Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents a major challenge to our nation and our state, but I know it is one we will get through together. With coronavirus vaccines now being distributed across the country and more promising vaccine candidates on the way, there is now light at the end of the tunnel. As we begin taking steps to return to our pre-pandemic lives, we must continue to be guided by facts and science. Congress has taken important steps to get relief to the American people, but we have more work to do. I will continue fighting to make sure that help is going to those who need it. Minnesotans can find vaccination information here.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Protecting our nation’s health. Protecting the health of all Americans and slowing the spread of this virus is paramount as we combat this public health crisis. To accomplish that, we need:
   
  • An efficient vaccine distribution strategy. In December 2020, the first two coronavirus vaccines were granted emergency approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in February 2021, a third vaccine became authorized for use. It is critically important that Minnesota has the resources it needs to store, distribute, and administer these vaccines to all Minnesotans—including to our rural and tribal areas. That is why I joined my colleagues in working to secure increased funding for vaccine distribution and in calling on the federal government to work with states to ensure that these vaccines are distributed efficiently. I also led efforts to urge the FDA to issue guidance and work with states and providers to minimize any waste of these vaccines during the process of administering them.
     
  • Advancing national testing. To fully reopen our economy, we must significantly increase our testing capacity. That’s why I supported access to COVID-19 testing at no cost to patients, and advocated for the development of safe and accurate serology blood tests to identify if someone has the antibodies that might lead to immunity against the virus, and supported additional funding in the March 2021 American Rescue Plan to scale up both nationwide testing and the capacity to detect coronavirus variants. I also worked directly with Minnesota hospitals and labs to help expedite the approval of their COVID-19 tests and test-processing facilities.
     
  • An expanded health care workforce. With our health care system under extraordinary stress from this pandemic, we need to expand our health care workforce so that we have doctors where they are needed the most. I have led bipartisan legislation for years to increase the number of doctors in rural and other medically underserved areas through the Conrad 30 program. I also called on the previous Administration to waive restrictions that prevent doctors on certain employment-based visas from providing medical care at locations or in specialties other than those specifically approved for their immigration status. And I led my colleagues in urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to send additional medical professionals to states facing a surge in coronavirus cases. As our health care system continues to confront the pandemic, these are commonsense steps that should be implemented without delay.
     
  • Resources for our hospitals and health workers. We need to ensure that our nation’s hospitals and frontline health workers have the resources they need to do their jobs efficiently and safely. I called on the previous Administration to expedite the delivery of coronavirus testing supplies, personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other medical materials required to manage patient care during the pandemic. I also worked to secure funding for hospitals and health care providers in the coronavirus relief packages passed in March, April, and December of 2020, as well as in the American Rescue Plan in 2021.
     
  • Protecting access to medical equipment. Disruptions to supply chains and unscrupulous businesses trying to take advantage of the crisis by charging inflated prices have made it difficult for many to get supplies they need. I urged the Trump Administration to protect consumers’ access to medical products from supply-chain disruptions created by the pandemic and called on the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to ensure that they are doing everything in their power to stop unconscionable price gouging. I introduced a bill with Senators Blumenthal, Hirono, and Cortez Masto to prohibit these practices and help ensure that people are not taken advantage of during emergencies.
     
  • Prioritizing mental health. No one is immune to the stress that has accompanied the pandemic. That is why in May 2020 I introduced legislation with Republican Senator Todd Young to address the country’s growing mental health and addiction crisis. The Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance Act would help people obtain the services and care they need to manage mental health and substance use disorders during the pandemic. I also called on the National Institute of Mental Health to prioritize research on how the pandemic is impacting the mental health of children and young adults to better help policymakers respond to this issue, and introduced the COVID-19 Mental Health Research Act to provide targeted funding to support this research. The relief bill passed in December 2020 dedicated nearly $4.25 billion to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for increased mental health and substance use disorder services while the American Rescue Plan passed in March 2021 included an additional $3.8 billion for these purposes.
     
  • Support for innovation. To get ahead of the virus and tackle this public health crisis, we need to continue to support the medical innovation that has led to the development of coronavirus vaccines and other treatment options. The development of vaccines to protect against the coronavirus represents an historic achievement, and in the past year, scientists were able to develop several safe and effective vaccine candidates in record time. I continue to push for significant federal investments to dramatically increase medical research across the country as we work to respond to the long-term consequences of this virus and develop more vaccines and treatments. My husband—who has recovered from COVID-19—has donated plasma several times as part of the national Expanded Access Program to collect and provide convalescent plasma to patients in need across the country, and we need to encourage others to donate.
     
  • Reducing vaccine misinformation. After experts reported an increase in misinformation and disinformation during the pandemic, I took action to combat the spread of false and misleading information by introducing the COVID-19 Misinformation and Disinformation Task Force Act with Senators Peters and Reed to coordinate the government’s analysis of and response to information that conflicts with official health guidance and pandemic response efforts. In January 2021, I also led my colleagues in urging the CEOs of social media platforms to help ensure that Americans receive accurate, verified information about the vaccines and requesting an update on policies and partnerships that these platforms have implemented to protect users.
     
  • Complete demographic data. We know that this pandemic is disproportionately affecting minority communities, and I pushed the previous Administration to provide complete, high-quality, national demographic data. I will work with the Biden Administration to understand how this virus is impacting all communities and prioritize getting resources to those who need them most.
     
  • Strengtheing our Economy. The coronavirus pandemic upended the financial security of most American workers and their families. Millions of Americans lost their jobs. This crisis will consistently present challenges that require additional responses at all levels of government, and we must take continued action to protect the economic security of the American people.
     
  • Supporting workers. The pandemic created a jobs crisis. In March and December 2020 and in March 2021, Congress passed broad relief packages that provided direct financial support to American families and prevented the lapsing of unemployment insurance benefits for millions of workers, including nontraditional workers, independent contractors, and those in the gig economy. In addition to this direct economic support, these relief packages expanded vaccine distribution and testing, supported small businesses, and supported schools and the child care industry. These necessary actions will help workers and their families get to the other side of this pandemic.
     
  • Protecting small businesses. Small businesses and their workers are under incredible stress right now, and we have to do everything we can to help them stay in business and keep their workers employed. The December 2020 relief package included my bipartisan Save Our Stages legislation which will provide financial support for small, independent live entertainment venues that have particularly suffered during this pandemic, including many in Minnesota. The help also extends to museums and zoos—often the places that, in the community, were the first to close when the pandemic struck and will certainly be the last to open. I was honored to lead this bill, which provided billions of dollars in relief, with my colleague, Texas Senator John Cornyn. I was also grateful for the work of Dayna Frank, the President and CEO of First Avenue.
    
    When we first passed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help small businesses stay open in March 2020, I led 21 of my colleagues in pressing the previous Administration to implement measures to make sure that this critical funding goes to small businesses that truly need it—rather than providing a windfall for those that do not. The American Rescue Plan also expanded PPP eligibility to allow more nonprofit groups—including larger nonprofits and digital news outlets—to access the program. It included direct relief for the restaurant industry to minimize the number of permanently closed restaurants.
     
  • Providing for rural communities. The coronavirus pandemic has affected every American no matter where they live, but rural counties are often less equipped to handle its consequences. To respond to the virus in rural America, we must strengthen rural hospitals and health care systems and support our farmers to protect the continuity of the agricultural supply chain. We also need to help small rural businesses and workers. I worked hard to ensure that the CARES Act included emergency relief for farmers and families in rural communities. I have also called on the Department of Agriculture to provide equitable access to farm credit and direct payments to Minnesota livestock producers, and to create a Rural COVID-19 Task Force to help ensure that rural needs are met.
     
  • Overseeing existing funds. In response to the pandemic, Congress has passed five important pieces of legislation—including the two largest economic relief packages in the country’s history—that together have provided funding for a crucial scale up of testing, support for our hospitals and health care system, and resources for our small businesses. This is a good start, but we must make sure that this relief is actually getting to those who need it the most by providing appropriate oversight.
     
  • Mobilizing nonprofit communities. Nonprofits on the frontlines of this crisis provide housing, food aid, counseling services, child care, and disability assistance to those who need help most. We must ensure that nonprofit organizations have the resources to not only continue to operate during this pandemic but also hire new employees so that they can scale up their delivery of services. This will put newly unemployed Americans back to work and help them gain new skills while they serve their communities. The relief packages passed by Congress have helped workers and small businesses, and the American Rescue Plan expanded the Payroll Protection Program to make more nonprofits eligible. Faced with decreased charitable giving and extraordinarily high community needs, nonprofits are being squeezed from all sides and need direct relief. I will continue to press the Biden Administration to prioritize the important work of our country’s nonprofits.

• Protecting our nation’s most vulnerable. This is a challenging time for all Americans, but certain communities are at increased risk from this virus and its effects.
   
  • Tackling racial disparities. This pandemic has shined an even brighter light on the systemic inequalities in our health care system and our economy, with data clearly showing that the virus is disproportionately impacting communities of color. In addition to getting high-quality demographic data to help target resources, we need to address the underlying causes of these disparities, including pervasive inequalities in access to health care, discrimination and unequal opportunities in housing, underinvestment in public transportation in minority communities, and the existence of food deserts where people do not have sufficient access to grocery stores. Our May 2020 relief bill included specific funding for small lenders and community-based financial institutions that serve the needs of unbanked and underserved small businesses—including minority- and women-owned businesses. These programs were also given priority in the comprehensive relief package passed and signed into law in December 2020. As Congress considers future legislation, we must do more to overcome historic disenfranchisement by considering the particular needs of minority communities, including minority entrepreneurs who have had difficulty accessing traditional sources of lending.
     
  • Protecting our seniors. The coronavirus pandemic has been particularly devastating for our nation’s seniors, who are at increased risk of serious complications from contracting this virus. Protecting our seniors during this crisis should not come at the expense of their access to quality health care and maintaining ties to family and friends. I introduced the ACCESS Act to expand telehealth services and to support “virtual visits” at nursing facilities so that seniors can remain connected to their health care providers and loved ones while staying safe. The bill provided funding to assist nursing facilities in expanding the use of telehealth and acquiring the necessary technology to support virtual visits. In addition, as we have seen an increase in coronavirus-related scams, I joined with Senator Moran in May 2020 to lead 32 of our Senate colleagues in urging the FTC to take action. Our Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act directs the FTC to report to Congress on scams targeting seniors during the coronavirus pandemic and make recommendations on how to prevent future scams during emergencies. The bill also directs the FTC to ensure that seniors and caregivers have access to contacts for law enforcement and adult protective agencies to ensure that they are informed. The bill passed the Commerce Committee in November 2020, and I will work to pass it into law. Finally, I led an effort to make sure seniors can access vaccine appointment systems by advocating for the creation of a federal hotline after some seniors struggled to schedule vaccine appointments due to lack of broadband or other technology needed to access online portals.
     
  • Ensuring that students and low-income families are connected. As the pandemic has forced school and business closures across the country, access to high-speed internet is crucial. I introduced the Keeping Critical Connections Act with Senator Cramer of North Dakota to help small broadband providers continue their internet services to students and low-income families during the pandemic. The December 2020 year-end relief bill included $285 million in funding for college students with the greatest financial need, and I am leading the bill with Congressman Jim Clyburn to ensure that students with the greatest financial need at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) are connected to critical internet services during the pandemic. In March 2021, I joined Congressman Clyburn in introducing comprehensive broadband infrastructure legislation—the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act—to invest over $90 billion to build high-speed broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities.
     
  • Prioritizing mental health services. For many people who live with mental illness and substance use disorders, fear of the virus, increased economic hardship, and the difficulties of social distancing have created new mental health and addiction challenges. Additional relief is needed to address the growing mental health and addiction crises in the United States, and that is why I introduced the Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance Act to help people connect with the services and care they need to manage mental health and substance use disorders during this pandemic. I have also called on the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to prioritize research on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of children and young adults, and introduced the COVID-19 Mental Health Research Act with Senator Kaine to fund targeted research at the NIMH on this topic.
     
  • Preventing fraud and abuse. Soon after the start of this pandemic, consumers across the country began reporting excessive prices from some sellers for everyday products like hand sanitizer, face masks, and disinfectants. People are at their most vulnerable during times of crisis, and unfortunately, there will always be those who seek to make a profit from the despair of others. That’s why I introduced legislation to prohibit this type of price gouging and help protect consumers from unscrupulous practices during this crisis and future ones. I have also called on the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to ensure that they are doing whatever they can under existing law to stop price gouging during the pandemic.
     
  • Aiding others at increased risk. The pandemic has left victims of domestic violence at increased risk, as people have stayed home to help limit the spread of the virus. I have led efforts to ensure that organizations that help victims and survivors of domestic abuse have the resources and information needed to continue to provide these critical services. I have also led the effort to increase federal funding for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault during this public health crisis. In addition, as federal prisons have reported an increased number of coronavirus cases, I urged the Bureau of Prisons to use its existing authority to transfer nonviolent people to home confinement or to grant compassionate release, particularly for those who are more vulnerable to the coronavirus. When the Bureau of Prisons suspended in-person visitation at federal prisons, I led the successful effort to push the previous Administration to help incarcerated people stay in contact with families and loved ones by waiving phone charges. And since data shows that the coronavirus is disproportionately impacting certain racial and ethnic minorities, I urged the Bureau of Prisons to release demographic data on the people in the federal prison system who have been affected by coronavirus.
     
  • Protecting consumers from accidental injuries and death during the coronavirus pandemic. I introduced the bipartisan COVID-19 Home Safety Act with Senator Moran to protect consumers from injuries and deaths related to consumer products during the coronavirus pandemic. Reports indicated that pediatricians and emergency room doctors had seen an increase in patients seeking treatment for home injuries, such as broken bones on bikes and trampolines as well as accidental hand sanitizer poisoning in children. This legislation will help protect our children, seniors, and other vulnerable populations from injuries and deaths caused by consumer products during and after the pandemic. While our bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee in November 2020, we are continuing to work to get it signed into law.
     
• Protecting our democracy. As the coronavirus pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for our democracy, it has been critical to ensure that no American has to choose between their right to vote and risking their health.
   
  • Ensuring that all Americans can vote. During this pandemic, we need to provide voters with the options that work best for their health and safety, as well as the safety of our election workers, whether that is voting by mail, early in-person voting, or safely voting on Election Day. Last year, I introduced the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act, which would guarantee that every voter can cast a mail-in ballot and expand early in-person voting to help avoid crowds and long lines at the polls. I also led the effort to secure an additional $400 million in emergency election funding to help states improve the safety of elections during the pandemic. Ultimately, nearly 160 million Americans voted in the 2020 general election, more than ever before in the history of our country. Importantly, federal agencies and state and local election officials have agreed that the 2020 election was the most secure election ever administered. As Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, I am now leading the effort to advance the For the People Act in the Senate, legislation that I introduced with Senator Merkley of Oregon to make sure that all Americans’ voices are heard at the ballot box—including by making voting by mail and early voting available to all eligible voters in federal elections—and are not drowned out by dark money to ensure that our democracy is of, by, and for the American people.

Jobs and the Economy

Minnesotans believe in hard work, fair play, and personal responsibility. We believe that no matter where you come from, if you work hard, you can achieve your dreams, give the gift of education to your children, and have security in your later years.

My grandpa was a miner, working 1,500 feet underground in the iron ore mines in Ely. He didn't graduate from high school, but he and my grandma saved money in a coffee can in the basement to send my dad and his brother to college. My dad went on to be a sportswriter and a newspaper columnist. My mom was a second-grade teacher who, at age 70, was still teaching a classroom of 30 second graders. I grew up in a middle-class suburban neighborhood, and I knew I’d always have to work hard to get where I wanted to go.

That’s why I'm committed to working for economic policies that benefit all Americans and give everyone an opportunity to succeed. This means having a laser focus on jobs, wages, affordable health care, education, child care, family leave, housing, and retirement, in addition to infrastructure, homegrown energy, and fiscal responsibility.

As we look to rebound from the serious hit our economy has taken as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we need big economic goals and long-term vision—a competitive agenda for America. We can no longer afford to be a country that simply churns money. We need to be a country that thinks, that invents, that makes stuff, and that exports to the world. Minnesota has always been a national leader in innovation and now more than ever innovation will be the key to moving our economy forward.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Promoting a competitive economy, long-term economic growth, and jobs. As a member of the Senate Commerce and Joint Economic committees, my focus has been on moving our economy forward by strengthening the fundamentals that lead to sustained economic growth. While the coronavirus pandemic has forced us to focus on the immediate needs of providing relief to our workers and small businesses, we must continue developing a vision for long-term growth to lead us forward once the immediate health crisis is behind us. To make that happen, we must first double down on economic basics like science, technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. We also need a strong commitment to education, updating and enhancing our current policies and programs to focus on training the next generation of workers to compete in a global economy. We must increase our emphasis on exports, including for small and mid-sized businesses. Our tax policies should be aimed at both encouraging economic growth and giving a fair shot to all Americans, not just the wealthiest. We need to responsibly reduce red tape that stifles growing businesses, pass immigration reform, and support small businesses. We need to invest in rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, support iron ore mining on the Iron Range, and promote tourism if we are going to have long-term growth and a vibrant economy.
   
  • Revitalizing America’s innovative edge. Innovation has always been a powerful force in the American economy. This is particularly true in Minnesota, a state that brought the world everything from the pacemaker to the Post-It Note. That’s why innovation has been the centerpiece of my work in Washington, where I have consistently advocated for a stronger commitment to federal and private-sector research and development.
     
  • Opening up new markets abroad for U.S. producers. Ninety-five percent of the world's potential customers live outside of the United States, and yet less than 1 percent of American businesses export. Ensuring that our businesses and farmers, small and large, are able to capitalize on potential opportunities in overseas markets is more important than ever. This includes policies aimed at fair trade and enforcement, positive global engagement, and export help for small businesses.
     
  • Exporting is literally a world of opportunity. Canada is Minnesota’s largest trade partner, and in January 2020 I voted to approve the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on trade. Given the agreement’s additionally negotiated pro-labor and environmental changes, as well as its elimination of a provision that would have benefitted pharmaceutical companies at the expense of consumers, I supported the USMCA. It provides much-needed stability and economic opportunity for American farmers, producers, and consumers. A North American trading bloc is also an essential strategy to competing with China on a global scale.
     
  • Keeping markets competitive. Competition is the bedrock of a strong, dynamic economy that fosters new business growth and creates jobs for millions of Americans. But America’s markets are not as competitive as they once were, and we are seeing rising levels of monopoly power across our economy. We see it in the dominance of the big digital platforms and in industries as diverse as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, telecommunications, online ticket sales, and transportation. Our antitrust laws were passed to protect competitive markets, but after decades of Supreme Court decisions that have weakened those laws and years of declining enforcement budgets, they are no longer accomplishing that goal. And consumers, workers, and small businesses are paying the price.
    
    As Chairwoman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, I am working to bring antitrust law enforcement into the twenty-first century. We need to crack down on anticompetitive mergers and conduct—and that includes pursuing the Justice Department’s monopolization case against Google and the Federal Trade Commission’s monopolization case against Facebook. We also need to update our antitrust laws.
     
  • Rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. The 2007 collapse of the I-35W bridge was a tragic reminder that we have failed to maintain the roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure that keep our citizens safe and our economy strong. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave America’s infrastructure a grade of “C-” for 2021. According to the Federal Highway Administration, more than 46,000 of the nation’s more than 600,000 bridges are in poor condition. Traffic congestion alone costs our country billions of dollars in wasted time and fuel. If our deteriorating infrastructure goes unaddressed, it will cost our economy nearly $10 trillion by 2039, leading to the loss of 3 million jobs. We need a twenty-first-century infrastructure network that meets the demands of our twenty-first-century economy, including safe bridges, modern highways, forward-looking public transportation, increased broadband access, and integrated planning decisions.
     
  • Supporting our small businesses. The success of Minnesota’s small businesses is vital to the success of our overall economy. The coronavirus pandemic poses an existential threat to our nation’s small businesses, putting proprietors and their workers under incredible stress. The measures necessary to help prevent the spread of the virus have resulted in canceled events, closures of schools and businesses, and a dramatic decline in revenues in key sectors of our economy. I will keep working to ensure that we are doing everything we can to help small businesses weather this economic turmoil, stay in operation, and keep workers employed. And I will continue to press for long-term measures that expand the markets of small businesses and help them grow.
     
  • Reforming our immigration system. When I first got to the Senate in 2007, Senator Ted Kennedy asked Senator Whitehouse and me to be members of the Immigration Reform Working Group, and I was proud to work with Senator Kennedy on that bipartisan effort. Senator Kennedy knew then what we all know now: comprehensive immigration reform is a key part of moving our economy forward.
    
    While securing our borders must be a priority, we cannot afford to shut out the world’s talent or drive away those who call our country home—including immigrants who are now working as health care professionals and other frontline employees, often in rural and underserved urban areas. The entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants is a great asset to the American economy. [See Immigration]
     
  • Reforming the tax code. I have long called for a bipartisan approach to tax reform. If done right, we could help all Americans, simplify the tax code, close wasteful loopholes, and provide incentives to keep jobs in America. While I have supported tax reform and middle-class tax cuts, I opposed the 2017 tax law because it added over $1 trillion to the debt, created new loopholes that could encourage companies to move jobs overseas, and disproportionately benefited the wealthy.
     
  • Promoting domestic energy production. Homegrown energy production can reduce our dependence on foreign oil while bringing jobs to our rural communities. In order to expand our homegrown energy technologies and supplies, it is important for investors to have a stable, reliable set of economic guidelines. That’s why I’m fighting to maintain a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and have continually pushed back against any effort to weaken the RFS—including the granting of multiple refinery waivers by the previous Administration, some of which were granted to multi-billion-dollar oil companies. During the coronavirus pandemic, demand for fuel has decreased, and many renewable energy plants in Minnesota and across the Midwest have idled production or closed down completely. I am working to provide assistance to the biofuel industry and its workforce so that they can continue operating safely through these market disruptions and so that they can continue to boost rural jobs and market opportunities for farmers.
     
  • Supporting iron ore mining on Minnesota’s Iron Range. Iron ore mining has always been a way of life for families on the Iron Range. Throughout our state’s history, iron ore mining has not only brought jobs to the region; it has also built our country—from our roads, bridges, buildings, and railways to the tanks and ships critical to our nation’s defense. When it comes to the success of iron ore mining in northern Minnesota, it’s critical that companies are able to grow and expand while ensuring that projects undergo thorough environmental review. We also must make sure we have a strong transportation system to get the iron ore and taconite pellets to market and good programs to train our workers.
     
  • Promoting tourism. Minnesota is a diverse state that has an abundance of travel and vacation opportunities. As co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, I know how important tourism is to Minnesota’s economy. Tourism has been one of Minnesota’s largest industries, generating $16 billion in sales and 11 percent of Minnesota’s private-sector employment in 2019. That’s why Senator Roy Blunt and I led the effort to reauthorize Brand USA in 2014 and again in 2019. Brand USA helps advertise American destinations to people around the globe using fees from visas, so that no taxpayer dollars are spent on the ads. The travel and tourism industry has been hit particularly hard due to the coronavirus pandemic. I will continue working to ensure that these industries, their workforces, and the communities that depend on them recover from this downturn.
     
• Giving people a fair shot. Well before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, opportunities were not evenly distributed throughout our state or our country. After the financial crisis of 2008, Congress put in place fundamental safeguards to build our economy and bring back accountability to our financial system. But as Americans faced ever-increasing income inequality, we could see that stabilizing banks on Wall Street was simply not enough. We needed to ensure that families on Main Street have the opportunity to succeed—to be able to afford a home, send their kids to college, and pay the bills. When the coronavirus shut down local economies across the nation, the financial security of many American workers and their families was threatened. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, and the economy has contracted. We need to help these families regain the economic footing they lost with the pandemic but also give them the opportunities they have been lacking since the Great Recession—opportunities for a fair shot at success for themselves and their children. We especially need to help our rural communities, which often see disproportionate impacts from natural disasters, market volatility, and global economic events like the coronavirus pandemic. Access to broadband is also critical in helping rural communities meet these housing, health care, and transportation challenges. We will accomplish these goals by:
   
  • Providing a living wage and a path to homeownership. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour and has remained unchanged since 2009. This wage has not kept pace with the cost of food, clothing, and basic life necessities. Nearly 60 percent of workers earning this minimum wage are women, and they are disproportionately people of color. This wage has made it harder for families to support themselves and their loved ones or pursue the American dream of homeownership. According to a July 2020 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, low-income Americans suffer the most severe affordability challenges and reside in poor-quality rental housing at a much higher rate than higher-income groups. I support a $15 an hour minimum wage. If we expect to provide people a fair chance in life, it must start with a fair wage.
     
  • Educating the next generation. In a comparison of 37 industrialized countries, American students rank 31st for math and 11th for science. Our young people are our next generation of innovators, the people we are counting on to lead the way on everything from discovering cures for chronic diseases to developing new forms of renewable energy. That is why we need to improve our education system and increase our focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in our schools. It will help us train the scientists, engineers, tech entrepreneurs, and global leaders of tomorrow in our classrooms today.
     
  • Making college more affordable. Minnesotans have always believed that every student should have the opportunity to pursue higher education. High education costs prevent many qualified students from attending college and force many others to end their education prematurely. At the same time, student loan debt has spun out of control, becoming a crippling financial burden to many young people and their families. It is time to provide real help for students and their families to make college more affordable. I am pushing for stronger federal support for higher education opportunities because our future success as a state and a nation depends on making sure that quality education is accessible and affordable.
     
  • Strengthening our commitment to community- and technical-college degrees and apprenticeships. From paper mills to poultry lines, American industry is changing. Increasingly, economic success depends on advanced technology and workers who have specialized skills to get the job done. In a Minnesota 2019 State of Manufacturing report, 7 out of 10 respondents said it was difficult for them to find workers with the right skills and experience. We must do a better job of preparing students for the jobs that will be available to them when they graduate—positions that may not require a Ph.D. or even a four-year degree but nonetheless demand specialized training and experience. Two-year degrees offered by community and technical colleges may often be a better option for students who plan on entering the skilled workforce immediately after graduation. Apprenticeships offer the opportunity for on-the-job training with in-class education.
     
  • Making health care more affordable. I support universal health care. I strongly believe that every American deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care, and that we must work to expand quality health care coverage to all families across Minnesota and America. I have supported many proposals that would help us reach that goal, including a public option and Medicaid and Medicare expansions. I have always said that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a beginning, not an end, and that improvements—including legislative changes—will need to be made. At the same time, I strongly support efforts to improve the ACA, like providing cost-sharing reductions and reinsurance. I oppose any efforts to dismantle the ACA that negatively affect Americans’ health care. To make health care more affordable, we must address factors that lead to increased costs, including skyrocketing prescription drug costs. [See Health Care]

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been working hard to move our economy forward while standing up for all Americans:

• Boosting the pandemic economy to help workers and families. In March 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act to deliver needed assistance for families, businesses, and local governments. It was a good start, but it quickly became evident that more relief was needed. That’s why I continued to call on my colleagues to pass a relief package that meets the needs of struggling families and small businesses. We took an important step toward that end by passing a bipartisan relief package, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The bill was not perfect, but it delivered much-needed funding for vaccine distribution, coronavirus testing and contact tracing, and additional support for our hospitals. The law helped keep our transportation system operational, and provided schools and childcare providers funds to begin to reopen and operate safely. It provided $325 billion in relief for small businesses, and made it clear that forgiven loans to small businesses should not be taxed. Finally, the law included my Save Our Stages Act, bipartisan legislation that I led with Senator John Cornyn of Texas that will provide financial support for small, independent live entertainment venues that have been particularly hard-hit by this pandemic, including many small venues in Minnesota. Then, with a new administration, I worked with President Biden to pass the American Rescue Plan which provided direct relief to workers and families; more funds for vaccines, testing, schools, and child care facilities; and relief to local governments because now is not the time we should be laying off teachers and first responders.
   
• Strengthening America’s ability to compete in the global economy. I introduced the bipartisan Innovate America Act to help America retain its competitive edge by cutting red tape, targeting successful education programs and promoting U.S. exports in new markets. The bill’s provisions allowing states to develop STEM specialty schools and build on existing STEM programs were signed into law as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Boosting STEM opportunities is critical to building a 21st-century education system that gives our students the skills they need to be prepared for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future.
  
  As co-chair of the Senate Diversifying Tech Caucus and the Women’s High-Tech Coalition, I passed two bipartisan bills in 2017 that support women in STEM. The INSPIRE Women Act requires NASA to encourage more women to study in STEM fields and the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act helps women inventors get their products to market. In February 2020, my bipartisan bill with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida to encourage veterans and military spouses to pursue careers in STEM fields, the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act, was signed into law. 
  
  Supporting inventors and making it easier for them to get their technology to market will also help create more high-tech, high-wage jobs. I supported the United States-Mexico-Canada Act (USMCA), with the additionally negotiated pro-labor and environmental changes, as well as the elimination of a provision that would have benefitted pharmaceutical companies at the expense of consumers. The agreement provided much-needed stability and economic opportunity for American farmers, producers, and consumers. I am also working to fight foreign steel dumping. I’ve introduced legislation to strengthen trade enforcement and have called on the Administration to take actions, including new Customs and Border Patrol personnel to enforce our trade laws and stepping up inspections of steel imports at our ports of entry. American workers can compete with anyone in the world if they have a level playing field.
   
• Supporting American manufacturing. It is vital to have a coordinated strategy and long-term vision to help our country stay competitive in an increasingly global market. That’s why in March of 2021I led major bipartisan legislation with Senators Wicker, Coons, and Portman to create a new Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy overseen by a Chief Manufacturing Officer in the Executive Office of the President. This legislation will help ensure that we develop a long-term plan to maintain the growth and national security of the U.S. manufacturing industry and workforce, coordinate efforts to support manufacturing across the federal government, improve workforce development and job creation, and enhance research and development. I’m committed to supporting America’s manufacturing industry and workforce and will continue pushing for policies that ensure our long-term health, national security, and economic vitality. A strong manufacturing industry is also key to our nation’s economic prosperity. That’s why I have worked to promote Minnesota- and American-made manufacturing and services, including pushing for the Defense Department to ensure that domestically produced armor steel plates are used to make U.S. military vehicles.
   
• Preventing harm to competitive markets. In February 2021, I introduced the Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act to give federal enforcers the resources they need to do their jobs, strengthen prohibitions on anticompetitive conduct and mergers, and make additional reforms to improve enforcement. This bill will clarify that mergers that increase consumer prices, lower the quality of goods, undermine innovation, or allow a company to unfairly lower the prices it pays can be illegal. The bill further strengthens the Clayton Antitrust Act to guard against harmful “mega-mergers” and other types of mergers that raise significant competitive concerns, shifting the burden to the merging companies to prove that their consolidation does not harm competition. It outlaws anticompetitive conduct by dominant companies that prevents competitors. It also improves the agencies’ ability to assess the impact of merger settlements, creates a new division at the Federal Trade Commission to conduct market studies and look back at old mergers, and requires in-depth studies of new issues.
   
• Rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. From improving highways and waterways to rebuilding historic bridges to advocating for a safe and efficient national aviation system to improving broadband access in rural communities, I continue to work to strengthen our nation’s infrastructure so that America remains competitive in the 21st-century global economy.
   
  • Repairing transportation infrastructure. I was one of the first Democratic senators to support the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, a long-term transportation reauthorization bill that became law in December 2015 and provides over $4 billion in funding for Minnesota over the five years of the bill. The FAST Act provided $36 million in additional highway, bridge, and transit funding for Minnesota in fiscal year 2016, growing to a $107 million increase for fiscal year 2020. While the October Continuing Resolution included a clean one-year extension of the FAST Act in 2020, we need a long-term transportation infrastructure bill.
     
  • Rebuilding Minnesota bridges. In the aftermath of the I-35W bridge collapse in August 2007, I worked with other members of the Minnesota delegation to swiftly secure more than $250 million to build a new bridge that opened ahead-of-schedule in September 2008. In early 2012, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law my bill to allow the St. Croix bridge project to move forward after 30 years of delay. My bill allowed Minnesota and Wisconsin to begin the process of building a new bridge to replace the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge and also includes important mitigation efforts to protect the St. Croix River. My bipartisan legislation was sponsored by former Senator Herb Kohl, former Senator Al Franken, and Senator Ron Johnson in the Senate and then-Representatives Michelle Bachmann, Ron Kind, Chip Cravaack, and Sean Duffy in the House. It was also supported by both former Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. The new St. Croix River Bridge opened in August 2017 to critical acclaim.
     
  • Extending broadband access. In 2021, every American should have access to high-speed internet regardless of their Zip code. In March 2021, I joined House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn in introducing comprehensive broadband infrastructure legislation—the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act—to invest over $90 billion to build high-speed broadband infrastructure. The bill will particularly help unserved and underserved communities close the digital divide and connect Americans to ensure that they have increased access to education, health care, and business opportunities.
     
  • Fortifying Minnesota waterways. Every two years since 2014, I have worked to pass a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that included provisions vital to Minnesota. This legislation has made crucial investments in our water infrastructure, including the Port of Duluth, upgrades to locks and dams on the inland waterway system, and infrastructure for critical flood protection, including for Fargo-Moorhead and Roseau.
     
  • Providing our small businesses the tools they need to succeed. In addition to supporting the small business emergency relief measures passed by Congress in response to the pandemic, I have long supported small businesses, which employ nearly half of all private-sector workers and make outsize contributions to innovation that helps grow our economy. I supported the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, which became law in March 2010 and helps small businesses by allowing broader deductions to increase their ability to invest in the future growth of their businesses and providing tax credits to help them hire workers as they grow. I have cosponsored legislation to provide small businesses with much-needed access to capital by extending and enhancing proven Small Business Administration (SBA) lending programs such as the 7(a) and 504 Loan programs, as well as the SBA microloan and intermediate loan programs. I also helped lead the successful fight to repeal the burdensome 1099 reporting requirement that would have impacted 40 million American businesses.
    
    In March 2012, I supported legislation passed by Congress to help small businesses access critical capital they need to grow and create jobs in their communities, including the ability to use crowdfunding. I have also worked to help farmers run their businesses, and a measure based on my bipartisan Agriculture Equipment and Machinery Depreciation Act was signed into law in December 2017. The provision will help farmers purchase new equipment and replace worn-out machinery by amending the U.S. tax code to permanently set a five-year depreciation schedule for certain agricultural equipment. In March 2020, I introduced the New Business Preservation Act to help newer businesses survive in the pandemic economy. I will work to keep them open and operating in the months ahead.
     
• Making it easier for small businesses to export. In March 2010, I authored the bipartisan Export Promotion Act, which was included in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, to help small- and medium-sized businesses promote their products overseas. I support the State Trade and Export Promotion Grant Initiative to help small businesses market overseas.
  
  In addition, the Promoting Rural Exports Act, which I introduced with Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, would establish a Rural Export Center at the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) to provide support to rural businesses to help them export their products to new international markets. Small businesses in rural areas shouldn’t be denied opportunities just because of their location and this bill will boost exports and advance innovation in our rural communities so they can continue to grow. Small businesses on Main Street also deserve a level playing field on which to compete and I welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair, which gave states the option to require out-of-state businesses, including online retailers, to collect sales taxes they are already owed. I had previously cosponsored legislation to achieve this result and that legislation passed the Senate in 2015. I will continue to support elimination of loopholes in our tax code that hurt our brick-and-mortar stores.
  
  In December 2019, I worked on and supported Congress’s extension of the authority for the Export-Import Bank to continue operating through 2026. Over the past five years, the bank has supported the exports of nearly 119 Minnesota companies, including 80 small businesses.
   
• Reforming our immigration system. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I was part of the successful effort to pass the Senate’s 2013 bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill that included a pathway to citizenship, prioritized enforcement of existing laws, addressed border security, and provided for reforms to our visa system. It also included the DREAM Act. The bill would have decreased the deficit by $158 billion over 10 years. Unfortunately, despite President Obama’s support, the Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill was not allowed a vote in the House. In 2021, with the election of Joe Biden, who has pledged to pass comprehensive immigration reform, we have another opportunity to get it done. I was one of four Democratic senators to co-sponsor the bicameral U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, a bill that would greatly improve our broken immigration system. [See Immigration]
   
• Reducing regulatory burdens on our businesses and farmers. I have fought hard to protect farmers from burdensome regulations, such as proposals to treat milk the same as oil when requiring spill prevention plans, to regulate dust on farm roads and driveways, or to obtain multiple identification numbers to participate in voluntary conservation programs. I introduced the Representation for Farmers Act to ensure that American farmers are represented in the decision-making process for environmental policies and regulations that would affect U.S. agriculture. I then fought to include that legislation in the 2014 Farm Bill, which was signed into law in February of 2014. I also authored the bipartisan Medical Device Regulatory Improvement Act to help streamline the Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of medical devices without compromising public safety. Key provisions of this bill were signed into law by President Obama as part of legislation that passed the Senate by a vote of 92-4 in July 2012. I have also worked to cut red tape restricting growth in our tourism sector by reducing visa wait times to emerging markets, such as Brazil and China. I authored the Small Airplane Revitalization Act in the Senate. Signed into law in 2013, this legislation cuts red tape for small aircraft manufacturers and improves safety by streamlining the safety certification processes at the Federal Aviation Administration. And in 2020, I supported changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to streamline loan forgiveness for the smallest businesses.
   
• Promoting homegrown energy production. I have led bipartisan efforts with Senator Chuck Grassley calling for a strong Renewable Fuel Standard, which have led to permanent rules that have increased overall renewable fuel volume requirements. I also strongly supported the EPA’s rulemaking process to lift the restriction on the sale of E15 during the summertime driving season, which was finalized on May 30, 2019. Lifting the summer ban on E15 has brought relief to agriculture producers and was an important step toward making our fuel supply more sustainable. I have consistently pushed to make ethanol and biodiesel more readily available to American consumers at the gas pump. I cosponsored the Energy Independence and Security Act, which included provisions to install ethanol and biodiesel pumps in gas stations across the country. In addition, my Right to Retail Renewable Fuels amendment to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is helping to ensure that new fuels can come to market by preventing oil companies from using their market power to stop gas stations from selling renewable fuels. I also advocated for Minnesota to receive funds to expand biofuel infrastructure. In 2016, Minnesota received $8 million in federal funding to install blender pumps for biofuels at fueling stations. The investment boosted local economies across our state, gave drivers more choices at the pump, and reduced dependence on foreign oil. In addition, in 2021 I introduced the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act with Senator Joni Ernst to create a permanent biofuel infrastructure program at the Department of Agriculture and expand the availability of low-carbon renewable fuels in the marketplace, resulting in cleaner air, lower fuel prices, and rural economic vitality. [See Agriculture and Rural Communities]
   
• Promoting tourism in America. As chair of the bipartisan Tourism Caucus, I have fought to cut red tape and reduce delays to help promote tourism, which is one of the largest industries in Minnesota—generating $16 billion in sales and 11 percent of our state’s total private sector employment in 2019. I pushed to pass the Travel Promotion Act of 2010 into law, which created Brand USA, a public-private partnership that promotes international travel to the United States. In 2018, Brand USA generated more than one million additional visitors who spent an estimated $4 billion, strengthening local businesses and boosting economic growth. Along with Republican Senator Roy Blunt, I led the bipartisan efforts to successfully reauthorize Brand USA in 2014 and again in 2019 so that it can continue to build on its progress through 2027. The travel and tourism industry has been dramatically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why I reintroduced the Protecting Tourism in the United States Act with Senator Blunt to help drive tourism growth across the country by enumerating the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the travel and tourism industry and identifying policy recommendations to assist this hard-hit sector. Our bill passed the Commerce Committee in November 2020. I also led a major and nationally notable bipartisan bill with Senator John Cornyn to provide relief for independent venues—including live music stages, movie theaters, and museums shuttered by the pandemic—which was signed into law as part of the December 2020 relief package. Finally, I was a strong supporter of the Restaurants Act, a bill that provides vulnerable restaurants grants to help them make it through to the other side of the pandemic and was included in the American Rescue Plan Act. I will continue to work across the aisle to ensure that the tourism industry and its workforce have the resources they need to rebound after the pandemic.
   
• Putting Main Street ahead of Wall Street. In the wake of the financial crisis that cost millions of Americans their jobs, homes, and nest eggs, I fought for comprehensive reform in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to protect consumers and restore transparency. Those measures include efforts to monitor and address systemic risk, increase accountability at financial firms, and reform the complex derivatives markets. To shield consumers from unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices, the bill created the independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The final bill also included two amendments I co-authored to protect homebuyers from predatory lending practices and to preserve the Federal Reserve’s authority to supervise community banks to ensure that the institution charged with our nation’s monetary policy has a connection to Main Street—not just Wall Street. I believe it is time for Wall Street to start operating by the same rules as the rest of us. By enacting the Dodd-Frank Act, we sought to make sure that taxpayers are never again on the hook for bad bets on Wall Street. I have opposed attempts during the Trump Administration to dismantle and weaken Dodd-Frank and consistently opposed the Trump Administration’s attempts to undermine the mission of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
   
• Expanding broadband in rural communities. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I have been a champion for rural broadband, and I am a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Broadband Caucus. I believe that connecting rural areas to high-speed internet will provide those rural businesses and families increased access to education, healthcare, and business opportunities. I am the lead Senate author of comprehensive broadband infrastructure legislation with House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn. The Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act will invest over $90 billion to build high-speed broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities to close the digital divide and ensure that Americans have increased access to education, health care, and business opportunities. I also led the effort with Senator Thune of South Dakota calling on the FCC to modernize rules intended to ensure that rural Americans have access to affordable broadband services. With the support of 59 senators, we successfully compelled the FCC to update these rules in March 2016. I also introduced the bipartisan Rural Spectrum Accessibility Act with Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska, which provides incentives for wireless carriers to work with rural or smaller carriers to increase wireless broadband access in rural communities. That bill was signed into law in March 2018. Additionally, a proposal of mine to require states to simultaneously install broadband conduits as part of certain federal transportation projects, including when building a new highway or adding a new lane to an existing highway—a provision known as “Dig Once”—was included in legislation signed into law in March 2018.
  
