Tag: CD3

Rep. Dean Phillips (CD3): Choosing Truth, Not Sides

Hi,

My oath to the Constitution, and the resounding feedback I’ve received from Minnesotans like you, was on my mind today as I voted to impeach President Trump for his role in inciting violence against a co-equal branch of our government – a solemn but necessary end to a horrifying week.  

Before I headed to the floor to cast my vote, I connected with members of the Minnesota press about the attack against our democracy, the unifying power of truth and accountability, and the ongoing threats still facing Congress. I invite you to watch our discussion here:

Sedition is divisive, insurrection is divisive, accountability is unifying

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Upholding His Constitutional Oath and the Will of American Voters, Phillips Will Vote to Affirm Electoral College Results

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) will uphold his oath to the Constitution and the will of American voters by affirming the Electoral College results of the 2020 presidential election.  

“What has been a routine procedure for the better part of our nation’s history is suddenly being politicized in ways that set a very dangerous precedent,” said Phillips. “The role of Congress is to count the electoral votes as submitted by the states, and that’s exactly what I and most of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, intend to do. For we recognize that this is not about a preserving a president, rather preserving the presidency and the very system of government that has made the United States of America the oldest continuous democracy in the world.”

As Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), and other principled Republicans in Congress have affirmed this week, our founders were very intentional about entrusting the administration of federal elections to the states, the election of the president through the Electoral College, and the adjudication of election disputes to the courts.

Phillips, Problem Solvers Lead Break-Through Compromise to Deliver Needed Aid to American Families and Small Businesses


Rep. Phillips calls for more aid for firefighters, police, first responders and state and local governments ahead of a long winter

WASHINGTON, DC. – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) praised the passage of a bipartisan emergency relief package to help American families and small businesses struggling during the most devastating public health emergency in modern American history. 

Last week, Phillips and Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC) members from the House of Representatives joined a bipartisan group of Senators – including Mitt Romney (R-UT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) – to release a framework for the compromise passed today. This is the culmination of months of work, led by the PSC Co-Chairs, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Tom Reed (R-NY), along with Reps. Dean Phillips and Dusty Johnson (R-SD), who released a “March to Common Ground” framework in September and have pushed leaders from both parties to cast partisan politics aside and come together for the American people.

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D.C. Memo: Dean of the Problem Solvers

This week: House Republicans back a last-ditch election lawsuit; Omar softens her tone while Phillips toughens his.

Welcome to this week’s edition of the D.C. Memo. This week: House Republicans back a last-ditch election lawsuit; Omar softens her tone while Phillips toughens his. But first, a brief plea: MinnPost is a nonprofit news organization that relies on support from our readers for a big portion of our budget. If you value the D.C. Memo, or even if it’s just a hate-read for you, please consider becoming a member now.Alright, here we go!

Mitch, please

Senate Majority Mitch McConnell, about to become the most powerful Republican in Washington, acknowledged Joseph R. Biden’s win in the presidential election — more than a month after votes were cast. McConnell congratulated Biden Tuesday, a day after Electoral College voters cast their votes affirming the election results.

Late last week, before the Electoral College had certified the vote, Minnesota’s GOP delegation in the House of Representatives got behind a quixotic Texas lawsuit intended to upend the election. Reps. Jim Hagedorn and Peter Stauber joined Tom Emmer in backing an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit, which sought to invalidate 62 of Biden’s Electoral College votes in four swing states. In a prepared statement, Hagedorn, who represents the rural First District, said, “Election laws across several states were amended or suspended in the closing months of the 2020 election by acts of state officials and courts, not state legislatures.” He said the U.S. Supreme Court should consider the case “to ensure that all U.S. citizens are treated fairly and the election was conducted in accordance with state laws.” Alas, the measure, which was signed by a total of 126 House Republicans, was thrown out by the Supreme Court.

Bipartisan group strikes deal on coronavirus relief package

Liability, state and local aid to be split off, giving leadership some options

The group of Senate and House lawmakers negotiating a $908 billion COVID-19 relief package has reached agreement on business liability waivers and state and local government aid provisions, but those will be broken into a separate bill, according to a source familiar with the plan.

The larger $748 billion piece, which includes unemployment insurance, small-business relief, money for education, vaccine distribution and more, plus the separate bill with $160 billion for state and local governments and the liability protections, will be introduced Monday.

