grange Champion of Rural America Award \nOn Wednesday, National Grange President Betsy Huber presented me with the organization\u2019s Champion of Rural America Award. The award is presented to elected officials who embody the values of The National Grange. Awardees must demonstrate recognition of the importance of agriculture in our economy and our national security, and have fought to ensure rural Americans have equal access to broadband, quality health care, and excellent educational opportunities. Awardees must also persevere and embody the organization\u2019s core values of faith, hope, charity and fidelity. The State Grange of Minnesota was the first chartered State Grange in the nation, just two years after the founding of the National Grange. The National Grange is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and I thank them for this honor.\n National Biodiesel Board \nI met with members of the National Biodiesel Board, including biodiesel producers from Minnesota, in my Washington, D.C. office this week. The group discussed the critical importance of renewing the biodiesel tax credit for the biodiesel industry and the importance of farm bill programs across a number of titles.\u00a0\n National Association of Conservation Districts \nThis week, I met with members of the National Association of Conservation Districts\u2019 (NACD) Executive Board. The NACD checked in on progress of the farm bill and advocated for a strong conservation title. Conservation Districts play a critical role in helping agricultural producers put conservation practices into action on the ground.\u00a0\n Organic Trade Association \nI met with the Organic Trade Association on Wednesday to discuss organic research and the disadvantages encountered by organic growers within crop insurance. Along with constituent Michael Schneider of Schneider Farms in Sacred Heart and organic farmers from Kansas and Michigan, the group included organic farmer Jayson Werth.\u00a0Major League Baseball fans will recognize that Jayson Werth is perhaps best known as an outfielder for the Washington Nationals. However, Mr. Werth was on the Hill this week wearing his farming hat and talking about his organics farm in rural Illinois. I appreciated his background in, and perspective on, farming and his interest in bringing awareness to these issues affecting organic agriculture.\n Minnesota Agricultural Land Rental Rates \nMy staff attended a meeting sponsored by the University of Minnesota Extension on the data behind rental rates for land owners and agricultural land leasers. Nathan Hulinsky, an Extension Educator with Agricultural Management, used data from several sources to discuss land values, costs of production, and break even points for profit. This information was all based on historical averages. Data like this can be useful for both the farmer and landowner to find a mutual rental agreement. If you are interested in more information, call your Local Extension Office and ask for \u201cWhat is a Fair Rental Agreement for 2018.\u201d\u00a0You can find their number here. I support our Extension Service and the work they do to help our farmers and land owners.\u00a0\n Buffer Regulation \nPennington County in Northwest Minnesota began the process of implementing the Minnesota Buffer Legislation this week. At a local meeting on the subject, the County presented a draft ordinance for implementation. In Minnesota, counties have the option for self-implementation for buffer regulations. Several county commissioners and the local Soil and Water Office explained options for complying and discussed strategies for County and land-owner cooperation.\n Newsstand \n National Christmas Tree Lighting \nThe U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be taking place on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at 5:00 PM on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.\u00a0This tradition dates back to 1964 with the decorating of the first Christmas tree on the West Front Lawn. The U.S. Forest Service has selected the trees since 1970. This year's tree is an Engelmann spruce from Kootenai National Forest in Montana.\u00a0The tree will be lit from dusk until 11:00 PM each evening through January 1, 2018.\u00a0\n Bemidji wins \u2018Best Minnesota Town\u2019 Contest \nMinnesota Monthly has announced Bemidji as the winner of their \u201cBest MN Town\u201d contest. Bemidji beat out finalists Austin, Owatonna, Waconia, and Walker for the title as the town that best embodies the \u201cspirit of Minnesota.\u201d The win comes with a multi-page editorial feature in Minnesota Monthly, a media promotion campaign, and a celebratory party. You can learn more about the contest here and look out for their winning article in February.\n Pipestone County 4-H Family of the Year \nThe Blom family was recently recognized as the \u201c2017 Pipestone County 4-H Family of the Year.\u201d The family has been involved with 4-H for over a decade, and mom, Julie, has served a co-leader of the Prairie Grangers for five years. 4-H is an invaluable program for our communities and I commend the Bloms on the commitment to agricultural education.\n Epilepsy Awareness Month \nAs we wrap up November, I\u2019d like to recognize the conclusion of Epilepsy Awareness month. Epilepsy impacts over three million people in the United States and around 60,000 people in Minnesota, which is enough people to fill TCF Bank Stadium. You can learn more about opportunities to get involved in our area at http://www.epilepsyfoundationmn.org/.\n This Week in American History \nOn November 28, 1922, Lake of the Woods County was established, making it Minnesota\u2019s youngest county. Notably, the Lake of the Woods County contains the Northwest Angle, which is the northernmost point of the contiguous United States.\n Spotted in the Seventh \n\u00a0\nCan YOU guess what was Spotted in the Seventh? Each week, the newsletter will feature a landmark or site somewhere in Western Minnesota. The first person to name the location wins! The location of the photo as well as the winner will be revealed in the next newsletter.\nThis week\u2019s location is a town in the Seventh where two rivers converge \u2013 one clear and the other red\u2026\nCongratulations\u00a0to Cheryl Breth of Melrose, who was the first to correctly identify last week\u2019s location as the World\u2019s Largest Turkey in Frazee!\nShare your guess on our website \u2013\u00a0http://collinpeterson.house.gov/contact-me/spotted-seventh\n  Otter Tail County", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-ellison-introduces-merger-retrospective-act", "Rep. Ellison Introduces Merger Retrospective Act", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN), David Cicilline (D-RI), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Rick Nolan (D-MN), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and\u00a0Ra\u00fal\u00a0Grijalva (D-AZ) this morning introduced the Merger Retrospective Act to curb the harmful effects of corporate monopolization on working people. Rep. Ellison\u2019s bill attempts to illuminate\u00a0the impact of corporate mergers\u00a0on the American economy by directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to assess each merger\u2019s effect on price, quality, and availability of products and services at the merged firm,\u00a0as well as employment reduction and worker compensation.\n\u201cWhen big companies merge, workers can be laid off in the thousands, prices can go up, and quality can go down for goods and services at the new firm. Decades of lax merger review and antitrust enforcement have helped bring us to a new Gilded Age, where inequality is higher than ever, and a handful of massive corporations control outsized wealth and political power at the expense of the rest of us.\u00a0\u00a0This legislation is aimed at reversing a decades-long trend toward concentrating power in our economy.\u201d said Rep. Keith Ellison.\n\u201cThe American people deserve the truth about how mergers affect workers\u2019 wages, layoffs, and lawsuits,\u201d\u00a0said Rep. Rick Nolan, co-chair of the House Antitrust Caucus.\u00a0\u201cThis legislation is an important step forward towards ensuring transparency in the corporate sector and developing a worker-first approach to American business.\u201d\n\u201cYou don\u2019t have to be a PHD economist to understand that increasing levels of corporate concentration are bad for Americans. When airlines and telecom firms merge, they enrich a handful of executives at a cost of lost jobs, stagnant wages, and reduced service for customers. Monopoly power in big business has been a major cause of income inequality and the hollowing out of the middle class. The Merger Retrospective Act is an important first step towards understanding the true cost of corporate consolidation,\u201d said Rep. Ro Khanna, co-chair of the House Antitrust Caucus.\n\u201cCongressman Ellison\u2019s bill is an important step towards improving the effectiveness and transparency of merger policy.\u00a0 It would have the agencies regularly evaluate the effects of their merger enforcement actions on prices and other outcomes.\u00a0 They would then report on those effects as well as on their overall enforcement record.\u00a0 This will help make merger policy better targeted, which will be better for consumers, better for businesses, and better for the agencies as well,\u201d said John E. Kwoka, renowned antitrust economist and the author of Mergers, Merger Control and Remedies.\n\u201cThis bill aims to provide Americans with\u00a0\u00a0basic information they need to better understand our nation\u2019s monopoly problem, and the political and economic dangers posed by concentration of power over our nation\u2019s markets. In doing so, the bill restores a fundamental right to collect information that will empower enforcers to do a better job of protecting opportunity and democracy in America today, and empower citizens and Congress to do a better job of holding those enforcers accountable,\u201d said Barry Lynn, director of Open Markets Institute.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&&id=3806", "Sen. Franken Presses FCC Chair to Delay Vote to End Net Neutrality Amid Reports of Corrupted Public Comment Period", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In light of reports that computer bots may have unfairly skewed the net neutrality debate, U.S. Senator Al Franken pressed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to delay a December 14 vote that would unravel net neutrality safeguards and dramatically alter the internet as we know it. A recent report revealed that computer bots filed hundreds of thousands of comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking process, potentially corrupting the public comment period. In response, Sen. Franken and a group of his colleagues sent a public letter today calling on Chairman Pai to delay the net neutrality vote until an investigation into the matter is conducted. \"A free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding,\" wrote Sen. Franken and his colleagues. \"In fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed...we are requesting that you delay your planned vote on this item until you can conduct a thorough review of the state of the record and provide Congress with greater assurance of its accuracy and completeness.\" The letter, which you can read here or below, was led by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). December 4, 2017 The Honorable Ajit Pai  Chairman  Federal Communications Commission  445 12th Street Southwest  Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Pai: We are deeply concerned by your recently released proposal to roll back critical consumer protections by dismantling the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) current net neutrality rules. A free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding. In fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed. To this end, we request a thorough investigation by the FCC into reports that bots may have interfered with this proceeding by filing hundreds of thousands of comments. Furthermore, an additional 50,000 consumer complaints seem to have been excluded from the public record in this proceeding, according to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by the National Hispanic Media Coalition.  Without additional information about the alleged anomalies surrounding the public record, the FCC cannot conduct a thorough and fair evaluation of the public's views on this topic, and should not move forward with a vote on December 14, 2017.  New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has spent the past six months conducting an investigation into the fraudulent comments, and found that \"hundreds of thousands\" of comments may have impersonated New York residents, a violation of state law. He further asserts that the FCC has not cooperated with requests for additional data and information. Data scientist Jeff Kao has also run an analysis of the public record, and estimates that over a million comments filed in support of repealing net neutrality may have been fake. These reports raise serious concerns as to whether the record the FCC is currently relying on has been tampered with and merits the full attention of, and investigation by, the FCC before votes on this item are cast. A transparent and open process is vitally important to how the FCC functions. The FCC must invest its time and resources into obtaining a more accurate picture of the record as understanding that record is essential to reaching a defensible resolution to this proceeding.  As a result, we are requesting that you delay your planned vote on this item until you can conduct a thorough review of the state of the record and provide Congress with greater assurance of its accuracy and completeness.  Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://franken.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3806", "Sen. Franken Presses FCC Chair to Delay Vote to End Net Neutrality Amid Reports of Corrupted Public Comment Period", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Al Franken", "F000457", "franken.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In light of reports that computer bots may have unfairly skewed the net neutrality debate, U.S. Senator Al Franken pressed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to delay a December 14 vote that would unravel net neutrality safeguards and dramatically alter the internet as we know it. A recent report revealed that computer bots filed hundreds of thousands of comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking process, potentially corrupting the public comment period. In response, Sen. Franken and a group of his colleagues sent a public letter today calling on Chairman Pai to delay the net neutrality vote until an investigation into the matter is conducted. \"A free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding,\" wrote Sen. Franken and his colleagues. \"In fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed...we are requesting that you delay your planned vote on this item until you can conduct a thorough review of the state of the record and provide Congress with greater assurance of its accuracy and completeness.