New Plan for Vaccines and Restaurants


Hi Neighbors,

From meeting with constituents to advocating for Minnesota small businesses to supporting accelerated COVID-19 vaccine distribution, it’s another busy week in Washington. Here’s what I’ve been up to: 

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I had a great meeting with Climate Generation about the importance 
of combatting climate change in the 117th Congress

Saving Our Restaurants

Minnesota chefs got some love during the Super Bowl, but the COVID-19 pandemic is putting the survival of America’s 500,000 independent restaurants and their 11 million employees in jeopardy. As a new member of the House Small Business Committee, I helped lead my colleagues in calling for immediate support for restaurants, which are uniquely impacted by the pandemic. Restaurants are the heart of our communities, and a targeted grant program should be a top priority in our relief negotiations.

Continue reading “New Plan for Vaccines and Restaurants”

Most States Are Unprepared To Distribute Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine

As the first coronavirus vaccine takes a major stride toward approval, state governments’ distribution plans show many are not ready to deliver the shots.

The challenge is especially steep in rural areas, many of which are contending with a surge of infections, meaning that access to the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines may be limited by geography.

Pfizer announced Monday that its vaccine demonstrated more than 90 percent effectiveness and no serious bad reactions in early trial results — an impressive outcome that will pave the way for the company to seek an emergency authorization once it collects more safety data for another week or two. But establishing that the vaccine is safe and effective is just the first step. Continue reading.