March 17, 2023

Dear John:

Last week, the White House released their budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2024.

We were warned President Biden was not going to change anything to rein in his out-of-control spending policies, but he has taken it even another step further. This budget contains the highest sustained levels of taxes, spending, and deficits in American history. What's worse, his budget plays games with the death tax and stepped-up basis. These catastrophic policies will come at the expense of Minnesota family farms and the next generations of Americans.

I am deeply concerned about the burden these policies are putting on family farms and businesses. I asked Treasury Department Secretary Yellen about this during the Ways & Means Committee hearing.

My Republican colleagues and I are committed to getting this country back on track for the American people by restoring fiscal sanity to our government through fostering growth, fighting inflation, and helping our hardworking families.

Biden's Proposed Nursing Home Staffing Ratios

As I'm sure you know, businesses, especially nursing homes, across Minnesota's 7th District are struggling with a staffing shortage. And yet, at the direction of the White House, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced their intention to propose minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes. If this policy goes forward, many facilities in western Minnesota will not be able to meet those requirements, and will be forced to either further decrease the number of patients they can serve, or close their doors completely.

CMS should be working with stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that boost recruitment and retention of qualified nursing professionals, rather than imposing one-size fits-all regulations that will tie the hands of facilities in rural communities. I have joined my colleagues in a letter encouraging the Administrator of CMS to do exactly that, and I will never stop fighting against policies that threaten rural communities.

Disaster Loan Assistance Deadline

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding private nonprofit organizations (PNPs) in Minnesota that April 10 is the filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans for economic losses caused by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding that occurred May 8-13, 2022.

Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

PNPs located in the Minnesota counties of Aitkin, Big Stone, Cass, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Lincoln, Morrison, Nobles, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin and Yellow Medicine are eligible to apply.

The SBA offers federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help eligible non-critical PNP organizations meet their working capital needs such as ongoing operating expenses. Loan amounts can be up to $2 million with an interest rate of 1.875 percent and terms up to 30 years. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To be considered for this assistance, PNPs need to apply by the deadline. Applicants may apply online at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s under SBA declaration # 17521.

If you have questions, please call the FOCE Communications Department at (404) 331-0333.

Thank you for reading!

As always, my office is open and ready to serve constituents of Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District! Please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is anything I can do to help. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sincerely,

Michelle Fischbach

Member of Congress

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