  Accurate, reliable data on the economic impact of broadband is a valuable tool for policymakers and business leaders as they make the case for additional broadband deployment. To this end, I introduced the Measuring the Economic Impact of Broadband Act—which passed the Senate in June 2019—to require the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the U.S. economy. I also introduced bipartisan legislation with Senators Wicker, Peters, and Thune to improve the FCC’s broadband coverage maps to ensure funding for broadband deployment goes to the areas that need it most. That bill was signed into law in March 2020. Finally, during the coronavirus pandemic, I introduced the Keeping Critical Connections Act with Senator Cramer of North Dakota to help ensure that small broadband providers can continue to provide internet services for students and low-income families during this public health crisis. [See Agriculture and Rural Communities]
   
• Addressing the burdens faced by middle-class families. During my first year in the Senate, we passed the first federal minimum wage increase in a decade. Since the passage of that legislation, I have fought for policies aimed at putting more money in the pockets of working Minnesotans. That is why I strongly support legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. Lifting the minimum wage is part of the solution to get the economy back on track for the middle class and at the same time increasing the purchasing power of our customers. If we’re going to build a strong middle class, we need to make sure that Americans can work their way into it.
   
  • Helping homeowners and renters. I am committed to keeping the housing market stable. The pandemic relief packages that Congress passed in 2020 included major relief for homeowners—including a moratorium on foreclosures for all houses with mortgages backed by government agencies—while the American Rescue Plan passed in March 2021 provided nearly $10 billion for foreclosure assistance and over $20 billion for rental assistance. I also introduced bipartisan legislation with Republican Senator Rob Portman which would address the national housing shortage and skyrocketing housing costs for renters and homeowners by helping states and localities develop and implement comprehensive plans to increase their supply of housing and make more of it affordable. Previously, I authored a law that prevents predatory lending by banning mortgage originators from accepting compensation by placing consumers in a higher interest rate loan or a loan with less favorable terms. In 2011, I supported reforms to the rules loan servicers must follow when dealing with homeowners who are seeking to modify their mortgages. These reforms would help ease the burden and stress for homeowners navigating the process of staying in their homes. I have also worked to extend the program that helps homeowners facing foreclosure stay in their houses without paying taxes on the amount of their mortgages the bank writes off. The program also extends the ability of consumers to deduct the cost of mortgage insurance for personal residences.
     
  • Providing tax credits and direct help for Minnesotans. The work to help middle-class Minnesotans during the pandemic expands on much of my pre-pandemic support for working families. In 2009, I sponsored the Middle Class Opportunity Act, which would increase tax credits for child and dependent care and help families pay for higher education and support for aging parents. I supported the Making Work Pay Tax Credit, which provided a temporary cut in federal income taxes for 95 percent of working families in 2009 and 2010. I supported the Payroll Tax Cut, which put a boost of more than $1,000 in the typical paycheck throughout the year in 2011 and 2012. I worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. Under this bipartisan agreement, middle-class families had the security of knowing that their income tax rates would stay low. The bill extended enhancements to the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and tax credits for higher education. And in 2015, I supported the Protecting Americans from Tax Hike Act which made permanent the enhancements to the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and tax credits for higher education.
     
  • Supporting technical and vocational education programs. I have introduced bipartisan legislation to allow taxpayers to use tax-advantaged “529” accounts to save money for technical and vocational education programs in addition to traditional four-year colleges. I have introduced legislation with Republican Senator Ben Sasse that would expand Coverdell Education Savings Accounts—tax-advantaged savings accounts for educational expenses—so American workers could use the accounts to pay for skills training, career-related learning, and professional development. And I led the American Apprenticeship Act to provide funding for tuition assistance programs to states for participants in apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs in a variety of industries and occupations.
     
  • Extending paid family leave. Minnesota is a leader in providing paid sick leave, paid medical leave, and other policies that support working families. I am working to pass these bills on the national level. I cosponsored the Healthy Families Act, which provides paid sick leave; the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act to provide paid family and medical leave; and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which protects the rights of pregnant workers. I also supported the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act, which provides federal workers 12 weeks of paid parental leave and was included in legislation signed into law in December 2019. The coronavirus pandemic has made clear the need for universal paid leave, and I will continue to advocate for paid leave policies that provide all workers with paid family and medical leave. I continue to advocate for more affordable education and health care by working to reduce the cost of college, supporting workforce training programs, and addressing factors that lead to increased health care costs, including skyrocketing prescription drug costs. [See Education and Health Care]
     
  • Marshall Plan for Moms. Throughout the pandemic, women—and especially working moms—have disproportionately suffered job losses, bearing the brunt of the economic fallout. These losses threaten to erase decades of progress women have made in the workforce, and I am working to ensure that moms have the economic support they need. I introduced a Marshall Plan for Moms, which calls for paid leave, funding for childcare, investments in education, expanded child benefits, and access to mental health support for moms. We made significant progress on many of these priorities in passing the American Rescue Plan, but I will continue pushing for these policies, including permanent paid leave; quality, affordable child care; a $15 minimum wage; and a permanent expansion of the child tax credit (CTC), the earned income tax credit (EITC), and the child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC).
     
  • Assisting families with long-term senior care. More than half of Americans turning 65 today are projected to need some type of long-term care in their lives. While nursing homes and paid care providers serve our seniors in some situations, the vast majority of elder care comes from informal caregivers—more than half of whom are adult children taking care of their parents. On the Joint Economic Committee, I took the lead on this critical issue. I introduced the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act, to provide grants for training and support services for families and caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, and the Americans Giving Care to Elders Act, which would establish a federal tax credit to assist with the costs of caring for an aging family member and would help expand programs to provide education, guidance and support to people taking care of loved ones with long-term care needs. 

Agriculture & Rural Communities

America’s economic well-being depends on the health of our farmlands and rural communities. As the nation’s fifth largest agricultural producing state, Minnesota is home to 67,500 farms that contribute almost $17 billion to our state economy each year. Rural communities that rely on an agriculture economy often see disproportionate impacts from natural disasters, market volatility, and global pandemics. These communities have unique needs, ranging from housing and infrastructure to health care and broadband access. We must give rural communities the tools they need to spur innovation, create jobs and opportunities, and confront these challenges.

The cyclical nature of agriculture means that farmers make large financial investments in their crops, livestock, buildings, and equipment and sometimes face heavy losses due to natural disasters and market circumstances beyond their control. As our weather becomes more extreme, farmers need greater support to survive climate-related disasters that have cost the farming economy hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years. I am committed to maintaining a strong, fair safety net for our farmers to help them get through disasters and periods of low prices.

Farmers and Midwestern workers also need to seize economic opportunities generated by the homegrown biofuels market as America continues to move toward energy independence. Farm-based biofuels are critical to both our rural economies and our nation’s energy security, and I am committed to supporting growth for farmers in this industry—from traditional biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel to the next generation of cellulosic ethanol made from prairie grass to wind energy to electricity made from livestock waste.

The low population density of rural communities has meant that access to reliable broadband has lagged behind other parts of the country. Expanding broadband into all rural areas is essential for creating jobs, expanding economic opportunity, and leveling the playing field during crisis situations. I am fighting to get rural Minnesotans affordable broadband services to improve health care delivery and education and business opportunities.

Rural America has been particularly hard hit by the opioid epidemic and increased methamphetamine use. According to preliminary data, more than 68,000 people died from opioid and other drug overdoses across the country in 2018—including 607 in Minnesota. On average, about 130 Americans die every day from an overdose involving an opioid, and only about 1 in 10 people suffering from opioid addiction actually receive the treatment they need. I’ll continue fighting for additional funds and resources to help communities where many struggle with addiction—especially with the added psychological and economic stresses of the coronavirus pandemic.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Supporting farmers and ranchers through the Farm Bills. When we support farmers and ranchers, we ensure the continuity of the agricultural supply chain, helping all workers, as well as small businesses. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I worked hard to craft a strong 2018 Farm Bill that built on the successes of the 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills, strengthened the safety net for Minnesota farmers and ranchers, invested in conservation programs, and supported homegrown energy.
   
• Preserving and strengthening the farm safety net. Farmers and farm communities need a strong and fair farm safety net to protect against extreme weather and market failures. The 2014 Farm Bill eliminated direct payments and worked to eliminate fraud and waste to ensure that these programs are efficient and targeted. In the 2018 Farm Bill, I worked to maintain and strengthen the crop insurance program, continue the sugar program, create new risk-management tools for dairy producers, and fully fund the permanent disaster programs for livestock producers. And during the coronavirus pandemic, I have worked to ensure that livestock producers and local and specialty food producers who sell directly to farmers markets, schools, and restaurants have had access to emergency resources to offset sharp commodity price declines.
   
• Shoring up the dairy program. Dairy farmers have faced significant financial stress due to low prices, stagnant export growth, and declining sales. That’s why I worked to address ongoing difficulties with the Margin Protection Program (MPP) for dairy farmers in the 2018 Farm Bill. After years of low prices, which threatened dairy farms with the prospect of needing to sell off their herds, I worked to ensure that the Department of Agriculture quickly implemented the dairy provisions from the 2018 Farm Bill to provide immediate relief. I also supported fixes in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to the MPP and provisions that provided a pathway to new insurance tools for dairy farmers. During the coronavirus pandemic, dairy producers have seen significant declines in both cash prices for dairy commodities and in dairy futures markets. I have urged the Department of Agriculture to make price loss payments to dairy producers and purchase surplus dairy products for donation to food banks and federal nutrition programs. While aid and commodity purchases were announced through the April 2020 Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), price declines and financial stress in the supply chain continue. That’s why I am working to provide additional tools and aid to help dairy producers weather the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic.
   
• Additional reform of federal farm payments. In the 2008 Farm Bill, I worked to pass important reforms to the farm payment system, including an income cap on eligibility for commodity payments. In the 2014 Farm Bill, we made additional reforms aimed at ensuring that payments are focused on our family farmers. I continue working to make sure that federal support goes to new farmers who are often struggling to make their farms solvent and competitive in these times of low prices and export-market uncertainty. The 2014 Farm Bill also included two of my amendments to help beginning farmers and ranchers by reducing the cost of accessing crop insurance and eliminating the penalty for beginning ranchers who graze livestock on CRP acres. In the 2018 Farm Bill, I successfully included an amendment to incentivize landowners with expiring CRP acres to sell to beginning farmers.
   
• Providing incentives for homegrown, farm-based energy. Homegrown energy production can reduce our dependence on foreign oil while bringing jobs to our rural communities. In order to expand our homegrown energy technologies and supplies, it is important for investors to have a stable, reliable set of economic guidelines. That’s why I’m fighting to maintain a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and have continually pushed back against any effort to weaken the RFS—including the granting of multiple refinery waivers by the previous Administration, some of which were granted to multi-billion-dollar oil companies. During the coronavirus pandemic, demand for fuel has decreased, and many renewable energy plants in Minnesota and across the Midwest have idled production or closed down completely. I am working to provide assistance to the biofuels industry and its workforce so that they can continue operating safely through these market disruptions and continue providing rural jobs and market opportunities for farmers.
   
• Opening markets for Minnesota producers. Exports are critical to the U.S. economy. In 2018, Minnesota exported over $7 billion worth of agricultural products. From 2000 to 2016, Minnesota’s total agricultural exports grew by 226 percent—higher than the national growth of 163 percent and supporting more than 57,000 jobs on and off the farm. As the former chairwoman of the Senate Subcommittee on Export Promotion, I believe we must do everything we can to help American farmers sell more of their products in foreign markets. Exports are key to the success of our beef, pork, and turkey producers, and I will do everything I can to assist them in breaking down export barriers. I will continue to work to keep existing markets open, support fair-trade agreements, and create new opportunities for Minnesota producers. I supported the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) signed in 2018 and revised in 2019. I felt that given the agreement’s additionally negotiated pro-labor and environmental changes and its elimination of a provision that would have benefitted pharmaceutical companies at the expense of consumers, it provided much-needed stability and economic opportunity for American farmers, producers, and consumers. A North American trading bloc is also an essential strategy to competing with China on a global scale.
   
• Preventing catastrophic disease outbreaks. A 2015 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) claimed nine million turkeys at 110 farms in 23 Minnesota counties. In Minnesota alone, the economic damage has been estimated at over $640 million. This outbreak showed us that we need to be doing everything we can to prevent catastrophic disease outbreaks before they start, and if we do have an outbreak, we need to be prepared. That means putting in place resources to regularly check and test animals, strengthening relationships among states and the federal government, businesses, and universities to provide rapid detection and response capabilities, and investing in the infrastructure necessary to protect against and respond to diseases that could have severe impacts on the livestock industry. That’s why I introduced the Animal Disease and Disaster Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act, which was included in the 2018 Farm Bill. The final provisions created a new Animal Disease and Disaster Response Program and a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank that will help protect Minnesota farmers against the next disease outbreak.
   
• Helping farmers with disaster relief. Numerous external factors outside the control of farmers affect their ability to plant and harvest a crop or raise livestock. Minnesota farmers have experienced losses in the millions as a result of recent weather disasters and disease outbreaks. In order to overcome these disasters, farmers and livestock producers need permanent disaster assistance programs to continue producing the food, fiber, and fuel we all need. A permanent program means that it doesn’t take an act of Congress for farmers to get relief each time disaster strikes—help will be there when farmers need it. I have worked to authorize permanent disaster assistance programs—such as those included in the 2008 Farm Bill—that have helped Minnesota farmers recover millions in crop losses caused by disasters, and have provided support for Minnesota’s poultry and livestock producers who experience millions of dollars in losses each year due to extreme weather.
   
• Conserving our natural resources. Conservation programs in the Farm Bill provide the tools for farmers and ranchers in Minnesota to conserve sensitive lands and promote farming practices that reduce soil erosion and improve air and water quality. Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the top states for conservation program enrollment. The 2014 Farm Bill streamlined and protected the important conservation programs Minnesota producers use to keep our soil healthy and our water clean. The livelihood of farmers depends on clean water and healthy soils. These provisions will help ensure that our natural resources are protected for generations of Minnesotans.
   
• Ensuring that the nutrition needs of our most vulnerable citizens are met by our farmers. During economic downturns, including both the 2009 Great Recession and the coronavirus pandemic, the USDA nutrition programs have served as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans. I want to ensure that this vital safety net, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is in place to provide meaningful relief to Minnesotans when it is most needed, including during the coronavirus pandemic. School nutrition programs help introduce children to new fruits and vegetables, providing healthy foods while also fostering healthier eating habits that can last a lifetime. I support farmers’ markets and other opportunities for farmers to market their products directly to Minnesotans in local restaurants and stores. I also support maintaining the nutrition title as part of the Farm Bill, because everyone benefits when we reconnect to the farmers in our communities that provide us safe, nutritious, and affordable food. The coronavirus pandemic and its economic consequences have put more families and children at risk of food insecurity, which is why I worked to pass the CARES Act in March 2020 and the American Rescue Plan in March 2021. These legislative packages included additional funding to help ensure that nutrition programs can meet an increase in demand during the pandemic.
   
• Strengthening broadband and infrastructure in rural communities. For our rural producers and businesses to stay competitive in a global marketplace, we need the infrastructure that gives them access to foreign consumers. Broadband and high-tech advancements allow producers to sell their crops and livestock at better prices, reduce fuel and input materials to protect the environment, and provide new business and education opportunities for rural communities. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and as a co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Broadband Caucus, I have been a champion for rural broadband. I believe connecting rural areas will provide increased access to education, health care, and business opportunities.
   
• Meeting the housing and health care needs of rural communities. We must ensure that policy proposals for housing and health care reflect rural America’s specific needs. While many rural Americans are more vulnerable to the coronavirus, they are also often less able to access treatment, and rural hospitals and health systems often have fewer ICU beds and resources to meet an increase in demand. Many rural health care providers are facing shortages of critical resources needed to confront the coronavirus pandemic, including coronavirus tests and protective equipment. We must work to ensure that rural Minnesota has these resources, as well as the resources it needs to store, distribute, and administer coronavirus vaccines. It is our responsibility to provide rural hospitals and health care systems the support they need to respond to the pandemic and keep people safe.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been fighting to keep our farms and rural communities strong and to keep our state a leader in homegrown energy:

• Supporting farmers and ranchers through the Farm Bills. I have worked to pass the last three Farm Bills—in 2008, 2014, and 2018. During consideration of each bill, I fought for provisions that strengthened the safety net for Minnesota farmers, ranchers, and livestock producers. The 2018 Farm Bill protected and expanded crop insurance to cover new crops and types of production, improved the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) risk management programs for farmers, and strengthened investments in agricultural research to support the scientific efforts that make farmers more efficient and resilient.
  
  The 2018 Farm Bill also provided new tools to conserve land and promote clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades. The law maintained funding in the conservation title and maintained unique working lands programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). The law also helps rural small businesses and farmers use renewable energy and install energy-efficiency measures in their operations.
  
  In the 2014 Farm Bill, I worked to include a strong energy title to reduce farm utility costs. I authored an amendment included in the bill to provide an additional $100 million for the Rural Energy for America (REAP) program to help farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses lower their energy bills by installing renewable and energy-efficient technologies. In the 2018 Farm Bill, I again included an amendment that will make critical investments for many of the programs in the energy title, including REAP, the Biorefinery Assistance Program, the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, and the Biobased Markets Program or “Bio-Preferred.”
   
• Ensuring simpler and fairer tax treatment for agriculture equipment. Putting money back in the pockets of our farmers and ranchers enables them to promote economic growth and strengthen our rural communities. In 2015, I introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas that would help farmers purchase new equipment and replace worn-out machinery by amending the U.S. tax code to permanently set a five-year depreciation schedule for certain agricultural equipment. Changing the depreciation schedule to five years makes the tax code more consistent and aids rural development by increasing farm income by over $850 million a year, while helping farmers and ranchers finance new equipment and replace worn-out machinery. This provision was signed into law in December 2017. I continue to support additional measures that will help farmers and ranchers invest and grow, including extending expensing and depreciation tax provisions, which would allow businesses to write off the cost of investments in new property and equipment.
   
• Cutting red tape and giving a voice to farmers. I believe that if more people with a farming background were included in the decision-making process for new federal policies, we might avoid some of the regulations that have justifiably frustrated farmers in Minnesota and across the nation. I have fought hard to protect farmers from burdensome regulations, such as proposals to treat milk the same as oil when requiring spill prevention plans, to regulate dust on farm roads and driveways, and to obtain multiple identification numbers to participate in voluntary conservation programs. I introduced the Representation for Farmers Act to ensure that American farmers have a major voice in the decision-making process for environmental policies and regulations that would affect U.S. agriculture, and I successfully fought to include a version of this provision in the 2014 Farm Bill. In February 2021, I also introduced the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act, which would remove restrictive requirements for E15 fuel dispenser labeling and update outdated underground storage tank requirements to better protect our environment and facilitate access to higher blends of renewable fuels.
   
• Preserving and strengthening the farm safety net. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I worked to strengthen the crop insurance program and helped provide our dairy farmers greater protection from excessive market volatility in the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills. I will continue my efforts to ensure that these programs work for our farmers in times of price volatility, including during the coronavirus pandemic. I also successfully fought to extend the commodity programs in the 2008, 2014, and 2018 Farm Bills and to rebalance these programs to be more equitable to northern crops such as wheat, barley, and canola.
  
  In addition, I introduced the bipartisan Family Farmer Relief Act with Senator Chuck Grassley, which was signed into law in 2019. As bankruptcy rates among American farmers approach record highs, this law will help farmers keep their farms, reorganize their businesses, and repay their debts.
  
  The coronavirus pandemic is straining the financial situation of farmers and our agricultural supply chain, as farmers are confronting market volatility, severe price declines, uncertain market opportunities, and a workforce squeezed by illness. The March 2020 CARES Act included emergency relief for farmers who have experienced price losses, including livestock producers, dairy farmers, specialty crop growers, and producers who sell their commodities directly to farmers markets, schools, and restaurants. The December 2020 coronavirus relief package provided additional support for farmers, ranchers, and food supply chain workers. This law advanced many of my priorities, including measures to support small meat and poultry processors, grant the USDA authority to make relief payments to producers of renewable fuels, and provide resources for livestock and poultry producers who lost animals due to insufficient processing capacity. I was a strong supporter of the 2021 American Rescue Plan, which included $4 billion for commodity purchases for distribution to individuals in need and farm loan assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
   
• Shoring up the dairy program. In the 2018 Farm Bill, I worked to resolve the difficulties with the Margin Protection Program (MPP) for dairy farmers. Dairy farmers are facing low prices, stagnant export growth, and declining sales that threaten their operations. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 included provisions to fix problems within the MPP and provided a pathway to new insurance tools for dairy farmers. In September 2017, I led a congressional letter to former Agriculture Secretary Perdue asking that he take steps to make milk an agricultural commodity eligible for crop insurance, and the budget deal in early 2018 included provisions to remove the arbitrary cap on dairy insurance and to allow for innovative new risk management tools for dairy farmers.
  
  The 2018 Farm Bill included provisions to provide more coverage and more flexible tools for dairy farmers by allowing operations to cover margins up to $9.50 in the new Dairy Margin Coverage program. My energy title amendment also included a provision that allows each dairy operation that participated in the Margin Protection Program between 2014 and 2017 to receive a repayment of premiums paid over that time period as either a 50 percent direct refund or a 75 percent credit toward future premiums. After years of low prices threatened dairy farms with the prospect of needing to sell off their herds, I insisted that the Department of Agriculture worked quickly to implement the dairy provisions from the 2018 Farm Bill to provide immediate relief.
  
  As dairy producers have experienced sharp declines in both cash prices for dairy commodities and in dairy futures markets since the coronavirus pandemic began, I have worked to ensure that dairy producers had access to dedicated disaster funding from the CARES Act and called on the Department of Agriculture to distribute that funding in an equitable way through direct payments and dairy product purchases for donation to food banks. I strongly supported the American Rescue Plan, which provides $4 billion for food and agriculture commodity purchases—including dairy products—for distribution to individuals in need.
   
• Incentives for homegrown, farm-based energy. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I have supported increasing incentives for homegrown, farm-based energy. This includes ensuring a strong Renewable Fuel Standard, boosting biofuel innovation and deployment, as well as funding programs that allow farmers to invest in renewable energy that can create jobs and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
   
  • Supporting a renewable fuel standard. I have pushed hard to maintain a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that will help drive innovation and boost Minnesota’s economy while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I have long led bipartisan efforts with Senator Chuck Grassley calling for a strong RFS, which have led to permanent rules that have increased overall renewable fuel volume requirements (RVOs). In 2014 and 2015, the EPA proposed changes to the RFS that would have hurt the biofuels industry by lowering the biofuels targets, discouraging investment, and reducing jobs in rural communities across the country. I successfully led bipartisan meetings of senators with former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to urge the Obama Administration to reverse the changes and maintain a strong RFS, which they did following the meeting.
    
    The Trump Administration consistently undermined the RFS by granting refinery waivers to multi-billion-dollar oil companies. In its first three years, the Trump Administration approved 85 waivers, which reduced demand for more than 4 billion gallons of renewable fuel and caused significant harm to our farmers and our homegrown biofuels market. I called on the Trump Administration to immediately reallocate the gallons of renewable biofuel lost to these waivers and cosponsored legislation that would make changes to the refinery waiver approval process so that the application and decision-making processes are made more transparent. I have called on the Biden Administration to take bold action to support farmers and combat climate change by rejecting refinery waivers and restoring the gallons wrongfully waived by the previous Administration in future RVOs.
     
  • Using the best research to boost biofuel use. One way to continue increasing the use of biofuels is to ensure that the EPA is accurately accounting for the emissions from ethanol and biodiesel. Recent studies have demonstrated that using corn ethanol in place of gasoline cuts greenhouse gas emissions by almost half. However, the EPA’s process for modeling emissions for the RFS has not been revised since 2010. That’s why I introduced the Adopt GREET Act with Senator Thune in February 2021 to direct the EPA to update its modeling to reflect the latest science.
     
  • Increasing ethanol and biodiesel availability. I have consistently pushed to make ethanol and biodiesel more readily available to American consumers at the gas pump. I cosponsored the Energy Independence and Security Act, which included provisions to install ethanol and biodiesel pumps in gas stations across the country. In addition, my Right to Retail Renewable Fuels amendment to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 helped to ensure that new fuels can come to market by preventing oil companies from using their market power to stop gas stations from selling renewable fuels.
     
  • Expanding biofuel infrastructure. I also advocated for Minnesota to receive funds to expand biofuel infrastructure. In 2016, Minnesota received $8 million in federal funding to install blender pumps for biofuels at fueling stations. The investment boosted local economies across our state, gave drivers more choices at the pump, and reduced dependence on foreign oil. In addition, I introduced the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act in February 2021 with Senator Joni Ernst to create a permanent biofuels infrastructure program at the Department of Agriculture and expand the availability of low-carbon renewable fuels in the marketplace.
     
  • Supporting next generation biofuels. I have led efforts in the Senate Agriculture Committee to move the nation toward the next generation of biofuels—cellulosic ethanol made from dedicated energy crops like prairie grass and alfalfa, as well as from agricultural residues and wood chips. Working with former Senators Tom Harkin of Iowa and Kent Conrad of North Dakota, I authored the Farm-to-Fuel Investment Act, which was included in the Energy Title of the 2008 Farm Bill. The bill offers incentives to farmers to grow dedicated energy crops on marginal farmland.
     
  • Addressing idle production during the pandemic. As demand for fuel has decreased during the coronavirus pandemic, many renewable energy plants in Minnesota and across the Midwest have idled production or closed down completely, resulting in laid-off workers and halted purchases of feedstocks like corn, soybeans, and sorghum. That’s why I am working to provide assistance to the biofuels industry and its workforce so that they can continue operating safely through these disruptions and continue providing rural jobs and opportunities for farmers.
     
• Opening markets for Minnesota producers. I favor doing all we can to make it easier to assist our farmers and rural communities in exporting products, including raw and processed agricultural commodities and other manufactured goods. I have worked to ensure that we have a functional export-import bank and fair trade agreements. I led the bill to lift the embargo with Cuba. I also have worked with a bipartisan group of senators to make market access for U.S. agriculture producers a priority in the resolution of non-tariff trade barriers meant to discriminate against U.S. products and for the favorable treatment of U.S. agriculture products in trade agreements with other countries. I successfully fought to pressure China to reopen its markets to American pork, beef, and poultry products. I have also pushed Japan to reopen its market to U.S. beef and led a bipartisan group of senators in calling on South Africa and South Korea to address non-scientific trade barriers that are limiting our turkey exports. In November 2017, I led a letter with Congressman Tom Emmer to the former President, urging him to consider the impact that a reduction in engagement with South Korea would have on Minnesota’s farmers. South Korea is the fourth largest market for Minnesota agricultural exports by total value.
   
• Preventing catastrophic disease outbreaks. During the avian influenza outbreak in 2015, I worked hard to ensure that our farmers had the assistance they needed to deal with the crisis and recover. I introduced the Animal Disease and Disaster Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act, which was included in the 2018 Farm Bill. The final provisions created a new Animal Disease and Disaster Response Program and a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) bank that will help protect Minnesota farmers against the next disease outbreak.
   
• Helping farmers with disaster relief. I worked to secure the first-ever permanent livestock disaster assistance program in the 2008 Farm Bill. Since 2008, this program has helped Minnesota farmers recover millions in crop losses caused by disasters and has provided support for Minnesota’s poultry and livestock producers who experience millions of dollars in losses each year due to extreme weather. In the 2014 Farm Bill, I fought to ensure that the disaster programs for our livestock producers were fully funded. I have also worked to expand and strengthen programs like the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), which provide cattle producers assistance for livestock deaths caused by snowstorms, excessive heat, and other adverse weather.
  
  When severe weather caused flooding in 2019, I worked to pass the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP) and the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program-Plus (WHIP+) in order to provide disaster funding. These programs provided relief to producers who suffered losses from drought or excessive moisture in 2018 and 2019.
   
• Conserving our natural resources. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I worked to streamline the conservation programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. I supported efforts to create a compromise on conservation compliance that would extend conservation protections to the crop insurance program and worked to ensure that a “Sodsaver” provision to protect native prairie was included in the bill. I introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the Sodsaver provision nationwide and remove program loopholes. I continue to fight against cuts to conservation programs and to ensure that savings from these programs are reinvested in successful Minnesota programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. I supported increasing the number of acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to 27 million acres in the 2018 Farm Bill and creating a pilot program to study innovative approaches to improve soil health and carbon sequestration.
  
  I introduced the Agriculture Data Act, which was modified and included in the 2018 Farm Bill with Senator Thune of South Dakota to direct the USDA to collect, collate, integrate, and link data relating to the impacts of conservation practices on enhancing crop yields, improving soil health, reducing risk, and improving profitability. Our bill would establish a secure conservation and farm productivity data warehouse, as well as procedures to protect the integrity and confidentiality of proprietary producer data. The resulting research and analysis will be disseminated to producers in a manner that makes it easy for them to utilize the information to enhance conservation benefits and increase profitability. The final 2018 Farm Bill directs the secretary to identify the available data sets within the USDA regarding the use of conservation practices and report on their effect on farm and ranch profitability. In October 2020, the USDA began a pilot program based on the 2018 Farm Bill provision that combines data from several USDA agencies to assess how conservation practices like cover crops helped reduce flooding and improved yields. To improve access to the USDA’s voluntary conservation programs, I introduced a bill with Republican Senator John Boozman from Arkansas that would remove burdensome annual reporting requirements for farmers who want to improve conservation practices on their farms. The bill was included in the 2018 omnibus appropriations act.
   
• Getting nutritious farm produce to our most vulnerable citizens. Programs that purchase fresh produce from local farmers to supply school lunches and support families in need are a win-win for Minnesota. The Farm Bill provides a strong safety net through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). In 2008, 2014, and 2018, I pushed for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which helps introduce children to a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as programs that fund the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for school lunches.
  
  I also helped lead the passage of the bipartisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was signed into law in 2010, to overhaul the major domestic food assistance programs that serve the nutritional needs of 29 million American children each day. I worked with my colleagues on the Senate Agriculture Committee to pass a bipartisan reauthorization of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2016, which would preserve these important reforms while giving local school districts the flexibility they need to continue feeding our kids.
  
  I have urged the Department of Agriculture to make price loss payments to farmers and purchase surplus commodities for donation to food banks and federal nutrition programs. With many children out of school and taking classes remotely during the coronavirus pandemic, I worked to include more funding for the Department of Agriculture’s child nutrition programs in the March 2020 CARES Act. In April 2020, the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) provided $19 billion in relief for our farmers, food supply chain, and families in need, including funding for livestock producers, row crop producers, and specialty crops. I supported the March 2021 American Rescue Plan, which extended the 15 percent increase in SNAP funding during the pandemic and increased resources for food programs like CSFP that provide critical support to seniors.
   
• Strengthening broadband and infrastructure in rural communities. I have fought to extend access to affordable, reliable broadband because in 2021, every American should have access to high-speed internet regardless of Zip code. I have also fought to improve Minnesota’s infrastructure, working to include core programs in the Farm Bill that provide vital support for building and maintaining wastewater facilities, loan guarantees, and grants for rural businesses and manufacturers to grow and expand.
   
  • Connecting our rural communities. I have worked with Senator Thune of South Dakota to call on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to modernize rules intended to ensure that Americans in rural areas have access to affordable broadband services. With the support of 59 senators, we successfully pressured the FCC to update these rules in March 2016. In February 2018, the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act that I introduced with Senators Thune and Tester was signed into law. The bill directs the FCC to establish basic quality standards for providers that transmit voice calls to help ensure businesses, families, and emergency responders can count on phone calls being completed. I introduced the bipartisan Measuring the Economic Impact of Broadband Act, legislation to require the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study of the effects of broadband deployment and adoption on the U.S. economy, which passed the Senate in June 2019.
    
    In March 2020, legislation that I introduced with Senators Wicker, Peters, and Thune—the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act—was signed into law. This legislation will improve the FCC’s broadband data collection process to create more accurate broadband coverage maps and help ensure that the funds for broadband deployment go to the communities that need it most. In December 2020, the year-end omnibus bill included $65 million funding to implement the Broadband DATA Act. I also introduced legislation with Senator Wicker to direct the FCC, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the USDA to coordinate and share information on their broadband deployment efforts so that federal funds are used effectively to target both the unserved and underserved. Our bill was signed into law in December 2020. I introduced legislation to help ensure college students with the greatest financial needs at Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) were connected to critical internet services during the pandemic. The December 2020, year-end omnibus bill also included $285 million in funding for college students with the greatest financial need based on my bill. In March 2021, I joined House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-SC) in introducing comprehensive broadband infrastructure legislation—the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act—to invest over $90 billion to build high-speed broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities to close the digital divide.
     
  • Access to precision agriculture technology. As agriculture increasingly relies on precision technology, we need to give farmers and ranchers the tools they need to take advantage of new technologies and improve their businesses, reduce costs, and improve crop yields. That’s why I joined Senator Roger Wicker to introduce the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act to identify gaps in coverage and encourage broadband deployment on farms and ranchlands. Our legislation was signed into law as part of the 2018 Farm Bill. Precision agriculture technology helps farmers boost yields and be more environmentally efficient but only if they have access to reliable broadband. The 2018 Omnibus Budget Act, which was signed into law in March 2018, contained an additional $600 million for dedicated broadband funding as well as my bills to encourage wireless carriers to work with rural or smaller carriers to increase wireless broadband access in rural communities and to cut red tape by ensuring that states coordinate highway construction projects with broadband providers so that broadband infrastructure can be installed at the same time—known as “dig once.”
     
  • Infrastructure plans that help rural communities. As a member of the Commerce and Agriculture committees, I have long supported leveraging both direct funding and public-private partnerships to rebuild and reinvest in our infrastructure. One bipartisan idea I’ve been working on is to create an infrastructure bank that would help increase private sector infrastructure spending. It would also direct funding to projects in rural areas so that smaller communities can make much-needed infrastructure improvements. This type of innovative financing tool could jumpstart critical projects in Minnesota and across the country. But we can’t rely on public-private partnerships alone to fund projects. Direct federal funding is essential, especially in rural America, where federal dollars help maintain and upgrade infrastructure that attracts investment and helps communities stay competitive. I have also pushed to ensure financing mechanisms stay in place that help rural communities upgrade aging wastewater and drinking water infrastructure.
     
  • Addressing rail issues. As I travel across Minnesota, I continue to hear from agricultural producers who are experiencing rail service delays, including backlogs on orders for rail cars and shipping delays once cars are loaded with cargo. The results are lost sales, involuntary shutdowns at processing facilities, and disruption to agriculture markets. Reliable and affordable rail service is critical for providing our agriculture producers access to markets beyond our state’s borders. Overall, the U.S. exported almost $140 billion in farm products in 2017. As the fourth largest agricultural exporting state in the country, Minnesota contributes substantially to these export numbers. We must be sure we have the transportation networks to get our agricultural exports to our trading partners. That’s why in 2015 Senator Thune and I asked the USDA to conduct a comprehensive economic analysis on how rail service challenges are impacting agricultural producers, crop prices, basis levels, agricultural exports, food prices, and other agricultural end-users, including food processors, livestock producers, and ethanol refiners. And as a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I pushed railroad companies to address these service delays. I also successfully urged the Surface Transportation Board to collect additional data on rail performance to increase transparency and improve service.
    
    I have additionally worked to require the railroad industry to play by the same antitrust rules as other industries. I introduced the Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act to remove the railroad industry’s obsolete exemption from the antitrust laws. More competitive pricing for “captive shippers” with access to only one rail company will help ensure that farmers and rural businesses can move their products as quickly and affordably as possible. In March 2021, I sent a letter with Senator Thune to the chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission in support of investigations into reports that certain vessel-operating common carriers were denying carriage for agricultural commodities and calling for the Commission to quickly resolve the issue.
     
• Meeting the housing and health care needs of rural communities. Rural communities face unique economic needs, and we must ensure that we give them the necessary tools they need to thrive. I have fought for funding for rural housing, including funding for the rural rental assistance program, rural housing construction funding, and loans for elderly homeowners for home repairs and improvements that remove health and safety hazards. I have worked to make healthcare more accessible in rural Minnesota by supporting critical access to hospitals, championing proposals to bring down rural health insurance rates with cost-sharing reductions and reinsurance, and leading the successful effort to extend the Conrad 30 program. This program allows international doctors trained in the United States to extend their stay in the country if they agree to practice in underserved communities. I also led several bipartisan bills to bring down the costs of prescription drugs.
  
  Rural America has been hit particularly hard by the opioid epidemic and a recent rise in the use of methamphetamine. That’s why I led the effort to pass landmark bipartisan legislation in 2016, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which encourages states and local communities to pursue a full array of proven strategies in the fight against addiction, including expanding access to naloxone among law enforcement and other first responders. I have also introduced the CARA 2.0 Act with a bipartisan group of senators to build on the momentum of CARA by increasing funding and putting in place additional policy reforms to combat the opioid epidemic. The 2018 Omnibus Budget Act, which was signed into law on March 23, 2018, contained over $3 billion in additional funding. I will continue fighting for additional funds and resources to help communities combat addiction.

Environment, Climate Change, Homegrown Energy and Natural Resources

We must commit ourselves to protecting our environment and preserving our natural resources for generations to come. Environmental conservation is a fundamental part of Minnesota’s heritage—and it is part of my own family’s heritage, too. Like most Minnesotans, I grew up in a family that values the outdoors. My grandpa from northern Minnesota was an avid hunter. My dad was a bicyclist, mountain climber, and all-around outdoorsman, and my mom always liked to fish and hike. When I was growing up, we never took a family vacation that didn’t involve a tent, camper, or a cabin!

As your senator, I believe a major part of my job includes ensuring that we have the right policies to protect the natural resources we enjoy in Minnesota—our lakes, rivers, and wetlands, our forests and prairies, our wildlife habitats, and abundant farmland. It is our responsibility to pass on our Minnesota way of life to future generations with responsible conservation and smart policies that allow our outdoor recreation, fishing, and hunting industries to thrive. That is why I am dedicated to promoting policies that address the urgent climate crisis, preserve our farmlands, reduce flooding dangers, and keep our air and water clean.

The climate crisis is happening right now and we need to confront it with a sense of urgency. Reports from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the U.S. Government’s Fourth National Climate Assessment make clear that action is needed immediately. In Minnesota and across the country, we have seen stronger and more frequent storms lead to flooding and other climate-related natural disasters that cause displacement and destruction. We cannot wait 50 years to address the climate impacts that threaten the livelihoods of our children, our farmers, our businesses, our infrastructure, and our national security.

We must chart a new energy future that puts us on a path to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This will require reductions in greenhouse gases from our energy sector, but also must include homegrown energy sources, new energy technologies, and energy efficiency measures. In Minnesota, we have the talent and know-how to innovate and the natural resources to propel our economy forward. By transitioning to a renewable energy future, I believe we can meet our nation’s energy demands, better protect our environment, and promote economic development across America.

By harnessing our homegrown energy potential and preserving the natural resources that make Minnesota such a unique place to live, our state can continue to be a shining example for the rest of the country, showing that strong energy and environmental policies can go hand-in-hand with a strong economy.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Taking immediate action to combat climate change. We have received warning after warning about the devastating consequences of climate change that are coming much sooner than expected. There is scientific consensus that climate change is having a negative impact on our world and it is clear that inaction is not an option for our economy, for our environment, for our country, and for our world. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published a report confirming 22 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters across the United States in 2020, breaking the previous record of 16 events in 2017 and 2011. These 22 disaster events cost our nation a combined $95 billion in damages.
  
  We must work toward achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This will require reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting the development of energy-efficient technologies, and utilizing homegrown energy resources. As a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, I am fighting to ensure that efforts to address the threat of climate change are a part of our nation’s energy and environmental policy. I strongly support the Paris Climate Agreement. I pushed to rejoin the Agreement after the previous Administration withdrew our membership. I also believe that we must reinstate and strengthen the Clean Power Plan rules, which set emissions standards for states, and fuel economy standards, which reduce emissions from cars and light trucks. I opposed the previous Administration’s efforts to overturn, roll back, or weaken these standards. I look forward to working with the Biden Administration on a bold agenda to address the climate crisis.
   
• Promoting the development of homegrown renewable energy. Minnesota is at the forefront of ethanol, biodiesel, and wind energy production and led the nation in 2007 by adopting a renewable energy standard that requires electric utilities to obtain 25 percent of their electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar, and biomass by the year 2025. We have already met this goal as more than 25 percent of Minnesota’s electricity now comes from renewable sources. This policy has helped stimulate renewable development throughout Minnesota, bringing in new investment and opportunities to both rural and urban areas. Our nation now needs to adopt national standards for renewable energy and provide consumers more choices at the gas pump. I support the use of tax credits—including the biodiesel tax credit, the Production Tax Credit, and the Investment Tax Credit—all of which help support continued production of and investment in clean sources of energy. During the coronavirus pandemic, demand for fuel has decreased, and many renewable energy plants in Minnesota and across the Midwest idled production or closed down completely. I am working to provide assistance to the biofuel industry and its workforce so that they can continue operating safely through these market disruptions and continue providing rural jobs and market opportunities for farmers.
   
