Problem Solvers Caucus , CD3 DFL

Phillips Helps Lead Bipartisan Letter to SBA Urging Immediate Relief for Shuttered Venues

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, Small Business Oversight Subcommittee Chair Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Reps. Angie Craig (D-MN), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Roger Williams (R-TX) led more than 200 of their House colleagues in a letter to SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman urging immediate action to stabilize and improve the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, which provides emergency assistance grants to venues that were unable to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program – which was created in the bipartisan COVID-19 relief package spearheaded by Rep. Phillips and the Problem Solvers Caucus – includes more than $16 billion in grants for stages, museums, theaters, and other venues that were forced to closed due to the pandemic. However, the SBA has approved fewer than 500 grants, including just 3 in Minnesota, despite receiving more than 14,000 applications nationwide. Phillips’s letter requests a detailed explanation of ongoing issues with the program and demands that SBA accelerate the release of relief funding to struggling venues across the country.

“The slow pace is becoming increasingly untenable for the small businesses in our districts,” wrote Rep. Phillips and his colleagues. “Their banks have threatened to call in the full amount of small business loans, they do not have the funds to pay their landlords full rent, and they cannot retain staff. We are hearing from venue operators who are days away from closing their doors if these funds are not sent soon. These small businesses not only provide good jobs and contribute economically to our local communities, they contribute to the spirit and local culture as well. We must act now.”

Phillips Decries Moocher States, Calls for More Investment in Minnesota

Minnesota is one of just eight states to contribute more each year to Washington than it receives in federal aid.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) engaged in a whole-of-government strategy to call out systemic underinvestment and tax fairness in Minnesota, from advocacy at the White House to the House Transportation & Infrastructure. On balance, Minnesotans currently pays out more than $1.8 billion each year to federal coffers without seeing that money invested locally. Meanwhile states like Kentucky receive $63 billion morefrom D.C. than they share in federal taxes.

In light of this imbalance, Phillips announced his co-sponsorship of the Payer State Transparency Act, a bipartisan bill that would require yearly reports on the disparities in federal spending and taxation across American states. These disparities—which often manifest as higher taxes, higher government debt, and underdevelopment—have only grown more pronounced since the cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction was implemented in 2017.

Phillips, Problem Solvers Caucus Deliver Bipartisan Priorities to President Biden

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Vice Chair Dean Phillips (MN-03) and his colleagues on the Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC) sent a letter to President Joe Biden outlining an agenda for bipartisan, bicameral legislation in the 117^th Congress.

“You wouldn’t know it from cable news,” said Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03), Problem Solvers Caucus Vice-Chair, “but more often than not Democrats, Republicans, and Independents agree on the core issues that affect our country. We agree that our infrastructure should be the best in the world, that health care costs are out of control, and that a healthy economy means prosperous businesses and rising wages. The Problem Solvers Caucus thrives because it recognizes that bipartisanship doesn’t come from Congress—it comes from the American people. With President Biden’s help, we can fulfill that mandate, find common ground, and inspire a new era of collaboration in Washington.”

Now with 56 members, evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, the Problem Solvers Caucus remains committed to finding bipartisan solutions to the major issues we face today. The PSC’s priority agenda for the 117^th Congress – listed here in full – is succinctly summarized below.

Phillips, Problem Solvers Caucus Endorse Immediate Vote on BipartisanI $160 Billion Vaccine Distribution Package

On separating vaccine distribution from broader relief package, Phillips says: “The COVID-19 virus won’t wait for us to compromise”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Vice Chair Dean Phillips (MN-03) helped lead 58 bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus members in calling for an immediate vote on the $160 billion “Defeating COVID-19” vaccine distribution package, as broader bipartisan relief talks and reconciliation process continue.

As emerging, more contagious variants are found in Minnesota and across the nation, the “Defeating COVID-19” vaccine distribution package would allocate new federal investment funds for the national distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine and support expanded testing programs, PPE purchases, and other urgently needed initiatives to beat this deadly virus. With more than 75% of members voting in favor, the Problem Solvers Caucus officially endorsed the “Defeating COVID-19” vaccine distribution package today. Phillips supported the move after hearing from Minnesotans, health care providers and county and state officials about the urgent need.

“We are living through one of the worst public health emergencies and economic downturns in American history,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Vice Chair Dean Phillips. “Last year, the Problem Solvers Caucus proved to the nation that thoughtful Democrats and Republicans can come together to deliver bipartisan solutions. We can and will continue that work, but the COVID-19 virus won’t wait for us to compromise. A well-funded, better coordinated federal vaccine distribution program will save lives and livelihoods if we act now. This is a crisis, and we must urgently meet the moment as the more complete package moves through Congress and to the President’s desk.”

After Inspiring Bipartisan Breakthrough on COVID Relief, Phillips Casts Leadership Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) maintained his previously-announcedsupport for Speaker Pelosi after a bipartisan COVID-19 relief package was signed into law this week. Phillips released this statement following the leadership vote:

“In a conversation with Speaker Pelosi in November, I reiterated that my support for her leadership bid would not be contingent on a plum committee assignment or personal priorities, but rather on the passage of emergency relief for American families, workers, and small businesses,” said Phillips. “After making it my personal mission for more than four months, I am proud to have helped inspire bipartisan breakthrough and relieved that we delivered meaningful aid to Americans in need over the holidays. The work is far from over, and I will partner with Democrats, Republicans, and independents in Congress to ensure we meet future moments. As I begin my second term, our nation is in serious need of repair and we must begin the healing in our neighborhoods and in the halls of Congress.”

ICYMI: All Things Considered, National Public Radio, December 17, 2020

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.

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.

For Rep. Dean Phillips, COVID-19 relief talks in Washington have been a balancing act

The freshman Democrat has said he’ll withhold his support for Pelosi without a relief package deal.

Minnesota Democratic congressman Dean Phillips has thrust himself into the ongoing negotiations in Washington over a federal COVID-19 stimulus package, working with a group of lawmakers in both chambers to craft their own plan in the absence of a final deal from leaders.

Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of 50 lawmakers, say they’ve kept momentum going for a deal by proposing alternatives, including a $908 billion package they split into two parts this week to make passage easier in a divided Congress.

But Phillips’ work as part of the group has put the freshman from Minnesota’s suburban Third District in an awkward position. At times he’s had to defend his conservative colleagues in the caucus on national TV, while privately putting the pressure on his own Democratic leadership in the House to strike a deal. Continue reading.

Bipartisan group unveils two-part $908 billion coronavirus package

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday unveiled its $908 billion coronavirus relief package as Congress faces a time crunch to pass more aid.

The proposal is split into two parts: One $748 billion piece includes another round of Paycheck Protection Program assistance for small businesses, an unemployment benefit, and more money for schools, vaccine distribution and other widely agreed-upon items.

The second $160 billion piece ties together the two most controversial elements of the coronavirus negotiations: more money for state and local governments and protections for businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits. Continue reading.

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.

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Mitch, please

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