John,
It was a busy week, made even more challenging by the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk. Charlie was a husband, father, and proud American who dedicated his life to fostering civil dialogue and respectful debate. His murder was a senseless act that struck at the very core of our nation’s foundational values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I pray that, as a nation, we can come together with bravery, kindness, and resilience to reset civic engagement norms and denounce political violence in every form.
This week, my fellow Republican members of the Minnesota House delegation and I sent a letter to Governor Tim Walz over his administration’s reckless changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Over the past year, Walz has pushed for policies that weaken accountability, such as broadly waiving work requirements for able-bodied individuals without dependents and removing asset tests to prevent fraud. These decisions have driven Minnesota’s SNAP payment error rate to nearly 9%, resulting in $77 million in improper payments last year alone. That money and resources would otherwise go to families who truly need them. It flies in the face of House Republicans, who advanced historic reforms in the July budget reconciliation package to strengthen work requirements, cut administrative costs, and reduce payment errors. Many Americans rely on SNAP, and everyone pays for it. It is high time that Walz followed the rules and ensured the program worked for everybody involved.
The House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), is sending three bills to conference to move on FY26 legislation. This is the first time appropriations bills have been sent to a conference committee in six years. It’s a massive step toward making progress and movement on three important appropriations bills: Agriculture Appropriations Act, Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act. As Chairman Cole noted, Congress is supposed to work efficiently to pass legislation and ensure funds are given promptly. I applaud the House Appropriations Committee as they work to deliver on our responsibilities and our America First agenda.
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.
With gratitude,
