releases: https://collinpeterson.house.gov/media/newletter-archive/rep-petersons-newsletter-and-questionnaire-10122020
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| https://collinpeterson.house.gov/media/newletter-archive/rep-petersons-newsletter-and-questionnaire-10122020 | Rep. Peterson's Newsletter and Questionnaire 10/12/2020 | 2020-10-13 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Democrat | Senate | MN | Collin Peterson | P000258 | collinpeterson.house.gov | legacy | Happy National Farmers Day Sugar Beet Cart in (EAST GRAND FORKS) Dear Friends, Sugar beet harvest has been in full swing this past week and has even finished up for some farmers in the Seventh District. Dairy Margin Coverage sign-up begins October 13. While working on the 2018 Farm Bill, I fought for dairies by establishing the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) to provide dairy operations with risk management coverage. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is an important tool in fighting the Coronavirus, but the United States is still lacking in supply, which is why I cosponsored the MAKE PPE Act in Congress. This bill will encourage American manufacturers to make necessary supplies including PPE and create a strategy to distribute protective equipment nationally. Sincerely, Congressman Collin C. Peterson Minnesota 7th District Chairman's Corner Signup for 2021 Dairy Margin Coverage Begins Oct. 13th Dairy farmers may sign-up for 2021 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office from October 13th to December 11th, 2020. Any producer that has already signed up for five years does not need to apply again. The DMC program was established in the 2018 Farm Bill to provide dairy operations with risk management coverage that pays producers when the difference (the margin) between the national price of milk and the average cost of feed falls below a certain coverage. I worked for years to establish a program for dairies in the Farm Bill and I encourage dairy producers to sign up for DMC. Dairies are an important part of the economy in Western Minnesota and I am an advocate for them as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. I am honored to have been named the 2020 Legislator of the Year by the Minnesota Milk Producers Association in September. Click here for more information on the Dairy Margin Coverage Program. The MAKE PPE Act In a previous newsletter questionnaire, I asked you about manufacturing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the United States. 94.1% of you said that you support a federal strategy to encourage domestic manufacturing of critical products. I agree and have cosponsored the MAKE PPE Act which would encourage American manufacturing companies to start making PPE and other necessary supplies in the United States and create a federal strategy for distributing them during a national emergency such as a pandemic. I know how important it is for our economy to invest in American-made products and have the necessary tools to prepare for an emergency. Protecting Regional Sports Networks The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the 2020 baseball, basketball, and hockey seasons. And now, Minnesota sports fans could lose access to their beloved home state teams, as Fox regional sports networks could be dropped from Hulu. I sent a letter to Disney and Sinclair Broadcasting urging an agreement to ensure Minnesotans can retain access to regional sports networks. Local sports are a beloved tradition and provide a safe avenue for folks across our state to support one another. My letter encourages the two companies to work together to keep Minnesota sports teams on your TV. Read the full letter here. Stepping up in the Seventh Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Homeland Security & Emergency Management Fifteen Minnesota firefighters returned home last week after helping fight wildfires in Oregon. The volunteers were from departments across Minnesota, including the Seventh District communities of Bemidji and Fisher. The crews caravanned from Fergus Falls across the country with nine vehicles, including four large engines and a giant tender that can carry 2,000 gallons of water. You can always count on Minnesotans to lend a helping hand. Read the full article here. Legislative Update I recently took a number of actions in support of our veterans after hearing from the Minnesota VFW a couple of weeks ago. One issue they brought to my attention was the problem of toxic exposure at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, where many service members were deployed after 9/11 en route to Afghanistan. I signed on to H.R. 5957, the K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020, to direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study regarding toxic exposure by members of the Armed Forces deployed to K2, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a registry regarding such exposure, and for other purposes. I raised this issue with the House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Takano and made sure he was aware of the impact to Minnesota veterans and my interest in this issue. I also made sure my staff connected with the office of Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), the co-sponsor of H.R.5957. Because of that connection, I learned about a letter that Rep. Green was leading to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conferees asking them to retain a K2-related provision in the final conference agreement, and I signed on to that as well. I appreciate hearing from my constituents on the issues that impact them, and I was happy to take these actions in support of our Minnesota veterans. Questionnaire Results Over 213,000 lives have been lost due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In last week's questionnaire, I asked if you thought people in your area act with the proper amount of respect for the virus. Here is what you said: Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act The House of Representatives passed the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act on September 25th, including many provisions to help our economy become more sustainable. The bill takes practical steps to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and makes investments in new technologies to increase energy efficiency in different parts of the economy. I have met with Citizens Climate Lobby members from Western Minnesota on many occasions and was happy to support this legislation that addresses some of their priorities. 