House and Senate DFL unveil Minnesota Values Project

St. Paul, Minnesota — Today, House and Senate DFLers unveiled the 2020 edition of the Minnesota Values Project, an initiative designed to engage legislators, Minnesotans, and community groups in a conversation about the future of our state. The Minnesota Values Project was started in 2017 when House DFLers traveled the state to listen to Minnesotans and have conversations about our shared values.

“Minnesotans care deeply about our state and want to see one another succeed,” said House Majority Whip Liz Olson. "Working together, across race, religion and geography, we can strengthen our communities by improving outcomes for all of us. Organizing together, we have the power to decide our future — just as we’ve done in the past.”

“Minnesotans want a good life and a better future for our families and for our neighbors,” said House Speaker Melissa Hortman. “DFLers are ready to work for the things we know ensure the well-being of our communities: affordable health care, strong public education, jobs with wages and benefits to support a family, clean air and water, and a public safety system that protects all of us, no exceptions.”

“Minnesotans across the state are coming together to build a better future for all, from checking in on our neighbors, to raising our voices to protest injustice, to working the frontlines in health care,” said Senate DFL Leader Susan Kent. “That’s why we are building a coalition across race, place and faith to ensure all Minnesotans have the care they need, a clean energy future, safe communities, and a fair justice system. DFLers are committed to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to achieve their dreams and the time to care for themselves and their loved ones.”

“The Minnesota Values Project puts forward an ambitious vision for the future of our state to ensure that every Minnesotan — across race and region — has the opportunity to build a better future,” said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. “DFLers will walk into the House and Senate on day one of the 2021 Legislative Session ready to make this vision a reality.”

The Minnesota Values Project includes the following:

All Minnesotans should have the care they need.

• DFLers will ensure all Minnesotans have access to the prescription drugs they need at a price they can afford, especially life-saving medications like insulin.

• DFLers will expand the current MinnesotaCare plan to allow anyone to buy into it as a pathway to universal health care.

All Minnesotans should have the opportunity to achieve their dreams.

• DFLers will champion fully-funding public education from affordable childcare and public pre-K through job training and higher education so all Minnesotans can reach their full potential.

All Minnesotans should have time to care for themselves and their loved ones.

• DFLers will guarantee every working Minnesotan access to paid sick time and extended paid family and medical leave to care for themselves or a loved one.

• DFLers will make sure our caregiving system pays a living wage to all workers, including those who take care of our loved ones whether at home, in long term care or child care, to ensure all Minnesotans can get the care we need.

All Minnesotans deserve a clean energy future and healthy climate.

• DFLers will put Minnesota on the path to meet or exceed our state’s clean energy and climate change goals while ensuring thriving family farms and family-supporting local jobs.

All Minnesota communities are strongest when connected.

• DFLers will make meaningful investments in community infrastructure, including affordable housing, utility systems, transportation, and broadband.

All Minnesotans deserve safe communities and a fair justice system. 

• DFLers will prevent senseless gun violence in our communities by keeping guns out of the hands of people who have shown themselves to be dangerous.

• DFLers will pursue racial justice and police accountability reforms to end police brutality and keep our communities safe, no exceptions.