\" The letter, which you can read here or below, was led by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). December 4, 2017 The Honorable Ajit Pai  Chairman  Federal Communications Commission  445 12th Street Southwest  Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Pai: We are deeply concerned by your recently released proposal to roll back critical consumer protections by dismantling the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) current net neutrality rules. A free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding. In fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed. To this end, we request a thorough investigation by the FCC into reports that bots may have interfered with this proceeding by filing hundreds of thousands of comments. Furthermore, an additional 50,000 consumer complaints seem to have been excluded from the public record in this proceeding, according to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by the National Hispanic Media Coalition.  Without additional information about the alleged anomalies surrounding the public record, the FCC cannot conduct a thorough and fair evaluation of the public's views on this topic, and should not move forward with a vote on December 14, 2017.  New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has spent the past six months conducting an investigation into the fraudulent comments, and found that \"hundreds of thousands\" of comments may have impersonated New York residents, a violation of state law. He further asserts that the FCC has not cooperated with requests for additional data and information. Data scientist Jeff Kao has also run an analysis of the public record, and estimates that over a million comments filed in support of repealing net neutrality may have been fake. These reports raise serious concerns as to whether the record the FCC is currently relying on has been tampered with and merits the full attention of, and investigation by, the FCC before votes on this item are cast. A transparent and open process is vitally important to how the FCC functions. The FCC must invest its time and resources into obtaining a more accurate picture of the record as understanding that record is essential to reaching a defensible resolution to this proceeding.  As a result, we are requesting that you delay your planned vote on this item until you can conduct a thorough review of the state of the record and provide Congress with greater assurance of its accuracy and completeness.  Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. Sincerely, ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-president-trump-s-attack-national-monuments", "McCollum Statement on President Trumps Attack on National Monuments", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), Ranking Member of the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee and Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus, released the following statement after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to divide and dramatically shrink the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments:\n\u201cPresident Donald Trump has put Native American sacred sites and some of our nation\u2019s most iconic places in the crosshairs of corporations who want to drill and mine on America\u2019s public lands. Once again, President Trump is putting extractive industries before the best interests of the American people.\n\u201cI am particularly outraged by the elimination of the Bears Ears National Monument. This monument was established with the support of the Zuni, Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, Navajo, and Hopi tribal nations, who petitioned our government to protect more than 100,000 cultural artifacts, sacred sites, and traditional tribal practices by creating this Monument. It is simply unconscionable to open these places that mean so much to our Native American brothers and sisters to oil drilling and uranium mining.\n\u201cThe preservation of places like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante is the reason the Antiquities Act was established by Congress. President Trump\u2019s decision to strip protections from more than two million acres of public lands is not just wrong \u2014 it is almost certainly illegal. I strongly support efforts to challenge President Trump\u2019s abuse of power in court. Americans must keep working to safeguard our public lands and save America\u2019s treasures.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nolan-praises-va-announcement-of-new-veterans-id-card-rollout-in", "Nolan Praises VA Announcement of New Veterans ID Card Rollout in Response to His October Letter And Pledges to Assist Veterans With Applications", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep Rick Nolan today praised the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 announcement of the rollout of an application process for the national Veterans Identification Card (VIC) and pledged to assist Veterans of Minnesota\u2019s 8th District with their applications. This announcement follows the letter sent to the VA in October by Rep. Nolan and ranking Member on the Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee Tim Walz, which requested an update on the implementation of the rollout of the Veteran\u2019s Identification Card program.\n\u00a0\nThis rollout is mandated through the Veteran\u2019s Identification Card Act of 2015, which aims to make it easier for all Veterans to identify themselves to retailers and others. Prior to the enactment of this law, a Veteran who had served a minimum obligated time in service, but who did not meet the retirement or medical discharge threshold, was ineligible to receive an ID.\n\u00a0\n\u201cVeterans deserve recognition and a simple way to identify themselves without carrying around discharge paperwork. I am pleased to see that the VA is making good on its long-overdue promise,\u201d said Nolan. \u201cHowever, I am aware that the VA\u2019s application website may be currently overloaded due to the high volume of traffic. I will continue to closely monitor the online application process to ensure it runs smoothly and that all deserving Veterans receive their identification cards in a timely manner. I will also work to ensure that Veterans lacking Internet access have an alternate means to register.\u201d \n\u00a0\nTo request a VIC, Veterans must visit vets.gov, click on \u201cApply for Printed Veteran ID Card\u201d on the bottom left of the page and sign in or create an account. Veterans who are having difficulty with the website should contact Rep. Nolan\u2019s nearest office here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/the-monday-report/not-even-close-309-to-99", "Not even close: 309 to 99!", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House Overwhelmingly Passes Nolan\u2019s Superior National Forest Land Exchange Bill\u00a0 \n Bipartisan Margin was 309-99 \n\u00a0Under our Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill, taxpayers will receive more lakeshore, more timber, more wild rice waters, and more wetlands for public enjoyment and recreation.\nDear Friend,\u00a0\nBy a huge, bipartisan margin of 309-99, the House last week passed my Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill \u2013 a measure to finalize the long-awaited land swap between the U.S. Forest Service and PolyMet Mining. Whether or not a mining project is ever approved,\u00a0the bill is a big win for taxpayers who get more lakeshore, more timber, more wild rice waters, and 2,000 acres of additional wetlands.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In return, the Forest Service is trading public lands already surrounded by old mining sites, with no public access. PolyMet already owns the mining and mineral rights to the acres they would receive.\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0\n\u00a0  Click on the screen above to hear my speech on the floor of the House explaining our Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill. The map on the screen, which I used to help explain the bill to my colleagues, is directly below.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\tAs I explained to my colleagues, the proposed PolyMet mining site is located below the Continental Divide, and the BWCA is located above the divide. And since water doesn\u2019t flow up hill, the PolyMet site is not in the same watershed as the BWCA. Therefore, it is physically and geologically impossible for any water that flows from a PolyMet site to pollute the BWCA waters.\u00a0\u00a0\nNorthern Minnesota has the cleanest water in the state \u2013 and we are determined to keep it that way.\u00a0 We\u2019ve been mining up here on the Iron Range for more than 130 years, and our waters are the cleanest and purest in the state.\u00a0Pollution increases dramatically as the Mississippi and other rivers and streams flow south through the Twin Cities.\u00a0Runoff from farms and factories have even forced some communities in Western Minnesota to pipe in clean drinking water.\u00a0\n\u00a0  This map shows how pollution in the Mississippi River watershed is relatively minimal in Northern Minnesota, but begins to increase dramatically from urban lawns, industrial wastewater, and agriculture as the river flows through Central Minnesota and on through the Twin Cities metropolitan area.\nAs a leader in the original effort that established the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), I\u2019m committed to protecting ALL of our waters.\u00a0And as Governor Dayton\u2019s water quality campaign has demonstrated, there is much to do in parts of the state where mining isn\u2019t happening.\u00a0\n NO mining project authorized, and NO mining in the BWCA \u2013 EVER! \nNow to be clear \u2013 our land exchange bill does NOT authorize any mining project \u2013 does NOT interfere in any way with state and federal entities that must approve any mining project going forward \u2013 and does NOT affect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA).\u00a0\nIn that regard, it is important to understand that the proposed PolyMet mining site is below the Continental Divide, and the BWCA is above the divide. Since PolyMet is not in the same watershed as the BWCA,\u00a0it is physically and geologically impossible for any water that flows from the PolyMet site to pollute the BWCA waters.\u00a0\nRigorous environmental review and wide-ranging local support across Northern Minnesota\u00a0 House approval of the measure comes after\u00a0seven years of rigorous environmental review for the land exchange itself \u2013 and 12 years of rigorous ongoing environmental review of the proposed PolyMet copper and nickel mining project\u00a0on Minnesota\u2019s Iron Range.\u00a0 These are all big reasons why the land exchange enjoys such overwhelming support\u00a0from communities, business leaders, civic groups, economic development organizations, unions and folks all across our region \u2013 along with a bipartisan majority of our Minnesota Congressional Delegation, our two U.S. Senators, our Governor, and Democratic and Republican leaders in the Minnesota Legislature.\nAdvancing good-paying jobs and America\u2019s \u2018green\u2019 economy And by removing a key impediment to the PolyMet project, the bill is a win for the future of copper and nickel mining and good paying mining jobs on Minnesota\u2019s Iron Range.\u00a0The Range needs those good jobs, and our Nation needs the strategic minerals\u00a0absolutely critical to our defense, technology, and medical research \u2013 and to advancing our \u201cgreen\u201d economy and addressing the challenge of global warming and climate change.\u00a0 Our bipartisan land exchange bill must still clear the Senate and be signed by the President. But overwhelming passage by the House is\u00a0a big step forward in ensuring generations of good-paying 21st Century mining jobs here in Northern Minnesota.\n  \n\tWe will keep you posted as events proceed. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact any of our offices listed below or\u00a0send me an email.\nSincerely,  \n\u00a0\nYou can read the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-flynn-guilty-plea-trump-russia-scandal", "McCollum Statement on Flynn Guilty Plea in Trump-Russia Scandal", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement after President Donald Trump\u2019s National Security Adviser Michael Flynn pled guilty to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Trump-Russia scandal:\n\u201cToday\u2019s guilty plea confirms that collusion with Russia reached the highest levels of the White House. The extent of criminal activity and corruption in the Trump-Pence campaign, transition, and administration is becoming increasingly clear.\n\u201cEvery American should be outraged by the fact President Trump\u2019s top advisor was colluding with Russia. No matter where this investigation leads, the Trump-Pence White House cannot wiggle out of responsibility for Flynn\u2019s crimes: President Trump empowered Flynn despite warnings from both President Obama and his own transition team.\n\u201cGiven the Flynn plea, Congress must take action to both protect Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III from White House interference and to establish a bipartisan, independent commission to examine Russia\u2019s interference in our democracy and Russia\u2019s collusion with the Trump-Pence apparatus.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=B1B162DC-CBC4-45F4-B7C4-2521998948FF", "Klobuchar Statement on Minnesota Lawsuits Against Opioid Drug Manufacturers and Distributors", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today released a statement following the announcement that Minnesota county attorneys have announced lawsuits against drug manufacturers and distributors for the public cost of the opioid crisis:\r\n\u201cThe Minnesota Department of Health reported that 637 Minnesotans died from drug overdoses last year alone\u2014and this crisis is not just in our state, it\u2019s all over the country. Drug manufacturers and distributors spent years misleading the public about the addictive nature of their prescription drugs, contributing to the epidemic that has been officially deemed a public health emergency. These companies should be held accountable for their role in this crisis \u2013 and help pay for drug treatment for the people they got addicted.\u201d\r\nAs a former Hennepin County Attorney, Klobuchar has long led local and national efforts to curb drug abuse and help people overcome addiction. Klobuchar was one of four senators, along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), to lead the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). This bipartisan bill, which was signed into law in July 2016, encourages states and local communities to pursue a full array of proven strategies in the fight against opioid addiction. At the end of 2016, $1 billion was made available by Congress to fund the national effort. To build on the monumental first step of CARA, Klobuchar introduced the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act, which would require the use of strong prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in all states that receive certain federal funding to combat opioid abuse and also requires states to make their PDMP data available to other states.