Dear John,

This week, the House finished its budget reconciliation process, and Republicans showed once again that they hold no loyalty to the middle class.  

On Wednesday, House Republicans called a hearing at 1 AM to debate their extreme, partisan budget bill that would rip health care away from almost 14 million Americans and make drastic cuts to nutrition assistance before bringing it to the floor. Their goal was to pass this bill in the cover of darkness.  

Folks, you don’t call a hearing at 1 AM on a bill you’re proud of. You call a hearing at 1 AM because you don’t want the public to know you’re making Americans sicker, hungrier and poorer.  

But Democrats showed up ready to fight—with over 522 amendments and 101 witness testimonies, we fought this bill through the night for 21 hours.  I’ll take the overnight shift any day of the week if it means fighting for the hardworking people of Minnesota. As ranking member of the Ag Committee, I testified for several hours. 

This partisan budget includes egregious cuts to programs like SNAP and Medicaid, increases the national debt by $5.6 trillion and undermines bipartisan support for the farm bill. It does nothing to root out wasteful spending but instead repeals taxes on gun silencers and gives tax breaks to large corporations. There is no world in which increasing access to firearm accessories should be higher on our list of national priorities than feeding our children. It’s a moral failure.  

When the bill finally made it to the House floor, it didn’t receive a single Democratic vote. Unfortunately, the deficit-busting bill passed by one Republican vote and will now move to the Senate. I am fighting like hell against this bill as it moves forward. If Republicans want to rip health care away from Minnesota's kids, veterans, seniors and families – I’m going to stand up for middle class Minnesotans every step of the way. 

Here's what else I've been up to this week:

Fighting for Safety on our Roads  

It’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness month, and as a former Harley owner myself — I know the importance of drivers staying alert and sharing the road.  

It was great to meet with Bikers on the Beltway this week to talk about how we can work together to improve traffic safety and keep Minnesotans safe. 

Advocating for biofuels  

Every summer, my district is knee high by the 4th of July. While this Admin’s trade war continues to wreak havoc on the farm economy, I sat down with the Corn Refiners Association to discuss the impact of tariffs and the support they need.  

Investing in an all-of-the-above energy policy lowers prices at the pump, creates jobs and strengthens our energy independence. 

That’s why I’m pushing the Administration to expand homegrown biofuel production and ensure Minnesota producers can continue to fuel the world. 

You can read my letter to the Admin here. 

Supporting Small Businesses 

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy—and we’ve got to do more to make sure they have the support they need.  
 
This week I met with Wings Credit Union to discuss how we can keep supporting Main Street businesses in MN.  

Behind the scenes:

This week, after I met with Bikers on the Beltway, I ran into them meeting with Rep. Michelle Fischbach and Rep. Pete Stauber on the Capitol steps. It was great to take a bipartisan photo together, support a cause we all believe in and share some laughs.  

Believe it or not, many of us here in Congress have friends across the aisle—even if we disagree or fight like hell against their terrible policies at the same time. 

Have a great weekend! 

Until next time,
 

Angie Craig

Member of Congress