Dean Phillips 2 , CD3 DFL

Rep. Dean Phillips’ bipartisanship tested by congressional realities

His ambition faces fresh test with GOP challenges on infrastructure, voting rights.

WASHINGTON – Rep. Dean Phillips has his limits, a sense of where he draws the line.

Well into his second term holding a Minnesota congressional seat coveted by Republicans, the idea of bipartisanship in a polarized Washington is crucial for the Democrat. It is a lofty ambition with grim odds, and an ideology facing a fresh test with legislative challenges on infrastructure and voting rights. Shadowing it all are the emotional aftershocks of the violent Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and former President Donald Trump’s strong influence over the Republican Party that continues to strain those reaching for middle ground.

“The members who I believe bear responsibility for January 6, I will not work with because I believe they are dangerous, plain and simple,” said Phillips, whose district includes large swaths of western Minneapolis suburbs. “And by the way, I don’t think they’d work with me. But that means there are 429 others with whom I’m happy to work with.” Continue reading.

Rep. Dean Phillips (CD3) Update: July 1, 2021

Hi Neighbors,

From some extraordinary new Minnesota State Fair foods to the upcoming holiday weekend, there’s a lot to look forward to this week. Patriotism has been on my mind lately, and as we near the 4th of July, I wanted to share a few reasons to celebrate our United States of America:

1. A women’s olympic gymnastic team with 2 Minnesotans

2. Our dedicated servicemen and women and our principled military leadership who keep us safe (and refuse to play political games)

3. The bipartisan group of Representatives and Senators that proved the naysayers wrong and found common ground on a bipartisan infrastructure deal our country desperately needs

Rep. Phillips (CD3) secures $30.8 million for Minnesota projects in infrastructure bill

Long-awaited Bottineau light rail project would receive $20 million

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) announced that he successfully secured $30.8 in federal funding for Minnesota infrastructure projects in the INVEST in America Act, which passed the House today.

“Americans expect their leaders to pursue common ground for the common good,”said Phillips. “Investing in 21^st century infrastructure is a rare opportunity to bring more federal tax dollars back our state, create jobs, and build more sustainable, resilient communities. It’s time to start shoveling dirt and stop slinging mud.”

Phillips went to bat for several infrastructure projects in Minnesota’s Third District, successfully securing funding for three important endeavors:

Rep. Phillips (CD3) Helps Secure $60 Million in Federal Investments to Minnesota’s I-494 Corridor

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips announced that the Interstate 494 Corridor Project, which runs through Eden Prairie, Edina, and Bloomington in Minnesota’s Third Congressional District, has been awarded $60 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program.

“I’m on a mission to bring more of our hard-earned tax dollars back to Minnesota,” said Phillips. “This grant will make crucial investments in safety improvements, traffic mitigation, and environmental protection, benefitting thousands of Minnesotans who travel the stretch of highway each day and local businesses who rely on the I-494 thoroughfare to move freight. Many thanks to the team who came together to secure this critical investment for our state.”

In a May 2021 letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Phillips joined a chorus of leaders from the government and private sectors, including Governor Tim Walz, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Reps. Angie Craig and Ilhan Omar, county commissioners, mayors, chambers of commerce, and business leaders from FedEx, Starkey Hearing, and CH Robinson, in advocating for the project’s funding.

Click here to read the letters.

Phillips Introduces Honest Enterprises Act to Reward Ethics, Sustainability, and Trust in Business

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) introduced the HONEST Enterprises Act, legislation that would incentivize responsible corporate governance and reward businesses that go above and beyond to care for their employees and make a difference in their communities. Informed by Phillips’s 25-year career in the private sector, the bill was first proposed at the New Democrat Coalition’s inaugural economic policy pitch day in 2019, where it received first prize.

In the face of rising income inequality, global climate change, and the devastating aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers and community leaders nationwide are recognizing the need to create a more equitable and sustainable economy where all can prosper. To that end, the HONEST Enterprises Act would create a new award at the Department of Commerce to honor companies that meet benchmarks in pay equity, diversity and inclusion, environmental consciousness, and community reinvestment.

“For too long we have emphasized the right of businesses to make a profit, but not the rights of workers to share in the earnings they help generate,”said Rep. Phillips. “It is time that we reward the kind of behavior we want to see: businesses that are going above the call of duty to be responsible corporate citizens, build strong relationships with their communities, and develop consumer and worker trust. The HONEST Enterprises Act is an important step on that road toward a more just and inclusive capitalism.”

