On Wednesday this week, Governor Tim Walz gave his first State of the State address. He emphasized that even though Minnesota is currently the only state with a divided legislature, we have the opportunity to be a exemplar of nonpartisan cooperation: “I’ll tell you right now the story that not just Minnesota needs but the country needs is a bipartisan and a split government that came together for the good of the people and moved things forward.”
I echo Governor Walz’s comments that we need to reach across the aisle and be a model for bipartisanship. I thought the perfect opportunity to put this into action would be the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.
Unfortunately, yesterday the Senate Veterans Committee missed a golden opportunity to accept DFL amendments that would have fully funded the Minnesota National Guard and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs budget requests. In response to this inaction, I sent out the following press release
Minnesota State Senate
Press Statement
Senator Jerry Newton
2411 Minnesota Senate Building
St. Paul, MN 55155
Sen.Jerry.Newton@senate.mn | (651) 296-2556
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Date: April 4, 2019
Contact: Skyler Vilt | (651) 296-1939
St. Paul, Minnesota – Senator Jerry Newton (DFL-Coon Rapids), DFL lead on the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, released the following statement after a $0 target budget passed out of committee on Thursday on party lines.
“I am beyond disappointed in the budget Senate Republicans passed out of committee earlier today. The bill does not adequately support the state’s veterans and active military. It failed in funding the requests from the Department of Military Affairs and Department of Veterans Affairs, and effectively cuts essential programs of the National Guard by $2 million. It is not only disheartening to see Senate Republicans show so little support for those who have served our state and country, it is irresponsible to underfund the department at a time when our National Guard members are deployed, returning from deployment, or preparing for deployment.”
Jon Jensen, Adjutant General of the National Guard stated in a letter that, “I did not expect a budget cut to our agency in a year with a projected budget surplus of nearly $1 billion. Our agency prides itself in our stewardship of state and federal resources. Our requests are fact-based, and not extravagant by any means. Our Minnesota service members are committed to operations around the world at an increasing rate, with over 650 Minnesota soldiers and airmen currently deployed, over 200 recently returned, and over 1,500 more preparing for deployment next year.”
I will continue to work with the Chair of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee to come to some sort of compromise that is in the best interest of all our men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.
If you have any questions or wish to unsubscribe from this Newsletter please feel free to contact my office at 651-296-2556 or by email at sen.jerry.newton@senate.mn.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
Jerry Newton
State Senator
District 37