Dear John,

A lot has happened since we last spoke. On Saturday, the House passed a temporary bipartisan bill to keep the government up and running while we work on a budget. And on Tuesday, House Republicans called a vote to remove Kevin McCarthy from his role as Speaker of the House.

I want to take a moment to break down what happened.

Last Saturday was a whirlwind. After weeks of chaos and uncertainty, I joined 208 Democrats and 126 Republicans in voting to pass a bill to keep our government open for the next few weeks while we figure out a budget.

Saturday showed us that bipartisanship is possible – and it's my hope we can come together and find a permanent solution to fund the government.

But just two days later, extremist MAGA Republicans called for the removal of Speaker McCarthy from his leadership position in the House. I have been disappointed with Speaker McCarthy’s job performance. Time and time again, he has sought to placate the most extreme members of his party instead of working across the aisle.

True to form, when it became clear that several far-right Republicans would vote to remove him, Speaker McCarthy rejected the idea of working with Democrats to save his job. So here we are.

It’s my hope that House Republicans can come together to elect a party leader that prioritizes bipartisanship, shows that they can stand up to the far-right radicals and is willing to work across the aisle on behalf of the American people.

I’ve never been one to predict what will happen here in DC – I don’t think anyone knows what will happen in the next few weeks.

We were sent to Congress to pass bills to lower the cost of health care, fix the roads, fund our schools and actually make lives better for the people who elected us – and I’d like to get back to this work.

It’s my hope that this will happen – and that we soon have a Speaker who is dedicated to building a stronger, more resilient country for us all.

Here's some of what else I was up to this week:

Building support for overdose prevention tools and resources
We know that the fight to combat the fentanyl crisis is going to take all hands-on deck. I’m grateful to count my New Dem Colleagues as partners in that fight – and I’ll keep working to make sure every Minnesotan has access to the support, tools and education they need to keep themselves and their families safe and well.

Pushing for additional security measures for Cabinet Secretaries
We’ve seen political threats and violence skyrocket in recent years – and we must ensure that our leaders have the tools they need to protect themselves and their families. This week, I introduced a bill that would provide Presidential Cabinet members the same security allowances as Members of Congress.

Behind the scenes with Rep. Craig:

Look who made it out to DC for the first time! Dakota provided some much-needed comfort during a crazy, crazy Saturday. Here’s a few photos of her with her new friends – Reps. Greg Landsman (OH-01), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Sharice Davids (KS-03)!

I’m hoping you all have a lovely fall weekend! I’m heading back to DC next week, and will keep you updated on what happens next.

Until next time,
 

Angie Craig

Member of Congress