Tag: Rep. Phillips

Rep. Phillips Votes for Bipartisan Universal Background Checks Bill

Phillips makes good on promise to support meaningful gun violence prevention measures in historic House vote

WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) today voted for the successful passage of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act Of 2019.

“Thoughts and tweets don’t save lives, action saves lives,” Phillips said. “I made a commitment to take real action for gun violence prevention and I was pleased to follow through on that today with my colleagues in the House. Universal background checks are supported by an overwhelming number of Americans and gun owners. This bill is long overdue and a good first step for gun violence prevention. I will continue working with my colleagues to keep our families safe.”

Under the current system, gun buyers are not given a background check if they buy from an unlicensed gun seller. This loophole allows millions of guns to change hands every year without a background check. A study found that up to 80 percent of firearms used for criminal purposes are obtained without a background check.

The Bipartisan Background Checks Act closes this loophole by requiring all gun sellers – including private vendors, online sellers, and sellers at gun shows – to conduct background checks on potential buyers. The measure is supported by overwhelming majorities of Americans and gun owners like Rep. Phillips himself.

 

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, Hennepin County leaders discuss priorities

Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips on the floor of the U.S. House on Jan. 3, 2019. Credit:
Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune file

Official calls the meeting with freshman Democrat a “breath of fresh air.”

U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips spent Wednesday learning about the Hennepin County Board’s proposed federal legislative wish list, promising to be a vocal advocate for the county’s light-rail projects, health care, the opioid crisis and homelessness.

“I was here to learn, listen, understand and explore,” said Phillips, a Democrat who defeated Republican Rep. Erik Paulsen in last year’s Third District election. “I view Hennepin County as a laboratory,” he said. “I want to take its best practices back to Washington and possibly expand them into national models and bring some federal ideas back to the county as well.”

County Commissioner Mike Opat called the hourlong meeting with Phillips “a breath of fresh air.” It was the first time in many years, he said, that the person representing Hennepin County’s western half in Congress has wanted to listen and try to help.

View the complete February 20 article by David Chanen on THe Star Tribune website here.

Rep. Phillips Sponsors Bipartisan “Honest Ads Act” to Bring Transparency to Online Ads, Prevent Foreign Influence

Phillips continues to lead on reform as H.R. 1 reform package advances in committee

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) today announced that he is the only freshmen member of Congress who will appear as an original cosponsor of the Honest Ads Act in the 116th Congress. The bill is aimed at strengthening our democracy – as well as national security – by increasing the transparency and accountability of digital political advertising. The Honest Ads Act has bipartisan support, boasting an equal number of Republican and Democratic sponsors.

“Our democracy faces threats from both the inside and outside,” said Phillips. “Nowhere is that more apparent than in digital political communication and advertising. From dark money groups circumventing disclosure requirements, to foreign governments interfering in elections, it is time to update laws to protect our democracy. The Honest Ads Act does that in a bipartisan fashion. I thank Sen. Klobuchar for her leadership and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill.”

The Honest Ads Act will update disclosure requirements for political advertising for the digital age. Specifically, the bill requires the same disclosures for digital political ads that are currently in place for broadcast, expands public filing requirements and requires all advertising platforms to do more to prevent foreign interests from influencing the American political conversation. Continue reading “Rep. Phillips Sponsors Bipartisan “Honest Ads Act” to Bring Transparency to Online Ads, Prevent Foreign Influence”

Rep. Phillips Signs on a Original Sponsor of Bill to Reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban

Phillips joins gun violence prevention experts and a majority of Americans in call for commonsense reform on anniversary of Parkland tragedy

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) today announced that he is an original sponsor of a bill to reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban (H.R. 1296). Phillips, a gun owner himself, has been a strong advocate for commonsense measures that would help save lives.

“Thoughts and tweets don’t save lives,” said Phillips. “Courage and action saves lives. The facts are staggering, and the need is clear; thousands of Americans, including children, are being massacred at an alarming rate by weapons that were designed for the battlefield. Data shows that an Assault Weapons Ban saves lives. I believe the science, and that’s why I’m taking action to prevent weapons meant for military combat from appearing on our streets and in our schools.”

