ST. PAUL — Rep. Joe McDonald, R-Delano, issued the following statement regarding Thursday’s passage of HF4531, a package of bills that continue the Minnesota Legislature's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There have been many issues throughout my time in the Legislature that we worked together in a bipartisan fashion to solve for the betterment of Minnesotans,” McDonald said. “It is good to see the House came together, in bipartisan fashion, to approve legislation that will help Minnesotans amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
“In particular, this effort should serve as an example of how ideology can be put aside in the name of humanitarianism. We’re all in this together and I applaud the people who have stepped up to provide invaluable services for friends and neighbors. It has been great to see Minnesotans come together to work combat this crisis. From everyone in the healthcare industry to law enforcement, firefighters, grocers and beyond, people have gone above the call of duty to ensure together we, as Minnesotans, successfully get through this together. We’ll be stronger and better for it.
“I will continue focusing on doing whatever I can to help the people I represent in District 29A. While we don’t know what tomorrow may bring as we combat this virus, the work the House did on this bill shows the good that can be accomplished when the House is unified with the best interests of Minnesotans in mind.”
Over the past week, the four legislative caucuses have been working together to negotiate a variety of provisions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. House Republicans successfully advocated for multiple sunsets, reporting requirements, and other accountability measures in the package. Earlier this month, the legislature approved $221 million in funding to assist with COVID-19 preparation and response.
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