Renaming the Roseau Post Office

I am proud to say that last month the House passed my legislation to rename the Roseau Post Office in honor of Mr. Floyd B. Olson, who served as Postmaster for the community for twenty-five years. 

Mr. Olson was a staple in his community. In addition to his nearly thirty years with the Post Office, he was a member of the Rose Free Lutheran Church, Vice President of the Roseau County History Board, and on the Roseau County Fair Board. He looked forward to his Thursday morning coffee crew, love the great outdoors, and took special pride in his six grandchildren and three great-granddaughters.

A man of faith, a family man, and a true public servant, I can think of no better person to dedicate his community post office to. 

You can watch my full remarks on the House floor in support of this legislation here.

Reauthorizing the ONDCP

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) ensures that federal agencies have the resources they need to counter drug traffickers in our country. Of course, with the horrific fentanyl epidemic impacting every community, this office is critical. 

The House has passed the reauthorization of ONDCP, which also grants federal dollars to local forces. For example, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program is funded through this office. This program coordinates and assists federal, state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to address regional drug threats and reduce illicit drug production and drug trafficking in the United States. Stearns County has been working to get into this program for years and, after a bipartisan effort, they were approved in the fall.

Now, Stearns law enforcement officers will receive federal resources such as federal analysis and intelligence sharing, along with federal training for drug enforcement. These additional resources are key to seizing illicit drugs, preventing and reducing crimes associated with drug trafficking, and improving their ability to dismantle the illegal operations funding the drug industry. In 2022, HIDTA initiatives removed 3,931,492 kilograms of drugs from the marketplace, and I am confident the resources provided by the program will help Stearns County and greater Minnesota.

This is just one of the many programs our communities benefit from through the ONDCP, and I was proud to vote in favor of its reauthorization.

Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services

As you know, communities in rural Minnesota face unique geographical challenges on a daily basis. When faced with medical emergencies, timely access to care can mean the difference between life and death, but the long distances people have to travel to reach health care facilities can be a serious obstacle. That is why I cosponsored the Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act. 

I visited with Avel eCare, Southwest Minnesota EMS, and Wabasso Ambulance to see a live demonstration of their telemedicine services, which will help so many in our rural communities get the urgent care they need before they even get to a hospital.

This legislation addresses gaps in access to ambulance services, especially those in rural areas, by extending a temporary funding increase for rural ambulance operations for an additional three years. This increase will help insure that rural communities continue to access timely emergency transportation. 

The American Bald Eagle is Officially the National Bird

The United States has a national mammal (the American bison) a national flower (the rose), and a national tree (the oak), and yet it has not officially had a national bird. This despite the fact that the American bald eagle has unofficially been a national symbol since the Second Continental Congress in 1782.

I cosponsored a bill to designate the bald eagle as the national bird, and I am very proud to say that this legislation was signed into law by President Biden on Christmas Eve.

Thank you for reading!

fischbach.house.gov

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