Hi Friend,
I’m checking in before the weekend to share a few updates from my week…
IN WASHINGTON
Tuesday marked the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United ruling, which said that corporations are people and money is speech. Since then, we’ve all watched as the corrupting influence of big money in politics disenfranchises and frustrates millions of Americans. This week, I wrote an op-ed about my work on H.R. 1, and I’m continuing to make campaign finance reform a mission in my service. Together we can and must fix this, and I’m taking a little inspiration from Martin Luther King, Jr. – “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
| Click here to watch my message on the 10th anniversary of Citizens United. |
IN MINNESOTA
I’ve been home for the past few days doing what I love most – hearing from neighbors throughout Minnesota’s Third District. I had the opportunity to meet with our extraordinary mayors and visit several local businesses and learn about the innovations happening in rail, logistics, and HVAC right here in our community.
| I got to drive a UPS route with Kevin from Maple Grove and learn how 20,000,000 packages are delivered every day in America. |
I also connected with Minnesota business and elected leaders about our role on the global stage. From climate change to pandemics, we’re facing significant global threats that don’t stay overseas. That’s why we need to invest in American diplomacy and international development. Individuals who represent our country stand as our nation’s first line of defense — helping to build alliances, address humanitarian crises, and prevent conflicts before they reach our shores. In an era when diplomatic and development personnel are attacked and degraded, I am committed as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to rebuilding and reestablishing support for American statecraft at home and abroad. Madeleine Albright once said, “What people have the capacity to choose, they have the ability to change.”
| If you missed my conversation with USGLC about American diplomacy, it’s available to watch here. |
And we just wrapped up our community conversation on affordable housing in Maple Grove. If you weren’t able to make it this afternoon, the entire event streamed online here. I’ll be bringing the information shared by our expert panel (and many of you) back to Washington next week.
| Click here to watch our community conversation on affordable housing. |
Keep the faith and keep in touch, and don’t forget to check out mobile office hours in Bloomington this week if there’s any way my team can be of assistance with federal agency or benefit.
Sincerely,
Dean Phillips
Member of Congress