October 2, 2023

Dear Friend:

House Republicans have been working tirelessly to reverse the out-of-control spending in Washington and fund the government responsibly. At the same time, it would be irresponsible to shut down the government, which would affect every corner of the country.

Last week, leadership put forward the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act, which would have kept the government open while cutting wasteful spending and securing the border. Unfortunately, every Democrat and a handful of Republicans joined together to kill that bill. So, on Saturday, we passed the Continuing Appropriations Act, which extends government funding for 45 days, and avoids shutting down key government services that matter to the 7th District.

I support the work done by House Republicans to keep the government functioning, and I look forward to continuing our hard work in the appropriations process to get this country's fiscal house in order.

Working for America's Seniors

I am proud to say that last week I introduced two pieces of legislation to support America's seniors: the Protecting Rural Seniors Access to Care Act and the Hardworking Seniors Act.

As you may know, this year the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a new rule requiring minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. This rule was issued despite the fact that a report commissioned by CMS itself expressed reservations about this rule. Most notably, this report said there was "no single staffing level that would guarantee quality care." I am deeply disappointed the administration continued to move forward with this rule given the public knows their reservations regarding its efficacy. If the one-size-fits-all staffing ratios issued by CMS are put in place, it will devastate facilities across greater Minnesota, forcing them to either decrease the number of patients they serve even further, or close their doors entirely. In response to this decision, I introduced the Protecting Rural Seniors Access to Care Act, which will keep CMS from implementing this rule until it can prove it will not result in the closure of skilled nursing facilities, will not harm patient access, and will not make workforce shortage issues worse in areas that are already struggling.

I also introduced the Hardworking Seniors Act, which allows America's working seniors that are currently enrolled in Medicare Part A to continue making contributions to their health savings account (HSA). This is something seniors across the 7th District have reached out to me about, and with people working later and later into their lives, it just makes sense. I am also happy to say that this bill was included in the HSA Modernization Act, which has passed through the Ways and Means Committee and is now waiting to be brought to the House Floor for a vote.

I am grateful for the feedback I received from my constituents like those at Ridge View Estates in Pipestone, and am proud to represent and defend their interests in Washington.

Thanks for reading!

As always, my office is open and ready to serve constituents of Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District! Please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is anything I can do to help. Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Michelle Fischbach

Member of Congress

Please do not reply to this email, the mailbox is not monitored. To comment further please click here.

fischbach.house.gov

Unsubscribe