Friends,
This week was highlighted by the March for Life on Tuesday and the Gun Owners Caucus day at the Capitol on Thursday. We've also started to hear bills in committee and I introduced a number of bills this week that I hope to have hearings on soon. Stay warm and have a great weekend.
March for Life
Tuesday, January 22 marked the 46th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by the United States Supreme Court. On Tuesday, thousands of pro-life supporters from across the state took part in a march at the State Capitol to show their support for the unborn. I was proud to join them and many of my constituents who also braved the cold weather to stand for life.
The purpose of the march, which is organized by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) is to commemorate the lives lost to abortion and to call for renewed respect and protection for all members of the human family, including unborn children and their mothers. Click on the photo below to see a quick video from the march.
Bringing Minnesota to the forefront of Transit
I introduced HF 242 a bill to modernize mass transit across our state. The bill would create a pilot program to develop the logistics, software, and an ap, so that you could schedule a pickup/drop off with your phone. FedEx has similar software that generates a route with actual pickups and drop-off for smaller shuttle sized busses, to avoid empty or dead runs. The busses don’t have stops unless people are getting on or off, thus faster traveling for the riders.
It would also be perfect for no emergency transport routes. It is future looking and would be the perfect testing pilot for autonomous vehicles. These vehicles would no longer be tethered to fixed routes but instead be responsive and flexible to needs of citizens. It could be designed to use newer alternative fuel vehicles, it would save time, money, and be environmentally friendly on top of it all.
Letter to Speaker Pelosi & Leader Schumer
This week, I joined 41 of my House colleagues in calling on leaders in Washington to end the federal government shutdown. The letter is available to be viewed online here and the text of the email is included below.
Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer,
With the federal government shutdown—now the longest in our nation’s history— approaching a full month, we write to urge you to work with President Trump and Congressional Republicans to secure our Southern border and end this unnecessary standoff.
Minnesotans are hurting from the impacts of the shutdown; federal workers are missing paychecks, and the interruption of numerous funding streams threaten the operation of federally-funded services and programs.
Thankfully, Minnesota has taken steps to mitigate the impact of the shutdown, but the longer the shutdown drags on, the more painful the consequences will become.
You can end this shutdown tomorrow by putting forward a good-faith proposal to adequately fund a border wall and security measures on our Southern border. It should be a bipartisan priority to put an end to the flow of illegal drugs, human trafficking, and unlawful entry of individuals into our country —we urge you to reach an agreement with the President and Republicans in Congress to end the shutdown and improve the safety and security of the nation.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Contact Me
Please continue to stay in touch to share your thoughts and ideas on issues important to you. You can schedule a time to meet with me in my office anytime by calling (651) 296-9236, or share your thoughts via email by emailing me at rep.duane.quam@house.mn
Have a great weekend,
Duane