Dear Neighbors,
This morning I attended the opening ceremony for the Minnesota Remembers Vietnam event taking place this weekend on the State Capitol mall (June 21-24). Included is The Wall That Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC.
The theme of the event is to honor, remember and understand. Several speakers gave moving stories about their armed forces experiences as well as those of others, some of whom gave their lives in service to our country.
My son Marc serves as a US Marine JAG Officer and my father-in-law is a US Marines veteran from the Korean War. Recognition of those who serve, have served or who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country is personal. This weekend I thank in particular our Vietnam veterans for their service and encourage everyone to visit this meaningful event on the Capitol mall.
This past Tuesday evening I attended a pension recognition program to celebrate the passage of the pension reform legislation. One of the speakers mentioned, "This is how government should work." While the legislative effort took three years, collaboration prevailed and all Minnesota legislators voted for its passage. Outside lobbying interests often opposed to one another also came together and the Tuesday evening event was truly a celebration of how we can work together for the benefit of Minnesotans. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to promote and support this effort.
Last, there was good news offered by one of the attending pension trust administrators that the fund's annual return for the fiscal year ending next week will likely be 12.5%, above the 7.5% objective.
That’s all for this week’s update. Thank you for allowing me to represent you at the capitol. For any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-0141 or rep.randy.jessup@house.mn.
Sincerely,
Randy