Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Since my last newsletter, a lot has happened at the state capitol. DFLers celebrated the swearing-in of Rep. David Gottfried (DFL-Roseville), which returned the House to a 67-67 tie. The implementation of the power sharing governance agreement now means committees will be co-chaired by Democrats and Republicans and are comprised of equal numbers of members from both parties. Our co-chairs and committee members will use their power to restore a focus on bread-and-butter economic issues that have been absent while Republicans have run the House with a 67-66 advantage.
For the 2025-2026 biennium, I've been assigned to serve on the Housing Finance and Policy and Labor and Workforce Development Finance and Policy committees. It is with great honor to also appointed as the DFL Vice Chair of the Legacy Finance committee.
I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to build a stronger Minnesota by empowering the middle class and investing in our communities. Together, we can create an economy that works for everyone, with policies that support good-paying jobs, affordable healthcare, access to quality early care and education, and a robust social safety net for our most vulnerable Minnesotans.
2025 Iftar Dinner Event
As a proud Muslim and the first Somali American elected to represent District 65A, I had the great honor of hosting the 10th Anniversary Iftar Dinner, a milestone event honoring Minnesota’s diverse communities and fostering dialogue between legislators, faith leaders, military officials, and civic organizations. I had the great honor of providing a platform to demonstrate how Minnesota’s Somali American community is a leading force in shaping impactful policy, both in Minnesota and globally.
Held in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Military Affairs and the Minnesota Institute of Horn of Africa Studies, this gathering was more than just a shared meal—it was a testament to the power of community, understanding, and collaboration during the sacred month of Ramadan. This evening, for me, was more than just breaking bread together—it is about breaking barriers I wanted to make it clear that while we might have our differences, we're united by shared values: faith, family, and a dedication to serving our communities. This is about reaffirming our commitment to collaboration, to lifting each other up, and ensuring that every single voice is heard and valued.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the Senators, my fellow members of the House of Representatives, and the local leaders who joined us- it truly was a beautiful evening, and I am grateful for the continued support from our legislature for our Muslim and Somali American residents.
Standing with SEIU Members
I was proud to join my district partner, Rep. Maria Isa Perez-Vega, at a press conference to support SEIU members negotiating for better workplace conditions. As an immigrant, I know what it’s like to fight for fair treatment. MSP workers—many of them immigrants—are facing a crisis, and the MAC is ignoring it. Airlines are making billions, but the workers who keep this airport running are struggling to afford healthcare. That’s unacceptable. Rideshare drivers—most of them immigrants—don’t even have a clean place to use the bathroom or pray. The MAC’s solution? Go to the Mall of America. That’s just wrong. I am writing the collective bargaining bill for rideshare drivers because they deserve basic rights and protections. No worker should be forced to pray outside or use a filthy port-a-potty while billion-dollar companies make record profits.
This isn’t just about MSP. Elon Musk and the federal government are trying to strip workers of their power so billionaires can get richer. We can’t let that happen. Minnesota must do better. The MAC needs to step up, respect these workers, and give them what they need to do their jobs.
How Will Federal Education Cuts Impact You?
Sadly, we no longer have a serious partner in the White House when it comes to building a world-class education system for our students. Last week, President Trump advanced reckless plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. In response, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) launched a public feedback portal at education.mn.gov for parents, students, teachers, and community members to submit detailed accounts of the ways recent Executive Orders and abrupt federal education cuts are impacting schools and children across our state. More than 860,000 students in Minnesota depend on stable partnerships that have existed between their school communities, MDE and the U.S. Department of Education across administrations. For decades, the federal investments facilitated through those partnerships have played a key role in ensuring students in Minnesota receive the support they need to learn and thrive, including:
- $256 million for students with disabilities
- $192 million for students from low-income backgrounds
- $27 million for academic enrichment
- $6 million for students in rural schools
- $38 million to support children living on military bases or Native American reservations
- $100 million for Career and Technical Education workforce development programs
If any of these cuts impact you and your family, please let us know!
Prescription Drug Affordability
For too long, drug manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) and health plans have taken advantage of flaws in federal drug policy to squeeze consumers for ever increasing amounts of profit. I’m happy to say the DFL is pushing three bills specifically crafted to target the strategies keeping cheap and affordable drugs out of the hands of Minnesotans:
- HF 1652 would prohibit a health plan from forcing patients to switch drugs in the middle of the year because they’re now getting a bigger rebate from the manufacturer of a competitive drug. If a patient and a doctor find a drug that works, they should be allowed to stick with that drug for the rest of the plan year.
- HF 1075 says that health plans and PBMs must use the rebates that they received when patients bought their drug to buy down their price at the pharmacy counter in the form of a “Point of Sale Rebate.” This will ensure these rebates are being used to make expensive life saving drugs more affordable to the patients who need them.
- HF 1076 is an innovative approach not yet adopted by any other state. It requires PBMs and health plans to include the low-price drugs in their formularies and construct their formularies so that the drugs with the lowest prices for the patient (rather than the drug generating the biggest kick-backs to the insurance company) receive the best placement in their formularies. The goal of this legislation is to redirect competition away from rebates towards lower prices.
If these were passed into law, you would see a significant decrease in the price of the drugs you rely on. I’ll be sure to keep pushing for their passage and let you know of any progress!
Keep in Touch
Please don’t hesitate to reach out anytime with input, or questions, or to let me know how I can be of assistance at rep.samakab.hussein@house.mn.gov or 651-296-5158. Be sure to ‘like’ and follow my new Facebook page.
Thank you for the honor of serving our community.
Sincerely,
Rep. Samakab Hussein