Dear Friends,
Today marks the 14th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
I can clearly remember having a teacher come by my classroom that day while I was teaching and motioning me to the door to quietly tell me what was happening in New York. It was difficult to go back to teaching my first graders and act like everything was okay. Later that day I had to tell them what was going on and help them understand that from the perspective of a child. I didn't want them to hear that news for the first time on the school bus and not have an adult with them to help them process it.
That day we lost nearly 3,000 Americans, and our world was forever changed. It was a tragic day for our country, but also a reminder of the good that exists in the hearts of our friends and neighbors as the country came together to comfort one-another.
We saw heroic acts of bravery and sacrifice by first responders who ran toward the burning buildings to save those trapped inside. We saw firefighters, nurses, and doctors who flocked from all over the country to New York City not knowing what they would do once they arrived but wanting to do something to help people they had never met in a city many had never been to.
The attacks of September 11th were an act of evil, but what came after showed that good can triumph if we are united and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our neighbors. I hope you will take time to remember those who perished that day and pray for their loved ones on this difficult anniversary. We should also thank and pray for the servicemen and women who have fought and continue to fight this day to keep our country safe from threats at home and around the world.
Child Protection Task Force
We had another meeting this week of the legislative child protection task force. I was honored to be named by Speaker Daudt as a vice chair of the task force, and look forward to filling in as chair in the event the House chair is unable to attend. There was a great deal of discussion this week about rural counties and their ability to respond within 24 hours to child maltreatment reports. Many rural counties simply don't have the resources that most suburban and Metro counties do to respond and take action quickly when a report is filed.
These concerns have been echoed in meetings I've had with county child protection workers in Freeborn, Steele, and Faribault County. I hope we can keep looking at this issue and figure out a way to make sure all counties have the ability to respond in a timely fashion to child maltreatment reports in the event a child is facing immediate danger.
This weekend I'm looking forward to going out to Kiester Threshing Days in Kiester. My dog, Colter, and I are going to spend some time walking around, enjoying the food, the people, and the historical displays. If you've never been to their Threshing Days, it's a great experience for all ages. They have a lot of farming history for people to see. Hope to see you there, and that you'll come and chat if you see me there.
Please contact me any time at rep.peggy.bennett@house.mn or call 651-296-8216. You can also follow my updates on social media on Facebook at www.facebook.com/reppeggybennett or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PeggyABennett.
Have a great weekend,
Peggy