Representative Pete Stauber

Democrats Must Abandon Their Partisan Antics and Fund the Department of Homeland Security

Dear Friend

Last week, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a naturalized citizen from Lebanon, drove a truck loaded with explosives through the front doors of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan and opened fire. 140 children were inside. By the grace of God, security guards stopped this terrorist and every innocent life in the building was spared.

That very same day, Mohamed Jalloh, a naturalized citizen from Sierra Leone, opened fire in an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, murdering Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, before he was disarmed and killed by students.

It is frightening to see so many violent Islamic attacks occurring within our country’s heartland. It is even more scary that we find ourselves in this heightened threat environment as our Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains shutdown by Senate Democrats.

And the ramifications of their purely partisan antics go well beyond national security. As of Friday, over 100,000 DHS workers – including TSA agents, Coast Guardsmen, FEMA agents, and other frontline officers – missed their paychecks. As more and more TSA agents quit or call out of work, travelers are forced to wait in security lines that stretch into the parking lot. This is especially inconvenient as many hardworking Americans are taking much needed family spring break trips in this peak travel season.

Congressional Democrats are once again showing the American people exactly what they stand for: putting criminal illegal aliens ahead of the safety and security of American citizens.

But we don't have to live like this. I am calling on all our Senators, including Senators Klobuchar and Smith, to do what’s right. They must stop the political games, fund DHS, and protect the American people. Failure to do so could be catastrophic.

My Legislation to Stop Somali Fraud

Fraud is rampant in Minnesota and one of the most egregious examples was the childcare fraud perpetrated by members of the Somali community, exposed by David Hoch and Nick Shirley in their now viral YouTube video.

For years, Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Keith Ellison failed to act, and credible reports suggest their offices may have enabled these criminals. When state leaders refuse to do their jobs, the federal government must step in.

That’s why I introduced the Stop Fraud by SOMALIA Act, legislation that strengthens penalties for childcare providers who defraud the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program.

Specifically, this legislation mandates a lifetime ban from all federally funded childcare assistance programs for any provider convicted of fraud, requires repayment of the stolen funds, and automatically refers the fraudster to the Department of Justice for prosecution.

And because a number of these fraudsters were not American citizens, this bill also includes a provision to ensure that non-citizen providers convicted of fraud are deported.

Taxpayers in Minnesota and across the country deserve to know their hard-earned dollars are supporting legitimate services and not lining the pockets of Somali fraudsters. This bill is the first of many I plan to introduce to protect our programs and hold violators accountable. Stay tuned for more.

A Great Day for American Energy Dominance

Through the One Big Beautiful Bill, my Republican colleagues in Congress and President Trump delivered a game-changing victory for American energy dominance.

Last week, I traveled to Louisiana to see these results in action: the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management successfully held the second mandatory offshore lease sale in the Gulf of America as required by this landmark legislation. This sale advanced the responsible development of our nation’s abundant oil and gas resources, kicking off a schedule of thirty such sales to unleash American energy production like never before.

I was happy to be joined by Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor during this visit.

As the Chairman of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, I’m laser focused on ramping up domestic energy output to create good-paying jobs, slash energy prices for families, and end our dangerous reliance on unstable foreign sources in the Middle East.

In Congress, I will keep fighting to pass and defend bold legislation that restores American energy dominance because energy security is national security.

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.

It was recently Great Lakes Week on Capitol Hill, which I kicked off by meeting with Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director Kevin Beardsley and Director of Environmental and Government Affairs Jeff Udd. I appreciated their time and the update they provided.

As a member of the Great Lakes Task Force, I had the privilege of participating in a roundtable discussion on the need to protect and conserve these natural wonders for future generations.

I also had the honor of speaking at the Annual Great Lakes Congressional Breakfast Reception about the work I am doing to preserve these treasures, like my consistent support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

It was an honor to address the American Association of Port Authorities at their annual Legislative Summit. As the representative of the world’s furthest inland freshwater port, I’m always glad to discuss my work to strengthen port infrastructure and drive our local economic development.

A huge thank you to the 29,000 Minnesotans who tuned into my most recent telephone town hall - my biggest turnout yet! I’m grateful to everyone who took the time to participate and share their voices.

Our local broadcasters play an important role delivering trusted news to communities across our state, which is why I was proud to meet with the Minnesota Broadcasters Association and discuss ways in which I can support them.

Duluth-native and Army Veteran, Al Johnson, came to Capitol Hill to testify before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on the health challenges many of our veterans of modern warfare face. It was a pleasure to welcome him to the Hill and sit on the Committee dias to ask him a few questions.

I was honored to be named the Small Business Champion by the National Federation of Independent Business for my assistance in making the 20% small business deduction permanent in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Thank you to everyone who participated in Township Day! My staff attended numerous township meetings across the district to support the people who keep our rural communities strong, efficient, and connected.

My staff attended the Eggs and Issues Town Hall at Maddens Resort in Brainerd to go over the local agenda for the year.

They also attended a briefing hosted by the National Guard at their Cottage Grove and Rosemount facilities to learn about their funding needs.

Once again, I appreciate you staying up to date with the work I am doing for Minnesota's Eighth District. It is an honor to represent you in Congress. For more information, visit my website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Sincerely,

Congressman Pete Stauber