Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Professor Gregory Lawrence Kaster. Professor Kaster was a beloved educator and community member, who left an indelible mark on all who knew him.

A Chicago Native, Professor Kaster attended Northern Illinois University in Park Forest, Illinois to earn his Bachelor of Arts and Master's degrees, then earned his doctorate from Boston University. While there he met his best friend and soon to be wife, Kate Wittenstein, with whom he would have celebrated 40 years of marriage this fall.

Greg and Kate had a shared passion for Liberal Arts and lifelong dedication to making the world a better place. In 1986, they both became professors in the History Department at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Together they helped to develop the History Department into what it is today, and Professor Kaster would teach there for the rest of his life.

Professor Kaster had many teaching and research interests, including the history of labor, the 1960s, masculinity in America, abolitionism, the Civil War, dissent, and many more. In 2018, he received the Edgar M. Carlson Award--the College's highest teaching honor. He was also the inaugural holder of the

James and Patricia McPherson Endowed Professor of American History position from 2019 to 2023. Throughout his distinguished tenure, he was known as a trusted advocate, mentor, and friend to students and faculty alike.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Professor Kaster. His powerful legacy will live on through his loved ones and the generations of students whose lives he touched.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the remarkable achievement of the Northside Economic Opportunity Network as they break ground on their Food Entrepreneur Collective Kitchen.

NEON is an invaluable nonprofit in my district that fosters local entrepreneurship to help open and support small businesses in North Minneapolis.

North Minneapolis is a vibrant, diverse community full of drive and creativity--including aspiring small business owners striving to serve their neighborhoods. Due to historic disinvestment, it is also one of the Nation's most severe food deserts. NEON's transformative project will help to address both concerns.

Almost half of NEON's 1,000+ clients are food entrepreneurs, each of whom face the significant barrier of the Northside's lack of a commercial kitchen to grow their business. Thanks to NEON, this will no longer be the case. Their Food Business Incubator will be more than a commercial kitchen--it will provide an innovative, collaborative venue for these Northside entrepreneurs to start, thrive, and grow their business ventures. And, it will create an environment for a new generation of Northside entrepreneurs to give back to their community.

Team NEON, under Warren McLean's steadfast leadership, has worked tirelessly to make the dream of this Northside commercial kitchen a reality. I am immensely proud to have played a role in this amazing project by providing my first Community Project Funding award for $1,000,000 for this project. Ever since, NEON has been a shining example of what these awards can accomplish and their immeasurable impact on our community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating NEON on this momentous occasion. Congratulations to Team NEON.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the exceptional achievement of the Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) as they commemorate fifty years of serving our community.

Founded in 1974, the Golden Valley Historical Society has tirelessly worked to find, preserve, and disseminate historical knowledge about the city of Golden Valley, Minnesota. The GVHS has dedicated countless hours to collecting oral and video histories, photographs, and three- dimensional objects in pursuit of this mission.

In 1997, the GVHS acquired Golden Valley's oldest church as a permanent home and collections repository. This site has become a vital gathering place for the community of Golden Valley.

The City of Golden Valley has issued a proclamation recognizing Saturday, September 14th as ``Golden Valley Historical Society Day.'' I am proud to join the city in recognizing the Golden Valley Historical Society for providing this essential service to our community for the past 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the remarkable career of Stella Whitney-West, who is retiring after 17 years as the CEO of NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis.

NorthPoint, one of my district's federally qualified health centers, serves thousands of my constituents every single year. It was the first FQHC to be designated as a health care home by the Minnesota Department of Public Health.

NorthPoint's role in serving our community during the COVID-19 pandemic was immeasurable, not only providing critical care and information but also access to countless other resources like food and housing support.

The positive impact that NorthPoint has had on my district cannot be overstated, and it is all due to Stella Whitney-West's incredible leadership. While Ms. Whitney-West will be truly missed at NorthPoint, the strong foundation she leaves will have a positive impact on the generations to come. Her dedication to public health is invaluable. Her life's work serving others has made Minneapolis a healthier and more equitable place for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to honor and thank Stella Whitney- West for her distinguished career and faithful service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, 2 years ago, we passed the PACT Act, one of the most consequential pieces of legislation to address the severe health problems that so many of our veterans who served our great country are facing. I thank my colleague, Congressman Mark Takano, for his leadership in getting this bill across the finish line.

