Re-Opening Northern Border

Late last month, the Canadian government announced that residents of Minnesota’s Northwest Angle are now exempt from its pre- and post-travel COVID testing requirement.  I am pleased that residents of the Northwest Angle can again travel freely between their homes and the mainland United States. But while this is indeed progress, the border remains closed to non-resident travel, and nothing short of a full re-opening can begin to mitigate the many negative effects of the indefinite closure on Angle lives and livelihoods. I will continue to aggressively pursue a solution.

Read recent northern border coverage in Grand Forks Herald, MinnPost, and The New York Times.

Broadband for Rural America Act

In Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District, approximately one in five farms lack access to high-speed broadband internet. Together with my Republican colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee, I am proud to co-sponsor the Broadband for Rural America Act. This legislation will not only invest in the necessary infrastructure expanding broadband access, it will also make sure a broadband connection makes it right to peoples' doors.

Farmers need connectivity for their machinery and fieldwork; families need connectivity for doctor’s appointments and schoolwork; small businesses need connectivity to engage with suppliers and customers around the world. Strong rural communities start with strong connectivity, and we need to make sure rural Americans aren’t held back by a lack of high-speed internet access.

Congressional Art Competition

The deadline to enter the Congressional Art Competition has been extended! Submissions will now be accepted until 5:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. The Congressional Institute, which officially hosts the competition in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer and the Architect of the Capitol, has decided to extend the deadline for submissions. All high school students are invited to participate in this longstanding U.S. Capitol tradition, which is open to all public, private, charter, and home school students in grades nine through 12. Click here for more information.

Fall Internships

My Washington, D.C. office is now accepting internship applications for the fall of 2021! Congressional internships are a great way to gain valuable experience on The Hill. Interns assist congressional staff in conducting research, speaking to constituents, and completing various other tasks. If you are interested in applying, click here for more information and instructions.

It was an honor to participate in the Deer Creek Memorial Day service and Veterans Park dedication. May the sacrifices of our fallen veterans never be forgotten.

Thank you to Brian Bollig for welcoming me and State Senator Andrew Lang to his businesses, which are located on the MinnWest Technology Campus in Willmar—a center of innovation and economic growth in my district.

I visited Mr. B’s Chocolates in Willmar, a renowned chocolatier that imports the best chocolate from Belgium to craft wonderful truffles, caramels, chocolate bars, and other treats.

I also toured Bushmills Ethanol in Atwater. I greatly appreciate the role of ethanol plants in our rural economy—adding value to our products, giving family farms another market, and bringing economic activity to our small communities.

Family-owned businesses like Felling Trailers in Sauk Centre and Litchfield are the hearts of many of rural communities. Thanks for inviting me and State Rep. Paul Anderson for a tour—looking forward to working together to make our rural economy stronger.

I appreciated meeting with some of western Minnesota’s agricultural leaders and hearing about both the opportunities and challenges facing the industry. In addition to discussing the importance of crop insurance programs, the need for expanded broadband internet access, and the benefits of sound trade policy, I also heard about an agricultural workforce shortage that has been exacerbated by the added federal unemployment benefits.

Thanks to Rick Electric of Moorhead and Comstock Construction of Fergus Falls for showing me their worksite at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton’s new elementary school addition and renovation. I appreciate their work and commitment to our communities!

I was glad to meet with members of the Granite Falls Economic Development Authority, as well as city, county, and tribal officials from the area. We discussed rural development, housing, workforce, and more.

Coming Up

fischbach.house.gov

Unsubscribe