\r\nEarlier this year, she and ten other senators introduced the Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment (LifeBOAT) Act, which would establish a reliable funding stream to provide and expand access to substance abuse treatment. She and a bipartisan group of senators also introduced the Synthetic Abuse and Labeling of Toxic Substances (SALTS) Act and the Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act. The SALTS Act would make it easier to prosecute the sale of \u201canalogue\u201d drugs, which are synthetic substances that are substantially similar to illegal drugs. The STOP Act would help close a loophole in the U.S. postal system to stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped through our borders to drug traffickers in the U.S.\r\nIn September 2014, the DEA implemented Klobuchar\u2019s bipartisan Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act. Under the legislation, consumers are provided with more safe and responsible ways to dispose of unused prescription medications and controlled substances.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=E0566D6C-FCDB-4DCA-BC10-4F5F37981411", "Klobuchar Statement on Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn Guilty Plea", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar released a statement on the guilty plea by former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn:\r\n\u201cThis is an important development in the investigation. When the President\u2019s former National Security Advisor pleads guilty to a felony and says he is cooperating with the investigation, it means it is just the beginning and not the end. We must continue letting Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller follow the facts without any interference by Congress or the Administration \u2013 we owe it to our democracy.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/event/us-capitol-christmas-tree-lighting", "U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For any Minnesotans in Washington, D.C. this December, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will be taking place on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at 5:00 PM on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.\u00a0\nThis tradition dates back to 1964 with the decorating of the first Christmas tree on the West Front Lawn. The U.S. Forest Service has selected the trees since 1970. This year's tree is an Engelmann spruce from Kootenai National Forest in Montana.\u00a0\nThe tree will be lit from dusk until 11:00 PM each evening through January 1, 2018.\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0  The U.S. Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 2016", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ellison-statement-on-honduras", "Ellison Statement on Honduras", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ellison Statement on Honduras\n                        \n  \n                \n    \n      \n  \n    \n  \n      \n  \n  \n    \u00a0\nWASHINGTON\u2014Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement regarding the Honduran election. \n\u00a0\n\"I am deeply concerned by the lack of transparency and delays coming from the Honduran Supreme Electoral Tribunal, coupled with rising allegations of fraud and election tampering. This is unprecedented, and certainly appears aimed at subverting the will of the people. I urge the TSE to be fully transparent and immediately release updated, detailed results. The Honduran people deserve free, fair, and transparent elections \u2014 anything less is an assault on basic democratic norms that should concern us all.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-passage-anti-boundary-waters-legislation", "McCollum Statement on Passage of Anti-Boundary Waters Legislation", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation paving the way for toxic sulfide-ore copper mining on the doorstep of Minnesota\u2019s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness:\n\u201cThe polluters won today, but the fight is not over. I am deeply disappointed that the U.S. House of Representatives is now on the record supporting toxic sulfide-ore copper mining on the doorstep of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which would destroy this pristine wilderness forever.\n\u201cHowever, the vote was close and showed the broad, bipartisan opposition to a foreign conglomerate threatening our Boundary Waters with toxic mining. I am very appreciative that 22 Republicans broke ranks and joined 182 Democrats voting against this destructive bill.\n\u201cThis close vote sends a clear message to the Senate that this legislation is politically toxic and should not even be considered, much less passed. Minnesotans and Americans must not give up: We must keep making our voices heard and urging our Senators to save the Boundary Waters.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-trump-anti-muslim-tweets-endangering-americansmccollum", "McCollum Statement on Trump Anti-Muslim Tweets Endangering AmericansMcCollum Statement on Trump Anti-Muslim Tweets Endangering Americans", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement after it was reported that the State Department warned the White House that President Donald Trump\u2019s anti-Muslim Tweets put the safety of Americans at risk around the world:\n\u201cYesterday, President Donald Trump used his Twitter account to spew bigoted, racist, and vile propaganda produced by the hate group Britain First. I condemn President Trump\u2019s dangerous actions, which put Americans at risk, undermine our relationships with allies like the United Kingdom, and embolden our adversaries. Increasingly, it appears that President Trump\u2019s erratic behavior and irrational decision making is jeopardizing our national security.\n\u201cWhen the President of the United States embraces and emboldens hate groups, at home or abroad, Congress must formally examine his fitness for office and his ability to continue to lead this great nation. President Trump must be held to account for his actions and his words.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://walz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walz-fights-for-working-class-and-scientific-review-in-opposing-hr-3905", "Walz Fights for Working Class and Scientific Review in Opposing H.R. 3905", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Tim Walz", "W000799", "walz.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Tim Walz (MN-01) released the following statement after opposing H.R. 3905:\n\u201cWhen it comes to making decisions concerning our beloved outdoor treasures like the Boundary Waters, we must follow a robust, credible process, science and facts.\u00a0 Equally as important, when it comes to making decisions about jobs and the quality of life for hard-working men and women in mining, small businesses and other industries, we must also follow a process, science and facts.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cH.R. 3905 violates this core principle of mine, and that\u2019s why I voted against the bill today.\u00a0\n\u201cAs someone who supports responsible mining, and a long-time champion of working people and union members, I believe H.R. 3905 will ultimately make it harder to mine in Minnesota over the long term because it fails to respect the lawful environmental review process currently underway and jeopardizes the ability to earn the critical \u2018social permit.\u2019 I have often said that, in addition to having every permit to move forward with projects that impact our natural resources, you also need a \u2018social permit.\u2019\u00a0 That is, we need to build trust in all of the communities affected and among all Minnesotans. Failing to acquire a \u2018social permit\u2019 will only lead to more division, more delay, and more frustration for all concerned.\u00a0\n\u201cH.R. 3905 also penalizes Minnesota in an unprecedented fashion by singling us out as the only state in the Union not covered by the Antiquities Act as we know it today, a 100-year old law designed to protect significant American natural wonders and historical sites.\u00a0\n\u201cUnder current law, we are one year through a two year study examining whether cooper nickel mining and other industrial activities can co-exist safely near the Boundary Waters.\u00a0 H.R. 3905 will kill that study before it is done.\u00a0 I voted against H.R. 3905 in part because I believe it is entirely reasonable to allow this study to be completed and use the results of the study to inform public debate and decisions.\u00a0 Let me add, however, I am opposed to unilaterally imposing a 20 year moratorium on mining in the area without the benefit of the results of the study in hand.\u00a0 Putting a moratorium in place without the study would also violate my core principle of allowing a robust process to move forward.\u00a0\n\u201cI understand the points of view of the miner and construction worker as well as the small business entrepreneur in the outdoor recreation industry.\u00a0 Both are concerned about how decisions like these may impact their way of life.\u00a0 Both individuals rightfully want to make a good living wage. Both want to do what is best for their families. \u00a0Both want clean water to drink and swim in. Both also want to protect prized hunting and fishing habitat. \u00a0Both perspectives deserve consideration.\n\u201cI refuse to accept the false choices that are often put before us on this issue and strongly believe that we can find pathways forward together if we put our differences aside and find common ground in ways that improve the quality of life for all Minnesotans.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=8B18645D-B528-4C49-9D5E-FC89F7C080EE", "Klobuchar on EPA Release of Renewable Fuel Standard Requirements", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement following the release of the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s 2018 and 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements.\r\n\u201cRenewable fuels are a Minnesota-grown economic generator for our state and country. The Administration\u2019s choice to maintain ethanol volume requirements for 2018 and 2019 is a good decision that underscores the importance of\u2014and signals a commitment\u00a0to\u2014corn ethanol. However, failing to increase the blend targets of advanced biofuels hamstrings the growth we have seen in clean energy innovation, needlessly flat-lining a sector that creates good jobs and strengthens rural communities. A strong RFS means a strong economy, improved national security, prosperous rural communities, and U.S. leadership in the energy of the future. I\u2019ll continue to work with the Administration to ensure that the standard is administered in a way that is good for Minnesota and rural communities across the country.\u201d\r\nFor years, Klobuchar has led a bipartisan push for the EPA to release a stronger RFS to support American jobs and decrease dependence on foreign oil. Last November, the former Administration released a stronger final rule for 2017, which will require a record amount of biofuel to be mixed into our transportation fuel supply next year. Minnesota\u2019s twenty ethanol plants and three biodiesel plants generate roughly $5 billion in combined economic output and have made our state the fourth-largest ethanol producing state in the country. In April, Klobuchar and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) led a bipartisan group of 23 senators in urging the Administration to reject changes to the RFS that would upend stability and predictability for small businesses and rural communities.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-floor-remarks-opposing-hr-3905-toxic-mining-adjacent-boundary-waters", "McCollum Floor Remarks Opposing H.R. 3905, Toxic Mining Adjacent to Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) made the following remarks on the House Floor in strong opposition to H.R. 3905, legislation that paves the way for toxic sulfide-ore copper mining on the doorstep of Minnesota\u2019s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness:\nMr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this destructive bill. This bill undermines bedrock environmental and public land management laws in order to create perpetual leases for a foreign-owned, toxic mine. This mine will be on the doorstep of one of our country\u2019s last truly wild places\u2014The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.\nThe Boundary Waters contains 1.1 million acres of unspoiled woodlands and more than 1,000 pristine lakes. This water wilderness is beloved by adventurers, canoers, and sportsmen and women from across the United States and around the world.\u00a0 To safeguard this natural treasure, Congress has prohibited logging, mining, and even the use of most motorized vehicles on this federal land. This has made the Boundary Waters a haven for birds and other wildlife, and the most-visited wilderness area in the United States. These visitors\u2014over 250,000 annually\u2014have helped the economy and created jobs in northern Minnesota.\nBut the bill we are debating today puts all that at risk. It paves the way for a massive sulfide-ore copper mine just a few miles from the Boundary Waters wilderness.\u00a0\u00a0 Sulfide-ore mining is the most toxic industry in the United States. Sulfide mines pollute waterways with acid drainage that contains arsenic, mercury and lead. This type of mining is particularly risky in the vast, interconnected watershed that flows north through the Boundary Waters, into Voyageurs National Park, and across the border into a Canadian Provincial Park.\nSupporters of H.R. 3905 claim that the bill still protects the Boundary Waters, because the mines will be located outside the wilderness area. Mr. Speaker, this is simply not the case. Let me show you where this mining would take place. This is the site of the proposed mine, on the edge of the wilderness area.\u00a0 The river that you see flows through the Boundary Waters. This area contains popular Forest Service campgrounds and entry points to the wilderness.\u00a0 It is a base for scouting and veterans\u2019 outdoor recreation trips. Some of the Superior National Forest\u2019s most popular fishing lakes and hunting grounds are in this area, as are hundreds of homes and businesses.\nIf this bill passes, it will create an industrial wasteland along this chain of lakes and rivers, which so many people and businesses depend on. This bill poses an unacceptable risk of irreparable damage to a pristine wilderness. A 2012 study of American sulfide-ore mines found that ALL of them had leaked, and 92 percent had experienced failures that negatively affected the local water quality. Even state-of-the-art sulfide-ore copper mines consistently pollute their surrounding environments. For example, in August 2014, a copper mine in British Columbia released a toxic slurry\u2014 10 billion liters of wastewater and 5 billion liters of tailings\u2014that created a polluted dystopia of dead trees \u00a0and a contaminated salmon spawning area.\nBecause of the risk involved with these mines, the Forest Service has begun a two-year environmental review. It will determine if the Boundary Waters is an appropriate place for dangerous sulfide-ore copper mining, or if a 20-year withdrawal of mining rights in the watershed is appropriate. This review is the process that Congress established, under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, for considering a mineral withdrawal.