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Good morning!

I hope you had a blessed Easter weekend filled with time for reflection, celebration, and connection with loved ones as we remembered the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Easter season is always a powerful reminder of hope and renewal, and I was grateful to spend time away from St. Paul during the legislative break last week. 

Now that we’re back at the Capitol, things have picked up quickly. I’ve jumped right back into the thick of budget negotiations and we have been busy hearing bonding bills for various projects across the state. The work can be intense this time of year, but I remain focused on fighting for responsible solutions and meaningful investments that serve the people of our district and the entire state. These next few weeks will be critical as we shape the final state budget and advocate for the needs of our communities. I’m ready to keep pushing forward and doing the hard work Minnesotans sent me here to do.

MinnesotaCare

Budget negotiations are in full swing, and one of the biggest roadblocks is coming from the Health and Human Services omnibus bill. I serve on both committees, and we’ve been working hard to reach a bipartisan agreement. But there’s one issue that keeps stopping the conversation: the Democrats’ push to keep funding free healthcare for illegal immigrants.

Last year, they expanded MinnesotaCare to cover this population, promising it would serve 7,700 people at a cost of $196 million. Now, after months of House Republicans demanding transparency, the truth is out. Enrollment has jumped to over 17,000, and the price tag has exploded to more than $550 million. That entire cost is coming straight from Minnesota taxpayers because illegal immigrants do not qualify for federal support.

All of this is happening while we face a $6 billion budget hole and are seeing brutal cuts to critical services like nursing homes, ambulance coverage, and disability programs. Rural families are already being forced to send their loved ones hours away just to get basic care.

It’s wrong. Democrats are prioritizing free benefits for people who are here illegally while telling our seniors, first responders, and families to wait their turn. That’s not just unfair, it’s outrageous. House Republicans are holding the line and fighting to make sure your tax dollars go where they belong: taking care of Minnesotans who built this state and need our support now more than ever.

Omnibus Bills

We began hearing omnibus bills on the House floor last night, starting with the agriculture bill. My colleague, Representative Paul Anderson, played a key role in crafting and presenting this bill alongside his DFL co-chair. Because the House is evenly divided, omnibus bills must be negotiated between committee chairs and require bipartisan support to move out of committees and off the floor.

The agriculture bill includes critical funding for the Board of Animal Health to help prevent future livestock disease outbreaks. It also eliminates unnecessary spending and avoids any fee increases. As we prepare to face a looming six billion dollar deficit, following the DFL trifecta’s eighteen billion dollars in new spending, ten billion dollars in tax increases, and a 40 percent increase in government growth, it is more important than ever to pass fiscally responsible budget bills. The agriculture bill meets that standard. It passed the House with bipartisan support and is now being reconciled with the Senate’s version before a final vote.

We are continuing on a tight schedule to pass our omnibus budget bills, with the Public Safety and Legacy bills scheduled for debate this afternoon. Each bill will follow the same process: a vote in the House, reconciliation in a conference committee with the Senate companion bill, and final votes in both chambers. We are working diligently to move each bill forward in a timely manner so we can adjourn on schedule by May 19th.

I will continue to keep you updated as more of these bills progress through the House.






Please Contact Me

If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-3201 or [email protected] I would love to hear from you.

It’s an honor to represent the best!

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2802 Centennial Office Building          658 Cedar Street                              Saint Paul, MN 55155 [email protected]
651.296.3201







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