Tag: Rep. Phillips

My Week Representing You

Hi Friend,

Greetings from Washington! I’m checking in after another full week of conversations, hearings and votes. Read on to learn more about how I represented you this week:

PROTECTING OUR KIDS FROM THE TRAUMA OF GUN VIOLENCE

For the second week in a row, I joined my colleagues on the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force for a hearing on our nation’s gun violence epidemic. This time, I had the opportunity to ask a panel of experts about the emotional and psychological toll active shooter drills, lockdowns, and the fear of gun violence have on our students and educators. Their answers were profoundly heartbreaking. We cannot let gun violence in America become normalized, and we cannot not let the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate obstruct the will of the people. That’s why I’m doing everything I can to get common sense gun violence prevention bills passed into law.

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Click here to watch our hearing on the emotional and psychological toll gun violence is taking on our children.

Continue reading “My Week Representing You”

Rep. Phillips Statement on Mitch McConnell Backing $250 Million in Election Security Funding

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) released the following statement on Mitch McConnell’s decision to support providing states with $250 million in election security funding:

“There is an urgent need to restore public trust in our government, and that means elected officials must act in the public interest. Senator McConnell’s change of heart is welcome news, but far more needs to be done to secure our elections from foreign interference. The House passed the SAFE Act in June that would provide the level of robust funding our states actually need to secure their election systems. We need verifiable paper ballots all over the country that can be efficiently monitored. And we need to comprehensively address other avenues for election interference – with bills like Senator Klobuchar’s bipartisan HONEST Ads Act. Senator McConnell can and should support all of these efforts.

This is a beginning. I invite Senator McConnell to engage with members of both political parties and continue the work of protecting our democracy. The American people are counting on us to put politics aside and do the right thing.”

300 Mass Shootings

This year alone, there have been 300 mass shootings in the United States — killing or injuring over 1,500 innocent people.

Today in America, our children are being instructed how to duck and cover if an active shooter enters their classroom. Teachers and staff are in constant fear that their school could be targeted next. Churches, synagogues, and mosques are on high alert, and Americans doing their shopping or attending events are increasingly concerned that they or their loved ones may fall victim to gun violence at the hands of a shooter.

It is difficult to write these words and acknowledge these truths — and yet, this is our reality.

View the complete commentary by Rep. Dean Phillips on the Medium website here.

At Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Hearing, Rep. Phillips Questions Experts on Psychological Toll of Gun Violence on Students

Phillips: “I cannot believe we live in a country in which parents have to consider buying their children bulletproof backpacks to go to school.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) participated in the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force’s hearing on the impact of gun violence on children. Phillips questioned the panel of experts on the emotional and psychological toll active shooter drills, lockdowns, and the fear of gun violence have on students and educators.

You can view video of Rep. Phillips’s question and the responses here

Leslie Boggs, President of the National Parent Teacher Association, is a resident of Odessa, Texas where there was recently a mass shooting spree that killed 7 and injured 22 victims. She shared that her goddaughter is now too afraid to walk the two blocks from her school to her grandmother’s house:

“You not only see students that are now afraid, and question everything that happens within and around their schools, but you also see parents who are no longer able to walk up to a school to retrieve their children. They’re keeping them in auditoriums, and then call them out to the cars, because they are fearful of what might happen in their community… I see schools that have become more of a fortress and a prison than a welcoming environment to thrive and learn. And this is happening across the country, not just in my hometown.” Continue reading “At Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Hearing, Rep. Phillips Questions Experts on Psychological Toll of Gun Violence on Students”

Reps. Phillips, Steil Place Congressional Wager On Sunday’s Vikings-Packers Game

WASHINGTON, DC – Fresh off a 28-12 drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons, the Minnesota Vikings will travel Sunday to the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field for their 118th meeting with the typically overrated Green Bay Packers.

Watch a video of the wager here

In advance of the matchup, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) came together to place a Congressional wager on the outcome of the game.

Phillips kindly offered a 25-pound Pearson’s salted nut roll and some beer from Excelsior Brewing Company and Minnetonka’s Unmapped Brewing. He rests assured, however, that another monster performance from Dalvin Cook and the Vikings running game will keep these Minnesota products in Minnesota hands. Continue reading “Reps. Phillips, Steil Place Congressional Wager On Sunday’s Vikings-Packers Game”

Reps. Phillips, Khanna Introduce “No PAC Act” To Get Big Money Out Of Politics

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced the No PAC Act. The bill would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit members of Congress and those running for a U.S. House or Senate seat from accepting contributions from a political action committee, other than that of the given candidate. It would also prohibit the establishment of leadership PACs.