\u00a0 The review is supported by Minnesota\u2019s Governor, tribal governments, and 79 percent of all Minnesotans.\nBut the bill we are considering today stops this established, scientific review process from going forward.\u00a0 Instead, it creates a loophole for the benefit of a foreign mining interest.\nIt automatically reinstates two expired and denied mining leases, which date back to 1966\u2014before modern environmental protection laws like the Clean Water Act. It allows permanent mining leases on National Forest land\u2014 our nation\u2019s public land\u2014 removing scientific safeguards, environmental considerations, and public input from the renewal process. It exempts the federal forests in Minnesota from the protections of the landmark Antiquities Act. This sets a dangerous precedent that will have consequences across our country. There is simply no justification for Congress to rewrite the rules for our federal forests in Minnesota.\u00a0 But that\u2019s exactly what this piece of legislation does.\nIn short, this proposal is a giveaway of public resources to private interests \u2014 with one of our nation\u2019s last wild places as the collateral damage.\nGood people of both parties\u2014 all across Minnesota and throughout our country\u2014 know the importance of protecting this pristine wilderness.\u00a0 That is why so many of them have submitted letters to Congress in opposition to H.R. 3905.\nI will be entering into the record just a few of those letters from:\n Minnesota\u2019s Governor Mark Dayton;\n\tThree tribal nations\u2014the Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, and White Earth Bands of the Minnesota Chippewa;\n\tThe Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the National Wildlife Federation, and other sporting groups.\n\tThe Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin;\n\tVeterans for the Boundary Waters;\n\tand a coalition of dozens of national organizations that advocate for clean water, public lands, and conservation.\n I urge all of my colleagues to join me, and to join them, in opposing this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/mesabi-daily-news-politics-on-home-for-nolan-the-father", "Mesabi Daily News: Politics on home for Nolan, the father", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Eighth District U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan\u2019s daughter Katherine is in a daily life-and-death struggle with a lung cancer for which there is currently no cure.\n\n\n\tBut the congressman is still thankful this Thanksgiving weekend because Katherine is not only alive, but also handling well the latest regimen of \u201cwonder\u201d drugs trying to fend off the nasty foe that is adenocarcinoma stage 4 lung cancer.\n\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\n\tKatherine, in her early-40s with four children elementary school to college age, has the Irish fight and stubbornness of her old man, traits oh so needed in this battle for more adventures, more loving moments with family, more change of seasons, more life.\n\n\n\t\u201cI always remind her what Rick says, \u2018We win the tough races,\u2019\u201d said Nolan\u2019s longtime friend and Washington aide Steve Johnson in a recent telephone interview, referring to a history of razor-thin election victories.\n\n\n\t\u201cThe new wonder drug \u2026. which had been tried previously and worked for a while but then couldn\u2019t be tolerated \u2026. is doing well right now.\u201d\n\n\n\tThat small sigh you hear is a collective one of hope from the Nolan family. But, of course, the vigilant health fight goes on day after day for Katherine and loved ones.\n\n\n\tI first met and interviewed Rick Nolan in the late-1970s when he was serving as 6th District congressman from 1975 to 1981 and I was a political reporter for The Sentinel newspaper in Fairmont, Minn. Fairmont was in the Republican-friendly 6th District but butted up against the 2nd District.\n\n\n\tHe was an energetic DFL political boy wonder at the time, first elected to Congress at age 31 in 1974 after narrowly losing to incumbent John Zwach in 1972 in an area that was a swing district.\n\n\n\tNolan has always been a \u201cgood\u201d interview for a reporter. Never one to dodge questions or speak in cliches, Nolan has a quick wit that he employs easily. There has never been anything forced by the congressman.\n\n\n\tMy recollection is that the interview about 40 years ago dealt with agriculture and roads \u2014 prime topics always in southwestern Minnesota.\n\n\n\tWhat a difference 40 years can make. When we talk politics now it\u2019s mining, mining, more mining and a dose of health care. On a personal level, it\u2019s now about grown children and the grandkids.\n\n\n\tBut in a March 2015 interview, issues were put on the back burner. Rick Nolan was much more a father than a congressman that afternoon. And he was a hurting Dad.\n\n\n\tThe Nolan family had released information on Katherine\u2019s health condition earlier that year. It was our first chance to talk since he had gone public with his daughter\u2019s situation.\n\n\n\tTears came easily to both of us as he voiced his love of Katherine, and I thought back to my daughter Nicole\u2019s health difficulties.\n\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\n\tFathers aren\u2019t supposed to be unable to answer a question of \u201cWhy, why me, Dad?\u201d That\u2019s what Nicole had asked me at age 6 as the effects of a medulloblastoma brain tumor ravaged her body.\n\n\n\tNolan said Katherine\u2019s lung cancer defied logic. A non-smoker, her lifestyle has always been healthy.\n\n\n\tHe simply shrugged his shoulders, wiped away a tear and took a deep, difficult breath. His little girl was dying.\n\n\n\tBut Johnson said on this recent day that Katherine\u2019s spirits remain high, and her father still carries his ever-present optimism with a good outlook for the future. After all, medical cures are found each and every year.\n\n\n\tAnd, together, they are a most formidable team in the fight for her life.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/mesabi-daily-us-house-passes-polymet-land-exchange-bill", "Mesabi Daily: U.S. HOUSE PASSES POLYMET LAND EXCHANGE BILL", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Over the Thanksgiving recess last week, Congressman Rick Nolan received a bit of news. On the first day Congress would return to session, his bill authorizing the PolyMet land exchange into federal law would be in front of the U.S. House on the consent agenda.\nInstead of a simple majority, it would need a two-thirds vote, and Nolan and his staff were short a hard head count on supporters. Being a holiday break, few members were around to take an accurate pulse of the House.\nAs the PolyMet project always seem to go \u2014 nothing comes easy.\n\u201cIt did create some anxiety,\u201d Nolan said Tuesday in a phone interview from Washington. The land exchange bill had passed the House, 309-99, earlier in the night. The congressman added there were about a dozen more votes hanging around the halls \u2014 if he needed them.\n\u201cWe had people nervous enough to say we should withdraw the bill \u2026 I said it was too important, and it proved to be the right decision.\u201d\nPassage of the bill in House marks a major milestone for the PolyMet project, which needs the land exchange to allow the Army Corps. of Engineers to weigh in on the project, effectively ending the federal hurdles for the long-awaited open pit copper-nickel mine near Hoyt Lakes.\nThe land exchange, which was approved by the Obama administration, swaps more than 6,5000 acres with PolyMet and provides the federal government with more wetlands, public access lands, lakeshore and more. It does not approve the PolyMet project, Nolan stressed on the House floor Tuesday, but it does clear the way for the project in one respect, after more than 10 years of environmental review.\n\u201cIt\u2019s very exciting,\u201d Nolan said \u201cIt\u2019s going to put a lot of people back to work in the mines. The success of this long, drawn-out PolyMet process is being watched by a lot of people around the country and around the world.\u201d\nThe bill needs a companion in the U.S. Senate to advance, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., has volunteered to carry the bill in the upper chamber, Nolan said. Klobuchar and Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., were early supporters of the land exchange bill, citing that the agencies had already signed off on it.\n\u201cWe couldn\u2019t have a better champion over there in Senate,\u201d Nolan said of Klobuchar. \u201cIf anyone in the Senate can get it done, it\u2019s her.\u201d\nHe went on to describe the last few days in Washington as an all-out blitz, with local advocates contacting members and fellow Congressmen Tim Walz, D-Minn. and Tom Emmer, R-Minn., doing their part. Dave Lislegard, Nancy Norr and Kyle Makarios with Jobs for Minnesotans and Frank Ongaro of Mining Minnesota flew to Washington on Monday to speak with House members.\n\u201cThis is a big win for the Range,\u201d Lislegard said by phone Tuesday. \u201cBusiness, labor and communities were out here advocating hand in hand with Congressman Nolan. This a big first step.\u201d\nThe bill was heard Tuesday afternoon on the consent agenda, where a roll call vote was requested and approved for later in the night.\nCongresswoman Betty McCollum, D-Minn., spoke in opposition of the bill during its introduction. She said the bill undermines four lawsuits that challenge the land exchange based on environmental and monetary return to the taxpayers. She also said it would have a direct impact on the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, which are downstream from the PolyMet site.\nNolan\u2019s Democratic primary opponent, Leah Phifer, echoed the due process arguments in a statement Tuesday.\n\u201cThis amendment sets a dangerous precedent of upholding agency decisions only when it benefits particular projects championed by individual Congress members,\u201d Phifer said. \u201cMinnesota has a complex, layered process of permitting and protections designed to safeguard the public, the economy, and the environment. When legislators intervene to support individual projects, providing conflicting reasoning for their actions, it erodes public trust in this process.\u201d\nWalz, a Democratic candidate for governor, said it was the responsibility of Congress to \u201chonor the process\u201d in place and approved by the Obama administration.\n\u201cOur can-do spirit of innovation and ability to reject false choices are hallmarks of who we are as Minnesotans,\u201d he said. \u201cWe know that we can help each other achieve economic security for our families and be good stewards of our state at the same time, which is why we must follow the science and require a robust, credible environmental review process.\u201d\nPolyMet CEO Jon Cherry also praised its passage.\n\u201cWe are grateful to Rep. Nolan, the bill\u2019s co-sponsors, and House leadership for their efforts to move this legislation forward,\u201d Cherry said. \u201cWhile neither the legislative nor the administrative exchange would permit or approve construction of the mine, Congressional approval for the exchange provides certainty of process in developing the project by finalizing the land transfer.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-nolan-bill-to-facilitate-superior-national-forest-land", "House Passes Nolan Bill to Facilitate Superior National Forest Land Exchange, A Good Deal for Taxpayers, Forestry, Tourism, and Jobs", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The U.S. House of Representatives today passed U.S. Rep Rick Nolan\u2019s bill, H.R. 3115, the Superior National Forest Land Exchange Act, which finalizes a long-awaited land exchange in Northern Minnesota between the U.S. Forest Service and PolyMet Mining.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe exchange \u2013 approved earlier this year by the Obama Administration\u2019s U.S. Forest Service after undergoing seven years of scrupulous review \u2013 is key to advancing PolyMet\u2019s long-awaited project to open up the copper, nickel and other precious minerals under Iron Range land known as the Duluth Complex.\n\u00a0\nIn his remarks on the House floor, Rep. Nolan pointed out the future public and economic benefits of the legislation, including the creation of hundreds of good paying jobs in mining and related industries. Tourism-related activities in the Superior National Forest will also benefit with the increased public access to 2,000 acres of lakeshore, wetlands, and wild rice waters. Rep. Nolan also noted that the bill is supported by a bipartisan majority of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation, Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, Democratic and Republican leaders in the Minnesota legislature, and communities, businesses, private citizens, and economic development organizations throughout the region. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has also expressed his support for the project, which relies on the land exchange for its success.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u201cThis bill is a win for taxpayers, for the environment, and for good paying jobs,\u201d\u00a0said Rep Nolan.\u00a0\u201cThe public will gain access to 2,000 acres of beautiful wetlands, lakeshore, and wild rice waters, while PolyMet\u00a0receives a smaller area bordered by existing mining operations and infrastructure that it already owns the mineral rights to. If the land exchange\u00a0\u2013\u00a0which has already been approved by the Obama Administration\u2019s Forest Service \u2013 becomes law, it would mark\u00a0an important step toward providing\u00a0our Nation the precious metals it requires to meet growing demands in defense, manufacturing, health care, environmental \u201cgreen\u201d technologies and medical research. As I have said many times before, any potential mining project must meet the rigorous state and federal environmental regulations before it can move forward.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe legislation does not affect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in any way. The bill also does not authorize any mining project, nor interfere in any way with state and federal entities that must approve future mining projects. It simply codifies and expedites the pending administrative transaction \u2013 6,690 acres of private land become public, granting visitors and tribal members access to trails and recreation, abundant timber resources, a huge tract of wild rice water at Hay Lake, and almost 2,000 acres of wetlands. In return, PolyMet will receive and transfer into private ownership 6,650 acres of contiguous mining-friendly land surrounded by existing mining operations and infrastructure.\n\u00a0\nRep. Nolan\u2019s office received numerous letters in support of the bill, including:\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The communities of Babbitt and Hoyt Lakes.\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Range Association of Municipalities \u2013 representing 40 communities across the region.