Dear Neighbors,
It’s been a busy week in St. Paul as the third committee deadline is today, Friday. This final legislative committee deadline marks the date when bills must be passed from their final finance committees to the Ways and Means Committee for consideration before they are moved to the House Floor.
Most of my time this week has been spent in lengthy committee hearings as the House Majority unveils these large finance and policy bills. I will have more updates on the contents of these bills in the days and weeks ahead as they begin making their way to the House Floor for votes before the entire legislative body.
Bringing our Best Days to Reality
Late last week, President Biden announced that he would invoke the Defense Production Act to spur domestic production of critical minerals needed to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles and other needs. According to news reports, any such declaration would cover the mining of minerals such as lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt, and manganese.
We are blessed to have some of the most abundant deposits of critical minerals anywhere in the world with 95% of America’s nickel reserves located in Northeast Minnesota. That’s why I sent a letter to President Biden, asking him to utilize the critical minerals on the Iron Range as his administration considers the next steps following the declaration.
Iron Rangers step up in times of crisis, like when our mines helped fuel the American war effort during World War II and helped build the greatest nation in the history of the world. Minnesota stands ready to marshal the full might of the Range to keep the United States strong and prosperous.
You can read a copy of the letter here.
Staying in Touch
Next week, the legislature is on break in observance of the Easter and Passover holidays. I hope that you can spend time with loved ones as we celebrate these incredibly important holidays.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4936 or via email at rep.spencer.igo@house.mn.
Have a great day,
Spencer