Tag: 3rd Congressional District

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips: Congress is working to protect against election meddling

But those bills are sitting on Sen. Mitch McConnell’s desk collecting dust.

Recently, I sat in a crowded committee room on Capitol Hill and asked the witness before me a simple question: “Congress has released a trove of political ads on Facebook bought by agents acting on behalf of foreign governments. Some of those ads were even paid for in Russian rubles, is that correct?”

The answer from Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, was, “Congressman, that is correct.”

While we deal in nuance frequently in public policy, on this there is no doubt: Our adversaries have found a way to interfere in our elections by discouraging, dividing, and disinforming the American electorate. A unanimous report from our nation’s intelligence community, the findings of Independent Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a bipartisan Senate Intelligence panel, and now the testimony of the CEO of one of the world’s most influential communication platforms have made that abundantly clear.

View the complete November 4 commentary by Rep. Phillips on The Star Tribune website here.

Phillips Statement On House Impeachment Procedure Vote

WASHINGTON, DC [10/31/2019] – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) released the following statement today after the House passed H. Res. 660 to establish procedures for the ongoing impeachment inquiry:

“Today, I voted to codify procedures for Congress’s constitutionally-mandated oversight of this Administration. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have joined my Democratic and Republican colleagues at secure depositions as we seek facts. Together, we’ve had the opportunity to ask questions and hear compelling testimony from many credible witnesses. Each deposition has been fair, with equal time afforded to Democrats and Republicans, principled, and driven by the pursuit of fact. As we enter the public phase of the inquiry, Americans will have a chance to join the conversation – to bear witness, review evidence, and weigh in on the principles and conduct of elected leaders who will illuminate our country’s future.”

 

Phillips To Convene Community Conversation On Environmental Innovation Saturday

Saturday, October 26th at Hopkins High School. Phillips will facilitate a solutions-focused discussion with a panel of experts before taking questions from the audience. The conversation will be centered on climate and environment innovations happening in Minnesota in the face of Congressional inaction. All are invited to attend and share their perspectives and ideas.

In Congress, Phillips has championed the Climate Action Now Act and the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act and sits on the New Democrat’s Climate Change Task Force. 

WHAT:
Community Conversation on Environmental Innovation Continue reading “Phillips To Convene Community Conversation On Environmental Innovation Saturday”

Phillips Questions Zuckerberg As House Considers Election Security Package

WASHNGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) questioned Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about online foreign interference in U.S. Elections during a hearing in the House Financial Services Committee. The hearing comes as the House passed the SHIELD Act (Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for A Lasting Democracy Act), a comprehensive election security package. The SHIELD Act includes Rep. Dean Phillips’s (MN-03) Firewall Act, aimed at preventing foreign interference in U.S. elections by prohibiting foreign nationals from paying for online advertisements created to attack or support federal candidates.

During his questioning, Phillips raised concerns about the ability of foreign entities to purchase political ads on the social media platform. Phillips told Zuckerberg to expect Congressional scrutiny should Facebook allow entities to purchase ads with Facebook’s proposed anonymous crypto-currency, Libra.

SHIELD Act Election Security Package Passes House, Includes Phillips Firewall Act

WASHNGTON, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed the SHIELD Act (Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for A Lasting Democracy Act). The comprehensive election security package includes Rep. Dean Phillips’s (MN-03) Firewall Act, which prevents foreign interference in U.S. elections by prohibiting foreign nationals from paying for online advertisements created to attack or support federal candidates.

“There is no question that foreign adversaries interfered in our previous elections – and they’re planning to do it again,” said Phillips.“These threats are urgent, they are real, and they are entirely preventable. It’s time for members of Congress to put politics aside and stand together to protect the sanctity of our elections from those who seek to divide, discourage, and disinform the American electorate.”

In addition to Phillips’s Firewall Act, the SHIELD Act:

  • Includes an enormously popular provision that would require political campaigns, parties, and PACs to report offers of unlawful campaign assistance by a foreign government to the FBI and FEC.
  • Improves transparency of online political advertisements by establishing disclosure rules that guard against foreign interference.
  • Prohibits foreign nationals from participating in decision-making about contributions or expenditures by corporations, PACS, Super PACs, and other entities.
  • Restricts exchange of campaign information between candidates and foreign governments and their agents.
  • Prohibits spreading false information about voting rules.

Phillips spoke at a press conference announcing the SHIELD Act this morning. A video of the press conference is available here.

Rep. Phillips spoke on the House Floor today to urge his colleagues to support the SHIELD Act and Firewall Act.

Click here to watch Phillips’s remarks.

Below are Phillips’s remarks as prepared:

Madam Speaker –

People in small towns and cities in my home state of Minnesota and in neighborhoods all across the nation are being targeted for manipulation.

Foreign governments have found a weakness in our national security. They are using social media platforms to influence Americans with the hope they’ll vote in favor of foreign interests – not American interests.

Democrats and Republicans need to come together – now – today – to do something about it. It is what our founders: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and others would have demanded!

I am proud to support the SHIELD Act – important legislation that includes my bill, the Firewall Act, to prevent foreign nationals from paying for online political advertisements.

I urge my colleagues to support this historic and necessary package – and help us build a wall, a digital wall, to protect Americans from foreign interference in our elections.

Rep. Dean Phillips Update; October 18, 2019

Hi Friends,

I’m checking in before the weekend with a quick update from from Washington.

PRINCIPLED PROCESS

This week there were a number of impeachment inquiry depositions conducted by the Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight Committees. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I have been able to take part in the proceedings. I am a steadfast believer in transparency, accountability and fairness, and I am grateful to report that this process is being done the right way. Democrats and Republicans are participating, and both parties are given equal time to ask questions and engage witnesses. We are taking care to ensure this inquiry will be guided by the facts and the facts alone. I’ll be talking more about oversight on Fox News this Sunday, so tune in to ‘America’s News HQ’ at 12:00 CST!

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Last Sunday, I joined Esme Murphy on WCCO to talk about the principled work we’re doing in Congress. Click here to watch the full interview. 

Continue reading “Rep. Dean Phillips Update; October 18, 2019”

Farmers Seize Innovation Opportunities

Prices for most ag products are linked to world markets, but Minnesota farmers say it’s possible to take advantage of market niches.

Long before businessman Dean Phillips became a congressman, he was sitting in Carolyn Olson’s farm home near Cottonwood, Minnesota, in 2008.

Olson, co-owner of Olson Organics and a self-described outgoing person, was talking with Phillips about her farming operation that’s located 140 miles southwest of Minneapolis.

“Like a good Lutheran, I made a Bundt cake,” Olson recalled Monday during a panel discussion at a Food Ag Ideas Week event in St. Paul. Over cake and conversation, she and Phillips made a connection. It led to Olson selling some of her grain that’s used in vodka production for Phillips Distilling Co.

View the complete October 14 article by Liz Fedor on The Twin Cities Business website here.

Local newspapers wait anxiously for pension funding relief

Crucial retirement savings package appears stuck in the Senate

Local newspapers serving communities from Tampa, Florida, to Walla Walla, Washington, say they’re under the gun from a pension funding “cliff” they face next year that will make them have to rapidly catch up on required contributions, exacerbating their well-documented financial decline.

When relief for some 20 publishers passed the House in May on a 417-3 vote as part of sweeping retirement savings legislation, it seemed like a slam dunk that lawmakers would ride to the rescue in time.

But they haven’t, and advocates say the clock is running out.

View the complete October 7 article by Doug Sword on The Roll Call website here.