\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Port of Duluth.\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Duluth Building Trades.\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Duluth Chamber of Commerce.\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Democratic and Republican leaders of the Minnesota legislature.\n\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The bipartisan Iron Range Delegation to the Minnesota legislature.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ellison.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ellison-sends-letter-sharing-constituent-concerns-on-line-3-pipeline", "Ellison Sends Letter Sharing Constituent Concerns Over Line 3 Pipeline", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Keith Ellison", "E000288", "ellison.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) sent the following letter to Nancy Lange, Chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission:\u00a0\n\u201cDear Chair Lange and Members of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission:\nI write to share concerns from my constituents regarding Enbridge\u2019s proposed Line 3 replacement pipeline. In recent months, hundreds of individuals have contacted me about the proposed project, and I\u2019ve met with dozens of advocates on all sides of the issue. As the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MNPUC) reviews this pipeline proposal, I encourage Commissioners to address the following aspects of the project.\nWhen I met with a group of young climate organizers granted intervention status, they expressed concern regarding the impact this project will have on climate change. Many of my constituents noted that the Line 3 replacement pipeline would be transporting tar sands crude, which is among the dirtiest fossil fuels. Canadian tar sands oil is up to 370o more carbon intensive than regular oil. A new tar sands pipeline at full capacity 760,000 barrels per day would have a carbon footprint of about 16-18 million cars on the road every year of the pipeline\u2019s operation. When reviewing this project, the MNPUC should ensure that the pipeline would not further exacerbate the warming of our planet or undermine Minnesota\u2019s ability to achieve statutory greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.\nMany constituents also expressed concern about the risk posed to downstream communities. The Polaris Institute found that Enbridge pipelines had over 800 spills between 1999 and 2010, including the release of hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Kalamazoo River. The proposed Line 3 reroute would cross the Red River, the Mississippi, and the Lake Superior watersheds, 192 surface waters, and hundreds of wetland acres. Millions of people and thousands of cities line the shores of the Mississippi, and a spill or leak could have severe consequences on access to drinking water.\nTribal communities have also shared with me their deep opposition to the pipeline. This proposal crosses 1855 treaty land, areas important for fishing, hunting, and gathering wild rice. The environmental justice section of the Final Environmental Impact Statement indicates that \u201cAmerican Indian populations...will experience disproportionately high and adverse impacts... [T]he intensity of impacts felt by American Indian populations will be greater than depicted by quantitative analysis alone because of their cultural and spiritual relationship with the natural environment.\u201d Minnesota must respect our treaties and address the legitimate issues that the pipeline presents to the rights we have guaranteed to our indigenous neighbors.\nI urge the MNPUC to take into consideration the risks I have outlined in these comments when you make a final decision on the certificate of need for the project.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-floor-remarks-opposing-hr-3115-superior-national-forest-land-exchange", "McCollum Floor Remarks Opposing H.R. 3115, Superior National Forest Land Exchange Act", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in opposition to H.R. 3115, the Superior National Forest Land Exchange Act of \u00a02017, which mandates an exchange of more than 6,600 acres in the Superior National Forest to expedite construction of the Polymet mine:\nMr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3115, the Superior National Forest Land Exchange Act of 2017. This bill mandates the exchange of more than 6,600 acres in the Superior National Forest for the construction of a massive open pit sulfide-ore copper and nickel mine. This project is very controversial, and a majority of Minnesotans oppose toxic sulfide-ore mining because it is a threat to water quality, public lands, and outdoor recreation in our state.\nThis legislation also raises serious due process concerns. There are four pending lawsuits challenging the land exchange based on existing environmental laws and concerns about appropriate appraisal values. Federal courts are still considering these lawsuits, but this legislation undermines proper judicial review to expedite construction of the Polymet mine.\nFinally, this bill ignores the treaty rights of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, a federally recognized tribal nation. The Fond du Lac Reservation is downstream from the proposed mine site. As the Tribal Chairman has told Congress, this mine will \u201cpose a direct threat to the water, and the fish, game and wild rice on which the Tribe depends.\u201d\u00a0 The National Congress of American Indians also strongly opposes this legislation.\nH.R. 3115 undermines legal due process, environmental safeguards, and the treaty rights of our Native American brothers and sisters. I urge my colleagues to vote no on H.R. 3115.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://walz.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walz-votes-for-nolan-legislation-to-approve-polymet-land-swap", "Walz Votes for Nolan Legislation to Approve PolyMet Land Swap", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Tim Walz", "W000799", "walz.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Tim Walz (MN-01) released the following statement after voting for H.R. 3115:\n\u201cOur can-do spirit of innovation and ability to reject false choices are hallmarks of who we are as Minnesotans. We know that we can help each other achieve economic security for our families and be good stewards of our state at the same time, which is why we must follow the science and require a robust, credible environmental review process. That\u2019s also why I cosponsored and voted for Congressman Nolan's legislation. After years of environmental review and approval by the Obama Administration, we have an obligation to honor the process that is in place by ensuring this exchange moves forward.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=0ED75A5E-2393-4D4A-8B7E-6E9C911768D4", "Klobuchar Urges U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Take Action to Address Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes and Assisted-Living Facilities and Requests GAO Report to Examine Additional Solutions", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A recent report found that in 2016, 97 percent of the more than 25,000 allegations of neglect, physical abuse, unexplained serious injury, and theft in state-licensed facilities for seniors in Minnesota were never investigated and that facilities systematically failed to notify the families and guardians of victims when incidents occurred; Preliminary conclusions of an ongoing national review by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General have also found \u201cinadequate procedures\u201d at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for identifying and reporting potential incidents of abuse or neglect in nursing home facilities\u00a0\n \r\n In a letter to the Acting Secretary of HHS, Klobuchar urged the agency to take action to prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities; In a letter to the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Klobuchar asked for a GAO report to examine additional actions the federal government can take to address this issue \r\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities and also asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine additional actions the federal government can take to address this issue. The\u00a0Star Tribune\u00a0newspaper recently reported that in 2016, 97 percent of the more than 25,000 allegations of neglect, physical abuse, unexplained serious injury, and theft in state-licensed facilities for seniors in Minnesota were never investigated and that facilities systematically failed to notify the families and guardians of victims when incidents occurred. The preliminary conclusions of an ongoing national review by the HHS Office of Inspector General have also found \u201cinadequate procedures\u201d at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for identifying and reporting potential incidents of abuse or neglect in nursing home facilities.\r\n \u201cI write to urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take additional actions to prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities,\u201d Klobuchar wrote to Acting HHS Secretary Eric Hargan.\r\nKlobuchar continued, \u201cA recent report revealed troubling accounts of physical and sexual abuse of senior citizens in Minnesota nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. The Star Tribune report also discussed how the facilities systematically failed to notify the families and guardians of victims when incidents occurred, which prevented family members from advocating on behalf of their loved ones, removing them from dangerous situations, or otherwise ensuring they received the treatment and assistance they needed.\u201d\r\nKlobuchar also asked Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, \u201cWhat changes to current practices at HHS and its component agencies would GAO recommend to ensure that agencies are able to take action and implement safeguards to protect seniors from this type of abuse or mistreatment? Are there any federal legislative changes necessary to ensure HHS and its component agencies are able to take action and implement effective safeguards to protect seniors from this type of abuse or mistreatment?\u201d\r\nThroughout her time in the Senate, Klobuchar has been fighting to ensure that all Americans have safety, dignity, and good health in their senior years. In October, the bipartisan Court-Appointed Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act she introduced with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) was signed into law by the President as part of the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act. The law will help crack down on elder abuse by strengthening oversight and accountability for guardians and conservators. The bipartisan Seniors Fraud Prevention Act, which Klobuchar introduced with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), passed the Senate in August. The bill would help fight scams designed to strip seniors of their assets by educating seniors about fraud schemes and improving monitoring of and response to fraud complaints. In 2015, Klobuchar reintroduced the Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act to help reduce the financial burden on families by establishing a federal tax credit to assist with the costs of caring for an aging family member. She has also been a leader in curbing the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, improving and strengthening Medicare, and protecting American consumers by leading major bipartisan legislation, such as the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act, and the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act.\r\nThe full text of the senator\u2019s letters to HHS and GAO are below.\r\nDear Acting Secretary Hargan,\r\nI write to urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take additional actions to prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.\r\nA recent report revealed troubling accounts of physical and sexual abuse of senior citizens in Minnesota nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.\u00a0 Many of these incidents were either insufficiently investigated or not investigated at all. The report noted that in 2016, 97 percent of the more than 25,000 allegations of neglect, physical abuse, unexplained serious injury, and theft in state-licensed facilities for seniors in Minnesota were never investigated.\r\nThe report also discussed how the facilities systematically failed to notify the families and guardians of victims when incidents occurred \u2013 which prevented family members from advocating on behalf of their loved ones, removing them from dangerous situations, or otherwise ensuring they received the treatment and assistance they needed.\r\nIn one disturbing incident, a 78-year-old Minnesotan in a senior home was sexually assaulted by a nurse\u2019s aide. Despite an eyewitness account, the facility waited two hours to report the assault to law enforcement, allowed the aide to leave the scene to go home for the night, failed to notify the victim\u2019s family of the assault, and compromised critical evidence. This is just one example of a problem affecting seniors across the country.\r\nThe preliminary conclusions of an ongoing national review by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) have also found \u201cinadequate procedures\u201d at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for identifying and reporting potential incidents of abuse or neglect in nursing home facilities.\u00a0 OIG has recommended that CMS take immediate action to strengthen its procedures and the enforcement of existing requirements.\r\nTo identify additional measures that HHS can take to prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, I respectfully request responses to the following questions:\r\n \r\nHow do HHS and its component agencies plan to ensure that allegations of neglect, physical abuse, unexplained serious injury, theft, and other mistreatment are immediately reported to law enforcement?\r\nHow do HHS and its component agencies plan to ensure all of these allegations are investigated in a timely manner? What do HHS and its component agencies consider to be an acceptable time period for completing these investigations?\r\nHow do HHS and its component agencies plan to ensure that family members or guardians of victims of elder abuse are notified when these incidents occur and are kept informed of the progress of administrative or criminal investigations?\r\nWhat are the differences under federal law between assisted-living facilities and nursing homes regarding these forms of abuse or mistreatment?\r\nAre there any federal legislative changes necessary to ensure HHS and its component agencies are able to take action and implement effective safeguards to protect seniors from this type of abuse or mistreatment?\r\n \r\nThank you for your prompt attention to this critical issue.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\nDear Mr. Dodaro,\r\nI write to urge the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine what additional actions the federal government can take to prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.