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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to pressure from U.S. Representative Angie Craig, the United States Postal Service (USPS) recently notified Rep. Craig’s office that it will be launching an internal investigation into reports of delayed delivery of the New Prague Times.  

This announcement follows a letter Rep. Craig sent to USPS Postmaster General David Steiner and MN-ND District Manager Angela Bye last month demanding answers on the status of the new New Prague post office after her office received reports from the New Prague Times that their newspapers were not being delivered to their subscribers on time.  

In addition, the response to Rep. Craig from USPS identified 1101 1^st Street Northeast as the proposed site of the new New Prague post office. USPS anticipates a grand opening around September 2026.  

“I’m glad to see local USPS leadership taking this issue in New Prague seriously,” said Rep. Craig. “At a time when freedom of the press is under attack in this country, it is more important than ever that Minnesotans are able to access local journalism. On behalf of Minnesotans and the local news organizations that keep them informed, I’ll keep the pressure on USPS to ensure newspapers and magazines are being delivered on time – and I’ll keep working with USPS leadership to get the much-needed New Prague Post Office up and running.”  

Rep. Craig has consistently spoken out against unacceptable USPS performance in the South Metro and has led the charge to improve mail service and protect USPS from privatization. Local letter carriers and others have also raised the alarm about leadership changes that are impacting morale and culture in Minnesota post offices. 

This Congress, Rep. Craig introduced her Deliver for Democracy Act, which would limit price increases on stamps until the USPS can achieve at least a 95% on-time delivery rate for periodicals and require the USPS to report annually to the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission on its progress – including on-time delivery data for newspapers in its periodical service performance measurement. 

In February of 2024, following more than a year of advocacy alongside then-New Prague Mayor Duane Jirik, Rep. Craig announced the USPS’ plans for a new post office in New Prague, MN.  

And in January of 2024, following Rep. Craig’s bipartisan call for a statewide investigation, the USPS OIG announced an investigation of the entire MN-ND postal district.  

In January of 2023, she launched an online USPS survey to gauge the extent of postal issues in the Second District and received more than 3,300 responses from Minnesotans. Rep. Craig delivered those responses directly to Postmaster General DeJoy’s office in Washington DC. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

Minnesota outlets recently reported that DHS is looking to reopen the former Prairie Correctional Facility as an ICE Detention Center

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig announced that Shakopee Fire will receive $2,632,890 in federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program to hire 12 new full-time firefighters. Rep. Craig was a strong advocate for this funding, writing a letter to FEMA in support of the City of Shakopee’s application in July of this year.

With this funding, the Shakopee Fire Department will be able to grow their force to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1720 standards. The department currently relies on just six full-time and 30 part-time firefighters to cover calls from Shakopee and the two neighboring townships of Louisville and Jackson as well as from mutual aid agreement cities such as Savage, Prior Lake, Jordan and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

“As Shakopee and the surrounding communities continue to grow, it is critical that the Shakopee Fire Department is able to meet the needs of Minnesotans in the southern Twin Cities metro region,” said Rep. Craig. “I am incredibly proud to have worked with the City of Shakopee and Shakopee FD to secure this much-needed funding that will help the department better serve and protect countless Minnesotans.”  

“The SAFER grant funding is critical to the Shakopee Fire Department’s ability to meet the growing demands of our community,” said Shakopee Fire Chief Joe Simon. “It marks a significant step toward achieving the staffing levels necessary to provide the level of service our residents and neighboring communities expect and deserve. The addition of 12 full-time firefighters will greatly enhance our emergency response capabilities and help us move closer to meeting national standards. This support ensures we can continue to protect our expanding population with efficiency and a more effective response force. We are deeply grateful for the support of Congresswoman Craig and her staff in championing this important initiative.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig released the following statement on President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ failure to fund the government, leading to the first government shutdown in nearly seven years. 

“Today, Republicans – who control the House of Representatives, Senate and White House – failed to do their job of keeping the government open.

“Why? Because President Trump refused to come to the table and negotiate a bill with Democrats that would lower costs and protect critical access to health care for millions of Americans.

“From the ‘Big Ugly Bill’ to slashing funding for public media to this government shutdown, President Trump and Republicans continue to show us that the priorities they ran on – lowering costs and making life better for working Americans – were nothing but empty promises.

“When they are ready to put their money where their mouth is, I’ll be here ready to pass a funding bill that serves every day Minnesotans. 

“Until then, I’m working to rein in President Trump’s unchecked power during this shutdown and ensure that Minnesotans’ tax dollars aren’t paying the salaries of Republican representatives who refuse to do their jobs.” 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a press conference alongside Kansans whose industries have been directly affected by the government shutdown. Those participants shared personal and professional stories, including how the shutdown impacts mental health services and infrastructure projects at home. Davids has repeatedly advocated for a bipartisan solution to reopen the government and safeguard the livelihoods of Kansans. 

