May 2023: Join Our Town Hall
Dear friend,
On May 30th at 6pm CT, I will be hosting an in-person town hall in Richfield. I’m excited to provide updates on what my office has been working on and answer your questions. If you would like to attend, you can RSVP here.
Introducing Universal School Meals Legislation
No child should be forced to learn on an empty stomach. That’s why I reintroduced the Universal School Meals Act, legislation that builds on what we did in Minnesota and makes school meals free to students across the country. This legislation will provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all students, preschool through high school, regardless of income. You can read more here.
School Visits
School visits are my favorite district week activity. I love meeting with our incredible students and dedicated school staff. I recently met with students at Emerson Dual Language Elementary School and Washburn High School. At Emerson, I answered questions from students on the legislative process and discussed a member's role in Congress. At Washburn, many of the students I talked with are newcomers to the U.S. and also ESL students. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things they will accomplish!
Metro B Line Groundbreaking Event
An investment in public transit is an investment into our communities. I had the opportunity to celebrate $28 million in federal funding and the groundbreaking of the Metro B Line, a line to connect Minneapolis to St. Paul. You can watch my remarks here.
Ending Punitive Approaches to Education
Our office hosted a roundtable to discuss the Ending PUSHOUT Act, legislation I co-led to stop the punitive approaches to education that discriminate against girls of color. In Minneapolis, Black students are 41 percent of the student population but make up three-quarters of all suspensions. It’s clear punitive approaches to education do not help our children get an education. Our girls deserve better. You can read more here.
Hosting our Congressional Art Competition
I hosted our 2023 Congressional Art Competition reception to honor our talented students across Minnesota’s 5th District. This year’s theme is Discovering Minnesota. Congratulations to our first-place winner, Nina, whose artwork will be hung in the U.S. Capitol.
Reintroducing the Neighbors Not Enemies Act
I reintroduced the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, legislation that fully repeals the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The "Alien and Sedition Acts" were a set of four bills targeting immigrants under the guise of war. No one should be targeted based solely on their religion, ethnicity or national origin. This xenophobic law is dangerous and must be taken off the books. It's way past time we put this hateful law in the dustbin of history where it belongs.
Launching the U.S. Africa Policy Working Group
Our office launched the U.S. Africa Working group. This will be a venue to create lasting partnerships and build up a base of expertise so that Congress can be more active in U.S. policy in Africa, and help move the conversation forward for many years to come. You can watch my video from the launch here.
Getting Your Thoughts
Last week, my office hosted a webinar on new environmental grant opportunities under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. There are billions of dollars available for environmental justice, air quality, jobs training and so much more. We want to provide the most helpful resources and information we can to make the most of these opportunities. Please help us do that by filling out a brief survey here.
In service,
Ilhan Omar
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