Dear Friend,

Happy New Year! I hope you and your families enjoyed a safe and restful holiday. I’m starting the new year with a visit to the VFW, meeting with childcare providers, and more. Read on to learn about what we’re working on as 2022 gets underway…

Visiting VFW Post 8731

Today, I met with Ron Vaughn, President of VFW Post 8731. Since 1968, this post has served both veterans and civilians in our community.

I’m proud of the work that President Vaughn and the VFW has done here in the Sixth District, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to see it up close.

For our nation’s veterans, service to one’s nation is a lifelong commitment. I’m enormously grateful to the men and women of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who do the important work of giving back to service members and their families.

Through the efforts of their 1.5 million nationwide members, the VFW helps address military families’ unmet financial needs, provides scholarships and creates networks of mental health support.

Congressman Emmer meets with President Ron Vaughn at VFW Post 8731 in Monticello

Working with Child Care Providers

For working families, childcare providers are a lifeline. Not only do they provide peace of mind for busy parents, but their work can be key to a child’s long-term academic success.

However, between lockdowns, remote work and staffing shortages, providers are struggling. We owe it to our working parents to ensure they have access to reliable, quality childcare.

Congressman Emmer meets with Mike Sokol at the Goddard School in Blaine.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with Mike Sokol. Mike operates the Goddard School, a private preschool in Blaine. Mike and the Goddard School’s twenty early childhood education professionals provide care for approximately 100 students in our community.

I’ve been working on legislative solutions to support providers like the Goddard School. I have been proud to cosponsor legislation like the Back to Work Childcare Grants Act, which offered funding to providers to reopen their doors during the uncertain early days of the COVID-19 crisis.

For working families, childcare isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. We must guarantee that providers like the Goddard School can continue their important work.

Protecting our Communities Against Human Trafficking

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, when we shine a light on a crisis that has operated for too long in the shadows. In the United States alone, an estimated 14,500-17,500 people are trafficked by transnational drug cartels and criminal organizations each year.

Congress must do everything within its power to ensure that resources and judicial tools are available to improve prosecutions, protect victims, and prevent future trafficking. While Congress must do its part, you can also be a part of protecting those at risk. 

Here are some resources to help learn more about human trafficking, and ways you can identify when it is happening:

• An overview of what human trafficking is can be found here. 
• For indicators of human trafficking, click here.
• Resources on how to help can be found here.

To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, call 1-866-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to 233733.

Resources for Filing 2021 Taxes

Believe it or not, it isn’t too early to think about filing your 2021 taxes. Whether you recently moved, took a new job, or started a business, many aspects of our daily lives can lead to a headache when filing.

Next week, on January 12 at 1:00PM CST, the IRS’s Minnesota Taxpayer Advocate Office will be hosting a virtual Pre-Filing Season Awareness event. You can learn more about the event and register here.

If you cannot attend the event, you can find the IRS’s resources on how to avoid refund delays at any time on their website.

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,