Dear Friend,

This week, we have the opportunity to recognize the thousands of men and women who freely took an oath to defend our nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic. This Thursday, November 11th, is Veterans Day, a day to commemorate the formal end of World War I which occurred in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

Our veterans are brave individuals who have carried out dangerous but important acts that provided for our way of life and the stability of the world as we know it. It is wonderful to celebrate our nation’s veterans on Veterans Day - it is also important to celebrate our veterans each and every day. By thanking those who have served, you acknowledge the months spent away from home, away from family, and often, the months spent in harm’s way.

Watch my video thanking our veterans HERE.

This year, our veterans who served their deployments in Afghanistan are top of mind for me. As we all watched as the nation fell to the Taliban, our servicemembers who served in country watched years of hard work and bloodshed evaporate. Jacquie and I continue to pray for those still in Afghanistan, and for the American servicemen and women who served in country over the years as they continue to grapple with this tragedy.

With these veterans in mind, I introduced the Same-Day Accountability Veterans Enhancement (SAVE) Act to ensure the Veterans Administration (VA) has accountability mechanisms in place to successfully offer same-day physical and mental health treatment to veterans in need. Same-day mental health care is available – but my legislation would ensure the VA is accountable for providing this service.

While policy solutions may help, I want to remind everyone to never underestimate the impact a simple “thank you” can have. These heroes live throughout our communities in Minnesota and deserve our acknowledgment and admiration.

Efforts like these show our veterans we honor their service, and to all the veterans, I want to say thank you for serving in our Armed Forces. I am grateful for your sacrifices to protect our nation. Thank you for upholding and fighting for our freedoms and liberties we hold so dear.

Veterans: If you are in need of mental health assistance please call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 or text 838255 or visit: https://veteranscrisisline.net

Supporting Economic Growth on Main Street

As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, I am committed to promoting policies that help small businesses and entrepreneurs access capital, create jobs, and propel our economy forward.

Last week, I reintroduced the Main Street Growth Act - which passed the House during the 115th Congress with unanimous bipartisan support - to encourage more early-stage Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) by facilitating the creation of venture exchanges. These specialized securities exchanges will help small and emerging growth companies gain access to the capital they need to grow and succeed.

We want to ensure small and emerging companies have a pathway to become the next Harley Davidson or Medtronic – starting in a garage and eventually earning the respect and admiration of the world. Read more about my bill here.

Recognizing an Outstanding Superintendent

Recently, the St. Cloud community learned some sad news – our friend and Superintendent of ISD 742 Willie Jett is leaving the St. Cloud School District at the end of the year. Throughout his tenure, Willie has become a great friend and remained an outstanding leader and educator in the Sixth District.

When he began serving as Superintendent in 2013, Willie instituted a thoughtful and strategic communications plan for the St. Cloud schools. Willie’s 5-year plan addressed the school districts’ growing community by reallocating money for smaller class sizes, investing in English language programs, and leading school board retreats to outline learning objectives for the upcoming year. It was comprehensive, forward-thinking, and largely successful.

A few years ago, Willie was appropriately honored with the Minnesota School Public Relations Association's Leadership in Communication Award for this effort. This recognition is given to leaders in education who demonstrate extraordinary communication and public relations skills.

I honored Willie’s service to our community on the House floor.
Watch HERE.

In a challenging atmosphere, Willie has always strived to express and prioritize the needs of the district over the issue of the day. Serving a diverse and growing community, Willie has been able to foresee the needs of the district as they transform and evolve. Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District is lucky to have had a leader like Willie – and we look forward to seeing what he does next.

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,