\r\nA recent report revealed troubling accounts of physical and sexual abuse of senior citizens in Minnesota nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.\u00a0 Many of these incidents were either insufficiently investigated or not investigated at all. The report noted that in 2016, 97 percent of the more than 25,000 allegations of neglect, physical abuse, unexplained serious injury, and theft in state-licensed facilities for seniors in Minnesota were never investigated.\r\nThe report also discussed how the facilities systematically failed to notify the families and guardians of victims when incidents occurred, which prevented family members from advocating on behalf of their loved ones, removing them from dangerous situations, or otherwise ensuring they received the treatment and assistance they needed.\r\nIn one disturbing incident, a 78-year-old Minnesotan in a senior home was sexually assaulted by a nurse\u2019s aide. Despite an eyewitness account, the facility waited two hours to report the assault to law enforcement, allowed the aide to leave the scene to go home for the night, failed to notify the victim\u2019s family of the assault, and compromised critical evidence. This is just one example of a problem affecting seniors across the country.\r\nThe preliminary conclusions of an ongoing national review by the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) have also found \u201cinadequate procedures\u201d at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for identifying and reporting potential incidents of abuse or neglect in nursing home facilities.\u00a0 OIG has recommended that CMS take immediate action to strengthen its procedures and the enforcement of existing requirements.\r\nTo identify additional measures that the federal government can take to prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, I respectfully request GAO examine the following questions:\r\n \r\nHow do HHS and its component agencies ensure that allegations of neglect, physical abuse, unexplained serious injury, theft, and other mistreatment are immediately reported to law enforcement?\r\nHow do HHS and its component agencies ensure all of these allegations are investigated in a timely manner? What do HHS and its component agencies consider to be an acceptable time period for completing these investigations?\r\nHow do HHS and its component agencies ensure that family members or guardians of victims of elder abuse are notified when these incidents occur and are kept informed of the progress of administrative or criminal investigations?\r\nWhat are the differences under federal law between assisted-living facilities and nursing homes regarding these forms of abuse or mistreatment?\r\nWhat changes to current practices at HHS and its component agencies would GAO recommend to ensure that agencies are able to take action and implement safeguards to protect seniors from this type of abuse or mistreatment?\r\nAre there any federal legislative changes necessary to ensure HHS and its component agencies are able to take action and implement effective safeguards to protect seniors from this type of abuse or mistreatment?\r\n \r\nThank you for your prompt attention to this critical issue.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=18F6915E-BD86-4207-AD53-C1B9547DA8F3", "Klobuchar, Bipartisan Group of Great Lakes Senators Raise Alarm over Delay in Finalizing Critical Invasive Carp Study", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators express serious concerns over the timeline for implementing permanent measures to combat invasive carp \r\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a vice-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, and a bipartisan group of other Great Lakes senators have sent a letter to the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers raising alarm over the delay in finalizing the Brandon Road Study, a critical action-plan for keeping invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes.\r\n\u201cIt is imperative that the USACE meet the original timeline for completing the Chief\u2019s Report by January 2019,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cThe USACE initiated the Brandon Road Study in April 2015 after the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin Study identified the Brandon Road Lock & Dam as a location to control the movement of Asian Carp into the Great Lakes.\u201d\r\n\u201cUSACE has indicated that implementing the recommended measures in the TSP is unlikely before 2025,\u201d the senators continued. \u201cThis timeline is particularly concerning given recent findings that demonstrated new ways for Asian Carp to enter the Great Lakes\u2026This past June, an eight pound Silver Carp made its way up the Illinois River, beyond the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, and was found above the electric barrier \u2013 just nine miles from Lake Michigan.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIn addition to Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Task Force members Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY).\r\nAs one of the vice-chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, Klobuchar is a leader in helping to fight the spread of invasive carp. When the Administration delayed the February 2017 release of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Brandon Road Project Tentatively Selected Plan to prevent invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes, Klobuchar and a group of Great Lakes Senators pressed the Administration to release the draft proposal without delay. The study, which Klobuchar pushed for, is critical to stopping the flow of invasive carp and other invasive species.\r\nKlobuchar authored a provision to help keep invasive carp out of Minnesota\u2019s waterways by closing the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock within one year of enactment. The provision passed as part of the Water Resources and Development Act in May 2014 and the lock was closed on June 9, 2015. Last September, several of Klobuchar\u2019s key priorities passed the Senate as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016. The bipartisan bill included her provision to provide critical resources and funding to conserve fish and wildlife population in the Great Lakes, and priorities that require the use of American iron and steel in all projects funded through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and establish a voluntary school and child care lead testing program, among others. She has also worked to bolster pollution clean-up efforts in the Great Lakes, prevent diversions of Great Lakes water out of the region, and establish new water conservation and environmental protection standards in the Great Lakes area. In 2012, Klobuchar worked to pass the bipartisan Stop Invasive Species Act, which required the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to present Congress with a report on potential strategies to help prevent invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes. After the Army Corps released the report in 2014, Klobuchar called on the Army Corps to implement short-term measures to help keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes and move aggressively toward a long-term solution.\r\nThe full text of the senators\u2019 letter is below.\r\nDear Acting Secretary McCarthy,\r\nAs Senators representing Great Lakes states, we write to share our views on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 (USACE) draft Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP) for the Brandon Road Study.\u00a0\r\nFirst, it is imperative that the USACE meet the original timeline for completing the Chief\u2019s Report by January 2019.\u00a0 The USACE initiated the Brandon Road Study in April 2015 after the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin Study (GLMRIS) identified the Brandon Road Lock & Dam as a location to control the movement of Asian Carp into the Great Lakes. The USACE provided a 46-month timeline to complete Brandon Road Study, with an interim step of releasing the Tentatively Selected Plan by January 2017. This was already longer than the 3x3x3 rule enacted in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (P. L. 113-121), in which feasibility studies must result in a final report in three years or less.\u00a0 Despite the six-month delay in the release of the TSP, we fully expect the USACE to complete its Chief\u2019s Report by January 2019. Secondly, we ask that you provide us an update on the timeline for completion of the Chief\u2019s Report\r\nThirdly, USACE has indicated that implementing the recommended measures in the TSP is unlikely before 2025.\u00a0 This timeline is particularly concerning given recent findings that demonstrated new ways for Asian carp to enter the Great Lakes.\u00a0\u00a0 Field studies conducted in recent years by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that small fish \u2013 including Asian Carp \u2013 can become entrained between barges and transported safely through the electric dispersal barriers near Romeoville, Illinois \u2013 located approximately 25 miles from Lake Michigan.\u00a0 Moreover, this past June, an eight pound Silver Carp made its way up the Illinois River, beyond the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, and was found above the electric barrier \u2013 just nine miles from Lake Michigan.\r\nWhile waterway shipping is important to the economies of the Great Lakes states, it is also essential that we prevent the devastating impacts that would occur if Asian Carp invade the Great Lakes. Studies have shown those impacts would include declines in native fish species and a one-third reduction of total fish weight in Lake Erie. This threatens the Great Lakes\u2019 world-class $7 billion/year fishing industry, $16 billion/year recreational boating industry, and the hundreds of thousands of jobs these industries support.\r\nWe appreciate the USACE\u2019s recognition that controlling the movement of aquatic invasive species such as Asian Carp is necessary, and we look forward to hearing from you on your commitment to complete the Chief\u2019s Report by January 2019.\r\nThank you for your consideration of our request. We ask that this letter be included in the formal record of comments for the draft report.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/rep-petersons-newsletter-11222017", "Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 11/22/2017", "2017-11-27", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Drumstick and Wishbone  The two lucky Minnesota turkeys at  The White House Pardoning Ceremony\nDear Friends,\nAs families celebrate Thanksgiving throughout the country this week, let\u2019s remember to be thankful for the hardworking farmers and producers who make our favorite meal of the year possible. Our agricultural community not only provides for healthy and fresh meals but supports more than a fifth of the U.S. economy. I will continue to work to provide safeguards that keep our rural economy strong for both our farmers and all those they feed. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful to serve as your Representative.\nSincerely,\nCongressman Collin C. Peterson  Minnesota 7th District\n Presidential Turkey Pardoning \nThis week I was honored to take part in the annual Presidential Turkey Pardoning festivities as this year\u2019s turkeys came from the 7th District of Minnesota. The Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, Carl Wittenburg, along with his wife Sharlene, raised this year\u2019s birds on their farm in Alexandria, Minnesota. Five Douglas County 4-Hers assisted the Wittenburgs with raising and training the 2017 National Thanksgiving Flock: Kodi Bundermann, Kayla Egenes, Christina Kuismi, Kerryn Lund, and Katie Kent. \u00a0Prior to this year, none of the five 4-Hers had experience with turkeys, but they were mentored by the Wittenburgs and 4-H volunteer, Barb Egenes.\nOn Monday, Chairman Wittenburg announced at the Turkey Pardoning Media Day at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington that the two birds were named Drumstick and Wishbone by popular vote. Drumstick and Wishbone were chosen from the larger 2017 Thanksgiving Flock based on their showmanship, character, and stature.\nOn Tuesday, the Minnesotans took the birds to the White House for the official 2017 National Turkey Pardoning by President Trump. While Drumstick won the official 2017 pardoning, alternate Wishbone will also be spared, as the two birds will join last year\u2019s pardoned turkeys, Tater and Tot, at Virginia Tech\u2019s \u201cGobbler\u2019s Rest\u201d exhibit. This was a great experience, and I am proud of all the Minnesotans who took part in making this year\u2019s National Turkey Pardoning a success.\nYou can watch the birds make themselves at home in D.C. before their big day here:\u00a0http://bit.ly/2B4m7gp.\nAt the same event, I was honored to receive the Quilt of Valor from the Douglas County 4-H chapter. Eight youth and three adult volunteers from Douglas County 4-H created this quilt in appreciation for those who have served, and I humbly accepted it on behalf of all of Minnesota\u2019s veterans. I will display the quilt in my Washington office in a place of honor.\n AgriTalk \nI was a guest on Tuesday morning's AgriTalk where I explained my opposition to the House's recently passed tax bill and the negative impacts I fear it would have on the region's producers. We also discussed continuing farm bill negotiations and the policies I hope to see when the bill comes up in the New Year.\u00a0\n USDA Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips \nEach Thanksgiving, Americans will consume 46 million turkeys! You can call the USDA\u2019s Meat and Poultry Hotline 8am-2pm ET on Thanksgiving Day or visit www.foodsafety.gov for more food safety tips.\n Adoptive Family Portrait Project \nThis year my office is proud to participate in the 13th Annual Adoptive Family Portrait Project. Sponsored by Voice for Adoption, the project honors National Adoption Month by connecting families who have grown their family by adoption through foster care to their Members of Congress. I am happy to share the story of the Diane, Allan, and Ryan Cronen of Willmar here in my Washington, D.C. office.\nTo learn more about how you can participate in National Adoption Month, visit Voice for Adoption\u2019s website. As Ryan writes, \u201cAdoption means being able to have someone to care for and love me \u2013 someone who will always be there for me.\u201d\n Rural Economic Development (RED) Group \nThis week my district staff attended the Rural Economic Development (RED) Group meeting. A presentation was given on DevelopMN which is an economic development plan for greater Minnesota developed by the Minnesota Association of Development Organizations. Attendees discussed opportunities and interdependence in relationship to the plan. I look forward to hearing more about the plan and new ideas that come to light as a result of their collaboration initiatives. To read the plan go to: www.mnado.org.