This bill has made it easier for veterans and their families to get the relief and the care they deserve.

I have heard from so many Minnesotans on how life-changing this legislation has been, from Brian who lost his wife to pancreatic cancer to Andrew who lost his brother to leukemia and to Amanda whose husband Rafael was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer and is now getting the treatment he deserves because of the PACT Act.

All of the family members and veterans I have met with know this bill could have been a game changer for them, their loved one, or just how crucial it is to help the next veteran.

Whether it was Agent Orange in Vietnam or exposure to toxic waters at Camp Lejeune or burn pits and other toxic exposures in Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a part of our military's history and legacy. I am glad we are finally addressing it in the most comprehensive way it deserves.

While I am grateful this program has been enacted to provide veterans and their loved ones with the care and benefits they have earned and deserve, only a small percentage of Minnesotans are taking advantage of this program. Less than 10,000 veterans out of more than 100,000 veterans in Minnesota who qualify under this program have enrolled. It is crucial that we continue to get the word out about this lifesaving program.

Mr. Speaker, to see if you or someone you know qualifies, please go to va.gov/pact.

I will not stop fighting until every one of my constituents who is eligible receives the care they deserve, and I will keep advocating for crucial reforms to stop future servicemen and -women from experiencing the same hardships, because when we ask young people to serve our country in uniform, we should not also be asking them to expose their bodies to toxins and to live with the consequences of those toxins for the rest of their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the remarkable career and leadership of Stella Whitney-West, who is retiring after 17 years as Chief Executive Officer of NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis.

NorthPoint, one of my district's Federally Qualified Health Centers, serves thousands of my constituents every year, Federally Qualified Health Centers make up the fabric of our country's health safety net-- and Ms. Whitney-West's leadership has been instrumental in making NorthPoint a shining example of the FQHC model. In fact, it should be noted that NorthPoint was the first FQHC to be designated as a Health Care Home by the Minnesota Department of Public Health. Ms. Whitney- West began her career at NorthPoint as Chief Operating Officer in 2004. When she became the Chief Executive Officer in 2007, she led NorthPoint through a transitional time of several renovations and expansions to better serve our community. Throughout Ms. Whitney-West's tenure, she and her staff have prioritized fostering partnerships with other organizations throughout the city to expand their reach of care. NorthPoint's role in serving our community during the COVID-19 pandemic is immeasurable. Under Ms. Whitney-West's steadfast leadership, NorthPoint was a cornerstone of health and wellness for those who needed it most; not only by providing critical care and information, but also access to countless other resources like food and housing support. The positive impact that NorthPoint has on my district cannot be overstated, and it is thanks in large part to Stella Whitney-West's incredible leadership.

Ms. Whitney-West has spent the last 20 years at NorthPoint deeply committed to improving the lives of those in and around Minneapolis. She has also served on the boards of Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers, and the African American Leadership Forum. While Ms. Whitney-West will be truly missed at NorthPoint, I am sure that the strong foundation she built will ensure NorthPoint's long-term success and positive role in our community for generations to come. Ms. Whitney-West's leadership and dedication to public health is invaluable--her life's work serving others has made Minneapolis a healthier, more equitable place for all.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to honor and thank Stella Whitney-West for her distinguished career and faithful service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of 36-year-old Minneapolis Police Officer, Jamal Mitchell, who was killed in the line of duty in Minneapolis on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Officer Jamal Mitchell joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 2022. Those who knew Officer Mitchell saw him as a community leader, a changemaker and a peacekeeper.

Officer Jamal Mitchell will be remembered for his compassion, bravery, and love of people. His courageous efforts were apparent early on when he saved an elderly couple from a burning home.

Officer Mitchell showed up to work every day to help keep our communities safe. He was known to have a big heart and chose to use his love of people to help strengthen our communities and support young people. Even as a police officer, Officer Mitchell found time to give back to the community by helping coach first- and second-grade boys' basketball teams.

Officer Mitchell died a hero and will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved him. He is survived by his partner, mother, stepfather, siblings, and his children.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and remember the thousands of lives lost on the beaches of Normandy.

