As President Trump continues to lead from the front, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to stop dividing and start working with us for the betterment of the American people.

There are so many things we can all unite on. For starters, we must all unite against the rampant fraud plaguing elections and social programs nationwide, as my guests to the State of the Union, Nick Shirley and David Hoch, powerfully exposed in their viral videos.

It was an honor to bring Nick and David to the State of the Union as a reminder to every American that the federal government under President Trump is committed to ending the abuse of programs meant to help Americans.

Fraud is not a victimless crime; it robs working families and the most vulnerable among us. Luckily, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are committed to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in order to protect every dollar and restore election integrity.

Together, we will end the waste, secure our future, and build a nation that is safer and more prosperous than ever before. The best days for our nation are ahead of us. This is just beginning and Republicans have more work to do to deliver on our promises to the American people. God bless America.

Time for the Senate to Pass the SAVE America Act

One issue the President brought up in his State of the Union Address was the need to pass the Save America Act in order to safeguard American elections and prevent more voter fraud in this country.

The urgency is underscored by real concerns in states like Minnesota. Despite claims from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon that our elections are secure, recent findings from State Representative Pam Altendorf paint a different picture.

Representative Altendorf, who serves as the vice co-chair of the Minnesota House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee, submitted a public data request to several counties. Hennepin County honored Altendorf’s request and provided its complete master list, revealing several red flags like entries with unrealistic or impossible birth dates, possible duplicate registrations, and indications of individuals who may have voted multiple times. These issues in just one county raise serious questions about the integrity of voter rolls across all 87 counties in Minnesota.

Adding to these concerns, Governor Tim Walz signed legislation in 2023 allowing individuals to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status. This change, along with the fact that another registered voter can simply vouch for someone, created vulnerabilities, as evidenced by the recent arrest of an illegal immigrant from Liberia who was working as a corrections officer in Minnesota and whose name appears on our state’s voter rolls.

The SAVE America Act would help alleviate these concerns by not only requiring individuals to present an eligible photo identification document before voting but also by requiring states to obtain proof of citizenship in-person when registering an individual to vote.  

The House recently passed this bill with my support, and I am now calling on Senate Majority Leader Thune to bring this legislation to the floor without delay. The American people deserve commonsense voter ID laws, and they deserve to know which Senators oppose this widely popular, bipartisan measure.

Operation Epic Fury

As the largest state sponsor of terror, Iran has been waging a war on the U.S. and our allies for over four decades. President Trump gave Iran every opportunity to end its nuclear and murderous ambitions. Now, with the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the time has come to free the world from this threat and free the Iranian people from this oppressive regime.

While this mission has thus far been very successful, I am saddened to report the loss of four American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their courage and service remind us of the profound cost of freedom. I am holding their grieving families in my prayers and am also praying for the recovery of the wounded. God bless and protect our troops as they continue to carry out Operation Epic Fury.

Even though we cannot afford weakness or division here at home at this critical moment, Democrats in Congress continue to play partisan games by holding funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hostage. This partial shutdown hampers our ability to screen threats and prevent potential retaliation.

Tragically, the risks are no longer hypothetical. Over the weekend, a gunman opened fire outside a popular bar in Austin, killing two innocent Americans and wounding others. The suspect wore a “Property of Allah” sweatshirt over a shirt featuring an Iranian flag. As the FBI continues to investigate a potential terrorism connection, remember, when Biden allowed for our southern border to remain open, he let terrorists into this country, elevating the danger of Iranian sleeper cells.  

Whatever the facts about this shooting might turn out to be, Iran is threatening retaliation and DHS should not be crippled by a government shutdown. I am calling on all Democrats to put their partisan antics aside and vote to fund DHS before another tragedy strikes the homeland.

Week in Review

Once again, I am grateful to everyone who takes the time to meet with me or a member of my staff. Here are a few highlights below.

I had a productive meeting with the Crosby Mayor Diane Cash on securing vital infrastructure funding for this community. I am always grateful for local leaders’ insights!

Thank you to the team at Crow Wing Power for a great meeting! Their dedication to delivering reliable, affordable energy keeps our Minnesota communities strong and thriving.

I stopped by Minnesota Twist Drill in Chisholm to hear directly about the challenges facing local manufacturers and how we can support their continued success.

Before the State of the Union, I was proud to host my guests Nick Shirley and David Hoch at the Republican Study Committee roundtable, where they powerfully highlighted the rampant fraud plaguing Minnesota and the urgent need for accountability.

I also took Nick and David to a media row being held on Capitol Hill, where we raised awareness with the press about Minnesota’s fraud issues.

Thank you to the Minnesota Disabled American Veterans organization for all the work you do for our American heroes and their families.

I had an excellent conversation with St. Louis County Commissioner Paul McDonald, Deputy Administrator Julie Marinucci, and County Administrator Kevin Gray on how federal support can strengthen our northern communities.

I welcomed representatives from Grand Rapids and Hibbing Public Utilities to my office for a candid discussion on the policy challenges facing municipal utilities and Minnesota’s power supply. Their expertise is invaluable.

It was a great honor to speak to the Association of Minnesota Counties at their annual legislative breakfast. Good governance starts at the local level, and I’m encouraged to see so many county leaders in Washington advocate for their communities.

I’m grateful to Washington County Commissioners Bethany Cox, Karla Bigham and Michelle Clasen for stopping by my Washington, D.C. office. I appreciated their updates and was glad to hear their priorities for community project funding.

I met with the Minnesota Forest Industries and Minnesota Timber Producers Association, where I had the chance to discuss my work on the House Natural Resources Committee to strengthen and empower the forest products industry.

My staff proudly attended the Sexual Assault Services Survivor Appreciation event in Brainerd to honor survivors, recognize advocates, and raise awareness in this community.