“This shutdown is a devastating blow to our economy and represents real consequences for hardworking Kansans,” said Davids. “I’m committed to working with both parties to find a commonsense, bipartisan solution to reopen the government and ensure Kansans are protected from skyrocketing health care costs. As we heard today, there’s too much at stake for this to go on any longer.”

WATCH: Davids is joined by Kansans whose industries have been affected by the government shutdown 

At today’s press conference, Davids was joined by Tim DeWeese of Johnson County Mental Health Center, Haley Kottler of Kansas Appleseed, Keely Schneider of Workforce Partnership, and Sarah White of the Missouri & Associated Rivers Coalition (MOARC) to highlight how the ongoing government shutdown is affecting Kansans. Mental health services face delays and reduced access, workforce training and small business support are stalled, vital river and infrastructure projects are slowed, and nutrition assistance programs like SNAP and WIC are at risk — putting families, workers, and communities across the state in jeopardy.

Davids is pushing for a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government and protect Kansans from the consequences of partisan gridlock in D.C. She recently announced her support for two bills: one to guarantee pay for aviation workers and another to ensure active-duty service members continue receiving their paychecks. Kansas is home to more than 25,000 federal employees and more than 21,000 active-duty service members.

A shutdown has serious impacts on Kansas families and the overall U.S. economy. Americans now face disruptions to important benefits, service members are not being compensated, many small businesses have altered their operations, and federal workers have been furloughed without pay. Specifically: 

• It’s estimated the five-week partial government shutdown in 2018-2019 reduced economic output by $11 billion in the following two quarters, and the 2013 full government shutdown reduced GDP growth by $20 billion.
• Kansans receiving Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits are experiencing service delays, including disruptions to verifying benefits and the issuance of new cards.
• There are currently more than 25,000 federal workers in Kansas who may have been furloughed.
  • A bipartisan report found that the last three government shutdowns led to the equivalent of 56,940 years in lost productivity from federal workers.
• The distribution of important food assistance programs, including SNAP, has been disrupted, leaving some Kansans — including women, children, and the elderly — without nutritious food.
• Small businesses are dealing with delays in receiving loans from the federal government.
  • Moody’s Analytics estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown delayed more than $2 billion in loans to small businesses.
• Travelers are seeing longer lines at airport security checkpoints and flight delays. They’re also dealing with delayed passport processing times.

While Davids works to reopen the government, Kansans impacted by the shutdown can visit davids.house.gov/shutdown for resources that may help during this time.  

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced her support for new legislation to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can keep operating — and paying employees — during a government shutdown. The bill would help protect passenger safety and keep goods moving, avoiding the kind of disruptions that forced the end of the 2018–19 shutdown, when unpaid air traffic controllers and safety inspectors called in sick and flight delays rippled across the country.

“Whether you’re traveling for work, visiting family, or waiting for a package to be delivered, Kansans depend on a safe, reliable aviation system,” said Davids. “We cannot afford political gridlock that puts that at risk. I’m working with both parties to get the government back open — but until then, this commonsense effort ensures air traffic controllers, inspectors, and other safety workers can keep doing their jobs — and get paid — no matter what happens in Washington.”

During a government shutdown, about 12,800 air traffic controllers, rail safety, and hazmat inspectors are required to work without pay, while other FAA employees face furloughs. Under current law, the FAA can only use its Airport and Airway Trust Fund to stay open for 30 days during a shutdown. This bill would let the FAA continue operating beyond that limit so air travel and safety operations are not interrupted and employees are paid.

The FAA’s number of fully certified air traffic controllers is well below recommended levels, forcing many to work overtime in high-pressure environments. Following the DCA plane collision and ongoing concerns, Davids has taken multiple steps to improve air safety:

• Confronting Workforce and Safety Gaps
  • During a House T&I hearing, Davids highlighted how controller shortages and outdated technology endanger passengers.
  • She condemned President Trump’s decision to fire hundreds of FAA employees and urged DOT Secretary Sean Duffy to implement staffing and safety reforms passed in the FAA Reauthorization Act.
• Calling Out Conflicts of Interest
  • Davids called attention to a potential conflict after Elon Musk suggested the FAA cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon in favor of his company, Starlink.
• Responding to the Recent Collision
  • After the incident, Davids again pushed Secretary Duffy to swiftly carry out aviation safety reforms included in the FAA Reauthorization.
  • When the NTSB released its preliminary report, she called on the FAA to adopt its early recommendations to help prevent future tragedies.
• Modernizing Outdated Systems
  • In a separate hearing, Davids pressed former FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, who served under former President Biden, on the slow pace of modernizing critical landing systems.
    • She noted that 81 percent of Kansas’ systems are functionally obsolete and, at the current replacement rate, it would take over a century to update them — calling for urgent action to ensure Kansans’ safety.