• Increasing energy efficiency. As Obama Administration Energy Secretary Steven Chu once noted, improving efficiency in vehicles, buildings, and appliances isn’t just the “low-hanging fruit”—it’s the fruit that’s rolling on the ground. Promoting energy efficiency is good for business, good for consumers, and good for our economy. I have strongly supported programs that promote energy efficiency at the Department of Energy like the Weatherization Assistance Program and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program, which helps consumers and businesses make energy-efficient purchases. Another example is my Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act that I’ve worked on with Senator John Hoeven from North Dakota. The bill empowers the nonprofit community to make energy-efficiency improvements and help both our environment and our local communities by promoting greater energy savings and efficiency.
   
• Keeping our air and water clean. Minnesota has some of the strongest pollution control standards in the country. Residents across our state are concerned about the negative impacts of water and air pollutants that affect our public health and natural resources. Because pollution does not stop at state lines, we need strong federal standards to match Minnesota’s leadership and that is why I opposed the previous Administration’s attempts to roll back clean air and water rules. I have supported legislation to repeal the previous Administration’s anti-environmental rules that have weakened standards for methane pollution, fuel economy standards, and energy efficiency standards for appliances and light bulbs and look forward to working with the Biden Administration to strengthen environmental standards that keep our air and water clean.
   
• Strengthening and protecting our waterways. Minnesota is home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River and to Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes and the largest freshwater lake in the world. These critical waterways are vital to Minnesota’s environment and economy. Our state’s lakes and rivers provide drinking water and recreational opportunities and we must commit to keeping aquatic invasive species out of them. Protecting our waterways also means providing communities with clean drinking water infrastructure and flood protection. Many rural communities across Minnesota are unable to shoulder the financial burden of upgrading or reconstructing key infrastructure projects. Without investment in water and wastewater infrastructure, overflows of stormwater and other pollution will threaten our waterways, beaches, and public health. That’s why we need to invest in the proper infrastructure to keep communities strong and help them continue to grow. I have supported legislation to provide additional support for communities to maintain, upgrade, and improve drinking water, wastewater, and water navigation infrastructure, including legislation to make these systems more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

• • Protecting the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. As one of the Vice Chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, I have consistently worked to protect the Great Lakes by reauthorizing the previous Administration’s proposed funding cuts for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which helps accelerate projects that protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem. I am the lead sponsor of the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act, which provides the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the authority and funding to perform a range of research, restoration, and conservation activities in the Great Lakes basin.
    
    I also serve as the Senate co-Chair of the Mississippi River Caucus with Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri. I have worked to help develop and release the full potential of the Mississippi River and strongly support programs like the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) program, which is accelerating efforts to reverse degradation of the Mississippi River ecosystem and provide additional habitat for fish and wildlife.
     
  • Keeping invasive species out of our waters. I have worked on bipartisan bills to prohibit the importation and transportation of invasive carp. I spearheaded and passed legislation to prevent the spread of invasive carp in Minnesota’s waterways by authorizing the Army Corps of Engineers to close the Upper St. Anthony Falls Dam. I have supported funding critical research and educational efforts to develop new methods and techniques to prevent the rapid spread of invasive species in our lakes and rivers. I also joined senators in introducing legislation to help the Army Corps of Engineers evaluate a hydrologic barrier to block the spread of invasive carp in the waterways connecting the Great Lakes and alternatives for boating traffic.
     
  • Improving our water infrastructure. Every two years since 2014, I have worked to pass a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that included provisions vital to Minnesota. This legislation has made crucial investments in our water infrastructure, including the Port of Duluth, upgrades to locks and dams on the inland waterway system, and infrastructure for critical flood protection, including for Fargo-Moorhead and Roseau. I strongly support the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which provide communities low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects including water and wastewater plant improvements. I have also worked to ensure that USDA’s Rural Development is funding these critical projects through the Water and Wastewater Loan and Grant program.
    
    I will continue pursuing responsible policies that keep our waters clean and clear of invasive species like invasive carp and zebra mussels, while also supporting our shipping, boating, fishing, and outdoor recreational industries.
     
• Preserving open spaces and native wildlife. We need policies that preserve our open spaces, farmlands, and hunting lands, while protecting vital wetlands so that we can maintain important wildlife habitats and reduce flooding dangers. I have worked to pass the Great American Outdoors Act, which permanently authorized and funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and dedicated funding to address the maintenance backlog in our national parks. This law will help to conserve and improve access to thousands of acres of land for public use across the United States. I also opposed the previous Administration’s proposals to weaken existing laws that protect our wildlife like the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
   
• Conserving natural resources. Federal conservation programs through the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior provide tools for farmers, ranchers, and landowners in Minnesota to conserve sensitive lands, provide for wildlife habitat, and promote farming practices that reduce soil erosion and improve air and water quality. Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the top states in the country for conservation program enrollment. The Farm Bill protects the important programs Minnesota producers use to keep our soil healthy and our water clean. As a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, I am committed to strengthening our conservation programs and have worked to provide significant new investments in the conservation of working and retired lands.
   
• Supporting Minnesota tourism and outdoor recreation. Tourism, including outdoor recreation, has been one of Minnesota’s largest industries, generating $16 billion in sales and 11 percent of the state’s total private sector employment in 2018—but it has also been hit particularly hard as travel across the United States has been limited during the coronavirus pandemic. As co-chair of the Senate Tourism Caucus and the former chair of the Senate subcommittee that oversees the U.S. tourism industry, I’ve long fought to help promote tourism.
   
• Protecting consumers from unsafe and toxic materials. Americans should be able to trust that the products and material they buy and are exposed to are safe. Consumers deserve products that have been tested and meet strong health and safety standards. On the Senate Commerce Committee, I am fighting to make sure that the federal agencies charged with keeping Americans safe are being vigilant in doing their job to protect all American consumers from hazardous products.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been fighting for new energy policies and strong measures to protect our environment and natural resources:

• Immediately combating climate change. I support a policy approach that transforms our energy sector and puts us on a path to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This will require significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting the development of energy-efficient technologies, and utilizing homegrown energy sources. As a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, I am fighting to ensure that efforts to address the threat of climate change are at the forefront of our nation’s energy and environmental policy. I have introduced and supported several bills that would reduce greenhouse gases, and I am leading legislation to identify and incentivize American manufacturers using sustainable practices to help mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout global supply chains while supporting good jobs. I have also led legislation to increase the deployment of clean energy technologies like energy storage and microgrids. The first bill I ever introduced required businesses to record and make public their carbon emissions. That’s because I wanted to make one important point: climate change legislation must be a major priority. The cause has grown even more urgent.

• Promoting research on green technologies. To fully address the scope and scale of the climate crisis, I have worked to invest resources into federal research for the development and deployment of new renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. I have advocated for fully funding federal research at the Department of Energy and our National Laboratories, as well as for grant funding for extramural research at university and non-profit research partners.
   
• Expanding the market for homegrown biofuels. As a member of the Senate Commerce and Agriculture Committees, I worked on the bipartisan bill to ensure that the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 included provisions requiring a significant increase in biofuel production by 2022. This law also included new provisions to promote biofuel infrastructure and the installation of blender pumps at gas stations across the country, which will provide consumers with the choice of using higher blends of ethanol. The USDA announced in 2015 that Minnesota would receive support to install approximately 620 pumps—the third-largest number of pumps for all states receiving grant money. The investment boosted local economies across Minnesota, gave drivers more choices at the pump, and reduced dependence on foreign oil. I introduced bipartisan legislation to build on these USDA efforts by creating a permanent biofuel infrastructure program for installing and converting fuel-pump infrastructure that would deliver higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel to consumers.
  
  It is clear that biofuels are a key pathway toward decarbonizing the transportation sector while lowering gas prices, driving economic growth, and creating jobs. That’s why I introduced the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act in February 2021 with Senator Joni Ernst to create a permanent biofuel infrastructure program at the Department of Agriculture and expand the availability of low-carbon renewable fuels in the marketplace, resulting in cleaner air, lower fuel prices, and rural economic vitality.
  
  As a member of the Farm Bill conference committee, I worked to ensure that the 2014 Farm Bill included a strong energy title to allow our farmers to continue to develop homegrown energy for our nation. I am also pushing to maintain a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that will help drive innovation and boost Minnesota’s economy while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. In recent years and under both Republican and Democratic administrations, the EPA has proposed changes to the RFS that would hurt the biofuels industry by lowering the biofuels targets, discouraging investment, and hurting jobs in rural communities across the country. I led meetings between senators of both parties and former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and former White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to urge the Obama Administration to reverse the changes and maintain a strong RFS. I have consistently led bipartisan letters with Senator Chuck Grassley, calling for a strong RFS. In addition, I have been advocating for assistance for the biofuel industry and its rural workforce so that they can continue to operate through the market disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
   
• Working to end the misuse of refinery waivers. The previous Administration consistently undermined the Renewable Fuel Standard by granting refinery waivers to multi-billion-dollar oil companies. In its first three years, the previous Administration approved 85 waivers, which reduced demand for more than 4 billion gallons of renewable fuel and caused significant harm to our farmers and our homegrown biofuels market. I called on the previous Administration to immediately reallocate the gallons of renewable biofuel lost to these waivers and have cosponsored legislation that would make changes to the small refinery waiver approval process so that the application and decision-making processes are made more transparent. I have called on the Biden Administration to take bold action to support farmers and combat climate change by rejecting pending small refinery waivers and restoring the gallons wrongfully waived by the previous Administration in future renewable volume obligations (RVOs).
   
• Helping our farmers move to the next generation of farm-based biofuels. I have taken the lead in promoting the next generation of biofuel crops through my work on the Senate Agriculture Committee. I successfully included legislation in the 2008 Farm Bill to provide incentives for U.S. farmers to produce cellulosic ethanol made from dedicated energy crops like prairie grass and alfalfa and from agricultural residues and wood chips. I also introduced the Farm-to-Fuel Investment Act, which was included in the energy title of the 2008 Farm Bill, and fought to include a strong energy title in the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills to expand homegrown renewable energy production. These bills provide incentives to produce ethanol made from Minnesota-based biomass and spur innovation that will support the development of third-generation biofuels that will provide our country with an alternative motor fuel, protect our soil and water quality, and provide new wildlife habitats. And I have led amendments to the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills to provide additional funding for the energy title, including for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
   
• Increasing energy efficiency. Promoting energy efficiency is good for business, good for consumers, and good for our economy. Here are some ways I’ve been working to save Minnesotans money while conserving valuable resources:

• • Encouraging energy-efficient communities. I introduced the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act with Senator John Hoeven. This bipartisan bill, which passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in July 2019, empowers the nonprofit community to make energy-efficiency improvements to their buildings and offices, which helps our nonprofits save money through greater energy efficiency and helps the community. I also worked with Senator Hoeven to pass water heater efficiency legislation that enables rural electric power cooperatives and their members to continue to use energy-efficient water heaters in “demand response” conservation programs. This will allow cooperatives to optimize both their own energy management and the environmental benefits of these water heaters.
     
  • Fighting to strengthen automobile fuel-efficiency standards. I was part of a bipartisan group of senators that reached a compromise to pass the 2007 Energy Bill, which provided incentives to develop new, more efficient consumer technologies. From the next generation of hybrid and plug-in vehicles, to higher efficiency standards for appliances, to incentives for the design and construction of high-performance energy-efficient buildings, these initiatives are designed to reduce energy bills and save consumers money. I strongly supported the Obama Administration’s updates to the fuel-efficiency standards, which would have nearly doubled the efficiency of vehicles to an average of 54 miles per gallon by 2050, and opposed the previous Administration’s proposal to freeze the fuel-efficiency standards at the current average of 37 miles per gallon.
     
  • Extending home energy tax credits, weatherization, heating assistance, and energy-efficient products. The Weatherization Assistance Program is an important tool in reducing home energy costs. According to the National Association for State Community Services Programs, for every dollar spent, the Weatherization Program returns $2.72 in energy and non-energy benefits over the life of the weatherized home.
    
    I supported the inclusion of tax credits for energy-efficient products in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and again in the Tax Relief Act of 2010. These credits reward homeowners who install energy-efficient products—such as new efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment—as well as credits for hybrid and electric vehicles. I supported the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 and the Energy Act of 2020, which extended the Investment Tax Credit for wind and other renewable resources, and the Production Tax Credit, which provides the renewable energy industry with the stability it needs to make long-term investments. I also supported the creation and extension of the biodiesel and renewable diesel incentives.
    
    The coronavirus pandemic has created economic hardship for families in Minnesota and across the country. Families should not have to choose whether to put groceries in the refrigerator or heat their homes. That’s why I pushed for the inclusion of an additional $900 million in funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the CARES Act signed into law in March 2020.
     
• Expanding rural access to sustainable energy. I introduced legislation with Senator Jerry Moran to help rural communities and rural electricity cooperatives overcome the barriers to renewable energy storage and grid improvements by providing access to relevant resources and expertise. This bipartisan legislation was signed into law in December 2020 and will improve energy grid capacity and resiliency while ensuring that communities that want to develop new sustainable energy projects have the technical assistance to do so.
   
• Strengthening the Clean Air Act. Air pollutants like methane are potent greenhouse gases that have severe climate impacts. That’s why I opposed the previous Administration’s attempts to delay and reverse oil and gas methane pollution standards. I supported the Energy Act of 2020, which included an agreement to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)—a greenhouse gas more than 1,000 times as harmful than carbon dioxide—by 85 percent over 15 years. I was an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Clean Air Act Amendments of 2010 that would require power plants to cut air pollution—such as mercury and ozone emissions—by 50 percent to 90 percent over the next five years. I also voted against an amendment that would have blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from moving forward with the Cross State Air Pollution rule that helps protect Minnesotans from power plant pollution from other states. I also fought against attempts in the Senate to undermine the Clean Air Act and invalidate the standards that reduce pollution from mercury and other hazardous chemicals.

• Protecting the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River watershed. As one of the Vice Chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, enhancing the economic and environmental health of the Great Lakes is one of my top priorities. I was an original cosponsor of the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2008, which bolstered pollution clean-up efforts in the Great Lakes. I am also an original cosponsor of the Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act, which will build on and continue the successful clean-up efforts established by the Great Lakes Legacy Act. And I have authored the Upper Mississippi River Protection Act, which aims to help reduce pollution in the Upper Mississippi River. I introduced legislation to reauthorize and increase funding levels for an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant program that provides assistance to state and local governments to develop and implement their own programs to address nonpoint sources of water pollution, or pollution from runoff.
  
  The 2016 WRDA reauthorization included my legislation to reauthorize and fund the Great Lakes Fish & Wildlife Restoration Act which provides research, restoration, and conservation of fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes basin. I have also consistently worked to restore funding cuts proposed by the previous Administration for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and have worked to increase authorized funding for this critical program, which helps accelerate projects that protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem.
   
• Keeping aquatic invasive species out of Minnesota’s rivers and lakes. I was an original cosponsor of bipartisan legislation, signed into law in December of 2011, which prohibited the importation and transportation of invasive carp. In 2014, I introduced and passed the Upper Mississippi CARP Act that fought the spread of invasive carp in Minnesota’s waterways by authorizing the Army Corps of Engineers to close the St. Anthony Falls Dam if invasive carp are found in certain areas. I have supported funding critical research and educational efforts to develop new methods and techniques to prevent the rapid spread of invasive species in our lakes and rivers. I also joined senators in introducing legislation to help the Army Corps of Engineers evaluate a hydrologic barrier to block the spread of invasive carp in the waterways connecting the Great Lakes and alternatives for boating traffic.
   
• Improving our water infrastructure. In 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020, I supported the reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that included provisions vital to Minnesota. This legislation makes crucial investments in our ports and harbors, such as the Port of Duluth, upgrades the locks and dams on the inland waterway system, and moves forward with critical flood protection, including for Fargo-Moorhead and Roseau. The 2014 Farm Bill also included an amendment I led with Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp to provide an additional $100 million to help address the backlog of water and wastewater projects for rural communities in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 2018 Farm Bill provided increased resources for rural water and wastewater technical assistance and prioritized training to address contaminated drinking water and surface water supplies.
   
• Expanding our nation’s wilderness areas. I pushed for passage of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 that constituted the largest expansion of our nation’s wilderness in 15 years. Through this legislation, we protected two million more acres of national Wilderness Areas and more than 1,000 miles of National Wild and Scenic Rivers. I also cosponsored the Great American Outdoors Act, which became law in 2020 and permanently authorized and fully funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is used to safeguard our natural areas, water resources and cultural heritage, and to provide recreation opportunities to all Americans. I have also worked to expand service-learning opportunities that help restore America’s natural, recreational, and scenic resources. I strongly opposed the previous Administration’s proposed budget cuts to the LWCF and the Department of the Interior. I also strongly opposed efforts by the previous Administration to roll back federal land protections, including reductions to the size of certain national monuments. These cuts hurt rural communities and the protection of our public parks and lands.
   
• Conserving our natural resources. I have worked to pass Farm Bills in 2008, 2014, and 2018 that made critical investments in conservation. I introduced legislation with Senator Thune from South Dakota to protect native prairie by making changes to the crop insurance program to reduce the incentive to grow crops for the first time on native prairie. In the 2018 Farm Bill, I worked to increase the acreage in the Conservation Reserve Program to 27 million acres and included a mandated reporting requirement on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation data, which will allow farmers to better assess how conservation practices can sequester carbon, improve soil health, and reduce risk in an effective way to improve the environment and our climate. I support efforts to invest in conservation innovation, including new programs that would promote soil health, sequester carbon, and provide farmers with new revenue streams for the climate-related work they are already doing on their farms.
  
  I lead the annual appropriations request letter in support of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. This unique, public-private partnership program matches non-federal and federal funds to protect, restore, and manage wetlands and associated habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife.
   
• Supporting Minnesota tourism and outdoor recreation. I pushed to pass the Travel Promotion Act of 2010 into law which created Brand USA, a public-private partnership that promotes international travel to the United States. In 2018, Brand USA generated more than 1 million additional visitors who spent an estimated $4 billion, strengthening local businesses and boosting economic growth. I led the bipartisan effort to successfully reauthorize Brand USA in 2014 and again in 2019 so that it can continue to build on its progress through 2027. The travel and tourism industry has been dramatically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why I introduced the Protecting Tourism in the United States Act with Senator Blunt to help drive tourism growth across the country by studying the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the travel and tourism industry and identifying policy recommendations to assist the hard-hit industry. Our bill passed the Commerce Committee in November 2020. I will continue to work to ensure that the tourism industry and its workforce have the resources that they need to survive this health and economic crisis.
  
  I also cosponsored the Great American Outdoors Act, which became law in 2020 and permanently authorizes and fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Additionally, this law will dedicate revenues from energy development to provide up to $1.9 billion a year over five years to fill the backlog of maintenance and infrastructure projects in our National Parks and National Forests. In addition, I introduced the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Full Funding Act with Senator Risch to direct the Secretary of Transportation to administer a study to determine the federal taxes collected from non-highway recreation to determine if the federal taxes are appropriately returned to the program and the states to administer the RTP. A provision based on our bill was included in the final appropriations bill that passed in December 2019, and I will continue working to ensure the RTP program has the resources it needs.
   
• Protecting consumers from unsafe wood imports and supporting our timber producers. I authored the bipartisan Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Act, signed into law in 2009, to protect consumers from potentially hazardous levels of formaldehyde in composite wood products and to ensure the U.S. timber industry is on a level playing field with foreign competitors. I continue to push the Environmental Protection Agency to fully implement this law and hold importers accountable and keep our families safe. I introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Steve Daines from Montana to improve the health of our nation’s forests and reduce the risk of wildfire on federal, state, county, tribal, and private lands in proximity to one another. This bill will improve water quality, protect wildlife habitat, and enhance opportunities for the production of wood products. I also supported a provision in the 2020 coronavirus relief package to provide $200 million to support timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
  
  Reforming our nation’s toxic chemicals policy. Our country’s primary law regulating the production and use of chemicals hadn’t been updated since its passage in 1976. I supported reforms that would keep our children and families safe from toxic substances while providing businesses clear standards for developing new products. I was a cosponsor of the Senate bill that updated the Toxic Substances Control Act, which was signed into law in June 2016.

Health Care

Quality and accessible health care is a very personal matter for me and my family. When my daughter was born she was very sick. But due to an insurance company rule, I was forced to leave the hospital just 24 hours after she was born. I went to the state legislature and got one of the first laws passed in the country guaranteeing new moms and their babies a 48-hour hospital stay. That experience led me to run for office and fight for common-sense health care solutions.

The coronavirus pandemic has upended America’s health care system in unprecedented ways. Heroic frontline health care workers have done an amazing job treating patients in very difficult circumstances. With coronavirus vaccines being distributed across the country, we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel, but we must continue to provide hospitals and medical providers with the federal support they need. I will continue to push to expand the availability of testing and ensure that Minnesota has the capacity to store, distribute, and administer vaccines—including to our rural and tribal areas. I am also calling for medical research to study the long-term consequences of the virus in Minnesota and across the country.

We must also continue to improve our health care system as a whole. Comprehensive health care reform legislation—the Affordable Care Act—was passed in 2010 and is a vital source of protection to Americans. The law prohibits such abusive practices as denying coverage to those with preexisting conditions, which had previously kept health care beyond the reach of millions of Americans. The law also provides coverage for preventative services, helps seniors pay for prescription drugs by closing the gap in prescription drug coverage known as the “donut hole,” and allows young people to stay on their parents’ plans until they are 26 years old.

I have always said that the health care reform law is a beginning, not an end, and that changes will need to be made at the state and federal level. We can lower costs to consumers by addressing skyrocketing prescription drug prices. To bring down these prices, I have introduced legislation to expand access to cost-saving generic drugs, deter pharmaceutical companies from blocking cheaper generic alternatives, allow personal importation of more affordable drugs from Canada, and lift the ban that prohibits Medicare from negotiating for the best possible price of prescription drugs on behalf of the 46 million seniors in Medicare Part D.

To achieve universal health care, we must expand access. One way to do that is through a public option. I support legislation that expands both Medicare and Medicaid. We must make sure these federal programs remain strong, and we must protect the Affordable Care Act. I will continue to fight for affordable, high-quality health care that families across our state and country deserve, including those in rural communities that face unique health care challenges.

• Information about the Affordable Care Act is available here.
• Information about the Minnesota Insurance Marketplace is available here.
• The latest information on COVID-19 is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Minnesota Department of Health. I have a list of coronavirus resources available here.

As Minnesota's U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these health care priorities:

• Responding to the coronavirus pandemic. In March 2020, Congress helped Americans and our health care system confront this public health emergency by passing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Along with other legislation, the CARES Act provided significant funding for hospitals and health care providers, supported vaccine and treatment development, and ensured access to COVID-19 testing without charges to patients. Additional legislation that became law in April provided more funding for health care providers and testing, while also requiring the Trump Administration to develop a strategic testing plan and to release information on the virus’s impact on minority communities. However, it was evident that more relief was needed to help struggling families, and we passed another bipartisan relief package in December 2020 that included funding for vaccine distribution, coronavirus testing and contact tracing, and additional support for our hospitals. And in March 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan that includes funding to states, territories, tribes, and local governments that can be used to help carry out their plans for vaccine distribution and administration as well as assist Americans with economic recovery. [See more information on the Coronavirus Pandemic page]
   
• Making health care universal and more affordable. We need universal health care, and I support many proposals that would help us reach that goal, including a public option and the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid. We must also address factors that lead to increased health care costs by reducing consumer costs in the individual marketplace and continuing to implement delivery system reforms. We must provide cost-sharing reductions to lower out-of-pocket expenses like copays and deductibles and make it easier for states to enact reinsurance programs like Minnesota’s. Reinsurance protects against premiums going up for everyone due to a small number of patients with extremely high health care costs—especially in rural markets. Our goal should be simple: Every American deserves affordable, high-quality health care.
   
• Lowering prescription drug prices. When a family member gets sick, the family’s focus should be on getting their loved one well, not on being able to pay for prescriptions. Yet drug prices are an increasing burden across Minnesota and our country. According to a 2018 report from the Health Care Cost Institute, the price of brand-name prescription drugs increased 110 percent between 2012 and 2016, even though usage of these drugs went down. I will fight to make prescription drugs more affordable for all Americans by lifting the ban on Medicare negotiating prices directly with drug companies on behalf of the 46 million seniors in the Part D program, allowing for the importation of safe, less-expensive drugs from countries like Canada, and ending the “pay-for-delay” practice of brand-name drug manufacturers paying off their less-expensive generic competitors to stay out of the market. I will also work to stop anti-competitive tactics—like brand-name companies denying generic companies access to samples—that deny consumers access to less expensive generic alternatives in the pharmaceutical market, reduce incentives for branded pharmaceutical companies to file sham petitions with the Food and Drug Administration to interfere with the approval of generics and biosimilars, and reduce drug waste that costs taxpayers millions of dollars.
   
• Preserving access to health care in rural areas. Our rural communities face unique health care challenges. Rural health care facilities often operate on extremely small margins and have a much harder time recruiting and retaining highly skilled medical staff. The coronavirus pandemic has created additional challenges for rural health care facilities that have fewer ICU beds and resources to respond to a surge of patients. Preserving and strengthening access to quality health care in rural areas is crucial to the success and prosperity of our state.
   
• Tackling racial disparities in health care. This pandemic has shined an even brighter light on the systemic inequalities in our health care system and our economy, with data clearly showing that the virus is disproportionately impacting communities of color. In addition to getting high-quality demographic data to help target resources, we need to address the underlying causes of these disparities including pervasive inequalities in access to health care, discrimination and unequal opportunities in housing, underinvestment in public transportation in minority communities, and the existence of food deserts where people do not have sufficient access to grocery stores. In the interim relief bill that Congress passed in May of 2020, I supported including funding specifically for small lenders and community-based financial institutions that serve the needs of unbanked and underserved small businesses—including minority- and women-owned businesses. These programs were also given priority in the comprehensive relief package passed by Congress in December of 2020. As Congress considers future legislation, we must do more to overcome historic disenfranchisement by considering the particular needs of minority communities, including minority entrepreneurs who have had difficulty accessing traditional sources of lending.
   
• Supporting and protecting our seniors and people with disabilities. More than half of Americans turning 65 today are projected to need some type of long-term care in their lives. While nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and home care providers serve our elderly in some situations, the vast majority of elder care comes from informal caregivers—more than half of whom are adult children taking care of their parents. Millions of families already find themselves coping with the challenges and costs of caring for elderly parents—and the numbers will continue to grow as our senior population is set to double over the next 30 years. We must address the needs of these family caregivers, especially caregivers of patients living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. In 2019, more than 16 million caregivers provided more than 18 billion hours of unpaid care to patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias at an estimated cost of nearly $244 billion. We must also make sure we’re doing everything we can to support people taking care of loved ones with disabilities; this includes providing tax credits and training. [See Seniors]
   
• Strengthening mental health and substance abuse services. Expanding access to mental health and substance use care, including support for clinics and community-based services, as well as technical support and telehealth services, remains one of my top priorities. In Minnesota, drug overdose deaths increased by 31 percent during the first half of 2020 as compared to the first half of 2019. In addition to ensuring that communities have the resources they need for prevention and treatment, we must focus on recruiting, retaining, and training mental health and substance use workers in rural areas and our hardest hit communities.
   
• Cracking down on health care fraud and protecting personal health data. Law enforcement authorities estimate that health care fraud costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year. These criminals scheme the system to rob American taxpayers of money that should be used to provide health care to those who need it most. One way we can crack down on fraud is by continually modernizing our health care system and investing in health information technology that keeps personal health data private and secure.
   
• Increasing research funding to seek new cures. In Minnesota, we value science and the progress it represents. We must continue to invest in ground-breaking research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), our nation’s primary entity for biomedical research, so that our scientists can concentrate on finding life-saving cures for Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other diseases and not on finding the money to do their work. We must also invest in the cutting-edge research underway on individualized, or precision, medicine. By understanding the link between genes and diseases, doctors will be able to tailor care to individual patients’ needs and treat them more effectively

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I am fighting for better, more affordable health care by:

• Responding to the coronavirus pandemic. I continue to work on behalf of patients, health care workers, hospitals, and our health care system by:
   
  • Supporting vaccine distribution. With three coronavirus vaccines being distributed across the country, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is critically important that Minnesota has the resources it needs to store, distribute, and administer these vaccines—including to our rural and tribal areas. The American Rescue Plan included $20 billion for improving vaccine administration and distribution, as well as additional support for making sure communities have the critical supplies and staffing needed to administer the vaccines and stop the spread of the virus. From the very beginning, I called on the federal government to work with states to ensure that these vaccines were distributed efficiently, and led an effort to make sure seniors can access vaccine appointment systems after some seniors struggled to access vaccines due to lack of broadband or other technology needed to access online scheduling portals. I’ve also worked to combat the spread of false and misleading information related to the vaccines by introducing legislation to establish a task force to counter misinformation about the pandemic and urging the CEOs of social media platforms to help ensure that Americans receive accurate, verified information about the vaccines.
     
  • Increasing testing capacity. To fully reopen our economy and start feeling safe going about our daily lives, we must significantly increase our testing capacity. That’s why I supported access to COVID-19 testing with no cost to patients, worked to help the development of safe and accurate serology “blood” tests to identify if someone has the antibodies that might lead to immunity against the virus, and supported additional funding in the March 2021 American Rescue Plan to scale up both nationwide testing and the capacity to detect coronavirus variants. I also worked directly with Minnesota hospitals and labs to help expedite the approval of their COVID-19 tests and test processing facilities.
     
  • Ensuring that our hospitals and health workers have the resources they need. I pushed the Trump Administration to ensure that Minnesota had access to coronavirus testing supplies, personal protective equipment, ventilators, and other medical materials required to manage patient care during the pandemic. I also worked to secure funding for hospitals and health care providers in the coronavirus relief packages passed in March, April, and December of 2020.
     
  • Strengthening our health care workforce. The pandemic has put incredible pressure on our health care workforce, and in many places we need more workers to care for patients. That is why I encouraged the previous Administration to streamline the process for doctors seeking employment-based visas to help increase access to health care in underserved areas, especially rural areas, which are served by doctors in the Conrad 30 program. I also urged the previous Administration to waive restrictions preventing medical professionals on employment-based visas from practicing in areas where they are needed most during the pandemic.
     
  • Using technology to improve care for seniors. I have introduced legislation to expand telehealth support for seniors and increase access to technology for “virtual visits” during the pandemic. These efforts would help protect seniors from exposure to the virus when accessing remote health care and also help them to stay connected with loved ones.
     
  • Prioritizing mental health. No one is immune to the stress that has accompanied the pandemic. That is why in May 2020 I introduced legislation with Senator Todd Young to address the country’s growing mental health and addiction crisis. The Coronavirus Mental Health and Addiction Assistance Act would help people connect with the services and care they need to manage mental health and substance use disorders during the pandemic. I also called on the National Institute of Mental Health to prioritize research on how the pandemic is impacting the mental health of children and young adults to better help policymakers respond to this issue, and introduced the COVID-19 Mental Health Research Act to provide targeted funding to support this research. The relief bill passed in December 2020 dedicated nearly $4.25 billion to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for increased mental health and substance use disorder services while the American Rescue Plan passed in March 2021 included an additional $3.8 billion for these purposes.
     
  • Addressing disparities. Preliminary data indicates that this pandemic is disproportionately affecting minority communities. That’s why I called on the Trump Administration to provide complete, high-quality, national demographic data so we can understand how this virus is impacting all communities and prioritize getting resources to those who need them most.
     
  • Protecting access to medical equipment. Disruptions to supply chains and unscrupulous businesses trying to take advantage of the crisis by charging inflated prices have made it difficult for some people to get supplies they need. I urged the Trump Administration to protect consumers’ access to medical products from supply-chain disruptions created by the pandemic and called on the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to ensure that they are doing everything in their power under existing law to stop unconscionable price gouging. I introduced a bill with Senators Blumenthal, Hirono, and Cortez Masto to prohibit these practices and help ensure that people are not taken advantage of during emergencies.
     
• Making health care universal and more affordable. I am working on reforms so that all Minnesotans can get the affordable, high-quality health care they deserve by:
   
  • Providing a public option and expanding Medicare and Medicaid. We must make health care universal and affordable, and that includes providing a public option and expanding Medicare and Medicaid. I have cosponsored the State Public Option Act, which would give states the option of allowing all of their residents to buy Medicaid coverage, and the Medicare-X Choice Act, which would allow Americans to buy a Medicare-based public insurance plan on the exchanges.
     
  • Bringing down rates and out-of-pocket costs and reforming the delivery system. I cosponsored the Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act to provide cost-sharing reductions to lower out-of-pocket expenses like copays and deductibles and to make it easier for states to enact reinsurance programs like Minnesota’s. Reinsurance protects against premiums going up for everyone due to a small number of patients with extremely high health care costs, especially in rural markets. I also authored legislation—passed as part of the Affordable Care Act—that created a “value index” for Medicare reimbursement rates, so that we reward the type of high-quality, efficient care that Minnesota and other states deliver instead of the volume of services. I have fought to protect safeguards put in place by the Affordable Care Act so people can no longer be denied coverage due to a preexisting condition and children can stay on their parent’s plans through the age of 26. I have worked to close the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program “donut hole” to lower prescription drug costs for seniors. This includes increasing the share of costs that brand-name drug companies must cover for beneficiaries as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act signed into law in February of 2018. As of 2020, 46 million seniors enrolled in the Medicare Prescription Drug Program no longer face a coverage gap when it comes to accessing their prescription drugs at an affordable rate, and nearly all of the more than 1 million Medicare beneficiaries in Minnesota can now receive certain preventive services for free.
     
  • Ensuring access to vital drugs, treatments, and medical equipment. I authored and passed the bipartisan Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act to require prescription drug manufacturers to get at the dangerous issue of drug shortages by giving early notification to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of any incident that would likely result in a shortage. Early notification helped the FDA prevent 154 drug shortages in 2019. I also introduced the Steve Gleason Act of 2017—which was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act in February 2018—to ensure that Medicare pays for speech-generating devices for people with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s, and other degenerative diseases. Speech-generating devices are a lifeline for these patients, but a Medicare policy change had put coverage at risk.
     
  • Expanding health care coverage for children. I supported the Medicare Access and Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, which was signed into law in April 2015, to support health coverage for approximately 8.9 million children who do not qualify for Medicaid and whose families cannot afford private insurance. In February of 2018, we successfully extended funding of CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program, through 2027.
     
  • Empowering patients. As co-chair of the bipartisan Rare Disease Congressional Caucus, I am working to increase the number of safe, effective, and affordable treatments that are available for people with rare diseases and to give patients a stronger voice during the drug development process. I led the bipartisan Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education (MD-CARE) Amendments that were signed into law in 2014. Provisions from the Patient-Focused Impact Assessment Act—which I introduced with Senator Wicker from Mississippi—also became law as part of the 21st Century CURES Act, increasing transparency in the drug approval process by ensuring the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) takes patients’ perspective into account when considering a drug for approval. Senator Wicker and I also introduced the Better Empowerment Now to Enhance Framework and Improve Treatments (BENEFIT) Act—which passed the Senate in 2017—to require a larger role for patients and patient data when the FDA weighs the risks and benefits of new treatments. In 2021, I also introduced the Speeding Therapy Access Today (STAT) Act with Senator Wicker to improve access to therapies for the rare disease community by promoting coordination within the government to advance science-based policies and ensure patients ultimately receive access to approved therapies. Finally, I have opposed efforts to roll back the Obama Administration policy that the federal government would not interfere with state laws legalizing marijuana, and I cosponsored the STATES Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Gardner to protect the ability of states to regulate marijuana. I have also cosponsored legislation to make it easier for researchers to study the medical effectiveness and safety of marijuana and cannabidiol, which is used to treat conditions such as epilepsy.
     
  • Promoting innovation. I fought to get a change to the burdensome 1099 reporting requirement for small businesses that was originally in the Affordable Care Act signed into law. I also worked to reduce delays in delivering lifesaving medical devices to the patients who need them after approvals for many life-savings devices had languished for years. That’s why I worked with other senators on the bipartisan Medical Device Regulatory Improvement Act, key provisions of which were included in legislation that passed the Senate by a vote of 92-4 and was signed into law by President Obama in July 2012. The 21st Century CURES Act and the FDA Reauthorization Act that were enacted in 2016 and 2017 will also help to foster innovation for drugs and medical devices that can provide breakthrough treatments. I have also introduced legislation to repeal the medical device tax so that manufacturers can continue to provide cutting-edge, life-saving products for consumers. We secured suspensions of this additional tax on manufacturing, innovation, and research for 2016 and 2017, and again for 2018 and 2019, and it was permanently repealed in legislation that became law in December 2019.
     
  • Helping small businesses improve health plans. Since the start of 2011, small businesses have been eligible for tax credits worth up to 50 percent of their contribution to their employees' health insurance plans. I have sponsored the Health Care for Small Business Act to expand these tax credits and make it easier for small businesses to use them. I fought to include the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Act in the Affordable Care Act so that small businesses can increase the choices of health care plans for their employees.
     
• Addressing prescription drug prices and access. I have introduced multiple pieces of legislation to reduce the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs and ensure appropriate access, including:
   
  • Requiring Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for our seniors. There are 46 million seniors in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. I am leading legislation with over 30 cosponsors—the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act—to eliminate the current ban that prevents Medicare from negotiating directly with drug companies for lower prices on behalf of these seniors, who are paying excessive prices for prescription drugs.
     
  • Allowing the importation of safe, less expensive prescription medicines from Canada and other approved countries. Americans pay double what Canadians do for retail prescription drugs. That is why I introduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act with Senator Chuck Grassley to allow people to import prescription drugs for personal use from safe, proven Canadian pharmacies. I also introduced a bill with Senator Mike Lee that would allow temporary importation of drugs from countries with strong safety standards—like Australia and those in the European Union—when there is limited competition or a drug shortage in the United States.
     
  • Boosting competition to improve access to less expensive generic drugs. I have fought to make sure competition, not unfair conduct, determines the price of prescription drugs. With Senator Grassley, I have introduced legislation to help end the “pay-for-delay” practice of brand-name drug manufacturers paying off their less-expensive generic competitors to stay out of the market. With a bipartisan group of senators, I also introduced the CREATES Act, which became law in December 2019. This legislation ends tactics that some brand-name companies have used to prevent generic manufacturers from receiving approval for their products—tactics such as denying access to samples. I also introduced the Stop Significant and Time-Wasting Abuse Limiting Legitimate Innovation of New Generics (Stop STALLING) Act with Senator Chuck Grassley to reduce incentives for branded pharmaceutical companies to file sham petitions with the Food and Drug Administration to delay or prevent the approval of generics and biosimilars. Our legislation passed in the Judiciary Committee in June 2019.
     
  • Calling out drug companies for high prices. After I raised concerns, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found that Mylan had incorrectly classified its brand-name product, EpiPen, as a generic drug under Medicaid and therefore was paying smaller rebates to states. When I called for a nationwide investigation to determine how many other drugs are misclassified and how much these misclassifications have cost taxpayers, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General found that drug misclassification may have cost Medicaid $1.3 billion from 2012 to 2016. Mylan now sells a generic EpiPen for half the price of their brand-name version, but questions remain about skyrocketing prices across the board. I have called on Eli Lilly, Sanofi, and Novo Nordisk to take action to help people with diabetes afford insulin and explain why prices have tripled over the past decade. I joined Senators Susan Collins from Maine and Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin to demand answers from Strongbridge Biopharma after the price of a drug that treats glaucoma and a type of rare genetic disease that causes muscle weakness or loss was hiked from $50 to $15,000.
     
  • Reducing drug waste that costs taxpayers millions of dollars. When I asked the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General about waste generated by the size of single-use drug vials, the investigation found that Medicare was spending hundreds of millions of dollars on drugs that get thrown out. I introduced the bipartisan Reducing Drug Waste Act with Senator Grassley to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to address the costs of this drug waste that results from the size of single-use drug vials and other drug-delivery systems like eye drops.
     
  • Fighting price gouging by pharmaceutical companies. There is evidence that pharmaceutical companies target outrageous price increases for selected drugs used by vulnerable populations or for rare diseases. During my time in the Senate, I’ve called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate pharmaceutical companies for anticompetitive practices and price manipulation. I’ve also called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the effects of rebate traps on pharmaceutical prices and competition. Rebate traps have been used by drug manufacturers to stifle competition and limit patients’ access to lower-cost generic drugs as well as new innovative drugs.
     
  • Allowing for safe disposal of prescription drugs. I authored the bipartisan Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act, which was signed into law by President Obama in October 2010, to provide consumers with safe and responsible ways to dispose of unused controlled substances. This law allows individuals and long-term-care facilities to deliver the most dangerous prescription drugs to law enforcement officials for safe disposal and also promotes the development and expansion of drug take-back programs.
     
• Preserving access to health care in rural areas. I understand that health care is not a one-size-fits-all proposition, especially for rural communities that face unique challenges in making high-quality health care accessible to all residents. I have led the successful effort to extend the Conrad State 30 program that allows international doctors trained in the United States to extend their stay in the country if they agree to practice in underserved communities, and I have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the program. I successfully fought to renew funding for community health centers—which are critical sources of care in rural areas—as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act. I have also cosponsored multiple pieces of legislation—the Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital (REACH) Act, the Improving Access to Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Act, the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act that became law in February 2018, the Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services Act, and the Rural Health Connectivity Act—to strengthen and expand access to care in rural areas. The Improving Access to Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Act—which expands access to care by allowing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs—and the CHRONIC Care Act—which expands the use of telehealth and makes additional reforms to the health care delivery system—were signed into law in February 2018. I have also worked to ensure that rural health care providers that have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic get the support that they need, including working to secure emergency funding for community health centers—over half of which are located in rural areas.
   
