Dear Friend,

We’re finally making ice! I know last week’s cold weather was unwelcome for some, but it’s great to see snow Minnesota. As we move deeper into the holiday season, our minds shift to Christmas, family, and the New Year. Like you, I look forward to spending time with my family as we usher in 2022, but before that can happen, we have some legislative business to wrap up in Washington.

Read on to learn about my work this week…

Protecting Minnesota’s Wildlife

If you’ve spent time hunting or, you’re probably familiar with Chronic Wasting Disease. Commonly referred to as CWD, this condition spread quickly and threaten cervid populations if incorrectly managed. While CWD is thankfully rare in Minnesota, we must act quickly to stem the spread. 

Last week, with my support, the House passed the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act. This bill directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to research and prevent CWD from infecting deer across the country. Measures like these will safeguard Minnesota’s wildlife to be enjoyed by generations to come.

Honoring our National Guard

This week marks the 381^st anniversary of the founding of our National Guard. Founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636, National Guardsmen and women are united in service to protect Americans at home and abroad.

Every day, the servicemembers of our National Guard do the lifesaving work of responding to domestic emergencies like responding to natural disasters or conducting search-and-rescue missions. Some National Guardsmen and women also support American interests overseas, like the Minnesota National Guard’s Task Force 1-194, which assisted in the evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan earlier this year.

We owe a debt of gratitude to every American who serves. Earlier this month, my colleague Rep. Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) and I introduced legislation to honor three Minnesota Army National Guardsmen who tragically lost their lives in a December 2019 helicopter crash. Our bills will rename Minnesota Post offices after all three men, including Warrant Officer Candidate Kort M. Plantenberg from Avon.

On the anniversary of our National Guard’s founding, we can reflect on the sacrifice of servicemembers like Kort, who gave everything for the safety of our homeland.

Fighting Skyrocketing Home Heating Costs

Last month, I asked you to share how rising home heating costs were impacting your life. An overwhelming 62% expressed that you’ve adjusted your household to accommodate the inflated cost of gas, electricity and propane.

Watch Congressman Emmer address rising prices on the House Floor.

Even if you haven’t had to make room in your budget, you’ll be paying more for these essentials. While rural and lower-income communities in Minnesota are being hit especially hard, Americans are now paying 54% more for propane, 43% more for home heating oil, 30% more for natural gas and 6% more for electric heating across the board.

The only way to truly fix this crisis is to implement policies that encourage strong domestic energy production and mend our broken supply chain. However, there are resources to help.

Minnesotans struggling to pay their home heating costs can receive assistance through the Minnesota Commerce Department’s Energy Assistance Program. This program offers grants of $300-$2000 for Minnesotans in need.

It’s no surprise that home heating costs aren’t the only price that has increased this year. Just last week, key indicators reported that inflation was at a nearly 40-year-high. Stay tuned for my ongoing work to address this crisis…

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,