Dear Friend,

Last week, we hosted our latest town hall in Montrose. It was great to see so many of you in person and have an opportunity to discuss the issues impacting Minnesota’s families.

We covered several important topics during the town hall, one of which focused on the effects of the devastating drought our agriculture community has faced this year. As we recognize National Farmer’s Day today, I hope all of you will take a moment to appreciate the dedication of Minnesota’s ag community and all the hardworking families who keep food on our shelves, and tables.

Our farmers face extraordinary challenges each and every day. Please take a moment to thank a member of our ag community today (or make an effort to get to know someone) and keep them in mind the next time you head to the grocery store or go out to eat.

We have another busy week ahead. I’m off to Washington for votes today but I hope you will read on to learn more about what we’re doing to support Minnesotans….

Fighting the Opioid Epidemic

For decades, our nation has been battling the opioid epidemic, which has claimed over 500,000 American lives.

Recently, I learned that the currently proposed criteria for medical reimbursement could limit patients’ ability to access epidurals and other non-opioid forms of pain-management. The current proposal sets forth criteria which will significantly reduce the use of epidural injections and fails to consider the previously eligible patients in desperate need of pain management who depend on this procedure.

Why is this important? Epidurals are an important form of pain management that avoid the use of opioids that otherwise can become habit forming or are susceptible to abuse.

Last week, I sent a letter to Tamara Syrek Jensen, the Director of the Coverage and Analysis Group for the Centers for Clinical Standards and Quality, and Dr. Stephen Boren, the Medical Director for National Government Services to share my concern regarding the proposed local coverage determination (LCD) for epidural interventions and other non-opioid forms of pain-management.

Many of us know someone who has been impacted by the ongoing opioid epidemic. That is why I believe the federal government must reverse course and not limit the use of non-opioid interventional pain-management techniques. There is much more to be done on the war against opioid abuse, and we will continue to do our part to ensure medical providers and patients have a range of options to choose from when determining the best way to manage pain.

Supporting Local News

Recently, I joined local radio and television broadcasters as part of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association’s Annual Membership Meeting. When the pandemic hit, our commutes to work may have stopped, but we continued to tune in to local TV and radio stations to stay connected to the shows we love, and to learn about lifesaving COVID-19 information.

In Congress, I launched the Congressional Broadcasters Caucus to give these broadcasters a voice in the federal government. As a former radio show host, I have seen how local broadcasts bring people together, keep communities informed, and serve as a marketplace for ideas and discussion.

This Congress, I am supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act which opposes new fees or taxes on local, free, broadcast radio which could jeopardize those very services upon which so many rely. This industry has been a vital resource for the last century, especially these past two years, and I will continue to do what I can to preserve local radio and TV.

It was great to spend time with some of Minnesota’s best and brightest broadcasters, and you can read more about our work on the Congressional Broadcasters Caucus in Washington, here.

Until next week, if you are in need of assistance or would like to share your thoughts with me, please write me an e-mail here.

To keep up with what we’re doing in Washington, follow me on Twitter and Facebook for more updates!

Sincerely,