“There is a constant tug of war in Washington between the will of the people and the demands of special interests,” said Rep. Phillips. “Minnesotans tell me all the time that Congress needs to get to work restoring their trust in our government – and ending the corrupting influence of PACs would be a huge step in that direction. Trust is earned, and as long as special interests can continue to buy influence with PAC money we’re going to continue losing the faith of the people – to the detriment of our nation and our world.” Continue reading “Reps. Phillips, Khanna Introduce “No PAC Act” To Get Big Money Out Of Politics”

LETTER: Rep. Dean Phillips fights to protect Planned Parenthood

To the Editor:

The recent decision by President Donald Trump to cut funding for Planned Parenthood from Title X is an atrocity. Cutting funding from Planned Parenthood is specifically an attack on low-income America. Because of the affordability of Planned Parenthood, it is able provides safe health care to millions, who now because of the funding cuts could very well lose. This includes procedures that range from, not only abortion, but to cancer screening and other life saving much-needed procedures.

This is why I am beyond grateful to have a representative I know will fight against this attack on low-income women of America. U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips is the representative for Congressional District Three where there are two Title X funded Planned Parenthood clinics. Phillips has made it clear that “Hardened ideological politics have no place in an exam room.” We need to keep electing politicians that will support human rights, not selfish ideologies, so we can stop this attack on Planned Parenthood and prevent future attacks.

Madeline Pukite, Minnetonka
Sun-Sailor, September 11, 2019

Rep. Phillips Launches Congressional App Challenge

MINNETONKA, MINNESOTA – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) kicked off the Congressional App Challenge in Minnesota’s Third Congressional District as students across Minnesota headed back to school last week. The Congressional App Challenge was launched by the House of Representatives in 2015 to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. All middle and high school students living or attending school in Minnesota’s Third District are invited to participate individually or in teams of up to four. 

Students are invited to create an app about any topic, for any platform and in any programming language. Submissions will be judged by a panel of experts on the following criteria: quality of the idea, including creativity and originality; implementation of the idea, including user experience and design; and demonstrated excellence of coding and programming skills. The winner from Minnesota’s Third District will be featured on the Congressional App Challenge website, be displayed in the U.S. Capitol, receive $250 in Amazon Web Services credits, and be invited to #HouseOfCode, a national computer science event held in Washington DC. Continue reading “Rep. Phillips Launches Congressional App Challenge”

Freshman Democrats to chairs: Follow PAYGO, get CBO scores before markups

Letter led by Rep. Sharice Davids asks House committee chairs to ensure legislation does not add to deficit

Ten moderate Democratic freshmen are sending a letter Wednesday to House committee chairs asking that their panels better adhere to the chamber’s rule for offsetting legislation that would add to the deficit.

Back in the majority for the first time in eight years, Democrats kicked off the 116th Congress by reinstating a pay-as-you-go, or PAYGO, provision in House rules. Under the provision, legislation that would increase the deficit must be offset by spending cuts or revenue increases.

(When Republicans took the majority from Democrats in 2011, they replaced PAYGO with cut-as-you-go, or CUTGO, which required deficit-increasing legislation be offset with only spending cuts, preventing the use of revenue increases as pay-fors.)

View the complete September 4 article by Lindsey McPherson on The Roll Call website here.

Rep. Dean Phillips Update: August 30, 2019

Dear Friend,

I want to make sure you know what I’ve been up to after another week in Minnesota. We’re enjoying the best time of year — the weather is beautiful, the Twins are in first place, and the State Fair continues to brighten our days and bring our community together. Here’s a snapshot of my week:

CELEBRATING MINNESOTA AT THE STATE FAIR

We are fortunate to live in the most extraordinary state in the nation, and there’s nothing I enjoy more than seeing so many friends and neighbors at our State Fair. I’ve spent many days here having conversations with Minnesotans, listening to your thoughts and concerns, and sharing good times and great food. I’ve had enough corn on the cob and turkey sandwiches to last me a lifetime — and I’m hearing from you about the need for Congress to move past partisan bickering and take meaningful action on so many issues. I’m dedicating my time in Congress to restoring your trust in our government, and that means we need reform. We need to stop the tug-of-war between the will of voters and the demands of big special interests, and we need to create ways for members of both parties to work together again. I’m inspired by my time with all of you and look forward to hitting the ground running on bipartisan solutions when Congress returns to session in September. Continue reading “Rep. Dean Phillips Update: August 30, 2019”