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April 25, 2025
Legislative Update
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Following Easter, the Legislature has returned to full swing, and we are deep into the final stretch of session, working to get our budget bills off the floor and bring negotiations to a close. While many of our major budget bills are reaching their final stops, we still have work to do, especially when it comes to cutting wasteful spending and passing a truly balanced budget.
Unfortunately, not every bill is ready. One of the most concerning delays is with the Health omnibus bill, and it's not hard to see why.
Health Bill Held Up Over Out-of-Control Spending on Illegal Immigrants
The main reason the Health omnibus bill hasn’t advanced is because Democrats continue to prioritize giving free health care to illegal immigrants at the expense of seniors, people with disabilities, and working-class Minnesotans.
Since January, over 17,000 undocumented individuals have enrolled in MinnesotaCare. That’s more than triple what was projected, just in the first three months. At $7,091 per enrollee, Minnesota taxpayers are footing a $107 million bill this year alone. If current trends continue, this program could cost over $600 million in just four years.
As chief author of House File 10, I’m working to repeal this reckless expansion. We cannot justify cuts to nursing homes or disability support while giving away free health care to those who came here illegally, especially when the state covers 100% of these costs, without any federal help.
This policy doesn’t just break the bank, it breaks trust with the Minnesotans who expect their leaders to protect the most vulnerable and balance the budget responsibly. We must put Minnesotans first. Watch the press conference above.
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Digging for Answers on COVID Relief Fraud and Unemployment Overpayments
As a member of the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, I’ve made it a priority to shine a light on how your tax dollars were used—or misused. At the last committee hearing before the break, we learned that Minnesota received over $76 billion in federal relief funds, including $13 billion that flowed directly through state agencies. While some agency leaders point to “clean audits,” it’s clear that those audits covered only a fraction of the funds, conveniently skipping over programs where real fraud occurred, like the Feeding Our Future scandal and pandemic-era childcare subsidies.
Even more alarming is the state’s failure to recover massive overpayments in unemployment insurance. Since 2020, the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has acknowledged $430 million in UI overpayments and fraud, yet less than $77 million, not even 20%, has been recovered.
That’s why I partnered with Rep. Marion Rarick to send a formal letter to DEED demanding answers. We’re asking for a full account of the recovered funds and the strategies being used to recoup the rest. Our letter presses for urgency, transparency, and results. With a $6 billion budget deficit, Minnesotans cannot afford to keep footing the bill for administrative failures.
You can read the full letter below:
 State of the State Guest: Education Matters for Every Student
I had the honor of hosting Anika, a parent from our community, as my guest to Governor Walz’s State of the State Address this week. Her children attend a private Catholic school in our community, and like so many families, they’ve felt the weight of rising education costs and shrinking state support.
Unfortunately, instead of helping students succeed, the Governor’s budget proposes cuts to nonpublic pupil aid and merit-based teacher pay, penalizing the very students and educators who deserve better. This comes after two years of Democrat-driven unfunded mandates that have decimated school budgets and forced teacher layoffs across the state.
Whether a student attends public or private school, they deserve support, not punishment. My question to Governor Walz is this: Shouldn’t all Minnesota students be funded equally?
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May 3 Town Hall
I’ll be holding another town hall to provide updates on the legislative session and hear directly from you. Join me on Friday, May 3, at the Stable Inn Bed and Breakfast in Foley from 8:00-9:15 AM. I hope to see you there! It’s an important time to stay connected and stand up for our shared priorities.
 Constituent Priority Survey
One of the most important parts of my job is to be the voice of our community hear in St. Paul, and I can’t do that without your thoughts and feedback. That is why I’ve created a constituent priorities survey. As we continue to finalize major budget bills, I want to know what issues you want me to advocate for.
If you could take two minutes to complete the survey, it would be appreciated. Click the photo below. Thank you for your continued commitment, engagement, and support.
 Closing Thoughts
There’s still work to do, but I remain committed to balancing the budget, cutting wasteful spending, fighting for Minnesota families, and holding the line on policies that put others ahead of the citizens who built this state. Let’s stay focused, stay informed, and keep putting Minnesotans first.
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