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Dear Friend,
On what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe V. Wade , I visited the Planned Parenthood health center in Minneapolis. As I toured Planned Parenthood's newly expanded facilities, I saw how they worked to ensure our community can access the reproductive care they need. The staff provide judgement-free services, even as abortion access is under attack across much of the country.
This anniversary is bittersweet. It represents the progress made since Roe enshrined the right to choose, yet so much of that ground has now been lost. Taking away reproductive freedom disproportionately harms the most vulnerable.
I later reinforced these points in a Facebook Live discussion with the CEO of Planned Parenthood, Ruth Richardson, from the Planned Parenthood Uptown Health Center in Minneapolis. We discussed healthcare access and reproductive freedom policy. On this anniversary, I remain resolute in my fight to preserve and expand reproductive rights.
First Town Hall of 2024
Thank you to the more than 100 people who came out for our first town hall meeting of 2024 earlier this week in Golden Valley! It was great to see so many familiar faces as well as some new ones. Your engagement and participation are so valuable for keeping our community strong. I appreciate you taking the time to come together and discuss the issues that matter most to our district. I'm proud to serve this community and am grateful for your commitment to making it a better place for all.
Minnesota People Over Parking Press Conference with Sen. Omar Fateh
I was honored to join Sen. Omar Fateh at a press conference announcing his introduction of the People Over Parking Act in the Minnesota legislature. This important bill would eliminate minimum parking requirements statewide – a policy I strongly support.
Minneapolis has been a leader in repealing mandatory parking minimums, first near transit stations in 2015 and then citywide in 2021. I’m proud to also be a co-sponsor of the People Over Parking Act led by Congressman Robert Garcia in the U.S. House.
Excessive parking wastes space and money. The average cost to construct one parking spot is over $40,000 – more than the median Minnesotan's annual income. These expenses get passed to tenants and homebuyers, even those who don't own a car. And mandatory parking quotas prevent more housing units from being built. With housing affordability challenges continuing to squeeze families, eliminating parking mandates is a sensible step. I applaud Sen. Fateh for leading the charge on this issue in Minnesota.
Infrastructure Roundtable with State Rep. Erin Koegel
I recently hosted a roundtable discussion on infrastructure investments in Minnesota and was joined by Minnesota State Representative Erin Koegel and Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula from the City of Columbia Heights. The event brought together local, county, and state leaders to strategize how to maximize federal infrastructure funding coming to our state.
Since 2022, Minnesota has received $2.6 billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure funding for roads, public transit, clean water, electric vehicle charging, and more.
By working collaboratively across all levels of government, we can ensure these unprecedented resources improve daily life for Minnesotans.
Visiting Dance City
I was thrilled to visit the incredible young dancers, who ranged from 4 years old through the 9th grade, of Dance City earlier this week. As their member of Congress, I wanted to personally congratulate them on their first-place victory at the National Starpower Competition. When I arrived, the energy and enthusiasm in the studio was palpable. These talented girls have dedicated themselves fully to the art of dance. Under the expert guidance of founder and coach Cierra Burnaugh, Dance City has achieved national recognition for their skill and passion.
Last July, I delivered remarks honoring Dance City's win at the competition, where they prevailed over 100 other teams. It was an honor to now gift the team a framed copy of those remarks. The printed words are a small token of the pride our community has in these dancers.
Co-Leading Guaranteed Income for Foster Kids
As a proud co-lead on new legislation with Congressman Robert Garcia, I'm working to establish a guaranteed monthly income for young adults aging out of the foster care system. The Guaranteed Income for Foster Youth Act recognizes the major struggles foster youth face upon emancipation at 18. Our bill would provide former foster youth $1,000 per month for 5 years after leaving the system.
Having a guaranteed income serves as an essential lifeline at a vulnerable time. This legislation makes a statement that we believe in foster youth's potential and want to invest in their futures.
Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I was honored to join my community in celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. across our district. I heard powerful speakers that reaffirmed Dr. King's vision of equity, unity and nonviolence. I was grateful to attend MLK Day events in Golden Valley and in Minneapolis.
On this day of remembrance, I left with Dr. King's words echoing in my mind: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." His struggle for freedom transcended time and place to touch hearts worldwide.
In Service,
Ilhan Omar
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