\n Northwest Regional Soil and Water Conservation Meeting \nOne of my staff members was able to attend the recent Northwest Regional Soil and Water Conservation meeting. The Soil and Water Conservation Offices have a busy agenda, discussing buffer strips, clean water, nitrogen fertilizer rule, minimum tillage and funding issues. Many Federal and State conservation and agricultural programs have converge in their offices, and I appreciate the work done by our Soil and Water Conservation office.\n Red River Water Management Board \nThe Red River Water Management Board welcomed a new Executive Director this month, Robert Sip. Mr. Sip has been working for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and grew up in the Red River Valley near Ada. The Board also said goodbye to Ron Harnack, who guided the board and worked with the Minnesota Legislature for project funding.\u00a0Water issues of the Red River Valley continue to be a top priority in Congress. I wish to welcome Mr. Robert Sip to his new position and extend my appreciation for all the work and support Mr. Ron Harnack has given the Board over his many years of service.\n University of Minnesota Crookston \nA member of my staff spent a day at the University of Minnesota Crookston with the Campus Advisory and Advancement Board. The new Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause greeted the Board and listened as the different Departments gave updates. Later, they shadowed students in their classes and experienced some interesting classes with excellent teachers. The importance of the higher education\u2019s role in teaching young men and women is vital to economic success. I wish the University and Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause success in the years ahead.\n This Week in American History \n  Current County Seat in Thief River Falls; General Store on display at Pioneer Village\nOn November 23, 1910 Pennington County was created. Formed from sections of Red Lake County, Pennington County was named after Edmund Pennington and is home to over 14,000 people today.\n Spotted in the Seventh \nCan YOU guess what was Spotted in the Seventh? Each week, the newsletter will feature a landmark or site somewhere in Western Minnesota. The first person to name the location wins! The location of the photo as well as the winner will be revealed in the next newsletter.\nThis week\u2019s location was first created in 1986 by local turkey growers, and then redesigned in 1998 after an accidental fire. Just in time for Thanksgiving, this bird weighs over 5,000 lbs\u2026\nCongratulations\u00a0to Jon Folkedahl of Willmar, who was the first to correctly identify last week\u2019s location as Birch Lakes State Forest in Stearns County!\nShare your guess on our website \u2013\u00a0http://collinpeterson.house.gov/contact-me/spotted-seventh\n  Robbins Island", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/the-monday-report/theyre-in-serious-trouble", "They're in serious trouble!", "2017-11-27", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Saving Minnesota\u2019s Loons - Before It\u2019s Too Late \n\u00a0\n\tThese iconic Minnesota loons are swimming near Ely, on Minnesota\u2019s Iron Range.\u00a0\nDear Friend,\nThe community of Crosslake is stepping up to help save the Minnesota loon, the iconic state bird we love so much here in the Northland. The loon is in serious trouble. And I\u2019m working with Crosslakers, and with my colleagues in Congress, to help lead the rescue before it\u2019s too late.\u00a0Minnesota has more loons than any other state in the lower 48, and we aim to keep it that way.\nThe facts are clear\n The National Audubon Society has placed the loon on its list of 300 birds that may become extinct\u00a0in the lower 48 states by the turn of the Century.\n  Climate change and man-made pollution\u00a0are eroding loon habitat and breeding grounds.\n  Invasive zebra mussels\u00a0are spreading a\u00a0deadly form of botulism\u00a0that has already killed thousands of loons.\u00a0\u00a0\n  Scientists confirm that the deadly BP oil spill that occurred seven years ago in the Gulf of Mexico has probably caused genetic damage to the young loons\u00a0that migrate south, live in those waters,\u00a0and stay in the Gulf region for three or four years before returning.\n The Community of Crosslake Steps Up to Help Save Our Loons\nWith the future of our loon population at stake,\u00a0the community of Crosslake \u2013 including a growing coalition of local businesses, civic groups and citizens \u2013 has launched a groundbreaking new project to turn the tide\u00a0by establishing a\u00a0National Loon Center\u00a0and model Green Marina Project for the region.\u00a0\nAmong many other things, the project would help\u00a0build awareness and advocacy for loons and formulate loon survival strategies. The effort would also help restore fragile shoreline and loon habitat, promote environmental education, recreation, and tourism, and enhance the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 camp ground\u00a0to encourage folks to watch and appreciate loons in their natural state.\nI have asked the Army Corps to include the National Loon Center and Green Marina Project in its 2018 Civil Works Plan.\u00a0Moreover,\u00a0I am strongly supporting Minnesota\u2019s efforts to secure a $6 million grant from a fund set up by BP Oil to help the loon population.\u00a0Administered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that money would be combined with private funds to help restore shorelines on loon nesting lakes. Meanwhile, the Crosslake community is planning to submit its own funding applications to state, federal, and private non-profit entities committed to the survival of loons and other birds and wildlife.\u00a0\nBattling Zebra Mussels and Climate Change to Help Save Our Loons\nIn the meantime,\u00a0my successful bipartisan amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations bill will boost the Army Corps\u2019 anti-zebra mussel program to a total of $1 million next year.\u00a0Those funds will help stop the epidemic of botulism that\u2019s killing loons and threatening Minnesota\u2019s multi-billion dollar sport fishing and tourism industry.\nAnd last but far from least, I\u00a0am the first and only member of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation to join the bipartisan Climate Change Solutions Caucus.\u00a0The Audubon Society predicts that unless we address climate change,\u00a0gradually warming temperatures will drive our entire Minnesota loon population northward to Canada by 2100.\u00a0Our children and grandchildren deserve to hear the same call of the loon that we have enjoyed all our lives. That\u2019s what these efforts to preserve and protect our loons are really all about.\u00a0\nWe will keep you posted as events proceed. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact any of our offices listed below or\u00a0send me an email.\nSincerely,  \n  P.S. Did You Know These Facts About Our Minnesota Loons?\n The bones of most birds are hollow and light, but loons have solid bones.\n  The extra weight helps them dive as deep as 250 feet to search for food. They can stay underwater for up to five minutes.\n  Because their bodies are heavy relative to their wing size, loons need a 100 to 600-foot \u201crunway\u201d in order to take off from a lake.\n  Loons can fly more than 75 miles per hour.\n  The red in the loon\u2019s eye helps it to see under water.\n  Scientists think loons can live up to 30 years and more.\n \u00a0\nThe full letter is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=D0B55BCB-D8C9-4D50-9F8C-932FD1F8AD9A", "Klobuchar Statement on Passing of Warren Spannaus", "2017-11-27", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Amy Klobuchar", "K000367", "www.klobuchar.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar released the following statement on the passing of former Minnesota Attorney General Warren Spannaus:\r\n\u201cOne of my first jobs in government was as an intern in the consumer division for Attorney General Warren Spannaus. He became a lifelong friend and mentor.\r\n\u201cWe worked again together for eight years at Dorsey & Whitney law firm where my office was right next door to his. Warren was a unique figure at the law firm. He would always sit back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk, and the soles of his shoes would inevitably have holes in them. He kept a tin of shoe polish and an old cloth in his desk drawer, and he would often shine his shoes while we talked about work or, more often, politics. For years he and his pal Judge Gerald Heaney would regularly talk on the phone at great length, Warren from the law firm, Judge Heaney from his chambers in Duluth. The topic was always the latest political battle. Like Judge Heaney, Warren never forgot where he came from. At least once a month a man with disabilities who Warren had helped back when he was attorney general would stop by. Warren would always give him a little cash for lunch.\r\n\u201cWarren was always of course very close to my other mentor, Vice President Walter Mondale. It is a lasting testament to their friendship that when Vice President Mondale learned that the University of Minnesota Law School wanted to name its new building after him, he insisted that the student lounge in the building be named after a true friend of the man on the street, Warren Spannaus.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful for all of the things Warren Spannaus taught me, and Minnesota is better for his service.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-joins-colleagues-congressional-delegation-burma-bangladesh", "McCollum Joins Colleagues on Congressional Delegation to Burma, Bangladesh", "2017-11-22", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As horrifying acts against the Burmese Rohingya minority and the related refugee crisis continue, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) and a Congressional delegation led by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) has completed a fact-finding mission to Burma and Bangladesh.\nCongresswoman McCollum and her colleagues visited refugee camps in Bangladesh and Rohingya communities in Burma and saw firsthand the impact of the humanitarian crisis and the urgent need for international action to end the violence and repatriate the Rohingya who are currently in refugee camps in Bangladesh. The delegation also met with government officials and international organizations in both countries.\n\u201cThe persecution of Rohingya in Burma is a humanitarian crisis that has shocked the world and demands robust American leadership,\u201d said McCollum. \u201cThe message of our trip is clear: we must not tolerate violence, discrimination, and human rights abuses anywhere in the world. We are also insisting that the United States must do our part to assist the refugees who have fled Burma as they work to rebuild their lives.\u201d\nThe delegation called on Burma to address the root causes of the conflict and address the plight of the 600,000 Rohingya refugees. Specifically, Congresswoman McCollum and the delegation called on the government of Burma to take the following steps:\n Full implementation of the recommendations of former United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan\u2019s advisory commission on the Rakhine state.\n\tFull access for humanitarian organizations. Currently only the International Committee of the Red Cross has access.\n\tFreedom of movement and a path to ending discrimination.\n\tA fair path to securing full citizenship rights.\n\tWork with Bangladesh and the UN for voluntary and safe repatriation of Rohingya refugees, who should have the ability to go back to their villages and farms, with guarantees of safety. The delegation also called for refugees to receive assistance rebuilding homes and community facilities that have been burned.\n\tA full investigation and accountability for the atrocities that have taken place.\n McCollum and Merkley were joined on the delegation by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-national-native-american-heritage-month", "McCollum Statement on National Native American Heritage Month", "2017-11-22", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement in commemoration of National Native American Heritage Month, which is proclaimed each November:\n\"National Native American Heritage Month is a celebration of the contributions of the First Americans.\u00a0 November is a time to honor the 11 Ojibwe and Dakota nations in Minnesota and the 567 diverse federally recognized tribal nations across the country.\u00a0 We remember their vital and often difficult role in our national history, and celebrate how tribal nations make our communities and our country stronger today.\n\"Despite centuries of violent discrimination and abusive policies, our country\u2019s Native American cultures and nations have endured. Tribal governments and Native communities have made monumental progress. Our federal trust relationship with tribal nations has grown stronger in the current era of self-governance among Native American tribes. This proud accomplishment requires the federal government\u2019s full and respectful engagement, and there can be no backsliding.\n\"As a co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus and the Ranking Member of the House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I have met with hundreds of tribal leaders to discuss the needs of Indian Country. Working together, we have succeeded in making substantial progress on education, health, and criminal justice issues. Across party lines, we have rejected proposals to cut services for Native Americans and instead worked to increase the federal resources flowing to Indian Country.\n\"Despite these steps, we have much more work to do to address disparities and empower all Native Americans \u2013 especially our Native youth. As we honor the achievements and resilience of our First Americans, I will continue working to ensure that our Native American brothers and sisters have every opportunity to succeed.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccollum.house.gov/media/press-releases/mccollum-statement-trump-gop-tax-scams-attack-affordable-housing", "McCollum Statement on Trump-GOP Tax Scam's Attack on Affordable Housing", "2017-11-21", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Betty McCollum", "M001143", "mccollum.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement on House and Senate Republicans' tax bills and their serious detrimental effects on affordable housing for Minnesotans and Americans:\n\u201cMinnesotans and Americans have an urgent need for more affordable housing, yet President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans seem intent on taking us in the wrong direction with their tax legislation. When it comes to housing, the House-passed tax bill renders much of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit useless and repeals the Historic Tax Credit entirely. It threatens affordable housing for thousands of Minnesotans and it means that more families find it harder to make ends meet.