The bifurcated approach gives congressional leaders options as they try to assemble a massive year-end legislative package including a $1.4 trillion collection of a dozen fiscal 2021 appropriations bills. Other items still in play include legislation aimed at cracking down on surprise medical bills modeled on a bipartisan agreement reached Friday, and renewal of expiring tax breaks and health care programs. Continue reading.

Actually, all Minnesota GOPers in Congress signed brief to overturn election result

A clerical error left Reps. Jim Hagedorn and Pete Stauber off the list.

Rep. Tom Emmer wasn’t the only congressional Republican from Minnesota to sign an amicus brief to overturn the election result in favor of President Donald Trump.

Despite Joe Biden beating Trump in the Nov. 3 election, parts of the Republican Party and the Trump campaign have made numerous attempts to overturn the result through the courts, with the potential impact of disenfranchising millions of voters.

The latest attempt has seen the Texas Attorney General file a brief claiming the changes to mail-in and absentee voting in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Michigan were unconstitutional as the changes weren’t made by state legislatures. Continue reading.

Phillips Measure to Support Gold Star Families Included in Defense Bill, Headed to President’s Desk

Eight Phillips Defense Bill amendments pass through Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2021, including the bipartisan “Cheryl Lankford Memorial to Improve Assistance for Gold Star Spouses and Other Dependents” amendment by Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03). The amendment will help keep bereaved military families from slipping through the cracks and ensure Gold Star dependent children can easily access the benefits they are owed.

“As a Gold Star Son, my gratitude to our servicemembers and their families is immeasurable,” said Phillips. “Gold Star Families have made unimaginable sacrifices, and we must do everything we can to deliver all benefits they are owed. Gold Star Families deserve our respect and support, and I am glad this amendment will soon be signed into law.”

Phillips voted for final passage of  NDAA in the House on December 8, 2020, which included eight of his amendments aimed at modernizing our national security, stabilizing international relationships, and preparing for the next global crisis, and supporting our veterans and their families: 

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Phillips, Problem Solvers Caucus Push Bicameral, Bipartisan Emergency COVID-19 Relief Package

With endorsements from President-Elect Biden and others, momentum is building for passage

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Thursday, December 3, 2020, Dean Phillips (D-MN) and other members of the Problem Solvers Caucus stood together to fight for their common-sense bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 emergency relief package. It is being supported by a rapidly growing group of Senators on both sides of the aisle, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and others to help American families, small businesses, workers, and health care providers during this crisis.

Leaders in both parties have stated support for the Problem Solvers Caucus’ framework as the basis for immediate bipartisan, bicameral legislation. On Wednesday night, President-Elect Joe Biden announced his support for the plan, calling it a needed “down payment” ahead of more proposed aid under his administration next year.

  • A breakdown of the COVID-19 emergency relief framework can be found here.

“Vision without action is just a daydream, and we have had enough daydreaming in Congress. We need to show Americans and our allies across the world that the great experiment of America still works. The clock is ticking, but we can and must pass the Emergency COVID Relief Framework. Failure is not an option when Americans are suffering,” said Rep. Dean Phillips.

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Rep. Dean Phillips, Problem Solvers Caucus Announce Bipartisan, Bicameral COVID package

Rep. Phillips joined Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), Senate leaders to announce a $908 billion emergency relief package

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, House Problem Solvers Caucus members Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) joined a bipartisan group of Senators in announcing a four-month, bicameral COVID-19 emergency relief framework that will help American students, families, small businesses, workers, and health care providers during this crisis. The Problem Solvers Caucus, 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans, helped develop the bicameral package. 

A breakdown of the COVID-19 emergency relief framework can be found here.

This effort is the culmination of months of leadership from Phillips and the Problem Solvers Caucus, as members have worked to break through partisan gridlock on a COVID relief plan since they unveiled their “March to Common Ground” bipartisan framework in September. 

Reps. Dean Phillips (D-MN), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Fred Upton (R-MI), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH)  joined Problem Solvers Co-Chairs Tom Reed (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) as well as Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (R-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Angus King (I-ME), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to announce the COVID-19 emergency relief framework that will help American students, families, businesses, workers, and health care providers during this crisis. The Problem Solvers Caucus, made up of 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans, helped draft and endorsed the package.

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