Service Academy Nominees

Each year, I have the great honor of nominating students to military service academies across the country. This year, I nominated six extraordinary students from the Seventh District: Lydia Oldenkamp from Alexandria, Cheyenne Nyholm from Kimball, Ellie Gertken from Richmond, Hailey Ruhoff from Paynesville, Mark Rabaey from Marshall, and Caleb Fey from Edgerton.

I enjoyed having lunch with all of the nominees last week and I am so encouraged by these passionate young men and women who have a desire to serve our country. Their achievement is to be celebrated, and I look forward to seeing where their journey takes them as they continue to be leaders in their communities and, soon, the nation.

If you or someone you know is interested in attending a service academy, please visit my website to learn more about the process.

MN Selected as TANF Work and Family Well-Being Pilot State

This Congress, my colleagues and I on the Ways and Means Committee worked diligently to get Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reforms signed into law, one of which is a pilot program to make sure states are using the funding effectively, and Minnesota has been selected for this pilot program. 

TANF has four key purposes:

1. Provide assistance to needy families with children so that they can live in their own homes or the homes of relatives;
2. End dependence of needy parents on government benefits through work, job preparation, and marriage;
3. Reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and
4. Promote the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

This pilot primarily focuses on the second purpose. It will allow states to measure the success of their TANF programs based on employment outcomes versus participation in funded activities. The goal is to build new evidence for outcomes-based performance measures to test whether they lead to stronger employment outcomes and increased family stability.

The state will have the flexibility to tailor employment, training, and other engagement activities to be sure that eligible families receive the best support to become financially independent.

Hero of Main Street Award

I was honored to be presented with the National Retail Federation's Hero of Main Street Award. This award is given to lawmakers that are committed to "advancing public policy that encourages a vibrant, sustained and healthy retail sector." 

Retail accounts for more than a quarter of jobs in America, and the vast majority of retailers are small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. I am honored for this recognition and look forward to continuing advocating for legislation that bolsters the retail economy across western Minnesota and the country.

Thanks for stopping by!

It was great hearing from the Red River Retention Authority about their priorities and also the many projects they have going on in the Seventh District.

The work the Ag Country Young Farmer Advisory Committee does to support the next generation of farmers is so important, and I enjoyed talking with them about things like building strong rural communities and the importance of crop insurance and for new farmers.

The Central Municipal Power Agency and Services (CMPAS) Group took the time to talk with me about their concerns and priorities, like federal regulatory standards and supply chain challenges. Thank you for coming by and thank you for the work you are doing for your members.

What matters most to you?

Thank you for reading!

fischbach.house.gov

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