Agriculture Economy

Jim’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all southern Minnesota farmers. Jim’s fight to represent southern Minnesota farmers and ag-dependent businesses is more than just politics, it’s personal. Each month, Jim travels about 2,500 miles to discuss issues posed by trade barriers, export markets, credit, insurance, taxes, health care and labor issues with hardworking Minnesotans and members of the Farm Bureau.

Jim advocates for farmers through his service on the House Agriculture Committee. He and his colleagues are tasked with making sure the Farm Bill is implemented effectively for America’s farmers. He continues to work hard with the Congressional Leadership, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administration to expand overseas markets through the passage of trade deals such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement.

Jim is also a champion of year-round E15 biofuels. He has advocated for the elimination of small refinery exemption abuses and the extension of biofuels tax credits with the Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. Jim continues to reach out to like-minded colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address the high input costs farmers face through extreme federal regulations and skyrocketing healthcare premiums and deductibles.

Jobs

The people of Minnesota’s First District rely on steady, reliable jobs. Pro-growth policies and good governance enables job creators and entrepreneurs to invest, expand, and create new jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, the medical field, and the many small businesses in our community. As a member of the House Small Business Committee, Jim works closely with the Small Business Administration (SBA), Small Business Development Centers, and Workforce Development Centers to ensure that southern Minnesotans have access to capital, international trade assistance, as well as skilled trades apprenticeship programs, and encourages government contracting opportunities for veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. Jim supports new policy that will allow workers to roll over flexible spending accounts (FSA) from one employer to another throughout their careers. Expand FSA eligibility to cover education tuitions, insurance premiums, co-pays, and prescription costs.




Healthcare

All Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care. The Affordable Care Act has failed to deliver on its promises to allow Americans to keep their own doctors and insurance plans while saving every family $2,500/yr. The current Democratic plan to strip 158 million Americans of access to their employer-provided health insurance plans would have disastrous effects on the availability and quality of our health care system. Instead, Jim wants to drive down costs and improve access to health care through:
  • Protecting and improving Medicare by opposing all efforts to burden the system beyond its original intent
  • Covering pre-existing conditions, limiting catastrophic health care costs through high-risk pools funded by insurance companies and backed by the federal government
  • Creating greater transparency of medical and prescription drug costs to create informed consumer choices
  • Establishing Association pools to encourage pooling of risk among farmers and small businesses
  • Expanding Flexible Spending Accounts to allow all Americans, not just those who work for the government or large corporations, to pay medical expenses with tax-free dollars
He also testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, Education and Human Services to seek federal grants for cutting-edge medical research in the First District and also cosponsored H.R. 2207, the Protect Medical Innovation Act, to remove excise taxes that impedes innovation of medical devices.

Seniors

Our seniors have spent their lives investing into the system; they deserve Social Security and Medicare and Jim will not tolerate decreasing benefits and medical reimbursements for seniors.  He has met with Medicare Advantage group, visited seniors at locations like dialysis centers to discuss their healthcare needs.  He cosponsored H.R. 808, Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act, as one way to help seniors with complex medical needs.  He will continue to fight for Social Security and Medicare that the seniors of this nation have earned for themselves through a lifetime of hard work.

Veterans

American veterans and service members have allowed us to pursue peace through strength, a strong national defense, and border security.  Jim and the American people are grateful for their service.  He will always prioritize the needs of our service members, veterans and their families. He has staff members who served in the Armed Forces and at the Pentagon who are dedicated to helping other veterans navigate VA healthcare and other benefits issues, and committed to advancing veteran-related legislation. He is also working with the Department of Veteran Affairs to prioritize match-funding for a veteran’s home in Minnesota. Jim has co-sponsored H.R. 1605, Education Savings Account for Military Families Act, H.R. 229, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, and supported bi-partisan effort for a Minnesota Homeless Veteran Registry to ensure that they have access to appropriate housing and social services.

Right to Life

The right to human life in Jim’s eyes is straightforward. It is the most fundamental of rights on which all God-given rights. He is a cosponsor of H.R. 616, the Life Begins at Conception Act as well as numerous other pro-life bills. Jim has joined the effort to force a vote on H.R. 962, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act, and spoke on the House floor to demand Speaker Pelosi bring this bill for a vote. A vast majority of Americans, including many Democrats, believe no matter a child’s circumstances at birth, Congress has the responsibility and duty to end infanticide, which he refers to as fourth-trimester abortions.

Second Amendment

Jim’s support for the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms has earned him the support of 2nd Amendment advocacy groups such as the NRA and Gun Owners of America. Support for the Constitutionally-protected right of gun ownership for hunting and the ability to protect our families and property is strong in southern Minnesota. Jim supports legislation for concealed carried reciprocity and cosponsored H.R. 1156, The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Reform Act.