Greetings from the Capitol,
WWII Veteran Visit
This week, the Veterans Affairs Committee welcomed Francis Laqua and Elvin Ewert to our hearing. These WWII vets fought alongside each other in the Pacific, and were recently reunited at a local rehabilitation center. It was amazing to hear their stories and to see how they’ve become friends 70 years after the end of the war. Thanks for stopping by, Elvin and Francis, and thank you for your amazing service to our country! Here’s a link to a recent Fox 9 News story about Elvin and Francis.
5% Campaign
I’ve heard from many constituents encouraging me to support the 5% increase for caregivers. I’m a co-author of HF2706, a bipartisan bill to increase the reimbursement for home and community-based care providers. Essentially, it assists those with developmental disabilities, as well as helping home and community-based service providers obtain their goals of becoming more independent and able to stay in their homes. This isn’t a new initiative. In the past, we’ve approved similar bills for nursing homes, group homes, and other facilities where Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens are cared for.
Foster Care Initiatives
On Wednesday, I joined many of my colleagues to meet with foster parents from across Minnesota. It was an informative and moving dialogue to hear of the struggles these dedicated individuals face on a daily basis. Foster parents provide the needed support to children in unfortunate situations, and I know that the meeting will help my colleagues and me better understand these issues as well.
Share your MNsure Comments
Recently, House Republicans launched a website where Minnesotans struggling with our healthcare exchange, MNsure, can visit and share their concerns. The most recent issue with MNsure occurred when the organization failed to send out thousands of tax forms, delaying when folks could file their taxes. If you’ve experienced problems with MNsure, please click here to share the issue.
St. Paul Visitors
It’s been a great week for visiting with constituents and various advocacy groups in my office. Chatting with you helps me learn what issues are important, and gather facts to make informed decisions. This week, I was joined by nurses and nursing students, SCSU students, and affordable housing advocates. If you or your organization are planning to be at the Capitol, please call my office to schedule an appointment.
Above is a picture of me after my visit with St. Cloud State nursing students, Amanda Protolipac, Jill Bergstrom, Sami Meyman, Kim Yager DeAustin, and Krissy Wuollet. Thanks for stopping by!
As always, feel free to contact me with any thoughts or concerns you may have. I can be reached at 651-296-7808 or by email at rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
Tim