All We Have Accomplished For the 5th District This Year
Dear Friends,
As we close out 2021, I want to share what we have accomplished for the 5th
District. This year, in the face of a life-altering pandemic, we were able to deliver-much needed relief for Minnesotans and advance vital investments in housing, transportation, education, and nutrition.
Just last month, the House passed the Build Back Better Act, the most consequential economic legislation in a generation. The package will reduce child poverty, lower prescription drug costs, create green jobs, combat the climate crisis, provide universal pre-k, expand Medicare to cover hearing benefits, caps insurance co-payments of insulin at $35 per month, and implement paid family and medical leave. All these investments will deliver tangible changes in the lives of Minnesotans across our district. As Whip of the Progressive Caucus, I worked hard to ensure that the House package was as bold and transformational as possible. Now the bill heads to the Senate, where we are fighting hard to maintain these critical investments.
At the outset of the Biden Administration, we passed the American Rescue Plan, that provided nearly $2 trillion in relief — including nearly $8 billion in funding for Minnesota. This bill provided $281 million to the city of Minneapolis, $246 million for Hennepin County, and $2.6 billion to the Minnesota state government — helping frontline workers, public transit agencies, and teachers.
We were also able to advance $46.9 million in federal funding for our district for transportation and community projects, including investments to address joblessness, housing insecurity, access to healthcare, and transportation barriers. This funding, expected to pass before the end of the year, will help us rebuild and reinvest resources to support our communities.
Every day I fight to make sure that people from all corners of the 5th District have a shot at the American Dream. And this year’s funding and bill passages will go a long way to making that possible. I will continue to fight to make sure all Minnesotans have the resources they need to thrive.
I can’t wait to keep making progress with you.
Fighting for Working Families
The Build Back Better Act is our opportunity to make life easier for working families. The package will help by providing universal pre-k for every 3- and 4-year-old to ensure every child can access a high-quality early education. The package also includes four weeks of paid family and medical leave and extends the child tax credit another year — which has already cut child poverty across our district. Minnesotans spend an average of over $16,000 a year on childcare — as much as they spend on mortgage payments — and the Build Back Better Act caps the price of childcare at 7% of your income. Rep. Omar has fought to ensure all working families across Minnesota can thrive.
Fighting for a Healthcare System that Doesn’t Bankrupt Families
Rep. Omar has fought for a single-payer healthcare system throughout her tenure in Congress.The passage of the Build Back Better Act makes important steps to make healthcare more affordable. The package caps insurance co-payments of insulin at $35 per month, expands Medicare to cover hearing benefits, and includes funding to permanently extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIPP) to ensure low-income children have access to the care they need. She will continue to fight until all Minnesotans and Americans have access to a Medicare for All system.
Fighting for Housing Security
Every Minnesotan should have the right to guaranteed housing and a quality standard of living. The Build Back Better Act and the American Rescue Plan make important housing investments to provide badly needed relief. The Twin Cities has the worst housing shortage in the entire country — and the Build Back Better Act will create a housing acquisition fund to address it. The package also includes $150 billion in funding for affordable housing units and rental and down payment assistance. The American Rescue Plan has already provided $25 billion in rental assistance to people struggling with housing insecurity.
Fighting for Environmental Justice
Rep. Omar believes climate change is the greatest existential threat the 5th District and the nation faces. That’s why she advocated for strong climate protections in the Build Back Better Act. The package creates a civilian climate corps that will create 300,000 green jobs to help conserve our environment. The package will also put us on a path to cut climate pollution by 50% by 2030 and provides clean energy tax credits.
Fighting for a Just Immigration System
As a refugee, Rep. Omar knows how important immigrants are to the fabric of America. In the Build Back Better Act, the package includes legal protections for millions of immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade. While this is an important first step, Rep. Omar will continue to advocate for a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and DED holders and to make sure these provisions are included in the Senate bill.
Listening and Fighting for You
Rep. Omar’s top priority is making sure members of our community are taken care of. That’s why she has held nearly a dozen in-person and online town halls this year. Her office has been working diligently to provide much needed support to all members of our community. Her office is here to help, whether you’re having difficulties with Medicare, Social Security, the VA, Immigration, or any other federal agency.
If you or someone you know needs assistance, please contact Rep. Omar’s office at (612) 333–1272.
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In service,
Ilhan Omar