Phillips Leads Resolution to Honor and Support the United States African Development Foundation

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) introduced a bipartisan resolution supporting the United States African Development Foundation’s 40 years of tireless and effective community development work. The initiative is co-led by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights, and Subcommittee Chairwoman Karen Bass (D-CA) is an original co-sponsor. A similar resolution passed the Senate unanimously earlier this year.

Created in 1981, the USADF is an independent federal agency dedicated to sustainable development, uplifting underserved communities, and strengthening connections with local leaders on the African continent. With its commitment to community-led, grassroots projects – and it’s 100% African staff – the USADF has made a unique impact in conflict-affected areas, and the Center for Global Development has ranked the agency as one of the most efficient providers of foreign aid in American government.

“The U.S. African Development Foundation is a one-of-a-kind agency and a model for how our foreign assistance programs should function,” said Rep. Phillips. “This important resolution will underscore our continued commitment to the work of USADF as it inspires economic prosperity, offers sustainable development solutions, and furthers the United States’ foreign policy interests in Africa. Here’s to another 40 years of partnership!”

Rep. Phillips’ (CD3) Statement on Senate Filibuster of “For the People Act”

WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to prevent debate on S.1, the For the People Act:

“Today the Senate blocked the For the People Act, and despite repeated good-faith attempts to forge a bipartisan voting rights package, refused to even consider Senator Manchin’s compromise proposal. Our founding fathers never envisioned a government so unprincipled, so self-interested, and so unresponsive to the American people it is sworn to serve. If the minority believes that archaic procedure relieves it of its duty to deliberate and legislate, it’s time to modify the filibuster to ensure those who stand in the way of democracy cannot do so by simply raising a hand.”

Phillips Wins Chamber of Commerce Jefferson-Hamilton Bipartisanship Award for Second Straight Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce honored Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) with the Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship for the second year in a row. The Chamber gives Phillips high marks for working across the aisle and leading on legislation to support entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, the non-partisan Lugar Center named Phillips the 12th most bipartisan member in the House of Representatives.

“I’m on a mission to inspire a new era of collaboration in Congress,” Phillips said. “As other political leaders focus on division, my staff and I will always prioritize unifying over common ground for the common good. I thank the Chamber for once again recognizing this important work.”

“These awards recognize members of Congress who demonstrated a commitment to advancing bipartisan solutions that address our nation’s problems and move our economy forward,” said U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark. “In a time of intense polarization and gridlock, Rep. Phillips’s record of working across the aisle is to be commended.”

Phillips Helps Lead Bipartisan Letter to SBA Urging Immediate Relief for Shuttered Venues

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, Small Business Oversight Subcommittee Chair Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Roger Williams (R-TX) led more than 200 of their House colleagues in a letter to SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman urging immediate action to stabilize and improve the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, which provides emergency assistance grants to venues that were unable to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program – which was created in the bipartisan COVID-19 relief package spearheaded by Rep. Phillips and the Problem Solvers Caucus – includes more than $16 billion in grants for stages, museums, theaters, and other venues that were forced to closed due to the pandemic. However, the SBA has approved fewer than 500 grants, including just 3 in Minnesota, despite receiving more than 14,000 applications nationwide. Phillips’s letter requests a detailed explanation of ongoing issues with the program and demands that SBA accelerate the release of relief funding to struggling venues across the country.

“The slow pace is becoming increasingly untenable for the small businesses in our districts,” wrote Rep. Phillips and his colleagues. “Their banks have threatened to call in the full amount of small business loans, they do not have the funds to pay their landlords full rent, and they cannot retain staff. We are hearing from venue operators who are days away from closing their doors if these funds are not sent soon. These small businesses not only provide good jobs and contribute economically to our local communities, they contribute to the spirit and local culture as well. We must act now.”

ICYMI: Reps. Phillips and Houlahan Launch Congressional Stakeholder Capitalism Caucus

WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, June 11^th, Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Chrissy Houlihan (D-PA) joined non-profit and business leaders to discuss the path toward a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous economy and to launch a new Congressional Stakeholder Capitalism Caucus dedicated to that cause. As our nation recovers from the historic COVID-19 crisis, the Stakeholder Capitalism Caucus will convene Members of Congress and sector leaders who are reimagining the role of American corporations to foster inclusion, generate longer-lasting growth, and benefit stakeholders more widely and equitably.

“I was raised in a family that believed business was a means to an end,said Rep. Phillips. “And that end was not how much wealth we could accumulate, but rather how much we could share with those who made it possible. As our nation – and our world – grapples with rising income inequality, climate change, and now the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s time we ask our businesses to step up, take a broader view of their collective responsibilities, and ensure a prosperous future for everybody.

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