Legislative UpdateFriends and Neighbors, Over the past week and a half, the pace at the Capitol has intensified. With budget targets set, committees have been negotiating the details of their omnibus bills. In a typical year, this process already requires significant discussion and collaboration, but this year, with the House split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, collaboration is more important than ever. The tie necessitates compromise, which is a welcome change to how things have been over the past two years. We won’t see many of the controversial items that were priorities for either caucus, only items that received bipartisan support. Today marks the third and final legislative deadline, meaning most bills need to be finished to stay on track. While a few committees are still ironing out their proposals, the majority, including the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee I serve on, have reached agreements. But our work is far from done. Even with an agreement in place, provisions can still be changed through amendments or during conference committee negotiations with the Senate. Only once both chambers agree on a final version will the bill head to the Governor’s desk. Bipartisan Wins for VeteransI’m proud to report that the Veterans Omnibus Bill we’ve crafted is overwhelmingly bipartisan. While there were some disagreements on where to focus our efforts, the shared commitment to supporting those who have served runs deep on both sides of the aisle. Here are some key victories in this year’s veterans bill: - Progress on Veteran Homelessness, New Focus on Suicide Prevention: Thanks to years of investment, Minnesota is on the verge of achieving functional zero on veteran homelessness. That’s a huge milestone, but we can’t stop there. While preventing veteran homelessness is still a priority, we’re now shifting our focus to a new, urgent mission: ending veteran suicide. We lose roughly 1000 veterans each year to suicide in Minnesota. That is unacceptable, and our bill prioritizes funding and resources to support veterans' mental health and help save lives.
- Protecting the Definition of a Veteran: We stood firm to ensure that the benefits earned by those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces remain protected. At the same time, we found a bipartisan compromise to honor the Special Guerrilla Units (SGUs) who fought alongside U.S. troops in Vietnam. They will be recognized for their contributions, and the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs will work to ensure that recognition reaches those who deserve it—while safeguarding the integrity of what it means to be a veteran.
- Pension Support for National Guard Soldiers on State Duty: Thanks to a provision from a bill authored by Rep. Bjorn Olson, we’re correcting a long-standing gap in support for our National Guard soldiers. Currently, those called to federal active duty receive a pension contribution, but no such support exists when they’re activated for state missions like floods, blizzards, or other emergencies. This change ensures they receive some compensation for their service to Minnesota.
- Prioritizing Veterans Nursing Homes: With a budget deficit looming, we must make tough decisions. But we made it clear: the care and dignity of our aging veterans are not up for negotiation. We are prioritizing funding for Minnesota’s veterans nursing homes to ensure those who served receive first-rate care in their twilight years.
We still have a long way to go before the veteran’s bill is signed into law, but I’m proud of the bipartisan work that’s been done so far. And even though the Claim Shark bill (people who charge veterans looking for the benefits they’ve earned) is not in the omnibus bill, we hope to include it later as an amendment or even a standalone bill after much ongoing work was done to reach an agreement on the language. Overall, we’re making real progress for those who put everything on the line to serve our country. Looking Ahead- The Legislative Spring Break begins today. Legislative activity will be paused from now to April 21st to allow people to celebrate Holy Week and Easter as well as Passover. It also allows us to come back home to our families and the communities we serve. Hopefully, I’ll see many of you around the area! Once we return, it will be full speed ahead as we work to pass our omnibus bills and align language with the Senate versions, hopefully on time before the last day of session on May 19th.
- During this time, we will not be doing our regularly scheduled newsletter, but they will resume when we return the week of the 21st.
That’s all for this week. I hope you all have a good weekend and a happy Easter with your families. |