Friends and neighbors, Spring is here, and with it, we have entered the phase of the legislative session where we decide which bills will continue to advance through the legislative process. House leaders announced an agreement last week on committee finance targets for crafting a state budget for the next two years. From here, it’s up to us to put together a bipartisan budget framework balancing the Senate budget targets and the Governor’s budget recommendations, which all have significant differences from the House. Co-Chair West and I reached an agreement on what the final House Children and Families budget will include, and we passed it out of committee on Thursday evening. I’m constantly reminded of how impactful our work truly is on working families. Minnesota is in a child care affordability crisis, and I’m determined to pass legislation that helps address the dire need facing so many families. Some of the provisions I'm optimistic will make it in the final version include additional investments in early learning scholarships and emergency food programs, as well as strengthening background checks for workers in the child care industry, creating a safer environment for our kids.  Unfortunately, the proposed cuts to Head Start and Early Head Start at the federal level are already reaching Minnesota. The regional Head Start office in Chicago has been closed and we are hearing from many providers across the state that they are awaiting direction from the federal government on where to send critical paperwork in order to receive essential funding. As we move forward, we must also keep in mind the impacts of federal tariffs, an uncertain stock market, and other federal cuts impacting services and workers in Minnesota. We have already seen impacts in Minnesota with the loss of 170 jobs in the Minnesota Health Department because of capricious federal cuts. A balanced budget approach is essential to safeguard critical services for Minnesotans, particularly those relying on Medicaid. That’s why I signed onto a bill to make up the difference by ensuring Minnesota’s wealthiest pay their fair share to keep Minnesotans depending on Medicaid covered should Trump and Musk slash the program. Medicaid isn't just another government program - it's the largest source of health insurance in our state, serving seniors, kids, families, and people with disabilities who need support. The numbers from Congress's Joint Economic Committee report are alarming: if Republican budget cuts go through, Minnesota could see 89,000 rural residents lose coverage, 130,000 children without insurance, one in six seniors losing nursing home care, and nearly 400,000 Minnesotans total cut off from their healthcare. These aren't just statistics - they're our family and neighbors who would suddenly find themselves without care they depend on. Democrats are ready to do everything possible to protect Minnesotans from these harmful policies, because in Minnesota, we believe everyone deserves access to healthcare, not just those who can afford to write big campaign checks. |