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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL)

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Legislative Update – July 16, 2020

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Dear Northlanders,

Our work continues in the special session to deliver funding for infrastructure improvements, address the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. Here’s a new update from the State Capitol.


Jobs and Local Projects Bill

One of the top priorities during this special session is to reach a bipartisan compromise on a Jobs and Local Projects bill, often called the bonding bill. Our bonding bill in the House contains $1.8 billion in renovations, repairs, and replacement of public assets like higher education institutions, clean water infrastructure, correctional facilities, roads and bridges, parks and trails, municipal buildings and more. In the Northland, projects include the Silver Bay Veterans Home, Lake Vermilion/Soudan Underground Mine State Park, International Falls Airport, the Silver Bay trailhead center, the CSAH 24 overpass south of Ranier, and improvements to trails and other transportation infrastructure.

These investments will not only strengthen our public infrastructure, but will create good-paying jobs at a time when we need them to help our economy recover. A full list of the projects included can be found here.


Hire a Veteran Month

July is “Hire a Veteran Month” in the state of Minnesota. This month acknowledges the extensive skills and abilities that veterans bring to the workplace – and to encourage Minnesota employers to hire veterans not only in July but throughout the year. About 308,000 veterans live in Minnesota and 153,000 of them are of working age. Our veterans’ diverse training and experience provide a myriad of employers with a talented and enthusiastic workforce. Veterans can be found in Fortune 500 boardrooms, sole proprietor small businesses and every business in between.

You can read Governor Walz’s proclamation here.


Respond to the Census

If you haven’t yet responded to the 2020 Census, please do so soon. Right now, the response rate in northeastern Minnesota is only 57.6 percent, lagging behind the state’s overall rate of 71.6 percent. Census data determines how billions of dollars in federal funding is allocated toward priorities like health care, education, public safety, and roads & bridges. It also impacts representation at the local, state, and national levels. As many folks know, Minnesota’s population trends put us on the cusp of losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, and a reduction from eight to seven would result in diminished influence in Washington.

You can respond to the Census online here, by phone, or by mail. Please spread the word! Share this link with your family, friends, and on your social media channels. It’s up to all of us to ensure this process results in a fair, comprehensive count of everybody in our region and state.


Last Update

This will be my last email update until after November’s election. Whether running or not, legislators cannot use state resources to send communications like these during an election period. I still want to hear from you though. Please feel free to email or call me any time to share your feedback or let me know if I can be of assistance. It’s an honor to represent you.

Sincerely,

Rob Ecklund
State Representative