August 16, 2024

Dear Fourth District Constituent,

This week marks the anniversaries of two monumental laws: the Social Security Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.  While they were passed nearly a century apart, they are both hard at work improving the lives and welfare of every American.  Eighty-nine years ago, the Social Security was signed into law.  Today, for more than 71 million Americans Social Security is the bedrock of their retirement security.  I strongly support H.R. 4583, the Social Security 2100 Act, which addresses the solvency of the program, and I’m committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare so that all Americans can retire with dignity and security.  

Friday is the 2nd anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, which is lowering costs for Americans.  From the economy, to health care, and the environment the impact of the IRA is being felt by Minnesotans and Americans across the nation.  Households are seeing a reduction in energy costs, a reduction in prescription drugs prices, and an economy with increasing opportunities to access clean, renewable energy.

Strengthening Our Democratic Alliances Abroad

Last weekend I returned to Minnesota after travelling to New Zealand and Australia as part of my duties as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to engage with senior allied leaders on shared national security concerns in the Indo-Pacific, and to conduct oversight of U.S. forces in the region.  Strengthening America’s alliances amongst the democracies of the world has been one of the key achievements of the Biden administration.  In the Indo-Pacific, a cornerstone of this policy has been developing the trilateral security partnership between the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, also known as AUKUS.  This oversight is vital to understand how Congress can work to strengthen the AUKUS partnership and support our allies in New Zealand and Australia as we work together to keep the Indo-Pacific region free, open, and safe from threats.

AT HOME IN MINNESOTA

Here at home, I had the opportunity to meet with Minnesotans across the Fourth District, including celebrating the 89th Anniversary of passage of the Social Security Act, participating in groundbreaking for The Heights residential project on Saint Paul’s East Side, and joining a roundtable about our bioeconomy with U.S. Secretary of Education Tom Vilsack. 
Read more below!

Strengthening Social Security


It was an honor to receive the 2024 Retiree Hero Award from the Minnesota Alliance for Retired Americans and mark the 89th Anniversary of passage of the Social Security Act.  

The second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act

On Friday, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is celebrating its second anniversary.  Thanks to this law, the Biden-Harris administration is beginning to negotiate lower prices for some of the costliest and most commonly prescribed medications. These prices will take effect in 2026, but the impact is already historic – and it’s only the beginning. Democrats in Congress and the White House will continue to put People Over Politics to ensure that all Americans have access to high quality, low cost health care. In Minnesota, we are already feeling the effect. Since the IRA was signed into law:

• Over 27,000 Minnesotans on Medicare who use insulin are saving an average of $672 annually thanks to the $35 per month insulin cap, and thousands not on Medicare have seen their insulin prices drop;
• 60,000 Minnesotans saw their health insurance premiums lowered, and;
• 232,531 Minnesota seniors received the shingles vaccination and other recommended vaccinations at no cost.

These new negotiated prescription drug prices will help more than 100,000 Minnesotans pay less for their prescriptions and help Minnesota seniors save an average of $483.22 annually on their prescription drugs. Next year, everyone with Medicare prescription drug coverage will have a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on their drug costs. 

Growing a Bioeconomy to Secure America

On Friday, I joined U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Walz-Flanagan administration leaders, and Minnesota farmers and business leaders at the University of Minnesota for a discussion about how the Biden-Harris administration is creating additional income opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs. In the House of Representatives, I’m the former Chair and current Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. This role comes with the responsibility of allocating more than $800 billion annually for the Department of Defense. Our ag communities, and the broader U.S. bioeconomy, have a direct impact on our national security. We know that we have vulnerable supply chains in both our commercial and defense sectors – COVID clearly exposed that. That’s why the Biden-Harris administration is actively investing in on-shoring critical materials and technology.

The Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS Act are two key components making historic investments in this essential work. And this is why continuing to develop a robust bioeconomy here in the United States is so important. Our defense industrial supply chains depend on critical materials that come from a few—or even a single source. That can leave us vulnerable in times of instability abroad. And one way we replace those components is by investing in biotechnology, and growing the bioeconomy here in the United States. As an ag leader Minnesota, we have a major role to play.

We know how to grow crops, and we have farmers and researchers with the know how to leverage our agricultural sector to secure our national security supply chains. What we lack is the biomanufacturing infrastructure on a national level. We have to prioritize building this capability. Through the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, we have an entity at the Department of Defense known as BioMADE that is doing just that. With its base here in Minnesota, BioMADE is working to build a national network of bioindustrial manufacturing facilities so we can bridge the gap between lab research and manufacturing biotech products at a commercial scale.

As Chair and Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I secured $400 million in federal funds to invest in this critical effort. Then we worked with Governor Walz and state Legislative leaders to provide funds through the Minnesota Forward Fund, so that our state can take advantage of federal support for biotechnology that’s available now.

We can use our agricultural expertise in Minnesota, and our skilled workforce, to help our country build the new manufacturing economy with biology. In Congress, I look forward to continuing my work towards a cleaner, greener biomanufacturing economy that will help us address climate change by achieving our carbon reduction goals and ensure our national security. We can help America build the new manufacturing economy with Minnesota-grown crops and ingenuity!

Habitat for Humanity Kick-off Event at the Heights

On Wednesday, we celebrated the beginning of construction of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s 147 units of affordable and environmentally sustainable housing at The Heights on Saint Paul’s East Side. This project will provide affordable homeownership opportunities for working-class families, ensuring that the East Side remains a diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community for all.

Hayden Heights Library Visit 

In Congress, I am working to secure funding toward the much-needed renovation of the Hayden Heights Library on St. Paul’s East Side. The renovated library will include enhanced technology for local residents, especially those using the library for business and economic needs.

Finishing Trades Visit 

The Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest is working with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Department of Corrections to expand its pre-apprenticeship training program to currently incarcerated individuals, preparing them for post-carceral work in the building trades. Not only does this provide economic opportunities which reduce recidivism, it includes professional support to develop the soft-skills of teamwork, resume building, job interviewing, and communication that are crucial to the success of those who have paid their debt to society.