Hi Neighbors,
I hope you had a reflective and meaningful Memorial Day.
I was born in January of 1969, right here in Minnesota. Six months later, my father Artie was killed in action while serving his country in Vietnam. I think about my father every day, and his patriotism and selflessness inspires my own service in Congress.
Our country is a crossroads right now. In light of the January 6th insurrection and continuing attacks on our electoral system and voting rights, I can’t help but think of Artie and the men and women just like him who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our democracy. We must honor their memories by healing our divisions, recognizing our shared interests, and once again becoming the UNITED States of America.
With that in mind, on Monday I joined veterans, community leaders, and the families of fallen servicemembers for a touching and powerful Memorial Day ceremony in Chaska. I was especially moved by the heartfelt remarks of three middle school students who shared what Memorial Day, service, and sacrifice meant to them. As always, our young people say it best: “we are the land of the free because of the brave.” Truer words have never been spoken.
Standing Up to Hate
As a Jewish American, I am deeply concerned by the rising tide of anti-Semitic violence in our country. Last week, I joined Stephanie Ruhle on MSNBC to discuss this disturbing trend and my plea for my colleagues – on both the Left and Right – to condemn hatred towards all groups with equal intention and vigor.
It’s time for political leaders to use their platforms to reduce antagonism and promote compassion. During a time in our nation’s history when so many of our minority communities are under attack, we must unify and pave a path to justice, security, and prosperity for all.
Protecting Our Small Businesses
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have injected an unprecedented amount of taxpayer money into our economy to protect jobs and keep small businesses afloat. We cannot allow fraud and abuse to sabotage that effort. As the Chair of the House Small Business Oversight Subcommittee, I have made it my mission to stamp out corruption and ensure that vulnerable small businesses get the relief they need. To that end, last week I helped introduce a bipartisan bill to provide critical oversight for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a $28.6 billion grant program to support restaurants impacted by the pandemic.
Later in the week, I participated in a hearing with Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Guzman, where I asked how we can best support all the small businesses in our community – especially those businesses that were left out of previous relief efforts. I also chaired my own hearing where I gathered small business owners and stakeholders to discuss their experiences obtaining relief and to give recommendations for improving federal grant programs.
Keep the faith and keep in touch,
Dean Phillips
Member of Congress