D-Day will forever live on in our history, and we will never forget the brave servicemen we lost that day.

I also want to take a moment to highlight the service of my husband's grandfather, Douglas Brown, a World War II marine and Navy veteran who served in the Pacific Islands; Harold W. Mynett, a World War II Navy veteran; as well as my father-in-law, Tom Mynett, a Navy veteran; and his older brother, Harold J. Mynett, Naval Academy graduate and someone who served as a lieutenant commander during the Vietnam War.

The stories they passed down have been incredibly harrowing. We honor the veterans who returned with visible and invisible scars for their service to our country.

I will keep fighting to ensure survivors of D-Day, World War II, and all of our veterans are given the resources they rightfully deserve. As we reflect on the past 80 years since D-Day, may we always remember their bravery, courage, and dedication to our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Kim Van Wie, who retires after 28 years of being the executive director of STARBASE Minnesota.

The Department of Defense's STARBASE program spans across 80 bases, providing world-class STEM programming to underserved fifth graders. Under Kim's outstanding leadership, STARBASE Minnesota grew from 2 classrooms to 11 and from 900 students per year to almost 7,000.

I met Kim in 2019 at the STARBASE in St. Paul, where I had the opportunity to witness her inspiration to young scientists and engineers. It is no surprise that two previous graduates served on my constituent staff.

Kim's commitment extends beyond title I students. During COVID, she propelled funding to provide 120,000 STEM kits for students across the region. Kim's selfless service and excellence will forever be celebrated.

It is my privilege and honor to thank Ms. Kim Van Wie for her distinguished career and celebrate her well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated public servant, Minnesota Senator Kari Dziedzic, and recognize her historic tenure.

The impact of Senator Dziedzic's time as Minnesota Senate Majority Leader for the 2023 legislative session will reverberate for years. Thanks in large part to her leadership, our state saw a historically productive session that will leave a lasting and transformational legacy on Minnesotans for generations to come. In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature passed significant investments in our state's K-12 education system, local governments, transportation infrastructure, affordable housing, and a green economy. Our elected officials also codified many progressive priorities, some of which had been stalled by gridlock for decades. These victories included statewide abortion access, Paid Family and Medical Leave, driver's licenses for all Minnesotans, the Trans Refuge and CROWN Acts, legalizing recreational cannabis, voting rights for 55,000 people, 100% renewable energy by 2040 statewide, and automatic expungement of low-level cannabis offenses for tens of thousands of Minnesotans. These nationally- and internationally-lauded accomplishments simply could not have happened without Majority Leader Dziedzic's guidance and mediation.

It was my great honor to work with Majority Leader Dziedzic when I was first elected to the Minnesota legislature, as we shared the privilege of representing District 60 as Representative and Senator. I look forward to witnessing the legacy of her work in the years to come especially her efforts to ensure the well-being of more than 70,000 students, staff, and faculty who make up the University of Minnesota campus community. Since she was first elected in 2012, she authored countless bills to improve the campus, including funding for outdated infrastructure, critical research, and student health and safety. Majority Leader Dziedzic's five terms in the Minnesota Senate will be marked by her steadfast commitment to her constituents and her unique ability to bring people together to find functional, enduring solutions.

Her leadership in the past decade, and especially while serving as Senate Majority Leader, is a great inspiration to me and so many others. Her devotion to thoughtful, inclusive, and productive lawmaking has made our state a better place to live for all Minnesotans, particularly those who have too often been left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our profound gratitude to Majority Leader Dziedzic for her hard work and dedication as a Minnesota legislator.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a 38-year- old Minneapolis police officer, Jamal Mitchell, who was killed in the line of duty in Minneapolis on Thursday, May 30, 2024.

Officer Jamal Mitchell joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 2022. Those who knew Officer Mitchell saw him as a community leader, a changemaker, and a peacemaker.

Officer Mitchell showed up to work every day to help keep our communities safe. His courageous efforts were apparent early on when he saved an elderly couple from a burning home.

Officer Mitchell will be remembered for his compassion, bravery, and love of people. He was known to have a big heart and chose to use his love of people to help strengthen our communities and support young people.

