John,
It’s been a busy week of visiting around the district and introducing legislation to help farmers and seniors, but I wanted to take a moment to update you on the important work we’re doing to advance conservative values.
I'm proud to be a cosponsor of the reintroduced Farm to Fly Act. This commonsense bill will open new markets for our agricultural producers by encouraging the use of U.S. crops, like corn and soybeans, for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Western Minnesota’s farmers work hard to feed and fuel the nation, and this legislation helps ensure they’re part of the future of American energy. It also strengthens our rural economy, supports jobs, and promotes innovation in ag-based industries. I’ll always be a strong voice for our farmers and agribusinesses, and I’m constantly looking for new ways to support and expand opportunities for them.
This week, I reintroduced the House version of the bipartisan Hearing Device Coverage Clarification Act, which seeks to ensure that implanted middle ear hearing devices are categorized as prosthetics. This reclassification would remove barriers that prevent seniors and others from accessing life-changing hearing technology. Currently, these devices are miscategorized as hearing aids and therefore excluded from Medicare coverage. That’s a mistake we can fix. It would afford wider access to hearing devices as well as allow manufacturers to receive reimbursement for such devices, potentially leading to more jobs and more investment. I look forward to working with my partners in the House and in the Senate to get this legislation passed so that more Americans can receive the hearing devices they need.
I applaud President Trump for taking bold action to close the Department of Education. With the stroke of a pen, he put this bloated bureaucracy on life support. Now, Congress has the responsibility to pull the plug. Since its inception, the Department has spent trillions of taxpayer dollars, yet math and reading scores have remained flat for decades. Nearly 40% of fourth graders can't read at grade level. On top of that, education is fundamentally a local issue. Nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government given authority over how we educate our children. That responsibility belongs to parents, teachers, and communities, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington. The Department of Education has grown into a top-heavy, ineffective agency that adds red tape but delivers no real results. Closing the Department is not only about cutting waste but about restoring local control and putting families back in charge of their children’s future, just as the Constitution intended.
As always, thank you for your continued trust and support. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance with anything.