As Davids said last week, she is “pushing for a bipartisan solution to reopen the government and address other critical issues, including protecting health care premium tax credits before they expire.” All Kansans in the Third District affected by the shutdown can visit davids.house.gov/shutdown for helpful resources or to share their stories.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

In case you missed it, Representative Sharice Davids is working to protect and extend Affordable Care Act tax credits that keep health care affordable for Kansas families. But because Congressional Republicans have refused to extend them, premiums could rise by $700 next year, putting thousands of Kansans at risk of paying more or losing coverage.

Davids has been a consistent advocate for protecting ACA tax credits and making health care more affordable. She supported legislation to extend these critical premium reductions and supports making them permanent, ensuring that Kansans — especially those with chronic conditions, small business owners, and families — can keep their coverage and avoid devastating cost increases.

In Kansas alone, more than 160,000 people relied on these tax credits last year. Davids urged Congressional leaders to include an extension in the latest funding bill, but federal Republicans refused — leaving Kansas families facing higher costs and fewer options.

Davids’ work to lower health care costs made headlines statewide:

Kansas City Star: “KC-area cancer patient depends on tax credit. Will Congress let it expire?” by Matt Kelly

“In May 2017, Dawn Wheeler’s older sister informed her that she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Wheeler’s involuntary response to the message likely saved her own life.

[…]

Discovering the tumor gave her a chance. But… now, the expanded ACA tax credits she’s relied on to keep up with the cost of her aggressive treatment are set to expire at the end of 2025.

‘My premium should be in the thousands, and that tax credit just brings it down to an affordable amount,’ said Wheeler, who told The Star she reliably hits her out-of-pocket spending maximum in January… Wheeler said it’s unnerving to know that her future ability to keep up with chemotherapy expenses could hinge on whether lawmakers can reach an agreement to extend the enhanced premium tax credits.

‘It’s terrifying for someone like me,’ she said.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids has been a vocal proponent of extending the tax credits indefinitely. Last month, in a letter to congressional leaders, she argued that even a short-term extension would provide a lifeline for people struggling to keep up with high health care costs.

‘If we don’t act, the ripple effects of this increase will be devastating,’ the Democratic congresswoman said… ‘This is not a hypothetical. Healthy people will be forced to drop their coverage, which will leave the insurance pool with way more people that have chronic conditions or high medical costs, and that drives up premiums for everybody.’

Davids said more than 160,000 people in Kansas rely on the enhanced tax credits, which provide an average annual savings of $705, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.

[…]

Davids said a family of four in her district could see a $7,000 increase in premium costs if the enhanced credits expire. ‘A 60-year-old couple could see a nearly $17,000 increase in their cost each year,’ Davids said. ‘The numbers are staggering and they’re completely unacceptable.’”

Kansas Reflector: “Kansas cancer survivor fears for health care as Congress weighs premium tax credit extension,” by Anna Kaminski

“Dawn Wheeler, a small business owner in Edwardsville, receives treatment for her metastatic breast cancer almost weekly. One shot, which she gets every other week to treat cancer in her liver, costs around $10,000, she said.

[…]

Wheeler is one of more than 187,000 Kansans who rely on Affordable Care Act premium tax credits to subsidize health care costs, but those credits are set to expire at the end of the year, and advocates are warning of lost coverage and a more than 75% spike in premium costs as they wait for lawmakers to decide the credits’ fate.

Unless Congress extends the tax credits, health care costs for the more than 22 million Americans who have health insurance through the ACA Marketplace are expected to increase, and community hospitals could bear the burden of uncompensated care. 

[…]

Cindy Samuelson, senior vice president of member and public relations for the Kansas Hospital Association, said on the call that hospitals have made it clear that premium tax credits have played a key role in reducing the number of uninsured patients in Kansas and across the country.

On average, enrollees’ annual premium costs could increase by an estimated $700, or 77%, if the tax credits are not extended, Samuelson said. Projections from KFF estimate that between 48,000 and 61,000 Kansans could lose coverage because of higher premium costs over the next decade. An estimate from the Hutchinson-based United Methodist Health Ministry Fund projects 108,000 Kansans losing coverage over the same time frame.

[…]

Davids said she supports a permanent extension to the tax credits… ‘If we don’t act, the ripple effect of this increase will be devastating,’ Davids said. She said she is willing to work with either party to pass a feasible extension. ‘We are also staring down another challenge that, unfortunately, we’ve become too familiar with, which is a potential government shutdown,’ Davids said.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids released the following statement as the federal government ran out of funding, leading to a government shutdown. Davids previously urged House leadership to work across the aisle to safeguard the livelihoods of Kansans and prevent an avoidable shutdown.