Even as a police officer, Officer Mitchell found time to give back to the community by helping coach first and second grade boys' basketball teams.

Officer Mitchell died as a hero and will be dearly missed by those who knew him and loved him. He is survived by his partner, mother, stepfather, siblings, and children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in a moment of silence.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exceptional achievements of Edwin Torres DeSantiago, who will soon begin his doctoral program in Public Affairs as the University of Minnesota Humphrey School's first DACA recipient.

Edwin arrived in the United States from El Salvador at eight years old. Despite early academic success, Edwin did not believe that he could get a college education in the United States due to his status as an undocumented immigrant. However, when the Obama Administration established the DACA program, he then had the opportunity to attend Saint John's University in Saint Joseph, Minnesota, where he excelled in academics and earned many University-wide awards. During his college education and beyond, he has been a tireless advocate for first generation and Latine students, leading to an appointment to his alma mater's Board of Trustees in 2023. His advocacy for our community members is not limited to students, throughout his life Edwin has championed countless progressive leaders and policies that have improved the lives of so many Minnesotans. Admirably, Edwin recently earned his master's degree in public affairs from the Humphrey School while continuing his career and extensive community service.

Edwin will now embark on the years-long journey of earning a doctoral degree in Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School, where his exceptional achievements and demonstrated investment in the community earned him a full-ride scholarship. Beyond his admission to the program and tremendous scholarship, Edwin's status as the Humphrey School's first DACA recipient to attend the program makes this achievement duly commendable.

Edwin's acceptance to the Humphrey School is a testament to his decades of hard work and leadership. I am so proud to call him a Minnesotan and recognize that Dreamers like Edwin make our state, and our country, a better place. I have no doubt that Edwin will be successful as a doctoral student and look forward to the continued positive change he will bring to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Edwin for his incredible accomplishment and wishing him luck as he starts this new chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Hayes for her tireless efforts, and, yes, she is right. Children, the poor, the elderly, and the downtrodden do not have lobbyists, but they have us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to Chairman Thompson's partisan farm bill. Hunger is rising at an alarming rate among U.S. households. In Minnesota alone, over 500,000 people are facing hunger, including over 180,000 children.

SNAP serves as the first line of defense against hunger for children, for the elderly, for veterans, and for those who have disabilities.

Yet, last week, Republicans unveiled the largest cuts to SNAP in nearly 30 years. This extreme proposal would slash SNAP funding, which provides food benefits for low-income families by approximately $30 billion over the next decade, impacting every participant.

Instead of proposing this unacceptable policy, we should be passing my universal school meals program. We should be fully funding SNAP. We should be fully funding WIC.

Enacting this bill without dramatic changes would push more people below the poverty line and exacerbate hunger. I urge my colleagues to reject this proposal and prioritize our constituents over making political points.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in anguish on behalf of George Floyd and his family, on behalf of Minneapolis, and on behalf of everyone who has been impacted by police brutality.

It has been 4 years since George was brutally murdered in front of the whole world. We have been fighting every day since then to pass meaningful criminal justice reform.

What we are fighting for is a dignified life. What we are fighting for is equal access to exist as ourselves. What we are fighting for is to undo 400 years of being brutalized, victimized, surveilled, enslaved, imprisoned, and having the life choked out of us in the cities we call home.

We will continue to fight for change until we achieve a better future, the future that George deserved.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life of Sammy McDowell, a community leader, restaurateur, and friend to all.

Sammy grew up in Minneapolis and was a fixture in the community throughout his life. He worked in food service for many years before starting his own catering company and restaurant.

In 2012, he opened Sammy's Avenue Eatery on West Broadway Avenue in north Minneapolis and recently began operating a pop-up restaurant in St. Paul in a space which features Black-owned businesses.

Sammy's Avenue Eatery has become known for its delicious food that it serves. Over the past decade it has become an important gathering place for the community.

Sammy will be remembered for his generosity toward others. He always went the extra mile to check in on the wellness of his friends, as well as his customers.

His passion for community and the well-being of others was contagious. I know that the spaces he created will continue to be a source of friendship, inspiration, and comfort.

Sammy had an immeasurable impact on our community, and he will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved him.