Category: Dean Phillips

Phillips, Staff Visit all MN-03 Cities, Convert Conversations into Action

MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) today announced that his office has completed introductory visits to all 36 cities and towns in Minnesota’s Third District. Phillips and senior staff met with mayors, city administrators, and local leaders in every corner of the district, which spans 583 square miles west and north of the Twin Cities and is home to more than 700,000 constituents.

“Representation begins with listening, and we’re converting that guiding principle into action,” said Phillips. “We set an ambitious goal to convene meetings with all 36 cities and towns in the 3rd District in my first six months of service, and I’m proud that we did so ahead of schedule. Local leaders know the issues facing their communities best, and it was an honor to both learn from them and invite their participation in identifying opportunities to work together to generate results for the Minnesotans we serve.”  

“It was so refreshing to be able to meet with a member of Congress who reaches out to local officials as partners who serve the same constituents,” said Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case. “Congressman Dean Phillips is authentic, committed to finding solutions, and willing to work with anyone to get something accomplished for the good of his District and the American people. He’s living out his ‘Everyone is welcome’ mantra.” Continue reading “Phillips, Staff Visit all MN-03 Cities, Convert Conversations into Action”

Family Fishing Day is June 1 in downtown Chaska

Chaska Area Fishing with Friends and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fishing in the Neighborhood program co-host a Family Fishing Day at Firemen’s Park in Chaska on June 1. All events are free of charge.

This year the annual youth clinic has been changed to “Family Fishing Academy” and is designed for youth ages 6 to 12 and their parents.

Children and their parents will learn about fish species and their environment; important water and boat safety practices; and will learn how to tie fishing knots, rig tackle, what bait to use, cast a lure and similar fishing skills.

View the complete article by Mark Olson on the Southwest Media website 

After Opioid Community Conversation, Phillips Takes Action In Congress

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) announced a series of legislative actions that he has taken based on discussions from the opioid community conversation he hosted last month.

Phillips joined the Bipartisan Heroin and Opioids Task Force, a group of Congressional lawmakers focused on writing and supporting bills that address the opioid crisis. He also co-sponsored a series of bipartisan bills that would prevent the spread of opioid addiction and overdose.

“The opioid crisis is not a distant problem,” said Phillips. “It is affecting families right here in our backyard. Our recent community conversation brought together state lawmakers, law enforcement, addiction experts and advocates for a powerful discussion about how we can build a safer, healthier community. We need to invest in prevention, the treatment of addiction, and support for those in recovery. Representation begins with listening, and I’m honored to do my part in Congress based on the stories and concerns I hear at home.”

Phillips has signed on as a cosponsor of the following bills: Continue reading “After Opioid Community Conversation, Phillips Takes Action In Congress”

Rep. Phillips Votes in Favor of Equality Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) voted in favor of H.R. 5, the Equality Act, which passed the House today and ensures LGBTQ Americans are guaranteed the full protections of various civil rights laws.

“Every day in our nation, an American is discriminated against because of their gender identity or sexual orientation,” said Phillips. “In Minnesota, we have already enshrined the protections included in the Equality Act, and it has made our state stronger. It’s in that spirit that I proudly voted today for civil rights protections for every member of the LGBTQ family throughout our country.”

The Equality Act amends existing federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in education, employment, housing, credit, Federal jury service, public accommodations, and the use of Federal funds.

The bill has the support of more than 200 of the nation’s leading businesses, including Minnesota-based Best Buy, Cargill, Ecolab, General Mills, Target and U.S. Bancorp.

Phillips Votes to Lower Prescription Drug Costs, Strengthen the Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) voted in favor of H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, an omnibus bill of health care measures that passed the House today.

“Today we took action to reduce prescription drug and health care costs, while strengthening the ACA,” said Phillips. “We’re making health care more affordable and accessible for Minnesotans and people across the country. This bill is just common sense – it makes government work better and saves everyone money in the process.”

The price of prescription drugs continues to grow rapidly. 24 percent of Americans didn’t fill a prescription in the past year, and 19 percent of Americans said they skipped a dose or cut pills in half, all due to high costs

H.R. 987 packages together a group of bills into an omnibus that would lower the price of prescription drugs and reduce the Federal deficit in the following ways: Continue reading “Phillips Votes to Lower Prescription Drug Costs, Strengthen the Affordable Care Act”

Rep. Phillips Statement on Twin Metals Lease Renewal

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) released the following statement today after the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced it has renewed a 10-year lease for Twin Metals near Ely, Minnesota. The renewal allows Twin Metals, a Chilean-owned mining company, to engage in mineral exploration on national forest land adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).

“The Boundary Waters is a Minnesota treasure, the most-visited wilderness area in the United States, and must be protected,” said Phillips. “I support responsible mining, but since the Trump Administration cancelled the environmental review that would determine the safety of this project, it has not earned that distinction. The risks to the Boundary Waters outweigh the potential benefits. Projects such as these require the highest possible standards of environmental review, and efforts to bypass that process are irresponsible and have enormous potential consequences for our state. We must ensure that future generations can enjoy the beauty of the Boundary Waters.”

Continue reading “Rep. Phillips Statement on Twin Metals Lease Renewal”

Responsible Business Lending Coalition Endorses Bipartisan Resolution on Fundamental Small Business Financing Rights

Bipartisan resolution articulates the six fundamental rights that all small business owners seeking financing deserve

WASHINGTON/PRNewswire — The Responsible Business Lending Coalition, a network of non-profit and for-profit lenders, brokers and small business advocates, applauds the leadership of Representatives Dean Phillips (D-MN), William Timmons (R-SC) and Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) in introducing a bipartisan Resolution in support of the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights.

The Responsible Business Lending Coalition, of which LendingClub is a founding member, developed the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights in 2015 based on a shared commitment to innovation in small business lending aimed at making credit more accessible, as well as serious concerns with the rise of irresponsible lending practices that threaten the survival and vitality of small businesses and the communities that depend on them. The Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights represents a cross-sector consensus on the six fundamental rights that all small business owners seeking financing deserve (including transparent pricing and terms, nonabusive products, responsible underwriting, fair treatment from financing providers, brokers, and lead generators, inclusive credit access, and fair collection practices), along with the specific practices that financing providers, brokers and lead generators must abide by to uphold and protect these rights. Nearly 60 small business lenders and brokers have committed to uphold these rights, and more than 30 advocacy and support organizations have endorsed them.

Small business lending and advocacy organizations with ties to the sponsors’ districts that have joined the Responsible Business Lending Coalition in endorsing the Resolution include Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF), a national non-profit lender and original Signatory of the Small Business Borrowers’ Bill of Rights based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Community Works, a Greenville, South Carolina-based small business lender and Signatory of the Rights, and the New York State CDFI Coalition, an Endorser of the Rights that represents the state’s community development financial institutions.

Dean Phillips votes to pass Climate Action Now Act

Rep. Dean Phillips (DFL-Deephaven) voted May 2 in favor of H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act., which passed the House earlier this week.

The bill aims to ensure the United States honors our commitments detailed in the Paris Agreement and lays the groundwork for further climate action.

“Climate change is real, it’s in our backyard, and our communities and businesses are paying the price,” said Phillips. “In Minnesota, we have rising temperatures, more extreme storms, and more intense flooding due to climate change.

View the complete May 11 article on The Sun-Current website here.

Phillips, Timmons Introduce Bipartisan “Small Business Borrowers’ Bill Of Rights”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, in honor of National Small Business Week, Representatives Dean Phillips (D-MN) and William Timmons (R-SC) introduced a resolution to advocate for small businesses and promote an environment that provides fair, competitive, and transparent access to capital.

The digital economy has created more funding streams for small business owners than ever before. Efforts are being made to provide new and innovative ways for borrowers to access the capital necessary to grow their businesses, but these efforts can make it easier for bad actors to enter the marketplace. The resolution lists the rights of small business owners seeking financing, expresses the House’s support for these principles, and declares that they should be used as a framework for future legislation to protect small business.

The full bill text can be found here. Continue reading “Phillips, Timmons Introduce Bipartisan “Small Business Borrowers’ Bill Of Rights””

Dean Phillips’ case for a carbon fee to tackle climate change

Rep. Dean Phillips, who represents Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, announced last month that he’s sponsoring the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

The bipartisan legislation aims to address climate change through market forces. It would attach a fee to fuels that emit carbon, discouraging their use.

View the complete May 8 article by Paul Huttner on the MPR News website here.