• Supporting and protecting our seniors and people with disabilities. We must ensure that the most vulnerable people in our society have the care and support they need, which includes protecting them from abuse and exploitation, promoting their financial stability and security, and supporting their families and caregivers.
   
  • Assisting seniors and their families. I introduced the Americans Giving Care to Elders Act, which would establish a federal tax credit to assist with the costs of caring for an aging family member. I also introduced with Senator Collins from Maine the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act, which would expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. In addition, I introduced a bill with Senator Grassley—signed into law in March 2018—to help families locate missing loved ones with developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s, or other forms of dementia and to provide training and technology to first responders and law enforcement to help them find these vulnerable individuals. I have also introduced and cosponsored multiple bipartisan bills to improve the quality of life for seniors and encourage the use of remote monitoring technology and telehealth services in Medicare and other programs, including the CHRONIC Care Act, the Fostering Independence Through Technology Act, the Independence at Home Act, and the CONNECT for Health Act. Because seniors are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus, I have introduced legislation to expand telehealth services for seniors and increase access to technology for “virtual visits” at nursing facilities so that seniors can connect with their loved ones during the pandemic while staying safe.
     
  • Protecting our seniors from abuse in care facilities. Our seniors are among the most vulnerable populations, and we must work to protect them from abuse. I was appalled by the reports revealing that thousands of allegations of neglect, abuse, and theft in facilities for seniors in Minnesota were not being investigated on site. Our state is taking action to better protect these seniors, but elder abuse is a national issue we’re facing across the country as our senior population is set to double over the next 30 years. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Inspector General has found that Medicare does not have adequate procedures for identifying and reporting potential incidents of abuse or neglect in nursing home facilities, and the Government Accountability Office has found that we need better oversight of critical incidents in facilities that get Medicaid funding as well. I called on the previous Administration to reverse its decision to roll back enforcement of protections for our seniors across the country and I am working with Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and the Government Accountability Office to identify additional safeguards we can implement to better protect seniors from abuse or mistreatment.
     
  • Protecting seniors from financial exploitation. While most court-appointed guardians are professional, caring, and law-abiding, there are some bad actors who use their position of power for their own gain. I introduced a bipartisan bill—signed into law in 2017—that protects seniors from financial exploitation by court-appointed guardians who abuse their position. I am also leading a bill to help fight scams designed to strip seniors of their assets by improving monitoring and response to fraud complaints and helping educate seniors about fraud schemes.
     
  • Supporting people with disabilities. I worked to get the Achieving a Better Life Experience—or ABLE—Act signed into law, which allows people with disabilities to use tax-advantaged savings accounts to cover expenses like education, transportation, and housing without putting other support they count on at risk. I am also a cosponsor of bipartisan legislation to expand these ABLE accounts to people who develop a disability before they turn 46 rather than 26 under current law. This allows families to transfer funds saved in a 529 education savings account into an ABLE account without incurring a tax penalty and increases the amount that people with disabilities can save in an ABLE account if they are working and earning an income. I have also fought to protect against cuts to the Medicaid program, which covers 40 percent of people with disabilities in our country, and to prevent people with preexisting conditions from losing access to their health insurance coverage.
     
• Strengthening mental health and substance abuse services. I understand the toll that mental health issues and substance use disorders can take on families and communities, and that’s why I’ve continued to fight for legislation that expands access to services and ensures communities have the resources they need for prevention and treatment.
   
  • Providing access to mental health services. Substance use and mental health disorders do not discriminate, and if we are going to combat addiction we must prioritize prevention, early intervention, expanding access to treatment, and giving people a path to recovery. I introduced the bipartisan Anna Westin Act—which was included in the 21st Century CURES Act signed into law in December 2016—to help the millions of Americans suffering from eating disorders get the help they need. The law increases awareness and early detection of eating disorders, requires insurers to cover residential treatment, and clarifies the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act to ensure health insurance companies cover all mental health and substance use disorder benefits in the same way they do physical illnesses. I also support the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act to allow more states to conduct demonstration programs—like Minnesota has—to improve access to community mental health services. We successfully increased funding for these community mental health programs in March 2018.
     
  • Combating the opioid crisis and increased use of methamphetamine. I’m also working to combat the opioid crisis and the recent increase that we have seen in the use of methamphetamine and ensure that communities have the resources they need for prevention and treatment. I led three bipartisan bills that were signed into law as part of legislation to address the opioid epidemic in October of 2018: the SALTS Act, which I led with Senator Lindsey Graham to make it easier to prosecute the sale and distribution of “analogue” drugs, which are synthetic substances that are substantially similar to illegal drugs; the STOP Act, which I introduced with Senator Rob Portman to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl from being shipped through our postal system from overseas; and the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, which I introduced with Senator Marco Rubio to help crack down on health care facilities or providers that try to game the system to take advantage of vulnerable patients.
    
    In addition, along with three other senators, I introduced the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which became law in July 2016. This bipartisan legislation encourages states and local communities to pursue a full array of proven strategies in the fight against addiction. In 2020, I introduced the CARA 2.0 Act with a bipartisan group of senators to build on the momentum of CARA by increasing funding and putting in place additional policy reforms to combat the opioid epidemic. One important provision in the CARA 2.0 Act is based on my bipartisan bill, the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act, to require states that receive certain federal funding to have prescription drug monitoring programs that use best practices to stop the kind of “doctor shopping” that facilitates addiction and to share their data with other states. We know that opioid addiction too often begins with the abuse of legal prescription painkillers, and with this bill, we can do something about that. Finally, I have introduced the LifeBOAT Act with Senator Joe Manchin that simply places a one-cent fee on each milligram of active opioid ingredient in a prescription pain pill to create a permanent stream of funding for substance abuse treatment, and I’m continuing to fight for additional funds and resources for communities that have been impacted by addiction.
     
• Combating health care fraud and increasing transparency. To help deter health care fraud, I cosponsored bipartisan legislation signed into law to help save billions of dollars each year by requiring direct depositing of all Medicare and Medicaid payments made to providers to prevent fraudulent billing practices. The legislation offers law enforcement officials one more tool to combat health care fraud. I also led the Physician Payments Sunshine Act with Senator Grassley to make both medical device and pharmaceutical financial arrangements public. The legislation became law in 2010, and I have continued to fight against any attempt to weaken it. I have introduced legislation with Senator Lisa Murkowski to protect consumers’ private health data by requiring that regulations be issued for new health technologies—like wearable fitness trackers, direct-to-consumer genetic testing services, and mobile applications not regulated by existing laws. In December 2020, I also wrote to Health and Human Services about the need for additional regulations that protect personal health data after a new wearable with concerning data-collection practices entered the market.
   
• Increasing research funding to seek new cures. I have consistently fought for strong funding for research at our federal research agencies, including the NIH, so that researchers don’t have their hands tied by the whims of Washington. I supported the 21st Century CURES Act, which contained nearly $5 billion in funding for NIH research into cures for Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other diseases. The 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 spending bills signed into law included significant increases in NIH funding. I introduced a bipartisan resolution with Senator Collins from Maine declaring that the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s by 2025 is an “urgent national priority.” Finally, as co-chair of the bipartisan Rare Disease Congressional Caucus, I am working to increase the number of safe, effective, and affordable treatments that are available for people with rare diseases. During the government shutdown in October 2013, I donated my pay to the NIH since lifesaving medical research was slashed during the shutdown.

National Security

Protecting our nation from those who would do us harm is the first and most important responsibility of Congress.

In an increasingly interconnected global economy with rapid advances in technology, America faces new kinds of threats to our security—cyberattacks and disinformation operations, malign foreign influence campaigns, and coordinated efforts to damage our economy.

As we vigilantly work to deter aggressive actions from hostile nations and prevent terrorist networks intent on harming our country, we must recognize that foreign adversaries seeking to sow distrust of our democratic process can be as dangerous to our national security as a physical attack on our shores.

In recent years, we have seen cybersecurity breaches affecting our government, our businesses, and our citizens, and we need to better defend our information systems against these assaults. We also need to better protect our critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and the integrity of our elections. Domestic-based strategic security efforts are especially crucial to preventing both foreign and domestic terrorist ideologies from developing and spreading here at home.

We need to strengthen both our economic security—including critical domestic manufacturing—and our energy security. We need to increase our capacity to respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, especially those from climate change, and limit vulnerabilities within our borders, ports, and transportation infrastructure.

Finally, by renewing our economic alliances with friendly nations and reaffirming our life-saving humanitarian assistance to nations facing environmental, public health, and other challenges, we can present a united democratic front against adversaries.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Protecting our citizens and our democracy. American leadership is critical to defending freedom and countering authoritarianism around the world, including China’s efforts to undermine international rules and norms and Russia’s attempts to damage and disrupt our democracy. We must invest in diplomacy; support our military, including our National Guard and Reserves; and defend democracy, freedom, a vigorous press corps, and the rule of law abroad. We also have to protect our country against cyberattacks and unfair trade practices that undermine our economic security.
   
  • Strengthening our Armed Forces, National Guard, and Reserves. Our men and women in uniform have consistently performed above and beyond the call of duty, but they have been overstretched by numerous deployments around the globe. We need to focus our defense budget on retooling and reinforcing our military capabilities and rewarding those who have sacrificed for this nation, regardless of their service branch. We also need to identify and eliminate wasteful spending in our defense budget, while fully providing our servicemembers with the tools and training they need to carry out their duties. Our military spending should be as cost-effective as possible, and that means investing in the National Guard with its dual federal and state missions. We need to ensure that our National Guard is capable and well-equipped for the full spectrum of missions, and I will oppose disproportionate reductions directed at the Guard.
     
  • Improving our cybersecurity. Modern warfare is evolving to target cybernetworks. Countries like Russia, North Korea, China, and Iran have engaged in cyberattacks on U.S. information systems. Enhancing our country’s cybersecurity to ensure that hackers cannot access or compromise our public and private networks is essential. In recent years, cybersecurity breaches have affected our government as well as our businesses, nonprofit organizations, and consumers. Since I came to the Senate, I have worked to provide the Department of Defense and our law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to strengthen our cybersecurity posture. In the twenty-first century, our adversaries will continue to use cyberattacks against our democracy, and we need to be prepared to defend our networks against this growing threat.
     
  • Protecting our elections from foreign influence. Our top intelligence agencies have confirmed that Russia attempted to interfere in our 2016 and 2020 elections and launched cyberattacks against all 50 state election systems, and that foreign countries continue to wage influence campaigns aimed at undermining our democracy. In 2019, election officials in more than 40 states reported that they rely on electronic voting systems that are at least 10 years old and that they do not have the information they need about potential cyberthreats. That is why, as Chairwoman and the former Ranking Member of the Rules Committee, I am leading several pieces of legislation to make our elections more secure and combat foreign interference. I led the effort to secure funding for states to make needed election security improvements, implement cybersecurity guidelines, and modernize their election infrastructure.. As the coronavirus pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for our democracy, it has been critical to provide states with resources to expand voting options while keeping our elections secure. This means providing voting options that protect health and safety, whether that is voting by mail, early voting, or safely voting on Election Day. Ultimately, nearly 160 million Americans voted in the 2020 general election—more than ever before in the history of our country. Federal agencies and state and local election officials have agreed that the 2020 election was the most secure election ever administered. The freedom to choose our leaders and know with full confidence that those leaders were chosen in free and fair elections is critical to our democracy. Preventing foreign interference in our elections is a national security priority.
     
  • Countering violent extremism. ISIS and other violent extremist groups are a serious threat to security in the Middle East and beyond. They are responsible for executing American civilians, killing and persecuting religious minorities, and trafficking and enslaving women and girls. While territory once held by ISIS has been taken back by coalition forces in recent years, we must remain committed to rooting out the ideology that gave rise to ISIS in the first place. We have to take a similar approach in going after the people who finance terrorism. It is critical that we continue our efforts to track and cut off the financial resources of terrorist groups. These terrorist threats extend to our own country, as the terrorist groups recruit Americans to join their ranks. We need strong programs that work with our communities to counter violent extremism and prevent recruitment by militant groups seeking to exploit our citizens.
     
  • Remaining vigilant against terrorism. Since 9/11, we have made significant improvements to our counterterrorism and intelligence capabilities. However, terror attacks and attempted attacks at home and abroad show that terrorists remain intent on causing us harm. Our military forces and intelligence agencies must continue to go after terrorists, including working with our allies to defeat our enemies. We must develop new technology to detect and mitigate threats to our nation by air, land, and sea. We must also strengthen our federal, state, and local intelligence and law enforcement operations and streamline coordination between our national security agencies. By strengthening our security efforts at home and investing in efforts that help prevent terrorist ideologies from developing and spreading in our own country, we can diminish the threat of terrorism to our nation.
     
• Addressing challenges with China. China is a country that consistently uses its economic, diplomatic, and military position to challenge a stable and open international system. By focusing on strengthening our economy and institutions at home, investing in diplomacy, revitalizing our network of international allies, and making smart investments in our military, we can address the challenges posed by China from a position of strength and with a strategy consistent with our values. No country should be allowed to manipulate currency, and steal U.S. intellectual property.
  
  I opposed the previous Administration’s trade war with China because it cost jobs and hurt Midwestern farmers without seeing Beijing change its unfair economic practices. I believe we need to focus on trade enforcement efforts and more targeted tariffs that actually help America, including by working more closely with allies and improving the global competitiveness of the U.S. economy. I also believe that human rights must play a larger role in our relationship with China. The U.S. Department of State has reported that the Chinese government has detained more than one million Uyghurs and Muslim minorities in internment camps or detention facilities, where many have been subjected to inhumane conditions and human rights violations including forced labor and torture. We cannot turn a blind eye to this. Standing up for human rights must be a fundamental part of our nation's foreign policy, and the United States should be leading the international community in making clear to China’s leaders that its treatment of the Uyghurs is not acceptable and they will face economic and diplomatic consequences if they do not change course. I will continue to work to combat these abuses and to ensure that those responsible for these policies are held accountable.
   
• Ensuring stability in the Middle East. We need a regional strategy in the Middle East that addresses the threats from Iran and extremism, while also supporting human rights and addressing the terrible humanitarian situations in places like Yemen and Syria. I am a strong supporter of the alliance between the U.S. and Israel, and believe we should find a constructive approach to advance a peace process that has buy-in from Israelis, Palestinians, and the Arab world. This is the best route to direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians and a two-state solution.
   
  • Combating Iran’s destabilizing activity in Syria. The Syrian conflict has led to one of the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crises and the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and more than five million Syrians have registered as refugees since the Syrian conflict began in 2011. This crisis requires an international response and clear U.S. policy to address Iran’s destabilizing activity in the region. I have repeatedly supported sanctions against Iran, which are an important part of our policy to counter Iranian support for terrorism. In particular, I supported the Countering Iran’s Destabilizing Activities Act, which was signed into law on August 2, 2017. This bill called for a comprehensive regional strategy and imposed mandatory sanctions on those involved with Iran's ballistic missile program, those who fund terrorist organizations, and those who commit human rights violations.
     
  • Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The situation in Yemen constitutes another of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Out of a total population of 28 million, over 24 million Yemenis are in need of assistance and over 14 million are in acute need. Ongoing hostilities between the Saudi Arabia-led coalition and Houthi forces have only exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. We have a responsibility to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those who need it. Doing so enhances our security by thwarting those who wish to radicalize youth in the region.
     
  • Support for Israel. America and Israel are close allies whose interests in the Middle East and around the world remain strongly aligned. The deep and enduring friendship between our nations is based on values rooted in democracy and mutual strategic goals, and we must remain steadfast in our commitment to Israel’s security. With dialogue, patience, and resolve, our ultimate goal of peace throughout the region can be realized. As staunch allies of Israel, we must also stand up again the resurgence of anti-Semitism and those who enable it.
     
  • Curbing the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran. Preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is one of the most important objectives of our national security policy, and I strongly supported the sanctions that helped bring Iran to the negotiating table. After extensive review, I concluded that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—the agreement reached between Iran and the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China—was our best available option to put the brakes on Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon, and I opposed the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement. Although the JCPOA was not perfect, Iran’s commitments under the pact—including an agreement to give up 98 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium, disconnect two-thirds of its centrifuges, limit uranium enrichment to a single research facility, open its nuclear facilities to continuous monitoring, and allow stringent inspections of its uranium supply chain—represented a significant step in the right direction. I strongly disagreed with the previous Administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the JCPOA, since it was at odds with the guidance given by military leaders, diplomats, and our nation’s closest allies. The previous Administration’s withdrawal from the agreement has made monitoring Iran’s nuclear program more difficult, isolated us from our allies, and undermined U.S. leadership to confront Iran’s aggression in the region.
     
  • Deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have supported bringing our troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq, but we must do so responsibly and in keeping with the advice of our senior national security officials. We must also continue to work with each government to maintain stability and to ensure that the countries are not again used as bases for terrorism. This could include a limited troop presence focused on counterterrorism and training. This strategy puts the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan in the lead for security and economic development and allows the United States to continue to conduct counterterrorism operations. The international community must work together to emphasize security and economic development for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. I will continue to push for strong and necessary oversight of U.S. policy in Iraq and Afghanistan and a responsible approach to U.S. troop engagement to ensure that these countries cannot be used as a safe haven for terrorists again.
     
• Combating aggression by authoritarian regimes. According to the Intelligence Community’s latest Worldwide Threat Assessment, authoritarian governments have intensified their efforts to undermine the United States through election interference, weapons proliferation, and cyberattacks. In response to this threat, we must continue to defend America’s democratic system and position in the world.
   
  • Russia. Our intelligence agencies have confirmed that the Kremlin attempted to use cyberattacks, espionage, and propaganda to undermine the 2016 and 2020 elections, and that Russia has continued to wage influence campaigns intended to undermine our democracy. Russia also launched an extended information war designed to divide our country and destroy Americans’ confidence in our political system. We must act to protect our democracy against this kind of foreign interference. As the Chairwoman of the Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections, I am leading numerous pieces of legislation to counter interference in our elections by foreign adversaries like Russia.
    
    Since annexing Crimea, Russia has become even more emboldened and aggressive, and the Russian military maintains a significant presence in eastern Ukraine. Russia’s threatening behavior also includes large cyberattacks against the U.S. government and private companies’ computer systems and providing weapons to Iran and Syria. Our commitment to NATO is more important than ever. Our allies and adversaries around the world need to know that we will stand together to protect each other against military aggression. If President Putin continues to ignore international law and engage in hostile behavior, we must continue to escalate political and economic pressure on his regime and reinforce the global coalition against Russian aggression, not further isolate ourselves from our allies.
    
    The United States and our allies should work to help the government in Kiev and deescalate the violence in eastern and southern Ukraine. I supported legislation that was signed into law in March 2014, which provided loan guarantees and other assistance to help support the new Ukrainian government and imposed targeted sanctions on Russian officials who have contributed to the crisis.
     
  • North Korea. North Korea’s accelerating nuclear and ballistic missile programs pose a serious threat to the United States and our allies. The country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is a ruthless dictator who has committed horrible crimes against his own people. We need a comprehensive strategy on North Korea that includes diplomacy, economic pressure, and engagement with our allies in the region.
     
• Strengthening relationships with North American trading partners. By working together, North American nations can improve our ability as a region to compete in the world economy and enhance our collective security. We need a revamped approach to our North American partnerships.
   
  • Seizing the opportunity for a new day in North America. As the three largest countries on the continent, the United States, Canada, and Mexico are strong democracies with a combined population of more than 490 million people. Our increasingly integrated economies are worth more than $20 trillion and produce almost 30 percent of global goods and services. This secure international position gives us the potential for achieving continent-wide energy independence. This would include developing a North American competitiveness agenda focused on fair trade; increasing cross-border investment, innovation, private-sector integration; and improving coordination on regulatory practices, border management, and energy. With countries working together, North America can more effectively export its products to new and emerging markets in Asia, South America, and Africa. As the chair of the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group, I strongly supported including Canada in the previous Administration’s trade negotiations and worked with other senators to oppose efforts to exclude them. I also supported the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). With the additionally negotiated pro-labor and environmental changes and the elimination of a provision that would have benefitted pharmaceutical companies at the expense of consumers, I felt the agreement provided much-needed stability and economic opportunity for American farmers, producers, and consumers. A North American trading bloc is also an essential strategy to competing with China on a global scale.
     
  • Modernizing our relationship with Cuba. I strongly support lifting the embargo and travel ban on Cuba. Increasing travel and commerce between our two countries will create new economic opportunities for American farmers and businesses and help improve the quality of life for Cubans. Our policies toward Cuba should emphasize our economic interests in expanded commerce and travel and our political interest in cultivating new freedoms for the Cuban people. More than fifty years of the embargo have not secured these interests, and it is time to try another approach. That is why I lead the bipartisan bill to lift the trade embargo against Cuba.
     
• Securing our borders, travel entry points, and infrastructure. International arrivals to the United States totaled around 79 million in 2019, over 250 million tons of cargo are received here each year, and there are 16 critical infrastructure sectors with assets, systems, and networks we consider vital. In the face of global and domestic threats, securing our borders, points of entry, and infrastructure remains a top priority.
   
• Welcoming visitors and refugees while ensuring a strong vetting process for visitors. I have been a committed advocate for our refugees, and I opposed the Trump Administration’s “Muslim ban” as well as other efforts to reverse long-standing U.S. refugee policy. I have also long supported a strong vetting process for visitors and refugees. The current vetting process for refugees requires layers of security checks, including health checks, repeated biometric checks, biographical and background screening, and in-person interviews by trained officers. This involves multiple agencies, including the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Defense, and U.S. intelligence agencies. The Department of Homeland Security has added an additional country-specific layer of review for Syrian refugee applications. A refugee applicant cannot be approved for travel until all required security checks have been completed and cleared. Another way to enhance our security is to strengthen the Visa Waiver Program. That’s why I worked with members from both sides of the aisle to introduce the Visa Waiver Program Security Enhancement Act signed into law in 2015. This legislation requires additional biometric information and electronic passports for participation in the program and increased information sharing between countries.
   
• Increasing security at our borders, ports, airports, and critical infrastructure sites. It is essential that we carefully screen cargo entering U.S. ports, enact effective security regulations for nuclear and chemical plants, and guard our food supply. We must provide our first responders and emergency personnel with the full resources they need to respond to disasters, natural or manmade. We must also continue to do everything we can to strengthen security at airports and at train stations. We need to continue to focus our attention on improving aviation security and ensuring that our mass transit and rail systems are prepared for new, changing, and more sophisticated threats. We must also ensure that our airports are safely screening passengers in an efficient way. I support smart security at our borders and opposed the Trump Administration’s efforts to build a wall across our entire southern border.
   
• Supporting domestic energy production for greater security. According to the Department of Defense, climate change is an urgent and growing threat to our national security, and thus we must develop stable and sustainable homegrown energy sources. To transition to net zero carbon emissions, our energy supply must include a greater use of biofuels, wind power, solar, and other sources of renewable energy, in addition to domestic oil, natural gas, hydropower, nuclear, geothermal, and waste-to-energy technology. Minnesotans know that the renewable fuels industry creates good jobs and strengthens our economy while reducing our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels more generally.
   
• Strengthening diplomacy and foreign aid. The United States must support the work of the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development to return diplomacy to the center of our national security strategy and to improve relationships with foreign governments and international organizations like NATO. We must also continue our life-saving humanitarian assistance to nations facing environmental, public health, and other challenges.
   
  • Reaffirming our commitment to NATO and keeping the State Department strong. The United States must continue to lead the global community and renew our commitment to international organizations such as NATO, the United Nations, and the World Health Organization. With U.S. leadership, international organizations and institutions can be vehicles for achieving our objectives and serving our national interests, and we must make the most of them.
     
  • Responding to global poverty, public health, and environmental and climate change challenges. As the world population continues to grow, so will the demand for essential resources like food and water. The effects of climate change are leading to more global instability due to rising poverty, mass migrations, increased border tensions, and greater demands for rescue and recovery efforts. We must help those who lack access to stable food and water supplies, work to develop and distribute stockpiles of medicine and vaccinations to prevent future global epidemics, and take steps to combat climate change. I strongly supported President Biden’s decision to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, and I support efforts to be prepared to respond to natural disasters, both at home and around the world. As we work to combat the coronavirus pandemic, we must also continue to lead the global fight against AIDS, Zika, Ebola, malaria, and other diseases that are devastating entire regions already facing significant poverty.

As Minnesota's U.S. senator, I am fighting to make America more secure by:

• Protecting our citizens and our democracy. At the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris, I made clear that it falls on all of us to take up the torch of our democracy, not as a weapon of political arson but as an instrument for good. That means protecting our country from both foreign and domestic adversaries who seek to undermine our democracy and endanger our citizens.
   
  • Ensuring that our troops have the resources and support they need to do their jobs. I have seen firsthand the actions of our brave Minnesotans deployed around the globe. I have been impressed by our military leadership, encouraged by the spirit of our soldiers, and honored to meet with Minnesota troops and thank them for their service and sacrifices on behalf of our nation. I came home from my visits with our troops deployed to such war zones as Iraq and Afghanistan strongly committed to giving them the equipment and resources they need to successfully carry out their missions and to ensure they are treated with the respect they deserve when they come home. In the Senate, I have supported funding increases for better and safer equipment, including mine-resistant combat vehicles and body armor for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as addressing shortfalls in critical National Guard equipment. [See Veterans, Servicemembers, and Their Families]
     
  • Stronger oversight in defense budgets. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan revealed disturbing revelations that billions in American taxpayer dollars were lost to corruption, fraud, and waste. There must be accountability for taxpayer funds intended to support military operations as well as economic assistance to those we want to help overseas. Illegal and unethical practices not only undermine reconstruction efforts; they also hurt our troops in the field and impair their ability to carry out critical missions. When I first came to the Senate, I cosponsored a bipartisan provision in the Defense Authorization bill that established an independent commission to increase transparency and accountability in wartime contracting. The commission, modeled after the famous Truman Commission during World War II, helps to ensure accountability for U.S. tax dollars spent in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have repeatedly called for stronger oversight and voted to cut funding for programs that the Defense Department has found to be unnecessary to ensure that our defense budget is focused on the programs and technologies we need to strengthen our Armed Forces.
     
  • Supporting our National Guard and Reserves. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have also highlighted the importance of our brave citizen-soldiers in the National Guard and Reserves and the unprecedented sacrifices they have been called upon to make over the past decades. I have long advocated for a strong National Guard, which includes benefits and designated resources. Our Guard is providing much-needed help to Americans with everything from natural disasters to building and staffing pandemic testing and vaccination centers to deploying to the U.S. Capitol to protect domestic security. This breadth of mission requires that the National Guard have unique flexibility in today’s challenging times. [See Veterans, Servicemembers, and Their Families]
    
    My work with the Guard and Reserves included bringing Active Association status to the Bulldogs of the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth. This designation helped ensure the base’s long-term future and increased economic activity in the Duluth community. I worked to get new fighter jets—the “Block 50” F-16s—to the 148th Fighter Wing by securing funding to help modernize base facilities and improve infrastructure at the Duluth airport. I also worked to support the Minnesota National Guard’s 133rd Airlift Wing to ensure their continued operation of the C-130, which has played a critical role in deploying overseas and supporting disaster response at home.
     
  • Strengthening our cybersecurity. In 2020, the SolarWinds cybersecurity hack was revealed as one of the most widespread cyberintrusions in our history. This attack penetrated parts of the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the Treasury. In the wake of this attack, I joined Senate colleagues in calling for information about the implications of the breach and the steps being taken to mitigate the threat. This breach reinforces my longstanding call for a coordinated federal response, which must include increased public-private cooperation. In 2019, I introduced the bipartisan Cyber Security Exchange Act to address the shortage of cybersecurity expertise in the federal government. The bill would establish a public-private cybersecurity professionals exchange program to recruit experts from the private sector and academia to do limited tours of duty in the federal government of up to two years. Additionally, agencies would create a program for government computer experts to do tours of duty in the private sector to learn best practices, which can then be applied to help further secure government computer systems and critical infrastructure.
     
  • Protecting our elections from foreign influence. To secure our elections from foreign threats and cyberattacks, we must ensure that states have the resources to protect their election systems. That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Secure Elections Act in 2017 with Senator Lankford of Oklahoma, former Senator Harris of California, and Senator Graham of South Carolina. This legislation would establish baseline security standards like voter-verifiable paper ballots and post-election audits, provide states with resources and information to upgrade and protect our election infrastructure, and ensure that the Department of Homeland Security shares election cybersecurity threats and information with state, county, and municipal election agencies. I also introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Sullivan in 2018 to create a global election exchange program through the State Department so that election officials from allied countries can learn best practices. In 2019, I introduced legislation with Senator Collins of Maine that would help election workers by providing grants for continuing education in election administration and cybersecurity. My efforts to secure additional funding for states to make election security improvements included $805 million in funding between 2018 and 2020.
    
    We also have to make sure our elections are free from foreign influence campaigns and that there are social media rules in place that include disclaimers on ads and increased transparency and disclosure. The law banning foreign contributions to U.S. elections has not been updated for more than 50 years. This means that current disclosure requirements for online campaign contributions do not fully protect our election system from foreign interference. That is why in 2017 I introduced the Honest Ads Act with the late Senator McCain and Senator Warner to strengthen accountability and transparency by holding political ads sold online to the same standards currently in place for television and radio. In 2019, I reintroduced the Honest Ads Act with Senator Graham and Senator Warner. I have also introduced legislation with Senator Blunt of Missouri to help protect our election from foreign influence by requiring campaigns and political groups to verify that online credit card donations come from U.S. sources. In addition, I worked to pass legislation to establish a center within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to combat election interference operations conducted by foreign adversaries, which became law in December 2019. While challenges still exist, much of our work paid off, with the 2020 election the most secure election ever administered despite repeated foreign hacking attempts
     
  • Countering violent extremism and terrorism. In January 2020, I supported a successful effort to override former President Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA included important requirements to address the violent extremism—including foreign influence, white supremacy, and domestic terrorism—that shocked the nation during the January 6th attacks on the U.S. Capitol. The bill mandated that departments and agencies develop new strategies and programs to better evaluate and analyze counter extremism abroad, especially with respect to how foreign countries support terrorists.
     
• Addressing challenges with China. I am a lead cosponsor of the America LEADS Act, a comprehensive plan that would provide new investments in our economy and national security to help compete with China’s growing influence. This legislation would support efforts to invest in American competitiveness, build American alliances and partnerships, advance a values-centered foreign policy, and hold China accountable for its predatory actions. Additionally, I cosponsored legislation that became law in June 2020 to require the Trump Administration to impose sanctions on Chinese officials who perpetrated human rights abuses and provide a report to Congress on this issue. I am also a cosponsor of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a bipartisan bill to ensure that products made with forced labor by the Uyghurs are not imported into the United States. Our nation is stronger, safer, and more respected in the world when we remain true to the values that have always defined us at home and abroad—and that includes standing up for human rights and democratic freedoms.
   
• Ensuring stability in the Middle East. I have consistently supported efforts to combat terrorist groups in the Middle East and strengthen our response to humanitarian and national security crises in the region. In 2020, I voted to sanction Syrian government leaders and financial backers of Syrian leaders and their allies to end the ongoing war and humanitarian crises. I have also opposed Iran’s ballistic missile program, human rights abuses, and material support for terrorism. That is why I have supported increasing sanctions against Iran, including targeting those who provide financial support to Hezbollah.

• • Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. My colleagues and I have refused to overlook the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. On July 17, 2019, I voted in favor of resolutions to disapprove of the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia. In addition, I was a cosponsor of legislation to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition military action in Yemen, which passed the Senate by a vote of 54 to 46 on March 13, 2019.
     
  • Supporting Israel. I have strongly advocated for funding for security assistance to Israel, particularly for the Iron Dome missile defense system. I have consistently supported additional funds to bolster this program, including the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 that committed $38 billion in military aid to Israel over the next ten years. In 2017, I cosponsored a bipartisan resolution objecting to United Nations efforts to undermine direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a secure and peaceful settlement. I also joined my Senate colleagues in voting for the authorization of additional sanctions against Iran. At the same time, I believe that the United States must reinforce its commitment to leading a meaningful peace process of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Furthermore, I support the agreements to normalize relations between Israel and Arab states in the region, which are positive developments that could expand diplomatic, trade, and security cooperation. I hope these agreements can pave the way for a more constructive, productive, and secure future for the entire region.
     
• Combating aggression by authoritarian regimes. The United States must continue to impose sanctions on hostile actors to both defend our democracy and discourage belligerent behavior. I fully supported the sanctions against Russia in response to its interference with our democracy. I also strongly supported sanctions against North Korea in response to nuclear tests, and against Iran in response to its support of militants and its ballistic missile program.
   
  • Russia. I have supported sanctions against Russia—including support for Magnitsky sanctions—in response to its destabilizing action to challenge global peace. I also voted for a resolution disapproving of the Trump Administration’s decision to lift sanctions on three companies with ties to a Russian oligarch who is a known ally of President Putin.
    
    We must also stand with our friends when they are faced with aggression from Russia. That is why I traveled to Ukraine, the Baltic states, and Georgia in December of 2016 with the late Senator McCain and Senator Graham. Our allies in Eastern Europe deserve our support in the face of Russian aggression. Russia has used political, economic, and military coercion to exert control over neighboring countries, while also exploiting cyberspace to threaten our critical infrastructure and attempt to influence our democracy. The Senate Intelligence Committee’s assessments of their actions in both the 2016 and 2020 elections are a clear reminder of the ongoing threat they pose. I am continuing work to ensure that we reinforce our bipartisan commitment to strengthening our response, including in conjunction with our allies, to hold Russia accountable for actions such as the SolarWinds hacking operation.
     
  • North Korea. I voted for sanctions against the North Korean government in both 2016 and 2017. Under these laws, foreign governments that buy or sell defense equipment to North Korea are prohibited from receiving certain U.S. assistance. Our country’s financial institutions are prohibited from working with foreign banks that do business with North Korea. These laws also impose sanctions on North Korean cargo and shipping, goods produced by forced labor in North Korea, and people or companies that employ North Korean forced laborers. Unilateral escalation without a plan and without our allies is not in America’s best interest. I am continuing work to ensure that we do everything we can with our allies to address the threat posed by North Korea.
     
  • Saudi Arabia. The Intelligence community has assessed that Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and resident of the United States, was murdered in Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, under orders from the Saudi government because of his writings in opposition to Saudi government policies. I introduced the Jamal Khashoggi Press Freedom Accountability Act with Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont that would help protect journalists around the world by placing targeted sanctions on, restricting foreign aid to, and increasing human rights reporting on foreign governments found to have committed human rights abuses against journalists. Additionally, I have sought to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its involvement with terrorist groups and the ongoing conflict in Yemen by working to limit weapons sales, imposing sanctions, and allowing justice for victims. I was a cosponsor of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which became law in 2016. This legislation allows families of the 9/11 victims to sue countries, including Saudi Arabia, directly for any role they had in the attack.
     
• Strengthening relationships with North American trading partners. Ninety-five percent of the world's potential customers live outside of the United States, and yet less than 1 percent of American businesses export. Ensuring that our businesses and farmers, small and large, are able to capitalize on potential opportunities in North American markets is more important than ever.
   
  • Supporting the USMCA. As co-chair of the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group, I have had the honor of leading delegations of U.S. senators to the annual Canada-U.S. meetings to discuss common issues and challenges our two nations face. We are stronger and more secure when we stand together with our neighbors Canada and Mexico.
     
  • Helping Minnesota businesses get access to the Cuban market. For years I have been working to improve relations with Cuba. This work culminated in my leading the bipartisan Freedom to Export to Cuba Act. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has estimated that exports to Cuba would nearly double if the trade embargo were lifted, putting total farm exports at between $40 and $50 million per year. My legislation lifts the trade embargo and knocks down the legal barriers to Americans doing business in Cuba. My bill would help open up new economic opportunities for American businesses and farmers by boosting U.S. exports. It would also help improve the lives of everyday Cubans by allowing them greater access to American products and services, while still keeping in place human rights provisions and allowing individuals and businesses to pursue property claims against the Cuban government. I have successfully pressed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to allow direct flights between Minnesota and Cuba. I also convened a summit in Minnesota focused on ways to improve U.S.-Cuba relations and testified before the International Trade Commission to highlight the economic benefits of boosting American exports to Cuba.
     
• Securing our borders, travel entry points, and infrastructure. Secure borders and travel entry points are critical to our national security, and I continue to advance legislation that makes Americans safer from foreign and domestic threats.

• • Strengthening vetting for international travelers coming to the United States. I worked with members from both sides of the aisle to introduce the Visa Waiver Program Security Enhancement Act, which was signed into law in 2015. This legislation requires additional biometric information and electronic passports for participation in the program and increased information-sharing between countries.
     
  • Advocating for Minnesota’s border interests. I have worked to cut red tape created by border-crossing laws to help business travelers, tourists, hunters, and anglers. As part of this effort, I pushed for the creation of a U.S. passport card as an alternative document for U.S. citizens crossing our northern border to maintain the flow of commerce and tourism while ensuring security. I also introduced the Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act to help improve border screening and infrastructure at our borders. This bipartisan legislation was signed into law in 2016 and helps use public-private partnerships to improve trade and security at our northern border. I was also a cosponsor of the Northern Border Security Review Act, which was introduced by former Senator Heidi Heitkamp and signed into law in 2016. The law requires the Department of Homeland Security to provide Congress with regular security assessment reports on the northern border.
     
  • Enacting into law the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. When I arrived in the Senate, many of the important 9/11 Commission recommendations had been languishing for years. In my first six months as a senator, I helped pass the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act to provide our government with a blueprint to prevent future catastrophes and strengthen the resources available to our first responders. These critical reforms provide increased funding to protect our ports, borders, and critical infrastructure, including enhancing rail and aviation security.
     
  • Providing first responders with life-saving communications tools. I was an original cosponsor of the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act to allow for state-of-the-art technology that will help first responders in both rural and urban communities at no cost to taxpayers. I helped pass legislation to implement a nationwide wireless network to allow our first responders to clearly communicate when disaster strikes and focus on doing what they do best—saving lives. As co-chair of the Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus, I worked with members from both parties to successfully reauthorize the federal 9-1-1 Coordination Office to manage the transition to the Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency response system. I have passed legislation to require multi-line phone systems to have direct dial 9-1-1 functionality, which would make accessing first responders easier for those in need. This legislation was signed into law in February 2018. I have also introduced the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act to help state and local governments deploy next-generation 9-1-1 systems across the country. These upgrades will enable 9-1-1 dispatchers to work remotely at virtual call centers, as well as handle text messages, pictures, videos, and other information sent by smartphones, tablets, and other devices in an emergency.
     
  • Increasing the security of our nation’s transportation networks. The 9/11 Commission Act included measures to improve rail and aviation security across the nation. I worked with the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security to implement the Secure Flight program, which efficiently modernizes and improves security before travelers even get to the airport. The program also strengthens our ability to identify and prevent potential threats, while reducing delays and inconveniences to American travelers caused by terrorist watch list misidentifications.
     
  • Keeping our airports secure. To improve safety and efficiency at our airports, I supported increasing the Department of Homeland Security’s budget by more than $62 million to hire more than 1,000 additional screeners. In 2012, I introduced the No-Hassle Flying Act, which increases security by encouraging foreign airports to enhance their baggage-screening equipment and helps increase efficiency and improve passenger experience by eliminating the need to have bags re-screened here in the United States. TSA reported a realized cost savings of over $1 million annually as a result of the bill, which was signed into law in 2012. I also fought to pass an amendment that doubles the number of law enforcement teams that secure the ticket lines and baggage claim areas of our airports. That amendment passed in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill that was signed into law in 2016. Finally, I have also worked with the Minnesota Airport Council to ensure that vital security resources went to our airports, including the approval of overtime and the deployment of additional Transportation Security Officers and K-9 teams to the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. These measures improved the safety and efficiency of security screening at Minnesota’s airports.
     
  • Promoting domestic energy production. Over the past decade, the United States has reduced its reliance on foreign oil through a number of approaches, including increased domestic production and renewable energy sources like wind power, solar, and biofuels, and increased gas mileage standards like those that I have long advocated for. The United States now has the opportunity to continue reducing its reliance on foreign oil and move to full energy independence. I successfully included provisions in the 2008, 2014, and 2018 Farm Bills to ensure that a strong energy title continues to provide incentives and support for U.S. farmers and biofuel processors to grow and develop the next generation of biofuel crops and biobased products. I have also urged the Biden Administration to support biofuels infrastructure development and have pushed for strong renewable energy and energy efficiency standards. In addition, I have supported efforts to promote the use of renewable fuels in military installations to sustain the long-term capabilities of our forces.
     
• Restoring diplomacy and foreign aid. I believe we must renew our commitment to diplomacy, global development, and international cooperation in order to effectively address our most pressing national security challenges. That begins with ensuring that the State Department and international agencies receive sufficient funding and that we invest in the dedicated members of our Foreign and Civil Service, who will carry the mantle of American values and ideals. Foreign aid and development assistance can play an important role in promoting U.S. economic and national security by stabilizing volatile regions and decreasing the likelihood of U.S. troops being sent into battle.
   
  • Support for foreign aid and keeping the State Department strong. Helping our friends and allies is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. Foreign aid is critical to helping address refugee crises, preventing radicalization, and promoting stability around the world. The United States has a long and proud tradition of providing life-saving humanitarian assistance. We must continue that assistance and maintain our standing in the world as a nation that comes to the aid of those in need. We must also provide the resources necessary for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to do their work as the civilian face of the United States overseas—and to recruit young people to join the diplomatic corps. I opposed major reductions to the State Department and foreign aid budget proposed by the previous Administration.
     
