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May 9, 2023

Dear John:

 

When I was in Warren, I had the honor of presenting the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Combat Star to Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3) Brett Brandon.

 

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In all the opportunities I have had in Congress, this was an especially significant moment. CW3 Brandon served over 17 years in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Afghanistan for a year in 2005. While his service qualified him for the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Combat Star, his unit inadvertently failed to award it to him. In February, he contacted my office for assistance in receiving his medal, and within a month, the medal was approved. Our service members and veterans deserve all the recognition and support we can provide, and I am so glad my team was able to help CW Brandon. And, to all other veterans in the 7th District, my team is here to help you, too.

 

 

In favor of an all-of-the-above energy strategy

Across the country, American workers, farmers, and businesses are ready, willing, and able to increase domestic energy production and lower energy costs for every American family. We can and should reduce our dependence on China and other foreign adversaries by producing cleaner, safer, and more reliable energy here in the United States. To that end, the House has introduced a resolution expressing the sense of Congress than an "all of the above" energy strategy is the best approach to American energy independence.

Minnewaska Area Schools

I had a great time visiting the Minnewaska Area High School in Glenwood, where we talked about all the ways they are setting up their students for success for life. We discussed career technical education facilities, expanding childcare options, and I got to meet some of the students while they were outside planting trees.

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I was also touched to see the memorial wall the students made to Deputy Sheriff Owen. Despite the heartbreaking circumstance, it was encouraging to see that students genuinely understand and appreciate all that our law enforcement officers do to protect the communities they serve.

Healthcare Across the 7th District

I was able to meet with several healthcare providers and facilities when I was back in Minnesota. We talked about opportunities to support rural access to healthcare, like increasing telehealth care options, as well as challenges facing these areas, like the negative impacts of overregulating our healthcare system. The Biden Administration has proposed staffing ratios that are only going to impose more unrealistic regulations on our rural healthcare systems. In some cases, these proposed rules may force some providers to close their doors for good. House Republicans are pushing against this proposal.


We also discussed how many rural communities are lacking childcare and housing options, which makes it difficult to recruit high-quality staff from other areas. House Republicans hear these concerns loud and clear and we are actively developing avenues for rural communities to grow in these areas. For example, for Fiscal Year 2023, Congress appropriated over $37 billion for USDA's Rural Housing Service, which provides loans for up to 100% financing for eligible borrowers. The Single-Family Housing Direct Loans and the Single-Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program allow borrowers to purchase or build homes with no money down.    

 

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The best way for me to serve the 7th District is to hear directly from the 7th District. Thank you to the Murray County Medical Center, Madison Healthcare Services, and DaVita for taking the time to share your concerns and ideas with me. 

 

Coming Up...

This week, the House will consider H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, which works to fulfill Republicans' commitment to a safer nation. The border crisis affects every city and state across the country, and we need a serious solution. This bill will start reconstruction of the border wall, end catch and release, and streamline the asylum process. It will also increase the number of Border Patrol agents and deploy technology to both the norther and southern border, which would have a direct impact on the increase of illegal immigrants coming across the northern border into Minnesota.

 

Thank you 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,

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Michelle Fischbach

Member of  Congress

 

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fischbach.house.gov

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