 Dear Neighbors and Friends, This week, the House of Representatives adjourned our 2025 legislative session after working with Senate colleagues to successfully pass a state budget for the next 2 years. We began the day at 10 a.m. and didn't gavel out until slightly before 11 p.m. In exchange for helping the DFL pass remaining budget bills (Commerce, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Health, Children and Families, Higher Education, Human Services, K-12 Education, Taxes, and Transportation), the GOP demanded 2 things: - Eliminate healthcare coverage for our undocumented neighbors, and
- Raise taxes on working families to pay for corporate tax breaks.
These demands were pretty consistent with the GOP’s actions this session as they pushed to repeal programs and reduce services for Minnesotans while advocating tax cuts for billionaires and corporations. In this shared government, my DFL colleagues and I did what we could to protect hardworking Minnesotans by protecting vital funding for vulnerable individuals living with disabilities, paid leave, universal meals and so much more. You can read more about what we protected below. What I want to make sure you don’t miss is that the Minnesota GOP pushed to affirmatively take away healthcare coverage for our undocumented neighbors. It should not be lost on any of us that only authoritarian regimes take rights away from people. So, while our GOP colleagues tried to claim this was only a fiscally sound decision, their argument does not hold up when they pushed to raise revenues for corporate tax breaks. We should all be concerned when seemingly small policies like this are allowed to be brokered, because this will only be the beginning unless we actively work to stop it. This is why my colleagues in the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus, and I joined community leaders and advocates to condemn the MNCare repeal bill. We unequivocally stand in solidarity with all of our immigrant neighbors. Click on the links, where you can watch our press conference and read our complete press statement.  Each time such decisions are made, it reinforces the perception that certain communities' needs are not prioritized. Our communities deserve legislators who will distinguish between genuine fiscal responsibility and policies that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. Our medical community—including mental health providers, trauma units, and frontline healthcare workers—have also expressed deep concern about the consequences of eliminating healthcare coverage. These policy decisions have real-world implications that extend far beyond legislative chambers, affecting families who depend on these services during critical moments. The premise that we lack sufficient resources to provide comprehensive care deserves serious examination, particularly when corporate tax reductions occur alongside healthcare cuts, is simply wrong. And I will call it out every time. 2025 DFL Accomplishments While we could have achieved a lot more, in the first session of shared power, DFLers successfully blocked Republican efforts to roll back laws that help to make Minnesota a great place to live, work, and raise a family, including: Paid Family and Medical Leave, universal school meals, and reproductive freedom. We’re proud that nearly every single DFL accomplishment from the 2023-2024 session remains in effect – because we know how important these policies are to the well-being of every Minnesotan.  Stay Connected As a reminder, House members are currently working in the Centennial Office Building this biennium. I deeply value your partnership in building a better future. Please continue to share your perspectives on the issues that impact our community. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out here. For meetings: Please email my legislative assistant, Boon Xiong, at Boon.Xiong@house.mn.gov or call 651-296-2585. If you were forwarded this email and would like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these updates, please feel free to forward this email and encourage them to subscribe. You can also stay up-to-date with the latest by following my Facebook page and Twitter. Zoo siab, Rep. Liz Lee District (67A) Minnesota House of Representatives |