  • Global health response. The spread of viruses like COVID-19, Ebola, and Zika threaten our national security, with COVID-19 now presenting a particular threat not only at home but also to the public health and economies of many developing countries that lack the resources to combat the pandemic. The best way to stop the spread of dangerous viruses is to address the outbreaks at the source. I fought to get more than $5 billion in funding to fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, including more significant investments in humanitarian aid and assistance to improve health care infrastructure. I also pushed for an immediate response to the Zika virus in the United States. As Chairwoman of the Senate Steering and Outreach Committee, I brought together leading medical experts and public health officials from across the country, to discuss the need for congressional action on President Obama’s emergency funding request to control the spread of the Zika virus. I also hosted a roundtable discussion at the University of Minnesota with local and national leaders to discuss Zika educational and outreach efforts in Minnesota and federal efforts to support local prevention measures and research. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded $200,000 to Minnesota for Zika detection and preparedness. I also strongly supported the American Rescue Plan passed in March 2021, which provided $11 billion in funding for global coronavirus relief efforts.

Veterans, Servicemembers, and Their Families

I have always believed that when we ask our young men and women to fight in defense of our nation, we make a promise that we will give them the resources they need to do their jobs. We also promise to take care of them when they return home. As a nation, we have an obligation to support those who have sacrificed for us.

After World War II, our government adopted the GI Bill to provide health, housing, and educational benefits. Veterans like my father could count on their government to stand by them. Just as we did then, we have a responsibility now to ensure fair compensation policies, full education benefits, and the health care that our veterans and their families deserve.

In the past two decades, the men and women of our Armed Forces have been asked to fight two separate, difficult wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Faced with tremendous challenges, they have responded with great skill, courage, and honor. More than two million U.S. servicemembers have been deployed to serve in these wars, and they are now our fastest-growing veteran population, totaling nearly three million. Thousands of Minnesotans in uniform have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Minnesota’s active-duty servicemen and women, National Guardmembers, and Reservists have continued our state’s proud tradition of military service to the nation.

Caring for Our Veterans and Servicemembers

When I arrived in the Senate in 2007, the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs (VA) were struggling to provide adequate services and benefits to meet the demands of both our returning servicemembers and our existing veterans. Far too many servicemembers were being sent into combat without adequate body armor or armored vehicles. And far too many returning servicemembers faced inadequate treatment for traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder—the signature injuries of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Investigations at Walter Reed Medical Center revealed that many wounded warriors were being housed and treated in unacceptable conditions. And across the nation, far too many veterans faced severe bureaucratic hurdles in order to receive the benefits they earned.
I saw in 2007 that immediate action needed to be taken on behalf of our servicemembers and veterans, and I worked with Senate colleagues to give these brave men and women the treatment, benefits, and respect they deserve. We upgraded the equipment for our troops in the field to help them safely carry out their missions. We provided record funding increases to strengthen military health care and improve veterans’ health services under the VA. We passed the landmark Post-9/11 GI Bill, which provided enhanced tuition and housing benefits to servicemembers seeking to continue their education and smoothly transition into the civilian workforce. And we passed the pivotal Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which not only improved support and training for family caregivers—who often carry the largest burden of nursing our wounded warriors back to health—but also strengthened health programs for women and rural veterans.

I oppose efforts to privatize the VA, and I will advocate for strong VA funding while ensuring that our veterans are getting the support and care they need and deserve. I will also continue working to ensure that VA employees are held accountable for mismanagement or mistreatment of veterans.

National Guard and Reserves

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have highlighted the importance of our brave citizen-soldiers in the National Guard and Reserves and the unprecedented sacrifices they have been called upon to make over the past decades. The National Guard and Reserves were not built to serve as an active-duty force for prolonged periods, yet at times, as many as 40 percent of American forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan were Guard and Reserve troops. At the same time, our Guard and Reserves are providing much-needed help to Americans on everything from natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes to building and staffing mobile hospitals and testing and vaccination centers during pandemics to deploying to cities nationwide and to the U.S. Capitol to protect domestic security. The repeated mobilizations and overseas deployments of Guard and Reserve units have profoundly affected families and communities in Minnesota and across the nation.

As a member of the National Guard Caucus, I have been steadfast in my support of the Minnesota National Guard members who continue to serve us bravely and honorably, both at home and abroad. I worked to pass the National Guard Empowerment Act to help upgrade Guard members by creating a position on the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the National Guard and Reserves as well as improving federal-state military coordination in domestic emergency response scenarios. I have been committed to supporting their families, who bear extraordinary burdens while their loved ones are deployed overseas. I have worked to ensure equitable GI benefits for Guard members and Reservists and have supported the largest increase in Army Guard Active Guard Reserve positions in 25 years, providing billions of dollars to upgrade National Guard equipment and facilities. And I have fought to secure regular funding to extend and expand to the national level Minnesota’s pioneering Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides community support to Guard members and their families throughout the deployment cycle.
Minnesotans know all too well the burden that is placed on the men and women in our Armed Forces. As a nation and as a state, we have an obligation to wrap our arms around those who serve and sacrifice for us. I am committed to continuing to ensure that we fully repay the sacrifices our veterans have made for all of us, in wars past and present.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Supporting servicemembers and their families. Our servicemembers put their lives on the line for their fellow Americans by carrying out their missions where deployed, and we need to do everything we can to ensure that they can perform these duties as safely as possible with adequate equipment. Protecting the health and safety of active servicemembers can prevent injuries that cause long-term illness and disabilities. We also need to better support National Guard members and Reservists who continue to serve us at home and abroad. This includes providing more support to their families.
   
  • Ensuring that our servicemembers have the resources and support they need to do their jobs and remain safe. I traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan to see firsthand the actions of our brave Minnesotans in the field and to meet with U.S. military commanders and diplomatic leaders. I was encouraged by the spirit of our soldiers and honored to meet with Minnesota troops to thank them for their service and sacrifices on behalf of our nation. I came home with a commitment to give our troops stationed in combat zones the equipment and resources they need to successfully carry out their missions and to ensure they are treated with the respect they deserve when they return home. In the Senate, I have supported funding increases for better and safer equipment, including to provide our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with mine-resistant combat vehicles and individual troop body armor and to address shortfalls in critical National Guard equipment.
     
  • Recognizing the unique challenges faced by our National Guard and Reserves. Over the past few decades, our citizen-soldiers in the National Guard and Reserves have increasingly been asked to serve in front-line combat positions side-by-side with active duty soldiers. Although we have made numerous improvements, many steps must still be taken to equalize conditions, equipment, and benefits between active duty troops and National Guard and Reserve troops. The National Guard is the most cost-effective and versatile component of our Armed Forces. We need to ensure that our National Guard has the equipment and training for the full range of international and domestic missions. I have supported legislation to require independent commissions to review Army and Air Force plans that cut National Guard forces. I will continue to fight for the resources the National Guard needs to continue its important role in our nation’s defense.
     
  • Supporting our military families. When we mobilize a soldier, we also mobilize his or her entire family. During deployments, military spouses have to keep food on the table and snow off the sidewalk, mow the lawn and do the laundry, and run the household on their own. While they are overseas, many Guard and Reserve members suffer a substantial drop in their household incomes, and their families often struggle to make ends meet. We must do more to support and sustain the families of our troops before, during, and after the deployment cycle.
     
  • Strengthening support for survivors of military sexual assault. According to the Department of Defense’s own records, about 20,500 servicemembers were sexually assaulted in 2018, an almost 40 percent increase from 2016. This is unacceptable. Sexual assault not only harms the victim, but also weakens unit morale and readiness. We must take steps to ensure protection and justice for the men and women who risk their lives to defend our country.
     
• Supporting veterans and their families. Our veterans and their families have sacrificed much for our country, and we need to ensure that we repay this service by providing quality health care that meets the unique needs of returning servicemembers, especially those exposed to toxic burn pits and suffering from traumatic brain injuries and other serious wounds. We must provide better mental health care for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions, and targeted care for the needs of female veterans. We must improve the VA and cut red tape for medical claims. Finally, we must continue to support veterans and their families with housing, job training, and education.
   
  • Improving and expanding veterans’ health care. Since 2007 I have joined my colleagues in providing record funding increases for military health care and to strengthen and improve veterans’ health care programs and services under the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are over 18 million American veterans and over 300,000 who call Minnesota home. It isn’t enough to provide these brave men and women with health care. They deserve timely access to the best health care that we can offer. In addition, tens of thousands of veterans have returned from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts with serious wounds. Many servicemembers severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan who sought hospital treatment were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries. We must increase the number of polytrauma treatment centers created in recognition of the large number of servicemembers who have sustained multiple severe injuries—including head and spinal injuries—as a result of explosions and blasts on the battlefield. We must also improve the long-term and assisted-living services for veterans with traumatic brain injuries.Helping servicemembers and veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. It took the government years after the Vietnam War to recognize that there was a link between Agent Orange and its devastating health effects on our soldiers. We can’t let history repeat itself—burn pits can’t become today’s Agent Orange. We need to better understand and address the relationship between burn pit exposure and the health needs of our brave men and women in uniform.
     
  • Improving the VA’s service to veterans. I oppose efforts to privatize the VA. I will continue to fight to ensure that veterans are getting the support and health care they need and deserve, and that VA employees are held accountable.
     
  • Eliminating the claims backlog to ensure that Minnesota veterans receive the full benefits they have earned. The men and women who have served our nation often wait months or even years to receive the pension or disability benefits they are due for their service. We owe it to our veterans to cut through the claims backlog and the red tape and ensure they have all the support they need, both in the short- and long-term.
     
  • Fighting to end veteran homelessness. Approximately 11 percent of all homeless adults in America are veterans. With more than 300 veterans in our state reported as being homeless at the end of 2020, I led the Minnesota congressional delegation in pressing the Department of Veterans Affairs on its efforts to help end veteran homelessness. These are men and women who proudly wore the uniform of our nation and, at the very least, they deserve a home.
     
  • Expanding job and educational opportunities for our veterans. The men and women who have served our country should not return from war only to face another battle finding a job. We need to focus on building job opportunities for returning servicemembers by making sure that the skills they developed during their service transfer to the private sector. We must also improve training and hiring incentives to ensure that veterans transition smoothly into civilian employment. I believe Guard and Reserve members and their families should not suffer as a result of their willingness to respond to emergencies, and employers should be rewarded for maintaining their commitment to these brave men and women who answer the call to duty.
     
  • Addressing the needs of female veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are nearly two million female veterans, which is the fastest growing group of veterans. Women veterans face many challenges, including barriers to receiving health care and the benefits they have earned as well as recognition for their service to our country. They also face higher rates of homelessness, unemployment, mental health conditions, and high-risk pregnancies, and they are more likely to have experienced military sexual trauma. We must ensure that these women get the care and benefits they have earned, and that appropriate resources are provided to address the unique challenges facing female veterans. Improving treatment of PTSD and other mental health disorders. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that about 11 to 20 out of every 100 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been diagnosed with potential symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We must provide increased counseling services and create greater awareness for the tens of thousands of veterans suffering from PTSD, both those in recent conflicts as well as those in past conflicts, most notably the Vietnam War.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been fighting to ensure that veterans who have risked their lives for our freedom and security have the resources they need and deserve:

• Supporting servicemembers and their families. I continue to advance legislation to protect active-duty servicemembers and provide to them and their families the full range of benefits they are owed.

• • Securing funding for equipment and infrastructure for our Minnesota National Guard. I worked with our Minnesota National Guard commanders and other members of our Minnesota congressional delegation to secure upgraded F-16 planes for the 148th Fighter Wing that is a central part of the Duluth community. With the support of the Minnesota National Guard and Duluth officials and businesses, I successfully worked to establish an association of active-duty airmen at the Duluth air base. I have also secured funding for the Minnesota National Guard’s Joint Force headquarters and emergency operations center in Arden Hills, a field maintenance shop in Mankato, a storage facility for the Duluth Air Guard base, and a new training facility at Camp Ripley. In addition, when the Air Force proposed eliminating the Air Reserve 934th Airlift Wing in Minneapolis, I led the effort to communicate the unit’s unique capabilities and value to Air Force leadership, which resulted in a reversal of the Air Force’s proposal in 2013. In October 2020, I led the Minnesota delegation in sending a bipartisan letter to the Secretary of the Air Force, urging the Trump Administration to maintain the size of the C-130 fleet in light of potential fleet reductions. The 133rd Airlift Wing must be able to continue its critical C-130 mission, including supporting humanitarian and disaster relief missions, such as assisting in the coronavirus response, as well as deploying to support the active-duty military around the globe.
     
  • Ensuring that our National Guard and Reserves get the benefits they have earned. In the summer of 2007, members of the Minnesota National Guard’s 1/34th Brigade Combat Team returned home from Iraq after serving the longest continuous deployment of any unit in the Iraq War only to learn that, due to government red tape, many were not able to receive the full pay or educational benefits their service merited. I successfully cut through the red tape to deliver the full educational benefits these soldiers had earned.
    
    Guard and Reserve members should not be treated differently based on what deployment designation is used to call them up for service. Until recently, a loophole in the law had meant that two reservists serving side by side could receive different benefits based on what law the Department of Defense used to deploy them. I knew this was wrong and needed to be fixed. Former Senator Franken and I introduced the National Guard 12304b Benefits Parity Act. The provisions of the bill related to education benefits for soldiers serving under the 12304b designation were signed into law in August of 2017. I continue to work with my colleagues to push for passage of legislation that would ensure that health, education, and retirement benefits are not denied to Reserve Component soldiers serving under the 12304b designation.
    
    Another benefits problem occurred in 2012, when nearly a thousand Minnesota National Guard troops learned that their post-deployment leave benefits had been unexpectedly cut in the middle of their deployment to Kuwait. I worked closely with former Congressman John Kline on legislation to restore the full leave benefits that these Minnesota soldiers—and 49,000 soldiers nationwide—had been promised. The bill was signed into law in May 2012, and the problem was fixed.

• • Cutting out-of-pocket costs for National Guard Members and Reservists. In Minnesota, 30 percent of all National Guard members travel more than 50 miles for training. Our servicemembers shouldn’t be burdened with costly travel expenses simply for completing their required duty training each month. I have introduced legislation that will help reduce the cost of service and make a big difference for thousands of soldiers in the Minnesota National Guard by reducing the mileage that can be claimed on taxes from 100 to 50.
  • Recognizing Combat Zone service. The United States has deployed servicemembers to the Sinai Peninsula since 1982 to perform a peacekeeping function. While the Department of Defense designated the Sinai Peninsula a “Qualified Hazardous Duty Area” in 2015, the White House did not designate the Sinai Peninsula as a “Combat Zone.” As a result, troops deployed to the Sinai did not benefit from the same tax-free treatment as those deployed to designated combat zones. I was an original cosponsor of the Sinai Service Recognition Act, which was included in legislation signed into law in December 2017. Now servicemembers deployed to the Sinai benefit from the same tax-free treatment as those deployed to designated combat zones.
     
  • Expanding the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program. Pioneered by the Minnesota National Guard, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon helps soldiers make the transition from military to civilian life through counseling and other services. Since 2007, we have been able to secure regular funding through Defense Appropriations bills to extend and expand this program in Minnesota. In addition, we passed legislation to create and fund a national Yellow Ribbon program based on Minnesota’s groundbreaking initiative.
     
  • Supporting children of the National Guard and Reserve. More than one million military-connected children face challenges associated with service, including frequent moves, parental deployments, and other issues related to parents in the service. I introduced legislation that became law in December 2019 to ensure that children of our Guard members and Reservists are identified as students of military families in school records. This requirement, which already applied to children of active-duty servicemembers, will help ensure that schools and teachers know which students have parents in the Guard and Reserves and help accommodate those needs.
     
  • Strengthening support for victims of military sexual assault. Despite increasing awareness of the problem of sexual assault within our Armed Forces, the Department of Defense back in as recently as 2010 had no unified system in place to ensure storage of assault victims’ medical and forensic records. That’s why I authored the Support for Survivors Act to ensure lifelong preservation of victims’ records so that these individuals are able to seek care and justice for the trauma they have experienced. All of the women senators of both parties cosponsored this bill, and its major provisions were signed into law in December 2011. Then, in 2012, I introduced the bipartisan Military Sexual Assault Prevention Act with former Senator Olympia Snowe to improve tracking and review of sexual assault claims in the military and help ensure victims can get the justice they deserve. Key provisions from this bill—those requiring retention of records, enhanced reporting on military sexual assault, and an established Defense Department policy against sexual harassment—were incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which became law in January 2013.
    
    I continued the fight against sexual assault in the military by reintroducing the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Act in March 2013 with Senator Lisa Murkowski. With this legislation, the military services must elevate the rank of the officer authorized to dispose of sexual assault charges, set preferred policy for the disposition of sexual assault cases through courts martial, and require the Secretary of Defense to retain restricted reports of sexual assault for at least 50 years to ensure that veterans who have been victimized by these crimes will have the records they need to claim medical treatment and benefits. I also introduced a bill to require the Defense Department’s Inspector General to investigate allegations of retaliation against servicemembers who report incidents of sexual assault. Both this bill and the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Act of 2013 were included in the FY2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was signed into law by President Obama in December 2013. In September 2014, I introduced the National Guard and Reserve Access to Counsel Act to ensure that members of the National Guard and Reserve who are victims of sexual assault have access to Special Victims’ Counsel (SVC) services if the assault had any connection to the victim’s military service. I worked with former Representative John Kline to pass this legislation in the FY2015 NDAA, which was signed into law in December 2014.
    
    While major positive changes have been made to the military’s handling of sexual assault cases, there is still more to do. Along with many of my colleagues, I am continuing to work to improve how the military prosecutes serious crimes like sexual assault.
     
• Supporting veterans and their families. I continue to advance legislation to give veterans and their families quality health care and mental health care—especially for conditions resulting from military service—and assistance with medical claims. I am fighting to serve the health needs of female veterans and to support veterans and their families with housing, job training, and education.
   
  • Improving and expanding veterans’ health care. I have consistently worked to modernize the G.I. Bill’s benefits for our troops and strengthen funding for veterans’ health care and mental health care. I have worked hard to improve the VA and opposed efforts to privatize it, which is why I supported the VA Mission Act that was signed into law 2018. This law, which replaced the Veterans Choice Program, improves the way veterans receive care, expands benefits for caregivers of injured veterans, and addresses workforce shortages in underserved areas. The law also expands care, including for mental health, at the VA facilities with the most need and maintains the current system of private care for veterans who cannot schedule a doctor’s appointment within 30 days or do not live within 40 miles of a facility. I also supported the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 that was signed into law in January 2021 and includes provisions to improve services for female veterans, help Native American veterans access VA care, and expand resources for veterans experiencing homelessness.
    
    I fought to include provisions in the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requiring the Defense Department and the VA to report on steps they are taking to reduce the excessively long backlog of disability evaluations. I also supported the bipartisan Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act (VACAA), which increases funding available for the VA to hire medical professionals and expands flexibility for veterans to seek care at non-VA facilities. I will continue to work to improve the implementation of VACAA and push for changes like those in the Caring for Our Veterans Act to ensure that the VA works for Minnesota veterans. That includes holding the VA and contractors accountable for the services they provide to veterans. In addition, I cosponsored the Veterans Appeals Assistance and Improvement Act of 2015, bipartisan legislation that would improve and expand pro bono legal services for veterans during their appeals process.
    
    I introduced legislation with former Representative John Kline to protect veterans from erroneous and untimely VA billing practices after a number of Minnesota veterans who received treatment at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center received bills up to five years late. Another way to improve access to health care for our veterans is to ensure that VA medical facilities can recruit qualified mental health professionals, doctors, dentists, and nurses. That’s why I introduced the Veterans Access to Care Act, bipartisan legislation that would designate VA medical facilities and state veterans’ homes as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), which would allow the VA to be more competitive in the recruitment of health care service providers.
    
    We also have to make it easier for veterans to make appointments with their doctors. A June 2014 internal audit by the Department of Veterans Affairs found that more than 120,000 veterans waited at least 90 days for appointments for health care or never received appointments at all. Excessive wait times can put veterans’ lives at risk, but technology that makes it easier to schedule appointments already exists and is being used in the private sector. In response, I introduced the bipartisan Faster Care for Veterans Act that created a VA pilot program to schedule veterans’ medical appointments online without unnecessary red tape and delays. The bill was signed into law in 2016.

• • Addressing the unique medical challenges of burn pits. With an increasing number of our returning servicemembers citing illnesses potentially caused by burn pit exposure, it is clear that greater attention is needed to get our veterans the care they need. I introduced with Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina the bipartisan Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act to create a VA Center of Excellence to focus on the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to burn pits, which was signed into law in September 2018. I also introduced legislation with Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska requiring that members of the Armed Forces be evaluated for exposure to toxic airborne chemicals during routine health exams and directing the Secretary of Defense to record whether servicemembers were based or stationed near an open burn pit. The bill became law in December 2019. In addition, because servicemembers exposed to burn pits suffer from higher rates of respiratory illnesses and rare lung disorders, they are particularly at risk of experiencing serious or potentially life-threatening symptoms during the coronavirus pandemic. I introduced legislation with Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances receive the care that they need during the pandemic. The bill became law in January 2021.
     
  • Protecting “Blue Water Veterans.” Agent Orange is another dangerous toxin affecting the health of veterans. I cosponsored the Agent Orange Equity Act to ensure benefits for “blue water veterans” who became exposed to the dioxin Agent Orange during their service in the waterways around Vietnam, as well as the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act that became law in June 2019 to extend disability compensation to these brave veterans. I also cosponsored legislation that would provide critical benefits to veterans exposed to Agent Orange by establishing a presumption of service connection for veterans suffering from Bladder Cancer, Hypothyroidism, and Parkinsonism. The bill was signed into law in January 2021.
     
  • Improving the VA’s service to veterans. To bring more accountability to the VA, I cosponsored the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014. This bipartisan legislation ensures that veterans are better served by allowing the VA to replace senior officials found responsible for mismanagement and mistreatment of veterans. A version of this legislation was included in legislation signed into law in August 2014. This law also improved oversight of the VA’s health care system, increased available resources to hire more medical staff, and provided increased flexibility for veterans to seek care outside the VA system. I also supported the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which was signed into law in June 2017. This legislation gives the VA the authority to remove certain employees or senior executives for reasons of misconduct while protecting whistleblowers. At the same time, in Minnesota, I pressed the VA Inspector General’s office to ensure that all allegations of improper practices at Minnesota VA facilities are fully investigated.
    
    I am a strong supporter of the Veterans Debt Fairness Act, which would protect veterans from financial hardship caused by VA overpayments and recoupment. In 2016 and 2017, over 490,000 overpayment notices were issued to veterans. Oftentimes the VA recoups the funds by withholding some or all of a veteran’s monthly disability benefit. The Veterans Debt Fairness Act would improve the VA’s process by only allowing the VA to collect debts that occur as a result of an error or fraud on the part of a veteran, prohibits the VA from deducting more than 25 percent from a veteran’s monthly payment, prevents the VA from collecting debts incurred more than five years prior, and requires that the VA provide veterans with a way to update their dependency information on their own.
     
  • Eliminating the claims backlog to ensure that Minnesota veterans receive the full benefits they have earned. We owe it to our veterans to cut through the claims backlog and red tape and ensure that they have all the support they need, in both the short- and long-term. I introduced the Veterans Legal Support Act with Senators Shaheen and Warner to provide funding to law school legal clinics offering pro bono legal services to veterans to help assist veterans with disability claims, foreclosures, bankruptcies, divorce, child custody, and some minor criminal cases.
    
    Helping improve programs for homeless veterans. In 2012, I introduced and passed into law the bipartisan Helping Our Homeless Veterans Act to improve programs for homeless veterans—particularly those living in rural areas—to make sure they receive housing and support services to help them get back on their feet. This legislation encourages partnerships between the VA and community providers, building on local expertise to ensure that no veteran slips through the cracks.
     
  • Helping veterans transition back to the civilian workforce. Thousands of the brave men and women who serve in our military receive excellent training that is highly valued in the civilian workforce. I helped pass the VOW to Hire Heroes Act into law in November 2011. This legislation promotes the hiring of unemployed veterans by requiring separating servicemembers to participate in career training programs and providing a tax credit to employers who bring unemployed veterans into their workforce. I also introduced the bipartisan Post-9/11 Veterans Job Training Act to allow veterans to use their GI Bill benefits for job training and apprenticeship programs to help them obtain the skills they need to succeed in the civilian workforce. This provision went into effect in October 2011.
     
  • Many who serve in our military receive emergency medical training as part of their duties. These servicemembers return home with valuable skills and the need for good jobs. In order to help address veterans’ unemployment and reduce the shortage of much-needed emergency medical personnel in rural communities, I introduced the bipartisan Veterans to Paramedics Transition Act, which became law in August 2016. This legislation will help veterans earn professional certification by streamlining civilian paramedic training for returning veterans who already have emergency medical experience from their military service. I have also supported legislation to accelerate commercial driver’s licensing procedures for veterans who received driving experience in the military, as well as legislation to provide a tax credit to military spouses to cover their re-credentialing costs when they must move to a new state for their spouse’s military service. In addition, I introduced legislation that was signed into law in June 2017 to encourage law enforcement agencies to hire veterans. The American Law Enforcement Heroes Act prioritizes the Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant applications of state and local law enforcement agencies that use that funding to hire veterans. I also introduced the bipartisan Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida to encourage veterans and military spouses to pursue careers in STEM fields. Our legislation was signed into law in February 2020.
  • Modernizing veterans’ educational benefits. The Post-9/11 GI Bill, which I cosponsored and which took effect in August 2009, provides enhanced tuition benefits so that any veteran who serves at least three months on active duty will receive benefits to cover the costs of up to 36 months of higher education, depending on length of service. This critical legislation will help GI Bill benefits keep pace with the rising cost of college while ensuring that Guard and Reserve members receive educational benefits comparable to those granted to active-duty soldiers. I was an original cosponsor of the Forever GI Bill that was signed into law in August of 2017. That bill ended time limits on use of veteran educational benefits. I also authored the bipartisan Servicemember Student Loan Interest Relief Act to prevent interest from accruing on student loans during deployment and to help ensure that servicemembers are not set back financially as a result of their service to our nation.
     
  • Addressing the needs of female veterans. I introduced the Newborn Care Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to increase the number of days that veterans who give birth may receive health insurance for their newborns. Previously, a veteran had to find outside health care for their child within seven days of birth or the baby will not have health insurance. A provision based on this legislation that became law in January 2021 allows patients who receive a doctor’s permission to receive care beyond seven days. I cosponsored the Deborah Sampson Act, comprehensive legislation that addresses the gender-specific challenges female veterans face. The legislation ensures that the VA is providing the resources necessary to help eliminate barriers women encounter when accessing the care and services they have earned. The bill was signed into law in January 2021.
     
  • Improving treatment of PTSD and other mental health disorders. Since 9/11, tens of thousands of servicemembers have been discharged after being diagnosed with personality disorders, which denies them the right to Veterans Administration (VA) health care or benefits. In reality, many of those servicemembers may not have been properly diagnosed by a mental health expert and may be suffering from service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In March of 2013, I worked with Senator Jon Tester of Montana to introduce the Servicemember Mental Health Review Act, which helps these veterans who may have been discharged with improper mental health diagnoses get their records corrected and their benefits restored. I also included an amendment in the FY2014 NDAA to require the Government Accountability Office to assess the Department of Defense’s compliance with its own regulations for discharging servicemembers for mental health reasons, and I supported the successful effort to repeal the cut to military retiree pensions that was made in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013.
    
    To help respond to the crisis of suicides among veterans, I joined with the late Senator John McCain and former Congressman Tim Walz as one of the original cosponsors of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which passed the Senate and was signed into law in February 2015. This legislation helps expand access to mental health services for veterans by establishing a loan repayment program to help the VA recruit more psychiatric specialists, enhancing resources for veterans transitioning to civilian life, and improving the VA’s ability to address traumatic brain injuries.

Civil Rights, Public Trust, and Democracy

Our constitutional civil rights are the heart of our democracy and the foundation of our government. Public trust in our government and elections is also essential to the health of our nation. Public trust can only be gained if we also stand up for the civil rights of all Americans, not only by ensuring that all citizens can participate freely in our democracy, but also by addressing injustice and making government work better for everyone, not just the well-connected.

When I first arrived in the Senate, scandals in Washington had eroded the public’s confidence in government and cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the laws and policies coming out of Congress. Our elected leaders should be focused on public service, not paid perks and privileges.

We’ve made progress in strengthening the ethics laws and standards for members of Congress and their staffs, including passing the first meaningful ethics reform legislation since Watergate and the first mandatory sexual harassment training for Senate employees. But I believe there is so much more we can do to restore the public’s trust in our institutions, including reforms that cut red tape and make government work better for people.

Institutional racism and economic injustices must be addressed. That’s why I support House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn’s and Senator Cory Booker’s 10–20–30 plan, in which 10 percent of federal resources are committed to communities where at least 20 percent of the population has been living below the poverty line for 30 years or more. I supported a version of the original 10–20–30 formula in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, and as our country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, I will fight to ensure that sufficient resources are directed to the areas where they are needed most.

Restoring trust also requires free and fair elections. Our country is stronger when our campaigns are transparent and accountable to the people and when all Americans are able to participate freely in our democracy, confident that no foreign interference has occurred and that their votes have been counted and have not been suppressed. As the coronavirus pandemic presented difficult and unprecedented challenges for our democracy, I worked to secure additional funding for states to make their elections more resilient and to ensure that voters had options to cast their ballots safely. As Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, I am now leading the effort to advance the For the People Act in the Senate, legislation that would reform our elections, campaign finance, and ethics systems to ensure that our democracy is of, by, and for the American people.

Finally, we must work to ensure that all Americans—regardless of their race, gender, ethnic background, religion, or sexual orientation—are treated with dignity and respect, and that we protect their civil rights—including fighting against racial discrimination and preventing hate crimes, securing equal pay and reproductive rights for women, LGBTQ equality, and investing in equal access for people with disabilities.

Minnesotans hold their elected representatives, government, and elections to the highest standards. Our state has a proud tradition of civic participation—in fact Minnesota has had the highest voter turnout in the nation during the last two presidential elections. As I have traveled across our state, Minnesotans have joined me in emphasizing the need for strong ethics rules, free and fair elections, equal rights for all, and government reform that restores both integrity and common sense to our nation’s capital.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Protecting the civil rights of all Americans. We must continue to work to ensure that the civil rights of all Americans are protected. I have long fought and will continue to fight to address the systemic racism and discrimination in our laws, institutions, and economy. I have also worked to protect women’s rights to make their own health care decisions, prevent hate crimes including those that target people based on their race or religion, ensure equal rights for the LGBTQ community, prevent religious discrimination here and abroad, and ensure access to needed services for people with disabilities.
   
• Enacting reforms to our sentencing laws. I have consistently supported efforts to reform our sentencing laws to improve the fair administration of justice. Today, our country has more than 20 percent of the world’s incarcerated people, even though it accounts for less than 5 percent of the world’s population. In December of 2018, the First Step Act was signed into law, which was supported by a broad range of organizations and experts, including both law enforcement and civil liberties groups. I was a cosponsor of this important law, which made needed reforms to our sentencing laws and prisons, including by allowing judges to impose sentences below the mandatory minimum for certain non-violent, low-level drug offenders; reducing some of the longest sentences now on the books; and expanding access to substance abuse treatment and programs to prepare people to reenter society through employment and training opportunities. In addition, as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have long supported the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act and other reforms. I also support a Second Step Act, which would create federal incentives so that states can restore discretion from mandatory sentencing for nonviolent offenders and reform the unconscionable conditions in state prisons and local jails, which hold approximately 90 percent of incarcerated people.
   
• Reforming our criminal justice system. In addition to promoting public safety, our criminal justice system must be focused on the principles of fairness, compassion, and equality under the law. We must prioritize the systemic issues in policing and criminal justice that have gone unaddressed for too long. I will continue to work to pass the Justice in Policing Act, which holds officers accountable for misconduct, increases transparency in policing practices, improves police conduct and training, and includes my bill to prevent law enforcement use of chokeholds and other neck restraints.
  
  As the Hennepin County Attorney, I worked with the Innocence Project to put policies in place like innovative eyewitness processes to protect against false identifications, and I have long supported videotaped interrogations, diversity in hiring, body cameras, and law enforcement resources and training. I also worked to provide specialized supports and services for those with mental illnesses and severe substance use disorders by building stronger collaboration among drug court staff, probation officers, case managers, and various treatment and social service providers. That’s why in the Senate I have led the effort to increase critical resources for our country’s drug courts, which are one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism while helping people access treatment. We must also increase transparency about prosecutorial decisions, including by collecting statistics on charges, plea deals, and sentencing recommendations to help uncover implicit bias and discriminatory conduct, and we should invest in conviction integrity units to increase post-conviction sentencing reviews. Fixing our criminal justice system also means enacting important reforms to our bail system, equipping all law enforcement officers with body cameras, and increasing federal funding to support public defenders.
   
• Treating immigrants with fairness and compassion. When I first got to the Senate in 2007, Senator Ted Kennedy asked Senator Whitehouse and me to be members of the immigration reform working group, and I was proud to work with Senator Kennedy on that bipartisan effort with the Bush Administration. Unfortunately the bill ultimately did not pass the Senate. Later, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, I was part of the successful effort to pass the 2013 comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate that included a pathway to citizenship, prioritized enforcement of existing laws, reforms to our visa system, and the DREAM Act. In addition, the legislation would have decreased the deficit by $158 billion over 10 years. I took the lead in ensuring that the bill included provisions to help protect immigrant victims of domestic violence by allowing women in the U.S. with spouses on temporary visas to petition for independent immigration status—encouraging them to come forward and receive the assistance they need. No one should be forced to remain in an abusive relationship due to fear of losing their legal status, and that is why I worked to pass my amendment in the Judiciary Committee by a unanimous vote. In the end, despite President Obama’s support, the Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill was not allowed a vote in the then-Republican House.
  
  We must continue working to enact comprehensive immigration reform, which is crucial to moving our country and our economy forward. In February 2021, I joined Senators Menendez, Padilla, Luján, Hirono, and Booker in introducing the U.S. Citizenship Act, a comprehensive immigration bill that affirms our values and strengthens our economy by providing a pathway to citizenship, equips law enforcement with smart and effective investments to effectively manage the border, addresses the root causes of migration, and supports refugees and asylum seekers. Since my first year in the Senate, I’ve also worked to extend protections for Liberian immigrants in the United States, and in December 2019, legislation that I supported to allow eligible Liberians on Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status to apply for permanent residency and provide them with a path to citizenship became law. I will continue to seek solutions and work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance bipartisan legislation to protect DREAMers and those with DED status or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and restore programs for refugees and those seeking asylum while maintaining thorough vetting and strong national security measures. Our strength and vitality come from the diversity of our people. That’s true in Minnesota and it’s true across this country. [See Immigration]
   
• Protecting victims of hate crimes and combating discrimination. As a former county attorney, I have seen firsthand the trauma that hate crimes can inflict, not just on victims but on entire communities. According to the FBI, in recent years attacks motivated by bias or prejudice reached a 16-year high. I have fought to counter this dangerous trend by supporting the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. In 2020, I also worked with Senator Murkowski to introduce the bipartisan Justice for Victims of Hate Crimes Act, which will help to ensure that federal prosecutors can effectively enforce the federal hate crimes law. And after the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington was the target of a bombing in August 2017, and earlier that year bomb threats were made against the St. Paul Jewish Community Center and the Sabes Jewish Community Center in St. Louis Park, I joined my colleagues in cosponsoring legislation to strengthen protections for religious institutions that was signed into law in September 2018. Finally, I joined Senator Hirono on a bill to require the Department of Justice to invest the resources needed to fully investigate pandemic-related hate crimes against Asian Americans, which was signed into law in May 2021.
  
  Addressing racial disparities in healthcare, housing, commerce, and the delivery of services. The coronavirus pandemic has shined a bright light on the systemic inequalities in our health care system and our economy, with data clearly showing that the virus is disproportionately impacting communities of color. In addition to getting high-quality demographic data to help target resources, we need to address the underlying causes of these racial disparities including pervasive inequalities in access to health care, discrimination and unequal opportunities in housing, underinvestment in public transportation in minority communities, and the existence of food deserts where people do not have sufficient access to grocery stores. In the pandemic relief bill that Congress passed in May 2020, I supported including funding specifically for small lenders and community-based financial institutions that serve the needs of unbanked and underserved small businesses—including minority- and women-owned businesses. These programs were also given priority in the comprehensive relief package passed by Congress in December of 2020. As Congress considers future legislation, we must do more to overcome historic disenfranchisement by considering the particular needs of minority communities, including minority entrepreneurs who have had difficulty accessing traditional sources of lending. Finally, in order to address disparities in federal spending, we must pass House Majority Whip Clyburn’s and Senator Booker’s 10–20–30 plan, which requires that 10 percent of federal resources are committed to communities where at least 20 percent of the population has been living below the poverty line for 30 years or more.
   
• Protecting women’s health care decisions. In the Senate, I have fought back against efforts to undermine the ability of a woman to make her own health care decisions, including cosponsoring the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would prohibit laws intended to restrict women’s access to reproductive health services, including abortion. I have opposed attempts to undermine the birth control benefit guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act; prevent clinics from providing comprehensive care and information to the patients who rely on them; and defund Planned Parenthood, which one in five women in America visits for everything from cancer screenings, primary care, and contraception. We must also ensure that women around the world have access to health care, which is why I am a cosponsor of legislation to permanently repeal the “global gag rule,” which denies federal funding for international non-governmental organizations if they provide information about abortion services or use their own funds to provide such services.
   
• Ensuring women’s economic equality. Today, women working full-time earn 80 cents for every dollar paid to a man, and the gap is even wider for women of color. I am a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ensure that employers pay employees equally for equal work. I am also a strong supporter of providing paid sick days and paid family leave at the federal level and believe that early, quality child care and education is one of the most important public investments we can make as a country. That’s why I am a cosponsor of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act as well as the Child Care for Working Families Act and support permanent increases to the child and dependent care tax credit. In addition, I have called for strengthening enforcement of our anti-discrimination laws, and I believe that we must focus on providing economic justice for communities of color when it comes to economic opportunity, access to credit, wages, and housing. I have also cosponsored the Equal Rights Amendment.
   
• Reforming sexual harassment policies in the Senate. I championed bipartisan legislation that reformed the way harassment claims in Congress are handled. In 2017, I passed my bill with a bipartisan group of senators requiring anti-harassment training for senators, staff, and interns of the United States Senate—which would send the message that harassment of any kind would not be tolerated in Congress. In 2018, I also led landmark bipartisan legislation that provides comprehensive harassment reform for the entire Legislative Branch of government. The new law protects victims and holds Members of Congress personally accountable for misconduct.
   
• Ensuring equal rights for LGBTQ people. In the last few decades, we have made progress in the fight for LGBTQ equality. When I first arrived in the Senate, I voted to finally pass the Matthew Shepard hate crimes bill after making the prosecution of hate crimes a priority when I was County Attorney. I also supported the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and was a cosponsor of the bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act before the Supreme Court made marriage equality the law of the land. But we still have a lot more work to do. You can still drive across the United States on a cross-country trip and the laws and protections could be different at every stop you make. That’s why I was proud to cosponsor the bipartisan Equality Act, which will ensure that LGBTQ people receive equal protection under the law by updating federal civil rights law to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill will protect LGBTQ people from experiencing discrimination in their everyday lives, like in housing, health care, and banking and credit services. I also support President Biden’s decision to lift the ban that prevented qualified transgender people from serving in the military and to reverse other harmful anti-LGBTQ actions taken by the previous administration when it comes to education, health care, and civil rights.
   
• Removing barriers for people with disabilities. Equal access also means identifying and eliminating barriers for people with disabilities. In the Senate, I have worked to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to help students with disabilities receive the services they need while at school. I also worked to pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which allows people with disabilities to use tax-advantaged savings accounts to cover expenses like education, transportation, and housing without putting other support they count on at risk. In January 2020, I helped to introduce the Accessible Voting Act to support state and local efforts to improve voter accessibility, expand accessibility when registering to vote, and remove barriers to voting. As Ranking Member of the Rules Committee, I successfully worked to expand a program at the Library of Congress that is focused on providing books for people who are blind, helping secure more than $50 million for that program and starting a pilot to provide braille e-readers. I am also a cosponsor of the Disability Integration Act, which would expand access to home and community-based services for people with disabilities.
   
• Ensuring transparent and accountable social media policies and protecting Americans’ personal data. Major social media platforms store an enormous amount of data and have a user base larger than all of the major broadcasting companies combined, but the lack of oversight on how data is stored and how political advertisements are sold raises concerns about the integrity of our elections as well as Americans’ privacy rights. That’s why it’s never been more important to ensure that our social media is secure, transparent, and accountable to the American people.
  
  In 2017, I was one of the Senators who successfully led a nationwide effort to protect sensitive voter registration information—including the names, addresses, dates of birth, voter histories and social security numbers of Americans. And after a data breach involving the personal data of millions of Americans through social media, I urged the CEOs of social media companies to testify before Congress and asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the extent of the harm involved as well as the redress and whether other entities had obtained Americans’ personal data through social media without their consent. I have also introduced comprehensive federal online privacy legislation with Senators Cantwell, Schatz, and Markey to establish digital rules of the road for companies, ensure that consumers have the right to access and control how their personal data is being used, and give the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general the tools they need to hold companies accountable. Finally, I introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Kennedy to protect the privacy of consumers’ online data by ensuring that companies use plain language to explain to consumers how their data is being used, allowing consumers to opt out of certain data tracking and collection, and requiring companies to notify consumers of privacy violations within 72 hours of a breach.
   
