Dear Neighbors, My heart is with the people of Ukraine as this unprovoked aggression and violence from Russia continues. As a sovereign nation, this invasion by Putin’s autocratic regime is completely unacceptable, and it’s up to all of us around the world to stand in solidarity with those in Ukraine and in support of freedom, democracy, and peace. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a bipartisan coalition of state legislators have introduced legislation I’m supporting to divest Minnesota’s state pension fund from Russia and codify Governor Walz’s Executive Order barring Minnesota from contracting with Russian companies into law. Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the estimated worth of Minnesota's state pension fund investments in Russia was approximately $53 million. You can watch the press conference here. Update on Intractable Pain Modifications LegislationAlthough we've made some progress in addressing the opioid crisis, patients living with chronic pain have inadvertently been left behind in gaining access to the controlled prescriptions they rely on to manage their pain. This week, I presented bipartisan legislation to the Health Finance Committee that protects patient-centered care for these patients, honors the patient and doctor relationship, and ensures Minnesotans living with pain can get the medication they need. The bill is being considered for inclusion to a larger Health and Human Services package of legislation. As a member of this committee, and long-time author of this legislation, I’ll continue to advocate for its passage into law. Community Coffee Hour ReminderTomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m., I’m hosting a community coffee hour on Zoom with area residents and neighbors. Everyone is always welcome. I’m especially interested to hear what your thoughts are on how we should be utilize Minnesota’s historic $9.3 million budget surplus. |