Press releases
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
- url
- Link to the original release on the member's official site
- text
- Extracted body text (may be empty if the page could not be fetched)
- has_text
- 1 if body text was successfully extracted
- date_source
- How the publication date was determined
- bioguide_id
- Bioguide ID of the member
156 rows where party = "Republican", state = "MN" and year = 2015 sorted by date descending
This data as json, CSV (advanced)
| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/minnesota-congressional-delegation-urges-va-secretary-visit-st-cloud-va | Minnesota Congressional Delegation Urges VA Secretary to Visit St. Cloud VA Hospital | 2015-12-23 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. On Monday, the Minnesota Congressional Delegation called upon U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald to visit the St. Cloud VA Health Care System (St. Cloud VA) as soon as possible to reassure the employees and the thousands of veterans they serve of the VAs commitment to providing a healthy and productive workplace to ensure delivery of the highest quality medical care. The bi-partisan group of lawmakers wrote to the VA Secretary after media reports revealed multiple complaints about the St. Cloud VA work environment.The letter was signed by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Tom Emmer, Rep. Tim Walz, Rep. Rick Nolan, Rep. Collin Peterson, Rep. Keith Ellison, Rep. Betty McCollum, Rep. Erik Paulsen, and Rep. John Kline. We are writing to bring your personal attention to recent media reports about the St. Cloud VA Health Care System, the lawmakers wrote. Several local media outlets have reported concerns about patient access and care, workplace culture, facility operations and construction contracting. On October 2, Reps. Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Tim Walz (D-MN), who sits on the House Veterans Affairs Oversight and Investigation Sub-committee, visited the St Cloud VA to conduct oversight following the recent release of a 2014 report to the Office of the Inspector General conducted by the VA Midwest Health Network (VISN-23). The 2014 VISN 23 report substantiated five of the six allegations regarding St. Cloud VA facilities, services, staffing and managerial practices. After Reps. Emmer and Walz heard concerns about ongoing strained relationships, lack of trust, and unresolved grievances, the pair suggested to both management and labor to voluntarily and jointly request assistance and support from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Were encouraged that management and labor at the facility recently agreed to voluntarily work together with facilitation and training conducted by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to strengthen workplace relationships… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmers-statement-omnibus-bill | Emmer's Statement on Omnibus Bill | 2015-12-18 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. - Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) released the below statement following todays vote on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, also known as the Omnibus Bill: One thing Ive learned throughout my time in Congress and as a married man is that you do not typically get everything you want. Today, we voted on a piece of legislation where both sides of the aisle won some and lost some. Like many of my colleagues, there are many items I wished would have been included, however, I believe it is more important to acknowledge some of the positive and crucial items that were included in the Omnibus Bill. This legislation repeals the out of date oil export ban, strengthens the Visa Waiver Program, makes the United States trade agreement compliant by repealing COOL and invests in our nations transportation infrastructure. This bill addresses our countrys out of control Washington bureaucracy by reining in the IRS and cutting funding for the EPAs overreaches. Todays bill also prohibits taxpayer funding for abortions as well as any new funding for Obamacare. Lastly, we provide for our heroes by honoring our commitments to our veterans, adequately funding our military, and providing necessary health care benefits to 9/11 first responders. While it is clear I see many benefits to todays Omnibus Bill, the fact is that I had concerns that I simply could not push aside. Our nation faces an enormous and growing $18 trillion debt that our children and grandchildren will be burdened with, unless we begin to act. I have great issues withnew spending without plans to slow debt increases. I am hopeful that yesterdays tax extender package along with the pro-growth policies in todays bill, will lead to a stronger economic recovery that will benefit all Americans. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-reform-fed | Emmer: Reform the Fed | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Yesterday, Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, announced that they are raising interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. While it remains to be seen how well unelected bureaucrats in Washington can maneuver monetary policy back towards normal interest rates, there is no doubt in my mind that we need to reform the Fed to make it more transparent and accountable to the American people. Two improvements that must be made law are rule based monetary policy which allows market participants to more accurately anticipate the Feds monetary policy actions and Ron Pauls Audit the Fed legislation which lets the American people know to whom the Fed is lending money. Luckily, the House Financial Services Committee has been diligently working on these initiatives. On November 19, 2015, the House of Representatives passed the Fed Oversight Reform and Modernization Act (H.R. 3189) by a bipartisan vote of 241- 185, which includes both of these measures. It is my hope that that the Senate considers H.R. 3189 at their earliest convenience and that one day it is enacted into law. To watch Representative Emmer speak on the House Floor on the Fed Oversight and Modernization Act, click on the video below. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-votes-622-billion-tax-relief | Emmer Votes for $622 Billion in Tax Relief | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. - Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) today voted in favor of the Tax Extender Package which passed with a vote of318-109. The American people know that we cannot tax and spend our way into prosperity, said Emmer. Minnesotans know how to spend their money better than Washington bureaucrats. Today, passage of this legislation allows for $622 billion in tax relief over the next 10 years, which allows families, businesses and taxpayers to keep more of their hard-earned money. The package allows for a 2-year suspension of the medical device tax - which is crucial to Minnesota - and the so-called Cadillac Tax, said Emmer. "This package also makes the research and development credit permanent, extends the bonus depreciation credit, and enhances Section 179 for small businesses. This package is a huge win for Minnesota, and what is good for Minnesota is good for the Country. Congress has a duty to enact pro-growth policies that help working families and encourage, not stifle, development and innovation throughout our nation, and today we took a big step towards doing just that. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1779 | House Passes Two-year Suspension of the Medical Device Tax | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) voted for, and the House approved, legislation that suspends the medical device excise tax for a two-year period in a vote Thursday afternoon. The provision was included in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act, which also makes a number of temporary tax provisions permanent in order to give more certainty to American taxpayers. The medical device tax is a 2.3% excise tax on the sale of medical devices like pacemakers, ventilators, and artificial hips and was included in the Affordable Care Act, which passed Congress in 2010. Paulsen has long championed efforts to repeal the medical device tax in Congress, and legislation he authored, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, passed the House earlier this year by a bipartisan vote of 280-140. Last year, he authored an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal on the need to repeal the burdensome tax. Suspending the medical device tax will give much needed relief to our innovators and job creators that are developing life-saving and life-improving products, said Paulsen. Temporarily repealing this tax is welcome news for the hundreds of medical device companies in Minnesota and the tens of thousands of workers they employ. This bipartisan vote sets the stage to get rid of this burdensome, job-killing tax once and for all, and Ill continue to lead the effort for its full repeal. Paulsen spoke about the legislation on the House floor before the vote. Video is available here. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1780 | Paulsen-authored Provisions Included in Year-end Tax Package | 2015-12-17 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In addition to a two-year suspension of the medical device tax, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) secured other important provisions in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act to give more certainty and predictability to taxpayers. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 318-109 and made permanent a number of temporary tax provisions that are often renewed on a short-term basis or retroactively. Were the only country in the world that lets important parts of our tax code expire on a regular basis, said Paulsen. Minnesota families and small businesses cant plan for the future when Congress passes tax policy at the last second, or even worse, retroactively. By making charitable giving and other important tax provisions permanent, were giving more certainty to businesses and hardworking taxpayers, which will help grow our economy. Provisions authored by Congressman Paulsen included in the PATH Act are: IRA Charitable Rollover Allows IRA owners aged 70 and older to rollover required withdrawals to charities without being required to count the money as income. This popular provision has been renewed several times since 2005 and is made permanent in the PATH Act. Removal of Bond Requirements for Small Brewers Currently, small brewers face biweekly bonding requirements that require time and money to meet. Under the PATH Act, small brewers will only need to meet these bonding requirements quarterly. Increasing Foreign Investment A provision that encourages foreign investment in the U.S. by easing tax and administrative burdens on foreign investors in U.S. mutual funds. Tax Rate for Small Mutual Insurance Companies Cuts taxes for small mutual insurance companies, allowing them to grow and better serve local communities across the country. Expanding the Definition of Hard Cider Modifies and broadens definition of hard cider so that more small, craft cider makers will qualify for a lower excise tax rate. Congressman Pauls… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-announces-cuba-working-group-steering-committee | Emmer Announces Cuba Working Group Steering Committee | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. - Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) today joinednine* of his colleagues in announcing the launch of a bipartisan Cuba Working Group along with itssteering committee. An overwhelming majority of the American people supports a change in our policy towards Cuba and the creation of the Cuba Working Group highlights that consensus, said Emmer. Since last year, a massive and sweeping change has occurred in our policy towards Cuba, which has benefits for farmers, manufacturers, and most importantly the Cuban and American people. Im proud to join with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to advance policies that will improve human rights, create opportunities for American exports, and improve our national security and foreign policy. In a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announcing the groups formation, the steering committee members said: Increasingly, the American people are indicating their desire for a new, more pragmatic approach to Cuba. More people are traveling from the U.S. to Cuba, more businesses are looking for opportunity on the island, and more sectors are eager for trade. The bi-partisan Cuba Working Group will promote a U.S.-Cuba policy that reflects the interests of the American people in engagement with Cuba. The letter concludes, Our goal is to raise the level of understanding inside of Congress for the need to build a new policy framework for U.S.-Cuban relations. The bipartisan Cuba Working Group Steering Committee Members are: Kathy Castor (D-FL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rick Crawford (R-AR), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Rodney Davis* (R-IL),Tom Emmer (R-MN), Sam Farr (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Betty McCollum* (D-MN),Jim McGovern (D-MA), Ted Poe (R-TX), Reid Ribble (R-WI), Mark Sanford* (R-SC), Nydia Velazquez* (D-NY). Letter to Speaker Ryan and Democratic Leader Pelosi can be found here: Cuba Working Group. Emmer is the sponsor of H.R. 3238 - the Cuba Trade Act of 2015. For more information, visit emmer.house.gov/cuba. *Additional Members were ad… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1777 | Rep. Erik Paulsen Efforts Lead to Inclusion of Medical Device Tax Suspension in Year-end Package | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressmen Erik Paulsen (MN-03) applauded the inclusion of a two-year medical device tax repeal in the year-end tax extender package announced Tuesday. Paulsen has been a Congressional leader on efforts to eliminate the burdensome 2.3.% excise tax on the sale of medical devices like pacemakers, ventilators, and artificial hips. Legislation he authored to repeal the tax, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, passed the House by a 280-140 vote earlier this year. The medical device tax was initially passed in the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and went into effect in 2013. The medical device tax was a bad idea five years ago, and its a bad idea now, said Paulsen. The tax is stifling innovation of life-saving and life-improving medical technology, killing American manufacturing jobs, and hurting small businesses. For these reasons, a bipartisan coalition in Congress expressed their strong support for elimination of the tax. Suspending this tax will give our innovators some relief from an unnecessary burden and protect high-paying jobs. Advocacy groups and stakeholders cheered the inclusion of the two-year suspension in the package and Paulsens advocacy on the issue. AdvaMed is extremely appreciative of the strong leadership by Rep. Paulsen and his tireless efforts to address the medical device tax, which has resulted in language being included in the extenders bill to suspend the tax, said JC Scott, Senior Executive Vice President, Government Affairs at Advamed. Hitting pause on this harmful tax is an important first step for protecting the medical technology ecosystem, freeing up funds for important research and development projects, and helping to ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in innovation. We urge the House and the Senate to adopt this agreement and the President to sign it as quickly as possible. "We thank Congressman Paulsen for his tremendous leadership on an issue that impacts job creation and patient care throughout the United States. Suspension of the medical device… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1778 | After Efforts from Klobuchar and Paulsen, Medical Device Tax Suspension Included in Year-End Agreement | 2015-12-16 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Erik Paulsen announced that after efforts from them and other lawmakers, a two-year suspension of the medical device tax has been included in a bipartisan, year-end tax extenders agreement. The proposed package suspends the 2.3% excise tax on the sale of medical device products like pacemakers, ultrasound machines, ventilators, and artificial hips through December 31, 2017. Klobuchar and Paulsen have led efforts that would repeal the tax permanently. Minnesota is home to more than 700 medical device companies that employ approximately 35,000 people. The tax extenders bill is expected to receive votes in both chambers in the coming days. I opposed the medical device tax from the start and have led Senate efforts with Sen. Hatch to repeal it because of its impact on manufacturing and innovation in Minnesota and across our country, said Klobuchar.After a lot of hard work, Democrats and Republicans came together today to suspend this harmful tax for two years. I will continue working with Rep. Paulsen and my colleagues in the Senate to end this tax permanently. Doing so will improve patients lives, create well-paying jobs and give Minnesota businesses the certainty and stability needed to keep researching, inventing and developing the next lifesaving medical breakthrough. Weve seen the harmful, job-crushing effect that taxes in Obamacare are having on our small businesses, and the medical device tax has been one of the worst, said Paulsen.Its driven innovation overseas, harmed job creation here at home, and made it difficult for small businesses to grow. Thats why Ive championed this bipartisan provision that repeals the tax for two years to prevent further job losses and remove an unnecessary burden for Minnesota innovators that manufacture life-saving and life-improving products. As a co-chair of the bipartisan Medical Technology Caucus, Senator Klobuchar has consistently fought for Minnesota medical device companies and has been a lea… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1775 | Paulsen Statement on Passage of Trade Customs Legislation | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03), a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, released the following statement after the House passed the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act. Making much-needed reforms to our custom procedures, strengthening enforcement measures behind our trade agreements, and removing unnecessary barriers to trade are essential to growing our economy. With the completion of two important trade deals on the horizon, todays legislation could not come at a more critical time. 774,000 Minnesota workers are supported by trade, and establishing fair and strong trade rules means ensuring we are on a level playing field with our global competitors. Paulsen is a trade leader in Congress, serving as co-chair of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Caucus. Video of his floor remarks on the legislation are available here. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1776 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Health Care Premiums and the Visa Waiver Program | 2015-12-11 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) answers an email from Gary in Orono who asked that Congress do something to address rising health care premiums. Sharon in Coon Rapids sends in an email to ask the Congressman to support the Visa Waiver Improvement Act. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1774 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Education and Cybersecurity | 2015-12-04 | 2015 | 2015-12 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Nathan in Chaska emails Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and asks for him to support the Every Student Succeeds Act. Richard in Bloomington emails in with a question about what Congress is doing to prevent cyberattacks. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-host-second-twitter-town-hall | Emmer to Host Second Twitter Town Hall | 2015-11-30 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) announced today that he will be hosting his second Twitter town hall on Monday, December 7 at 2:00 PM Central Time. To ask a question, post on his Facebook page, tweet to @RepTomEmmer with the hashtag #AskTom, or submit a question on his website, and he will answer the questions live on his YouTube channel. I really enjoy hearing from the wonderful people of Minnesotas Sixth District and I think it is incredibly important that everyone in the district has the opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions, said Emmer. Twitter town halls are a different and often more convenient way for constituents to ask me questions about the issues that are most important to them. I am looking forward to hearing from everyone. This is Emmers second Twitter town hall. Additionally, Emmer has held twelve town halls including Twitter town halls, tele-town halls and at least one in-person town hall in every county he represents. For more information, visit: Emmer.house.gov/AskTom ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1773 | Paulsen-authored Military Working Dogs Legislation Signed Into Law | 2015-11-27 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. A provision authored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to require the Department of Defense to return all military working dogs to the United States after their service is complete was signed into law by President Obama. The legislation was included in theNational Defense Authorization Act,which passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support. Paulsen introduced the bill, the Military Working Dog Retirement Act, in June. Military working dogs are often retired overseas despite a list of over 1,200 people, including many veterans and active duty troops, waiting to adopt them. Service members often must spend their own money and resources to be reunited with dogs they served next to. There shouldnt be unnecessary hurdles to reuniting our brave troops and the military working dogs they served alongside, said Paulsen. Now we guarantee that military working dogs will be retired and returned to the United States, making it easier and less expensive for them to be adopted. Paulsen spoke on the House floor about this legislation earlier this year.Video of that speech is available here. While military working dogs have served in our military since WWI, there has been renewed focus on the plight of these dogs with the release of the motion picture,Max, this summer. AnArizona Republic articledetails the difficulty that some members of the military have when trying to bring these dogs home. The Star Tribune published an editorialsupporting the legislationin July. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1772 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Millennials in the Workforce and Syrian Refugees | 2015-11-20 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) answers an email from Erin in Osseo who wrote in asking for action on issues affecting Millennials. Paula in Maple Plain writes in to ask that more scrutiny be applied to the refugee acceptance process. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-introduces-declaration-war-against-islamic-state | Emmer Introduces Declaration of War Against Islamic State | 2015-11-19 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Tom Emmer yesterday introduced H.J.Res 73, a joint resolution declaring a state of war against the Islamic State. The Islamic State has declared war against America and now we have an obligation to act, said Emmer. The wolf of tyranny is at our doorstep and now is the time to euthanize this evil before it enters Americas home. Congress must exercise its constitutional authority through this Declaration of War and give the President the power to utilize all facets of our military and diplomatic strength to successfully defeat our enemies. It is time that we speak with one voice and unite as a country against the Islamic State. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war. Congress has exercised this constitutional authority on five different occasions: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War in 1846, the Spanish-American War in 1898, declarations against Germany and Austria-Hungary for World War I in 1917, and declarations against Nazi Germany, her allies, and Imperial Japan for World War II in 1941 and 1942. Click here to read the full textofH.J. Res 73. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1770 | Paulsen: Millennials Face Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Economy | 2015-11-18 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) spoke about the challenges millennials face in the current economy at a Joint Economic Committee hearing Wednesday afternoon entitled, Millennial Voices on Advancing the American Dream. Testifying at the hearing was Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21), the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, who answered Paulsens questions about obstacles that millennial women face in the workforce. In addition, Paulsen also asked the panel about what legislative initiatives would help young employees. Paulsen said about the hearing, While millions of Americans have felt the effects of a sluggish economic recovery, perhaps no group has faced more challenges than the millennial generation as theyve attempted to enter the workforce. It was insightful to hear from my colleague and inspiring millennial, Rep. Stefanik, about what we should be doing to help the millennial generation going forward. Video of the questioning from Congressman Paulsen is available here. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1771 | Paulsen to Serve on Ways and Means Health Subcommittee | 2015-11-18 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) will now serve as a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health. Paulsen will also continue to serve on the Subcommittee on Trade. As a member of the Health Subcommittee, Paulsen looks forward to crafting policy and providing input on issues that affect patients, doctors, hospitals, and providers. We need to work together in a bipartisan manner to create a health care system that protects the doctor-patient relationship, reduces costs, encourages quality, and ensures access for individuals, employees, and families, said Paulsen. Minnesota is a leader in health care delivery and medical innovation, and I will continue championing life-improving and life-saving medical technology and enacting fundamental reforms to our health care system. Paulsen has long supported policies that promote medical innovation and patient access to quality care. His legislation to repeal the burdensome medical device tax passed the U.S. House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support earlier this year. In addition, hes advocated for greater use of Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts by introducing legislation that allows their use in purchasing over-the-counter drugs and paying for blood cord banking services. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1769 | Paulsen, Kind Champion Family Access to Life-Saving Blood Cord Banking Services | 2015-11-06 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressmen Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Ron Kind (WI-03) have introduced bipartisan legislation, the Family Cord Blood Banking Act, that gives greater access to families seeking to collect and store cord and placental blood and tissue. This type of blood and tissue is rich in stem cells that can often be used later to treat life-threatening blood disorders in those children or their family members. The bill makes the collection and storage of cord and placental blood and tissue a qualified expensive for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). After the birth of a child, parents are often immediately faced with a decision of whether to have blood and tissue collected and stored in case of future illness, said Rep. Paulsen. Since private blood and tissue banking is not typically covered by health insurance plans, giving families flexibility by allowing them to use HSAs and FSAs will help lower barriers to this important service. When it comes to fighting cancer, blood disorders, and immune diseases, researchers say umbilical cord blood may be an effective tool for treatment, said Rep. Kind. This legislation supports families that choose this potentially life-saving investment by providing tax incentives to ease the burden of their medical expenses. Stem cells derived from the umbilical cord and placental blood can replicate and differentiate into cells with orgran- or tissue-specific functions, and they are currently used in transplants to treat many life-threatening blood disorders. More than 30,000 patients worldwide have been treated with stem cells derived from the umbilical cord and placenta. These stem cells have successfully been used to treat diseases like leukemia and lymphoma, and there is some evidence they could be used against other illnesses like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinsons disease. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Wa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1767 | House Approves Paulsen Legislation to Ensure Military Working Dogs are Retired in the U.S. | 2015-11-05 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation, authored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03), to return military working dogs to the United States after their service is complete. The legislation, the Military Working Dog Retirement Act, was included in the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House Thursday by a bipartisan vote of 370-58. Under current law, the Department of Defense is not required to bring military working dogs home after their service is finished. Despite a waiting list of more than 1,200 people, many of whom are veterans and active duty soldiers, dogs are still routinely retired overseas. Military members that have formed strong bonds with dogs they served alongside are often forced to spend their own money to bring the animals home. Its no surprise that many of the members of our military form tight-knit bonds with mans best friend on the front lines, said Paulsen. Reuniting members of our military with these working dogs once their service is complete is a simple way to support our troops after they return home from war. Paulsen spoke on the House floor about this legislation earlier this year. Video of that speech is available here. While military working dogs have served in our military since WWI, there has been renewed focus on the plight of these dogs with the release of the motion picture, Max, this summer. An Arizona Republic article details the difficulty that some members of the military have when trying to bring these dogs home. The Star Tribune published an editorial supporting the legislation in July. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1768 | Congressman Paulsen Statement on Release of TPP Text | 2015-11-05 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after the release of the Trans-Pacific Partnership text this morning. The full TPP text is available on the U.S. Trade Representatives website here. Because of the requirements laid out in Trade Promotion Authority legislation passed earlier this year, we have an opportunity to fully review and scrutinize the Trans-Pacific Partnership text released today. Increased trade will mean more jobs and higher wages for Americans, but its important to carefully evaluate this agreement to ensure that it meets the objectives that were laid out by Congress. We now have substantial time to read the text, ask questions of the Administration, and debate the merits of the agreement. In addition to these steps, I look forward to engaging with Minnesotans as I review this agreement. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-passes-fsoc-reform-act-out-committee | Emmer Passes FSOC Reform Act Out Of Committee | 2015-11-04 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, the Financial Stability Oversight Council Reform Act, authored by Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06), passed out of the House Financial Services Committee. Congressman Emmer has served on the committee for less than six months after filling a vacancy earlier this year. Today was a win for American consumers, Emmer said. Now that we have moved this legislation through the Financial Services Committee, we are one step closer to returning the power of the purse back to Congress where it belongs. If made law, the Financial Stability Oversight Council and the Office of Financial Research will no longer be able to determine their own budgets, instead the American people will have a say through their elected representatives and the congressional appropriations process, said Emmer. I believe in government transparency and the constitutional role of checks and balances, and this bill helps restore these critical principles. The Financial Services Oversight Council (FSOC), which was created in 2010 under Dodd-Frank, has the power to designate financial institutions as systemically important resulting in greater regulatory burdens. Thus far, this process has lacked transparency and has failed to provide a path forward for these institutions to reform their business model in order to prevent the next economic crisis. The Office of Financial Research (OFR) conducts research on the behalf of FSOC and has unchecked authority to demand information from businesses about their affairs. Congressman Emmers legislation not only subjects FSOC and OFR to the congressional appropriation process, but it also enhances transparency by requiring quarterly reports from OFR about their spending and activities. Lastly, under this bill, OFR has to provide a public notice and comment period of at least 90 days before issuing certain reports, rules, or regulations. This increased oversight and transparency ensures safe and competitive financial markets, enabling Americans access to a diverse selection of financial products tha… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1766 | Paulsen, Eshoo Statement on CMS Decision to Halt Prosthetics Rule | 2015-11-04 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Co-chairs of the bipartisan House Medical Technology Caucus, U.S. Reps. Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Anna Eshoo (CA-18) released the following statement in response to the decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to not finalize their draft rule regarding prosthetics. Reps. Paulsen and Eshoo wrote CMS in early September to raise concerns that finalizing the proposed rule would restrict access to quality prosthetic care. The letter also states that solidifying the rule would suppress important medical innovation and impose a one-size-fits-all approach on patients. The letter to CMS, along with background on the issue, are available here. The decision by CMS to forgo implementing this proposed rule means access to life-improving prosthetics will be protected for countless Americans. Clearly, concerns raised by patients, doctors, and other stakeholders were heard loud and clear, and we applaud the agency on their thoughtful decision. Its encouraging that the agency will also form a working group that includes representatives from patient advocacy groups and physicians to ensure that those most affected by future proposals will have a voice in the decision-making process. The CMS announcement is available here. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/we-must-stop-our-out-control-spending | We Must Stop Our Out of Control Spending | 2015-10-29 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | What we needed today was a bill that set us on a responsible and sustainable course for a stable future. However, today we voted on a piece of legislation that circumvented the legislative process and cut out the input of the American people. I have not been in Congress for decades; I joined Congress just 10 months ago. Today we voted to try to deal with a problem that has been building not for months but for decades out-of-control spending and unrestrained debt. If raising the debt ceiling were the solution to our problems, Congress would not be revisiting this issue year after year. That said, risking default of our Countrys obligation is not the real solution either. What we truly need, is a more thoughtful, long-term approach to solve the real problem -spending growth that is outpacing economic growth and driving our nation further and further into debt. A debt our children will be forced to grapple with if we do not act. My seven children are the reason I am in public office, yet every day I watch as their financial obligations to this country grow larger and larger. My youngest is in eighth grade and has his whole life before him. Unfortunately, because of the recklessness of Washington, at the age of 13 he has a nearly $60,000 cloud of debt over his head, through no fault of his own. Future generations of Americans do not deserve to be hindered because of our irresponsible actions. They deserve an opportunity for a life even better than we had, something our parents gave us. I am optimistic that with the changing tides in Washington, we can advance policies through an open and transparent committee process, which will allow Members of Congress and the American people to be informed on the substance and consequences of the legislation at hand. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1765 | Medical Device Tax Repeal Passed by U.S. House of Representatives | 2015-10-23 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In a vote Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation, the Restoring Americans Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, which repeals the burdensome medical device tax. The legislation included the Protect Medical Innovation Act, a bill authored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03)that eliminates the 2.3% excise tax on the sale of medical devices. Paulsen spoke on the floor in favor of the legislation. This is the fifth time that the House has taken action to repeal this harmful, burdensome tax, said Paulsen. Ill continue to look for avenues to push this legislation forward so we can finally remove a key barrier to medical innovation and job creation. With the American people and a bipartisan majority in Congress in support of eliminating the medical device tax, theres no excuse not to push its repeal across the finish line. Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protect Medical Innovation Act with enough support to overturn a Presidential veto. Along with repealing the medical device tax, the Restoring Americans Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act also would eliminate the employer and individual mandates along with the unpopular Cadillac tax. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1760 | Paulsen Appearance at Wayzata High School Marks 200th School Visit | 2015-10-20 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) will speak to students at Wayzata High School at 9:30am on Tuesday morning, marking his 200th school visit since taking office in 2009. The Congressman has visited classrooms in elementary, middle, and high schools around the Third Congressional District where he talks to students about Congress and answers questions. Tomorrow, the Congressman will speak to 12th-grade students in Wayzatas EconomicsPublic Policy course. Since I was first elected, Ive made it a priority to visit local schools and talk with students about Congress and how their government works, said Paulsen. Ive found that some of the best questions and comments come from these students as they learn about our political system. Its a testament to the great work of the teachers and school administrators in Minnesota that we have such bright, knowledgeable students. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-applauds-appeals-court-ruling-against-wotus-rule | Emmer Applauds Appeals Court Ruling Against WOTUS Rule | 2015-10-09 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Following the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to stay President Obamas Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) released the following statement: Through the EPAs final Waters of the U.S. rule we witnessed yet another bureaucratic overreach by the Obama Administration. Thankfully, todays Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to halt the rule is a victory for farmers, ranchers and land owners across the country. Like all Minnesotans, I believe that we need to be good stewards of our land and waterways, but I firmly oppose this flawed attempt to redefine WOTUS and would like to see the EPA go back to the drawing board. Our nations farmers and ranchers are the backbones of our society, and I am pleased to see that they have a temporary reprieve from this intrusive rule. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1761 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: International Adoption and Religious Freedom | 2015-10-09 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) answers an email from Kara in Chanhassen who asks that the government make international adoptions easier for American families. Joyce in Bloomington writes in to ask that the U.S. provide assistance to those suffering from religious persecution around the world. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-walz-introduce-legislation-requiring-release-va-inspector-general | Emmer, Walz Introduce Legislation Requiring Release of VA Inspector General Reports | 2015-10-08 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, Congressmen Tom Emmer (MN-06) and Tim Walz (MN-01) introduced H.R. 3686 - the Veterans Care and Reporting Enforcement Act (CARE) Act. This bipartisan legislation was introduced after an unreleased report from 2013 surfaced earlier this year and demonstrated a need for more transparency around reports from the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. The Veterans CARE Act: Improves Congressional oversight by requiring the release of OIG reports involving patient health and safety at VA medical facilities to the appropriate Congressional Committees and Members of Congress where the VA facility resides. Provides for greater transparency by ensuring the public can access these reports not less than three days after the report is closed. Additionally, the VA OIG must make the report available on their website for not less than one year. Increases accountability by notifying employees if their VA facility has been investigated and how to access the report for a minimum of 30 days. Enough is enough. Americas veterans have made tremendous sacrifices on behalf of our country, and we owe them exemplary services once they return home, said Emmer. It is heartbreaking to see how the dedicated staff at the VA and the patients they care for are repeatedly underserved by the very government tasked with helping them. I want to thank Congressman Walz for joining with me to introduce the Veterans CARE Act. This is a non-partisan issue, and as a nation we must continue our work to bring accountability, transparency and oversight to the VA. We need a strong, independent Office of the Inspector General at the VA now more than ever. While they have done good work investigating the claims of brave whistleblowers at the VA, more transparency is needed. After visiting St Cloud with Mr. Emmer this past week, it is clear to me we have more work to do. The sooner we know about situations like St Cloud, the sooner we can address them. This legislation will increase transparency around OIG investigat… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/walz-and-emmer-visit-st-cloud-va-health-care-system-address-questions | Walz and Emmer visit St. Cloud VA Health Care System to address questions raised in Inspector General Report | 2015-10-07 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Tim Walz (D-MN), who sits on the House Veterans Affairs Oversight and Investigation Sub-committee, visited the St. Cloud VA to conduct oversight following the release of a report by the Office of the Inspector General that was conducted by the VA Midwest Health Network (VISN-23) in 2013. The VISN report substantiated five of the six allegations regarding abusive and disrespectful work environment by management, patient workload 150% of normal, cancelled appointments, and patient safety issues stemming from five of the twenty-one providers leaving in just under forty days. After hearing from staff and providers today, Walz and Emmer suggested federal mediation to resolve the on-going conflict between leadership and staff. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) is an independent federal service that can get involved and help mediate in situations such as this at the joint request of the parties involved. A positive workplace is essential to continuing valued and necessary care for those who sacrificed for our freedom, said Walz. I heard today from staff, patients and leaders to determine whether the culture identified in the Inspector General report has changed. I learned the communication is still very strained and management still has significant work to do . Providers who work at the VA are the very foundation of caring for our veterans and deserve nothing less than our full effort to improve the situation. I thank Representative Emmer and his staff for their work to address these important issues. Our veterans across the United States have dedicated their lives to protect this country and it is our duty to ensure they have access to excellent care once they return home, said Emmer. Today we listened to VA staff, union officials, and veterans to discuss their concerns and suggestions for improvement. It is vital that necessaryactionis taken at every level to ensure our veterans receive the care they've earned, and those caring for them re… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1759 | Paulsen Statement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement | 2015-10-05 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after the Administrations announcement that a Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement had been reached. A successful Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement has the potential to increase the ability for Minnesota farmers, ranchers, and businesses to reach customers in emerging markets, sell American goods, and create jobs here at home. Because of Congresss actions earlier this year to pass Trade Promotion Authority, the public will have an opportunity to scrutinize this deal, evaluate it, and decide if it meets the objectives that were laid out. I look forward to reading the text of the agreement, hearing from stakeholders, and determining if it is a good deal for American workers and small businesses. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1762 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism and Making College Affordable | 2015-10-02 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, William in Plymouth emails in to ask for Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to support the Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act. Congressman Paulsen also answers a question from Barb in Eden Prairie who asks about student loan debt and college affordability. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-statement-speaker-boehner | Emmer Statement on Speaker Boehner | 2015-09-25 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) released the following statementafter the announcement of Speaker Boehners resignation: Speaker Boehner has dedicated twenty-four years of his life to public service and should be commended for his tireless dedication to his constituents in Ohio and to the American people as a whole. I would like to thank Speaker Boehner for his work and leadership in the 114th Congress. It was an honor to work with him during my first nine months in Washington. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1758 | Paulsen Statement on Speaker Boehner Announcing His Retirement | 2015-09-25 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement regarding the announced retirement of Speaker John Boehner. In a truly American story, John Boehner grew up the son of a barkeep with eleven brothers and sisters and worked his way up to become Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. His steady, calm leadership has been an asset as Congress has navigated through difficult obstacles and passionate debates. The Speakers decision to step down is one of incredible selflessness and humility. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-reacts-pope-francis-speech-congress | Emmer Reacts to Pope Francis Speech Before Congress | 2015-09-24 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) released the following statement after His Holiness, Pope Francis address before Congress. Emmers special guests to the joint session of Congress were St. Clouds Bishop Kettler, Saint Johns University President Hemesath, and College of Saint Benedicts President Hinton. What an honor! What a celebration of America and what a celebration of faith, said Emmer. The Popes message of Americas importance to the world and our obligation to lead is inspiring. This should encourage Americans regardless of political perspective or religious beliefs to move the country forward and to lead the world to a place of peace and prosperity where future generations can achieve their dreams. "Its a privilege and honor to welcome Pope Francis to our country and attend his historic address to Congress at the invitation of Rep. Emmers office, said Bishop Kettler. May the Holy Fathers words continue to inspire us as citizens and as a nation to share our strengths and blessings for the common good of all. It was an honor to represent the College of Saint Benedict and to hear Pope Francis's address to a joint session of Congress, said President Hinton Pope Franciss remarks resonated with the Benedictine values that guide the College of Saint Benedict. Not only did Pope Francis remind us of our communal responsibility to one another of the need to work toward peace, justice, and the common good but he spoke directly to leaders of colleges and universities when he called on us to use technology to support dialog and bridge building. I am grateful that Congressman Emmer created an opportunity for me to participate in Pope Franciss visit to the United States and to share this experience with so many others. Pope Francis's message of hope and compassion clearly resonates deeply with the American people, said President Hemesath. It reminds us of our responsibilities to each other as we work to build a just society, and it is absolutely consistent with state of Minnesota's heritage and the peo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-votes-defund-planned-parenthood | Emmer Votes to Defund Planned Parenthood | 2015-09-21 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | As many of you are probably aware, videos have recently surfaced highlighting horrendous, disturbing and potentially illegal activity by Planned Parenthood. These actions are unacceptable and reprehensible, and I am deeply troubled by the current allegations that Planned Parenthood profits from the sale of body parts of children. Let that sentence sink in for a moment. My wife Jacquie and I are blessed with seven wonderful children, each with their own unique gifts they bring to the world. Nationwide more than 56 million unborn babies have been lost since Roe v. Wade nationwide, and while Planned Parenthood performs 300,000 abortions every year. Through their recent unacceptable and reprehensible actions, Planned Parenthood has lost the trust of the American people. I am, and always have been, pro-life and I am opposed to federal funding of abortion. Since January, I have cosponsored the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which would deny federal grants to any organization that provides abortions, including Planned Parenthood. I also voted for the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2015, which would prohibit any federal funds from being used for abortions, except in cases of rape or incest, or when the welfare of the mother is in jeopardy. In July, along with 54 of my colleagues, I wrote a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, urging an investigation of Planned Parenthood by an independent counsel. Planned Parenthood must be held accountable for their behavior and taxpayers must know their hard-earned dollars are not funding these horrific actions. In fact, just today, we voted for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, which I was proud to cosponsor. Today, Congress voted to defund Planned Parenthood and to transfer the funds from Congress to more than 13,000 clinics nationwide which provide health services for women, without conducting abortions actually expanding womens access to health care. As a nation we can focus on and invest in womens health wh… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-announces-12th-town-hall | Emmer Announces 12th Town Hall | 2015-09-21 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. --Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) announced today that he will host his next town hall in Sherburne County on October 13th. My staff and I strive to be transparent, accountable, and most importantlyaccessible. Town halls are a great way to facilitate this, and the October town hall will be my 12th since joining Congress in January, said Emmer. These events are the perfect opportunity for my constituents to ask me questions about issues that matter to them most and for me to hear what questions and concerns they may have. By the end of my first year in Congress, we will have held an in-persontown hall in every county throughout Minnesotas Sixth District. When: October 13th, 7:00-8:00pm Where: Sherburne County Old Main Eatery 313 Jackson Ave NW, Elk River, MN 55330 For more information, contact Emmers Otsego office at (763)-241-6848. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-votes-defund-planned-parenthood | Emmer Votes to Defund Planned Parenthood | 2015-09-18 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. --Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) today voted in support of H.R. 3134, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, of which he is a cosponsor. Through their recent unacceptable and reprehensible actions, Planned Parenthood has lost the trust of the American people, said Emmer. Planned Parenthood must be held accountable for their behavior and taxpayers must know their hard-earned dollars are not funding these horrific actions. Today Congress voted to defund Planned Parenthood and transfer the funds to more than 13,000 clinics nationwide that provide health services for women without conducting abortions actually expanding womens access to health care. Click hereto view this video | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-cosponsors-va-billing-accountability-act | Emmer Cosponsors VA Billing Accountability Act | 2015-09-17 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.--Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) today signed on as an original cosponsor of the VA Billing Accountability Act.Congressman John Kline (MN-02), who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, introduced this legislation. Over the summer, nearly 1,500 veterans from around Minnesota and Wisconsin received notice from their local Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VA) regarding previously unbilled co-payments from care provided as far as five years ago. This legislation sets forth specific and immediate billing requirements. These reforms state that a veteran who receives care from the VA must receive their bill within 120 days and those who get their care at a non-VA facility must be billed within 18 months. This bill also grants the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the authority to rid veterans of the requirement to make a co-payment if the VA does not follow the billing timing mandates. Additionally, the VA would now be required to notify veterans on the options available to them to get a waiver and create a payment plan before they can collect payment, if the bill is not sent in a timely manner. Men and women across our country dedicate their lives to protect our country each and every day and we have a duty to make their lives easier, not more difficult, once they return to the United States, said Emmer. Our nations veterans deserve quality care without struggling due to delays and/or errors made by an institution created for the sole purpose of assisting them. By clearly defining the timing requirements placed on the VA, this legislation would bring more security and reassurance to veterans. I applaud Congressman Kline for introducing this legislation, and am pleased to work with him and my colleagues towards its passage. Clickhere to read the full text. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-speaks-strong-opposition-iran-deal | Emmer Speaks in Strong Opposition to Iran Deal | 2015-09-11 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | On September 10, 2015 Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) spoke on the House Floor voicing his strong opposition to the Iran Deal. The American people have spoken and overwhelmingly oppose the P 5 +1 agreement. Our allies in the region, who know Iran best, oppose this deal. The President, enabled by Senate Democrats, continues to live in fantasy land. The Presidents track record in the region is appalling : Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Benghazi, the Reset with Russia, Redlines in Syria, his failed ISIL strategy and his catastrophic withdrawal from Iraq just to name a few. Now, handing billions, intercontinental ballistic missiles and a legal pathway to a nuclear weapon to Iran. The American people deserve the truth, rather than lies and half truths about snapback sanctions, secret side deals, anytime-anywhere inspections, Irans right to enrich uranium or plutonium and as we stand here today, Congresss role in this bad deal. Members of Congress must ask themselves two questions: Does this deal make us more secure? Does this deal make us more safe? The answer to both questions is a resounding no! Secretary of State John Kerry said, No deal is better than a bad deal. I couldnt agree more. I yield back. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1743 | Paulsen Statement on Voting Against the Iran Nuclear Deal | 2015-09-11 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after voting against the Iran nuclear deal. The nuclear agreement with Iran falls far short of what is acceptable when measured with the objectives laid out by both Congress and the Administration at the beginning of this process. The laundry list of problems with the deal no anytime, anywhere inspections, the lifting of the arms embargo, and continued Iranian enrichment capabilities have made it impossible for me to support this agreement and is the reason why I voted against it today. Im not alone in the belief that this deal falls short of achieving the goals of safety, stability, and security. In fact, a bipartisan majority in Congress and nearly four out of every five Americans think that this deal is not the right path for us to take. Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism and a destabilizing force in the Middle East. Because of this, any deal should be verifiable, enforceable, and accountable principles that this agreement does not include. Whether its a regional arms race, increased funding for terrorist groups like Hezbollah, or Iran successfully building a nuclear weapon, Im deeply concerned that we will be living with the negative ramifications of this bad deal for years to come. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1742 | Paulsen: Proposed Medicare Rule Risks Patient Access to Lower Limb Prosthetics | 2015-09-10 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In a bipartisan letter to the agencies that oversee Medicare, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) expressed strong concern that a proposed rule regarding lower limb prosthetics would restrict access to quality prosthetic care and result in worse health outcomes for patients. In the letter, sent to both the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers (HHS) for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Paulsen asks that CMS protect flexibility for patients and doctors to determine the best prosthetic for an individual. Last month, a number of prosthetic users and patient groups from Minnesota traveled to Washington, D.C. to protest the proposed rule outside of HHS headquarters. Joining Paulsen in sending the letter was fellow co-chair of the House Medical Technology Caucus, Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-18). The letter, which is available here, states: The loss of any limb is a traumatic and life-altering experience. Yet, thanks to medical innovation, modern prostheses can help amputees live a healthy, active life. For seniors who sustain limb loss, prostheses can help regain significant amounts of functionality and eliminate the need to be confined to a wheelchair. For the millions of amputees under age 65, modern prosthetic care allows them to return to work and maintain the ability to live independently. The letter goes on to say: As Co-Chairs of the House Medical Technology Caucus, we fear these policies will suppress medical innovation and limit patient access to life-improving technology. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, CMS should allow medical professionals and patients to work together to determine a patients functional ability and identify the best prosthetic device for an individual. Congressman Paulsen also spoke on the House floor about the need for CMS to chart a different path on their prosthetic policy. Video is available here. Background: In July, a Medicare contractor released a proposed draft Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for lower limb prosthetic… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1739 | Paulsen Statement on Rep. John Kline's Decision to Not Seek Re-Election | 2015-09-03 | 2015 | 2015-09 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement regarding Rep. John Klines decision to not seek re-election in 2016. Im disappointed to hear that my friend and colleague, Congressman John Kline, will not be seeking re-election next year. During his time in Congress, John Kline has been a leader on education and defense issues, and a tireless champion for our veterans. Johns tenure in the U.S. House represents one chapter in a lifetime of service to his country, including a 25-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served two Presidents as a military aide. I want to thank John for his friendship and guidance, and I know I speak for many of my colleagues in saying he will be sorely missed in Congress. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-serrano-urge-world-bank-president-help-improve-road-safety | Emmer, Serrano Urge World Bank President to Help Improve Road Safety in Developing Countries | 2015-07-31 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Reps. Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Jos E. Serrano (D-NY) sent a letter last week to World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, with 39 of their colleagues urging him to improve road safety in developing countries. Worldwide more than 1.3 million die in road crashes annually, with nearly 90 percent occurring in developing countries. While the World Bank has already taken strides towards improving road safety, the rate of global deaths due to crashes continues to rise with the World Health Organization anticipating deaths due to traffic injury to surpass HIV/AIDS soon. As weve seen in the United States, there is nothing more important to raising living standards, increasing safety and promoting economic development than improvements to transportation, said Emmer. As developing nations continue to grow, transportation is key to allowing industry and trade to expand and there is no organization more important to this than the World Bank. I am proud to work with a bipartisan coalition of Members in advocating for American citizens and interests abroad by advancing the goal of upgrading transportation safety in developing nations. Road safety, both at home and abroad, is vital to citizens security, helps decrease healthcare costs, and boosts economic competitiveness. We have to makesure developing countries roads meet minimum safety standards to protect the lives of millions of people and contribute to their economic prosperity.Through its financing of road construction projects around the globe, the World Bank is uniquely positioned to help improve road safety for all userspedestrians, bicyclists, and motoristsby requiring a minimum set of cost-effective and attainable standards. I am honored to work with colleaguesfrom both sides of aisle to bring attention to this important issue, said Congressman Serrano. The text of the letter is below and a signed copy can be found here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1736 | Paulsen Statement on Signing of Steve Gleason Act Into Law | 2015-07-31 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after the President signed the Steve Gleason Act into law. The Steve Gleason Act is about giving a voice to the voiceless those afflicted with ALS or other degenerative conditions. This new law means protecting critical access for speech generating devices by reversing backward-thinking government proposals. Now, millions of Americans will be able to continue using medical technology that allows them to communicate with their family, friends, and physicians. The tireless effort of Steve Gleason and other ALS advocates are a big reason why this bill became law. Steves use of a speech generating device for interviews and on social media to rally support for this legislation exemplifies just how important this technology is for people living with this disease. Background: Congressman Paulsen led a letter with Reps. Steve Scalise and Cathy McMorris Rodgers in September 2014 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that asked for an explanation of policy changes that would limit access to speech generating devices. In response, CMS changed some of their policies. The Steve Gleason Act was introduced to make these changes permanent and address remaining barriers to access to speech generating devices. These devices allow millions of Americans that suffer from degenerative medical conditions to communicate with family and friends by using facial muscles or retina movement. The legislation is named after Steve Gleason, a former NFL safety that now suffers from ALS. He has become a leading advocate for those suffering from the disease. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1737 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: The REINS Act and Tax Reform | 2015-07-31 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Amy in Wayzata writes in to ask Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to support the REINS Act, legislation that would require Congressional approval for any regulation with significant economic impact. Brian in Bloomington also writes in to request that Congress tackle tax reform. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-introduces-financial-stability-oversight-council-reform-act | Emmer Introduces the Financial Stability Oversight Council Reform Act | 2015-07-30 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. This week, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) introduced H.R. 3340, the Financial Stability Oversight Council Reform Act. This legislation would enhance congressional oversight of an unchecked, isolated and nontransparent governmental organization that has the power to force new regulations on financial institutions. American businesses and consumers are frustrated by an out of control federal bureaucracy, said Emmer. By restoring a transparent, constitutional process, Congress would have the opportunity to verify that the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) is performing its duties and not harming access capital for families and businesses. The financial services industry is incredibly important to Minnesota and while regulators certainly have their place, Congress must ensure that the appropriate checks and balances are in place to oversee the power of regulators in order to protect consumers and the rights of Americans. The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) was created in 2010 under the Dodd-Frank Act. FSOC has the power to designate financial institutions as systemically important which results in greater regulatory burdens. Unfortunately, the designation process has lacked transparency thus far. The legislation would give Congress the power to approve the budget for FSOC and the Office of Financial Research (OFR), create quarterly reporting requirements for OFR, and require OFR to provide at least a 90 day public notice and comment period before issuing any report, rule, or regulation. This increased oversight and transparency would ensure safe and competitive, financial markets, to help Americans purchase homes, cars and have access to higher education. Congressman Tom Emmer represents Minnesotas Sixth Congressional District and is a member of the Financial Services Committee. The Financial Stability Oversight Council Reform Act is H.R. 3340. Click here to read the full text. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/columns/gop-house-member-files-bill-end-us-embargo-cuba | GOP House member files bill to end U.S. embargo on Cuba | 2015-07-29 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | By Alan Gomez, USA Today A bill to eliminatethe 55-year-old U.S. embargo on Cuba will be introduced Tuesday by an unlikely member of Congress: a Republican in the House of Representatives. Rep. Tom Emmer, who narrowly lost the Minnesota governor's race in 2010 before winning a House seat in 2014, is scheduled to file the "Cuba Trade Act of 2015" that removesthe long-standingrestrictions on American businesses from tradingwith Cuba and American citizens fromtravelling there. Emmer said he decided to pursue a full repeal of the embargo after a trip to Cuba in June, when he met with Cuban government officials and everyday citizens. "I understand there's a lot of pain on both sides of this issue that goes back many decades, something that a kid from Minnesota is not going to necessarily be able to understand," Emmer said. "But I believe this is in the best interests of the Cuban people. This isn't about the Cuban government it's about people on the street looking for more opportunity and to improve their quality of life." Ever since President Obama announced in December that he would reestablish diplomatic relations with the one-timeCold War foe, Congress has responded by trying to tweak the embargo, which is established in U.S. law andcan only be changed by an act of Congress.Democrats in the Senate, with some Republican support, have been trying to ease trade and travel to the island. Republicans in the House have fought back, proposing a series of additional restrictions to bolsterthe embargo. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has been clear that his chamber will not address the embargo until he sees significant changes in Cuba. Under current law, the embargo cannot be removed until several changes take place in Cuba, including a transition to a democratic government and improvements in the country's human rights record. Since none of that has happened, Boehnersaid in May that his chamberwould not reexamine the embargo until "the Cuban people enjoy freedom, and not one second sooner." Emmer saw firsthand what a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-kline-introduce-armed-forces-career-center-protection-act | Emmer, Kline Introduce Armed Forces Career Center Protection Act | 2015-07-29 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) introduced H.R. 3239 the Armed Forces Career Center Protection Act yesterday. Congressman John Kline (MN-02), who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, signed on as a cosponsor. This legislation would require the installation of bullet proof glass windows and entry doors at all military recruiting centers throughout the nation. The bill would create a national standard, echoing the numerous governors who have already ordered this change in their states. In the wake of the tragedy at the Armed Forces Career Centers in Chattanooga, Congress needs to act, said Emmer. This legislation would require improved security at our nations recruiting offices. Our troops deserve to be protected wherever they are and this legislation is an important step in that direction. The targeting of our service members in Chattanooga is troubling and tragic, said Kline, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps whose son has served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. We must do all we can to ensure the brave men and women who have volunteered to protect and defend our country are safe, which is why I am proud to join Congressman Emmer to advance this important legislation that takes steps to do just that. The Armed Forces Career Center Protection Act is H.R. 3239. Click here to read the full text. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1735 | Paulsen Backs Legislation Improving Accountability in VA System | 2015-07-29 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. The House passed legislation, the VA Accountability Act, in a bipartisan vote, to expand the ability of the Veteran Affairs (VA) Department to hold employees responsible for poor performance or misconduct. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) voted in favor of the legislation that also protects VA whistleblowers against retaliation, modifies the performance review process, and limits the length of time VA employees may be placed on paid leave. The bottom line is our veterans deserve better and more timely care, said Paulsen. Our VA system needs bold leadership and the ability to bring in the best people suited to serve the needs of our veterans. Allowing the VA secretary to remove and replace employees who are putting veterans at risk is a step in the right direction toward permanently fixing these problems. Since the news broke last year that 35 veterans had died waiting for care at the Phoenix VA, two officials at that location have been on paid leave pending an investigation for more than 15 months. In all, only three employees were terminated in the VA system as a result of the scandal that uncovered secret wait lists at facilities across the country. In addition, senior VA officials have stated the process for removing employees is often too difficult and lengthy. The VA Accountability Act is supported by a number of veterans groups including the Concerned Veterans for America, American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-castor-introduce-legislation-lift-cuba-embargo | Emmer, Castor Introduce Legislation to Lift Cuba Embargo | 2015-07-28 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. --Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL), along withCongressmen Abraham, Amash, Boustany,Ribble, and Sanford,today introduced the Cuba Trade Act of 2015. This legislation would lift the Cuba embargo and allow for businesses in the private sector to trade freely with Cuba, while prohibiting taxpayer funds to be used on promotion or development of this new market. Today marks a new and exciting chapter for the U.S. - Cuba relationship, said Emmer. The American people overwhelmingly support lifting the Cuba embargo. Along with the Cuban people, Americans are ready for a fresh start and new opportunities for increasing trade, advancing the cause of human rights and ushering in direly needed reforms. This legislation will improve our position within the region, giving the U.S. a seat at the table and increased leverage as we support political transformations beginning to occur in Cuba. The time has come for a change in our policy towards Cuba, and I am ready to work with my colleagues in Congress on policies that are beneficial to both the American and Cuban people. The United States and Cuba have taken historic actions this year to set our countries on a more productive path forward for citizens of both nations and turn the page on the outdated 50 year policy of isolation, Castor said. Today, I am proud to join Rep. Emmer in taking the next step in introducing legislation to lift the embargo. This important step forward will advance human rights and lift the fortunes of families and entrepreneurs on both sides of the Florida straits. Lifting the embargo and reestablishing historic trade ties with Cuba will be a boost to our port and local small businesses in Tampa Bay.I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this policy of engagement that will not only provide an economic boost here at home, but will also help the Cuban economy and its people flourish. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-announces-august-town-halls | Emmer Announces August Town Halls | 2015-07-27 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. --Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) announced today that he will be hosting two in-person town halls during the August district work period. Emmer will host a town hall in Carver County on August 18thand in Washington County on August 27th. "My staff and I strive to be transparent, accountable, and most importantly--accessible," said Emmer. "This isan opportunity for my constituents to ask me questions about the issues that matter most to them and to hear from me directly about my work in Congress." When: August 18th, 7:00-8:00pm Where: Carver County Waconia City Hall 201 S. Vine Street When:August 27th, 7:00-8:00pm Where:Washington County Forest Lake City Hall 1408 Lake Street South For more information, contact Emmers Otsego office at (763)-241-6848. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1733 | Paulsen, Courtney Introduce Bill to Aid Investigations of Missing Children | 2015-07-24 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressmen Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Joe Courtney (CT-02) have introduced bipartisan legislation, the Recovering Missing Children Act, that will provide law enforcement with additional tools in their search for abducted children. This legislation will add the case of a missing child to the current list of circumstances under which the IRS may release tax information to investigating authorities. More than 200,000 children are abducted every year by parents or other relatives. There is evidence that in a significant number of these cases, taxes were later filed using either the suspected perpetrators or the missing childs social security number. According to one government report, a new address of residence is listed as often as 46% of the time potentially a case-breaking discovery. Despite this evidence being critical to an investigation, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is prohibited from providing the information to law enforcement. The Recovering Missing Children Act would address this problem by allowing the IRS to release tax information related to the case of a missing child if a federal court order is obtained. This commonsense legislation is about reuniting missing children with their families, said Congressman Paulsen. We know that information exists to solve thousands of these cases if law enforcement was simply able to access it. We should give police and prosecutors this tool and bring these kids home. I am pleased to join my colleague, Rep. Erik Paulsen, to reintroduce the Recovering Missing Children Act, said Congressman Courtney. Missing children cases are incredibly complex and challenging to solve, and providing law enforcement officials with access to information that can bring children home safely would be a small but important step for families going through the devastating experience of child abduction. I look forward to working with my colleagues to expand law enforcement resources to information that could help bring missing children home as quickly as possib… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1734 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Disability Insurance and Missing Children Investigations | 2015-07-24 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Rob in Independence writes to Congressman Paulsen and asks what is being done to fix the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Additionally, Lisa in Chaska emails in with a request that Congress do something to help solve cases involving missing and abducted children. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-speaks-support-safe-and-accurate-food-labeling-act | Emmer Speaks in Support of the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act | 2015-07-23 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | On July 21, 2015, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) spoke on the House Floor to speak in support of the House Agriculture and Energy & Commerce Committees' action on the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the House Agriculture and Energy and Commerce Committees actions on the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015, of which I am a cosponsor. Biotechnology is nothing new Norman Borlaugh - a researcher and legend in my home state, was the Father of the Green Revolution while at the University of Minnesota due to his groundbreaking work on high-yield crops that have fed billions of people around the globe. American farmers already deal with heavy compliance regulations to ensure that our food is safe to eat. Families must know that Borlaughs incredible accomplishment and the hard work of the American farmer is not in vein. It is no surprise that Im not a fan of the federal bureaucracy, but on this issue we must stand with American farmers on the health and safety of GMOs. We should move in the right direction and the House should pass this bipartisan legislation that will create a voluntary label that supports farmers and American families. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-time-audit-fed-now | Emmer: The Time to Audit the Fed is Now | 2015-07-23 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | The Federal Reserve has immense power over our economy and the American people. Much to my dismay they have taken many actions that sacrifice long-term prosperity for short-term gains. On July 22, 2015, I had the opportunity to discuss much needed Federal Reserve reform during a House Financial Services Committee hearing. Below are videos of my opening statement and questioning that day. I believe we need to Audit the Fed and make it a much more transparent institution, and I am proud to be a cosponsor on the Audit the Fed legislation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-five-years-dodd-frank-five-years-failures | Emmer: Five years of Dodd-Frank, Five years of Failures | 2015-07-21 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | This week was the 5thAnniversary of Dodd-Frank, the Wall Street reform act that was promoted as a champion of consumer protections, the end of Washington bailouts, and the nations anecdote to financial crises. Unfortunately, the law has fallen short of expectations and is doing more harm than good. On the floor of the House of Representatives I gave two speeches about Dodd-Frank. One about how the law has harmed a Wright County Minnesota bank and consumers, and another about how Congress can amend the law to fix its problems. July 21, 2015 July 22, 2015 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1732 | House Sends Legislation Introduced by Paulsen the Steve Gleason Act to President's Desk | 2015-07-15 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Legislation introduced by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to protect access to speech generating devices (SGDs) for those afflicted with ALS and other degenerative conditions was approved by the House unanimously. The bill, the Steve Gleason Act, would reverse policy changes by the Administration that would limit access to these critical devices. The legislation is named after Steve Gleason, a former NFL safety that now suffers from ALS. He has become a leading advocate for those suffering from the disease. The ice bucket challenge was a good start, but theres more we can do to help those with this deadly disease, said Paulsen. Embracing new technology means giving a voice to the millions of Americans living with degenerative disabilities and helping them lead a better life where they can communicate with their family, friends, and physicians. Paulsen spoke on the House floor in favor of the legislation. Video is available here. Congressman Paulsen led a letter with Reps. Steve Scalise and Cathy McMorris Rodgers in September 2014 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that asked for an explanation of policy changes that would limit access to SGDs. In response, CMS changed some of their policies. The Steve Gleason Act was introduced to make these changes permanent and address remaining barriers to access to speech generating devices. These devices allow millions of Americans that suffer from degenerative medical conditions to communicate with family and friends by using facial muscles or retina movement. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1731 | Paulsen Statement on Iran Nuclear Agreement | 2015-07-14 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement in response to the Administrations announcement of a nuclear deal with Iran. I support a diplomatic solution to find a peaceful end to Irans nuclear weapons program. However, over the past decades, Iran has repeatedly cheated and lied to the international community in its illicit pursuit of a nuclear bomb. Because of this deception, this deal should have included rigorous inspections and a verification process that gives the international community unfettered access to potential nuclear sites. It should have also required an end to enrichment capabilities and for Iran to fully disable their nuclear weapons program. In addition, the agreement should have ensured that any sanctions relief should be phased in through a slow and deliberate manner, rather than immediately removed. The deal announced by the administration today fails to achieve even one of these benchmarks and in a shocking turn of events, also includes the lifting of the U.N. Arms Embargo something that makes a bad deal even worse. I cant in good faith support an agreement that fails to even meet the minimum standards outlined by the Administration at the beginning of this process. Instead, more weapons will be given to the worlds biggest state sponsor of terrorism, putting the stability of the Middle East in jeopardy and threatening to create a new nuclear arms race. In addition, it puts our closest ally in the region, Israel, in grave danger. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1729 | Paulsen Backs Investment in Medical Innovation and Research | 2015-07-10 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) voted in favor of the 21st Century Cures Act legislation he was a cosponsor of to accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of life saving and life improving therapies. Approved by the House in a broad, bipartisan vote of 344-77, the bill is the result of a two-year effort to identify ways to streamline regulations and invest in research to help develop more critical cures and treatments. There are currently over 10,000 known diseases 7,000 of them rare with only about 500 of them having FDA-approved treatments. Ive met with countless families that are living the nightmare of having a loved one afflicted with a disease that has no cure, said Paulsen. By accelerating medical breakthroughs and finding new cures, more patients will be helped and mores lives will be saved. Paulsen recently spoke on the floor in favor of the 21st Century Cures Act. Video is available here. The 21st Century Cures Act: Breaks down existing barriers to sharing and analyzing the growing amount of health data generated in research and clinical settings. Incorporates the patient perspective into the drug development and regulatory review process. Advances personalized medicine by providing guidance for the broader, more collaborative development, understanding and utilization of drug development tools for earlier assessment of how a particular therapy is working and on whom. Modernizes clinical trials by allowing greater use of patient generated registries, reducing duplicative paperwork requirements, and allowing researchers to better screen patients. Removes regulatory uncertainty for the development of new medical apps. Provides new incentives for the development of drugs for rare diseases by increasing the period of exclusivity for drugs treating rare diseases by six months. Creates a new coordinating mechanism to remove the choke points that slow innovation. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1730 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Mental Health and the Antiquities Act | 2015-07-10 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Heidi in Minnetonka writes in to ask Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) about mental health initiatives. Paulsen also hears from Christine in Chaska who asked that the Congressman support the Antiquities Act. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1728 | Paulsen, Franken Lead MN Congressional Delegation in Urging Federal Agency to Protect Mental Health Funding for MN Children | 2015-07-07 | 2015 | 2015-07 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Senator Al Franken (MN) have asked the agency in charge of administering Medicaid to ensure that federal funding for mental health services for Minnesota children is not discontinued. In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), members of the state delegation asked the agency to allow the Minnesota Department of Health and Human Services to maintain current practices for mental health care that were approved in 2001. A recent letter from CMS regarding state compliance with federal regulations for psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) raised concerns that federal funding could be ended immediately. The letter to CMS, which was also signed by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN), Rep. Tim Walz (MN-01), Rep. John Kline (MN-02), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04), Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-05), Rep. Tom Emmer (MN-06), Rep. Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Rep. Rick Nolan (MN-08), states: The recent letter from CMS raises the concern that Federal Financial Participation (FFP) could be immediately cut off, leaving children in need of services with few options. Minnesota has had an effective array and continuum of care and services for children with mental illnesses for over a decade. These services have been developed over many years to effectively meet the individual and unique needs of children, adolescents and their families in the state. We respectfully request that Minnesota be allowed to maintain its current practice of funding mental health services as was approved in 2001. Background When the Medicaid program was established in 1965, federal payments were excluded for Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) defined as facilities with over 16 beds. However, in 1972, an exception to the IMD exclusion was established for individuals under the age of 21 in certain larger settings, including psychiatric residential treatment facilities. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has the authority to determine what l… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1722 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Investing in Infrastructure and Cybersecurity | 2015-06-26 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Adam in Plymouth writes in to Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) with a question about investing in transportation and infrastructure. Paulsen also responds to a call from Lynn in Deephaven who wants to know what Congress is doing to improve our nations cybersecurity. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1717 | Paulsen Statement on King v. Burwell | 2015-06-25 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Courts decision in King v. Burwell. Todays Supreme Court ruling does not change the fact that the Presidents health care law has meant fewer options and increased costs for hardworking Americans. We still need better patient-centered solutions to help families that face barriers in accessing affordable, quality care. For instance, repealing the burdensome medical device tax would spark innovation and increase investment in critical life-saving and life-changing products. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1718 | Paulsen, Kind Introduce Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act | 2015-06-25 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressmen Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Ron Kind (WI-03) have introduced H.R. 2903, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act to modernize the tax code and streamline regulations for producers of craft beverages, cider, wine, and distilled spirits. The bill combines and builds on a number of different proposals in Congress including the Small BREW Act (H.R. 232), the Fair BEER Act (H.R. 767), the Distillery Excise Tax Reform Act (H.R. 1172), the CIDER Act (H.R. 600), the AGED Spirits Act (H.R. 867), and the Craft Beverage Bond Simplification Act (H.R. 2238). Paulsen previously introduced the Small BREW Actand Kind was an original cosponsor of the Fair BEER Act. Over the past few years, weve seen small brewers in Minnesota and around the country continue to meet the needs of a public that is growing in its appreciation for craft beverages, said Paulsen. At the same time, these brewers are burdened by out-of-date regulations and high excise taxes that make it difficult for them to grow their business and play a role in their local economy. Combining popular bills with targeted fixes will allow these innovative businesses to expand and create American jobs. The beer industry is an important part of our past, present, and future in Wisconsin and plays a critical role in our economy, said Kind. I am proud that we could come together and find a compromise that helps Wisconsin brewers large and small, old and new tap new markets and continue to thrive. Along with providing needed tax relief for brewers, cider makers, vintners, and distillers, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act also eliminates red tape and streamlines regulations for these industries. Nearly 90 percent of these businesses would be exempted from complex bonding and bi-weekly tax filing requirements. In addition, the legislation would reduce administrative backlogs by ensuring proper funding for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act has the sup… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1716 | Paulsen Statement on CDC Board Vote on Meningitis B Vaccine | 2015-06-24 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDCs) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved a permissive recommendation for Meningitis B (MenB) vaccines. Paulsen and Senator Al Franken (MN) recently led a letter asking for consideration of a broader universal recommendation for the vaccines. While todays ACIP vote to allow teens and young adults to receive MenB vaccinations is progress, we still know that students will continue to be susceptible to this deadly bacteria without more action, said Paulsen. The heartbreaking testimony presented at the hearing shows that for many, the first time they learn about Meningitis B is after theyve already contracted the disease. I urge ACIP and the CDC to continue the progress they made today and further increase access to these life-saving vaccinations. Previously, only students at colleges with an outbreak were able to access Meningitis B vaccines and protect themselves against the disease. The permissive recommendation allows those most at risk of contracting MenB young adults between the ages 16-23 the ability to receive vaccinations in consultation with their physicians and will likely reduce regulatory and financial burdens. However, Congressman Paulsen and Senator Franken were seeking consideration of a broader recommendation where the CDC would advise vaccinations for at-risk age groups. Paulsen has previously raised concerns that bureaucratic red tape is putting young adults at risk from the deadly Meningitis B bacteria after several outbreaks at college campuses. Last summer, he accompanied Alicia Stillman to Canada to personally receive a MenB vaccine highlighting the fact that vaccines had not been cleared in the U.S. despite being approved in 34 different countries. Alicias daughter, Emily, passed away in 2013 after contracting MenB. Congressman Paulsenis co-chair of both the House Wellness Caucus and the Congressional Medical Techn… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-and-ellison-announce-congressional-somalia-caucus | Emmer and Ellison Announce Congressional Somalia Caucus | 2015-06-23 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. -- Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Tom Emmer (R-MN) announced today the creation of the Congressional Somalia Caucus. We are proud to announce the formation ofthe Congressional Somalia Caucus, Emmer and Ellison said. As Somalia emerges from decades of violent conflict and humanitarian crises, we are committed to assisting the Somali government build on economic and security gains they have achieved. This assistance is vital to Somalias continued progressand to the United States national security. The purpose of the Somalia Caucus is to advocate for peace and stability in Somalia by ensuring the United States is providing sufficient and meaningful assistance so that democracy, good governance, and prosperity prevail over terrorism in Somalia. This means supporting efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab and prevent recruitment, helping to create good governance standards, and bringing Somalias informal economy into the formal 21stcentury global marketplace. Together, we represent some of the largestSomali-American communities in the United States; for us and the constituents we represent, Somalia is not a far off foreign policy issue, its a matter of domestic policy and national security. We are committedto advocating on behalf of all of our constituents while ensuring that Somalia has the tools it needs to create strong democratic institutions that provide safety and economic opportunity to its people. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1715 | Paulsen, Franken Ask CDC to Consider Wider Recommended Usage of Meningitis B Vaccine | 2015-06-23 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In a letter to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Senator Al Franken (MN) asked the agency to consider granting a recommendation for universal use of vaccines preventing Meningitis B. The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will be voting on a recommended usage on Wednesday. Joining Paulsen and Franken in sending the letter were Minnesota Congressmen John Kline and Tim Walz. In addition, the letter was signed by Sen. Ron Wyden (OR), Sen. Gary Peters (MI), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN-07), and Rep. Lynn Jenkins (KS-02). The letter, which is available here, states: We are pleased the Center for Disease Controls Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently recommended the use of two approved MenB vaccines in high-risk individuals and during outbreaks. However, limiting use of the vaccines to these instances will create a significant barrier to access the vaccine. In this scenario, private insurance companies and public health initiatives like the Vaccines for Children program will not cover the costs of the vaccine, limiting access to only those individuals who have the means to pay out-of-pocket or are unfortunate enough to attend a university with an outbreak. All parents should be able to give their children the vaccine prior to an outbreak without worrying about financial or other barriers. We urge the CDC and ACIP to give due consideration to granting a universal use recommendation in the young adult population for MenB vaccines at its June 24 meeting to ensure that this is possible. Background Without a recommendation of universal use from the CDC, access to the Meningitis B vaccine is restricted to those who can afford to cover the cost of the vaccine or students at schools with confirmed outbreaks. In February, the CDCs ACIP board voted for a limited recommendation of usage and tabled the next vote until June 24, 2015. Paulsen has previously raised concerns that bureaucratic red tape is putt… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1723 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Medical Device Tax Repeal and Medicare Advantage | 2015-06-19 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Lee in Chanhassen emails Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to ask for his continued support in repealing the medical device tax. Kevin in Minnetrista writes in with a request that Congress protect and strengthen Medicare Advantage. Watch this weeks videohere Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1712 | Paulsen Legislation Repealing the Medical Device Tax Passes House | 2015-06-18 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Legislation authored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to repeal the medical device tax passed the House Thursday afternoon. The bill, H.R. 160, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 280-140. H.R. 160 eliminates the 2.3% tax on medical devices that was included in the Presidents health care law. The legislation now heads to the Senate where repealing the medical device tax also has bipartisan support. A nonbinding vote to repeal the tax has previously received 79 votes. As a country, we take great pride in our ability to create, invent, and innovate especially when it comes to products that improve peoples lives, said Paulsen. The medical device tax stands in direct contrast to this ideal, which is why youve seen Members of Congress from across the political spectrum support its repeal. Its time to push this legislation across the finish line and support American jobs and innovation. Paulsen highlighted the effect the tax has had on a number of companies that manufacture medical devices. Because the tax is on sales instead of profit, one small business in his district is paying an effective tax rate of 79%. Paulsen spoke in favor of the legislation on the House floor. Video is available here. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1713 | Paulsen Statement on Passage of Trade Promotion Authority | 2015-06-18 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after Trade Promotion Authority legislation passed the House of Representatives. Simply put, todays action is a win for Minnesota workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses, said Paulsen. Embracing new trade opportunities means more jobs and increased wages for hard-working Americans, and thats why weve seen Republicans and Democrats in Congress work with the President to move this issue forward. Its also about the future of American leadership. The U.S. needs to be writing the rules for our global economy, instead of countries like China. Todays vote gets us off the sidelines and back into the game. Paulsen authored a recent Star Tribune Op-Ed on how embracing trade opportunities will benefit Minnesotans. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-votes-favor-tpa-and-american-jobs | Emmer Votes in Favor of TPA and American Jobs | 2015-06-12 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) voted today in support of the Trade Act of 2015, also known as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). Emmer has been a vocal supporter for TPA and was a lead on a freshman letter to President Obama supporting this legislation. TPA contains 150 objectives mandated by Congress that the U.S. Trade Representative must adhere to during negotiations. It authorizes the President to enter into an agreement only after Congress and the American peoplehave given their approval. This legislation requires that any deal must be public for, at the very minimum, 60 days before any vote is taken. Lastly, this legislation also allows Congress to withdraw TPA at any time during its six-year authorization, effectively stopping any bad agreement in its tracks. By passing TPA, we took an important step towards ensuring Americas future success as a nation, both domestically and globally, said Emmer. Trade is a vital component of our countrys economy. Today, I voted for the nearly 757,000 Minnesotans and 38 million Americans who depend on foreign trade and investment to provide for their families. TPA, and American Trade, is good for Minnesota, and what is good for Minnesota is good for our country. Like many of my constituents, I have been concerned about being kept in the dark by this Administration during trade negotiations. This is exactly why TPA is necessary to provide the transparency and accountability that Americans deserve. said Emmer. With TPA, Congress and the American people will have the tools to hold the President accountable, while also opening up new markets for Minnesotas goods and services. H.R. 1314 is a bipartisan piece of legislation that passed the House by a vote of 219-211. For text of the full bill, click here. To view Emmers op-eds and videos related to TPA, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1711 | Paulsen, Sinema Introduce Bill to Return Retired Military Working Dogs to the U.S. | 2015-06-11 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09) introduced legislation, the Military Working Dog Retirement Act, requiring military working dogs to be retired in the United States. Under current law, the Department of Defense is not required to bring these dogs home, and service members are often forced to spend their own money to transport the canines to the U.S. for adoption. Despite a military dog adoption waiting list of more than 1,200 people, many service dogs are still retired overseas after their service ends. The U.S. military has used working dogs on battle frontlines since World War II where they have saved countless American lives. With the life-saving actions that military working dogs take on the frontlines of battle, its easy to understand why American soldiers and these canines form such strong relationships, said Paulsen. Ensuring that our troops and veterans can easily adopt these dogs honors their service and their partnership. The bond between service members and their military service dogs doesnt end once they retire, said Congresswoman Sinema. These men and women have sacrificed everything for our country reuniting with their beloved companions is one small step towards healing the wounds of war. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Oregon Senator Ron Wyden. Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1710 | Paulsen Highlights Economic Effects of Health Care Law at JEC Hearing | 2015-06-03 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. At a Joint Economic Committee Hearing entitled, Examining the Employment Effects of the Affordable Care Act, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) raised concerns about the negative effect that provisions in the health care law are having on businesses and workers in his district. Paulsen highlighted a business owner in Minnesota that was forced to cut employee hours in order to comply with the laws 30-hour rule. For more information on the hearing, click here. Watch Congressman Paulsens questioning here Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1709 | House Panel Passes Paulsen Legislation to Repeal Medical Device Tax | 2015-06-02 | 2015 | 2015-06 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.The House Committee on Ways and Means passed legislation authored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to repeal the burdensome medical device tax. Paulsens bill, H.R. 160, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, eliminates the 2.3% excise tax imposed on the sale of medical devices that was included in the Affordable Care Act. The bill has broad bipartisan support with 281 cosponsors, including 40 Democrats. Elected officials from all different political stripes agree that the medical device tax is a bad policy that kills jobs and harms patients, said Paulsen. But, the time for talk is over. We need to stand up and put a repeal of this burdensome, anti-innovation tax on the Presidents desk. Paulsen spoke at the committee hearing in favor of his legislation. In his remarks, he mentioned a small medical device business in his district, Signus Medical, that is paying an effective tax rate of 79% due to the tax. Video is available here. Paulsen has long led the charge in Congress to repeal the medical device tax. Last November, he wrote a piece in the Wall Street Journal on why repealing the medical device tax should be a priority of the 114th Congress. In addition to passing H.R. 160, the Ways and Means Committee also passed the Steve Gleason Act, a bill introduced by Paulsen, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), and Congressman Steve Scalise (LA-01). The legislation protects access to speech generating devices for patients afflicted with degenerative conditions like ALS. More information on that legislation can be found here. Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1707 | Paulsen Statement on the Signing of the Don't Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act into Law | 2015-05-22 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after legislation he authored, the Dont Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act, was signed into law by the President. The legislationclarifies federal law to make sure that both federal and state benefits for fallen public safety officers are not subject to federal income tax. Our hearts go out to the family members of all the police officers, firefighters, and EMTs that have given their lives in the line of duty, said Paulsen. These heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice keeping their communities safe, and there is nothing in the world that can replace the loss of a loved one. However, we can ensure that these families receive the full benefits promised in the event of an unthinkable tragedy and this legislation makes sure of that. Paulsen is a member of the House Law Enforcement Caucus and has been a strong advocate for issues affecting police, firefighters, and EMTs. In addition, he has worked with Minnesota law enforcement to combat the crime of sex trafficking. Paulsens guest to this years State of the Union was Minneapolis Police sergeant and anti-trafficking advocate, Grant Snyder. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1708 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Growing Innovation and Supporting our Veterans | 2015-05-22 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) answers a question from Scott in Plymouth about what is being done to grow innovation. Ken in Minnetrista wrote in to encourage Congress to pass legislation supporting veterans. Watch this weeks video Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-appointed-newest-member-house-committee-financial-services | Emmer Appointed Newest Member of the House Committee on Financial Services | 2015-05-20 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. --This morning Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) was officially appointed to the House Financial Services Committee. He will also serve on the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit and the Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade. Last week, the House Republican Steering Committee voted for Emmer to join the committee to fill the vacancy left by Rep. Dold after his move to Ways and Means. Emmer submitted waiver requests in hopes of continuing to serve on both of his former committeesAgriculture and Foreign Affairs. I am thrilled to have been appointed to the Financial Services Committee and look forward to get to work defending competition, consumer choice and our free market system, said Emmer. The financial industry is extremely prominent in the 6th District, with 146 banks, 8 credit unions and more than 57,000 of my constituents employed in finance related fields. I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves to work on behalf of Minnesotas robust and thriving financial sector. We are very pleased to have Rep. Emmer joining us on the House Financial Services Committee, said Chairman Jeb Hensarling. During his first four months in Congress, Tom has proven himself as a hardworking and prudent member who is willing to lead on a variety of issues important to his state. Through his experience serving on the Finance and Regulated Industries Committees in the Minnesota Legislature along with his private sector experience, Tom will be a great asset to this committee. Further Information: Video: EmmerJoins Financial Services Committee Star Tribune: Tom Emmer lands spot on key Financial Services Committee ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1706 | Paulsen Backs Legislation to Grow Investment and Innovation | 2015-05-20 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) joined a group of bipartisan colleagues to pass the American Research and Competitiveness Act by a vote of 274-145. Paulsen voted in favor of the bill, H.R. 880, that strengthens, modernizes, and permanently extends the Research and Development (R&D) tax credit. Since 1981, the R&D tax credit has been extended on a short-time basis 16 different times often retroactively. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that American companies would increase research and development by 10 percent if the credit is permanently extended. Washington is putting American businesses in a bind by not giving them the certainty in the tax code they need to invest and grow, said Paulsen. In fact, the U.S. is the only country in the world that allows important parts of our tax code to expire on a regular basis. Making the R&D tax credit permanent encourages businesses to expand their investments, increase innovation, and create jobs. Paulsen spoke on the House floor in favor of the legislation and pointed out that R&D is the life-blood for over 400 medical device companies located in Minnesota. Most of these businesses offer well-paying, high-tech jobs. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, 70% of credit dollars are used to pay salaries of R&D workers. Video of Paulsen speaking is available here. Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1705 | Klobuchar, Paulsen Bipartisan Legislation to Crack Down on Sex Trafficking and Support Victims Passes House, Should Soon Head to President's Desk to Be Signed Into Law | 2015-05-19 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) today announced that bipartisan legislation to crack down on sex trafficking and support victims has passed the House and should soon head to the presidents desk to be signed into law. The legislation includes a provision introduced by Klobuchar in the Senate and Paulsen in the House that is modeled after Minnesotas Safe Harbor law, which helps make sure minors sold for sex arent prosecuted as defendants, but are instead treated as victims. A recent report released by the Polaris Project, an anti-sex trafficking group, found that a majority of states lack safe harbor laws to protect victims. The broader anti-sex trafficking package was based on the Justice for Victims of Trafficking ActSenate legislation introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and cosponsored by Klobucharwhich will help law enforcement further crack down on human traffickers, while bringing about greater restitution and justice for victims. In a major victory for victims of sex trafficking across the country, today the House of Representatives came together in support of our bipartisan legislation, which passed the Senate last month, to crack down on this heinous crime, Klobuchar said. In Minnesota, weve already recognized that kids sold for sex need to be treated as the victims they are, not locked up in jail. By encouraging other states to adopt Minnesotas Safe Harbor model and giving prosecutors the tools they need to address this crime, this law will tackle sex trafficking head-on while ensuring that victims receive the support they need and deserve. Critical help for victims of sex trafficking is now one step closer to being etched into law, said Paulsen.The cumulative action taken by Congress today stands as a landmark in the fight against this awful crime. Ultimately, this legislation is about providing hope for a better future to the countless children at risk of sexual exploitation. Paulsen recently spoke on the House floor in favor of the le… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/columns/minnpost-open-skies-protect-minnesota-jobs-and-hold-nations-accountable | MinnPost: Open Skies: Protect Minnesota jobs and hold nations accountable | 2015-05-18 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Reps. Tom Emmer and Tim Walz Imagine living in a world where foreign, state-owned airlines have a monopoly on travel and American airline companies close their doors, leaving their hardworking employees many of whom reside in Minnesota out of work. Since 1992, our country has signed more than 100 agreements with other countries with the goal of preventing exactly this type of situation. Known as Open Skies agreements, they work to modernize air travel, remove protectionist air transit policies by state-owned carriers, prevent undue government intervention, and ease military and diplomatic travel between nations. Open Skies Agreements level the playing field and have increased choices for consumers, improved international commerce and trade, and make it easier to move about the country and world. All told, nearly 75 percent of all international flights today go to Open Skies partners. Once an underserved destination, Minnesota now benefits tremendously from recent Open Skies agreements. Nationwide, the U.S. airline industry supports close to $1.5 trillion in economic activity and more than 11 million jobs. In Minnesota alone, the air travel industry employs nearly 20,000 individuals and contributes more than $2 billion to our economy annually. Troubling violations This is why recent violations of the Open Skies Agreements by state-owned foreign air carriers are so troubling. Left unchecked, thousands of good-paying American jobs will be lost because of unfair competition with state-subsidized carriers from the Persian Gulf. All were asking is that everyone plays by the same set of rules, and have the same opportunity to compete. Unfortunately, in some cases, this isnt happening. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), both strong American allies and partners, have violated the spirit of Open Skies. These agreements provide our countries airlines open access to each others home markets in exchange for a promise of fair competition free from government interference. But in just the last decade, these two natio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1704 | Paulsen, Kind Author Bill to Reduce Obesity Among Seniors | 2015-05-18 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.Today, Congressmen Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Ron Kind (WI-03) introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to expand access to treatment options for Medicare beneficiaries afflicted with obesity. The bill would remove the exclusion under Medicare Part D for covering drugs that treat and reduce the disease and allows additional qualified health care practitioners to provide intensive behavioral therapy services. Companion legislation has been introduced by Senators Cassidy (LA), Carper (DE), and Murkowski (AK). Treating and reducing obesity more effectively combats other chronic conditions that affect our seniors, said Paulsen. Increasing patient access to effective therapies and drugs can make a significant difference in turning the tide against this disease. We cant fix this problem overnight, but taking bipartisan action now will help us solve our obesity crisis over the long-term. Obesity accounts for nearly 10 percent of all annual medical spending in the United States. Unless we do something to address the obesity epidemic, the costs and harm to public health will only continue to rise, said Rep. Kind. The severe health risks of obesity and the actual costs of care for obesity-related illnesses are alarming. This bipartisan legislation will ensure that seniors and their health care providers have multiple tools to combat the disease and lead longer, healthier lives. Background: When Medicare Part D was created in 2006, there were no widely-accepted FDA-approved obesity drugs on the market. As a result, Congress excluded obesity drugs from Part D coverage. However, with significant medical advances, a number of FDA-approved weight loss drugs are now available. Nearly 20% of the increase in U.S. health care spending over the last two decades was caused by obesity. More than one-in-four U.S. seniors are obese, costing the Medicare program $50 billion a year. To view video of Congressman Paulsen speaking on the floor about his legislation, click here. Paulsen serves a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1702 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: Treating and Reducing Obesity and Restricting Terrorist Financing | 2015-05-15 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) answers a question from Susan in Excelsior about treating chronic medical conditions. Mario from Orono writes in about limiting the influence of Hezbollah in the Middle East. Watch this weeks video here Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-introduces-first-legislative-amendment | Emmer Introduces First Legislative Amendment | 2015-05-14 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) participated in a markup today for the House Committee on Agricultures reauthorization of the Commodity Futures Trade Commission (CFTC). Emmer offered one of the seven amendments to the billhis first as a Member of Congress. Emmers amendment modifies the Commodity Exchange Act by clarifying that the clearing relief exemption for small banks and savings associations also extends to the holding companies of those associations. This morning, I was pleased to offer my first amendment, said Emmer. Through this addition, holding companies with $10 billion or less in assets will have greater flexibility to hedge their risks, particularly when it comes to rising interest rates. Overall, the CFTC reauthorization bill is a strong piece of legislation that addresses a number of concerns expressed in recent hearings. I appreciate my colleagues consideration of my amendment, and look forward to continuing to advocate on this bills behalf in the full House. This bill codifies new practices instituted by the CFTC and other market regulators to protect customer margin, it includes a strong cost-benefit analysis measure to produce better rules, and it provides relief for end-users from burdensome requirements currently in place. The derivatives market exists to help businesses manage their risk, and this bill will bring positive reforms to help these markets run efficiently and effectively for market participants, financial intermediaries, and end-users alike, said Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway. Emmers amendment passedunanimously byvoice vote. The CFTC reauthorization bill is a bipartisan piece of legislation that passed committee and awaits further action in the House. For text of the full bill, click here. To view the text of Emmers amendment, click here. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1701 | Paulsen Statement on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act | 2015-05-14 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after voting to pass legislation that would ensure any potential nuclear deal with Iran would be subject to Congressional review. Congress is united in its understanding that a nuclear Iran poses a threat to the United States, Israel, and stability in both the Middle East and around the globe, said Paulsen. Any potential deal negotiated by the Administration should be fully reviewed by the legislative branch to ensure its consistent with American interests both now and into the future. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-honors-national-police-week | Emmer Honors National Police Week | 2015-05-12 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Today I spoke on the House Floor in honor of National Police Week. My remarks were as follows: Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Police Week, when we remember the sacrifice of our nations law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. This years commemoration falls during a time of heightened tension between our officers and the civilians they have sworn to protect, and serves as a solemn reminder to all of us the importance of communication, duty, and mutual respect. Today and every day we honor the lives of our fallen, including Officer Tommy Decker of Cold Spring, Minnesota, who was killed in the line of duty in 2012 while doing a welfare check. May they have eternal rest. May their legacy of service to their communities live on. And may those they left behind find comfort and peace. Blessed are the peace makers. I yield back. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1700 | House Passes Paulsen Legislation Supporting Families of Fallen Police Officers, Firefighters, and EMTs | 2015-05-12 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Legislation authored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to support families of fallen public safety officers passed the House of Representatives in a unanimous vote on Tuesday night. The bill, H.R. 606, the Dont Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act, clarifies federal law to make sure that both federal and state benefits for fallen public safety officers are not subject to federal income tax. Paulsen introduced the bipartisan legislation along with Congressmen Bill Pascrell (NJ-09) and Dave Reichert (WA-08). New Hampshire Senators Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen have introduced companion legislation as survivor benefits for the family of slain Brentwood, NH police officer Steven Arkell continue to remain in limbo. Every day, our nations police officers, firefighters, and EMTs put their lives on the line to protect their communities, said Paulsen. Clarifying the tax code to ensure families receive their full benefit in the event a loved one is killed in the line of duty is the right thing to do. When public safety officers make the ultimate sacrifice, its our duty to ensure their family receives the full benefit they deserve, stated Rep. Pascrell. Im thrilled to see this critical legislation pass the House, and urge the Senate to act swiftly so this commonsense fix to the tax code can finally become law. Paulsen spoke on the House floor in favor of the legislation. Video is available here. The legislation is supported by the National Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems, National Troopers Coalition, Sergeants Benevolent Association, International Union of Police Associations, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Major County Sheriffs' Association, and locally by the Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police and unions representing sergeants, commanders, patrol officers, and detectives of the Brooklyn Center Police Department. There is no amount of compensation or compassion t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1698 | Paulsen Presents Congressional Award Silver Medal to Minnetonka Student | 2015-05-07 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) presented Hopkins High School student Katherine Craemer with the Congressional Award Silver Medal in a presentation Wednesday evening. The Congressional Award is given to young Americans that set and meet goals in four program areas; voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration. Congress established the award in 1979 and youth between ages 13 and 23 are eligible to participate. In order to qualify for a silver medal, a participant must devote a minimum of 400 hours and 12 months to the program. For her Voluntary Public Service, Craemer spent her time assisting at Methodist Hospital and Chapel View Nursing Home. For personal development and physical fitness, she honed her swimming and running skills along with participating in a half marathon. Craemer completed the expedition portion by planning a three day trip in a rustic cottage with no running water. For over three and a half decades, the Congressional Award has helped young people grow in their personal development, said Paulsen. The silver medal is a tangible award that recognizes the intangible benefits of developing initiative, serving others, and reaching personal goals. I congratulate Katherine on her hard work and dedication in this achievement. Congressman Paulsen with Congressional Award Silver Medal recipient Katherine Craemer Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/emmer-recognizes-small-business-week | Emmer Recognizes Small Business Week | 2015-05-06 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | This week was Small Business Week, a time when we applaud the men and women who embody the entrepreneurial spirit that makes this country great. The 6th District is home to many great small businesses, and Im lucky to have met many of our business owners. They share a common drive to create and build and to add to the community around them. They are an inspiration to us all. After my great-grandfather moved to Minnesota, he started a lumber business. Several generations of Emmers have been involved in the family business over the years. Growing up around the lumber business and eventually starting my own business, I grew to appreciate the amount of work, sacrifice, and passion that goes into starting and growing a new business. Small business owners know what its like to give everybody a paycheck except yourself. Small business owners know what its like on a Friday afternoon, while all your employees are excited about the weekend, to be sitting at your desk thinking great, two more working days until Monday! Its difficult to run a company, and doubly so when you know your employers and their families are also counting on you. But its worth it. And its rewarding to see your hard work pay off. Throughout the year, and this week in particular, we tip our hats to you, small business owners. Thank you for following your passion and for all you do for the state of Minnesota. Happy Small Business Week! | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-announces-winners-2015-congressional-art-competition | Emmer Announces Winners of 2015 Congressional Art Competition | 2015-05-05 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Otsego, Minn. Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) announced today the winners of the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school students living in Minnesotas 6th District. First Place: The Mind by Ally Harris First place was awarded to Ally Harris, a junior at Elk River High School, for her watercolor/acrylic/mixed media piece, The Mind, featuring a colorful profile of a young woman. Ally is the daughter of David and Kristy Harris. Allys art teacher at Elk River High School is Rana Nestrud. Second Place: The Calf by Claire Miller Second place was awarded toClaire Miller, a junior at Sartell High School, for her watercolor pastel drawing, "The Calf." It features a black and white calf resting on a pile of golden hay highlighted with rainbow tints. Claire is the daughter of Debra and Todd Miller. Her art teacher is Debra Rollings. Third Place:"Not Your Mascot" by Lisa Kovacs Lisa Kovacs, a senior at Saint Michael-Albertville High School,won third place for her photograph, "Not Your Mascot." Lisa is the daughter of Jenifer and Chris Kovacs. Her art teacher is Kari Halker. Click herefor larger versions of all the winning pieces. I am completely blown away by the talent demonstrated by Minnesotas teenagers, said Emmer. I am proud of everyone who submitted artwork. I know it wasnt easy for our judges to decide, but I look forward to walking past the winning art every day on the way to the Capitol. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual competition for high school students across the United States. Each Congressional office selects one winner to display in the tunnel connecting the Cannon House Office Building to the U.S. Capitol traveled daily by members of Congress, staff, and visitors to Washington, D.C. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/columns/investors-business-daily-free-trade-deals-are-more-important-ever-us-economy | Investor's Business Daily: Free Trade Deals Are More Important Than Ever For U.S. Economy | 2015-05-04 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | By Reps. Tom Emmer and Pat Tiberi The world as we see it in 2015 is nothing like what it was 20 or even 10 years ago. Evolving industries and geopolitical shifts in the last few decades call for a new paradigm that protects American workers and consumers while also maintaining a robust economic output. Emerging markets in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region create abundant possibilities. But while nations like China take full advantage of these new economic opportunities, the U.S. has inexplicably fallen behind. A diminished American presence in international markets leaves room for others to write the rules. This has the potential for striking heavy blows to our national and economic security. While we have an overall trade surplus with our trade agreement partners, the United States now operates under a trade deficit when looking at all of our international trade. This is not due to a lack of U.S. goods and services to sell. Rather it's due to our inability to fully tap into developing regions along with a hesitation towards getting into additional trade agreements. This mentality of the past doesn't work in the 21st century. Negotiations for two of the largest trade agreements in history are currently underway, through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). TPP is an expansion of trade to 11 Pacific Rim nations, including Japan, and TTIP would be a monumental arrangement with 28 European Union member nations. Combined, these two agreements could give U.S. manufacturers, farmers and producers greater access to nearly 1 billion new consumers. In order to increase our exporting capacity, the U.S. must be on a level playing field with other nations and continue to tap into emerging markets. With already extremely low tariffs, other nations have relatively easy access to our markets. As a result, American consumers save more than $13,000 per year on goods and services. But we need to sell more abroad. By increasing our exports with these two agreements, we … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-host-twitter-town-hall | Emmer to Host Twitter Town Hall | 2015-05-04 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. --Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) announced today that he will be hosting a Twitter Town Hall on Tuesday, May 12 from 2:00-3:00pm Central time. To ask a question, simply post on Facebook, askvia his website, ortweet to @RepTomEmmer with the hashtag #AskTom between now and the end of the town hall, and he will answer them live on his YouTube channel. I enjoy every opportunity to speak one-on-one with people around the 6th district, said Emmer. This is a different, and in many ways more convenient, way for constituents to ask me questions about the issues that matter most to them. I look forward to reading what they send in. This Twitter town hall is Emmers fifth town hall in his first five months in office, having previously done two in-person and two on the phone. For more information, visit: Emmer.house.gov/AskTom ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1699 | Erik's Correspondence Corner: The STAPLE Act and Quality Care for Diabetes Patients | 2015-05-01 | 2015 | 2015-05 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. In this weeks correspondence corner, Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) answers a question from Vera in Eden Prairie about employment-based visas. Nancy in Chaska emails in to encourage Congress to improve the quality of care for diabetes patients. Watch this weeks video here Each week, Congressman Paulsen receives thousands of letters, emails, tweets, Facebook posts, and phone calls from constituents voicing their opinions. Through this video series, Congressman Paulsen regularly responds to constituent correspondence on a variety of topics. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1680 | Paulsen, Quigley Introduce Bipartisan Immigration Bill Encouraging American Innovation | 2015-04-30 | 2015 | 2015-04 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Today, Rep. Erik Paulsen (MN-03) and Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced the bipartisan Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s from Leaving the Economy (STAPLE) Act, which would exempt foreign-born individuals who have earned an American Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) from the limits on the number of employment-based green cards and H-1B visas awarded annually. Its a product of our broken immigration system that we often kick out or turn away the best and brightest minds and force them to return to their home countries where they end up becoming our competitors, said Rep. Paulsen. Thousands of jobs go unfilled because of the high demand for employees in STEM-related fields. The STAPLE Act keeps innovation and skill in the U.S. to create more jobs and a healthier economy. Americas leadership in research and technology is being threatened by our current immigration system that sends foreign-born, but U.S. educated, students back home to compete against us after earning advanced degrees. This not only puts U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage, but also jeopardizes our ability to innovate and create jobs, said Rep. Quigley. Allowing immigrants who are highly-skilled, American educated professionals to stay in the U.S. will improve our quality of life, keep our country competitive, and draw the best and brightest minds to America. Investing in STEM educated professionals is one of the best ways we can invest in our future, and the STAPLE Act does just that. "We commend Reps. Paulsen and Quigley for introducing the bipartisan STAPLE Act to retain the best and brightest minds who have been educated at our leading universities," said Dean Garfield, President and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), the global voice for the technology sector's leading companies. "The choice is simple, we can either keep our highly educated students here to help America innovate, create new jobs, and win in the global economy; or we can send them back … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1679 | Paulsen Announces Winner of Congressional Art Competition | 2015-04-28 | 2015 | 2015-04 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) announced the winner of the 3rd Congressional Districts Art Competition at a reception held at the Bloomington Theatre and Art Center Monday evening. Kayla Bolster of Rogers High School won the Grand Prize for her piece, In the City. Her artwork will now be displayed at the U.S. Capitol Building for the upcoming year. Bolster and a guest are invited to a Washington, D.C. reception honoring competition winners in June. The artwork submitted for this years competition exemplifies the best of the talent and creativity that our students possess, said Paulsen. I know it was tough for the judges to only pick one piece to be the winner from nearly one hundred entries. In the City will be a welcome addition to the halls of Congress this year, and I congratulate Kayla on taking the top prize. The art reception was the last of five events Congressman Paulsen participated in as part of an Education Day. Paulsen started the day reading to 1st graders at Excelsior Elementary and teaching them how Congress works. The event was Paulsens 18th classroom visit of the school year and his 188th since being elected to Congress. After the tour, the Congressman met with a group of school district superintendents to discuss federal education policy and how his office can be of service to them. Before concluding with the art competition ceremony, Paulsen also ate lunch with students at Shirley Hills Elementary in Mound and met with the Chanhassen and Chaska High School robotics teams. Art Competition Award Winners Grand Prize: In the City by Kayla Bolster, Rogers High School 1st Place Award: Sensitive Orchid by Rachel Colestok, Hopkins High School 2nd Place Award: The Welcome Sign by Mary Walz, Providence Academy High School 3rd Place Award: Janus by Aimee Heffer Nan, Bloomington Jefferson High School Honorable Mention: Self-Portrait by Alexis Hansen, Maple Grove High School Honorable Mention: A Dark Winter Morning by Emma LaLazerne, Mound Westonka… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-and-meng-introduce-legislation-improve-visa-approval-process | Emmer and Meng Introduce Legislation to Improve Visa Approval Process | 2015-04-23 | 2015 | 2015-04 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY), members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced legislation this week--H.R. 1921, the Grant Residency for Additional Doctors (GRAD) Act of 2015--that would direct the State Department to speed up the visa approval process for international physicians who are slated to work at hospitals in the United States. Due to the complexity of the J-1 Visa process, applicants scheduled to serve their residencies at American hospitals are encountering delays obtaining their visas at U.S. Embassies. As a result, the hospitals many in rural and underserved communities at which the physicians are set to work are forced hospitals to withdraw offers to foreign physicians. As American hospitals face doctor shortages, this important legislation will increase healthcare access across the country by eliminating the persistent backlog of J-1 Visas, said Emmer. By improving oversight and training at U.S. Embassies we can ensure our Foreign Service Officers have all the tools they need to properly process each application in a timely manner. Im honored to introduce the GRAD Act with Congresswoman Meng. This bipartisan bill doesnt just address issues important to the State Department and the applicant; it will also benefit the patients of underserved hospitals by giving them access to medical care when they need it most. The excessive delays in approving visas for international physicians is causing unnecessary havoc for those doctors and the American hospitals that are depending on them, said Meng. This ineffective approval process must be improved so that these doctors can enter the U.S. as planned, and provide the critical medical care needed in many communities throughout the country. Not resolving this dilemma would be extremely unfair to all and a disservice to the millions of Americans who seek treatment from these hospitals, especially in areas where there is a shortage of doctors. Our bill would finally fix this problem and thats wh… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1678 | Paulsen Statement on Ways and Means Approval of Trade Legislation | 2015-04-23 | 2015 | 2015-04 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) released the following statement after he voted to pass the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act, also known as Trade Promotion Authority, out of the House Ways and Means Committee today. The legislation now heads to the House floor. We need Trade Promotion Authority to get good trade agreements that will create a healthier economy, grow jobs, and increase paychecks, said Paulsen. One in five American jobs is tied to trade and those jobs pay higher wages on average. Negotiating new trade agreements with Asia and Europe means selling more American-made goods and services. The Trade Promotion Authority legislation, which passed with bipartisan support, includes important provisions like protections for intellectual property rights, rules for agricultural trade, and measures to combat currency manipulation. Paulsen serves as a member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade and is the co-chair of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Caucus. Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress visitpaulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/emmer-presents-fresh-meat-hotdish-annual-minnesota-delegation | Emmer Presents Fresh Meat Hotdish in Annual Minnesota Delegation Competition | 2015-04-22 | 2015 | 2015-04 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. -- Today, Senator Al Franken of Minnesota hosted the Fifth Annual Minnesota Hotdish Off on Capitol Hill. This was freshman Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06)s first time participating in the competition, a fact he highlighted in his Fresh Meat Hotdish. Like many Minnesotans, I grew up on hotdish, said Emmer. As the delegations newest member, Im excited to join my colleagues in this annual tradition celebrating our home state. Just like my work in Congress is a fresh take on politics, my hotdish was a fresh take on my moms recipe. The annual competition is an opportunity for the Minnesota delegation to get together and enjoy a taste of home and celebrate the states culture. All dishes were judged in a blind taste test by the judges, Jill Burcum, Eric Kaler, and Devin Henry. This years winner was Congresswoman Betty McCollum with her Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Wild Rice Hotdish. Click here for pictures from the event. Emmers recipe is as follows: FRESH MEAT HOTDISH Ingredients 1 pound, ground beef 1 can, cream of mushroom soup 1 can, cream of chicken soup 6 oz Green Giant canned corn 1 tsp, garlic 1 tsp, onion powder 1 onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 tsp, Lawrys seasoned salt 1 bag, Tater Tots 1.5 cups, shredded Land OLakes cheddar cheese 1.5 cups, shredded Land OLakes jalapeno jack cheese 1 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Chili powder 1 tsp Paprika Pinch of Salt and pepper Optional: hot sauce Directions Mix onion, peppers, Lawrys, onion powder, and garlic into raw hamburger Add cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt and pepper to tater tots Brown the hamburger mixture Mix the corn with the cans of soup Spread the beef in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish Alternate layers of soup/corn mixture and cheese Top with a layer of tater tots Bake for one hour at 375 Click herefor a printable version of Emmer's recipe.Click here for photos from the event. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://paulsen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=22&itemid=1676 | Paulsen Questions Commerce Secretary on Trade Legislation | 2015-04-22 | 2015 | 2015-04 | Republican | House | MN | Erik Paulsen | P000594 | paulsen.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) questioned U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker at todays Ways and Means hearing entitled, Expanding American Trade with Accountability and Transparency. Paulsen asked Secretary Pritzker to clarify the way that Trade Promotion Authority would strengthen the United States position when it comes to intellectual property and the digital economy. Watch Congressman Paulsens questioning here Congressman Paulsen serves on the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade and is co-chair of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Caucus. Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus. For more information on Congressman Paulsens work in Congress and to view previous editions of Eriks Correspondence Corner, visit www.paulsen.house.gov. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://emmer.house.gov/media-center/columns/star-tribune-sixth-district-rep-tom-emmers-eyes-opened-congressional-african | Star Tribune: Sixth District Rep. Tom Emmer's eyes opened on congressional African trip | 2015-04-20 | 2015 | 2015-04 | Republican | House | MN | Tom Emmer | E000294 | emmer.house.gov | legacy | By Allison Sherry, Star Tribune GOP Rep. Tom Emmer is the first to acknowledge how much he is learning in his first 100 days of his first term in Congress serving Minnesotas Sixth Congressional District: the Capitol Hill hierarchy, the importance of making a few early friends on the other side of the aisle, and the reality of a good nights sleep on an air mattress. (Emmer isnt renting a D.C. apartment; he sleeps in his office.) This House committee was not something Emmer initially sought. He wanted a higher profile, more prestigious perch on Transportation or Financial Services. But after the assignments were doled out by leadership, Emmer pledged to dive in. Taking a trip earlier this month with other lawmakers to Ethiopia and Kenya opened his eyes more than any Washington briefing. I know the attitude, and Ive been guilty of it myself: Why would you invest over there instead of building bridges, building schools, doing stuff here? he said. It is all about economics and national security. People dont realize that. Im learning in even more detail that our national defense and our diplomacy are intertwined. In an interview, Emmer talked about what the streets smelled like, how strong the coffee there was and how he ran into a herd of goat farmers while trying to get to a meeting. Then he shifted to his grand lesson: the importance of the U.S. investments abroad. The U.S. distributes about $40 billion through 21 agencies in foreign assistance a year roughly 1 percent of the annual budget of $3.65 trillion. Of that $40 billion, Africa gets about $9.5 billion. Emmer spent the week mostly meeting with farmers and entrepreneurs. He talked about a dairy co-op in Eldoret, Kenya, where the owner was hacking out a living on one-third of an acre using hydroponics and a special feed that boosts milk production. He told the story of a woman who was amid managing several residential construction projects and developing a telecom business. Asked whether he believed in increasing the foreign aid budget, Emmer said he wasnt sur… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
Advanced export
JSON shape: default, array, newline-delimited, object
CREATE TABLE [releases] (
[url] TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
[title] TEXT,
[date] TEXT,
[year] TEXT,
[month] TEXT,
[party] TEXT,
[chamber] TEXT,
[state] TEXT,
[member_name] TEXT,
[bioguide_id] TEXT,
[domain] TEXT,
[scraper] TEXT,
[source] TEXT,
[date_source] TEXT,
[text] TEXT,
[has_text] INTEGER,
[collected_at] TEXT,
[updated_at] TEXT
);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_date]
ON [releases] ([date]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_year]
ON [releases] ([year]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_party]
ON [releases] ([party]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_chamber]
ON [releases] ([chamber]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_state]
ON [releases] ([state]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_bioguide_id]
ON [releases] ([bioguide_id]);
CREATE INDEX [idx_releases_has_text]
ON [releases] ([has_text]);