• Preventing foreign interference in our elections. The heads of our intelligence agencies unanimously agreed that a foreign government interfered in our 2016 elections and have been conducting foreign influence operations since in order to undermine our democracy. I believe we must do more to ensure our elections are secure and free from foreign influence, so the American people can choose their own leaders, government, and future. I worked to pass legislation to establish a center within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to coordinate efforts in combating election interference operations conducted by foreign adversaries, which became law in December 2019.
  
  When we learned that foreign agents were using American social media platforms to conduct foreign influence campaigns during the 2016 election, I introduced the Honest Ads Act with the late Senator McCain of Arizona and Senator Warner of Virginia that would strengthen accountability and transparency by holding political ads sold online to the same standards currently in place for TV and radio. In 2019, after we sadly lost Senator McCain, I reintroduced the Honest Ads Act with Senator Graham of South Carolina and Senator Warner. I also introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Blunt of Missouri that would help protect our elections from foreign influence by requiring federal campaigns and political groups to verify that online credit card donations come from U.S. sources.
  
  Restoring reasonable campaign finance rules and increasing transparency of campaign spending by special interests. In 2010, the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision opened the door for corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on federal election activity. Special interests have had too much influence in our political process for too long, and the Supreme Court’s McCutcheon decision in 2014 only expanded that influence. I believe we must address the problems created by these harmful Supreme Court rulings and that we must restore the rights of individual Americans to have their voices heard. In the meantime, I have introduced legislation to reform the Federal Election Commission, the federal agency in charge of enforcing campaign finance law, and worked to increase the transparency of outside spending that seeks to influence the outcome of our elections.
   
• Pushing for commonsense reforms to campaign spending laws and disclosure requirements. I support the For the People Act—comprehensive democracy reform legislation—because it contains crucial measures to ensure that Americans’ voices are heard at the ballot box and not drowned out by dark money and corporate interests. As Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, I am leading the effort with Senator Merkley to advance this critical legislation in the Senate. I also believe we should overturn Citizens United by passing our Senate resolution to advance a constitutional amendment that would restore the authority of Congress and the states to establish reasonable limits on campaign spending. I have cosponsored a bill that reforms our campaign finance and lobbying laws by requiring organizations spending money in federal elections to disclose major donors, reform the Federal Elections Commission to ensure greater accountability, and strengthen the prohibition on coordination between SuperPACs and candidates. The bill would also permanently ban lobbying by former Members of Congress and close the reporting loopholes that allow consultants not to register as lobbyists.
   
• Strengthening our election infrastructure. In 2017, I introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Lankford of Oklahoma, former Senator Harris of California, and Senator Graham of South Carolina that would provide states with the resources to better protect their election systems from cyberattacks. In 2018, I worked to secure $380 million in funding for states to improve their election infrastructure and help protect them from future attacks by foreign adversaries. Ahead of the 2020 elections, I worked to secure an additional $425 million in funding to ensure that states receive the additional resources they need to secure our elections. I have also introduced the Secure America’s Federal Elections (SAFE) Act, comprehensive election security legislation to require the use of paper ballots and post-election audits, and provide states with over $1 billion in grants to modernize election infrastructure.
   
• Providing training and resources for election officials. In 2019, I introduced the bipartisan Global Electoral Exchange Act with Senator Sullivan of Alaska, legislation that would establish an international information sharing program on election administration and security at the State Department. The program would allow for the U.S. and our allies to exchange ideas related to best practices on audits, disinformation campaigns, voter database protections, and other issues critical to election administration. In 2019, I also introduced the bipartisan Invest in Our Democracy Act with Senator Collins of Maine, legislation to direct the Election Assistance Commission to provide grants in support of continuing education in election administration or cybersecurity for election officials and employees.
   
• Making clear that Congress plays by the same rules as the rest of the nation. Americans have always believed in the principles of hard work, fair play, and personal responsibility. Those of us who have the privilege of writing the rules have a responsibility to follow them. In these challenging economic times, it is more important than ever for members of Congress to make clear that no one is above the law in this country, least of all lawmakers. I used my first floor speech in the Senate to emphasize the importance of ethics in elective office and the public’s trust in government, and in my very first month in office, I joined with my fellow Senate freshmen to push for meaningful ethics reform. With broad bipartisan support, we succeeded in passing the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, which was signed into law in September 2007. This ethics law makes our government more accountable to the American people by:
   
  • Banning gifts from lobbyists. Lobbyists, as well as the corporations and organizations that employ them, are now prohibited from giving gifts (including free meals and tickets) to members of Congress.
     
  • Restricting corporate-sponsored jet travel. Under past rules, members of Congress were able to travel on corporate jets at significantly reduced rates. This practice allowed undue influence by the lobbyists and corporations who arranged for members of Congress to travel in this privileged manner. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act requires members of Congress to pay fair market value when flying on these planes.
     
  • Stopping the “revolving door” in Washington. The 2007 ethics law included new restrictions on both former members of Congress and senior Congressional staff to limit their ability to profit from their public service and gain lobbying access to their former colleagues. The law also revokes floor privileges and the use of exercise and parking facilities for former members of Congress.
     
  • Requiring disclosure of political contributions and “bundled” contributions by lobbyists. The American people deserve to know who has contributed to the campaigns of their elected representatives. The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act requires registered lobbyists to regularly disclose their campaign contributions and to disclose all contributions to campaign committees, charities, inaugural committees, and events to honor or educate elected officials.
     
• Reforming outdated rules to allow the Senate to function more effectively. Too often gamesmanship and gridlock have prevented elected officials from doing their jobs. While we’ve instituted important reforms, I will keep fighting for additional changes that would increase accountability and transparency in how the Senate conducts its business because the American people deserve to know what their elected representatives are doing in Congress. In 2011, I helped lead an effort to make further changes to the Senate’s outdated rules, including eliminating the use of “secret holds” that allowed a single senator to anonymously block a bill or nomination from coming to the Senate floor. The bipartisan agreement also reduced the number of executive nominations subject to the Senate confirmation process and eliminated the delaying tactic of forcing the reading of an amendment that is publicly available and has been submitted for 72 hours. In addition, the 2007 ethics law contained a number of provisions to open the legislative process to greater public scrutiny and understanding - including reforming the practice of “secret holds” in the Senate, requiring that the financial disclosure forms of every member of Congress be posted on a searchable database, and limiting “dead of night” additions to conference reports (when the new matter was not approved by either chamber) unless 60 Senators vote in favor of keeping the matter in the conference report. These changes will allow senators to better serve the American people.
   
• Updating the rules of the Senate for the 21st century. Workplaces—including the Senate—need to recognize the reality that parents must balance their work and families. In 2018, when Senator Duckworth became the first U.S. Senator to give birth, I worked with her to change the Senate rules so that members can bring their infants onto the Senate floor.
   
• Strengthening oversight at our federal safety agencies. In this complex economy, consumers need advocates in Washington, people who will fight to make sure that there is a “cop on the beat” to police the safety and integrity of consumer goods and services. Americans should be able to trust that the products they buy or use are safe—that products have been tested and meet strong health and safety standards. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I am fighting to make sure that the federal agencies charged with keeping Americans safe and financially secure are being vigilant in doing their job to protect all American consumers. Americans deserve to know that government regulators are working for them—not for the industries they are supposed to supervise.
  
  For example, in 2008 I introduced an amendment to the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform (CPSC) Act to ban industry-paid travel, after it came to light that commission members and staff had taken dozens of trips paid for by the very industries they regulate. Our amendment was accepted as part of the CPSC Reform Act and was signed into law in August 2008 as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) . As a member of the House-Senate Conference Committee to produce final CPSC legislation, I fought for the tough reforms we adopted in the Senate.
   
• Eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending—both at home and overseas. As we continue to work to move our economy forward, it is critical that Congress exercise careful oversight of government spending. I strongly believe that we need transparency and other safeguards to protect American taxpayers’ money. While the pandemic required major emergency spending supported by both parties, we must continue to address our nation’s long-term fiscal imbalances and debt, in part by enacting tax reform and closing tax loopholes.
   
• Combating fraud and abuse. I was a cosponsor of the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act, signed into law in May 2009, to give law enforcement greater resources to root out and prosecute financial crimes like mortgage fraud and Ponzi schemes. I supported the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—and have stood up for the independence of the Bureau—which plays an important role in combating financial fraud and illegal banking activity. To help deter health care fraud, I cosponsored bipartisan legislation that was signed into law that helped save billions of dollars each year by preventing fraudulent billing practices in Medicare and Medicaid. In 2016, I also called for a nationwide investigation that determined that misclassified drugs may have cost the Medicaid program—and American taxpayers—over a billion dollars from 2012 to 2016. As we have seen an increase in scams related to the coronavirus, I joined with Senator Moran of Kansas to lead 32 of our Senate colleagues in urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take action to help ensure that seniors are educated and informed about these scams and those trying to financially exploit them during the pandemic. In May, I introduced the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act with Senator Moran to help prevent scammers from taking advantage of seniors during the coronavirus pandemic and future emergencies. Our bill directs the FTC to report to Congress on scams targeting seniors during the coronavirus pandemic and make recommendations on how to prevent future scams during emergencies. The bill passed the Commerce Committee in November 2020.

Seniors

With the number of Americans over age 65 set to double over the next 40 years, we must preserve and enhance the health care and retirement programs our seniors depend on while also helping families prepare for the demands of an aging population. This is more important than ever as our country confronts the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has left our senior citizens at particular risk.

For generations, Social Security has been a stable and secure retirement guarantee for all Americans. We must ensure this program remains solvent for generations to come. We also need to protect seniors’ access to high-quality health care—everything from preventative care to affordable prescription drugs—through the Medicare program. I have led legislation that would allow the government to directly negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare Part D so our seniors can have access to their medicines at the lowest possible prices.

As the population of seniors increases, the need for elder care will also grow. More than half of Americans turning 65 today are projected to need some type of long-term care in their lives. With this, a new generation of family members will assume the role of caregivers for their parents by tending to increasingly complicated health and long-term care needs. Seniors and their adult children must have the resources they need to prepare for this care, including education about the types of services available, how to access these programs, and safeguards to prevent and address abuse or exploitation.

I will continue to work to preserve and enhance the programs, services, and protections that are vital for our seniors, their families, and caregivers.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Protecting and strengthening Social Security. Since Congress passed the Social Security Act in 1935, this program has touched the lives of almost every American. Social Security serves as a foundation for millions of retired Americans and provides vital support for Americans with disabilities and the surviving spouses and children of deceased workers. Nearly two-thirds of all American seniors depend on Social Security as a safety net. Social Security is credited with keeping over 40 percent of senior citizens in America out of poverty. More than one-third of all seniors rely on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their income. For almost two-thirds of seniors, Social Security makes up at least 50 percent of their income. I will continue to fight against risky schemes that would privatize Social Security and turn it from a guarantee of a secure retirement into a gamble where only the big financial companies on Wall Street would be the sure winners. If these schemes had been in place during previous years, millions of Americans would have lost their Social Security in the stock market. I will also continue to push for sensible reforms such as the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act to extend the solvency of Social Security for decades to come.

• Protecting Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare and Medicaid are critically important programs for providing health insurance coverage and access to care for seniors in Minnesota and across our country, and I will work to protect and expand these programs to help keep people well. Medicare serves as a health insurance program for more than 60 million seniors and helps ensure this population has access to hospital and physician visits as needed and well as prescription drugs and other care services. Medicaid provides health coverage to nearly 7.2 million low-income seniors, and continues to serve as an important source of funding for nursing home care. 

• Lowering prescription drug prices. I will fight to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors—and all Americans—by lifting the ban on Medicare negotiating prices directly with drug companies on behalf of the 46 million seniors in the Part D program, allowing for the importation of safe, less expensive drugs from countries like Canada, ending the “pay-for-delay” practice of brand-name drug manufacturers paying off their less-expensive generic competitors to stay out of the market, capping drug prices, and reducing drug waste that costs taxpayers millions of dollars. Because I believe that more competition is one critical way to reduce drug prices, I joined a bipartisan group of senators in introducing the CREATES Act, a bill that became law in December 2019, to end tactics that some brand name companies use to prevent generic manufacturers from being able to receive approval for their products—such as denying access to samples.

• Assisting families in long-term care for seniors. More than half of Americans turning 65 today are projected to need some type of long-term care in their lives. Seniors want to be able to live independently and stay in their own homes as long as possible and family support is essential to making that option available. While nursing homes and paid care providers serve our elderly in some situations, the vast majority of elder care comes from informal caregivers – more than half of whom are adult children taking care of their parents. Millions of families already find themselves members of the "sandwich generation," coping with the challenges and costs of caring for elderly parents at the same time they are caring for their own children. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, the numbers will continue to grow. Just as the country addressed the needs of working moms and dads in the 1970s, we must now address the needs of our working daughters and sons. That’s why I oppose efforts to cap Medicaid spending, which would jeopardize long-term care for seniors, and why I introduced the Long-Term Care Insurance Consumer Right-to-Know Act, which would help consumers understand exactly what is covered in their long-term care policies, and the Long-Term Care Integrity Act, which would protect consumers who have purchased long-term care insurance and are seeking claims on their policies. We must also ensure that seniors are protected from fraud and abuse in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

• Helping Americans save for retirement. Hardworking families in America often don’t have enough money in their savings account for an emergency—let alone retirement down the road. Estimates have shown that four in ten adults do not have enough liquid savings to meet a $400 emergency expense. At the same time, three in ten American workers lack access to workplace retirement plans, and 45 percent do not participate in one. This is an issue that particularly impacts Americans in the “gig economy,” about five in six of whom do not have access to a workplace retirement plan. That’s why I introduced the Saving for the Future Act with Senator Chris Coons, which would address the looming retirement savings crisis and help ensure Americans are able to afford emergency expenses. We need to close the wealth gap, prepare families in case of an emergency, and set workers up for a successful retirement. By doing so, we can help guarantee that all Americans – even those working part-time – have some savings put away for retirement and emergency situations.

• Strengthening oversight of long-term care workers and court-appointed guardians. As the population of seniors continues to grow in Minnesota, the need for strong protection from abuse for our elders becomes more critical each year. Vulnerable seniors can be victimized, even by the people who are supposed to be caring for them. Most long-term care workers adhere to ethical standards that ensure the safety and well-being of their clients, but there are cases when long-term care workers do not have the interests of seniors in mind. In these instances, too many vulnerable adults are abused and financially exploited by court-appointed guardians and conservators – the very individuals charged with protecting their well-being. We owe it to our seniors to ensure that they are not endangered – physically, emotionally, or financially – by those responsible for their care.

• Protecting seniors from identity theft and other financial scams. Identity thieves often target seniors, invading their privacy and exploiting them financially. In 2020, more than 1 in 4 older adults, age 55 and older, reported being a victim of identity theft. Today, perpetrators of fraud have found new ways to alter their identities to steal the personal and financial information of innocent victims. These crimes have become more profitable in recent years and telemarketing fraud has grown to a $40 billion industry—even before the surge in scams that we have seen during the coronavirus pandemic. As Hennepin County Attorney, I made a priority of prosecuting cases of financial fraud against seniors. As a senator, I am fighting to protect our seniors from financial scams, to strengthen penalties for criminals who prey on our seniors, and to bring them to justice.

• Protecting seniors during the coronavirus pandemic. Seniors are at particular risk to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and we must do everything we can to ensure that they can access the care that they need during this public health crisis. This means making sure that our health care system has the supplies and resources needed to combat the pandemic, while also dramatically increasing testing and ensuring efficient distribution of coronavirus vaccines. We must also expand the use of telehealth services and other technology that enables seniors to access care remotely, as well as visit with family and friends.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I have been standing up for our seniors:

• Preserving and strengthening Medicare and Medicaid. I have long also fought to preserve Medicare against efforts in light of attempts to cut or undermine the program and have also opposed efforts to privatize or cap Medicaid spending, which would jeopardize long-term care for seniors. In addition, Minnesota has always led the way in providing low-cost, high-quality health care. I authored legislation creating a "value index" for Medicare reimbursement rates. Since 2015, the value index, which was included in the Affordable Care Act, has helped control costs by rewarding the value of care instead of the volume of services. This strengthens the safety net of Medicare by ensuring that funds are there to pay for our seniors' health care. Finally, this value index helps ensure that Minnesota and other states that deliver high-quality, efficient care are rewarded for this care, not punished.

• Requiring Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for our seniors. I have introduced legislation – the Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act with 34 cosponsors – to eliminate the current ban that prevents Medicare from negotiating directly with drug companies to get the lowest possible prices for the 46 million seniors in the Part D program.

• Closing the Medicare Part D donut hole. The Affordable Care Act included critical provisions to reduce prescription drug costs for seniors through rebates and closing the Medicare Prescription Drug Program “donut hole” over time. We successfully accelerated the closure of the “donut hole” in February of 2018 by requiring pharmaceutical companies to cover a bigger portion of seniors’ prescription drug costs. As of 2020, the “donut hole” has closed, meaning 46 million seniors enrolled in the Medicare Prescription Drug Program no longer face a coverage gap when it comes to accessing their prescription drugs at an affordable rate.

• Boosting competition to improve access to less expensive generic drugs. I have fought to make sure competition, not unfair conduct, determines the price of prescription drugs. With Senator Grassley, I have introduced legislation to end the “pay-for-delay” practice of brand-name drug manufacturers paying off their less expensive generic competitors to stay out of the market. This bill could save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The CREATES Act—legislation that I introduced with a bipartisan group of senators to end tactics some brand name companies use to prevent generic manufacturers from being able to receive approval for their products, like denying access to samples—became law in December 2019.

• Allowing the importation of safe, less expensive prescription medicines from Canada and other approved countries. Americans pay more than what Canadians do for retail prescription drugs—with one analysis finding that Canadian drug prices are about 28 percent of the price of the same drugs in the United States. That is why I introduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act with Senator Chuck Grassley to allow people to import certain prescription drugs for personal use from safe, proven Canadian pharmacies. I also introduced a bill with Senator Mike Lee that would allow temporary importation of drugs from countries with strong safety standards—like Australia and those in the European Union—when there is limited competition or a drug shortage in the United States. In 2017, I put forward an amendment with Senator Bernie Sanders to allow for the importation of prescription drugs from Canada during the consideration of a budget resolution.

• Reducing drug waste that costs taxpayers millions of dollars. When I asked the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General about the waste generated by the size of single-use drug vials, the investigation found that Medicare was spending hundreds of millions of dollars on drugs that get thrown out. I introduced the bipartisan Reducing Drug Waste Act with Senator Grassley to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to address the cost of this drug waste that results from the size of single-use drug vials and other drug delivery systems like eye-drops.

• Ensuring access to vital drugs, treatments, and medical equipment. I authored and passed the bipartisan Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act to require prescription drug manufacturers to get at the dangerous issue of drug shortages by giving early notification to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of any incident that would likely result in a shortage. Early notification helped the FDA prevent 154 drug shortages in 2019. I also introduced the bipartisan Steve Gleason Act of 2017—which was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act in February of 2018—to ensure Medicare pays for speech generating devices for people with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s, and other degenerative diseases. Speech-generating devices are a lifeline for these patients, but a Medicare policy change had put coverage at risk.

• Increasing research funding to seek new cures for diseases and tackle Alzheimer’s. I have consistently fought for strong funding for research at our federal research agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), so researchers don’t have their hands tied by the whims of Washington. I supported the 21st Century CURES Act—and was there when President Obama signed it into law in December 2016—which contains nearly $5 billion in funding for NIH research into cures for Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other diseases. We have secured significant increases in NIH funding in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. I have also introduced a bipartisan resolution with Senator Collins from Maine declaring that the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 2025 is an "urgent national priority." We successfully increased NIH funding for Alzheimer’s disease research by more than $400 million in March of 2018.

• Providing support for seniors who want to stay in their homes and communities. When elderly Americans choose to remain in their own homes and communities, it is not only often better for their health and peace of mind, but is also a more cost-effective option. I will stand up to efforts to cap Medicaid spending, which would jeopardize Medicaid coverage and long-term care for millions of Americans. I have introduced and cosponsored multiple bipartisan bills to improve the quality of life for seniors and encourage the use of remote monitoring technology and telehealth services in Medicare and other programs. These bills include the CHRONIC Care Act—which expands the use of telehealth and was signed into law in February of 2018—the Fostering Independence Through Technology Act, the Independence at Home Act, and the CONNECT for Health Act. I have also co-sponsored several bills to strengthen and expand access to telehealth and care in rural areas, like the Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital (REACH) Act, Improving Access to Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Act, Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services Act, and the Rural Health Connectivity Act. The Improving Access to Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Act—which expands access to care by allowing physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs—was signed into law in February of 2018.

• Ensuring comprehensive access to retirement savings accounts. Too many hardworking families in our country don’t have enough money in savings to cover emergency expenses—let alone retirement down the road. My Saving for the Future Act, which I introduced with Senator Chris Coons, will help close the wealth gap, prepare families in case of an emergency, and set workers up for a successful retirement. Under this bill, men and women who work at a company with ten or more employees will be entitled to an employer savings contribution of at least 50 cents per hour worked - which equals $20 per week and more than $1,000 per year. Employees at smaller companies would be able to save through federally provided “UP Accounts,” modeled after the popular Thrift Savings Plan for federal workers.

• Protecting access to pensions. A stable and secure retirement depends on protecting the hard-earned benefits of workers throughout their careers. That’s why I’ve joined my colleagues to cosponsor and work on the Butch Lewis Act to address the pension crisis threatening the retirement of more than 1.3 million workers and retirees nationwide by putting pension plans back on solid footing and ensuring that the plans can meet their obligations to retirees and workers for years to come. This important fix was included as part of the March 2021 relief package and will protect people from getting their pensions cut and allow pension programs to take out a loan to get them on solid ground so they can continue to support those receiving their pensions.

• Providing support for seniors and their families. I introduced the Americans Giving Care to Elders Act, which would establish a federal tax credit to assist with the costs of caring for an aging family member. I also introduced the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act with Senator Collins from Maine, which would expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. In addition, I introduced a bill with Republican Senator Chuck Grassley that was signed into law in March of 2018 to help families locate missing loved ones with developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia and to provide training and technology to first responders and law enforcement to help them find these vulnerable individuals.

• Protecting seniors from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. I authored the Court-Appointed Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act, which was signed into law as part of the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act in October 2017. My legislation strengthens oversight and accountability for court-appointed guardians and conservators to crack down on elder abuse. I supported the Elder Justice Act, passed in 2010, which established the Elder Justice Program to prevent the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the elderly by providing grants to states to properly train and certify employees at long-term care facilities. I also supported the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act to improve authorities' ability to conduct criminal background checks on long-term care workers. In addition, I have led efforts pressing for actions by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Government Accountability Office to prevent and more effectively respond to elder abuse in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, including by keeping families and guardians better informed about incidents and investigations.

• Protecting seniors from fraud. In 2021, I introduced the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act with Republican Senator Susan Collins. This bill will provide much-needed protection to seniors from fraud schemes by establishing an effective complaint system that ensures complaints of fraud are quickly forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.  My bill also requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to distribute informational materials to seniors, their families, and their caregivers that explain the process for contacting law enforcement authorities in the event that a senior is targeted in a fraud scheme. This bill passed the Senate in the past two previous Congresses, and I’m working to ensure that it is signed into law. In addition, as we have seen an increase in scams related to the coronavirus, I joined with Senator Moran and 32 of our colleagues in urging the FTC to take action to help ensure that seniors are educated and informed about these scams and those trying to financially exploit them during the pandemic. In January 2021, I reintroduced the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act with Senator Moran to help prevent scammers from taking advantage of seniors during the coronavirus pandemic and future emergencies. Our bill directs the FTC to report to Congress on scams targeting seniors during the coronavirus pandemic and make recommendations on how to prevent future scams during emergencies. The bill also directs the FTC to ensure that seniors and caregivers have access to contacts for law enforcement and adult protective agencies to ensure that they are informed. The bill passed the Commerce Committee in November 2020. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I’ll continue to make sure seniors are protected from scams.

• Protecting seniors’ health during the coronavirus pandemic. Seniors are especially vulnerable to the risks posed by the coronavirus, and we must ensure that they can access needed care during this public health crisis. The CARES Act that became law in March 2020 included several measures to help older Americans, including provisions to expand telehealth services and support senior nutrition programs. But we can do more to help America’s seniors make it through the pandemic. That’s why I am leading bipartisan legislation to further expand telehealth services for seniors and to improve access to technology for “virtual visits” at nursing facilities, so that seniors can stay connected to their loved ones while staying safe. The need to help protect seniors is also why I introduced bipartisan legislation that will help ensure seniors, who make up the largest group of national service participants, can continue to safely volunteer during the pandemic and engage in their communities through the creation of an online platform for Senior Corps programs. I also led an effort to ensure seniors could access vaccine appointment systems after reports surfaced that some seniors struggled to access vaccines through online scheduling portals due to lack of broadband access or other necessary technology.

Families and Children

As a mom, I know that parents have an increasingly difficult job in today’s world. The economic pressures, the time demands, and the many outside influences that affect even the youngest children – all of these make this an especially challenging time for American families, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

All parents want to protect their children and make sure they have the best possible chance to grow up and succeed in life. Too many Minnesota families are struggling to make ends meet – squeezed by unemployment, rising health care costs, soaring home mortgage payments, and mounting bills for child care and college tuition. And an ever-increasing number of people find themselves simultaneously bearing the responsibility of caring for their aging parents while also raising their own children.

Ultimately, our national well-being – our economic prosperity and our quality of life – depends on the strength of our families. We must support strong families and make sure parents have the tools they need to protect their children and do what's best for them.

I will continue to work to make sure that our children grow up healthy and safe, and that all of our families have the resources they need to deal successfully with today's challenges.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Promoting long-term economic growth, good jobs, and higher wages for Minnesota families. We must foster economic growth and good jobs that benefit Minnesota families by strengthening our commitment to education and training, increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, supporting our small businesses, reforming our tax policies, addressing our nation’s debt, rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, and responsibly reducing red tape. This includes focusing on jobs, wages, and affordable health care, child care, and housing. [See Jobs and the Economy]

• Ensuring working mothers have the support they need to succeed in the workforce. We must make sure women - especially moms - have the support they need as we work to rebuild our economy and improve the financial health of families. More than 2 million women have left the U.S. workforce since the pandemic began due to family considerations or having careers in some of the hardest hit industries. I know that the economic recovery from the coronavirus includes the return of mothers to the workforce, and I will keep fighting to make sure we have programs in place - including paid leave, affordable child care, and mental health resources - that support mothers as they reenter the workplace.

• Fighting for child care and paid sick, family, and medical leave. Minnesota is a leader when it comes to supporting working families. I support providing paid sick days and paid family and medical leave at the federal level so no one has to sacrifice a paycheck for the birth of a child, to care for an elderly parent, or to get treatment for a serious health condition. In addition, we must make sure that early education options are available to all American families. I also support helping families across Minnesota and the country access affordable, quality child care—especially in rural communities. That’s why I introduced the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act with Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska to address the national shortage of child care providers and safe child care facilities by providing grants for states to train child care workers and build or renovate child care facilities in areas facing child care shortages.

• Expanding higher education opportunities. Minnesotans have always believed that investing in higher education pays extraordinary dividends. But skyrocketing costs prevent many qualified students from attending college and force many others to end their education prematurely. The cost of college has more than quadrupled in the last 30 years. It is no surprise that student loan debt has spun out of control, becoming a crippling financial burden to many young people and their families. U.S. student debt has increased to over $1.7 trillion, with the average undergraduate leaving school with $30,000 in debt. It is time to provide real help for students and their families to make college more affordable. I am fighting to gain stronger federal support for higher education opportunities – because our future success as a state and a nation depends on making sure that quality education is accessible and affordable. We also must do a better job of preparing students for the jobs that will be available to them when they graduate – positions that may not require a Ph.D. or even a four-year degree, but nonetheless demand specialized training and experience. Credentials and one- and two-year degrees offered by community and technical colleges may often be a better option for students who plan on entering the skilled workforce immediately after graduation. We must make these degrees a more central focus of our higher education system. We must also support students during times of crisis, which is why I have supported measures that have temporarily suspended student loan payments for federal student loan borrowers during this coronavirus pandemic.

• Protecting children from unsafe products. Parents should be able to trust that the products they buy for their children are safe. Consumers deserve products that have been tested and meet strong health and safety standards. As a member of both the Senate Commerce Committee and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, I am fighting to make sure that the federal agencies charged with keeping Americans safe are vigilant in doing their job to protect all consumers from hazardous products.

• Keeping children safe from predators – both on the streets and on the internet. In a fast-changing society, parents need all the help they can get to protect their children from emerging threats to their safety, especially as children spend more time online while schools have increased online learning. I know there are criminals who are intent on victimizing children. Federal support is essential for local law enforcement and the criminal justice system to make sure sex offenders and other potential predators can be identified before they are able to prey on any victims.

• Ensuring that our children are healthy and receive proper nutrition. Our children need proper nutrition so that they grow into healthy and active adults. Childhood obesity has become a national health issue, with an estimated one out of every three children in the U.S. between the ages of two and 19 overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. Ensuring that children have access to nutritious food is critical not only for their own well-being, but for the well-being of our nation. By promoting healthy lifestyles early, we can combat childhood obesity and improve children’s health across the country. In addition, the coronavirus pandemic and its economic consequences have put more families and children at risk of food insecurity, which is why I worked to pass legislation that included additional funding for child nutrition programs to ensure that children continue receiving meals during this pandemic.

• Supporting families and children through adoption. Like so many Minnesotans, I share the belief that every child should have a safe home and a loving family. As county attorney and now as the Senate co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I have worked to expedite adoptions and assist families who are adopting children. Minnesota has a strong tradition of welcoming children from around the world and holds one of the highest per-capita rates of international adoption. International adoptions should be as straightforward and affordable as possible for American families. In addition, we must ensure that adoptive families – regardless of whether they are adopting here at home or internationally – have the full support and services they may need throughout the adoption process.

• Assisting families in caring for seniors and those with disabilities. More than half of Americans turning 65 today are projected to need some type of long-term care in their lives. Seniors want to be able to live independently and stay in their own homes as long as possible and family support is essential to making that option available. While nursing homes and paid care providers serve our seniors in some situations, the vast majority of elder care comes from informal caregivers – more than half of whom are adult children taking care of their parents. As the baby boomer generation ages, the number of families coping with the challenges and costs of caring for elderly parents while caring for their own children will continue to grow. Just as the country addressed the needs of working moms and dads in the 1970s, we must now address the needs of our working daughters and sons.

• Ensuring that low-income Minnesotans receive heating assistance. The importance of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) cannot be overstated – especially in states like Minnesota that experience bitterly cold temperatures and lengthy winters. I believe that no Minnesota family should have to choose between heating their home and other basic necessities. That’s why I worked to include additional funding for LIHEAP in the CARES Act, which became law in March 2020.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been fighting to support families and children:

• Promoting long-term economic growth, good jobs, and higher wages for Minnesota families. I am fighting to strengthen the middle class by creating jobs, supporting unions, providing training and education, and sustaining families and workers to help them get ahead. In my first year in the Senate, we passed the first federal minimum wage increase in a decade. Since the passage of this legislation, I have fought for policies aimed at putting more money in the pockets of working Minnesotans, including increasing the minimum wage after more than a decade since the last increase. If we’re going to build a strong middle class, we need to make sure that Americans can work their way into it. That’s why I support increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. I also sponsored the Middle Class Opportunity Act, which would increase tax credits for child and dependent care and help families pay for higher education and support for aging parents. [See Jobs and the Economy]

• Fighting for child care and paid sick, family, and medical leave. Minnesota is a leader in providing paid sick leave, paid medical leave, and other policies that support working families. I am working to pass these bills on the national level. I cosponsor the Healthy Families Act led by Senator Murray of Washington to provide up to 7 days of annual paid sick leave, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act led by Senator Gillibrand of New York to provide up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act led by Senator Casey of Pennsylvania to protect the rights of pregnant workers. I am also a cosponsor of the Child Care for Working Families Act led by Senator Murray of Washington to make child care more affordable for families by ensuring no family under 150 percent of state median income pays more than 7 percent of their income on child care and improve training and compensation for the child care workforce. I also lead the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act with Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska to address the national shortage of child care providers and safe child care facilities by providing grants for states to train child care workers and build or renovate child care facilities in areas facing child care shortages. The March 2021 relief package also made important changes to the child tax credit by increasing the maximum amount for the upcoming year, as well as expanding eligibility for the child and dependent care tax credit and making the credit fully refundable for the upcoming year.

• Supporting working moms. I am working to make sure that women - especially mothers - have the support they need in the workforce as we rebuild our economy and strengthen the financial health of our families. We know that mothers have faced the brunt of the economic fallout caused by the coronavirus pandemic. That’s why I introduced the Marshall Plan for Moms resolution to support mothers in the American workforce and call for the passage of a comprehensive set of relief programs that will support mothers as they reenter the workforce.

• Expanding health care coverage for children. I have consistently supported the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides health coverage to children who do not qualify for Medicaid and whose families cannot afford private insurance. CHIP supports health care coverage for approximately 9.6 million children. In February 2018, we successfully extended funding of the program through 2027.

• Making education more affordable by:
   
  • Stopping increases in loan rates. The interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford student loans was set to double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent on July 1, 2013. That is why I cosponsored the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act and the Student Loan Affordability Act to maintain for at least another year the federal student loan interest rate of 3.4 percent. I also worked to prevent the rate from immediately doubling in the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act that was signed into law in 2013.
     
  • Allowing students to refinance loans at lower interest rates. I cosponsored the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act and the Reducing Education Debt Act, which takes several important steps to address the issue of student debt, including allowing student loan borrowers to refinance their student loan debt at lower interest rates and adjusting Pell Grants for inflation so that they keep pace with rising costs.
     
  • Helping students with loan repayment and Pell grants. I worked to pass the College Cost Reduction Act, which created the income-based repayment plan and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and I supported the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which now saves middle-class families up to $2,500 a year on college tuition. I also worked to pass a law removing private lenders from the federal student loan system, which saved taxpayers nearly $68 billion and expanded Pell grants. We also successfully increased the maximum Pell grant award in March of 2018.
     
  • Providing tuition-free access to two-year community, technical, and tribal colleges. I cosponsored the America’s College Promise Act to create a federal-state partnership that pays for two tuition-free years of school for students in community, technical, or tribal college programs that lead to an associate’s degree, an industry-recognized credential, or credits that are fully transferable to a four-year institution.
     
  • Creating opportunities for training and credential programs and year-round education. I introduced legislation to expand the eligible uses of the ‘529’ tax-advantaged education savings accounts to allow these accounts to be used for training and credential programs that help workers develop the skills needed for 21st century jobs. I also cosponsored the Year-Round Pell Grant Restoration Act—passed in May of 2017—which restores eligibility for students to apply for Pell grants for summer classes, helping students who do not follow the traditional four-year college path afford higher education. Additionally, I introduced the Skills Renewal Act with Senator Ben Sasse to create a flexible skills training credit for people who have lost their job during coronavirus pandemic access training programs and develop skills that are expected to be in high demand in coming years.
     
  • Expanding access to higher education for low-income and first-generation students. I have been a strong supporter of TRIO programs—including supporting funding increases that passed in March of 2018—that continue to provide fundamental support to low-income and first-generation students across Minnesota as they prepare to attend college.
     
  • Improving student financial literacy. I introduced the Empowering Student Borrowers Act to help students understand the financial implications of student loan debt and these key provisions passed the Senate in March of 2018. This legislation requires institutions of higher education to notify students of their total loan obligations, expected monthly payment, and estimated interest rate, and requires the Department of Education to establish best practices for schools to teach financial literacy to students.

• Passing the most sweeping reform of our consumer product safety laws in decades. I was a chief author of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, which was signed into law in August 2008, to give the Consumer Product Safety Commission additional authority, resources, and staff to enforce consumer protection laws. The law contains three important provisions I wrote:
   
  • The first provision bans lead in children's products. There had been no mandatory federal lead standard for children's products until the law was enacted.
     
  • The second provision requires companies to stamp “batch numbers” on children’s products and their packaging, so that parents can quickly identify when products in their homes have been recalled by the government for safety reasons.
     
  • The third provision bans industry-paid travel by members and staff of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumers must have confidence that their consumer regulators are free of influence from the industries they supervise.

• Protecting children from injuries and death during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, I introduced the bipartisan COVID Home Safety Act with Senator Moran to protect consumers from injuries and deaths related to consumer products during the coronavirus pandemic. Reports indicated that pediatricians and emergency room doctors had seen an increase in patients seeking treatment for home injuries, such as broken bones on bikes and trampolines as well accidental hand sanitizer poisoning in children. This legislation will help protect our children, seniors and other vulnerable populations from injuries and deaths caused by consumer products during and after the pandemic. While our bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee in November 2020, we are continuing to work to get it signed into law.

• Protecting consumers from unsafe wood imports and supporting our timber producers. I authored the bipartisan Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Act, signed into law in 2009, to protect consumers from potentially hazardous levels of formaldehyde in composite wood products and to ensure the U.S. timber industry is on a level playing field with foreign competitors. I continue to push the Environmental Protection Agency to complete the implementation of this bill, hold importers accountable, and keep our families safe.

• Protecting children from unsafe products.
   
  • IKEA recall. In February 2016, Ted McGee, a 22-month-old from Apple Valley, Minnesota, was killed by a falling IKEA Malm dresser. That same model dresser had previously killed or injured other children after tipping over, but IKEA was still selling the dressers and there was little information available about the danger. I urged the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and IKEA to take strong and definitive action to prevent future injuries and deaths from tip-overs of the Malm dresser. CPSC and IKEA later announced the largest furniture recall in U.S. history, agreed to stop sales of the dresser, and offered a full refund to consumers who had purchased Malm dressers. Following reports of the eighth death from a Malm tip-over in 2017, I renewed calls to the CPSC and IKEA to take action to protect children from dangerous furniture, and in November 2017, CPSC and IKEA relaunched the dresser recall. In 2016, I introduced legislation with Senators Casey and Blumenthal to direct the CPSC to adopt a stronger, mandatory stability standard for clothing storage units.
     
  • Window blinds. According to data from the CPSC, nearly every month a child dies after becoming tangled in an exposed window cord. I pushed the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) to take advantage of new technologies and implement the strongest possible child safety protections. In June 2016, WCMA announced that it would update the voluntary safety standard for window coverings to eliminate exposed cords from virtually all window coverings and improve safety for children.
     
  • Baby food. A February 2021 report released by the House Oversight Committee found that baby food produced by top brands contained dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals. Since consumption of these toxic heavy metals can have lifelong impacts on a baby’s health and neurological development, I worked on and led legislation with Congressman Krishnamoorthi of Illinois that would put standards and timelines in place to make sure baby food is free from these toxic heavy metals and pushed the FDA to take steps to address these toxic heavy metals through enforcement of existing authorities and implementation of new rules.

• Combating price gouging. We must be vigilant to make sure that markets are working for consumers, not against them. This is particularly important during times of crisis when some have sought to take advantage of consumers by charging excessive prices for everyday products that people need. Soon after we started seeing this type of price gouging during the coronavirus pandemic, I introduced a bill with Senators Blumenthal, Hirono, and Cortez Masto to prohibit these practices during emergencies. I have also called on the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to ensure that they are doing everything in their power under existing law to stop unconscionable price gouging during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and I have worked together to highlight the need to protect consumers from price gouging during this public health crisis.

• Reforming our nation’s toxic chemicals policy. Our country’s primary law regulating the production and use of chemicals hadn’t been updated since its passage in 1976. That’s why I supported reforms that would keep our children and families safe from toxic substances while providing businesses with clear standards for developing new products. The Senate bill that updated the Toxic Substances Control Act, which I cosponsored, was signed into law in June 2016.

• Passing a new law to protect children from unsafe swimming pools. In December 2007, legislation that I helped write to improve the safety of our nation’s public swimming pools was signed into law by President Bush. I took a personal interest in the issue of dangerous swimming pool drains after a horrific incident in the summer of 2007, when six-year-old Abigail Taylor of Edina, Minnesota, was partly disemboweled by the powerful suction of a wading pool drain. After months of surgeries and hospital care, Abigail tragically died from complications from those injuries. It turns out this was not an isolated incident. Government statistics showed dozens of cases in which children were injured or trapped by the powerful suction of these pool drains. Yet, legislation to correct the problem had been stalled in Congress for years. After consulting with the Taylor family and national child safety experts, I wrote two crucial amendments to the pool safety legislation that had been pending before Congress for years. One provision made tough new safety standards retroactive to existing pools that are intended for public use and the other required public pools with single drains to install the latest drain safety technology. Both amendments were included in the final bill. One of my proudest moments as a senator was the night I called Abigail's father, Scott Taylor, to tell him we had adopted the legislation and that President Bush was signing it into law. According to Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) testimony, since the law’s enactment, there were not any deaths caused by pool drains at public pools in the United States.