2020 Commanders Task Force Meeting From left to right top to bottom: Ben Johnson -- MN Department of Veterans Affairs, Alejandra Henriquez Congressman Emmer's Office, Rolli Olson Congressman Phillips' Office, Jerry Kyser UVLC, Alex Schueller Senator Smith's office, Tommy Johnson VFW, Bob Dettmer Minnesota State Rep, Greg Swanholm Senator Klobuchar's Office,Minnesota Department of Veterans AffairsCommissioner Herke. My Military and Veteran's outreach staff Meg Louwagie attended the 2020 Minnesota Commanders Task Force Meeting. Meg, along with representatives of other House and Senate offices, gave updates on the current work our offices are doing for Veterans. Representatives on the call included the Veterans of Foreign Wars, United Veterans Legislative Council, Minnesota County Veterans, Minnesota County Veteran Service Officers, as well as Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Herke. CODEL Breakfast Briefing Minnesota National Guard Congressional Staff Briefing My staff attended the Congressional Staff Briefing with the Minnesota National Guard. The briefing discussed several topics including, C130 Strategic Overview, Civil Disturbance Summary, Minnesota National Guard Deployment information, and their current legislative priorities. RiverView Health Building Project The new RiverView Health building The RiverView Health Building Project is nearing the finish line with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week. This project, called RiverView 2020, was a plan for a new hospital and clinic for delivering healthcare services in the Crookston area. The $51 million proposal consists of an 80,000 square-foot, two-story building to replace RiverView's current hospital and clinic. The upper level of the building consists of the Inpatient Unit with 18 universal patient rooms, three labor and delivery rooms, and four family suites. Every room has a private bathroom and a large floor plan to allow caregivers and patients adequate space. The ground floor is home to all three of RiverView's current Crookston Clinics consolidated into one large clinic. The new clinic has 48 exam rooms, four procedure rooms, and four consultation rooms. The project also includes a lobby cafe, relocated gift shop, and an 80-occupant training and conference center. The new facility is scheduled to open on Oct. 25. My congratulations go out to the Crookston Community on the completion of their new hospital and clinic. COVID-19 Updates & Resources Courtesy of Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) We're almost halfway through October and with Halloween quickly approaching, it's time to start thinking about how to have safe holiday celebrations during COVID-19. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) knows Halloween may look different this year so they've created a list of ideas and resources to promote a safe holiday season. Visit the MDH Safe Holiday Celebrations during COVID-19 webpage for more information. With the 2020 General Election less than 25 days away, MDH has put together tips and resources for safe voting during COVID-19. MDH suggest to plan and prepare ahead of time, avoid crowds when you can, practice healthy behaviors, and consider other forms of voting like early in-person or by mail. For the most up-to-date information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) visit the Minnesota Department of Health. For information on Community Testing, click here. If you do get COVID-19, a case interviewer will want to learn more about who you've recently come in contact with. Use the MDH Tips to Remember Your COVID-19 Contacts (PDF)?to help jog your memory or keep track of who you may have been in contact with. Newsstand Congressional App Challenge Is your middle or high schooler interested in learning more about computer science and technology? There is only one week left to submit an original app to the Congressional App Challenge. Students can work individually or in teams to create a digital app. Submissions are reviewed and judged by a panel who will pick the winner for Minnesota's 7th District. This is the first year my office is hosting this competition and I look forward to reviewing the innovative creations from students of Western Minnesota. Visit www.CongressionalAppChallenge.usfor more information and to apply. 2021 Capitol Hill Challenge Every year, public school students across the country participate in the Capitol Hill Challenge (CHC), an online education competition to promote financial literacy and an understanding of economics. In teams, students manage a $100,000 online portfolio including bonds, mutual funds, cash, and investments. This hypothetical situation allows students to learn basic workplace skills, strengthen their critical thinking, and improve personal financial behavior. The top ten teams will win prizes and the opportunity to connect with economic, business, and government leaders. The Capitol Hill Challenge is open to middle and high schoolers in the Seventh District. This year, up to two students can participate from each Congressional District. If you are interested in participating, please contact Chelsea.Cornett@mail.house.gov. For more information about the 2021 Capitol Hill Challenge, please contact CapitolHill@sifma.org Extended EIP Deadline On Monday, the Internal Revenue Service announced that it has extended the deadline to file for an Economic Impact Payment (EIP). If you did not file a 2019 federal tax return, did not get an Economic Impact Payment, or did not register for an Economic Impact Payment already, you may qualify for an EIP and are encouraged to file before Saturday, November 21, 2020. Register and file as soon as possible using the IRS Non-Filers Tool before November 21. Social Security Updates Sign up for Medicare Part B: You can now sign up for Medicare Part B online. If you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and would like to enroll in Part B during the Special Enrollment Period, visit the Medicare Part B webpage. You can also complete Form CMS-40B (Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part B) and Form CMS-L564 (Request for Employment Information) online. Make sure to state when you want Part B coverage to begin in the remarks section of the CMS-40B form or online application. Social Security Spouses' Benefits: Planning ahead and knowing about your social security benefits will help you plan your financial future. Visit the Social Security Administration's Retirement Benefits page for useful information and benefit planners. Now more than ever, women work, pay Social Security taxes, and earn credit towards monthly retirement income. Yet on average, women tend to face greater economic challenges during retirement than men. The Social Security Administration has compiled specific information on retirement benefits for women. If you've worked and paid taxes into the Social Security system for at least 10 years, and have earned a minimum of 40 work credits, you may be eligible for your own benefits. Visit the Social Security for Women page and the What Every Woman Should Know publication. Social Security for Veterans and Active Duty Military Members: Social Security is a crucial resource for military members and families. If you are or know a wounded veteran, please visit the Social Security Wounded Warriors webpage. This Week in History Photo Courtesy of the Washington Farm Bureau. October 12th marks National Famers Day, a day to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work that goes into feeding and fueling America. The United States Department of Agriculture's 2017 Census of Agriculture estimates there are nearly two million farms in the United States with over three million producers. The agriculture industry is an integral part of our country's economic development; from raw materials and international trade to sourcing our food supply and providing employment opportunities, the industry provides us with so much, and today we give thanks. Happy National Farmers Day to my fellow farmers and ranchers in the Seventh District. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |