Hi Friends,
It has been a busy week on Capitol Hill as Congress has taken up issues of incredible importance. Before I fill you in, I want to remind you about our community conversation on fiscal responsibility on Monday at Minnetonka High School. I hope you’ll join us, but even if you can’t make it, know that I am working hard for my fellow Minnesotans and I am eager to hear from you about what you feel are the critical issues facing our country. Representation begins with listening, after all.
A STRONG NEW TRADE DEAL
On Tuesday I stood with House leaders to help announce our strong and enforceable USMCA trade deal that will improve the American economy, safeguard workers’ rights, protect the environment, and improve access to affordable prescription drugs. Republicans and Democrats in Congress, the White House, businesses, and labor organizations came together to forge a strong and solvent deal that is good for everyone.
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| Businesses in Minnesota’s Third District export $1 billion in goods and services to trading partners in Canada and Mexico every year. After months of hard work, I had the honor of sharing the good news about our strong USMCA deal with them. |
SOLEMN OVERSIGHT
With a heavy heart on Tuesday, I decided to vote for both articles of impeachment, a decision I made after months of attending hearings and reviewing the evidence with my own eyes. I’m focused on service, not self-preservation, and I wish more members here, on both sides of the aisle, would look at it the same way. Click here to hear more about why I arrived at this decision in my conversation with Dana Bash on CNN.
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| I’m following my conscience and my oath to the Constitution. Click here to watch. |
HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES
On Wednesday, I honored the three Minnesota National Guardsmen who lost their lives in last week’s tragic helicopter crash in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. I am heartbroken for the families of those we have lost. We will never forget, and we will carry their legacies forward in the spirit of service, duty, and sacrifice.
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| Click here to watch my speech in honor of our fallen heroes. May their memories be for a blessing. |
TAX RELIEF FOR MINNESOTANS
On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Committee passed the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act after I shared how the 2017 tax bill’s cap on SALT deductions is hurting Minnesotans. Now, meaningful SALT relief is back on the table. Our bill repeals the SALT cap for two years, eliminates the marriage penalty, restores a higher tax rate for people who earn more than $427,000, doubles the educator expense deduction for our teachers, and still has money left over to use for deficit reduction – click here to read more about it.
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| The 2017 tax law was sold as a sweet deal for the middle class, but Minnesota families got the short end of the stick. Click here to learn more about our SALT solution. |
MINNESOTA TEAMWORK
Speaking of standing up for Minnesota, I teamed up with two of my fellow Minnesotans in Congress this week…
- On Sunday, Rep. Pete Stauber and I sat down with Tom Hauser on KSTP to talk about how we’re inspiring bipartisanship and collaboration in Congress through our work on the Problem Solvers Caucus. Click here to watch and inject a little hope into your day.
- On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a landmark bill that finally allows Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices on behalf of American patients. It is shocking and reprehensible that in the richest country in the world, nearly a quarter of our population can’t afford their life-saving medications. Rep. Angie Craig and I wrote a column in MinnPost about how this important legislation will stop big pharmaceutical companies from price-gauging, click here to read it.
It was another consequential week in Washington and I am so proud to have spent it serving you. Mobile office hours are in Chanhassen this week and you can catch me on WCCO with Esme Murphy on Sunday at 10:30 AM. Whether it’s a call, email, letter or visit – I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Keep the faith and keep in touch,
Dean Phillips
Member of Congress