• Keeping children safe from predators – both on the streets and on the internet. I cosponsored the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, which helps parents protect their children from inappropriate website content by requiring the Administration to implement a national educational campaign to promote the safe use of the Internet by children and to create a private sector working group to evaluate industry efforts to promote online safety. And I have worked to combat the heartbreaking crime of child abuse by introducing the National Child Protection Training Act, which would help train child protection professionals, such as teachers, doctors, and prosecutors, to detect and prevent child abuse. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee, I will continue to fight for additional protections to safeguard children against predators – both on the streets and online. [See Public Safety]

• Strengthening our childhood nutrition programs. I helped lead the passage of the bipartisan Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was signed into law in December 2010, to overhaul the major domestic food assistance programs that serve the nutritional needs of 30 million American children each day. I opposed efforts to roll back this important law, which expands access to child nutrition programs to address childhood obesity, improves the nutritional quality of meals to promote health, and will help reduce childhood hunger. The law also included my legislation to improve nutrition standards for meals served in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and to provide health education and guidance for childcare providers. I also fought to require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set new nutrition standards for all food served in schools, from lunchrooms to vending machines. I supported the Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016, otherwise known as the reauthorization of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, when it passed the Senate Agriculture Committee in January 2016. The bill included provisions I authored to improve nutrition education, best practices, and training and technical assistance, which will help support healthy school meals, and preserves important reforms to school nutrition rules. We need to continue to build on the progress we’ve made in tackling the epidemic of childhood obesity. In addition, with many children out of school and taking classes remotely during the coronavirus pandemic, I worked to include an additional $8.8 billion in funding for child nutrition programs in the CARES Act to help ensure that children continue receiving meals even while they are staying home from school.

• Advocating for adoptive families and children. As the Senate co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I will continue to fight both in Washington and in Minnesota to advocate for adoptive families and children. My office has worked closely with adoptive Minnesota families to help them bring their children home from countries such as Guatemala, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Russia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. I have fought for adoptive families and children by:
   
  • Uniting children with families. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Minnesota families who had pending Haitian adoptions began contacting my office for help bringing their children home. Over the course of approximately two months following the earthquake, my office worked with 25 families to help unite 39 Haitian children with their new families in Minnesota.
     
  • Completing adoption cases. I have worked to help families impacted by the Russian government’s ban on American adoption of Russian children and called on the Russian government to allow for the completion of adoption cases that were initiated prior to the ban.
     
  • Cutting red tape for adoptive families. I authored the bipartisan Accuracy for Adoptees Act, signed into law by President Obama in early 2014, which cuts red tape for adoptive families and ensures that corrections made to adoptees’ birth certificates by state courts would be recognized by the federal government.
     
  • Strengthening pre-and post-adoption services. In 2019, I introduced the Supporting Adoptive Families Act, which would help provide pre-and post-adoption support services, including mental health treatment, to help adoptive families stay strong.
     
  • Helping adopted siblings stay together. I also authored and passed the International Adoption Simplification Act to help siblings stay together during an international adoption and protect adoptees from unsafe immunizations in foreign countries.
     
  • Improving the lives of children abroad. I introduced the Vulnerable Children and Families Act with Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri in 2017. This legislation will help ensure that our government is working in partnership with other countries to ensure that the more than 15 million children living without families can grow up in a permanent, safe, nurturing, and loving family. In 2021, I introduced the Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee Act to provide the Secretary of State the authority to establish an Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee within the Bureau of Consular Affairs to enhance the intercountry adoption process and ensure that the diverse voices within the adoption community are considered in advance of new policies being developed and programs being implemented.

• Supporting people with disabilities and their families. I support fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to help students with disabilities receive the services they need, and I am a cosponsor of legislation to put Congress on a fiscally responsible path to fully fund this critical law. I also worked to get the Achieving a Better Life Experience – or ABLE – Act signed into law, which allows people with disabilities to use tax-advantaged savings accounts to cover expenses like education, transportation, and housing without putting other support they count on at risk. I am also a cosponsor of bipartisan legislation to expand these ABLE accounts to people who develop a disability before they turn 46 rather than 26 under current law, allowing families to transfer funds saved in a 529 education savings account into an ABLE account without incurring a tax penalty, and increasing the amount that people with disabilities can save in an ABLE account if they are working and earning an income. In addition, I have fought to protect against cuts to the Medicaid program, which covers 40 percent of people with disabilities in our country, and to prevent people with pre-existing conditions from losing access to their health insurance coverage. I was a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, which stopped insurance companies from denying people coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

• Helping families to recover missing loved ones, including children with disabilities and seniors with dementia. I introduced legislation with Senator Grassley to help families locate missing loved ones with Alzheimer’s, autism, or related conditions, which was signed into law in March of 2018. The bill, called Kevin and Avonte’s Law, reauthorizes, extends, and doubles the funding level of the expired Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program and expands it to people with developmental disabilities who are at increased risk of wandering. It also expands access to resources for first responders and law enforcement to make sure they’re equipped with technology that can help save lives and that they’re getting the right training.

• Assisting families in caring for seniors. I introduced the Americans Giving Care to Elders Act, which would establish a federal tax credit to assist with the costs of caring for an aging family member. Additionally, I introduced the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act with Senator Collins from Maine in 2021 to expand training and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. I also cosponsored the HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act, which would strengthen federal support of Alzheimer’s research and improve the benefit structure under Medicare. [See Seniors]

• Ensuring that low-income Minnesotans receive heating assistance. I have consistently supported increased heating assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). When the Trump Administration proposed eliminating LIHEAP in the budget, I urged the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reconsider and I was part of a bipartisan effort that helped save the program. And as many Minnesotans are experiencing the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, I worked to ensure that the CARES Act included an additional $900 million in funding for LIHEAP. I will continue fighting to ensure that low-income households across Minnesota can meet their energy needs and avoid having to choose between heating their homes and other basic necessities.

Education

My grandpa worked 1,500 feet underground in the iron ore mines of Northern Minnesota. He never graduated from high school, but he saved money in a coffee can in the basement to send my dad to college. My dad graduated from Vermilion Community College, which was then known as Ely Junior College, and earned his journalism degree from the University of Minnesota. He went on to be a sports reporter and a newspaper columnist. My mom, who grew up in Milwaukee, was a public school teacher who taught second grade until she was 70 years old. I learned the value of education from my parents and grandparents.

My story is shared by many Americans. We must now carry on that tradition by providing all Minnesota families with the educational opportunities they need to succeed in the twenty-first-century economy—from early education to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes, to apprenticeships, training and credential programs, to community and technical colleges, four-year universities, and beyond. A good education should be the basic right of every child. It is certainly one of the very best investments we can make in our future as a nation. Minnesota’s belief in the value of education is reflected in the strong support we have given our schools and higher education institutions over the years. We have always believed that investing in education pays extraordinary dividends. Not only does it pay off for the student, but it pays off for the rest of us by creating a more productive workforce and better-informed citizens.

As our schools have faced new challenges during the coronavirus pandemic and students have had to depend on remote learning, I am working to ensure that we support our kids and strengthen our commitment to providing adequate funding for our schools. Gaps in access to broadband and reliable technology have heightened the learning challenges faced by many students, with nearly 16 percent of Minnesota households lacking access to broadband at sufficient speeds. These access issues, combined with other pandemic challenges, have resulted in some students beginning the current academic year up to five months behind in learning. In addition to expanding vaccine distribution, reopening our schools, and ensuring school safety, we must address the learning loss caused by this pandemic.

The rising cost of college and the burden of student loans continue to be a challenge for our students and their families. College tuition and fees have been rising more rapidly than household income over the past two decades. We must do more to expand higher education opportunities and make college more affordable for all students. We must also invest in community and technical colleges, apprenticeships, and training and credential programs to ensure we are preparing people for the jobs of tomorrow that our businesses are creating today.

At a time when our global economy demands more from our workforce, we must focus more than ever on the foundation of our future prosperity: education.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Supporting the safe return to in-person learning. This pandemic has created extraordinary challenges for students, educators, and families across Minnesota. While the transition to virtual learning in certain schools kept educators and students safe as our country worked to understand and combat the coronavirus, the transition has had tangible consequences for students. By safely and equitably returning to in-person instruction, we can reduce or even eliminate many of these challenges. That is why I am working to secure sufficient funding and ample resources to expand vaccine availability and to help schools safely return to in-person learning.

• Expanding higher education opportunities. Minnesotans have always believed that every student should have the opportunity to pursue higher education. The cost of college has more than quadrupled in the past 30 years. Skyrocketing costs prevent many qualified students from attending college and force many others to end their education prematurely. At the same time, student loan debt has spun out of control. U.S. student debt has increased to over $1.7 trillion, with the average undergraduate leaving school with $30,000 in debt. At a time when more and more jobs require some form of higher education, we simply cannot allow soaring costs to be a barrier to opportunity. I am fighting for stronger federal support for higher education opportunities and making sure institutions of higher education adequately inform students about student loan obligations—because our future success as a state and a nation depends on making sure that quality education is accessible and affordable.

• Strengthening our commitment to one- and two-year degrees at community and technical colleges. From paper mills to poultry lines, American industry is changing. Increasingly, economic success depends on advanced technology and workers who have specialized skills to get the job done. In a Minnesota 2020 State of Manufacturing report, 6 out of 10 respondents said it was difficult for them to find workers with the right skills and experience. This is up from 4 out of 10 in 2010. We must do a better job of preparing students for the jobs that will be available to them when they graduate—positions that may not require a Ph.D. or even a four-year degree, but nonetheless demand specialized training and experience. Credentials and one- and two-year degrees offered by community and technical colleges may often be a better option for students who plan on entering the skilled workforce immediately after graduation. We must make these degrees a more central focus of our higher education system. America’s future economic prosperity depends on it.

• Investing in apprenticeships. We need to make sure that no good job goes unfilled because workers aren’t getting the right training. One proven way to close the skills gap is to utilize highly effective training models like registered apprenticeships. Registered apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with relevant academic instruction to create a win-win situation for workers and employers in all industries. Minnesota has a strong apprenticeship program with over 11,000 registered apprentices in in-demand occupations like advanced manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, and health care. We need to help states create and expand registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs that bring together schools and employers across the country.

• Increasing our focus on STEM education. To continue our global leadership in science and technology research and development, American students must receive the best training and education to compete with students in growing economies around the world. Our economic future depends on a highly-skilled and competitive workforce. We must do everything we can to encourage and support our students to study math and science. This begins with a greater focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the classroom – the subjects that are essential to building an innovation economy.

• Promoting early childhood education. Every time we invest in our children’s education, it pays dividends for our nation’s prosperity and competitive standing in the world. High-quality early care and education can improve child outcomes, ease the burden on public resources, and increase future productivity and growth of a child. A 2016 study from the University of Chicago found that high-quality early childhood development programs deliver a high return on investment of 13 percent.

• Reducing the education achievement gap. To ensure that all Minnesota families have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in the 21st century economy, we must reduce the educational achievement gap. I supported a new federal education law that requires each state to develop a plan that sets targets to close these gaps. Minnesota’s plan, which received federal approval in January of 2018, includes specific initiatives to provide for equal educational opportunities for all students, including students living in poverty, students of color, American Indian students, students learning English, and students with disabilities.

• Closing the gap in student internet access. Estimates have shown that nearly 17 million K-12 students do not have access to a broadband connection at home. As schools in Minnesota and across the country have increasingly relied on remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic, we must ensure that students can access the internet so that they can participate in online instruction and continue learning.

• Giving our schools and teachers real support, not empty promises. On December 10, 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law. I supported and advocated for this historic piece of legislation, which made substantive and long-overdue changes to our nation’s education system. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was intended to improve the performance of our schools by increasing accountability for states, school districts, and schools. In exchange for their commitment to reform, states were promised funding necessary to fulfill these new requirements. Instead, unfortunately, No Child Left Behind turned into another underfunded federal mandate. ESSA corrects some of the shortcomings of No Child Left Behind by giving states and local school districts more flexibility to make decisions about how best to meet students’ needs. ESSA ends the federal test-based system of No Child Left Behind, restoring the responsibility to states to determine how best to use federally required tests for accountability purposes. The law also includes three of my provisions to improve education in Minnesota. My provisions expand STEM opportunities, improve teacher and principal retention, and reduce chronic absenteeism.

• Guaranteeing high standards and accountability in education in a way that reflects students' real talents and real progress. Schools need to be held to the highest benchmarks, and I support national testing standards, but measuring progress must also be realistic and fair. In the CARES Act, which became law in March 2020, Congress granted authority to the Secretary of Education to waive state assessment and accountability mandates in response to challenges schools continue to face during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. I will work with schools to better measure comprehensive achievement while maintaining student health and school safety. I am also committed to examining ways we can provide a more comprehensive and valid assessment for students with disabilities and English language learners.

• Fully supporting education for those with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes specific requirements to ensure that students with disabilities receive the services they need to achieve their educational goals but the commitment to fully fund the IDEA has never been met. School districts are being forced to redirect more and more resources from their general education budgets to cover the shortfall. This practice hurts all students. I support fully funding the IDEA to help students with disabilities receive the services and support they need, and I am working to make sure the federal government lives up to its promise to support education for those with disabilities. Students with disabilities, who often require additional support, have been more vulnerable to harm caused by disruptions in education during the pandemic, and I have joined my colleagues in requesting additional emergency funding to serve the needs of these students.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been working to ensure all our students have the educational opportunities they need to succeed in the 21st century economy:

• Supporting the safe return to in-person learning. The transition to virtual learning during this pandemic has had tangible consequences for students, educators, and families across Minnesota, and Congress must ensure that schools have the resources they need to facilitate the safe turn to in-person learning as it becomes safe to do so. That’s why I supported the December 2019 relief package which included nearly $54 billion to K-12 schools to respond to the coronavirus, including funding for repairing ventilation systems and hiring additional support staff as well as addressing learning loss, as well as the March 2021 relief package that included an additional $130 billion to K-12 schools to support the safe return to in-person learning.

• Making education more affordable by:
   
  • Stopping increases to loan rates. The interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford student loans was set to double—from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent—on July 1, 2013. To prevent this from happening, I cosponsored the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act and the Student Loan Affordability Act. I also worked to prevent the rate from immediately doubling in the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act that was signed into law in 2013.
     
  • Allowing students to refinance loans at lower interest rates. I cosponsored the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act and the Reducing Education Debt Act, which take several important steps to address the issue of student debt, including allowing student loan borrowers to refinance their student loan debt at lower interest rates and adjusting Pell grants for inflation so that they keep pace with rising costs.
     
  • Helping students with loan repayment and Pell grants. I worked to pass the College Cost Reduction Act, which created the income-based repayment plan and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, and I supported the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which now saves middle-class families up to $2,500 a year on college tuition. I also worked to pass a law removing private lenders from the federal student loan system, which saved taxpayers nearly $68 billion and expanded Pell grants. In December 2020, we also successfully expanded Pell grant eligibility for an additional 1.7 million Americans and restored Pell grant access for incarcerated people. To help those with student loans during the coronavirus pandemic, I have supported measures that have temporarily suspended student loan payments for borrowers with federal student loans.
     
  • Providing tuition-free access to two-year community, technical, and tribal colleges. I cosponsored the America’s College Promise Act to create a federal-state partnership that pays for two tuition-free years of school for students in community, technical, or tribal college programs that lead to an associate’s degree, an industry-recognized credential, or credits that are fully transferable to a four-year institution.
     
  • Creating opportunities for year-round education and training and credential programs. I introduced legislation to expand the eligible uses of the “529” tax-advantaged education savings accounts to allow these accounts to be used for training and credential programs that help workers develop the skills needed for 21st century jobs. I also cosponsored the Year-Round Pell Grant Restoration Act—passed in the 2017 spending bill—which restores eligibility for students to apply for Pell grants for summer classes, helping students who do not follow the traditional four-year college path afford higher education. Additionally, I introduced the Skills Renewal Act with Senator Sasse to create a flexible skills training credit for people who have lost their job during the coronavirus pandemic. These displaced workers would have access to training programs and develop skills that are expected to be in high demand in the coming years.
     
  • Expanding access to higher education for low-income and first-generation students. I have been a strong supporter of federal TRIO programs—including supporting funding increases that passed in March of 2018—that continue to provide fundamental support to low-income and first-generation students across Minnesota as they prepare to attend college. With fewer Minnesota high school seniors applying for FAFSA to receive federal financial student aid during this pandemic, I have been supportive of efforts to simplify the FAFSA form to ensure applying for federal student aid does not serve as a barrier to access to higher education.
     
  • Improving student financial literacy. I introduced the Empowering Student Borrowers Act to help students understand the financial implications of student loan debt. Key provisions of this legislation, which were signed into law in May 2018, require institutions of higher education to notify students of their total loan obligations, expected monthly payment, and estimated interest rate, and require the Administration to establish best practices for schools to teach financial literacy to students.

• Providing our students the training and skills they need to compete in the global economy by:
   
  • Boosting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. I passed key provisions of my Innovate America Act—introduced with Senator John Hoeven from North Dakota—to allow states to award funding to create or enhance a STEM-focused specialty school or a STEM program within a school as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015. I also helped pass into law the America COMPETES Act of 2007, which increases support for math and science education and new technology initiatives. We passed major reauthorizations of this legislation in 2010 and 2016, including my provisions to require the Director of the National Science Foundation to consider recommendations from organizations representing underrepresented groups for the STEM Education Advisory Panel and allow for research to better understand factors relevant to the retention of STEM teachers from underrepresented groups, including women and minorities. I also led bipartisan legislation with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida to encourage veterans and military spouses to pursue careers in STEM fields that was signed into law in February 2020. I will continue to push for policies that strengthen our nation’s commitment to remaining competitive in the global marketplace.
     
  • Making it easier to participate in apprenticeships. I have introduced the American Apprenticeship Act with Senator Susan Collins to help workers obtain industry-relevant classroom instruction in order to close the skills gap. The legislation would provide funding to states for the creation or expansion of tuition assistance programs that benefit participants in pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with relevant academic instruction to create a win-win situation for workers and employers in all industries. For workers, registered apprenticeships provide an opportunity to stay in the labor market, earn a living wage, and pursue a nationally recognized credential, making apprenticeships one of the most cost-efficient workforce development tools. For employers, registered apprenticeships provide a workforce trained for their needs, reduced turnover, and improved safety outcomes, giving American businesses an edge in the global marketplace. Though evidence indicates that the apprenticeship model is a highly effective training model, it is not widely used by American workers or employers. That needs to change.
     
  • Diversifying our technical workforce. I am co-chair of the Diversifying Tech Caucus with Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia. This caucus is aimed at working on policies that increase the representation of women, minorities, and veterans in the tech sector. I am also co-chair of the Women’s High Tech Coalition. Minnesota has always been a national leader in innovation. We will stay on the cutting edge of innovation only by fostering and tapping the creativity and ingenuity of all Americans. My bipartisan Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act and Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act—signed into law in February 2017—expands National Science Foundation efforts to recruit and support women in STEM fields as they commercialize their research and authorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator to encourage women to study STEM and pursue careers in aerospace through NASA initiatives.

• Reducing the education achievement gap by supporting early childhood education opportunities. By age 5, children’s earliest interactions and environments shape much of their cognitive and character development, which is why targeted, high-quality investments in young children are so crucial for lifelong success. To help provide a strong early start for the youngest members of our state, I cosponsored the Child Care for Working Families Act, which would expand access to high-quality preschool and child care, improve training and resources for early childhood teachers and caregivers, and prioritize the challenges experienced by parents who work non-traditional hours, children with disabilities, and rural areas, as well as the FAMILY Act, which would create a permanent paid family and medical leave program for workers to receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave. I also introduced the Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act to address shortages of affordable, quality child care options in our state by supporting programs to expand the child care workforce. The legislation would also support building, renovating, and expanding child care facilities to ensure children have safe and healthy environments to learn and play in. I fought for Minnesota to receive the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge grant, which provided $45 million to improve the quality of early learning and development programs serving high-need children across our state. I also supported the Strong Start for America’s Children Act, which expands and improves early learning opportunities for children from birth to age five, and the Head Start for School Readiness Act, which was signed into law in 2007 to ensure that children are prepared when they enter school. In March of 2018, we increased funding for Head Start and nearly doubled funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant programs.

• Ensuring that students can connect to the internet. Access to high-speed internet is critical for students, especially as schools have increasingly relied on remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic. With nearly 17 million K-12 students lacking a broadband connection at home, I joined House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn in introducing comprehensive broadband infrastructure legislation, the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, to close the digital divide once and for all. Our bill would invest $100 billion to build high-speed broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities to connect American families and ensure students have access to critical internet services for distance learning. I have also urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action to ensure that all K-12 students can access critical internet services so that they can continue to learn. I also introduced the Keeping Critical Connections Act with Senator Cramer to help ensure that small broadband providers can continue to provide internet services for students and low-income families during this public health crisis. In December 2020, several of my key broadband priorities were included in the year-end omnibus signed into law. One of these provisions includes $285 million in funding to ensure college students with the greatest financial need have access to high-speed internet, based on my bill, the Supporting Connectivity for Higher Education Students in Need Act with Senators Hirono, Peters, and Rosen.

• Supporting teachers in the classroom by enacting major changes to No Child Left Behind. In 2012, I successfully fought for Minnesota’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver, which gave our state greater flexibility around certain No Child Left Behind goals. I supported the Every Student Succeeds Act—signed into law in December 2015—which ends the federal test-based system of No Child Left Behind, restoring the responsibility to states to determine how best to use federally-required tests for accountability purposes. The law also includes my provision to add improving teacher retention to the criteria for professional development grants that the Department of Education awards to Indian schools. Inadequate professional development and the lack of ongoing support are key reasons why some teachers and principals leave the profession, leading to instability and added costs of rehiring and retraining for schools and school districts. My provision also allows activities and programs that help reduce turnover and improve teacher and principal retention, such as mentoring programs, more robust intervention in the early years of a teacher’s career, and involvement from tribal elders and community members.

• Increasing education funding for students with disabilities. I support fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to help students with disabilities receive the services and support they need, and I am a cosponsor of legislation to put Congress on a fiscally responsible path to fully fund this critical law. I supported a $275 million increase in IDEA grants to states—passed in March of 2018—to help students with disabilities receive the services they need to achieve their educational goals and to begin reducing the burden on school districts that have had to redirect resources from their general education budgets to cover the shortfall in education funding for those with disabilities.

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform

Before I was elected to the Senate, I served for eight years as the chief prosecutor for Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis and 45 suburbs. I know firsthand the vital role that law enforcement and public safety officers provide in keeping our citizens safe and that our criminal justice system cannot lose sight of the principles of fairness, compassion, and equality under the law. We must continue to address the systemic issues in policing and criminal justice that have gone unaddressed for too long.

In recent years, especially since 9/11, we have placed ever greater responsibilities on our police officers, firefighters, and first responders, who have been expected to significantly expand their abilities to respond to crises—while public safety budgets have been stretched increasingly thin, and even more so during the coronavirus pandemic. We must ensure that local, state, and federal first responders have the resources they need to purchase vital equipment, train law enforcement personnel, and acquire information systems to coordinate communications among first responders and various criminal justice agencies. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I believe we owe it to our public safety officers to make sure they have the technologies, tools, and training they need to do their job safely and effectively.

Ensuring that our law enforcement officials have the resources needed to do their work is a critical part of combating the rise in domestic terrorism that our country has seen in recent years. The January 6th attack on our nation’s Capitol made clear that domestic extremist groups represent an urgent threat that federal, state, and local law enforcement must prioritize. As Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, I am now leading a bipartisan effort to find out what happened in the lead-up to and during the attack so that we make necessary public safety changes.

At the same time, our criminal justice system must administer justice fairly. Last year, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, I worked with Senate colleagues to introduce the Justice in Policing Act, which holds officers accountable for misconduct, increases transparency in policing practices, and improves police conduct and training.

I have also long supported reforms to help ensure that our justice system works for everyone. That means making needed reforms to our sentencing laws and prisons, decreasing the number of non-violent drug offenders in our prisons by expanding access to home confinement and compassionate release programs for those who are now incarcerated, and supporting programs, like drug courts, that help keep non-violent offenders out of prison and are one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism while providing access to treatment.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Providing our state and local law enforcement with critical tools to protect our communities. We must enhance and expand the programs that support local public safety officers as they prepare for and react to local crises and homeland security threats, including those from domestic terrorism. As chief prosecutor for Minnesota’s largest county, I saw what a difference it makes when law enforcement officers can actually create a partnership with local communities in Minnesota. I will continue to champion these programs as well as other key federal initiatives for law enforcement and public safety.
   
• Countering domestic terrorism and violent extremism. I have long supported efforts to strengthen the federal government’s response to domestic terrorism by establishing offices at the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security dedicated to combating this threat and providing training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement to investigate and stop acts of domestic terrorism. As Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, I am also leading the bipartisan effort to investigate the January 6th attack on the Capitol so that we can make needed public safety changes. We must also protect our country from violent extremists and terrorist groups intent on doing harm to our communities. International terrorist groups have proven that they will go to extraordinary lengths to recruit U.S. citizens who could come back and foster extremism at home. One way to effectively stop this type of recruitment is for law enforcement to work hand-in-hand with local communities and to empower local leaders with tools to help keep young people off the path of extremism.
   
• Addressing systemic issues in our justice system. We must take on the systemic issues in policing and criminal justice that have gone unaddressed for too long. I will continue to work to pass legislation to hold officers accountable for misconduct, increase transparency in policing practices, and improve police conduct and training. We must also increase transparency about prosecutorial decisions, including by collecting statistics on charges, plea deals, and sentencing recommendations to help uncover implicit bias and discriminatory conduct, and we should expand federal support for investments in conviction integrity units to increase post-conviction sentencing reviews. Fixing our justice system also means enacting important reforms to our bail system, equipping all law enforcement officers with body cameras, and increasing federal funding to support public defenders.
   
• Reforming sentencing and greater use of drug treatment courts. By giving prosecutors and judges more discretion in sentencing and focusing on reducing recidivism, we can allow law enforcement to prioritize those who threaten the safety of our communities while helping to decrease the number of non-violent, low-level drug offenders in our prisons. And since approximately 90 percent of incarcerated people are in state and local facilities, we need to create federal incentives so that states can restore some discretion from mandatory sentencing for nonviolent offenders and improve the conditions in state prisons and local jails.
   
• Enhancing cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement. We must continue to target serious crime and domestic terrorism through partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. I’ve seen the tragic impact of the prescription drug and heroin epidemic across Minnesota and the rise of synthetic drug use in our cities, suburbs, and rural communities. To tackle this, we must continue to support partnerships between law enforcement agencies with an emphasis on treatment of addiction, and hold those who are profiting off of people’s addiction accountable.
   
• Improving police and community relations. We need to focus on both public safety and building trust between law enforcement and our communities. I have long supported important policies including videotaped interrogations, reforms to the eyewitness process, body cameras, diversity in hiring, and meaningful work between law enforcement and our citizens.
   
• Promoting gun safety. We have seen far too many precious lives cut short, families torn apart, and communities plagued by the fear of gun violence. People across our state and country are rightly demanding action. As the former Hennepin County Attorney, I worked to enforce the gun laws already on the books and have long supported efforts to promote gun safety. We should pass commonsense legislation to disarm abusive dating partners and convicted stalkers, ban assault weapons, improve background checks, and close the loophole that allows suspected terrorists to buy firearms.
   
• Preventing domestic violence. During my eight years as county attorney, I saw firsthand how domestic abuse destroyed families. In these difficult economic times, victims should never feel forced to choose between personal safety and financial stability. I am committed to ensuring that women and children have the resources they need to protect themselves from violence, leave abusive situations, and hold their abusers accountable. This is especially true during the coronavirus pandemic, which has left many victims of domestic violence at heightened risk as people have stayed home to help limit the spread of the virus.
   
• Responding to the rise of prescription and synthetic drug abuse. Prescription drug abuse is now highest among young adults and has also increased rapidly among teenagers. The majority of teens who abuse these drugs get them for free, usually from friends and relatives, and often without their knowledge. Heroin overdose continues to be one of the leading causes of drug-related death in Minnesota, and four out of five heroin users got their start using legal prescription drugs. We must provide consumers with safe and effective means of disposing of prescription drugs so they don’t fall into the wrong hands. In recent years we have seen an alarming rise in the production, sale, and use of synthetic narcotics. These designer drugs have taken many lives, and we need to give law enforcement the tools they need to fight this problem and provide treatment to those who are addicted.
   
• Protecting children from predators—both on the streets and on the internet. In a fast-changing society, parents need all the help they can get to protect their children from emerging threats to their safety. Federal support is essential to local law enforcement to make sure sex offenders and other predators can be identified before they prey on victims.
   
• Combating sex trafficking. According to one study, on any given night in Minnesota, dozens of underage girls are sold for sex online. As a former prosecutor, I know how important it is to have policies in place that help victims break free from abuse. We must give prosecutors the tools they need to tackle sex trafficking and help make sure victims of these horrific crimes receive the support they need.
   
• Enhancing online privacy and preventing cybercrimes and hacking. As more and more Americans rely on the internet to shop, pay their bills, and connect with family and friends, online sites and advertisers have become ever more sophisticated at tracking and gathering information about our online behavior, raising concerns that consumers’ privacy is not properly protected, and cybersecurity breaches have affected businesses and consumers across the country. Our laws and enforcement tools must be as sophisticated as those trying to do us harm online. I will continue to advocate for measures that ensure confidence in online privacy and the security of consumer information.
   
• Making our roads and highways safer. Too many drivers are texting behind the wheel or driving under the influence. The consequences of bad driving are devastating and demand greater action—no text message is worth dying for. As a former prosecutor, I know how important it is to keep our roads safe and will continue to work to enact laws that prevent distracted driving. This is particularly important for teen drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for American teens, and drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 years old are nearly three times more likely to get in a crash than older drivers per mile driven. We must encourage safe practices and smart programs for training new drivers.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been fighting to strengthen our commitment to public safety:

• Providing state and local law enforcement with critical tools to protect our communities. As chief prosecutor for Minnesota’s largest county, I know that building relationships between law enforcement officers and the people they serve is essential to keeping communities safe. I will continue to work to expand programs that support local public safety officers as they prepare for and react to local crises and homeland security threats, including from domestic terrorism. In February 2019, I worked with Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska to introduce the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Improvements Act, which supports state and local law enforcement agencies by providing behavioral health response training for officers who respond to cases involving people with a mental illness or a substance use disorder. I will continue to champion these programs as well as other key federal initiatives for law enforcement and public safety. I have also successfully fought for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) programs, which have provided state and local law enforcement with needed support to hire, train, and equip public safety officers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $1 billion for the COPS hiring program to help save over 5,000 law enforcement jobs and keep cops on the front lines in communities across America. I have led legislation to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies throughout the United States hire and train law enforcement officers to participate in community policing, and I have also fought to maintain funding for the Byrne JAG program, which provides support to local law enforcement for multi-jurisdictional drug task forces, anti-gang efforts, specialized prosecutors, and other crime-fighting initiatives. I will continue to champion these programs as well as other key federal initiatives for law enforcement and public safety.
   
• Countering domestic terrorism and violent extremism. Addressing the threat of domestic terrorism and violent extremism must be a priority. I have long supported legislation to strengthen the federal government’s response to domestic terrorism by establishing offices at the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security dedicated to combating this threat and providing training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement to investigate and stop acts of domestic terrorism. As Chair of the Senate Rules Committee, I have led bipartisan hearings to get much-needed answers from witnesses from federal agencies and key officials tasked with protecting the Capitol on January 6th. These hearings have been constructive, and I am continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to investigate this attack on our democracy and work toward solutions to secure our Capitol, protect our nation, and strengthen our system of government.
   
• Reforming our justice system. I worked with Senate colleagues to introduce the Justice in Policing Act, which holds officers accountable for misconduct, increases transparency in policing practices, and improves police conduct and training. Included in that legislation is my bill to prevent law enforcement use of chokeholds and other neck restraints. Addressing these systemic issues is one of my top priorities in the Senate.
  
  We have made some progress in recent years to reform sentencing. In December 2018, the First Step Act was signed into law. I was a cosponsor of this important bill, which made needed reforms to our sentencing laws and prisons, including allowing judges to impose sentences below the mandatory minimum for certain non-violent, low-level drug offenders; reducing some of the longest sentences now on the books; and expanding access to substance abuse treatment and programs to prepare people to reenter society through employment and training opportunities.
  
  In addition, as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have long supported the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act and other reforms to help ensure that our justice system works for everyone. I also support creating federal incentives so that states can restore some discretion from mandatory sentencing for nonviolent offenders and reform the unconscionable conditions present in certain state prisons and local jails, which hold approximately 90 percent of incarcerated people. As the coronavirus pandemic has had a tragic and disproportionate impact on federal prisons, I have called for action to combat this public health crisis and to protect those who are at heightened risk—including by using existing Federal authority to transfer nonviolent people to home confinement or grant compassionate release. When the Bureau of Prisons suspended in-person visitation at federal prisons in an effort to limit the spread of the virus, I led the successful effort to waive phone charges to help incarcerated people stay in contact with their loved ones during the pandemic. Finally, once someone has served their time, they must be allowed to participate fully in our democracy, and I have worked to restore the right to vote of formerly incarcerated Americans.
   
• Protecting victims of hate crimes. When I first got to the Senate, I worked hard to pass the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. As a prosecutor, I was at the White House when President Bill Clinton introduced the bill, and nine years later, I got to cast one of the deciding votes to make the bill a reality. Since then, I've worked with Senator Murkowski to introduce the bipartisan Justice for Victims of Hate Crimes Act, which will help to ensure that federal prosecutors can effectively enforce the federal hate crimes law. I also joined Senator Hirono on a bill to require the Department of Justice to invest the resources needed to fully investigate pandemic-related hate crimes against Asian Americans, which was signed into law in May 2021. And after the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington was the target of a bombing in August 2017, and earlier that year bomb threats were made against the St. Paul Jewish Community Center and the Sabes Jewish Community Center in St. Louis Park, I joined my colleagues in cosponsoring legislation to strengthen protections for religious institutions that was signed into law in September 2018.
   
• Supporting drug courts. During my time in the Senate I have been the leading advocate to provide critical support to our nation’s drug courts. Drug courts divert nonviolent drug offenders from prison and jail into treatment. The drug court model is one of the most successful, cost-effective tools for cutting recidivism rates and reducing crime in our communities. Three out of every four people who graduate from these programs are not arrested again—a 75 percent success rate, compared to just 30 percent in the traditional system. Drug courts also save taxpayer dollars by an average of $3,000 to $13,000 per person. Every $1 invested in drug courts saves more than $3 in criminal justice costs alone, as much as $27 on fewer emergency room visits, and lower health care, foster care, welfare, and property loss costs. By using drug courts for low-level, non-violent drug offenders, we can help people become productive members of society.
   
• Promoting gun safety. It is long past time that we come together across party lines to pass commonsense gun safety legislation that will prevent violence and save lives. As the former Hennepin County Attorney, I worked to enforce the gun laws already on the books and have long supported efforts to promote gun safety. I have introduced legislation to prevent abusive dating partners and convicted stalkers from purchasing firearms. The bill was included in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which passed the House on a bipartisan vote. I support legislation to improve background checks and to close the loophole that allows suspected terrorists to buy firearms. I have also cosponsored bills to ban military-style assault weapons and ban “bump-stock” devices that can increase a semiautomatic rifle’s rate of fire to 700 rounds per minute.
   
• Supporting victims of assault, abuse, and stalking. In November 2019, I introduced legislation with several of my Senate colleagues to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a landmark law that has had a profound role in protecting women and supporting the victims of sexual and domestic violence. This important bill includes a provision based on legislation that I have led for years to protect victims of stalking and domestic violence from gun violence. The bill also includes legislation I introduced with Senator Cornyn—the Abby Honold Act—which promotes the use of trauma-informed techniques by law enforcement when responding to sexual assault crimes. In 2013, I cosponsored and helped lead the effort to pass the last reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which included provisions from my bipartisan STALKERS Act to improve federal anti-stalking laws and protect victims by providing prosecutors with tools to combat the growing threat of cyberstalking. As county attorney, I also supported the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Database Act, which was signed into law in 2006 and established a publicly available national database of sex offenders.
  
  I have also worked to combat the heartbreaking crime of child abuse by introducing the National Child Protection Training Act, which would help train child protection professionals, such as teachers, doctors, and prosecutors, to detect and prevent child abuse. Finally, in response to the rise in reports of domestic violence during the pandemic, I led the effort with Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Bob Casey to increase federal support for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault during this public health crisis.
   
• Combating the opioid abuse epidemic and methamphetamine. I led three bipartisan bills that were signed into law as part of legislation to address the opioid epidemic in October, 2018: the SALTS Act, which I led with Senator Lindsey Graham to make it easier to prosecute the sale and distribution of “analogue” drugs, which are synthetic substances that are substantially similar to illegal drugs; the STOP Act, which I introduced with Senator Rob Portman to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl from being shipped through our postal system from overseas; and the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, which I introduced with Senator Marco Rubio to help crack down on health care facilities or providers that try to game the system to take advantage of vulnerable patients. In addition, along with three other senators I introduced the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which became law in July 2016. This bipartisan legislation encourages states and local communities to pursue a full array of proven strategies in the fight against addiction, including expanding access to naloxone among law enforcement and other first responders.
  
  In 2020, I introduced the CARA 2.0 Act with a bipartisan group of senators to build on the momentum of CARA by increasing funding and putting in place additional policy reforms to combat the opioid epidemic. One important provision in the CARA 2.0 Act is based on my bipartisan bill, the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act, to require states that receive certain federal funding to have prescription drug monitoring programs that use best practices to stop the kind of “doctor shopping” that facilitates addiction and to share their data with other states. We know that opioid addiction too often begins with the abuse of legal prescription painkillers, and with this bill, we can do something about that. In addition, we must continue working to help those suffering from addiction to access the treatment that they need. I helped to introduce the LifeBOAT Act with Senator Joe Manchin that simply places a one-cent fee on each milligram of active opioid ingredient in a prescription pain pill to create a permanent stream of funding for substance abuse treatment, and I’m continuing to fight for additional funds and resources for communities that have been impacted by addiction.
   
• Banning synthetic drugs. I introduced the Combating Designer Drugs Act to ban the substance known as 2C-E, a synthetic hallucinogen, and eight other similar substances. This legislation was a response to a tragic event in March 2011 where a Minnesota teenager died and ten others were hospitalized after overdosing on 2C-E. During that time, I also cosponsored two additional pieces of legislation to ban synthetic drugs. These bills banning dangerous synthetic drugs were signed into law in July 2012. Finally, I introduced the Synthetic Abuse and Labeling of Toxic Substances (SALTS) Act, legislation to make it easier to prosecute the sale and distribution of new synthetic drugs that are “analogues,” or substantially similar to current illegal drugs. That bill became law in October 2018.
   
• Allowing for safe disposal of prescription drugs. I authored the bipartisan Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act—which was signed into law by President Obama in October 2010—to provide consumers with safe and responsible ways to dispose of unused controlled substances. This law allows individuals and long-term care facilities to deliver the most dangerous prescription drugs to law enforcement officials for safe disposal and also promotes the development and expansion of drug take-back programs.
   
• Helping law enforcement find missing children. In the 112th Congress, I authored the bipartisan Access to Information about Missing Children Act with Senator John Cornyn of Texas to help federal, state, and local law enforcement locate missing children whose whereabouts could be discovered through basic information on federal tax returns. This legislation has been supported by Patty Wetterling, my friend and a child safety advocate, whose son, Jacob, was kidnapped and killed near his family’s home in St. Joseph, Minnesota in 1989. I introduced bipartisan legislation, the Recovering Missing Children Act, with Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and former-Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming to help law enforcement locate missing and exploited children. Our bill was signed into law in July 2016.
   
• Shielding children from inappropriate content. I cosponsored the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, which helps parents protect their children from inappropriate website content by requiring the Federal Trade Commission to implement a national educational campaign to promote the safe use of the internet by children and directing the U.S. Commerce Department to create a private sector working group to evaluate industry efforts to promote online safety. I also support new technologies that give parents greater control over what their kids see on television and what they can do on the internet. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, I will continue to fight for additional protections to safeguard children against online predators.
   
• Combating sex trafficking. I was a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which was signed into law in May 2015. This bipartisan legislation protects victims of child sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking by increasing law enforcement resources, improving victim services, and enhancing penalties. I then led legislation with Senator John Cornyn that was signed into law in December 2018 to strengthen key programs supporting survivors of human trafficking and provide resources to law enforcement officials working on the front lines of the fight against trafficking. I also authored the comprehensive bipartisan Stop Exploitation through Trafficking Act (SETT), which was enacted into law as part of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. My provision gives prosecutors the tools they need to tackle sex trafficking and helps make sure victims of these horrific crimes receive the support they need. The bill is modeled after Minnesota’s “safe harbor” law, which helps ensure that minors who are sold for sex aren’t prosecuted as defendants, but rather are treated as victims. In 2016, I introduced the Stop Trafficking on Planes (STOP) Act to require training for flight attendants to recognize and report suspected incidents of human trafficking. A provision based on my legislation was included in the FAA reauthorization bill that was passed into law in July 2016. Finally, I introduced legislation that became law in December 2016 to ensure funding for the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which provides 24-hour service, including forwarding tips to law enforcement and connecting victims of trafficking with resources and support.
   
• Enhancing online privacy and preventing cybercrimes and hacking. I have introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana to protect the privacy of consumers’ online data by ensuring that companies use plain language to explain to consumers how their data is being used, allowing consumers to opt out of certain data tracking and collection, and requiring companies to notify consumers of privacy violations within 72 hours of a breach. I have also introduced comprehensive federal online privacy legislation to establish privacy rights, outlaw harmful and deceptive practices, and improve data security safeguards with Senator Cantwell of Washington, Senator Schatz of Hawaii, and Senator Markey of Massachusetts. In addition, I have worked to provide the Department of Defense and our law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to strengthen our cybersecurity and have called on investigations of breaches to ensure we have the information we need to protect consumers.
  
  In February 2019, I introduced legislation with Senator Thune of South Dakota to establish a program to recruit experts in the private sector and to do limited tours of duty in the federal government of up to two years. Our bill will also help government computer experts spend time in the private sector to learn best practices, which can then be applied to help further secure government computer systems and critical infrastructure. The bill passed the Commerce Committee in November 2019. After receiving alarming reports that our federal government websites were rendered unsecure during the 2019 government shutdown, I called on the Executive Branch to make sure that our federal government websites and online infrastructure remain secure in the event of a future shutdown or appropriations lapse. As more sophisticated cybersecurity hacks target our government and businesses, I will continue to advocate for measures that ensure confidence in online privacy and the security of consumer information.
   
