Dear friend,

Last week Congress adopted legislation to fund the government through the end of our fiscal year, and this week we’ll hear from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. There’s no shortage of activity, but we continue to stay laser focused on the issues facing every American: out-of-control inflation, securing domestic energy production, and protecting financial freedom.

Read on to hear more about what we’ve been working on during the last week…

Securing investments in the Sixth District

Last week, the House passed an Omnibus spending bill for the 2022 fiscal year. While I had numerous concerns with the bill, the legislation did include funding for several transportation projects relevant to the Sixth District. 

• $2 million for the Annandale Highway 24 and Hemlock Intersection
• $2.5 million for the Highway 212 Rural Freight Mobility and Safety in Carver County
• $1 million for the Stearns County Bridge 6819 along County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 7
• $2.5 million City of Carver for Flood Protection
• $2 million for the City of Richmond for Sewer and Water Improvements
• $500,000 for Vinland National Center, Loretto, MN for facilities in Health Resources and Services Administration

The inclusion of these projects in this package was one of the few bright spots in this massive piece of legislation, and represents another example of our work to secure support for critical infrastructure in the Sixth District. You can read more about these projects on my website, here.

I was also pleased to see the package included my Credit Union Governance Modernization Act. This bill is a long-overdue reform that will give credit unions the power to self-govern according to the needs and safety of their members. Read more about my bill here.

Fighting for energy independence

We are now experiencing the highest gas prices on record. While the ongoing conflict in Ukraine hasn’t helped matters, gas prices have been steadily rising for months. As we cut off our imports of Russian oil and gas, it is more important than ever that we can rely on resources produced here in the United States.

I’m fighting to secure American energy independence. I have:

• Co-sponsored the Make Energy Affordable Act, which requires the Biden Administration to publish a report on how higher energy prices have led to increases in consumer prices across the board.
• Signed onto a letter led by Representative Rick Allen (GA-12) urging President Biden to roll back policies from his administration which have stymied American energy production;
• Co-sponsored of the American Energy Independence from Russia Act, which will require President Biden to submit an energy security to plan to Congress, and restart construction of the Keystone XL pipeline;
• Co-sponsored of the Midland over Moscow Act, which will reimpose Nord Stream II sanctions.

Read more on my work to protect our nation’s energy future here.

Supporting small business action   

With the heartbreaking news coming out of eastern Europe, many Minnesotans have been compelled to offer their support to the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom. For some, this has meant donating funds to provide food and other essentials to Ukrainians displaced by the war. Others, like the Anoka-based Vista Outdoor, are sending supplies directly to the front lines. The supplier, which includes ammunition companies Federal and Remington, are planning to donate a million rounds of small-caliber ammunition to Ukrainian forces.

However, donations overseas are too often held up by bureaucratic red tape—and the Ukrainian people don’t have time to wait. As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said as Russian forces approached his capitol: “I need ammunition, not a ride.”

I have been working directly with officials at our State Department to make sure that these donations can be delivered and in the hands of the Ukrainian people as quickly as possible. Stay tuned for further updates, and you can read more about this effort in the Star Tribune. 

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Upcoming tax filing deadlines…

It’s no surprise that our federal tax filing deadline is just around the corner. Whether or not you’ve begun the process of filing, this year’s process might present more confusion than years past. You can find resources to guide your filing process on my website here. For larger questions and concerns, my casework team stands ready to help. You can contact them here or by calling my Otsego office at (763) 241-6848.
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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,