Dear Friend,

Many of you have heard it said that our veterans “signed a blank check” to this country. When they dedicated themselves to preserving the freedom of the United States, they offered up their comfort, time, and even their lives to defend the United States of America.

Nowhere was this sacrifice more evident than by the actions of the brave heroes that stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. This event in history is referred to as D-Day, but those brave souls knew it as Operation Overlord. A military operation that spanned months and ended on August 21, 1944. Of the 156,000 Allied troops that stormed the beaches, 73,000 were American with an average age of 20 years old. 20,668 of them never returned home, making the ultimate sacrifice in one of the most consequential operations of the second world war.

Sunday marked the 77th anniversary of D-Day, the start of an operation that General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” As history showed, Operation Overlord was successful, and by the end of August 1944, the Allied troops had liberated northern France and set in motion the ultimate defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. These brave men fought against the purest evil this world has ever seen and offered up their lives for their fellow Americans. For this, they will never be forgotten.  

Supporting Our Heroes: A Bipartisan Conversation

Recently, I joined my friend and colleague, Democratic Congressman David Trone, for a bipartisan interview on Minnesota Military Radio to discuss how we can come together to support service members and veterans in Congress. Congressman Trone serves Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District and is a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which allowed him to give us some insight into the Committee’s progress so far this Congress.  

Listen HERE.

During this interview, we discussed our shared support for Congressman Trone’s bill, the Fairly Assessing Service-related Exposure Residual (FASTER) Presumptions Act which would reform the Veterans’ Administration’s (VA) presumptive decision-making process and help veterans exposed to toxic substances during their service access their VA disability benefits much faster. You can read more about his bill here.

We also discussed the Same-Day Accountability Veterans Enhancement (SAVE) Act which I re-introduced in February to ensure the VA has mechanisms in place to offer same-day physical and mental health treatment to those in need. You can read more about this bill here.

Congress can and should come together to provide for those who put their lives on the line for this country. I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress on both sides of the aisle to fight for our veterans and service members. Read more about my work for veterans here.

Supporting Affordable, High-Quality Health Care for Seniors

For many aging Americans, health care costs increase as their time in the workforce ends. Navigating health care options can be tricky and confusing. Many turn to Medicare and find themselves wading through acronyms and complicated plan options.

For many of my constituents, Medicare Advantage plans are a high-quality, affordable solution. These plans are offered by Medicare-approved private companies that follow rules set by Medicare. Over 50 percent of seniors enrolled in Medicare in Minnesota’s Sixth District have one of these plans, and Medicare Advantage provides coverage to 42 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries, totaling over 26 million seniors!

To support this vital option for our seniors, I sent a letter to Secretary Xavier Becerra at the Department of Health and Human Services urging him to ensure Medicare Advantage continues to offer these important plans. I joined many colleagues on both sides of the aisle to voice my support for this effort because these plans have proven to lead to fewer hospitalizations and promote properly coordinated care for patients.

Medicare Advantage plans keep our seniors healthy and offer them affordable health care when they need it most. I’ll continue to support health care options that prioritize the needs of our seniors and allow them to age with dignity. You can read my letter here.

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.

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Sincerely,