“The avoidable government shutdown we’re facing is more than just a political standoff. It will have a severe impact on our economy and cause real harm to hardworking Kansans — delaying payments to our military and federal employees, interrupting Social Security benefits, and increasing hunger among women and children.

“As of now, we’ve seen no serious effort from Republican leadership in Washington to work across the aisle on funding the government. Kansans are already feeling the effects of the administration’s reckless policies — rising prices, lost jobs, and cuts to essential services like health care. A shutdown will only make those challenges worse.

“This moment calls for cooperation from both sides. I will continue pushing for a bipartisan solution to reopen the government and address other critical issues, including protecting health care premium tax credits before they expire and drive costs even higher for families.

“I encourage all Kansans in the Third District affected by the shutdown to visit davids.house.gov/shutdown for helpful resources or to share their stories. While the shutdown may cause processing delays at federal agencies, my team is ready to help however we can.”

Background:

It is a fact that Donald Trump and Republican leaders need Democratic votes to pass any funding bill, but the president openly said, “Don’t even bother dealing with them.” This dismissal of bipartisan negotiations has further complicated efforts to reach a compromise that benefits Kansans and keeps the government open.

 

Davids continues to push for a bipartisan agreement to open the federal government. A shutdown will have serious impacts on Kansas families and the overall U.S. economy. Americans will face disruptions to important benefits, service members would not be compensated, many small businesses would have to alter their operations, and federal workers would be furloughed and go unpaid. Specifically: 

• It’s estimated the five-week partial government shutdown in 2018-2019 reduced economic output by $11 billion in the following two quarters and the 2013 full government shutdown reduced GDP growth by $20 billion.
• Kansans receiving Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits will experience service delays, including disruptions to verifying benefits and the issuance of new cards.
• There are currently more than 15,000 federal workers in Kansas who may be furloughed. A bipartisan report found that the last three government shutdowns led to the equivalent of 56,940 years in lost productivity from federal workers.
• The distribution of important food assistance programs, including SNAP, will be disrupted, leaving some Kansan — including women, children, and the elderly — without nutritious food.
• Small businesses will encounter delays in receiving loans from the federal government. Moody’s Analytics estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown delayed more than $2 billion in loans to small businesses.
• Travelers will face longer lines at airport security checkpoints and flight delays during a shutdown, which would also delay passport processing times even further.

Davids also previously urged Congressional leadership to include an extension of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (EPTCs) in any government funding bill. In Kansas alone, more than 160,000 people relied on these tax credits last year to save an average of $700 annually on their health care. While these credits expire at the end of 2025, House Republican leaders did not include the extension in last week’s package.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids spoke at the 11th annual Ag Outlook Forum, hosted by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City. The Forum brings together leaders from across agriculture, business, and government to discuss economic trends and the future of the farm economy.

“Here in Kansas, agriculture isn’t just part of our economy — it’s part of our identity. Farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses keep food on our tables and drive growth across the state,” said Davids. “On the Agriculture Committee, I’ve worked to bring those voices to the table and work toward bipartisan solutions that lower grocery costs, strengthen supply chains, support ag research, and keep nutrition programs in place for families.”

Read Davids’ full speech here.

In her remarks, Davids emphasized her ongoing conversations with Kansas producers, highlighting concerns about tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and cuts to agricultural research and food security programs. She also underscored the importance of bipartisanship, noting that past Farm Bills have always come together through cooperation, and stressed that the same approach is needed now to deliver certainty for farmers and families alike. Davids then reiterated her support for biofuels and local supply chain initiatives that reduce grocery costs.

Alongside Davids, the Ag Outlook Forum featured a lineup of other prominent voices, including USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (KS), U.S. Representative Mark Alford (MO-04), and leaders from John Deere, Rabobank, and the National Agricultural Law Center. Panels focused on the U.S. ag economy, new tax law changes, and emerging animal health threats like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and the New World Screwworm.

To support Kansas producers, Davids has embarked on a Farm Bill listening tour, where she visited a poultry and livestock operation in Anderson County, a co-op in Franklin County, a goat farm in Miami County, an organic vegetable farm in Johnson County, and an educational community farm in Wyandotte County. Davids also toured a Garnett-based renewable ethanol producer, participated in FFA activities at Spring Hill High School, served a school lunch at Black Bob Elementary in Olathe, spoke with industry leaders on financial support programs for farmers, toured a dairy farm in Garnett, and more.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement: 

“I’m encouraged by the news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire that will allow hostages to return home and bring much-needed aid to civilians in Gaza who have endured unimaginable suffering. It is essential that both sides fully uphold the terms of this agreement in good faith. This is an important step toward a durable and just two-state solution that protects Israel’s security and allows the Palestinian people to live freely.”