Dear Neighbors, These are unprecedented and trying times. We are approaching the fifth week of the Trump shutdown of the federal government. Republicans control the White House and both houses of Congress, and their failure to negotiate a budget bill with total control is a sign of how far they are willing to let our country hurt just to stay blindly loyal to the most corrupt and authoritarian President in U.S. history. Although state legislators have no control over federal budget decisions, I’m working with state agencies to track the impact on Minnesotans, particularly the thousands of federal employees who no longer have paychecks. Our Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, has resources for impacted constituents. Minnesota is home to 20,000 federal workers, and most of us rely on some federal service in our day-to-day lives. It’s shameful that Trump and the Republicans are directly threatening their livelihoods, along with critical public services, to create chaos and fund tax giveaways for billionaires. It’s also shameful that Minnesota Republicans would not agree to a special session this Fall to try to address gun safety and the federal health care cuts. By choosing to end valuable premium tax credits, Trump and his Republican allies are causing crushing insurance premium increases for thousands of individuals, families, and small businesses across the state. Some Minnesotans are facing premium increases of up to 50%. Amid rising prices for health premiums, electricity, groceries, and gasoline, to add insult to injury, thousands of Minnesotans and their families are at risk of losing food security in November, just as we approach the holiday season. More than 440,000 Minnesotans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to put food on the table. If the federal shutdown continues into November, funding for these critical food benefits will run out. For many families, their situations could go from extremely challenging to downright dire. This potential pause in benefits is on top of the new paperwork requirements for SNAP recipients. At the same time, previous exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and youth aging out of foster care have been eliminated. These burdensome requirements will serve as a barrier to Minnesotans getting the food they need. One in nine Minnesotans-that’s nearly 500,000 Minnesotans don’t know where their next meal is coming from. While we’ve made progress to get more support for food shelves and ensure all kids have a hot meal at school, we know more Minnesotans are facing hunger, especially for the most vulnerable in our community. Governor Walz’ $4 million emergency funding is helpful but still a short-term solution. If you or someone you know needs help with food this fall, Hunger Solutions has a list of statewide food shelves and additional resources here. If you’re able to, please consider making a contribution to a local food shelf, especially since they can buy products at a lower cost. They’ve been struggling to meet the demand, and the longer the uncertainty around SNAP continues, the more pressure they will face. While working families struggle with high prices in their everyday lives, it’s unconscionable that Trump and his Republican allies are holding funding for the government – and critical lifelines like affordable health care and SNAP hostage so they can enrich the very wealthiest among us with more tax cuts. Please keep the emails and phone calls coming. It’s important to hear from you about what you’re experiencing during this Trump shutdown and how I can help. Anoka-Hennepin School Board Vote on Tue, Nov. 4!A reminder that there’s an important election for the Anoka-Hennepin School Board District 3 seat in Champlin. Local elections have a big impact, so exercising your right to vote helps shape the future of our schools and the opportunities available to students. If you’re not sure what’s on your ballot, please look up your address here. Thank YouIt’s been one month since I took office, and I wanted to thank all of you who have reached out, called, met with me, and more. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Brooklyn Park, Champlin, and Coon Rapids. And I will never lose sight of the tragedy that brought us to this moment. I will work hard every day to carry forward Speaker Melissa Hortman’s legacy. Thank you.  Stay in TouchUnfortunately, due to technological constraints, replies to this newsletter won’t reach my email account.?? To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out via email at rep.xp.lee@house.mn.gov. I always appreciate hearing from you. You can also follow along on my official Facebook page here. Sincerely, Rep. Xp Lee 651-296-4280 |