\n\u201cThe legislative process is not over, and we must keep working to defeat this bill. Last Thursday, Democrats were joined by 13 Republicans in voting against the Trump-GOP tax scam. While it wasn\u2019t enough, if Minnesotans and Americans keep standing up and speaking out, we can stop this bill and protect affordable housing for our children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/rep-petersons-newsletter-11172017", "Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 11/17/2017", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Otter Tail County\nDear Friends,\nThe House of Representatives passed the Republican-led tax bill this week; legislation that will lower the corporate tax rate at the expense of protections for families facing medical bills, tuition costs, and other individual deductions. I support making the corporate tax rate more competitive internationally and simplifying our system. However, I cannot in good conscience support a bill that drives up our deficit and will increase taxes on thousands of Minnesotans.\nSincerely,\n  Congressman Collin C. Peterson  Minnesota 7th District\n Natural Resources Conservation Service \nThis week I sat down with Congressman Kevin Cramer, from North Dakota, and the Deputy Chief of Programs at USDA\u2019s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jimmy Bramblett. We discussed the importance of water retention in the Red River Valley watershed, and the important role drainage water management can play in helping hold back water during the wet season. We asked NRCS to help work with farmers who are interested in pursuing tile drainage and drainage structures.\n National Grain and Feed Association \n  Randy Gordon, Max Fisher, Bobby Fredericks\nThis week I met with National Grain and Feed Association President Randy Gordon to discuss expansion and reforms to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as part of the upcoming farm bill. I am committed to increasing the cap of CRP acres, making the program work better for producers, and ensuring CRP rental rates aren\u2019t out competing farmers. More work is needed on CRP reforms to ensure that good farmland remains in agriculture production.\n Red River Farm Network \nOn Wednesday, I visited with Red River Farm Network\u2019s Don Wick as part of the network\u2019s \u201cFarm Bill Focus\u201d coverage in advance of the next farm bill. In addition to outlining farm bill reauthorization, I shared my concerns with the Republican tax plan and the potential impact it could have on farmers. We also discussed NAFTA renegotiations, and I urged negotiators not to give away agriculture gains in an attempt to fix other problems.\n General Mills \nI recently met with the new CEO of General Mills, Jeff Harmening. Outgoing Chairman Ken Powell introduced Jeff, and we talked about the importance of NAFTA to food manufacturers and the need to rationalize the U.S. corporate tax structure. Congratulations to Jeff on the new role, and best wishes to Ken.\n 2017 Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities Fall Conference \nThis week, my staff aide Jacki Anderson attended the 2017 Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities Fall Conference in Alexandria. Featured speakers presented information about the childcare shortage and need for broadband in rural Minnesota.\u00a0\n University of Minnesota 5th Annual Showcase \nLast Thursday, my staff attended the 5th Annual University of Minnesota Showcase on the MinnWest Technology Campus. The showcase featured projects from the offices of University Economic Development, the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program, and the Design for Community Resilience Program which featured a downtown plan for Fergus Falls, as well as the Mid-Central Research and Outreach Center and their work with poultry testing.\n Veterans Day Concert \nOn Sunday, my staff aide Jacki Anderson attended the Swift County Band Veterans Day Celebration. Along with the beautiful concert music, a video displaying military photos played to commemorate fallen soldiers. All of Appleton\u2019s streets, except Minnesota Street, are named after local veterans who died in combat. Sunday\u2019s concert was a wonderful tribute to those who have served and those currently serving in our armed forces.\n Legislative Update \n H.R. 453 Wood Heater Relief Bill \nOn Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment approved my legislation which would bring much needed relief to the wood heater industry and their employees. Technology advancements in wood heater emission controls have reduced air pollutants in wood heaters by 90%. Despite this, the EPA is forcing manufacturers to cut emissions by another 90%, which would destroy this industry. My bill would delay these draconian air emission regulations and give the industry time to advance their technology.\n Newsstand \n Lancaster and Roseau Ports of Entry \nI had a call with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday to ask the Director of Field Operations to reverse course on the agency\u2019s decision to reduce service hours and shift staff at the Ports of Entry in Lancaster and Roseau. This move would only hurt local economies and make it harder for emergency personnel to respond to calls in the Northwest Angle. I hope the agency ultimately decides to adjust their ill-advised proposal.\n USDA Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips \nEach Thanksgiving, Americans will consume 46 million turkeys! You can call the USDA\u2019s Meat and Poultry Hotline 8am-2pm ET on Thanksgiving Day at 1-888-674-6854 or visit their website for more food safety tips here.\n This Week in American History \nOn November 14, 1908 Harrison Salisbury was born in Minneapolis. A reporter and author, he gained acclaim for his writing on the Soviet Union, culminating in his 1955 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. Salisbury also led coverage on President Kennedy\u2019s assassination, the Vietnam War, and Tiananmen Square.\n Spotted in the Seventh \n\u00a0  Photo courtesy of USFWS Midwest\nCan YOU guess what was Spotted in the Seventh? Each week, the newsletter will feature a landmark or site somewhere in Western Minnesota. The first person to name the location wins! The location of the photo as well as the winner will be revealed in the next newsletter.\nThis week\u2019s location is one of the smallest state forests in Minnesota, and is located in the transition zone between Minnesota's forested region to the northeast and the prairie region to the southwest\u2026\nCongratulations\u00a0to Jeff Stabnow of Clitherall, who was the first to correctly identify last week\u2019s location as Broken Down Dam Park in Fergus Falls!\nShare your guess on our website \u2013\u00a0http://collinpeterson.house.gov/contact-me/spotted-seventh\n  \u201cRadiator Springs\u201d  Lauren Ammermann (RENVILLE)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/dem-lawmaker-introduces-airline-passenger-bill-of-rights-legislation", "The Hill: Dem lawmaker introduces airline passenger 'bill of rights' legislation", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Read online.\n\u00a0\nA House Democrat is introducing new legislation to strengthen airline consumer protections, which comes in response to a United Airlines passenger getting violently dragged off a flight earlier this year.\nRep.\u00a0Rick Nolan\u00a0(D-Minn.) unveiled a bill on Thursday, ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel period next week, that would require airlines to provide passengers with a one-page \u201cbill of rights.\u201d The European Union already requires a similar document to be posted online in order to better inform airline consumers of their rights.\n\u201cAs we saw with the horrific United Airlines incident where a passenger was forcibly removed after he was seated on an aircraft, there is an urgent need for airlines to be transparent and inform consumers of their rights,\u201d Nolan said in a statement.\nUnder Nolan\u2019s measure, the one-pager would describe the airline\u2019s policies for involuntary bumping, lost or damaged baggage, compensation for flight cancellations or delays and what happens when a traveler is disabled or injured.\nSimilar language was included in the House\u2019s long-term reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the package has stalled in Congress.\nThe airline industry\u2019s customer service practices came under fire this spring when videos went viral on social media showing a United passenger being forcibly removed from his seat and dragged down the aisle by his wrists. The airline said it needed to make room for airline personnel on the full flight, but the man refused to give up his seat.\nAirlines are legally allowed to overbook flights and bump passengers against their will, through issues are typically figured out prior to boarding. They also set their own policies on who gets bumped from a full flight.\nHowever, most customers are unaware that they are signing a \u201ccontract of carriage\u201d whenever they purchase an airline ticket, and sometimes the document can be thousands of pages long.\nNolan\u2019s bill aims to improve transparency around airline policies by requiring a simple, one-page explanation of consumer rights.\n\u201cWith the holiday travel season approaching, this legislation is a crucial step forward in ensuring consumers\u2019 safety and convenience \u2014 not just in an extreme scenario like the United Airlines incident \u2014 but also in dealing with everyday problems of baggage fees, flight cancellations, and lost baggage,\u201d Nolan said.\nThe Department of Transportation already launched a website earlier this year highlighting the rights of passengers, but the agency revamped the page this week ahead of the Thanksgiving travel period.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://nolan.house.gov/the-monday-report/its-a-scam", "It's a scam!", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "GOP Passes Tax Scam Bill to Raise Taxes on the Middle Class, Cut Taxes for the Super-Rich, and Explode the Deficit\u00a0 \n\u00a0\n\tAs these protestors in front of the U.S. Capitol pointed out last week, the GOP tax scam raises taxes on the middle class, hands the super-rich and big corporations an enormous tax cut, explodes the deficit, and paves the way for drastic cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.\u00a0\nDear Friend,\nHouse Republicans last week passed their phony and dangerous tax scam\u00a0\u2013 a measure thatraises taxes on millions of middle class working families, hands the super-rich and big corporations a $1.5 trillion dollar tax cut, and requires a massive increase in the debt our children and grandchildren will have to pay.\u00a0This is easily the most egregious tax bill ever perpetrated on the middle class, seniors, students and those in need.\nIn fact, a recent analysis by the New York Times concludes that this measure\u00a0would raise taxes on nearly half of all middle class families by 2026. About one third of middle class families would begin paying higher taxes in 2018.\u00a0And according to the bipartisan Joint Economic Committee, some\u00a073 million taxpayers with incomes between $10,000 and $50,000 would collectively pay $2.9 billion more in individual income taxes beginning in 2027.\nMoreover, this Republican boondoggle\u00a0sets the stage for massive cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to pay for a plan that gives 80% of tax relief to the richest one-percent of Americans\u00a0\u2013 millionaires, billionaires, and multi-national corporations\u00a0that send good-paying jobs overseas.\u00a0That\u2019s one big reason why\u00a0AARP and the National Committee to Preserve and Protect Medicare\u00a0\u2013 two of the Nation\u2019s strongest advocates for seniors \u2013 have\u00a0\u00a0registered their strong opposition to this Republican measure.\nFurthermore, while the rich get richer at rates unprecedented,\u00a0taxpayers would lose their student loan interest deductions, people with expensive chronic medical conditions like cancer and diabetes would lose their medical deductions, and taxpayers would no longer be able to deduct their state and local property taxes.\u00a0Even the modest deductions families receive for adopting a child would be lost under this Republican plan.\nThe tax debate now moves to the U.S. Senate, and rest assured I will be working with my colleagues to achieve real tax reform.\u00a0Real tax reform benefits the middle class, forces the rich and big corporations to pay their fair share, and prevents a massive increase in the deficit\u00a0\u00a0that our children and grandchildren would be forced to pay.\nWe will keep you posted as events proceed. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact any of our offices listed below or\u00a0send me an email.\nSincerely,  \n\u00a0\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://collinpeterson.house.gov/press-release/peterson-calls-us-customs-and-border-protection-reverse-decision-reduce-hours", "Peterson calls on U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reverse decision to reduce hours at Lancaster, Roseau Port of Entry", "2017-11-17", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Collin Peterson", "P000258", "collinpeterson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In a phone call to U.S Customs and Border Protection, Congressman Collin C. Peterson asked the agency to reconsider their decision in reducing service hours and shifting staff at key border entry ports in Lancaster and Roseau.\n\u201cThese ports help drive the local economy when Canadians visiting Minnesota spend money at our restaurants, gas stations, golf courses, and campgrounds. In addition to tourism, this change will affect the ability for medical personnel in Roseau to respond to emergency calls in the Northwest Angle and smaller towns in Manitoba,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cI hope the Customs officials will begin to listen to the concerns of those living and working in these communities.\u201d\nOn the call, the agency confirmed that a final decision has not been made and that there is still a possibility for an adjustment of the proposed hours at the ports. Since the decision was announced, both Lancaster and Roseau have had town halls for area residents to voice their concerns with CBP officials.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1149, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "MN", "p2": "2017"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 1149, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MN&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1149, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MN&year=2017&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "MN", "label": "MN", "count": 1149, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MN&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "2017", "label": "2017", "count": 1149, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MN", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2017-11-17,https~3A~2F~2Fcollinpeterson~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Fpeterson-calls-us-customs-and-border-protection-reverse-decision-reduce-hours", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MN&year=2017&_next=2017-11-17%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fcollinpeterson~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Fpeterson-calls-us-customs-and-border-protection-reverse-decision-reduce-hours&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 175.16363505274057, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}