MORE and Affordable Insulin Now Acts

Last week, the House passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act and the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act.

The Affordable Insulin Now Act is a bill that claims to combat the rising cost of insulin products by imposing government price controls on insulin products. The price controls in this legislation would be a stunningly expansive intervention into the free market and will most likely lead to an increase in premiums for everyone. Price controls didn’t work in the Soviet Union and they won’t work now in insulin markets. Like you, I want the price of pharmaceutical medications to fall while their quality and availability rise. I believe that the best way to achieve this is through competitive forces in the market, not by giving Washington more power. 

The MORE Act is a bill to legalize pot. Not only does this bill ignore efforts made by Republicans to protect minors from being sales targets and ignore recommendations by law enforcement to address the dangerous implications of driving under the influence of marijuana, it also includes a government program that would use U.S. tax dollars to open pot shops. This is a waste of  government time and resources.

I managed the debate on the Floor for these bills. You can watch my full opening remarks here.

Updates in Ag

Last week, I joined a bipartisan group of my colleagues in sending President Biden a letter urging him to use homegrown biofuels to bring consumers relief at the pump. In normal economic conditions, year-round access to E15 is a no-brainer. Now, it is a necessity to bring down price at the pump.

Additionally, the House Ag Committee held a hearing on the State of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The derivatives and futures markets are critically important components of our economy, and it’s important Congress consider the role and authority of its regulator to ensure these markets are operating smoothly, efficiently, and properly foster innovation.

Judiciary Committee Hearing on Qualified Immunity

This past week, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on qualified immunity. The Democrats want to everything in their power to strip away law enforcement's ability to do their jobs and protect our communities. They've been calling to defund the police, and this week, they asked us to seriously consider removing qualified immunity.

Removing qualified immunity decreases police officers' abilities to do their jobs and it will punish officers who are willing to run into volatile situations - at great risk to their own wellbeing - in an effort to save others. 

Crime continues to rise across the country. Now is the time to be supporting law enforcement and empowering them to do their jobs, not limit their ability to protect our communities.

You can watch my line of questioning during this hearing here.

Tips for Tax Filing Season

Taxes need to be filed in just a couple short weeks! The Internal Revenue Service shared this information to remind us all about several key items to keep in mind when filing federal income tax returns this year. I hope you find this helpful! 

Congressional Art Competition

High school students are invited to participate in the annual Congressional Art Challenge! The competition is open to all public, private, charter, and home school students grades 9-12. Winning submissions from each congressional district will be displayed for one year in a tunnel to the U.S. Capitol, where it will be viewed by thousands of visitors, tourists, and Members of Congress.

The deadline for submission is Monday, May 2, 2022. For more information, please visit my website. Good luck! 

National USDA Programs

The USDA provides a list of programs, along with their deadlines if applicable. While this list is helpful, it does not include every deadline. Please check with your local USDA Service Center to learn about all available programs, and programs that have local or state level deadlines.

Upcoming National Deadlines:

Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program 

Did you raise hogs that were sold through a spot market sale? You may be eligible for assistance for hogs sold through a spot market sale from April 16, 2020, through September 1, 2020, through USDA’s Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP). This new program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. 

Deadline: April 29, 2022

Second Disaster Set-Aside for Farm Loans
USDA borrowers can use the Disaster Set-Aside (DSA) loan provision to set aside their next payment. Normally used in the wake of natural disasters, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) expanded the provision to cover borrowers impacted by the pandemic. FSA is allowing producers to request a second DSA for COVID-19 and a second DSA for natural disaster for those who had an initial COVID-19 DSA.
Deadline: May 1, 2022

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) - Grassland Signup
Grassland CRP is a working lands program, helping landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as working grazing lands. Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply.
Signup: April 2, 2022 - Mary 13, 2022

iSSNRC Now Available in Minnesota

Internet Social Security Number Replacement Cards (iSSNRC) are now available for Minnesotans! U.S. citizens age 18 or older and who are residents of Minnesota can request a replacement SSN card online by creating a my Social Security account. They must have a U.S. domestic mailing address, not require a change to their record (such as a name change), and have a valid driver's license.

For more questions, and to submit a request, please visit the Social Security Administration website.

fischbach.house.gov

Unsubscribe