Dear Friend, 

This week, the House of Representatives, led by the Minnesota Congressional Delegation, honored the lives of former Minnesota Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and recognized Senator John Hoffman and his family as they continue to recover from the heinous attack.

On Monday evening, we held a moment of silence on the floor of the House of Representatives in Melissa and Mark’s honor. We were proud to be joined by the entire Minnesota Congressional Delegation for this solemn moment and thank our colleagues for their continued unity as we mourn.

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed a resolution to formally condemn this politically-motivated attack. We were proud to sponsor this resolution, along with every member of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation, as we call for unity and the rejection of political violence in Minnesota and across the country.

Finally, I spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives to remember the lives of Melissa, her husband Mark, and their dog Gilbert. My wife, Jacquie, and I have known Melissa for more than 20 years. Melissa and I entered the Minnesota Legislature together in 2005. We continue to pray for the Hortman family as well as Senator Hoffman, his wife Yvette, and his daughter Hope as they recover.

There is no place in our country for politically motivated violence. As Congress continues its work, I hope that this event will continue to serve as a reminder of the importance of working together and that there is more that unites us than divides us.

Sincerely,