Friends and neighbors,

On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate again voted to end Governor Walz’s emergency powers. For the last year, Minnesotans have been left to rely on announcements from the Governor’s office: dictating whether their businesses can open, whether their kids can return to school, and whether they can visit with family members without violating executive orders. Current law requires a majority vote from both the House and the Senate to repeal an Emergency Order. 

In the wake of repeated votes to end emergency powers, Governor Walz sent the legislature a list of requests that must be met before ceding executive power, including a statewide mask mandate. 40 other states are currently reviewing laws on emergency powers. No timeframe on the release of emergency powers has been provided by the Governor.

• Folks want to return to normalcy—legislators were elected by the people to be their voice at the Capitol, and the Governor has shown no interest in allowing us to have a say in any meaningful decision-making, and it’s wrong
• Our government was meant to run with the Executive and Legislative branches working together, but the Governor keeps moving the goal posts so he can hold onto his unilateral powers
• Our Governor has been operating completely on his own, and it’s brought us some pretty bad ideas: purchased a $6.7 million dollar building to use as a COVID morgue, putting our seniors in an online lottery for vaccinations, keeping our kids out of schools for weeks on end

Minnesotans deserve to be represented by the legislators they elected. We need to re-establish the balance of power in our government and ending the emergency powers is a step in the right direction. 

LEGISLATIVE RECAP

Minnesota Priorities Budget 

On Wednesday, my Senate Republican colleagues and I released our budget for the 2021-2022 biennium, which makes COVID recovery and support for families – without raising taxes – a priority. 

• We are focused on keeping the budget in control considering all the one-time money coming into the state from federal funds and stimulus checks. 

We are helping our businesses recover and we’re getting the economy moving again after the prolonged closures to mitigate COVID. And, we are giving families the support they need to prosper in our state. The Senate Majority will work together with the House and the Governor to pass a budget that funds those priorities.

Enbridge Line 3 

“Hanoi Jane” was in Park Rapids earlier this week where she met with a group of protesters who are against Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 project. Hollywood celebrities coming to Minnesota to protest makes no sense. Especially Jane Fonda, who has a track record of disrespecting the military and hardworking Americans.

• Canadian-based Enbridge Energy got the approvals it needed last fall to begin construction in December on a Line 3 replacement pipeline that will carry crude oil from Alberta Canada to Superior, Wisconsin, via 337 miles in northern Minnesota
• People in these areas are FOR this plan and want the new line and the new jobs it has already brought

This pipeline is better for the environment than the alternative, so why are they upset? This pipeline goes nowhere near California, think of all the resources these celebrities are wasting to come protest the use of those same resources. 

The proposed plan is the best/safest way to fix the current line 

• Environmentalists are worried about replacing it, but if this project isn’t done, it could be even worse for the environment 
• Creates thousands of jobs in Minnesota (over 6,000)
• Provides a $2 million boost to the economy
• Once project is completed, old pipe will be cleaned and disconnected

Enbridge has gone above and beyond to clear every standard asked of them by state and federal regulators and prove that this pipeline can be and is being built in a safe and environmentally responsible way. Minnesota has waited for the economic windfall and the thousands of construction jobs this project provides. 

Letter to President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau 

This week, a bipartisan group of Senate and House legislators sent a letter to President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau strongly encouraging them to reopen the US-Canada Border. In the letter we urged them to work with Canadian and US border officials to safely reopen the northern border. 

• The pandemic has stolen so much from so many, but we don’t need to stand by and watch it steal the economic future and heritage of Minnesota’s northern communities. With robust testing in place and vaccinations moving ahead of schedule, Minnesota is ready to reconnect with our Canadian neighbors in a safe manner. 

Fun stuff to break up the doom & gloom: 

MARCH 16 – MN Gopher Men’s Hockey wins the Big Ten Hockey Tournament by beating Wisconsin 6-4

MARCH 19 – Let’s Laugh Day is an unofficial holiday that encourages everyone to add a little humor to their day and is a chance to have a chuckle with the ones you love 

MARCH 20 – International Day of Happiness – Don’t worry, be happy! This holiday was created by the United Nations 2012. Fun fact: the UN establishes a “theme” for this day every year. This year’s theme is “Keep Calm. Stay Wise. Be Kind.” 

That’s all for this week’s update. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me to share any thoughts, concerns, or questions you may have. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-9651 or by email at sen.paul.utke@senate.mn 

Have a great week! 
Paul Utke