This week marks the first anniversary of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which claimed seventeen lives, injured seventeen more, and refocused attention on the nation’s gun violence crisis. The shooter legally purchased his military-style assault weapon. Continue reading “Rep. Phillips Signs on a Original Sponsor of Bill to Reinstate the Assault Weapons Ban”

Rep. Phillips on the Trump Declaration of Emergency

 

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips released this statement on President Trump declaring a national emergency today:

“For generations, the Statue of Liberty has stood as the symbol of our nation; a beacon of hope and comfort to the tired, the sick and the weary. That’s the America I know and love, and the America I have sworn to protect and defend as a member of Congress. An imposing wall stretching from sea to shining sea on our southern border is antithetical to those ideals and a gross misuse of precious resources. Instead, a multi-faceted approach to border security, including human resources, technologies, enhanced port security, and physical barriers where appropriate and necessary should comprise our comprehensive strategy.

“From climate change to the gun violence epidemic, our nation faces many pressing problems. We – the President and Congress – were elected to fix them, not to circumvent the very principles that ground our exceptional democracy. The Constitution is clear; appropriations powers sit with the legislature. The President’s overreaching, and possibly illegal, declaration would make us less safe. He should respect the compromise reached by representatives of both parties and in both chambers and we should move forward on the work that the American people expect of us”

 

Rep. Phillips Leads on Legislation to Protect Liberian Refugees

As March deadline approaches, Phillips offers permanent solution for thousands of families

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) announced today that he is an original sponsor to the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act, H.R. 1169, aimed at providing legal status and a pathway to citizenship for qualifying Liberian refugees. Phillips represents a large and vibrant Liberian community and has been a consistent advocate for Liberian Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders.

“Minnesota is home to the largest Liberian population in the United States, and I’m proud to represent the vast majority of them,” said Phillips. “They are our extraordinary neighbors, friends, care givers, and local business owners. Minnesota is their home. Uprooting them after decades of living and working in our community would be inhumane and would cause extraordinary disruption to our local economy. If Pres. Trump does not reverse his Executive Order, it is incumbent upon Congress to quickly ensure that our Liberian neighbors are protected from deportation.”

President Trump terminated DED by Executive Order last year. On March 31, 2019 over 4,000 Liberian DED holders, many of whom have called the United States home for more than 20 years, will become undocumented citizens and subject to deportation unless legislation is passed to protect them. Continue reading “Rep. Phillips Leads on Legislation to Protect Liberian Refugees”

Democrats identify 44 vulnerable House members to defend in 2020

Almost all the members named to the Democrats’ Frontline Program are freshmen

Democrats made historic gains in the House last fall, and now they need to defend those seats heading into the 2020 election.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Thursday named 44 members to its Frontline Program for its most vulnerable incumbents.

The committee already released a list of 33 offensive targets, but with so many freshmen in districts that President Donald Trump won in 2016, the DCCC will be working to hold those seats during a presidential year.

View the complete February 7 article by Simone Pathé on The Roll Call website here.

ICYMI: Rep. Phillips at the State of the Union

With Trump deadline on Liberian immigrants’ status looming, February declared ‘DED Awareness Month’

It’s been almost one year since President Donald Trump ordered an end to special legal status for certain immigrants from Liberia, and with that March 31 deadline fast approaching, the Minnesota Liberian community — the largest Liberian population outside of war-torn and poverty-stricken Liberia — is sounding the alarm.

“All hands on deck,” Liberian community leader Erasmus Williams implored a crowd of about 50 Friday evening at the Liberian Community Center in Brooklyn Park, where state Sen. John Hoffman, D-Champlin, and others spoke about the urgency of the situation. Trump has threatened to end the program, called Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), which has allowed natives of the West African country to live and work in the United States since 2007. If the edict goes through, it could mean the deportation of hundreds if not thousands of the estimated 30,000 Liberians living in Minnesota.

“Today, we are here to witness history,” Williams told the gathered dreamers and would-be new Americans. “A history that we look forward to being duplicated by all states throughout the United States. And we know if this duplication takes place, definitely our result will come sooner than later. Last night, we had a very good teleconference with member chapters across the United States. So everything you see going on in Minnesota now, pretty soon you will hear people in Iowa having a meeting, people in Philadelphia having a meeting, seeing what they can do. With just a little faith, we can get it done.”

View the complete February 4 article by Jim Walsh on the MinnPost website here.