Dear Neighbors,
Spring is supposedly here! Last week brought committee deadlines and many other updates from the Capitol:
Action Alert:
There are several bills that continue to move forward in the process but would do harm to our community if passed into law, join me by getting engaged and taking a stand against these bills:
- Implementing a Work Requirement for Medical Assistance - House Republicans are trying to limit the number of people receiving medical assistance. Their bill, HF 3722, would mandate 80 hours of work a month for “able-bodied individuals” to be eligible for Medicaid coverage. This bill would take health care away from Minnesotans who need it most, it isn’t supported by most Minnesotans, and I will be fighting to stop it.
- The Anti-Protest Bill is Back - The House Public Safety Committee has heard HF 390, the bill that would increase penalties for peaceful protesting and criminalize free speech, and sent it to the floor for debate again this year. It is a Republican attempt to threaten protesting Minnesotans with jail and financial penalties for speaking out against injustice.
- Wisconsin-Style Right to Work - HF 3723 has passed out of committee and would cripple the ability of public sector unions to collect dues for independent expenditures and eliminates their ability to accept voluntary paycheck deductions that contribute to a union’s political advocacy work. Workers in Minnesota have a right to organize for higher wages, safer working conditions, and a path to retire with dignity.
Muslim Day at the Capitol
On Tuesday, I was proud to join colleagues and community leaders from throughout the state to lift up the voices of Muslim Minnesotans. It was wonderful to have you here at the Capitol!
Stopping US Military Spending in Honduras
On Wednesday several of my colleagues and I joined together in support of a Minnesota House Resolution I authored urging the US Congress to end all US military and security aid to Honduras, and to pass the Berta Cáceres Human Rights in Honduras Act (HR 1299). You can listen to audio coverage of the press conference here.
I authored the House resolution (HF 3580) after visiting Honduras during elections held there in November 2017, as a delegation representative for the organization Witness for Peace. Sadly, we are witnessing an eroding of democratic values and the killing of at least 35 peaceful protesters speaking out against election fraud after the November elections. Political prisoners are being falsely accused of terrorism and inciting violence, and there has been complete impunity for crimes that continue to be uninvestigated and unsolved – murders, rapes, and kidnappings among them. These are not democratic values, and we should not be using our US tax dollars to support this regime with military and security support. You can read the press release I sent here.
AFSCME Day at the Capitol
This week was also AFSCME Day at the Capitol, and I was happy to meet with local members. We discussed many shared priorities, including passing negotiated state contracts, stopping Republican efforts to spend tax dollars on private prisons, and strengthening pensions so more Minnesotans can retire with dignity.
Gun Violence Prevention Measures Halted
After weeks of action, protesting, calls and emails because of the Parkland, Florida shooting, it appears as if any progress on stopping senseless gun violence is unlikely in 2018 because House Republicans refuse to move gun violence prevention bills through the committee process. That is news I am disappointed to share. Last week a bipartisan group of Senators introduced two bills: one for criminal background checks on all gun purchases and most transfers, and a second that would combat straw purchases by requiring gun owners to report missing or stolen guns. Senate Republican leadership also said they had no intention of hearing those bills.
The Star Tribune expressed the disappointment of many Minnesotans in the editorial they wrote, shaming Republicans for dismissing common sense bills with such broad support.
Saturday’s March for our Lives
On Saturday, many Minnesotans went into action to end gun violence. At least 20,000 Minnesota students came out to march and make their voices heard, and I am encouraged by all of their action and involvement. Students marched in Saint Paul from Harriet Island to the State Capitol to demand action on gun violence prevention from legislative leaders. The efforts in St. Paul were coordinated with the March for Our Lives rally in Washington DC, and across the country. You can read more about the St. Paul rally here.
Momentum continues to build nationally and I hope you and your family and friends are making your voices heard. I’m especially proud of my daughter Isra for organizing with her fellow classmates to travel to Washington, DC and join 200,000 other protesters taking their concerns straight to the lawmakers who refuse to do anything. I’m proud of all these students!
Please contact me if you have questions at 651-296-4257 or rep.ilhan.omar@house.mn and sign up for my email updates here.
Sincerely,
Ilhan Omar
State Representative