• Providing first responders with life-saving communications tools. I was an original cosponsor of the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act to allow for state-of-the-art technology that will help first responders in both rural and urban communities at no cost to taxpayers. I helped pass legislation to implement a nationwide wireless network to allow our first responders to clearly communicate when disaster strikes and focus on doing what they do best—saving lives. As co-chair of the Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus, I am working with members of both parties to reauthorize the federal 9-1-1 Coordination Office. In May 2019, I introduced the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act to create a federal grant program to help state and local governments deploy next generation 9-1-1 systems across the country. This is an effort to manage the transition to the Next Generation 9-1-1 emergency response system based on high-speed digital wireless networks, and these upgrades will enable 9-1-1 dispatchers to work remotely at virtual call centers, as well as handle text messages, pictures, videos, and other information sent by smartphones, tablets, and other devices in an emergency, which is critically important during crises like the current pandemic. I also introduced the bipartisan Kari’s Law Act, which was signed into law in February 2018, to ensure that dialing 9-1-1 from multi-line telephone systems—like those used at many businesses, college campuses, and hotels—is as simple and efficient as possible.
   
• Fighting cell phone theft. Robberies often involve cell phone theft, with criminals targeting smartphones for their high resale value and for the valuable personal and financial information they contain. I introduced the Smartphone Theft Prevention Act, which would require the wireless industry to move forward with installing “kill switch” technology on all smartphones that will protect consumer data on the phone and allow consumers to render the device inoperable if the phone is stolen. After the initial push in 2014, wireless and device companies, including Apple, AT&T, Google, Motorola, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon, committed to install kill switch technology on new smartphones. I am working to make sure manufacturers and providers make good on this commitment and continue to take steps to ensure that all consumers have access to the most advanced technologies to protect their smartphones and personal information.
   
• Protecting driver’s privacy. I authored the Driver Privacy Act in 2014 and 2015 along with Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota to make clear that the owner of the vehicle is the rightful owner of the data collected by a vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR). An EDR temporarily stores data from the vehicle’s safety systems following a crash. While EDRs provide important data that can be used to better protect passengers, we need to ensure consumers’ privacy is being protected. The Driver Privacy Act was included in the long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill that was passed into law in December 2015.
   
• Improving teen driver safety. Mile for mile, teenagers are involved in nearly three times as many fatal car crashes as other drivers. Becoming a safe driver requires experience and practice. To help reduce teen driving deaths, I introduced the Students Taking Action for Road Safety (STARS) Act to use peer-to-peer prevention strategies to educate teens about the dangers of everything from drunk driving and speeding, to using seatbelts and texting while driving. This bill will help bring together law enforcement, educators, and local communities to give our teen drivers the tools they need to become responsible drivers and make our roads safer. I also joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to introduce the STAND Up Act to encourage states to adopt graduated driver license programs that have proven effective at reducing the crash risk of new drivers by introducing teens to the driving experience gradually, phasing in full driving privileges over time in lower risk settings, and teaching them to eliminate distractions that cause accidents. Provisions from both of these bills were included in the surface transportation reauthorization bill that was signed into law in July 2012. In June 2014 and May 2015, I introduced the Improving Driver Safety Act, which would help ensure that more states can access critical funding to improve distracted driving enforcement and public education. This legislation, as well as my provision to enable more states to qualify for federal funding for graduated driver license programs, were included in the long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill that was passed into law in December 2015.

Consumer Protection

The first responsibility of government is to protect its citizens—not only from foreign and domestic threats to our nation’s security, but also from crime, unsafe products, and unscrupulous business practices.

Keeping Minnesotans safe means a commitment to consumer protection. Consumers deserve products that have been tested and meet strong health and safety standards. However, as global commerce has increased, public concern has grown over the safety of many products imported from abroad, whether they are toys or charm bracelets, seafood or pet food, or tires or toothpaste. We need to ensure that the agencies responsible for protecting consumers—such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration—have the necessary authority and resources to perform their important duties.

In addition to keeping unsafe products off our shores and out of our stores, we must also remain vigilant in rooting out fraudulent or deceptive practices that impact family pocketbooks, especially when consumers are more vulnerable during crises like the coronavirus pandemic. Our financial and telecommunications markets have undergone rapid changes in recent years. The housing market saw the emergence of predatory lenders that offered risky loans to homeowners and evaded the traditional financial safeguards meant to protect consumers. And the increasing integration of wireless and internet technologies into our lives has resulted in growing concerns over billing, privacy, and security.

There has also been a rise in major data breaches that have exposed the personal information of millions of consumers. The changing nature of technology and increased availability of data have created new opportunities for hackers to commit cyberattacks and steal sensitive information from consumers, companies, and the government. We need better methods for detecting breaches and preventing these attacks from happening in the first place.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Protecting consumers from unsafe products. Americans should be able to trust that the products they buy are safe. Consumers deserve products that have been tested and meet strong health and safety standards. On the Senate Commerce Committee, I am fighting to make sure that the federal agencies charged with keeping Americans safe are being vigilant in doing their job to protect all American consumers from hazardous products.
   
• Ensuring the safety of our nation’s food supply. Over the past years, we have seen outbreaks from contaminated pistachios, peanut butter, spinach, apples, peppers, and lettuce. These incidents have highlighted the need to reexamine our food safety laws and procedures to ensure we maintain a food supply with the highest safety standards.
   
• Reining in financial recklessness. Greed in the financial system, unscrupulous business practices, and government decisions that favor those at the top have made it harder and harder for families and small businesses to get ahead. We need to be vigilant to make sure that markets are working for consumers, not against them. This is particularly important during times of crisis when some have sought to take advantage of consumers by charging excessive prices for everyday products that people need.
   
• Enhancing online consumer privacy and going after cybercrimes and hacking. More and more Americans rely on the internet to shop, pay their bills, and connect with family and friends. At the same time, online sites and advertisers have become even more sophisticated at tracking and gathering information about our online behavior. Consumers’ privacy is not protected, and cybersecurity breaches have affected businesses and consumers across the country.
   
• Promoting competition. Every day, consumers rely on competitive markets to keep prices low and the quality of goods and services high. As the Chair of the Judiciary Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights Subcommittee, I am working to ensure that consumers benefit from robust competition. Whether it’s scrutinizing mergers or calling out anticompetitive practices by pharmaceutical companies that result in high prices for prescription drugs, we need to make sure that our nation’s competition laws are being enforced for the benefit of consumers.
   
• Protecting access to a free and open internet. The internet has provided Americans with tremendous economic opportunities, and net neutrality is the bedrock of a fair, fast, and open internet. It holds large internet service providers accountable for providing the internet access consumers expect, while protecting innovation and competition. The repeal of net neutrality protections has left consumers vulnerable to higher prices, slower internet traffic, and blocked websites. I am fighting to protect net neutrality so that everyone—including our small businesses and consumers in rural areas—has equal access to the internet.
   
• Defending consumer rights in the cell phone marketplace. Cell phones are an integral part of the way we communicate—and for many people, the only phones or computing devices they own. Consumers often feel that cell phone companies have the upper hand, writing restrictive contracts with punitive and confusing provisions—from early termination fees to inconsistent coverage information to deceptive billing practices to cell phone unlocking restrictions. We must level the playing field with wireless companies to enable consumers to make the best choice that fits their individual needs. Additionally, we need to ensure that wireless companies are looking out for consumer safety, including addressing cell phone theft accompanied by violence.
   
• Protecting consumer transportation. Americans deserve to travel safely and trust that our transportation safety system meets the highest safety standards. Whether driving in a car or traveling by airplane, consumers must be protected in all modes of transportation. With the evolution of technology, we must protect consumers’ driver privacy and improve the recall notice process, including by ensuring that the new ridesharing app companies keep their consumers informed. Additionally, we must put passengers first and ensure that they have the rights they deserve.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I’ve been fighting to strengthen our commitment to consumer protection:

• Passing the most sweeping reform of our consumer product safety laws in decades. I worked with my colleagues to draft and pass the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) to give the Consumer Product Safety Commission additional authority, resources, and staff to enforce consumer protection laws. The law contains three important provisions I wrote:
   
  • The first bans lead in children's products. Believe it or not, until the law was enacted, there had been no mandatory federal lead standard for children's products.
     
  • The second provision requires companies to stamp “batch numbers” on children’s products and their packaging, so that parents can quickly identify when products in their homes have been recalled by the government for safety reasons.
     
  • The third bans industry-paid travel by members and staff of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumers must have confidence that their consumer regulators are free of influence from the industries they supervise.
     
• Passing a new law to protect children from unsafe swimming pools. In December 2007, bipartisan legislation that I helped write to improve the safety of our nation's public swimming pools was signed into law. I took a personal interest in the issue of dangerous swimming pool drains after a horrific incident in the summer of 2007, when six-year-old Abigail Taylor of Edina, Minnesota, was severely maimed by the powerful suction of a wading pool drain. After months of surgeries and hospital care, Abigail tragically died of complications from those injuries. It turns out this was not an isolated incident. Government statistics show dozens of cases in which children were injured or trapped by the powerful suction of these pool drains. Yet legislation to correct the problem had been stalled in Congress for years. After consulting with the Taylor family and national child safety experts, I wrote two crucial amendments to the pool safety legislation that had been pending before Congress for years. One made tough new safety standards retroactive to existing pools that are intended for public use and the other required public pools with single drains to install the latest drain safety technology. Both amendments were included in the final bill. One of my proudest moments as a senator was the night I called Abigail's father, Scott Taylor, to tell him we had adopted the legislation and that the president was signing it into law.
   
• Modernizing our nation’s food safety standards. I was an original cosponsor of the bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. This law overhauls the nation’s food safety system and strengthens the FDA’s capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks of food-borne illnesses. It increased FDA inspections at all food facilities and gave the FDA the authority to order a mandatory recall of contaminated food products. The law also included a bipartisan provision I authored with former Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) that improves federal, state, and local officials’ ability to investigate outbreaks. The provision promotes a more rapid and effective national response to outbreaks of food-borne illness.
   
• Protecting consumers from toxic substances. Since I first arrived in the Senate, I have been fighting to protect Minnesotans from products that are hazardous to their health and jeopardize their safety.
   
  • Reforming our nation’s toxic chemicals policy. I cosponsored the Senate bill to update the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Signed into law in June 2016, this legislation was the first major update to our country’s primary law regulating the production and use of chemicals in four decades. I continue to support reforms that will keep our children and families safe from toxic substances while providing businesses clear standards for developing new products.
     
  • Protecting consumers from unsafe wood imports and supporting our timber producers. Along with Republican Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho, I authored the bipartisan Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Act, which was signed into law in 2009. This law protects consumers from potentially hazardous levels of formaldehyde in composite wood products and ensures that the U.S. timber industry is on a level playing field with foreign competitors.
     
  • Preventing carbon monoxide deaths. Known as the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide poisoning results in the deaths of an estimated 500 Americans each year. I have been working to strengthen standards for carbon monoxide alarms and increase safeguards for portable gas-powered generators to prevent deaths and injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning. My work on this issue has been inspired in part by Cheryl Burt of Rochester, Minnesota, whose two young sons (ages 16 months and four years) died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to a malfunctioning furnace in 1996. While this legislation passed the Senate in December 2020, it did not pass the House, and I will continue working to get it done in 2021. I am committed to ensuring that families are better protected from carbon monoxide poisoning.
     
  • Portable fuel containers. Under current safety standards, flammable or combustible liquids can ignite within their containers, causing more than 160,000 fires and injuring nearly 4,000 people each year. While flame arrestors can help prevent these accidents, there is no requirement for flame arrestors to be used in the types of containers found in most homes, schools, and campsites. I introduced the bipartisan Portable Fuel Container Safety Act with Senator Jerry Moran to direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to make sure that all consumer portable fuel containers have flame arrestors. Our bill was signed into law in December 2020.
     
• Protecting children from unsafe products. As a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security, I have consistently fought to protect consumers, especially children, from unsafe products.
   
  • IKEA recall. In February 2016, Ted McGee, a 22-month-old from Apple Valley, Minnesota, was killed by a falling IKEA Malm dresser. That same model dresser had previously killed or injured other children after tipping over, but IKEA was still selling the dressers and there was little information available about the danger. I urged the CPSC and IKEA to take strong and definitive action to prevent future injuries and deaths from tip-overs of the Malm dresser. CPSC and IKEA later announced the largest furniture recall in U.S. history, agreed to stop sales of the dresser, and offered a full refund to consumers who had purchased Malm dressers. Following reports of the eighth death from a Malm tip-over in 2017, I renewed calls to the CPSC and IKEA to take action to protect children from dangerous furniture, and in November 2017, CPSC and IKEA relaunched the dresser recall.
     
  • Window blinds. According to data from the CPSC, nearly every month a child dies after becoming tangled in an exposed window cord. I pushed the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) to take advantage of new technologies and implement the strongest possible child safety protections. In June 2016, WCMA announced that it would update the voluntary safety standard for window coverings to eliminate exposed cords from virtually all window coverings and improve safety for children.
     
  • Baby food. A February 2021 report released by the House Oversight Committee found that baby food produced by top brands contained dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals. Since consumption of these toxic heavy metals can have lifelong impacts on a baby’s health and neurological development, I worked to introduce legislation in March 2021 that would put standards and timelines in place to make sure baby food is free from these toxic heavy metals and pushed the FDA to take steps to address these toxic heavy metals through enforcement of existing authorities and implementation of new rules.
     
• Protecting consumers from accidental injuries and death during the coronavirus pandemic. I introduced the bipartisan COVID-19 Home Safety Act with Senator Moran to protect consumers from injuries and deaths related to consumer products during the coronavirus pandemic. Reports indicated that pediatricians and emergency room doctors had seen an increase in patients seeking treatment for home injuries, such as broken bones on bikes and trampolines as well as accidental hand sanitizer poisoning in children. This legislation will help protect our children, seniors, and other vulnerable populations from injuries and deaths caused by consumer products during and after the pandemic. While our bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee in November 2020, we are continuing to work to get it signed into law.
   
• Putting Main Street ahead of Wall Street. In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008 that cost millions of Americans their jobs, homes, and savings, I fought for comprehensive reform in the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. This bill contained a number of provisions designed to protect consumers and restore transparency. Those measures included efforts to monitor and address systemic risk, increase accountability at financial firms, and reform the complex derivatives markets. To shield consumers from unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices, the bill created the independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The final bill also included two amendments I co-authored to protect homebuyers from predatory lending practices, and to preserve the Federal Reserve’s authority to supervise community banks to ensure that the institution charged with our nation’s monetary policy has a connection to Main Street.
   
• Reining in financial recklessness. We need to be vigilant to make sure that markets are working for consumers, not against them. This is particularly important during times of crisis when some have sought to take advantage of consumers by charging excessive prices for everyday products that people need. Soon after we started seeing this type of price gouging during the coronavirus pandemic, I introduced a bill with Senators Blumenthal, Hirono, and Cortez Masto to prohibit these practices and help ensure that people are not taken advantage of during emergencies. I have also called on the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to ensure that they are doing everything in their power under existing law to stop unconscionable price gouging during the pandemic. In addition, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and I have worked together to highlight the need to protect consumers from price gouging during this public health crisis.
   
• Internet and telecommunications consumer protections. As a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, I have been leading the fight to protect consumers’ online privacy and rights, especially against fraud and online content that can lead to real-world harm.
   
  • Enhancing online consumer privacy and cybersecurity. Companies continue to profit off of the personal data they collect from Americans, but they leave consumers completely in the dark about how their personal information is being used. Consumers have a right to know if their personal data is being sold and to easily see what data has already been distributed. That’s why I introduced comprehensive privacy legislation with Senators Cantwell, Schatz, and Markey to establish digital rules of the road for companies, ensure that consumers have the right to access and control how their personal data is being used, and give the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general the tools they need to hold Big Tech companies accountable. I have also introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana to protect the privacy of consumers’ online data by ensuring that companies use plain language to explain to consumers how their data is being used, allowing consumers to opt out of certain data tracking and collection, and requiring companies to notify consumers of privacy violations within 72 hours of a breach. In addition, I have worked to provide the Department of Defense, intelligence community, and our law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to strengthen our cybersecurity and have called on investigations of breaches to ensure that we have the information we need to protect consumers from future breaches. After receiving alarming reports that our federal government websites were rendered unsecure during the 2019 government shutdown, I called on the White House to make sure that our federal government websites and online infrastructure remain secure in the event of a future shutdown or appropriations lapse. I will continue to advocate for measures that ensure consumer confidence in online privacy and the security of information.
     
  • Ensuring equal access to the internet. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted strong net neutrality rules based on Title II of the Communications Act, allowing people to share and access the internet without interference. These critical protections give our small businesses and entrepreneurs equal access to set up their businesses and compete online, and they give consumers equal access to online markets regardless of where they live. Despite the millions of comments from the American people asking the FCC to protect an open and fair internet, the FCC voted in December of 2017 to end net neutrality protections. This means that internet service providers could block, slow, and prioritize online traffic. I will continue to fight to protect net neutrality rules and have joined legislation to reinstate them.
     
  • Protecting wireless consumers. I introduced the Wireless Consumer Choice Act to require carriers to unlock mobile devices for consumers so that they can switch networks and carriers if they choose and take their device with them. I also introduced the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act to help cell phone customers make informed choices about wireless service that best fits their budget. This includes requiring cell phone companies to prorate early termination fees so that consumers have greater freedom to change companies. I’ve called on the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on deceptive billing practices, such as “cramming,” in both landline and wireless bills, and I have also cosponsored legislation to address these practices. In addition, I introduced the Smartphone Theft Prevention Act, which would require the wireless industry to move forward with installing “kill switch” technology on all smartphones that will protect consumer data on the phone and allow consumers to render the device inoperable if the phone is stolen. In response to this bill, many wireless carriers and manufacturers have made kill switch technology available.
     
  • Improving rural service. To combat persistent phone call completion problems in rural areas, I introduced the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act. This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish basic quality standards for providers that transmit voice calls to help ensure that businesses, families, and emergency responders can count on phone calls being completed. This bill was signed into law in 2018.
     
  • Stopping online fraud. Online booking sites have created a marketplace where consumers can shop for hotels across thousands of brands on a single platform. While online travel agencies serve an important role in promoting consumer choice and competition for hotel and airline bookings, the rise of online booking has brought with it an increase in online booking scams. For example, some fraudulent websites give the appearance of being connected to a hotel, but actually have no relationship with them. Transactions on these sites can result in unnecessarily complicated travel itineraries, incorrect travel information, and hidden fees. That’s why I joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce the Stop Online Booking Scams Act. This bill would protect consumers from illegitimate third-party websites that trick consumers into thinking they are making reservations directly with hotels. I also worked to include an amendment in the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, which was signed into law in October 2018, requiring increased disclosures from online travel agencies. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, I will continue to be a leader in the fight to protect consumers from deceptive practices by fraudulent online travel booking websites.
     
  • Preventing ticket fraud and protecting competition in ticketing. While the event ticket marketplace has grown more sophisticated through the use of secure online distribution channels and ticket technology, many ticket buyers can still be victims of fraud. That’s why I cosponsored the bipartisan Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act, signed into law in December 2016. The law prohibits the use of ticket bots and other online measures to deliberately circumvent security protocols that limit or restrict online ticket purchases. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I will continue to be a leader in protecting consumers from ticket bots. I also called on the Justice Department to investigate the state of competition in the online ticketing marketplace following reports that Live Nation was not complying with the consent decree that allowed it to merge with Ticketmaster. After I and others raised these concerns, the Department went to court to force Live Nation to extend the terms of the decree for an additional five and a half years and to impose additional monitoring requirements and penalty provisions to prevent future noncompliance. This was a victory for ticketing competition and consumers.
     
  • Inappropriate content. I introduced the PROTECT Our Children Act with a bipartisan group of senators to reauthorize the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, a national network of coordinated task forces representing 3,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies that combat technology-facilitated child exploitation across the country. That legislation was signed into law in November 2017. I also cosponsored the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, which was passed into law to help parents protect their children from inappropriate website content. It requires the Federal Trade Commission to implement a national educational campaign to promote the safe use of the internet by children and directs the U.S. Commerce Department to create a private-sector working group to evaluate industry efforts to promote online safety. In addition, I support V-Chip, internet filters, and other new technologies that give parents greater control over what their kids see on television and what they can do on the internet. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee, I will continue to fight for additional protections to safeguard children against online predators. I am also working to hold Big Tech companies accountable for inappropriate content that can lead to real-life effects on our safety and civil rights, as well as on our democracy, while also ensuring that freedom of speech is maintained and innovation can flourish. That’s why I was a cosponsor of the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), signed into law in 2018, to help stop online sex trafficking and provide justice to victims. This Congress, I joined Senators Warner, Hirono, and Kaine in introducing the Safeguarding Against Fraud, Exploitation, Threats, Extremism and Consumer Harms (SAFE TECH) Act to require social media companies to be held accountable for enabling cyberstalking and civil rights violations, targeted harassment, and discrimination on their platforms. I will continue working to ensure that we hold these Big Tech companies accountable for the content that can lead to real-world harm.
     
• Protecting consumer transportation. As a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports and the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation, I have worked to improve transportation and vehicle safety, protect consumers against vehicle fraud, and ensure the data privacy of drivers.
   
  • Improving vehicle safety. Vehicle safety recalls involving General Motors (GM) and the Takata Corporation weaken the American public’s trust in the safety of vehicles. We must ensure that vehicle safety defect complaints from consumers are thoroughly investigated and that recalls are issued promptly and widely when necessary. Americans deserve to be informed immediately when a vehicle safety defect is discovered. That is why I cosponsored the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act, which would encourage employees from the automotive sector to voluntarily provide information about safety defects to the U.S. Department of Transportation so that defects can be identified sooner and lives can be saved. We have a responsibility to protect public safety, and to do that we must restore the public’s trust in automakers and their suppliers.
     
  • Protecting passengers from recalled vehicles. Following the release of a report finding that 1 out of 6 vehicles registered to Uber and Lyft drivers have at least one unfixed safety recall often including defective airbags, I led a letter in June 2019 pressing the CEOs of Uber and Lyft for information over the continued use of vehicles with open safety recalls. In September 2019, I urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to take action to help ensure that American drivers and passengers are informed about Uber and Lyft drivers transporting customers with open safety recalls. In February, I introduced the Safe RIDE Act with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut to require the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), in consultation with NHTSA, to conduct a comprehensive study on the Uber and Lyft vehicles with open safety recalls and to report on ways to make recall notices more effective and easier for all consumers to understand. I will continue working to make sure this important legislation is signed into law.
     
  • Protecting automobile consumers from fraud. Volkswagen willfully deceived regulators and the public to artificially lower emissions of its 2009-2015 Volkswagen and Audi diesel vehicles. Volkswagen installed a “defeat device” on nearly 500,000 of these vehicles that hid levels of nitrogen oxides as high as 40 times that of allowable U.S. emissions standards. Volkswagen’s misrepresentations, which harmed public health, polluted our air, and deceived American consumers, demanded a quick response. First, I urged the company to issue a recall that was comprehensive and covered all affected models and years, execute a robust public awareness campaign, and develop a process through which customers could be compensated for the costs of reduced fuel economy and lower resale values. Second, I took to the Senate floor to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to explain why its emission standards approval process did not detect this deceptive software. After my call to action, the EPA announced changes to its diesel emissions testing process to make them more foolproof. Third, along with Senator Blumenthal, I called on the Department of Justice to hold Volkswagen responsible for its dishonest conduct. Volkswagen ultimately paid $14.7 billion to compensate consumers and to address the pollution caused by its vehicles.
     
  • Protecting drivers’ privacy. I authored the Driver Privacy Act in 2014 and 2015 along with Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota to make clear that the owner of the vehicle is the rightful owner of the data collected by a vehicle’s event data recorder (EDR). An EDR temporarily stores data from the vehicle’s safety systems following a crash. While EDRs provide important data that can be used to better protect passengers, we need to ensure consumers’ privacy is being protected. The Driver Privacy Act was included in the long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill that was passed into law in December 2015.
     
  • Strengthening aviation safety standards. After two deadly crashes of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft killed 346 people, including one man from St. Cloud, Minnesota, I cosponsored legislation with my colleagues to prohibit aircraft manufacturers like Boeing from charging airlines additional fees for safety-enhancing equipment. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I also questioned senior Boeing officials about the crashes and the issues that must be addressed in the commercial aviation industry to prevent more tragedies in the future. I also introduced the bipartisan Aviation Safety Enhancement Act to toughen airline safety rules and to bring an end to the cozy relationship that has developed between airlines and some federal regulators. A number of the important provisions from this bill were included in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act signed into law in February 2012. With the support of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, I have also pushed the Federal Aviation Administration to issue much-needed updates to airline safety standards to combat pilot fatigue. Updated standards went into effect in January 2014 for passenger pilots, and I’m pushing to ensure the same standards are put in place for cargo pilots as well.
     
  • Implementing a passenger bill of rights. I was a cosponsor of the Passenger Bill of Rights, which requires airlines to provide passengers with food, water, and adequate restrooms during a tarmac delay. This bill was signed into law as a part of the 2012 FAA Reauthorization Act. The law also set a limit of three hours for how long a plane can sit on the ground with passengers aboard. In response to this legislation, the Department of Transportation put in place rules in 2010 that limit tarmac delays to three hours. The new rules have led to a dramatic decrease in tarmac delays – in the first year after the three-hour rule went into effect, there were only 20 tarmac delays longer than three hours and none were longer than four hours, compared to over 500 delays of at least three hours in June through August of 2009. In October 2016, the Department of Transportation announced actions to protect air travelers. These new actions built on previous efforts like the Passenger Bill of Rights and will help ensure that consumers have access to more accurate information so they can make informed decisions when choosing a flight. These actions also expand other consumer protections, including passenger refunds for delayed baggage.

Immigration

Since our state’s earliest days, immigration has kept Minnesota strong and competitive. From our Scandinavian and German roots, to our Slovenians, Croatians, and Serbs on the Iron Range, to our Liberian, Hmong, Somali, and Oromo communities, our state’s heritage is filled with immigrants working on the front lines, starting companies, and expanding economic opportunity for all of us.

Some of Minnesota’s most successful companies were founded and are led by immigrants and children of immigrants. Minnesota’s story is also America’s story. More than 25 percent of U.S. Nobel Laureates were born abroad, and 70 of America’s Fortune 500 companies were started by people born in other countries. In an increasingly global economy, immigrants continue to be a major economic driver in our economy.

Immigrant families don’t diminish America, they define America. They strengthen America. They are America. While securing our borders is always a priority, we cannot afford to shut out the world’s talent or drive away those who call our country home—including immigrants who are now working as health care professionals and other front-line employees, often in rural and underserved urban areas. We don’t know who will create the next pacemaker or Post-it Note. But we do know one thing: when they do, we want them doing it here in America.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Finding solutions to reform our immigration system. I have continued to work in a bipartisan fashion on comprehensive immigration reform, which is crucial to moving our country and our economy forward. It is one of my top priorities. When I first got to the Senate in 2007, Senator Ted Kennedy asked Senator Whitehouse and me to be members of the immigration reform working group, and I was proud to work with then-Senator Kennedy on that bipartisan effort with the Bush Administration. Unfortunately, despite much effort, the compromise bill did not pass the Senate. And, years later, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, I was part of the successful effort to pass the 2013 bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate that included a pathway to citizenship, prioritized enforcement of existing laws, addressed border security, and reformed our visa system. It also included the DREAM Act. The bill would have decreased the deficit by $158 billion over 10 years. In the end, despite President Obama’s support, the Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill was not allowed a vote in the then-Republican House.
  
  President Biden has made passing comprehensive immigration reform a priority, and I hope we will use this opportunity to finally get it done. That’s why, in February 2021, I joined Senators Menendez, Padilla, Luján, Hirono, and Booker in introducing the U.S. Citizenship Act, a comprehensive immigration bill that affirms our values and strengthens our economy by providing a pathway to citizenship, equips law enforcement with smart and effective investments to effectively manage the border, addresses the root causes of migration, and supports refugees and asylum seekers.
   
• Treating immigrants, including DREAMers, with fairness and compassion. I will continue to seek solutions—particularly for people who know no other home. I have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce bipartisan legislation to protect DREAMers. In Minnesota, we are proud to be the home of more than 5,000 DREAMers, who have already passed background checks, paid fees, and met educational requirements so that they can stay here in the United States, pay taxes, serve in the military, and contribute to their communities.
  
  Since my first year in the Senate, I’ve worked to extend protections for Liberian immigrants in the United States, and in December 2019, legislation that I long supported to allow eligible Liberians on Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status to apply for permanent residency and provide them with a path to citizenship became law. While I support border security, I have opposed attempts to build a border wall. I also believe that there should be humane conditions for immigrants who are held at border crossings and support ending the use of for-profit immigration detention facilities. During the Trump Administration, I worked with a bipartisan group of many Republicans and Democrats to pass a version of the DREAM Act to solve the issues of people living in our country on deferred status and provide additional funding for border security. Unfortunately for our immigrants and our entire country, the Trump Administration rejected it.
   
• Welcoming refugees fleeing violence. Minnesota has a proud history of welcoming those fleeing wars and repression, with the largest Somali population in the country as well as Liberians, Hmong, and Oromos. I have visited refugee camps and heard from men, women, and children who have witnessed atrocities that, in the words of one refugee, would “make stones cry.” The United States must maintain our country’s leadership in providing refuge for people in need. Our strength and vitality come from the diversity of our people. That’s true in Minnesota and it’s true across this country.
  
  In the Senate, I cosponsored legislation to maintain our country’s leadership in providing refuge for people in crisis by reversing the Trump Administration’s dramatic reduction in the refugee admissions cap, while also maintaining thorough vetting and strong national security measures. I have also cosponsored legislation to allow qualified Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure recipients to apply for legal permanent residency so they do not have to fear being sent back to a country they no longer call home. In 2018, Refugee International presented our office with the Congressional Leadership Award for our work to support refugee communities.
   
• Supporting immigrant-owned businesses. About one in four of our country’s small businesses are started by immigrants. We must invest in the economic well-being of our immigrant communities, and I have long supported increasing funding for small lenders and community-based financial institutions that serve the needs of underserved small businesses—including immigrant-owned businesses. During the coronavirus pandemic, many immigrant-owned businesses, especially those in historically underserved communities, have faced unnecessary hurdles in accessing funding from the Small Business Administration’s emergency lending programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. This is unacceptable, and I worked to ensure that the relief measures that became law in April 2020, December 2020, and March 2021 included dedicated funding for small banks, credit unions, and community lenders that serve businesses in minority communities and other underserved areas. We must do more to overcome historic disenfranchisement by considering the needs of minority communities.
   
• Protecting immigrant victims of domestic violence. When the Senate was considering comprehensive immigration reform, I took the lead in ensuring that the bill included provisions to help protect immigrant victims of domestic violence by allowing women in the U.S. with spouses on temporary visas to petition for independent immigration status—encouraging them to come forward and receive the assistance they need. No one should be forced to remain in an abusive relationship due to fear of losing their legal status.
  
  Although the 2013 Senate-passed comprehensive immigration reform bill was not allowed a vote in the House, I have continued to work to protect immigrant victims of domestic violence, and I have introduced legislation to allow immigrants facing domestic abuse with spouses on a temporary visa to apply for independent immigration status. And as victims of domestic abuse have been at heightened risk during the coronavirus pandemic, I have worked to ensure that immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other serious crimes continue to have access to programs through which they can obtain legal status independent of their abusers.
   
• Helping immigrant doctors to practice in areas of need. For years I have led bipartisan legislation to extend the Conrad 30 program, which allows international doctors trained in the United States to remain in the country if they practice in underserved areas, which is particularly important as these areas confront the coronavirus pandemic. Over the last 15 years, the program has brought more than 15,000 doctors to underserved areas, including many rural areas that are short on doctors and rely on the program to fill the gaps. During the coronavirus pandemic, I successfully pressed the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to waive certain restrictions that prevent doctors in the Conrad 30 program from providing medical care at locations where help is needed.
   
• Supporting families and children through adoption. Like so many Minnesotans, I share the belief that every child should have a safe home and a loving family. As county attorney and now as the Senate co-chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I have worked to expedite adoptions and assist families who are adopting children. Minnesota has a strong tradition of welcoming children from around the world and holds one of the highest per capita rates of international adoption. International adoptions should be as straightforward and affordable as possible for American families. That’s why I supported the American Taxpayer Relief Act in 2013, which made the adoption tax credit permanent, and now cosponsor the Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act to make this tax credit fully refundable. In addition, we must ensure that adoptive families—regardless of whether they are adopting here at home or internationally—have the full support and services they may need throughout the adoption process.
  
  In addition, I authored the bipartisan Accuracy for Adoptees Act, signed into law by President Obama in early 2014, which cuts red tape for adoptive families and ensures that corrections made to adoptees’ birth certificates by state courts would be recognized by the federal government. I also authored and passed the International Adoption Simplification Act to help siblings stay together during an international adoption and protect adoptees from unsafe immunizations in foreign countries. Finally, I introduced the bipartisan Intercountry Adoption Advisory Committee Act with Senator Blunt of Missouri to establish an advisory committee at the Department of State to develop recommendations to improve the intercountry adoption process.
   
• Uniting children with families. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Minnesota families who had pending Haitian adoptions began contacting my office for help bringing their children home. Over the course of approximately two months following the earthquake, my office worked with 25 families to help unite 39 Haitian children with their new families in Minnesota. I have also worked to help families impacted by the Russian government’s ban on American adoption of Russian children and called on the Russian government to allow for the completion of adoption cases that were initiated prior to the ban.

Competition Policy

To ensure a future of shared prosperity for consumers, workers, and businesses large and small, America must guarantee open and fair competition. Our history shows that competitive markets support business growth, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit, leaving room for small, independent businesses to flourish alongside larger corporations. Competition means that businesses offer high-quality products and services at fair market prices. It helps workers get fairer wages and better working conditions. And competitive markets encourage start-ups and business creation, while forcing existing companies to innovate and become more efficient. When businesses and entrepreneurs can freely compete, our economy grows stronger.

Unfortunately, America has a major monopoly and competition problem. In fact, two-thirds of U.S. industries became more concentrated between 1997 and 2012. This is a problem that touches the lives of every American and affects our entire economy, with market concentration having increased in various industries from pharmaceuticals to big tech, agriculture to telecommunications. Reduced competition can mean higher prices, lower product and service quality, depressed wages, and less innovation for millions of American consumers and workers. This can have an especially devastating impact during times of economic uncertainty. It is a problem that we can no longer afford to ignore.

To ensure our future economic prosperity, America must confront its monopoly power problem and restore competitive markets. That means we need more effective congressional oversight to promote vigorous antitrust enforcement, while giving federal enforcers the resources and tools they need. And we must update our antitrust laws for the twenty-first century to protect the competitive markets that are the lifeblood of our economy.

We don’t have to choose between having successful American companies and having effective antitrust enforcement. We can, and must, have both. Strong competition policy is necessary to build a vibrant economy that works for consumers, for workers, for entrepreneurs, for local communities, and for companies, large and small.

As Minnesota’s U.S. senator, I will continue to focus on these priorities:

• Effective oversight over enforcement of the antitrust laws. During my time as Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate’s Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights Subcommittee, I have worked to ensure that the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission actively enforce the antitrust laws and protect consumers and our national economy against excessive consolidation and harmful anticompetitive conduct. I successfully worked with Senator Mike Lee of Utah in a bipartisan effort to push the Department of Justice to ensure that consumers could access video content over the internet as a condition of the Department’s review of Charter Communications’ acquisition of Time-Warner Cable. After Senator Lee and I raised concerns that Canadian Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern could harm small shippers, Canadian Pacific abandoned the transaction. For years, I also led calls for investigations into the business practices of the Big Tech companies, and I strongly support the federal and state antitrust lawsuits against Google and Facebook. And to protect consumers and the American economy during the pandemic, I pushed the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to vigorously enforce existing antitrust laws. With hundreds of thousands of small businesses shut down, the pandemic was a time to increase antitrust enforcement, not relax it.
   
• Funding effective enforcement. Antitrust laws provide the first line of defense against mergers and transactions that harm consumers and competition. The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission enforce those laws, but they need the tools to meet today’s challenges. Our competition enforcers don’t have enough resources to effectively take on multi-billion dollar—much less trillion-dollar—companies. That’s why I introduced the bipartisan Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act with Senator Grassley, which increases the filing fees for the biggest mergers and provides additional resources for the antitrust agencies that have been underfunded for years. In addition, I introduced the Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act, which resets the funding level for antitrust enforcement and enables the antitrust agencies to fully meet their obligations to protect competition and American consumers in the twenty-first century economy.
   
• Updating the antitrust laws to protect and foster competitive markets. As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, I am working to restore the original purpose of our antitrust laws: promote competition and protect American consumers. With rapid consolidation and anticompetitive practices across a broad spectrum of industries, we need to update America’s antitrust laws for our modern economy and crack down on anticompetitive mergers and conduct. That’s why, in February 2021, I introduced the Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act to give federal enforcers the resources they need to do their jobs, strengthen prohibitions on anticompetitive conduct and mergers, and make additional reforms to improve enforcement. It also improves the agencies’ ability to assess the impact of merger settlements, creates a new division at the Federal Trade Commission to look back at old mergers, and requires in-depth studies of new issues. The bill’s broad range of reforms will improve antitrust enforcement and strengthen our nation’s economy.
   
  • Preventing harmful consolidation. Consolidation within an industry can stifle competition, increase consumer prices, reduce employment options for workers, and reduce incentives to innovate and start new businesses. The American economy is currently experiencing a wave of consolidation across many of our industries, including telecommunications, airlines, beer, agriculture, hospitals and many more. The Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act restores the original purpose of the Clayton Antitrust Act to prevent the harms that excessive consolidation can inflict on competition and consumers. It updates the legal standard to strengthen enforcers’ ability to prevent mergers that risk harming competition or are likely to create a monopoly or a monopsony. In addition, the legislation shifts the legal burden from enforcers to the merging companies for certain categories of mergers that pose significant risks to competition, including mergers that significantly increase market concentration, acquisitions by dominant companies of competitors, and the largest mega-mergers. The merging company would then have to prove that the merger does not create an appreciable risk of materially lessening competition or tend to create a monopoly or monopsony.
     
  • Combating anticompetitive business practices. American antitrust law enforcement efforts against powerful companies have lagged behind steps taken by other countries. Harmful exclusionary practices by dominant companies—like refusing to deal with rivals, restrictive contracting, and predatory pricing—reduce competition and harm consumers, workers, and businesses. For decades, courts have also interpreted our antitrust laws in ways that restrict the steps enforcers can take to limit this kind of conduct in our economy. The Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act prohibits conduct that disadvantages competitors or limits their opportunity to compete, which presents a risk of harming competition. Anticompetitive companies need to be put on notice that there will be serious financial consequences for harmful anticompetitive behavior. That is why my legislation gives the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission the authority to seek civil penalties for anticompetitive exclusionary conduct offenses under the antitrust laws, a power they currently do not have. These proposals will increase the ability of federal enforcers to deter large companies from leveraging their power over markets to hurt competition, consumers, and innovation in our economy.
     
• Addressing competition issues in key industries. I continue to work to keep our markets competitive so that consumers, small businesses, and workers benefit and not monopolies. We are seeing industry consolidation across much of our economy. We see it in agriculture and health care and in online travel--where consumers see many travel sites without realizing that most of them are owned by two companies. We see it in everything from cat food to caskets.
   
  • Big Tech. Although consumers and businesses use many of the products and services provided by large technology companies, the size and rapid growth of these companies has given them unprecedented control over our personal data and market power. We see this in advertising, e-commerce, mobile applications and operating systems, and many others. Many of these companies have also leveraged their wealth to buy out emerging competitors before they become real threats. They have also used their power to limit the ability of rivals to compete. My Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act enhances the ability of competition enforcers to hold these technology companies accountable. As news publishers are being crushed by big digital platforms, we must give them the tools needed to collectively negotiate. My bipartisan legislation with Senator Kennedy, the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act, will benefit the entire news industry by leveling the playing field so that local media outlets can negotiate fair treatment, and it will reinvigorate the free and independent press that serves our local communities and plays a vital role in our democracy.
     
  • Pharmaceuticals. Competition guarantees that consumers pay fair prices, while driving product improvements and innovation. This is especially true in prescription drug markets. Over the years, however, large branded pharmaceutical companies have come up with a number of strategies to delay competition and keep drug prices sky high. When companies do not play by the rules, consumers pay the price. With Senator Grassley, I called on the Federal Trade Commission to stop anticompetitive actions in the pharmaceutical industry that raise prescription drug costs. Together, we introduced the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act to help end the practice of brand-name drug manufacturers paying off their less-expensive generic competitors to stay out of the market. We introduced the Stop STALLING Act to increase access to affordable prescription drugs by reducing the incentives for large pharmaceutical companies to file sham petitions with the Food and Drug Administration that interfere with the approval of generics drugs. These bills would save consumers and the government hundreds of millions of dollars. With a bipartisan group of senators, I also introduced the CREATES Act, which became law in December 2019, to end tactics that some brand-name companies use to prevent generic drug manufacturers from being able to receive approval for their products and compete in the market.

Ethics and Democracy

I believe ethics is something that must be woven into the very fabric of our government. Ethics goes to the heart of our American democracy - to the public trust and respect that is essential to the health of our Constitutional system.