Dear friends,

Last week’s unemployment report marked 40 straight months of unemployment above 8 percent – a devastating milestone for millions of Americans.  As a country, we continue to suffer from an ailing economy.  When we count those who’ve had to stop searching for work or can’t find full-time jobs, the real unemployment rate is actually 14.8 percent, totaling more than 23 million Americans.  What’s more, the labor participation rate is near a 32-year low, new business start-ups are at a 17-year low, and the number of Americans having to rely on food stamps is at an all-time high.  Half the nation is now classified as low-income or in poverty.

Our nation is in desperate need of leadership and direction.  Unfortunately, we keep getting more of the same: more trillion dollar deficits, more government over-regulation, and more threats of higher taxation.  As we can see, this is wreaking havoc on Minnesota’s small businesses and consumers.  Until we change course, we will continue to witness the slowest and weakest recovery since the Great Depression.

Honoring Pine City’s Master Sgt. Daniel L. Fedder

Legislation honoring the life and sacrifice of Master Sgt. Daniel L. Fedder has recently passed the Senate and has been sent to the President.  H.R. 3220, which was introduced last Fall, would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 170 Evergreen Square SW in Pine City, Minnesota, as the "Master Sergeant Daniel L. Fedder Post Office."

Daniel Fedder is a true American hero, and I am truly privileged and humbled by the opportunity to honor this marine’s life, sacrifice, and legacy by naming the local post office of his home town in his name.  Read more here.

Cook County Road Construction Legislation

I am pleased to announce that H.R. 2947, legislation which would allow Cook County to move forward with a project that has been held up for years due to federal restrictions, has been passed by the Senate and is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.  Given the high degree of political gridlock taking place in Washington, it’s important we remain focused oncommon sense, bi-partisan legislation.  All in all, I’m happy we’re finally resolving this long-standing problem for Cook County.  Read more here.

Minnesota Education Investment & Employment Act

Congress established the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in the 1970s, but unfortunately it also created an 86,000-acre dilemma for Minnesota students.  Specifically, the BWCAW locked state-owned school-trust lands, which were originally designated to produce revenue for public education, inside the Boundary Waters.  As a result, these lands within the BWCAW cannot be managed to generate money for Minnesota students, teachers, and schools.  Ultimately, Congress got us into this situation in the first place, and Congress will have to get us out.  Our goal is simple: preserve and protect the Boundary Waters and allow state-owned school trust lands to raise revenue for Minnesota education.  Read more here.

Warm Welcome Home for the Red Bulls

I recently had the great privilege of welcoming the Minnesota National Guard ‘Red Bulls’ home from their deployment in Iraq and Kuwait.  When I attended the deployment ceremony last year in Pine City, Lt. Col. Frizzell said, “I’ll bring them all home.”  True to his word, the first thing the Lt. Col. said walking down the steps of the aircraft was, “I brought them all home.”  Thank you soldiers and your families for your service and great sacrifice.  View photos here.

Safe Skies Act of 2012

Following the Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash on February 12, 2009, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) developed a rule to address pilot fatigue for passenger flights using extensive scientific studies, hearings, and industry feedback.  The rule is scheduled go into effect January 14, 2014, but it does not include cargo pilots.  To address the continued pilot fatigue issue threatening our aviation safety, I recently introduced H.R. 4350, the Safe Skies Act of 2012.  Importantly, this bi-partisan legislation would ensure that pilot rest requirements apply to all cargo air operations.   Read more here.

60 Plus Award

I was recently awarded the Guardian of Seniors’ Rights Award, the highest honor given by the 60 Plus Association for commitment to issues effecting seniors and their health care.  The 60 Plus Association is a 20-year-old nonpartisan organization working for less government and fewer taxes, as well as a strict adherence to the Constitution.  60 Plus calls on support from over 7 million activists.  The organization’s priorities include death tax repeal, saving Social Security and Medicare, affordable prescription drugs, and lowering energy costs, among others.  View photo here.

