Dear John,

We’ve finally made it to December – and what a year it’s been! We’ve worked hard to reach every corner of Minnesota’s Second District by connecting with small businesses, family farmers, local law enforcement and leaders from every level of government to bring bipartisan results home to you.

I’m very proud of the bipartisan work we’ve been able to get done this year and would like to share some of our progress in the health care space with you today.
 
Starting with an issue that I know hits hard for so many families in Minnesota’s Second District – the opioid crisis.
 
As I’m sure is the case for many of you, this crisis breaks my heart every single day – it's taking children, parents and loved ones away far too soon and having catastrophic impacts in every corner of our community.

The fact of the matter is that overdose deaths are preventable – and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to help save lives.

That’s why I introduced by bipartisan Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act in July to hold social media companies accountable for the drug trafficking happening on their platforms.
 
This bill is named after Devin Norring of Hastings, MN, and Cooper Davis of Shawnee, KS. Both teenagers died of fentanyl poisoning after purchasing what they thought were Percocet pills on Snapchat. The pills were laced with illicit fentanyl.

It will require social media companies and other communication service providers to alert federal law enforcement when illicit drug distribution occurs on their platforms.
 
I’ll keep working across the aisle to get illicit fentanyl out of our communities and get folks the overdose recovery tools and resources they need.
 
I was also proud to see my bipartisan LIVE Beneficiaries Act pass through the House Floor with unanimous support this September. This bill will prevent Medicaid payments from being issued on behalf of deceased enrollees, cutting down on wasteful government spending.
 
I’ll continue to work on bipartisan solutions that ensure your federal tax dollars are being spent responsibly.
 
Finally, I’m working to lower the cost of health care through the Health Care Affordability Act.

This bill would make permanent the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire in 2025, and increase their availability to more Americans.
 
If Republicans let these tax credits expire, about 29,000 Minnesotans will have to pay an average of $4,000 more every year for a family of four. We can’t go backward in this fight to make health care more affordable.
 
I’m doing everything in my power to ensure these tax credits are here for the folks that rely on them to access the health care they need.
 
As we finish out the rest of the year and look to the 119th Congress starting in January, know that my commitment to ensuring every single Minnesotan can access the reliable and affordable health care they need is stronger than ever.

Here’s what else I was up to this week:

Fighting to fully fund special education programs
Monday, on National Special Education Day, I joined a special education class at Sun Path Elementary School in Shakopee to read “Just Ask!” by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
 
I’m working across the aisle in Congress to fully fund special education & ensure every student can access the support they need.

Supporting local small businesses
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to speak to the local business community at the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Luncheon. I’ll keep working to ensure Minnesota’s small businesses can access the resources and support they need to succeed.

Strengthening Minnesota’s local law enforcement
On Wednesday, I met with the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association in DC to discuss how can we work together to support Minnesota’s rank-and-file officers as they keep our communities safe and secure.

Behind the Scenes with Rep. Craig:

This week, I visited the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Hoċokata Ṫi Cultural Center to see their new We Are Water MN exhibit to learn about how communities across Minnesota connect to water. The exhibition will be up until December 7th and is definitely worth a visit!

I hope you all have a greet weekend!

Until next time,
 

Angie Craig

Member of Congress