Media

I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of former U.S. Senator Rod Grams who represented Minnesota from 1995 to 2001. He had previously been elected to the U.S. House in 1992 where he served one term. Senator Grams passed away last night at home in Crown, MN. He was 65 years old.

Senator Grams was a Republican who fought hard for the issues he believed in and worked to find common ground on issues that concerned Minnesotans. Before entering politics Sen. Grams was a well known television newscaster in the Twin Cities. I remember watching him frequently.

I rise today in honor of the Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the celebration of its 25^th Anniversary. On behalf of the Fourth Congressional District of Minnesota, and the thousands of families, individuals, businesses, and residents that Twin Cities LISC has supported throughout the years, I am proud to offer congratulations on this milestone.

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Good morning. It is my honor to be here today to support the “Change the Mascot” campaign. Let me thank Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Indian Nation for his leadership and the tremendous effort put forth by his community.

Last night, this Congress rejected this Republican piecemeal approach. But here we go again. It is clear that the GOP don’t have a coherent solution to the shutdown crisis they’ve created.

Mr. Speaker, I oppose this new Republican scheme. Selecting random government agencies, programs, and museums to fund while the rest of the federal government languishes in a shutdown is simply irresponsible. The Majority is making a desperate attempt to create a distraction so they are not held accountable for their actions. Congress needs to fund the entire federal government with a clean continuing resolution and end this reckless GOP shutdown.