148^th Fighter Wing 24-Hour Alert Mission

The House has passed legislation which would maintain the Duluth Fighter Wing’s 24-hour alert mission, pending a Department of Defense (DOD) report which provides a cost-benefit analysis and a risk-based assessment.  Read more here.

Mille Lacs Lake Freedom to Fish Act

Citing a 30-year old analysis, the U.S. Coast Guard has assumed federal authority over certain activities on Mille Lacs Lake.  Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard is forcing all fishing guides to spend their time and money obtaining a federal boating license.  This license and associated costs put fishing guides on the hook for over $2,000.  Consequently, I introduced H.R. 5797, the Mille Lacs Lake Freedom to Fish Act.  Read more here.

A Sustainable & Responsible Minerals Exploration Industry in Minnesota

The Eighth District is one of America’s most abundant natural resources, and we need to keep it that way. The PolyMet project will serve as a model of precise environmental review for other emerging projects, including the Twin Metals project.  These operations will produce valuable precious metals with practical applications, such as copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum, and gold.  In addition to benefitting its workers, this Polymet project will use the cleanest methods possible and preserve the natural landscape for generations to come.  Read more here.

National Maritime Day 2012

I was invited to give the keynote address for the National Maritime Day celebration hosted by The Propeller Club of Duluth-Superior. The Club is comprised of nearly 90 members, including terminal operators, retired mariners, Coast Guard officers, government leaders, and other maritime executives, who join together each year to celebrate National Maritime Day.  This year’s celebration commemorated both the value of the nation’s maritime industry and the service of our merchant mariners in times of war and peace.  It was an honor and a privilege to have members of the U.S. Merchant Marines Viking Chapter, who traveled from the Twin Cities area, to be with us.  View photos here.

Memorial Day

Our nation has been built upon acts of such heroism and sacrifice.   More than a million American service members have died in our nation’s wars and conflicts.  Last week, we paid our respects to those who lie in graves here and on foreign soil.  We thank God for giving us the men and women who go into harm’s way knowing they may not return.  With unwavering resolve, we will ensure that their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation.  View photos here.

Bring the Red Bulls All the Way Home

Importantly, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4045, legislation which protects members of the Guard and Reserves impacted by the Pentagon’s change to the Post Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) Program.  Importantly, this legislation ensures that our service men and women can receive the paid leave they were promised prior to mobilization and deployment.  Sponsored by Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (MN-2), this legislation provides returning service members with more time and a less-stressful environment in which to seek employment.  Read more here.

UMD Student Legislative Coalition:  I met with the Student Legislative Coalition from the University of Minnesota Duluth as part of its annual capstone trip to Washington, D.C.  View photo here.

Pillager Paideia Charter School:  I had the privilege of spending some time with a group from Pillager Paideia Charter School in my D.C. office.  View photo here.

Grand Rapids High School Assembly:  View photos here.

Mobile Offices

Each week, members of my staff head out from my three district offices in North Branch, Duluth, and Brainerd to hold what are known as mobile offices.  If you have a question about federal benefits or a question regarding your dealings with a federal agency, please stop by at the given locations at the times listed so you can speak with one of my staff members.  The list of mobile offices for Friday, June 8, 2012, can be found here.  As always, you can also reach my casework staff by phone at (651) 237-8220, or toll free at 1-888-563-7390.  It is my privilege to have provided my constituents access to over 250 mobile offices over the past year.

Commitment to Constituent Outreach

It is my duty to provide Eighth District constituents unprecedented access to their representative in Washington.  To date, this responsibility has amounted to 28 town hall meetings, 17 telephone town hall meetings, over 250 mobile offices, numerous roundtable discussions, and 3 permanent district offices where we conduct office hours.  My primary focus is to create more jobs for the 8th District; I look forward to continuing this conversation with my constituents.

Social Media

One of the best ways you can keep up to speed with what I’m doing in Congress is through social media.  I encourage you to follow me on Facebook and on Twitter.

Rest assured, I will remain an independent, conservative voice in Washington; I promise to uphold the fiscally conservative principles the people of the 8^th District entrusted upon me.  It is a privilege serving you as your elected representative to Congress.

Very truly yours,

Chip