Dear John,

This is not how our government is supposed to work – and certainly not what’s best for our nation. This week, Republicans once again needed to extend temporary funding because – in the Majority – they have not been able to pass an actual budget. 
  
Instead of a short-term extension that would give Members a chance to continue to work to agree a budget, they passed a partisan six-month temporary funding bill that essentially shuts down those negotiations. The bill cuts money for our veterans, seniors and substantially reduces the services they rely on.  
  
It also fails to fund any of the community projects that Congress already negotiated – and they likely now will not be funded. In Minnesota’s Second District, that’s 15 projects that would upgrade critical infrastructure, improve public safety, build community centers and ensure clean drinking water in our communities. 
  
Here’s what isn’t being funded that we had already agreed on with this past week’s developments: a state-of-the-art first responder/public safety training facility in Lakeville, a new police station in New Prague, a Community Opioid Response Team in West St. Paul and a welcoming Community Center in Le Sueur. None of them are included in the Republicans’ temporary spending bill.  
  
Not only that, but House Republican leadership also slipped language into the bill that would prevent any Member of Congress from introducing legislation to stop the Administration’s disastrous tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the EU. My Republican colleagues are literally voluntarily giving up the checks and balances that have been so critical to our nation.  
  
This bill is a disaster – and I voted no. And I’ve encouraged the Senate to hold the line and vote no as well. 
  
Finally, I know a lot is happening here in Washington – and it’s hard to follow how all of this impacts your lives. The language can also be confusing and wonky. The next big development here will be something called reconciliation, which is a special procedure to pass certain federal budget legislation in the Senate. Bills described as reconciliation bills can pass the Senate by a simple majority instead of the 60-vote supermajority normally required. I’m telling you this now because Republicans are gearing up to put their tax bill through this process – and make cuts to healthcare and nutrition programs to pay for part of it. Stay tuned. 
 
Some updates: 
 
I’m officially on Bluesky! I’ll be posting all my updates and MN02 announcements there too, so make sure to follow along for more. You can find my account at the link here! 

I also want to share that we are now accepting applications for my office’s summer internship program that starts May 26th – in both Eagan and Washington DC! Internships are a great opportunity to learn about the legislative process, constituent services and the functions of a Congressional office. 
  
Applications are due at 8am CT/9am ET on Monday, April 7th. More information and application instructions can be found on my website here. 

Here’s what else I was up to this week: 
  
Defending our public schools 

My mom was a public-school teacher. My wife was a public-school teacher. This week’s news around the Department of Education was particularly troubling. 
 

Protecting an independent USPS 

This week, I joined my colleagues in denouncing illegal attempts to privatize or reorganize the Postal Service. With postal performance already on the decline, we can’t afford any executive action that would weaken mail service and betray the 640,000 postal employees who work tirelessly for our communities every day.  
  
Check out my conversation about USPS with WCCO’s Esme Murphy here. 

Supporting our law enforcement 

Thank you to the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association for taking the time to meet with me in DC. Our officers put their lives on the line every day – and I will always work to ensure that local law enforcement has the tools and resources to do their jobs safely. 

Introducing commonsense, bipartisan legislation for farmers 

This week, I introduced two bipartisan bills to help farmers: the Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act and the Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement (PACE) Act.  
  
I’m proud to represent the Minnesota family farmers who work every day to put food on our tables. These commonsense bipartisan bills will strengthen the farm safety net and help new and beginning farmers.

Behind the scenes: 
 
This week, the new Minnesota state seal was installed outside my DC office! It’s great to have a reminder of home when I walk into work every day. 

Until next time,
 

Angie Craig

Member of Congress